SUPER REAL NOTES - Emerald City Comicon this weekend!

I'll be in sunny (yeah right) Seattle all weekend (Satruday-Sunday) for the really really big (regional) show... Emerald City Comicon!!!
Woo hoo!

Artist alley is the place to find me, along with Gnome, Super Real, prints, sketchbooks and so much more!!!

More info HERE

BE THERE!!!!!!!

SUPER REAL NOTES - New York wrap up

Time for a recap from last weekend's New York Comic Con. Both my first time at the show and in the city.

The show ran 3 days, and I arrived Friday AM from a red eye direct flight via Jet Blue. Having got about 4 hours plus of sleep on the flight, I took a Super Shuttle (my preferred choice of airport to con/hotel transportation) to the Javits Center convention hall in the lower west side of Manhattan (overlooking the Hudson river).
From there I made my way, luggage in tow (all 3 heavy bags of gear) to the back right hand corner for artist alley and my 3 foot table space. Artist Alley's are generally in the back corners of cons, so nothing new there, but the double whammy of only getting a half table (I signed up for a full table, last June folks) and also being in the back corner, next to last row on an end, proved to be an unfortunate setup.

But before we sum up the weekend of the show, lets get to the fun stuff, more pictures!

We start out with a quick photo tour of midtown NYC, starting with Times Square, which was just a couple blocks from my hotel, the Hampton Inn on 8th and 51st...I've some nighttime pics of Times Square, but they're on my camera phone, I'll see if they're worth getting to the pc...
The MTV studios, you can't really tell, but they're taping (but they don't play music, so who cares)...
5th avenue as I head east on 42nd street, you can't really tell, but this is looking North, where the city just disappears into the horizon...Grand Central Station, with the Chrysler building in the background...
Grand Central should look familiar, as it was just featured in Will Smith's I Am Legend, and the scene where he loses it to one of his dummies...On approach, and just beneath the famous Chrysler building and it's art deco design...
...and finally, the Empire state looming on approach from Park Avenue. Manhattan pics, to be continued, once I get my disposable camera film developed... we'll see more shots of the Empire State Building, the subway, and Central Park!

And being out of film to show for the time being of NYC, let's get back to the con...

Undoubtedly, NYCC is a great show. Having continued to grow both in terms of size and attendance each of it's 3 years, it's quickly become the next best thing to San Diego Comic Con (the mother of all cons). This year, from what I've heard and been told, it grew in space and offerings tremendously. Also, from what I've heard, the attendance last year was around 50k, with reports for this year being in the 65 to 75k range (haven't heard an official number yet), which is about half or more of the 115k the SDCC did in '07. So, NYCC is growing, and chock full of cool people and cool things.

A sketch I did of Phontom Girl (form Legion of Superheroes) and for my good buddy Dennis Budd (Model Operandi creator and Super Real special alumni)...
Gnome with comic book luminaries; Fat Momma, Green Lantern, and Jugghead!

How did I do?
Not great.
Look, I'm a straight shooter, I don't lie or cherry coat. Exhibiting at shows is hard, mystifying, and a continual learning process. Just when you think you have things figured out, and get great results, the same shows yield let downs the following years. Or in this case, you got to a great show, but don't do as well as you should. Having heard repeatedly from others at the show and artist alley, that they were seeing the same thing, and having been in a terrible location (sure, any spot at a show this side is good, but really, I'm not kidding you or myself, the show on Sunday was nuts, but our corner of artist alley was dead, people didn't filter all the way back to our area, ask anyone by me), with the dreaded 3' half table, when I'm hard pressed to exhibit in 6' of space, there were a number of factors working against me. So, all things considered I did fairly well, and made back most of my air and table expense... but hotels are very pricey in NYC.

A half table is terrible, just awful. Not only do you have no room to work (sketching etc), or properly display (I have 9 books to offer, prints, sketch cards, etc etc), but perhaps the biggest danger is that you can blend into your neighbors. I can't tell you how many times on Saturday, people looked at my stuff, and then turned to my neighbor and asked him for a sketch or took his flyer. Now Julien was a great guy, and really talented, but he had nothing on his half table, nothing, just a flyer, and a rate card. I think it's safe to say, people thought he was part of my display. And hey, I did what I could, having my own table cloth, and signs etc. too, but Sunday, I moved stuff around, and seemed to mitigate that some...

But, those are the breaks.

So the show, sales wise, was a let down. But as always, there are other elements to a con, networking and meeting peers being paramount, and I met and caught up with plenty of cool people, and you never know what may come from any of that; jobs, friendships, connections, collaborators, the list goes on and on. Plus I got to pick up my copy of the Flash Gordon comic preview... which features the amazing art of Paul Green and looks pretty promising!!Outside the con, I was alone in the big city. I was able to catch up with some friends Saturday night and join their crew on a trip to an after party. Which wasn't all the great, but got to meet and spend time with some cool people... and then wound up walking home about 20 blocks. Walking around NYC on a Saturday night is kind of like walking Vegas, everywhere you turn there a people and places buzzing.

I didn't fly out til Monday PM, so I had Sunday night and Monday afternoon to check out the city, something I rarely get to do on con trips.

