C2E2 – Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo 2024

I’m excited to be returning to C2E2 for the first time in a few years. Chicago is a favorite town of mine and I always have a great time at C2E2. This will be my first time attending since relocating to the Los Angeles area, so it’s going to be a bit of an adjustment to be flying to Chicago instead of road-tripping from Minneapolis!
I will be at the convention all three days (April 26-28) at Artist Alley table H-17 selling prints and comics featuring my art, and generally chatting with fans who want to stop by and say hello. As always, autographs are free. I’ll also be taking a VERY LIMITED number of request for original sketch commissions, so if you’re interested, stop by EARLY and reserve your space on the list.

More details below:

C2E2 will be held in the South Building at McCormick Place located at 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois. Artist Alley will be in the same section of the show floor as last year, in the back right section of the South Hall.                         

Artist Alley Hours are:

Friday, April 26: 10:00 AM — 7:00 PM
Saturday, April 27: 10:00 AM — 7:00 PM
Sunday, April 28: 10:00 AM — 5:00 PM

Art Prints

My prints are 11″x17″ on cardstock paper. They are $20 each (already a savings over what they cost when ordered from my Etsy store), but I can offer a discount of 3 for $50. I’ll have a selection of Young Justice and Doctor Who prints available, plus Justice League and Harley Quinn prints. And of course, I’m not coming to Chicago without bringing my Svengoolie portrait, as seen on the set of the Svengoolie TV show!

In addition to many of the old favorites I’ll have available again this year, I have SIX new Young Justice prints being offered at a convention for the first time at C2E2 2024!

If you can’t make it to C2E2, all my prints are also available from my Etsy store.

I have very few slots available for commissions left, so if you’re interested I’d suggest seeking me out EARLY. If I’m drawing on my own paper I’ve got 9″x12″ bristol, but I will also draw in sketchbooks or on sketch covers if you bring them to me. Head-and-shoulders sketches are $100 and a full figure is $200.

I hope to see you there!

Christopher Jones at NYCC 2019!

I am delighted to be returning again this year to New York Comic Con, October 3-6 at the Javits Center in the heart of Manhattan. This year, NYCC Artist Alley will be returning to Hall 1B on the 1^st Floor of the building, and I’ll at Artist Alley table B-10 all four days. Artist Alley hours are as follows:

Thursday 10am – 8pm
Friday 10am – 8pm
Saturday 10am – 8pm
Sunday 10am – 5pm

I was too busy to other deadlines to solicit commission sketches in advance of the con, but will ABSOLUTELY be doing sketches there. My sketch list fills up FAST, so if you want a sketch from me during the convention, I recommend seeking me out and getting in my list as early as possible!

And in case you don’t read all the way to the end of this long post, remember: I love chatting with fans, and autographs and photos are always free!

Svengoolie Meets the DC Universe

Have you heard about Svengoolie Meets the DC Universe? The 8-page epic has the Me-TV horror host meeting the Justice League and a certain Clown Prince of Crime, and will be serialized in 2-page chapters inserted into DC Comics starting October 16, with a the whole thing collected into a comic that Svengoolie will have at signings and appearances as he celebrates his 40th Anniversary. And I drew it! I’ll be doing a signing with Svengoolie himself at the DC Comics Booth on Friday from 12:30pm – 1:30pm, just before the DC Presents Svengoolie panel from 2:45pm – 3:45pm, in room 1A06.

I will NOT have my Svengoolie print (as seen on the set of Sven’s TV show) for sale at the signing, but I *will* have it available at my Artist Alley table, so pick one up beforehand if you’re hoping to get one signed by Sven!

Books for Sale

At my Artist Alley table I’ll be selling and signing (while supplies last) of Young Justice Book 1: The Early Missions, collecting of issues 0-13 of the tie-in comic to the Young Justice animated TV series, and Marvel Action Spider-man: Spider Chase, collecting issues 4-6 of Marvel Action Spider-man. Both feature artwork by myself I’m delighted to have these collected into book form. I’ll also have copies of my Doctor Who mini-series, The Third Doctor: Heralds of Destruction and The Seventh Doctor: Operation Volcano. Stop by early before they’re gone.

