New York Comic Con!

FINALLY, here, at the 11th hour: my New York Comic Con post! I’m sitting in a hotel in New York in the wee hours of the morning as I type this.  I’ve been spending every waking moment on a couple projects I can’t announce yet, so I simply hadn’t had time to do this post. But better late than never, right?

This year I am a Featured Guest at New York Comic Con and I will be at Artist Alley Booth D9 all 4 days! Click here to add me to your show planner. The New York Comic Con show planner is really nifty, by the way.

I’m really excited to meet lots of east coast fans this weekend, as well as many fellow creators! So much of the comics industry is working remotely, and now socializing remotely via Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, etc. A large national-scale comics show like New York Comic Con offers a unique opportunity to see colleagues and industry friends face-to-face. Some fellow pros I’m looking forward to saying hello to include Josh Elder, Dean Trippe, Rachel Deering, Marguerite Bennett, Greg Pak, Josh Adams, Neil Kleid, Sean Von Gorman, Amy Chu, Jim Chadwick, Tom Brennan and probably more that my sleep deprived brain is not recalling right now! Oh, also my friend Harry Knowles is here for his first NYCC this year. If he doesn’t drop by my table, he’ll never hear the end of it. Just saying, Harry.

I’m also really excited to see all the amazing cosplays that are a fixture at comic conventions of this scale. As usual, I’ll be taking photos of any cosplayer who is willing to pose, and posting them in real time on my Facebook page. That is, assuming I can get a phone signal this year! Cross your fingers for me!

I’ve got several promotions going on for New York Comic Con. First, show me that you follow me on twitter or like my facebook page, and you will get your choice of a free convention exclusive signed Disco Nightwing mini-print or a Batman button! I brought as many of these as I could fit into my luggage, so hopefully I won’t run out but dropping by to get yours earlier rather than later may not be a bad idea!

At big comics conventions, I like to do something a little extra for fans who follow my work. Because con food is expensive and I know a lot of my fans are here on a budget, I’ll have granola bars available at my table for those who know how to ask for them. That’s right – free, healthy snacks! And definitely NOT engineered by the Reach or Lexcorp to pacify the population. (While supplies last.)

On Saturday at 7:30pm EST I will be holding a Young Justice cosplay & fan meet-up! So come join me and fellow fans for a casual meet-up of cosplayers and fans of Young Justice at New York Comic Con! Greg Weisman and I are now holding these at every convention he or I attend! We may not have a panel at NYCC, but Young Justice fandom is alive and well and we want you guys to know we appreciate you!

So, come hang out, ask questions, take pictures, and meet other Young Justice fans! Tell your friends! If you’re on Facebook, join the Facebook event! Oh, and you can find photos from past meet-ups here! SYMBIOSI

I will be doing commission sketches during New York Comic Con, but I expect my sketch list to fill up FAST, so if you’re hoping to get a sketch from me, try to stop by my Artist Alley booth as early as possible. Here are my New York Comic Con Sketch Rates:

$80 per Character

+$40 each additional Character

$50 Head Sketches

I will also have all of my prints available during New York Comic Con, at the usual reduced convention price of $20 each or 3 for $50 for 11″x17″ color prints and $5 each for 8.5″x11″ black and white prints. Something for everyone! Here is an overview of my prints for those new to my blog:

And just to cover a few other questions I keep getting on twitter:

• Autographs are always free and I’ll sign anything you bring me. (Check out my guide to asking for signatures and drawings at conventions!)
• I’m happy to do Interviews any day but Sunday, but the earlier you can drop by, the better!
• I have a very limited supply of Young Justice TPB‘s. Come by early if you were wanting one. Sorry, no comic books with me this year.
• I still don’t have any news on Young Justice. But you should pre-order the video game!

I think that about wraps up my New York Comic Con blog post. Whew! I really am looking forward to meeting lots of fans over the next four days! Please, come say Hello! Artist Alley booth D9! See you there!

Come see me at MCBA Fallcon October 5 2013!

October 5 2013 I’ll be at MCBA Fallcon, open from 10am to 5pm at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds! I’ll be talking to fans, signing autographs, doing commission sketches and selling art prints, so stop by and say hello!

Tickets are available at the door ($8 for adults, kids 9 & Under FREE). Save $1 off admission with a Canned Food Shelf donation. Free MCBA Grab Bags for the first 500 attendees. Costumes encouraged.

This year Mark Waid will be joining the creators appearing at MCBA Fallcon, so you won’t want to miss it!

I’ll have Young Justice trade paperbacks and Art Prints for sale. And I’ll have my usual convention exclusives like the ever-popular Disco Wing mini-print for fans who “like” my Facebook Page or follow me on Twitter!

Remember, at conventions I’ll have all the prints available at my Etsy Store, but at the reduced price of $20 for an 11×17 color print, plus NO SHIPPING FEE!

Cincinnati Comic Expo 2013 Hightlights

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to have been invited to be a guest at the Cincinnati Comic Expo. Hal and I arrived at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport which has the airport code CVG, the same abbreviation we use for our home convention CONvergence, which I suppose could be taken as a good omen for the weekend to come. We were met at the airport by Amanda Gilliam, which was the first time that I’ve ever had the driver-with-your-name-on-an-erasable-marker-board experience. Amanda wasn’t driving us though, she hooked us up with a pre-paid shuttle to our hotel in Cincinnati while she went back to wait for the next out-of-town guests due to arrive.

Friday afternoon was spent setting up my booth. We’re forever trying to find ways of streamlining my convention set-up, making it faster to put together and getting the most bang for the buck given the limitations of bulk and weight that is practical to bring to a convention by plane. This was the best iteration to date, but we’ve already got ideas of how to improve it for next time!