Sunday, I met up with an old family friend in the East Village who lives in Brooklyn but works in the city (delivering food, and other odd jobs)... but first I had to navigate the subway for the first time. He'd given me the perfect spot to catch a train right by my hotel, but I had some difficulty finding the right one and right direction. Seemed no matter which side of the tracks/street I came from, they were going the wrong way... getting off twice, once at the terminal, and once down the line after going north instead of south. Something about that station being a cross junction or what not.
But amidst that, had the nicest Australian girl asking me for help getting the right train to Queens, ha ha!

Once I got going the right way we met up, and caught up, first at an old Irish Pub with their own brew and sawdust floors. The place was packed, and they just seat you next to other folks at tables with open chairs. So after getting to know our new neighbors (a group of girls sending off their friend to the Peace Corps) we put back some beers and got to talking.
I've got to say, my evening, starting off with a night time walk through Times Square, and then to this point, had been pretty magical. Just fun as hell, full of sights, and great people. I was really impressed.

From there we walked to another pub/bar by NYU, caught some local beers, and then ventured a short subway ride to the Brooklyn Bridge.
What a cool bridge, no wonder it's so iconic, and a great place to view the city, and the financial district where the twin towers once stood. Even glimpsing the 1 inch Statue of liberty in the distance with it's tiny torch lit...

Having met up after 10pm, it was now approaching 2am, and it was time to catch a subway back to the hotel. Gotta tell ya, for a Sunday at 2am, the subway was more than interesting... yikes! Crazy stuff, one guy reading his lines, another talking to himself, and many other kooky passengers, but all things considered, not too bad. Especially when this train had a stop directly across the street from my hotel. How cool and convenient.

Monday afternoon I'd hoped to catch up with another friend, but that didn't work out. So I just took the walking tour of town myself, seeing Times Square again, the Chrysler building, Empire State, and then up to Central Park (all were amazing, some of which you see in the pics above, but check back for more pics to be added later).

Over all it was a good time, and under the right circumstances, I'd consider going back. It really is a great show, and even greater town!

SUPER REAL NOTES - New York Comic Con

I'll be exhibiting in artist alley space H22 this weekend, 4/18-4/20, for my first time at the massive NYCC!!!
I'll have Gnome, Super Real, sketchbooks, prints, sketch cards, and my smiling face all in a 3' space!!! Yikes!!!
Hope to see some familiar faces and new friends at the show!
I'll update upon my return!!!
(I'm also a NY/NYC virgin too!!) Fun stuff!

SUPER REAL NOTES - WonderWrap

Well the annual aught eight Con to the Wonder was last weekend...
High hopes dashed on the rocks an all that aside, it was a good show (last years all pro sales were back to reality this year for me, but many I talked with said the same, and indeed said those they talked with concurred, so perhaps I wasn't alone).

As ever, it was cool to see returning faces, catch up with friends and acquaintances...

It was also cool to share space with the Gnome crew, Dave Dwonch (writer/artist/creator), and John Williams, aka Super Ugly (cover artist).
Dave, center here, was of course pimping Gnome and doing some slick sketches, mostly for his many fans on the Comic Geek Speak forums. John was doing his first con, with his Super Ugly artbook (which I had to pick up, good stuff), prints, paintings, you name it, all in that inimitable "Ugly" style!

Prepping late into the night Thursday, and only catching 2 hours rest before leaving for an early AM flight, I was tapped by the shows end Friday and crashed.
Saturday the Gnome gang and friends hit some dinner and the Isotope Darwyn Cooke party. We'd done the same last year, but the 'Tope was much more user friendly at that DeMaitais party... when we showed up for tip drinks, comics, art, and networking, the place was comfortably occupied, but within an hour or so it was madness and we had to escape the crowd.
I guess we were there long enough to make the scene though (see side pic from the Newsarama article)... too funny! We were barely there (but long enough for me to put back three Isotope super strength Jack and a tiny bit o Cokes)...

I've said it before, but the Isotope is a great shop, boldly going where others have yet to tread, and worth a look when in the Bay Area!

I did manage to get out my trusty "Friends and Neighbors" sketchbook I take with me on my journeys, where I do just as the name implies, and pass it to friends and neighbors at cons for sketches of either their characters, or mine, often times with humorous mash ups of the two... This time I got it to Dave, who worked up this great Kityana of Super Real, holding "gnome".
I'll try and remember to share these here from now on...

I got a little fanboy thrill (still happens some times) when I realized I was just across an aisle from J Campbell, and had to grab one of his 07 sketchbooks (wanted to get the awesome 10th anniversary oversized Danger Girl print too, but resisted)... It was fun to see some of the sketches he did at the show.

So, another show has flown by, with very little time spent outside my table... some day. Of course, the occasional good costumes go by, including the requisite Star Wars, Spider-Man, etc, but also a great troop of Cobra Commandos... why have I not seen more of those?!? They were cool!!

Coooooooobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next up? April and 3 shows, Portland, NYCC, Stumptown, followed by Emerald City 2 weeks later!
Is it April yet??!!

