back from baltimore

okay...

well, that was an AWESOME weekend...!

craig and i had NO IDEA that there were so many awesome perhapanauts readers in the baltimore area! it was so nice to meet all of you and i really hope that you'll come by the blog here and get vocal with me and the boyz!
really, we were stunned at how many people came around, telling us how much they liked the book, how much they were looking forward to second chances, and how fast we SOLD OUT of the first blood trades that we brought with us!!

first off, the show was masterfully organized by our pal, marc nathan, and his well oiled machine. not the best of times to be wandering around and catching up with each other, marc and i always make it happen. during this however he's always being bombarded with questions and requests from his crew and he just casually spats out a firm and decisive answer and then we go back to talking about how easily spidey finished off the shocker in amazing 152. he's that kinda guy.

marc and i also talk about other stuff--we both drive hondas (except for marc) and we both have jack russells--and we initially bonded over very similar relationship scenarios, but marc is in 7th heaven in that regard these days as he recently became engaged to his...well, his fiance now, right?, shelly! she's a doll and here's a picture of us...



did a couple panels during the show; one on comics for kids, in which dan slott--the guy who makes me laugh every month with his hilarious and exciting she-hulk--made me blush recalling a scene i wrote in sensational spider-man lo, those many years ago.

the other panel i was honored to be the moderator for was one featuring the legendary john romitas, junior and senior! i'm friends with both of these fantastic artists and i was so flattered to be asked to introduce them and keep their panel going. and i wish i had been able to stick around and get a picture with them, but i hadda run and get to another panel...

...which was about collaborating in comics, where ringo (mike wier-) and i were on a panel with mark waid, barry kitson, and kurt busiek (pictured in that order--mike's the one lookin' at me...) our former gorilla brothers! (actually, once a gorilla brother, always a gorilla brother!)




though craig hadda cut out saturday afternoon to go to a friend's stupid wedding, it was basically the four of us hangin' around all weekend; randy, mike, craig, and me. randy green is a good friend of ours, an amazing artist, a funny, funny guy, and he and i once did some cool cable and impulse stories together! and he's got this great southern accent...which we make fun of...



i scored some sweet shwag at the show too! a couple back issues of amazing spider-man that i intend to give to a friend of mine, a skull the troll doll from our pal, scott kurtz's hysterical pvp, art adams sketchbook (thank you, rico!), an exclusive baltimore comicon glass featuring mary jane watson's classic (yes, marc--THE GREATEST LINE IN COMICS BOOKS! EVER!) "face it, tiger--you just hit the jackpot!" with that also classic shot by john romita, sr., a "friends of cho" shirt from frank himself (he threw it at me), and a stuffed truman the duck from frank's beautiful strip, liberty meadows!

but by far, the single greatest thing about this show was our very own brian mulcahy! brian was easily a one man sales force and craig and i realized that we sold more stuff while we were AWAY from the table than when we were there...all because a' brian!!! using the incredibly popular choopie butt cards as his opening, brian managed to exert some kinda crazy gravitational force on passers-by, drawing them into the table and then singing the praises of the perhapanauts 'til, somehow, they found themselves walking away with a trade. or a not gigantic color special. or a dossier. or a perhapa-sketches sketchbook. it was truly amazing.
also, he set up and knocked down our table in a quicker and more efficient way than either craig or i coulda thought of in a year of shows. we got there just a little late sunday morning and brian had been there and set the whole thing up for us. too early for me--i'm not a morning person--i was confused for awhile before i was able to see how smoothly everything was set up and moving.
anyway, here's to brian--and a picture of brian--who is prob'ly on the phone with his wife, but i like to think is talking to some of the elves he's got on retainer to make these miracles happen--thanks for EVERYTHING, man! you helped us out SO much!



finally, here's a picture of mike.
whenever i see will ferrell i think of mike. mike has such a great face; so many (funny) expressions.
i caught this at the perfect time.
i call it "the sucker."
here this guy had asked mike how much for a sketch.
mike said $20 and the guy said that he had no money.
the guy walked away.
he came back a little later and wanted to confirm the price, $20? he says.
mike, huge heart, feeling sorry for him, quietly says that he'll do it for him for 10.
the guy is thrilled.
mike does the sketch. it's absolutely gorgeous.
mike gives it to the guy.
the guy gives mike a 50 and asks if he has change.
that's when i took the picture.




mike wieringo
the nicest guy in comics


smell ya later!
todd