Ottawa Comiccon...the rehash everyone's dreading.
Good day, my fellow comic denizens, I have just arrived back home from Ottawa Comiccon, the 2018 edition and I can honestly say, that from a comic book perspective, never had I have had so much success at a convention (I almost did last year, but I was one book short.)
Pictured above is the first comic book I have bought as an investment in my life. As the first appearance of Power Girl, I like to think that this book (like her obvious...qualities) will appreciate larger in time. But it is a book I have coveted for a long time and since I have completed my Supergirl goal, I went for it.
I managed to sit through many comic panels this year, I attended the one Dan Parent of Archie Comics fame (hosted by Josh Stafford of the Mayfair Theater, also known by many as a huge comic fan in his own right.) Parent talked a lot about the current state of affairs at Archie, about Dan Decarlo and his work with him, and talked up his Kickstarter for his project Die, Kitty, Die (you can read about it here at http://danparent.com/ ) Below is the cover for one of the earlier Die, Kitty Die projects that he had for sale at the convention. (I bought a copy of Kiss meets Archie.)
I also sat in on a panel also hosted by Stafford, talking about the Ottawa comic scene. He had four local artists up with him, writers Chris (who's last name escapes me, but apparently has taken time off to build a dollhouse for his kid; this was a running gag throughout the entire panel) and Jack Briglio, and artists Tom Fowler and Craig Taillefer. All four artists talked about that it is pretty easy now to live in Ottawa and contribute work to anyone, because of couriers and the internet, and we received interesting accounts of what used to go on at Arthur's (anyone else remember that store?) and we received a small history lesson about Aircel Comics (of whom I do plan a future blog entry about, after all, we did have a comics publisher here once.) I purchased a copy of the Dracula adaptation that Craig had at his table (website: http://www.craigtaillefer.com/), and I found his Aircel experiences interesting to listen to. I also checked out Tom Fowler's stuff at his blog website: http://bigbugillustration.blogspot.ca/. I post a picture from his commission work shown at the site I find particularly interesting, as a big Legion fan.
If this is an example of his work, I am going to have to get one eventually (when more wall space is created.)
The best comic experience I had, however, was meeting and conversing with Jim Shooter, former Editor-in-Chief at Marvel Comics. My favourite stuff of his, of course is the DC stuff he worked on with Curt Swan in Adventure Comics. He showed off a letter with sketches he received from Curt before they had ever met in person, but were working together at the time. I bought a print of Superman #199 from his people and had him sign, as this was definitive of their work together at the time. I also enjoyed Neal Adams panel, where he talked about unseemly publishers and how all of them were "stupid." I had him sign my copy of the comic pictured below (which he was the cover artist for.)
I also bought comics from three other local writers/artists: Janet Heatherington, Ronn Scott and Steve Coffin (who I had mentioned in an earlier post as having been at that very small Aylmer show I brought my kids to.) I plan on reviewing these books very soon, once I can sort through what I have purchased over the weekend and find some time...(do I have a lot of vacation time saved, boss?)
Ottawa News and Notes - Most of the above could serve as a "News and Notes" for this week, but I will take time to mention the Brockville ComiCon that is running next Sunday (May 20, 2018) at the Brockville Memorial Centre (https://www.facebook.com/events/207810696426419/ ) My son and I are going and I hope some others will come.
Next time, another edition of Random Comics My Son Picks...followed by an article on (subject tbd)...have a great time in the meantime!
Pictured above is the first comic book I have bought as an investment in my life. As the first appearance of Power Girl, I like to think that this book (like her obvious...qualities) will appreciate larger in time. But it is a book I have coveted for a long time and since I have completed my Supergirl goal, I went for it.
I managed to sit through many comic panels this year, I attended the one Dan Parent of Archie Comics fame (hosted by Josh Stafford of the Mayfair Theater, also known by many as a huge comic fan in his own right.) Parent talked a lot about the current state of affairs at Archie, about Dan Decarlo and his work with him, and talked up his Kickstarter for his project Die, Kitty, Die (you can read about it here at http://danparent.com/ ) Below is the cover for one of the earlier Die, Kitty Die projects that he had for sale at the convention. (I bought a copy of Kiss meets Archie.)
I also sat in on a panel also hosted by Stafford, talking about the Ottawa comic scene. He had four local artists up with him, writers Chris (who's last name escapes me, but apparently has taken time off to build a dollhouse for his kid; this was a running gag throughout the entire panel) and Jack Briglio, and artists Tom Fowler and Craig Taillefer. All four artists talked about that it is pretty easy now to live in Ottawa and contribute work to anyone, because of couriers and the internet, and we received interesting accounts of what used to go on at Arthur's (anyone else remember that store?) and we received a small history lesson about Aircel Comics (of whom I do plan a future blog entry about, after all, we did have a comics publisher here once.) I purchased a copy of the Dracula adaptation that Craig had at his table (website: http://www.craigtaillefer.com/), and I found his Aircel experiences interesting to listen to. I also checked out Tom Fowler's stuff at his blog website: http://bigbugillustration.blogspot.ca/. I post a picture from his commission work shown at the site I find particularly interesting, as a big Legion fan.
If this is an example of his work, I am going to have to get one eventually (when more wall space is created.)
The best comic experience I had, however, was meeting and conversing with Jim Shooter, former Editor-in-Chief at Marvel Comics. My favourite stuff of his, of course is the DC stuff he worked on with Curt Swan in Adventure Comics. He showed off a letter with sketches he received from Curt before they had ever met in person, but were working together at the time. I bought a print of Superman #199 from his people and had him sign, as this was definitive of their work together at the time. I also enjoyed Neal Adams panel, where he talked about unseemly publishers and how all of them were "stupid." I had him sign my copy of the comic pictured below (which he was the cover artist for.)
I also bought comics from three other local writers/artists: Janet Heatherington, Ronn Scott and Steve Coffin (who I had mentioned in an earlier post as having been at that very small Aylmer show I brought my kids to.) I plan on reviewing these books very soon, once I can sort through what I have purchased over the weekend and find some time...(do I have a lot of vacation time saved, boss?)
Ottawa News and Notes - Most of the above could serve as a "News and Notes" for this week, but I will take time to mention the Brockville ComiCon that is running next Sunday (May 20, 2018) at the Brockville Memorial Centre (https://www.facebook.com/events/207810696426419/ ) My son and I are going and I hope some others will come.
Next time, another edition of Random Comics My Son Picks...followed by an article on (subject tbd)...have a great time in the meantime!
Comments
Post a Comment