Saturday, October 6, 2012

New York Comic Con approaches!

New York Comic Con (NYCC) has becomes huge, both as a convention and as a piece of my yearly comic art budget. And it is only a few days away. I am definitely attending Thursday and Sunday and one of the other days as well, probably Friday. I am very excited about a few potential convention sketches, and have even been lucky enough to set up a few in advance. Andy MacDonald did a full blown commission for me - a version of Mephisto Drinks The Defenders that I expect big things from. Jonathan Case is doing Dr. Strange, and Mike McKone is doing Asgardian Storm in watercolor. Those done been confirmed and paid! Bonus! Three great pieces before the show even starts.

And I can probably get those 3 guys to do a quick head sketch for me as well. I plan on getting a few jams going on some colored paper I have. It should be fun and a nice way to keep things focused for me. My main one will be a Batman piece I already have one sketch on, and it is done on a solid blue piece of art board. I may start a second as well; it remains to be seen if it will be Red for Hellboy, Spider-Man, Flash and such or Green for Hulk, Savage Dragon, Lizard et al. Depends on the available creators I would think (although it is a given that I will get a Savage Dragon from Erik Larsen given how nice and available he is. Maybe a Lizard or Vulture as well.).

My main target for sketches would have to be a guy I have never seen in my 20 years going to conventions. Liam Sharp is someone whose art I have enjoyed throughout my adult life. But it is his work on Man-Thing/ Strange Tales that I hold dearest. Big giant wet Man-Thing. And The Incredible Hulk as well. His hulking beast types are just fantastic, but he can do the small and slow stuff just as well. I have emailed him and discussed a commission, but have never made it happen. I would looooove a nice Dr. Strange and Man-Thing in the swamps or in a mystical Ditko-esque other-realm by Liam Sharp. Maybe I can make something happen, even if it is not that particular image.

Bill Sienkiewicz will be on my radar as well. His is a flighty, constantly moving, frenetic, sporadic convention experience so you have to be in the moment when dealing with and anticipating Bill Sienkiewicz. I might have a good idea, or even two if you count the variation on a done-to-death Sienkiewicz theme. But can I get them out of Bill for the right amount of money is the question. Will he kill it like I need him to do if he chooses either idea? I mean, one needs a ton of color. I am considering bringing every con piece I have from Bill, about 7 probably, and showing him the progression of our "relationship" as I beg for one that puts them all to shame. Then I want to try and work a page from Starman 81 out of him as well, and maybe a Batman head on the blue board. I plan on giving a fair chuck of change to my Polish compatriot.

Other than those two guys, hopeful acquisitions would come from Jim Cheung (Asgardian Storm), Sean Chen (hoping to get 2 or more 17X5 pieces as he does them the best), Steve McNiven (Doc or Asgardian Storm), and Walt Simonson (Manhunter perhaps, if I have the right markers). Andy MacDonald goes without saying (what 'til he sees what I have in store for him should he rise to the challenge, which he is incapable of failing to do!) and Geof Darrow may surprise me (I can dream can't I? I sent a commission request through advance channels. So yes, I know, dream dream away but that is fine for me!).

Friday (or maybe Saturday instead) will largely be spent looking at original art. I am hoping to find a Starman page or two (2% chance of that in reality as I know none are on dealer's sites). Other than that, it is Bechara at Nostalgic Investments for Tomb of Dracula 44 pages or maybe some Barry Windsor Smith or Mike Mignola is out there for me. Maybe something from Paul Smith (The Golden Age would make my year!) or even Matt Smith and The Shade in Showcase '95 ('94? maybe) will show up. I hope to scour the whole show to find my gems. It should be a blast!

And Thai Chicken Zestos at the Europa Cafe on 7th Ave all weekend! w00t!

I'll show you what I get next week or the following! Thanks for reading!!!

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