Young Justice fan art from Jim Haas

The convention was open from 5:00-7:00pm for a “preview night” for Exhibitors and VIP Ticketholders. I didn’t do a lot of business, but there was a lot of browsing and it was a great chance to meet some of the other folks there for the show while traffic was light. The cosplayers were already out in force, and we started capturing photos. When I say we, I mean mostly Hal. She’s the reason you see as many photos in my social media on a convention weekend as you do, as she’s both taking the photos and posting them while I’m busy drawing and talking to fans. Hals are very useful, I highly recommend them.

We captured so many cosplay photos over the weekend I created a separate blog post for them, which you can see here.

TMNT Balloon Sculptures at Geek Prom

Friday Night was the Comic Expo’s Geek Prom, which had a Saturday Morning Cartoons theme,with many of the attendees in cosplay or pajamas.

Art of War II at the Mainstay Rock Bar

Saturday Night featured an after party at the Mainstay Rock Bar including the second annual installment of an improv drawing event called Art of War. Artists went head-to-head in drawing challenges in an elimination structure. This year I was happy to just watch, but if I make it back next year, maybe I’ll participate!

I love meeting all fans, but I’m always especially amused by exchanges with costumed fans that revolve around their costumed personas. A Nightwing cosplayer asked if I would “sign his wing,” and then proceeded to lean over for me to sign the chest logo on his costume, playing it up like I was signing a female fan’s cleavage. (I never get asked to do THAT… maybe I should be grateful?) Judge Dredd and a colleague stopped by and were very concerned with whether the free candy being offered at my table met with regulations.

Signing Nightwing’s costume

These Judges meant business

I did a number of sketches while at the Expo, and you can see those below.

Ace the Bat Hound

Zatanna

Darth Vader

JLU-style Huntress

Artemis

Darkseid

Avengers sketch cover with Tigra

Green Arrow sketch cover with Arrow vs Etrigan

Madman without a Box

And finally, I did one more sketch just to be drawing during some down time. I started drawing the Joker, and had gotten as far as deciding what kind of tie to give him – bolo, straight necktie, or bow tie – when inspiration struck. Between the Joker drawing turning out pretty well and the Doctor Who reference, this seems to have gotten a pretty good reaction on social media. I may have to do another version of this as a print! I’ve still got this original art, so it also will be available at my next convention unless I get a better offer! ;)

At the Hall of Justice – Cincinnati’s Union Terminal

Before leaving town I had to visit the great comic book geek landmark of Cincinnati, Union Terminal which these days is the Cincinnati Museum Center. Back in 1973 it served as inspiration for the Justice League’s Hall of Justice on The Superfriends!

My thanks again to everyone that stopped by my table at the Cincinnati Comic Expo, and all the great volunteers who made the event happen and made me feel so welcome there. You’ve got a great convention and I’d love to come back!

Cincinnati Comic Expo 2013 Cosplay Photos

FRIDAY

Velma Dinkley

Green Army Man

Joker

GEEK PROM

CCE13 Geek Prom

Ninja Turtle Balloons

Me flanked by Batgirl & Robin

Amanda as Leia

Morpheus & Death

“Lazy Batman” and Selina Kyle

Joker

Kermit & Jim Henson

Deadpool as Prom King

Harley Quinn

Enchantress, Loki, Riddler, & Thor

Scarecrow

“Fancy” Solomon Grundy

A pair of Robins

Rose, Jack, and The Empty Child

Pacific Rim

Dr. Octopus

Robin

Walt Disney & Mickey

The 11th Doctor

Me with Wonder Woman

Cap, Spawn, & Batman

Spawn – UNMASKED!

The Flash

Beast

Captain & Mary Marvel

Nightwing

Static

Mortal Combat’s Jade

Mal & Kaylee

Ms Marvel

The Brave Family

Dr Fate & Zatanna

1st Doctors

Alan Scott Green Lantern

Judges

Ant-Man

Zatanna

Gambit & Luke Cage

4th Doctor & The TARDIS

River Song & Amy Pond

Slave Leia

Stormtrooper

Thor

11th Doctor

Indiana Jones

River Song

Batgirl & Batman

Two-Face

Nightwing

Me with The Batman

Chell

Vocaloid

Poison Ivy

Ensign Ro & Iron Man

Ensign Ro vs The Gorn

You can read all about the Cincinnati Comic Expo at their website!

This weekend I’m at CINCINNATI COMIC EXPO!

The Cincinnati Comic Expo is this weekend where I’ll be a Featured Guest. It’s at the Duke Energy Convention Center, 525 Elm St in Cincinnati, Ohio. Weekend Tickets are available at the door for $30.

SHOW HOURS:
Friday 9/13: 5:00pm to 7:00pm
Saturday 9/14: 10:00am to 7:00pm
Sunday 9/15: 10:00am to 5:00pm

I’ll be there for the Preview Night on Friday and All Day Saturday and Sunday. I won’t be in Artists Alley, I’ll be in Booth 431 (next to Blue Line Pro and Illustrator David Michael Beck). I’ll have Young Justice trade paperbacks and Art Prints for sale, and I’ll be doing original commission sketches. I’ll have my usual convention exclusives like the ever-popular Disco Wing mini-print!

We’ll be doing a Young Justice Meet-up for Cosplayers and Fans at 7:00pm (show close) on Saturday. It’s a chance to gather everyone together to meet, get photos, and talk informally. See the graphic below for the meet-up location.

You can read all about the Cincinnati Comic Expo at their website!