SUPER REAL NOTES - Wondercon Weekend 08

The convention season kicks off for me tomorrow, as I make my third annual journey down the coast to San Francisco Wondercon.

I'll be exhibiting in artist alley Friday thru Sunday in space AA71, alongside my friend Dave Dwonch (creator of the upcoming SRG Presents: Gnome). Stop by and say hello, and check out preview books of Gnome.

I'll also have the entire run of Super Real of course, as well as prints, art, and my brand new 2008 sketchbooks (fresh from the printer). The new book is 32 pages and includes black and white and many color pages of commission work, fan art, pinups, sketches and more! I think it's my best book yet. I'll have those available from the website upon my return.
Wondercon is a fast growing show that packs in a great crowd, and is an enjoyable scaled down version of San Diego Comic Con (by the same organizers). This year, they've got a really great lineup of media guests, including the whole crew from X-Files (promoting the new film), which is quite thrilling for me and the wife!

Very excited and looking forward to it, it should be a great weekend!

IN CASE U MISSED IT: Wizard Texas panels I wish I saw

Interesting con wrap up on Blog@Newsarama for this past weekends Wizard World Texas. I had a few friends at the show, a couple for the first time, so I'm anxious to here how they did, and their take on it (it's the only Wizard show I haven't done, and I'm not too impressed with their other shows).

Mainly of note, are some panel roundups...
One with the actress Laura Vandervoort from Smallville who plays Supergirl... something about her, and that role (I really like the character Supergirl), she seems like the perfect fit (almost makes me want to watch the show for the first time since it's series debut)... I also would put her on the short list to star in the movie version of Super Real!

But even better, there were some cool notes/quotes from the Michael Golden comics storytelling panel! Yowza!! To have attended that!!
Mr. Golden is my favorite all time comic artist (I picked up Micronauts #7 off the spinner rack all those years ago, and he did the first 12 issue run there plus many covers, as well as covers on another childhood favorite, ROM Spaceknight, and a single issue of Star Wars that was my favorite of that lengthy run!), and the only creator I geeked out and went fanboy on, waiting at his table to get signatures at this years Emerald City Comic Con!!

Pop on over and check it out HERE

WW Chicago sketches

Just back from Chicago last night, it was a great con, much better than 2 years ago (my first time at the show).

I did quite a few sketches and tried to get some decent pictures, but I really need to get a new camera. So, thought I'd share some of those!




All of these (except Wonder Woman) were done without reference...
As you can see, Cherry Darling is a popular request (there were I think 2 more I didn't get pics of), I also sold out of the copies I had of my print of her...

Some of these I'd like to do as a finished drawing if I get the time!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the table and said hello, and especially those who picked something up, or commissioned a sketch, I really appreciate it!
See you at the next show!

SUPER REAL NOTES: Wizard World Chicago

Preview night is already in the books, and it was as much of a stinker as the first one (I was there 2 years ago for the first time Wizard added the Thursday night preview and it was a dead zone).
It's only open 3 hours (officially), but they didn't start letting people in til 15 minutes past the open time, that coupled with a 4-7pm time slot and a weekday (and not SDCC) makes for some slow going unless you've got exclusives people are rabid for, or are a "name" artist people want to get on a sketch list of, I suspect (though some friends in with a Small Press booth said business was good, and the crowds did seem bigger than '05).

I'll be in artist alley space 5400 (not in the program) if you're there.
Looking forward to a good show (and more White Castles and some Chicago-style pizza, plus I've family in the area - bonus!)!!

SDCC 07 update 5: Final wrap up

With San Diego Comic-Con 07 firmly in the rear view, and Wizard World Chicago only a few more days away, I'm back for a final review.

I've shared shots of the con floor, and some of the better costumes and celebs that passed by, but I haven't shared pics of friends or any highlights from the after hours fun that was had.

Friday night was reserved for the 9PM screening of my friend Javier Hernandez's comic book film adaptation, The Dead One, based on his comic book El Muerto. Javier and I had met as small press neighbors at the con in 2004 (my second year), and have become good friends since. I've followed Jav through his journey from comic to film, and heard many stories of the production and everything in between, so with the film making the festival circuit for months now, I was very excited to get my first look at it at the con. With the show going til 7PM it was a mad dash with some friends to grab some dinner before the screening, but we managed to get back to the hall (and find the right screening room) just in the nick of time!

The movie features Wilmer Valderamma (of that 70's Show fame) in the lead as Diego the Aztec zombie, El Muerto. Tony Plana (from Ugly Betty) plays a supporting role and was onhand with Javier and producer Larry Rattner afterwards for a Q&A...


The Q&A session... Me and the Jav-Man... Jav and my wife Tami...
The film was great (as witnessed by the two-thumbs-up above), a cool mixture of an original character driven story grounded in Hispanic culture, with comic book and horror movie themes! Do yourself a favor and check it out 9/18 on DVD. Rumor has it, I'll even have an El Muerto artwork original in the DVD extras art gallery!!!

After the screening it was off to the Hyatt bar to catch up with more friends, where we had many drinks, got a little rowdy, and closed the place down...


Most of the gang at the Hyatt, makin with the pose... my buddy Dave Dwonch (Special Ed) posin with the one, the only, THE WOLF!!!