Art Prints

I’ll have my usual selection of prints for sale. The making their debut at NYCC 2019 are two Young Justice prints: “Recognized” featuring the original team as they appear in Season 3, and “Bowhunter Security,” from the fan-favorite episode of Young Justice Outsiders. Also making it’s debut as a print is “Fam,” featuring the 13th Doctor and her companions. This artwork was originally a variant cover for the Doctor Who comic from Titan Comics.

I’ll also have other favorites from Young Justice, Doctor Who and other series. My prints are all available from my Etsy store., where 11″x17″ prints go for $30, but they’re only $20 at NYCC, and on top of that I’m be offering a 3-for-$50 deal.

I also have a selection of other prints in color and black and white at a smaller 8.5″x11″ size for $5 and $10 including this popular item.

Commission Sketches

All of my convention sketches are black ink on 9×12″ bristol. I will also draw on comic book sketch covers and in sketchbooks if you provide them. I expect demand to exceed my available time, so come see me early to get on my list so you don’t miss out!

Here are my sketch rates. Samples of different varieties of sketches are below!

• Single Character – Full Figure: $100
• Two Characters – Full Figure: $180
• Head Sketch or Head-and-Shoulder: $60
• Three or more characters, or 11×17 sketches: ($200+ – Will negotiate price based on request)

Headshot or Head-and-Shoulder Sketches ($60)

Single-Character Sketches ($100)

Two-Character Sketches ($180)

(Note that an elaborate object like the TARDIS counts as a second character)

Three-Character or
Negotiated Flat-Rate Sketches ($200+)

More Sketch Covers

(More samples of sketch covers I’ve done at various rates.)

And finally…

Stop by to show me you follow me on ANY of my Social Media platforms and get a free 4″x6″ mini-print! This year’s design features the Captains Marvel!

See you at NYCC!!!

Visiting the Set of Svengoolie

I recently had the privilege of visiting the the set of Svengoolie in Chicago (no, not Berwyn) and wanted to write about it. But first, some history!

You never really know a man until you’ve walked a mile in his coffin. (Photo by Kevin Reisberg)

I first met Svengoolie (aka Rich Koz) in 2014 at the Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo (C2E2). I’d been familiar with the concept of late-night horror hosts on TV since I was a kid, but it was only when Svengoolie’s show went national with the Me-TV network a few years back that I finally had one I could regularly watch, and I quickly became a fan.

After hitting it off at C2E2 2014 I decided to create a portrait of Svengoolie which I presented to him as a gift at C2E2 2015. Sven seemed sincerely surprised and delighted by the portrait, and I has hugely flattered that it was added to the TV show’s set! I wrote about all this and the story behind the portrait in more detail here: “A Portrait Worthy of Svengoolie”.

Svengoolie and me at C2E2 2014.

Svengoolie signs my personal copy of the portrait at C2E2 2015. (Photo by Gregory Parks)

I had done my best to keep in touch with Rich and his producer Jim Roche since then and had been extended a generous offer to come visit the set some time. I finally managed just a few weeks ago to make it to Chicago at a time that coincided with Svengoolie filming a few weeks ago and got to make my long-awaited visit.

The set is smaller than you’d expect, but is densely filled with ghoulish, geeky detail. It is lavishly stocked with statues, figures and props, and most fans have likely noticed that it gets redressed for each episode with figures specific to that week’s movie. Many of those figures are pulled from the personal collections of the crew and staff that makes the show happen, and when not drafted into on-screen use most of those figures reside around the desks and cubicles of those crew members! The craftsmanship on Sven’s gimmicked-out coffin is as impressive in person as you’d hope, and the cameras are automated so they can be run from a control room down the hall!

