Convention Talk Part 1
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Yeti Stereo Microphone-3: [00:00:00] Welcome to the multi-verse comics podcast in today's episode. Convention talk. Part one.
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I can neither confirm nor deny that I've signed a certain British writer's name in a few comic books. No, I haven't. I didn't.
I joked about it, but Well, we almost did. We almost did. That was our first night of shenanigans together here at the shop. That was. That's right. I told my off color Superman joke. We took a picture together and we Barely knew each other, but I did sit there and go, Hey kids, this is, did I say Alan Moore or Grant Morrison?
You said Neil Gaiman. Neil Gaiman, that's it. And some people sat there for a minute. And was like, Oh yeah, you've got Sandman, come here, I'll sign it for you. But no, I didn't, and apologies, Mr. Gaiman. It's all in good fun. Don't sue me. Actually, Mr. Gaiman would probably appreciate it, because I hear his hand gets tired after signing 5, 000 of those, so he'd Probably wouldn't mind a fill in.
Actually I'm free for fake autographs and children's parties. Have you [00:01:00] seen McFarland's deal with the, with conventions? , he doesn't stop for food. He doesn't drink so that he doesn't have to stop for the bathroom. So , he's a machine.
He's like, listen, these people come, they stand in line. They want an autograph. I'm gonna give him an autograph. He will not stop. He's a machine. Good for him. Yeah. I appreciate that. He does have some very complicated what he will and won't sign. Does he? He does. He'll sign anything that he has.
Physically, done. But people bring him like, Amazing Fantasy 15, and I'll have Stan Lee and other, he won't sign that because he did nothing with the book. Okay, I can appreciate that. And I can appreciate that, but there, you know, if I'm, once again, if I'm toting around Amazing Fantasy 15, you know, and I've gotten John Romita and all these, I can see but he But there's one, I think there's a Marvel issue, the one where Marvel edited him sticking a sword in Juggernaut's eye the one, [00:02:00] the issue that made him leave Marvel, the Solo Spider Man book, there was an issue where he wanted to stick Shatterstar's sword in Juggie's eye.
And the editor edited that, and he won't sign that one, because he's like, nope, well that's also his moralistic, screw Marvel, we're going to go off and do whatever. And I kind of respect that, but you just have to know what you're supposed to be bringing to it. Yeah, be prepared. Yeah, I would just get I'm really I'm the worst about autographs Like if I go and get an autograph, it's because it's somebody that just I'd really love the story I respect it a lot.
Like I'm not gonna get slabbed. I'm not gonna do no. I don't want it. I'll take Hard covers a lot of time. Yeah, because I know the hardcover is gonna sit on my shelf. So I love Planet Hulk and that was Greg Pak, correct? So I'm in line, there's these people with these giant stacks and I've literally got my one Planet Hulk [00:03:00] hardcover in my hand.
And I'm like, just this one. I ended up with a sketch and like a personal note and like all this stuff because I was clearly not going to just turn around and sell the thing. Right. And I wanted it because I really loved the work. And it's tough when you're in line trying to convince, you know, cause there'll be times I've got a four book limit.
Procreator kind of mentality. I'm going to show one. It almost feels like not worth your time, not worth my time. Two or three, maybe you thought I bought them in the dollar bin. And I just, I mean, I very much want you to know that I like your art. I appreciate your time. You know, I'm very respectful, just like you.
And There's times that, and I know these days, God, I was such a, you know, back when I was a kid, you know, you had them signed on the inside and you learn how to stack the books where they could just fold over the top one. They all, right. Yeah. And I really, all the times I was like, Hey man, you know, I'm not going to sell this.
I just want, cause good God, you've never come to Texas. I just want to see Marv Wolfman. It's hard to convince them of [00:04:00] that sometimes. And but then on the flip side, When I was 17, when George Perez came to Fantastic World's Up the Road, and they limited you to 10 books I had 270 books that I brought, because I loved George Perez so much, I had everything in my collection he ever did.
And I went. Me and my friend, Jeff 10 to the point where there was no line left and I'll give George and his handler credit. It'd be Jeff signed 10. I'd signed 10 go to the car, come back. They never at the end of the day went kid, just bring the rest of men. Right. So we were at the time it, and that was when like teen Titans number 25 had come out.
So I had all those Avengers. Had all the Fantastic Four first issue of Crisis, and when we got done, I was like, I was really proud of myself, and I just saw how beat down Mr. Perez was, and it was years later, I was like, yeah, I'm never gonna do that again cause they were free, he wasn't charging anybody, and the sketches were ten [00:05:00] bucks, and so I brought a hundred dollars, and every Justice Society person I could think of. I was trying to give everyone their chance, though. You know, I would just But I So I saw a When I went to Comic Con, I've only been once. Juergens is my Superman guy, right? When I was growing up and reading it, that's, he was my guy. So, I I ran into him and he's doing sketches.
But Juergens sketch was, Like it was good money and I just couldn't bring myself to it right now. I'm kicking myself for not doing it because I don't know if I'll ever run into him again. But I went and I bought a copy of Jets of Superman just to get him to sign it. Cause you can find them everywhere.