Friday and Saturday my buddy from Portland, Randy Kintz (aka Rantz - who's currently working on Jason and the Argonauts for Bluewater Productions) flew in for his first SDCC. Rantz hung at the table Friday and sold the last of his sketchbooks, and also crashed at the suite that evening. He was a bit overwhelmed by the size of the con and the crowds (who isn't)...

Here are some shots of familiar faces from the table...

My neighbors the last 2 years in small press, the creators of GRAVY BOY... me with my buddy Daniel Campos (Stalk) guest artist from the first Super Real Special and current KISS4K artist...

Rantz in action... the man, the one and only, Felipe Smith!! (MBQ) Super Real issue 3 variant cover (pictured) artist...

Rantz with Ray Height (Raheight), upcoming SR pinup artist...
Saturday night it was off to Old Town via trolley (always an adventure) with Javier and his group of friends (a new con tradition) for some Mexican food and pitchers of Margaritas... I didn't get any pictures that evening to share though. I got to catch up with Stan Yan (The Wang), whom I'd met in small press at my first SDCC and was also at last year's outing, and met Shane another fellow comic maker from Portland...

Afterwards I met up with Rantz and Jason Metcalf (my neighbor from the past Emerald City Comicon) for some drinks at the Marriott bar, which was filled with tables of people sketching... like the whole place. Since I didn't have any drawing materials with me, I was kind of out of place, and we all agreed we didn't really get the whole mass communal comic sketch thing...

Sunday, was not only the last day of the show, but also my last chance to get to Filippi's Italian for pizza. Filippi's is widely renowned as the best place for pizza in SD (and indeed some of the best period), and since the wife and I didn't make it the year prior, I was resolved to get there this time. So, after the con closed down and packed up, we met up with good friend Dave Montoya (Dave's out of NYC and the creator of Moho, and was also a former neighbor at the show) and Hector Sevilla (Lullaby) and his friends to throw down on some pizza. I met Hector the year before after he'd done a pinup I used as a variant on issue 3, where we hit it off and hung out, and since we hadn't had a chance to hang out his year, things worked out for dinner this evening. We had a nice relaxed dinner, over many laughs, and many excellent slices of pizza pie! A great finish, to another great year!!


The best pie... the Sunday Filippi's pizza crew; me, my wife, Dave Montoya, ??, Hector's friend, Hector Sevilla (Elsevilla)...
And thus another chapter closes on the massive San Diego Comic Con. I did my best to capture it on film, and share in the shenanigans, but it's nigh impossible to pin down even a fraction of what transpires over the course of these seven crazy days in southern California. The only way to truly get a taste for it, is to experience it for yourself (highly recommended). Word of warning, be prepared to do battle with massive crowds, and allow yourself the maximum amount of time possible. Even if you can't survive 5 days at the convention hall, there are no shortage of things to do in and around the city. It really is a phenomenal place to host the show. Each year my wife and I take a day or two extra and take in another area attraction, and this year we walked Balboa park, the massive park that's host to scores of museums and ornate buildings, nestled just between downtown and the zoo.

I'll be back one last time to share a couple pieces of artwork I received at the show, but otherwise, I'm turning the page on San Diego, and looking forward to Chicago (and White Castles!!!)...

SDCC 07 update 4: costumes on parade

Well, as it tends to, San Diego Comic-Con gets out of hand, and turns into a full throttle marathon... leaving no down time to upload photos, and blog and such.
With Monday a travel day, and today back to work (day job, not fun job), this evening was my first real chance to finish up sharing all the pics and stories from the con.

It was a phenomenal show, as always.
Each year I do a little better, the crowds get a little thicker, and the booths get a little bigger.
The big news of the con wasn't the mega-ton of celebrities or Hollywood announcements, but the first ever string of sellouts, with the show being sold out Friday through Sunday.
Even though it was sold out, the crowd was still weird... everyone I talked to noticed slower sales on Saturday (than usual), and the typical hyper nuts activity was reserved for Sunday this year (instead of both days).
Perhaps the Heroes cast panel, Iron Man cast/trailer/suit reveal, passing of Spock ears, and gazillion other distractions on Saturday take it's toll on the floor attractions...

As for sights of my con, lets continue with that, moving away from more booth-centric to more costume heavy pics. With the masquerade on Saturday, there are no shortage of crazy costumes to be found (and the occasional celebrity sighting)...

First up we have Edgar Wright and Nick Frost (writer/director, and supporting actor of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz) who my wife and I were walking past one morning while I was on the phone, and even after repeated requests for her to get out my camera and get their picture she was puzzled unwilling, until I explained who they were, then she chased them down and got them to pose for this shot...

A great Superman and Slave Leia...

A really cool Abbey Chase, Danger Girl...

An awesome Haruhara Haruko from FLCL (Fooley Cooley), Catwoman with Ghost Rider...

The giant Optimus Prime booth display, and a funky Bumble-Bee!

And the Mach 5 from the upcoming Speed Racer Wachowski brothers movie...