I got to watch Sven and his crew record intros and outros for four upcoming episodes while I was there, and also recorded an interview with Sven that will be included with the Svengoolie episode “The Black Cat” on March 2, 2019. But most importantly, I got to throw rubber chickens. Watching the show I always think of the chickens that pelt Sven during these segments as coming in from beside the camera, but actually the chicken throwers are sitting on rubber mats on the concrete floor in front of the camera, lobbing the rubber chickens up in the frame, trying to get *close* to Sven without a) smacking him hard, b) their hands coming up too high were they’ll be seen by the camera, or c) having a wild throw take out any of the collectible nik-naks displayed around the coffin. All these things can happen – and have!

I was kicking myself after the day was over that I got photos with Svengoolie but not with Jim Roche or any other members of the crew I met that day who were all so gracious and made me feel so welcome. Oh, well – next time!And yes, if you’d like your own copy of the Svengoolie portrait, they are for sale. If you can’t get if from me in person at one of my convention appearances, you can always purchase it from my Etsy store.

Updated: Here’s the interview segment from the episode.

Keep an eye out for my live tweets during episodes. When I’m at home I’m watching I’m usually commenting as @chrisjonesart. See you online my fellow Sven-fans!

Christopher Jones at C2E2 2018

I’m thrilled to see so many friends and fans again at Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo this weekend! I’ll be at Artist Alley table H4 for all three days of the convention.

Here’s a handy map to help you find me at the con!

Yes, once again everybody’s favorite clown prince of crime Mister J will be joining me! He’ll be roaming the convention getting into staying out of trouble when he’s not at my table!

    

2018 Con Exclusive Free Mini-Print

Those who have been following me for a while know that C2E2 is also where I unveil my new FREE mini-print for the year! These are convention exclusive 4″x6″ signed prints that can only be obtained by visiting me at a convention and showing me that you follow me on Facebook or Twitter. It’s a way that I can say thank you to my fans for sticking around. And they’re sort of starting to become collectible, apparently.

In honor of Young Justice returning this year, my newest Mini-Print features Kid Flash claiming another “Souvenir”: a mini-print of Kid Flash claiming another “Souvenir”: a mini-print of… well, you get the idea.

I’ll still have my mini-prints from previous years for C2E2 since I’m driving (not worrying about luggage weight really increases what I can bring with me!) So if you’ve missed one, get it while you can.

New Prints Since Last Year 

I’ve got a few new 11″x17″ full color and 9.5″x11″ full color AND black-and-white prints for purchase since last year’s C2E2, too. I think you guys are going to like these. As usual, I’ll be offering all of my prints at a significant discount from my Etsy store prices.

First, for Young Justice fans, there’s a bonanza of new prints! The Season 2 Team print, The Bat Family, The Flash Family (aka “Flash Forward”), The Marvel Family, and for you villain fans out there, Let There Be Light! 

For Doctor Who fans I’ve got new prints as well: “Thirteen” featuring Jodie Whittaker as the 13th Doctor, “The Paternoster Gang” featuring Strax, Madame Vastra and Jenny, and if you like me you love Doctor Who AND Superheroes, check out “Love at First Sight” featuring Harley Quinn and the TARDIS.

Given the Doctor Who mini-series I’m currently drawing (out this June with a special preview for Free Comic Book Day), it may not be new, this might be of special interest: “Come on Ace, We’ve Got Work To Do!” is my print featuring The Seventh Doctor and Ace.

And I’ll also have my selection of 8.5″x11″ prints at $10 (color) and $5 (black & white), and a limited number of copies of the collected edition of Doctor Who: The 3rd Doctor mini-series by myself and Paul Cornell.

You can see the rest of my prints in my gallery.

C2E2 2018 At-the-Con Sketch Rates 

I will be doing sketches during the convention. Stop by my table, H4, on Friday or Saturday to get on my list! Here are my at-the-con sketch rates.

