The Greatest Convention Sketch I Ever Got - Mitchell Bretweiser and The Fifty

The Fifty is my permanent art collection. It is a work in progress that will continue to evolve until I die . I thought long and hard about the appropriateness of convention sketches in The Fifty. In looking over my collection it was the quality of the piece, not the scene its' of origin, that ultimately decided its' fate.

So let us welcome the greatest convention sketch I have ever received into The Fifty: Dr. Strange by Mitchell Bretweiser.

At the time I wrote this on CAF "The  gem of the convention, and one of the more impressive con pieces I've gotten. And the previous work I had seen him do of this character was very dark, so this was just a blast to get from him." This still stands as one of the most, if not THE MOST, impressive convention pieces I have ever purchased. It was at the Philadelphia 2005 WWE show and I distinctly remember walking the aisles and watching Mitch paint this. He was relatively unknown at the time and would go on to the Drax The Destroyer miniseries in just a year or two. I got another watercolor painting the next year but it was nowhere near as beautiful as this one. This is a gem that has stood the test of time so far. I do not expect to ever consider parting with it, so that by definition makes it a member of The Fifty. Why not make it official, eh?

This one is probably another surprise to many folks but it is special to me. Besides the beauty and joy in the character, a rare take on Stephen Strange - believe me, it was so fun getting it. At one point Mitchell,who was at the corner of the aisle, was leaning very far back in his chair and stretching his arms out as portrayed in the painting. He was looking at his hands from side to side and making different hand gestures. The look on his face was one of total immersion and joy as he worked. I don't think he was aware of me standing and watching him work from about 4 feet away, slightly behind him off his right shoulder. He would pose and look it over, paint a bit and then do it again. It was a blast to watch him work. And then when I was able to pick up the completed piece I was blown away by the bright and festive Dr. Strange Mitchell produced.

Hey I am a psychologist, but I cannot help but think that Mitchell himself was this joyful and full of life when he made this painting. Watching him work, he was nailing it creatively and would soon be noticed by the Big Two.

Then again, perhaps the painting doesn't represent Mitchell, but me. I mean, look at that thing! And I own it! Look again, it is exactly how I myself feel about the piece.

Thank you Mitchell!


The Fifty
1  BWS Storyteller Young Gods page 4
2  Tony Harris / Ray Snyder Dr. Strange WIRED Magazine cover

3  Gene Colan / Tom Palmer Tomb of Dracula 44 page 1 splash
4  Simon Bisley Dr. Strange vs The Mindless Ones
5  Dan Green Dr. Strange: Into Shamballa splash
6  Bill Sienkiewicz Superman 400 pinup recreation

7  Dan Adkins Dr Strange 170 page 11

8  Anna Merli Clea

9  JH Williams 3rd / Mick Gray Promethea 24 double page spread

10  Rudy Nebres - Dr. Strange, Dracula & The Scarlet Witch
11 Mitchell Bretweiser Dr. Strange watercolor