Unfortunately I didn't have my camera on one morning walk-through when I was surprised to see Rosario Dawson turn around and walk out the Dark Horse booth... there was also a great Nacho Libre with full on massive gut that I missed snapping a shot of because I couldn't think of the Nachoooooooooooooooo cry soon enough...

There's always next year. :)

Tune in tomorrow for some details on what off hours of the con were like, and some shots of friends in and around the con.

SDCC 07 update 3: Thursday

Another day, another shitload of people, and the sell-outs continue, as Friday (tomorrow) has also sold out as well.

I tried to get shots of interesting attendees, but missed a couple... most notably, Stan Lee as he was whisked by in front of my table surrounded by security. Alas, my camera takes forever to set for a shot, so I missed him!
I did grab Sid Haig (Captain Spaulding of House of 1000 Corpses, and The Devils Rejects fame), and he was cool enough to hold this pose for a ridiculously long time...

There were at least 3 slave Leia's walking around, this was perhaps the best (there's no shortage of them around cons these days)...

And this morning, as I grabbed my copy of Comics From Mars #1 (by Paul Pope), and King City volume 1 from Tokyopop (by Brandon Graham), I found the Cherry Darling amputee model, and got her picture (along with a mob of other photogs)!

My wife, Tami, made it to the show, for the first time this trip, around quarter to 5, just in time to hit the Lost season 4 panel... I'll try and upload some pics on that later...
Sounds like they basically highlighted how "everything ties together, and they know where it's all going", ha ha. Look forward to more flash forwards, the Dharma initiative fully revealed early on, the return of Michael (who appeared as a surprise guest on the panel), and the significance of Rousseau and her story over the next two seasons.

Tomorrow I've got two good friends hitting the show, Randy Kintz (Jason and the Argonauts), who's also from Portland and will likely be hanging at the table, and Javier Hernandez (El Muerto), who's got a screening of the independent film adaptation of his comic at 9PM at the con. Tami and I, and likely some friends, plan to attend the Aztec Zombie Wilmer Valderrama feature!

SDCC 07 update 2: Preview night gridlock

Wednesday/preview night at San Diego Comic-Con 2007 was much like 2006... packed!

Click for a look at the finished Heroes booth, as you can see it's meant to be Isaac's loft, complete with floor mural, and the Tim Sale paintings from the show (I assume they're prints)... and some of the crowds outside the hall Wednesday afternoon.
As with last year, what used to be the one night one could comfortably walk the floor, was just like every other day of the con, wall to wall people. Many people complained that the main floor (the media/big booth center of the con) was an aisle to aisle wall of people.

Meanwhile in small press, sales were slow, as usual for any preview night/first day of a show. No worries there. I did sell quite a few things, and catch up with many many friends.

The buzz on the floor so far, at least at my table where my sketchbook and prints sport Grindhouse/Cherry Darling images, is that there's apparently an actual amputee model dressed up as Cherry at one of the booths...

I'll have to investigate and bring back photographic evidence today! (stay tuned)

In the meantime, here's some photographic evidence of what the studios want you to be talking about, the 300 DVD...
Not only does Dark Horse have stacks of 300 Spartan shields (with the DVD release date emblazoned in all it's glory), the studio has even gone so far as to have mobile billboards cruising the streets (something I've not seen here before)!


Here's the back of the Marvel booth, a giant blow up of the massive recent X-Men 200 wrap-around cover art from David Finch (sorry for the crap pics, I need a new digital camera!)
After looking over today's program, the only panel I'd like to see is the Lost Season 4 panel with show runners Lindelof and Cuse discussing the new season, series finale buildup, and season 3 DVD (and surprises oh my!).

So, I'm off to catch the Sheraton Suites green route shuttle and tool around the hall looking for items like Paul Pope's THB preview book, and maybe the Jason Pearson Body Bags preview... not to mention the millions of items I've forgotten or don't know about yet, before the doors open!

STAY TUNED!

SDCC 07 update 1: Pre-Show booth action

San Diego Comic-Con International kicks off this evening with it's Wednesday night preview from 5:30 til 9PM, but before any attendee's can get in, all of the exhibitors, artists, and convention contractors get things set up.

As I made my way in through the hall this year, I was more impressed than ever with some of the massive booth displays. As you know, Comic-Con has become a pop culture festival more and more, and the mainstream booths seem to be getting bigger and better each year.

Here are a slew of shots from just some of the highlights, or pernsonal interests of mine from the floor, as things are finalized...
Here's the giant (about 30' wide) Pirates of the Carribean (black pearl?) replica that we saw being trucked in on the news the other night...
Across from it is the always impressive SCI-FI booth...
A life-size Jabba The Hutt (who apparaently talks too!)
and more Star Wars coolness, including this giant animated-style Leia... and life-size Yoda kicking ass (from the Clone Wars movies)

Mordor(?), from The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, the polar bear creature from The Golden Compass (all 8' tall and real as life!), some Spartan armor from 300 you can purchase and wear around the house (or possibly the office?), Frankenberry (if only they had Booberry!)and a World of Warcrack (er Warcraft) elfin chick!