It's not an expensive book, but I wanted I wanted something, I wanted him to sign one for me. And Yeah I, what I was trying to do is I was trying to find an original page, like he had pages for sale and that's what I wish I had put the money in. I and this board, this is gonna be fun.
One of my. Top 5 Fan Faux Pas When Don [00:06:00] Heck was still alive And he came to Texas for some reason Me and my buddy are standing there at it was the first time I ran into this, where he was charging like a buck a signature.
I had like two of the crap Justice Leagues he did. And I was probably 15, 16. I had no appreciation for the man that had been around. And I saw his sketches were 40 bucks for a headshot. That was just astronomical. Right. And I looked at my friend was like, but it's Don, heck, he sucks. Said it right in earshot.
Cause he no and now, you know, but it was, once he talked, Drew's better than me, but. You know, if you saw a Don, if you saw a Don Heck on a book, it was a filler issue. Yeah. No, I know what you're saying. And so I was like 40 bucks for what? Why are we paying that? It was the summer Kirby was there.
Kirby was only charging 25. And what would you going to spend money on? Right. I mean, I, Frank Miller was doing them for 10. Right. Which, when it comes to summer, we can walk up and remind them of that. Hey man, [00:07:00] you know, you used to do Oh, I'm very excited about Frank Miller coming this summer. But now Are you going to get a sketch?
No. I'm going to I'll tell you what I'm going to do when you finish your bit. Well, I've just I've now learned, you know, that these people are professionals. And whether I think they're the greatest artists or not, follow their rules. Treat them with respect. Yes. Yes. Because you never know when, at the same convention, Jack Kirby and Don Hacker Or at, that you and your friend Jeff are sitting in the hotel lobby after you ran into Frank Miller taking a piss.
And people are trying to get him to sign stuff. And you stood there and didn't ask for any autographs, but he saw that you had your satchel full of his stuff and he's like, Thanks for not asking me, man. Do you want me to sign these now? Neil Gaiman may, if you don't know who he is, might sit down and start talking to you and hand you copies of Sandman number one that he signed and said, here you go boys.
Give this a try. And we were like, what the hell is this [00:08:00] sand man. Is that Kirby character from And I even looked at him and said, Are you redoing the golden age guy from the Justice Society? And he was like, No son, just read this. You're going to be fine. You're going to be fine. That's pretty cool.
That's a good story. That's a good one. Frank Miller. So, For the LA since 2000, and, let me think about this. It's gotta be 2003, I think. So it's gotta be 20 years. I have an issue of John Burns run on she hawk, it's the 50th issue. It's the one where they did chian color. She is the metallic green with the cleavage and all this kind of stuff.
It was a jam issue. So I've been taking this around whenever there's and there was a quite a diverse selection of, you might want to explain to people what a jam issue is. A jam issue is where there's different artists who are all contributing something to. So there's like you're learning [00:09:00] stuff.
Kids. Chaykin has a page in there. Frank Miller has a page in there. Walt Simonson has a page in there. And if you're familiar with Burns run on She Hulk it, there was a reason why there's all these different artistic styles. It was a bit of fourth wall punching and so on and so forth.
I almost thought you said foreplay. Well, in the Chakin one, but that's another show. All of our She Hulk conversations devolve into this thing. It's because it's the nature of the beast. Like you're, you started off talking about her cleavage, like that was the first thing. But that's the cover.
I'm just describing. So, I have Dave Gibbons did something on there. He was sort of doing the nine panels Watchmen structure. He was doing a spoof on that. I've got Dave Gibbons signatures on there. Simonson's on there. Adam Hughes is on there. Rene Widerstadter, who was the editor. And she used to sometimes appear in the comic.
Yeah, she'd be on the cover a couple of times. Yeah. She's, she is also the source of the [00:10:00] lipstick kiss on the famous door length Mary Jane Oh! Jojusco post poster. There you go. A little tidbit there for you. And and there you go. I and I've got John Byrne on there. Because I met Byrne at one of the, I think one of the fan expos within the last few years.
That's where I learned that John Byrne will not sign anything in metallic Sharpie. I think he's got an allergy to them. So he, and it's, you know, cause you get, when you're standing in line. You get a business card from Burns assistant that will give you the rules of how you will behave, conduct yourself, what he will and will not do.
And I'm going to give you a little bit of history here in a minute about this. Okay. This is funny. But it was like, this guy. The reason they had to give rules. Scott. No, it's not that. Well, I want to hear that. But this guy comes down the line, you know, ten minutes before John Burns walks out. And it's like, okay, here you go.
And he's handing [00:11:00] these cards out. And it's like, on the front. John Byrne. No duplicates, no. And then on the back it's like, these are the rules, you know, these are the non negotiable rules, da. And so the metallic pen. So, that was the only thing I brought for John Byrne to sign. Because, I'm never sure if a creator is gonna go, because I've had a few experiences, I'm not gonna do details because I don't want to piss anybody off.