• Full Figure: $100 for the first character + $80 for each additional character
• Head Sketch (shoulders & up): $60 or $40 with a current student ID

My sketches are ink drawings done with brush pens on 9″x12″ Bristol. I’ll do commission drawings for the same rates in sketchbooks or on sketch covers for the same rates if you provide the book.

Cosplay Repair Kit!

Again this year, I will have the cosplay repair kit with sewing stuff, different sorts of tape, contact cement, and other misc. cosplay repair items. Just ask if you need to use it.

Before I go…

I wanted to answer some Frequently-Asked-Questions from 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 do not charge for photos and I am happy to take a photo with anyone who asks!
• I’m happy to do interviews, podcasts, snippets, goofy stuff, and whatever any day but Sunday, but the earlier you can drop by, the better!
• I will draw any cannon character ship kissing if asked. I will draw any two characters together doing non-romantic/sexual things, regardless of whether it’s cannon or not.

Please stop by and say hello, grab your free mini-print, and if you’re cosplaying, let me take a photo for my Facebook page. Oh, I have an Instagram now too, so be sure to follow me on there too!

Can’t wait to see you all, especially those of you who bring me Diet Coke every year (you know who you are!)

A Portrait Worthy of Svengoolie for C2E2 2015

The late night horror host Svengoolie has been the on-air persona of Rich Koz since the mid-70s, and fans of his show know that it features vintage horror films served with generous helping of cheesy jokes along with background information on the films he shows and their stars that conveys a real love of the material. Ever since Me-TV came into the Minnesota market a few years ago, I have made sure to catch the show whenever I could. I really enjoy it. I didn’t know that Svengoolie would be at C2E2 last year until the 11th hour, and wrote on my twitter that I hoped to get away from my own Artists Alley table long enough to visit Sven at his signing, but I was skeptical that I’d be able to. Lo and behold, Sven and his camera crew stopped by my table as they did a tour of the convention, capturing material to be used in upcoming episodes of the show! It was tremendously cool!

Svengoolie and me at C2E2 2014

I did a little video with Svengoolie (which was really fun), and then gave him a gift of my Re-Animator print, which seemed like the most appropriate of the selection I had. Given the body of all ages and animation-based comics I’ve done I’m amused by how many people don’t know I got my start doing a lot of horror comics, including the original comic book adaptation of the Re-Animator film! Sven seemed to really like it, and I honestly don’t even remember that his crew was still filming when I gave it to him. I determined right then that if I saw Svengoolie again at C2E2 in 2015, I wanted to do something more to express my appreciation for the show.

It didn’t take me long to settle that would be fun to do a portrait of Svengoolie in a gothic, over-the-top haunted house kind of style. I got the idea of trying to evoke the style of Basil Gogos, who is best known for having done many great portaits of figures from classic horror as covers for Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine.

 

Hal reached out to Svengoolie producer Jim to share the finished artwork and see if it would be possible to surprise our favorite horror host with the gift at C2E2 this year. I spent the whole of Saturday at C2E2 2015 looking forward to Svengoolie’s visit after his scheduled signing. When team Svengoolie made their appearance, I was able to give Rich a framed copy of my Svengoolie portrait and he seemed delighted. I had a few extra copies for Jim and members of the Svengoolie crew, and made a point to get Sven’s signature on my own personal copy of the print for my living room.

Svengoolie and me at C2E2 2015

Presenting Svenoolie with my gift

Svengoolie signs a print for me (Photo by Gregory Parks)

The portrait as it now appears on the Svengoolie set. Thanks to my friend Tom Hogan for capturing the video for me to screengrab.

I’m pretty over the moon about this whole thing.

If you’d like your own copy of the Svengoolie portrait, yes, you can get one. If you can’t get to one of my convention appearances to get it from me in person, you can always purchase it from my Etsy store.

I’m looking forward to seeing Svengoolie again, but I don’t know if I can top this!