And then click on these images to get larger views of Marvel's booth (yes, they have an actual booth at Comic-Con this year!), a hasbro booth that's actually a full on store recreated on the con floor, the really cool G4 tech-TV who'll be broadcasting live from the con on Friday and Saturday, a giant bad ass Cherry Darling (Planet Terror/Grindhouse), the swanky 60's Batmobile from the TV series, a giant 30ish foot tall WB watertower, and entire booth for the NBC TV series Heroes, still under construction, complete with giant apocaliyptic mural on the floor!!!





So now I've finished lunch and it's back to the con to open things up and let the chaos begin!!

SUPER REAL NOTES - San Diego Comic-Con 2007

San Diego Comic-Con International 2007 starts for me today!

We're flying out this morning.

This is the premiere event in the industry, which just keeps growing, and growing. This year it looks like they've already sold out the 4 day passes, and have also now sold out of Saturday entirely. I don't think that's ever happened before!

Super Real will be on exhibit from the Small Press Pavillion spot S16
We'll have every copy of the book, sketchbooks, prints, sketches and original art, as well as sketchbooks from friends of the series (and maybe even some of them hanging out at the table).

It's always great to meet fans and catch up with friends, so please stop by the table!

SUPER REAL NOTES - Sketchbooks and Comic-Cons

Here it is, less than 24 hours before our annual trek to sunny southern California, and the mayhem that is Comic-Con International!! I say "our", because since my first year solo exhibiting the con in 2003 (back in those infant stages of Super Real), my wife has joined me. She used to help at the tabel a bit, but now she just goes for the good times checking out the show, the town, and the people. This year, we're even bringing our dog Choco (the chihuahua)!

Anyway, as I try to wrap up the endless loose ends and fully prepare for the 8 day trip, and 5 day show, I wanted to share some more info on the new sketchbook I'll be debuting at the show, and the latest addition to my 2007 convention schedule:

2007 Jason Martin SKETCHBOOK: PLANET LADIES

A goofy, somewhat awkward title, but one I think works visually well with the Grindhouse inspired cover image, that also tells you what's in store inside... namely 22 pages of pinups, sketches, and commissions featuring only the ladies of fandom.
My first book featuring art completely outside the scope of Super Real.

Like the previous Super Real Sketchbooks, this one also comes with a personal sketch in each copy.
They're $10 and available via PayPal if you get your orders in before Comic-Con (end of next week).
Paypal id - jasinmartin@hotmail.com
Please add $2.50 for 1st class, or $5.50 for priority US mail (international please email for shipping).

Also, act quick if you want one of the remaining 2006 Super Real sketchbooks, I anticipate selling out on those in San Diego.

WIZARD WORLD CHICAGO

If you can't make it to the mecha of comic cool in San Diego, maybe you can make it to the next best thing?

I'll be in artist alley at Wizard World Chicago again this year, so if you're at the windy city con, I'll see you there!
(Stay tuned for more details on this one)!

SUPER REAL NOTES - Pittsburgh Con wrap up

Okay, it's a week later (as usual), so it must be time for my con wrap up for Pittsburgh Comicon 2007.
It was a 3 day event last weekend (the final weekend of April) in Monroeville PA.
I had an artist alley table and shared a hotel room with my buddy Dave Dwonch (Big Monster Productions/ Special Education - pictured above with my table) and new buddy Ryan Spano (forum regular from Comic Geek Speak and all around clown - pictured left). Both were a big help and a blast to hang with.

Right off the bat, the main thing that stands out for the Pittsburgh show are the many online friends that I finally got a chance to meet, and the pair of outstanding fans that I met at Wizard World Philly Con last year who hit me up again this year (Mike and Brian, you guys are awesome). That alone would've been great fuel for the weekend, however, the icing on the cake was the way the show is organised, the promoters of this show take care of the exhibitors like no other con. Not only do they provide beverages up to two times a day, but they also provide lunch on Friday and Saturday, to every exhibitor. That's artist alley, small press, dealers, and yes, even the guests. Now any other show caters to their guests and calls it good, not in Pittsburgh. To make things even better, even sweeter, the con hotel adjoins the convention hall, and the organisers host an open bar and poker tournament on the hotel's penthouse floor every night, also open to any exhibitor with a badge. So, you've got the hotel bar where everyone goes, or the penthouse for those in the know, where there's sketching and schmoozing til the wee hours each night.

Suffice it to say, with me and my roomie Dave being on West coast time (3 hours earlier than Pittsburgh's Eastern time zone) it was tough to get any sleep.

The con itself went well, and I was busy sketching all weekend, on through mid day Sunday. Now, it wasn't necessarily that I had sooo many sketches, but I was moving pretty slow on Saturday. I even had a couple chase me down after a much needed break and ask for their sketchbook back. I felt really bad, but I did what I could. I did lots of fun sketches and met lots of cool people.

Aside from taking in the all-you-can-eat buffet at the GOLDEN CORAL (yes, that's the name) Friday night, Saturday night we travelled a little ways to a cool local Sandwich/Pub chain, Primanti Brothers, where they take some fresh bread with your choice of sandwich meats and pile it on with cole slaw, french fries, and tomatoes. Sounds strange but tastes excellent (especially with a big brew).

Among the folks I got to meet were the entire ID Comics crew, of which I'd met Bryan Turner the year before at WWPhilly, but they're all super talented and super cool. You can see Bryan (below left) and Jose's (above) pinups here that they did for me at the show (which are both amazing)! More on the ID comics crew and Super Real to come...

I also got to meet Mr Skootles creator and TSL regular, my friend Howie Noel (pictured below left). Howie and I didn't get to hang out as much as I'd have liked, but he did do this awesome sketch of Holly during the show (above right).

Also in attendance was my friend Ryan McLelland (Philly, Newsarama), another person I'd have liked more time to catch up with. David Montoya (pictured above right) my former neighbor at SDCC and now good friend, Dave does an awesome book called Moho.

I also ran into Dirk Tiede, creator of the webcomic Paradigm Shift, I'd met Dirk a couple years back at SDCC when we were both at Modern Tales. We did a book swap, and I'll have a post on his incredibly good manga here soon.

Another awesome book I'd been wanting to pick up for years now, that I grabbed the whole now complete series of was Sentinels by Rich Bernatovech and Luciano Vecchio. Look for a post on that soon too.

So there you have it, a quick rundown of the faces and things I saw at the con. It was a great time. So many cool people, and so much hanging out and talking shop. A couple nights Dave and I ended up in the lobby after the bar or penthouse closed and one night he even ended up pitching his drunken idea for a new series based on creator David Mack (a guest at the show) to him after I turned in one night. Dave's idea was called MACK FOR A DAY, and basically the premise was, what would you do if you could switch bodies with David for one day? One of those things that sounds funny at 3am after a few too many, but not really something you approach the guy about and pitch. Ha ha! Funny stuff, and good times.

So once again, big shout out to all the cool people I hung with at the show and all the cool fans that stopped by the table!!
I Hope to return next year.

SUPER REAL NOTES - Pittsburgh Comicon this weekend!

I'm flying out this AM for the big Pittsburgh Comicon in Monroeville PA that runs all weekend, 4/27-4/29!!

I'll have a space in artist alley with all the latest and greatest Super Real swag, artwork, and doing sketches.
Stop by and say "HI!" if you're in the area!

I'm looking forward to meeting friend face to face for the first time, and hanging out all weekend with them and of course, THE FANS!!!!!!!!!!!
__


Also, don't forget, JOSH HOWARD PRESENTS: SASQUATCH is in comic shops now, and includes an all new 10 page story by yours truly!

Go HERE for more details...

CON SWAG: Emerald City Comicon 2007 part 2

RAZOR KID #1 - RoninStudios: Written by Marcus Almand, pencils by Jeffrey Cruz

Picked up Razor Kid from DeviantArtist FooRay, who's working on issue 2 of the book. I'd seen it somewhere online and thought the style looked interesting if familiar. Upon flipping through and seeing it had the great work of Cruz, I had to check it out.

RK is standard superpowered storytelling, a young aspiring hero, competing to get a license from C.A.P.E. (citizens authorized for protection and enforcement), but where it shines in in the execution. The plotting and character, Alex Tanaka, are fresh and fun to follow. Turns out Alex is a genius who though he lost both his arms, devised his own prosthetics, that not only give him the functionality he's missing, but much more.

RK is a nice mix of good writing, solid art, and a well developed concept. Check this out if you like books like Invincible, where the creators make the tried-and-true seem fresh and fun!

STEVE LAWLIS: FRANKENSTEIN'S MONKEY - Rorshach Entertainment: Created/Written by Brian Meredith, art by Erik Thompson

I'd seen Erik's nice cartoon artwork for some time now, so I was excited to see he'd worked on a comic and was quick to pick up this new entry from Seattle Publisher Rorschach.

Steve Lawlis is well suited to Erik's style, as it feels much like a mash-up of 3 cartoon network shows; Johnny Bravo, Powerpuff Girls, and Dexter's Laboratory. In fact, after a fun intro that feels like we're going to be treated to a nice cartoon inspired yet adult focused tale, things spiral into the all-too-familiar, with Lawlis being the macho stand in for Bravo, directed by the mayor to fend off outlandish threats to the city ala Powerpuff Girls, and alongside and up against evil/crazed scientists and situations born from their mischief, that would be Dexter's Labortory. Now, I don't think Meredith was actually going for that trifecta, but in hindsight that's what I found. I wish I had better things to say here, I wanted to like this, but it just seemed uninspired, and I really don't need to hear anyone quote Charlton Heston's key line from Planet of the Apes (you know it), EVER. AGAIN. THANKS.

I advise you go ahead and check this out if you like Thompson's cartoony style, the book doesn't get in the way of enjoying his work (though it could stand colors to make it really pop, like on the cover).

CON SWAG: Emerald City Comicon 2007

Just off my fourth con in the span of 6 weeks, it's time, no past time to share some of the treasures I've unearthed cruising through the artist alley exhibitors. But since the most recent swag is freshest in my mind, I'll start with that, and some of the stuff I grabbed at this past weekends Emerald City Comicon (a great show, that's back on track this year).

First up is the latest work from Super Real friend, Edward Pun. Edward you may recall turned in the slick variant cover of participant number 3 for issue 2, and also contributed 5 pages to the recent Super Real Special. In the meantime Edward put the finishing touches on his first issue of BETSY MAE BITE, a full size black and white comic featruing a mysterious farm girl, her cow, ufo's and men in black.

In BMB Ed weaves a light, fun, and pulpy tale centered around the titular cute girl Betsy, and the events that transpire one evening on her farm. With Ed's clean and ultra smooth storytelling, he could make a book about paint drying a fun read. Here though, he plays with some much cooler material and the result is one good comic book yarn that's a little bit manga, even more "animated", and a whole bunch of fun!

You can check it out HERE for now, but I'm sure Ed will be adding it, along with his latest group venture ATOMIC LEAD, to his website store found HERE

Next we have a heady concoction from James Stokoe, SNACK COMIX issue 1.

James is a friend or current/former roomey (or sumthin like that) of the incomparable comic kids Brandon Graham and Corey Lewis, and their influence is all over Stokoe's work that I've seen (or ya know, his influence is on their stuff, it's all mixed in ya know?). That said, it's a good thing, as Graham and Lewis got enough style and crazy ideas to fuel a line of books each, and the work I've seen of Stokoe is equally impressive. This however is the first time I've been able to pick up a book of Stokoe's. (I know he's got something due soon from ONI PRESS too, of which I'm down for and eager to see)

Snack Comix is 40 pages of black and white goodness. Stokoe presents 2 stories here, the first longer story centered around a visored biker dude hangin back to watch giant monsters throw down and tear apart a city, as the rest of the population heads for the hills. His writing and work on the page are fresh, cool, and most of all fun. His stuff, again as with Graham and The Rey, exudes a unique spirit that's contagious. The second shorter story is a simple tale behind the scenes of an Orc army.

Very cool goods here.
Check out his website or DA page!

Stay tuned kids! Much much more good, "You have to see this shit!" stuff to come...

SUPER REAL NOTES - Emerald City Comicon this weekend!

It's time for the fifth annual Emerald City Comicon, the Pacific Northwest's largest comic show!

As usual, there's a never ending lineup of top notch guests (including my all time fave creator, Michael Golden!), the show really goes all out in that department.

I'll have a table in the artist alley this year, table 203, which looks to be at the front of the con hall right as you come into the area!

Looking forward to meeting friends and fans all weekend!
Stop by and say hey if you're at the con!

SUPER REAL NOTES - Wizard World LA this weekend!

I'm off to Wizard...
WIZARD WORLD LA that is, at the Los Angeles Convention Center!!
I'll be there with my friend Javier (El Muerto) Hernandez starting tomorrow Friday 3/16 on thru Sunday 3/18!

Come by artist alley if you're at the show, I always love meeting SUPER REAL friends!

I'll have all four issues of the book, the last of the 2006 Super Real Sketchbooks (still available via the website store for $10ea with a sketch!), plus the all new....
SUPER REAL PINUPS VOL1.0
40 pages
Full color
Cardstock cover
21 pinups from 20 artists
Including:
JOSH HOWARD
JIM MAHFOOD
TODD NAUCK
HECTOR SEVILLA
and many more!
$10ea
also now in the website store

The books turned out really nice!

STAY TUNED,
jason

SUPER REAL NOTES - Wondercon 07

Well, I've been too busy this week to really blog, but I wanted to do a Wondercon wrap up, so here it is a week later...

This was my second time at Wondercon, having regularly exhibiting San Diego Comic-con International since 2003, I'd been anxious to make it to the other show put on by the same folks, and last year I took the plunge. My wife and I had both previously been to San Francisco, but last year with my getting a small press space at the show, we thought it'd be a great opportunity to explore the city (in addition to my doing some Super Real business). We opted to drive down from Portland, an 11 hour drive south on Interstate 5, and stay downtown.

So, after exploring the city last year via cable car, taking in firsherman's warf, and driving the corkscrew streets, this year I went to the show myself, strictly for the con, and while 2 or more people driving may save some funds, one person is certainly cheaper, and a hell of a lot faster to fly.

I was to share hotel expenses with my friend Randy Kintz from Portland, but things didn't work out and I ended up completely solo. So instead of splitting the rate on the con hotel, The Argent (at $160 per night), I opted for a place called The Mosser, that appeared almost as close, but for only $50 a night if I took the base single with shared bath down the hall. Yes, no bathroom in the room, but when you're travelling for cons, you have to cut any expense you can. All the info on the web made the hotel look very nice, despite the price, so I took a chance.

I had a direct flight Friday AM of the show and arrived at SFO well ahead of schedule to blue skies and warm weather (same as last year). After making my way long distance to the baggage and figuring out the shuttle setup I found a shuttle (all major airports have shared-ride shuttle service to downtown/local attractions for a fraction of the price of a cab, with no prearrangement necessary), and then had to promptly wait 30 minutes for another passenger, any passenger, to show up. After that mild delay it was straight to the con hall.

I made it to Moscone Center South, the new location for the show around 9:30/10AM, with the con opening at noon, got checked right in and on to my artist alley sp