But I've had a few situations where somebody goes, I'm not signing that. Even though they actually did work on it, because something happened, blah blah blah, the McFarlane story you just told. Keith Giffen wouldn't sign any of his defenders. Oh, that's interesting. I wonder why. So anyway, so I brought this, and Bone was like, Oh, I see you've got a lot of other people on here.
Da. And he signed his name, and I was really hoping, and I was going to say, Would you sign it across her chest, please? Because I actually thought that would be really funny. He didn't. He signed it right over where it says, She Hulk. So, when you look at it, you're like, That might be his [00:12:00] name. He might be writing Go Jump in a Lake.
I'm not entirely sure what he's written on that. Anyway, long story short, Frank Miller is coming to Fan Expo. I did not have accessibility to the book when he was at South by Southwest five years ago. So I'm very excited in that fanboy way. So I'm gonna quiz you. So you got John Byrne at Fan Expo in Dallas.
I believe that's where it was, yeah. So, Postman Pat and I are in line at the same time. Oh, no kidding! And we got the same cards. Right. And just as we get up for him to sign, there's a kid in front that's trying to break all the rules. And Byrne's like, get him out of line, and I'm gonna go to lunch. And he gets on his little scooter.
Okay. No parameter. Yeah. Takes off, goes, I'll be back in an hour. So we all got numbers. to come back. They came out and handed out numbers like, okay, so you're number one, you're number two. And once again, this is, you know, during probably two different previous [00:13:00] iterations of people running the store before we showed up.
Right. So you're, I mean, think about I'm there. Pat Postman, Pat's there. You're there. Right. We're all there. And now look at what we're doing. I know. Right. I was like, I was in like the first dozen people because I went to the line and was like, I've got nothing else going on here. You didn't have to wait for lunch.
I did not. I walked by and I went, it was I remember it was a Friday. Because I looked over and went, Wow, there's not a lot of people in line. I didn't think I was going to get a shot at burned. And I hadn't brought any burned stuff. So I ran over and grabbed a couple of Superman, a couple of Alpha Flight.
And then got really really froggy and bought an X Men 109. That are vintage first. Right. Yeah. Okay. And you know, jumped in line, Pat comes up behind me, doesn't really know my name, but just, you know, knows that we've all shopped at the shop. Right. And I was like, hey what are you doing?
I was like, oh, I'm standing here, and he's got like a cart full of But you know, [00:14:00] and well, and Byrne had limited it to like, what, seven items or something? And I still got the business card buried somewhere. But yeah, those rules were very specific, and he had no Fs to give. If you were breaking the rules, he chunked your ass out of line.
And he had this secure, I'm trying to find the guy's picture. 'cause I took a picture of the guy, this Bruiser. Oh yeah, that was Oh yeah, that, yeah. Yeah. The big guy. Yeah, the big guy that looked a lot like Ally's dad. And at first when I saw him, I hadn't seen him a couple years. I was like, is this what her, is this what he's doing?
Because he'd been out outta work for a while. I was like, is he out here bouncing people at the at the comic show. Yeah. Right. But that's just. It is, absolutely. It was funny the, getting people to sign things. So, so, Frank Miller was at South by Southwest and Brian Michael Bendis was there.
I think Jim Lee was there, and I think Dan Jurgens was there as well. But depending on what day you went, [00:15:00] was who you were going to get to see. Well, I, and he had to go through whatever that online ticket was. Oh yeah. Ticket. Not Ticketmaster, but there's another one. No, there's a kind of convention.
Ticketmix. Yeah, something like that. And it turned out that Miller and Bendis were going to be there at the same time. So I was like, great, that's when we're going to go. So I, you know, We hadn't been living in Texas for a longanyway. What II had to think about it, like, I really love getting comics with, have multiple signatures on them.
It's why I never get them slabbed, because there's always a chance I might get somebody else's. It's the same with the She Hulk. This She Hulk book is actually looking pretty ratty right now. Because it's been knocked around and, you know, blah, blah, blah, blah. Anyway. Issue 500 of Daredevil. It's 500. It has The main story in it is Ed Brubaker and whatever the, who the other artist was, might have been Michael Lark, I'm not entirely sure.
That's cause Brubaker was on Daredevil at the time. [00:16:00] The backup story is a reprint of the roulette game. Story from Frank Miller the which was the first daredevil that yeah, that's the guy Which was the first daredevil that I ever read. Yeah, okay, and There were pinups in the book and Brian Michael Bendis actually drew one of the pinups people forget He's an artist.
I know so awesome. No, well Bendis forgot because I've got this book and I was like, ah, this is the one I'm going to get signed. Here we go. This is going to be another jam issue for me because there's a whole bunch of really cool creators in this. So I put the book down and Bendis looks at the book, looks up at me, looks back at the book, kind of opens it up.
Flicks through it and he's, you can see the words forming it on his mouth to say, but I didn't write, whatever, and just signed it. Because [00:17:00] what I think had happened is they just announced Bendis as taking over Superman. So he's doing an autograph session. They've printed out all of these A3 sized prints that they're giving away for South by Southwest.
That has Jim Lee's Superman on it. That's what they're giving people for free to get Brian Michael Bendis to sign. Sure, people are doing that, but people are also bringing a shit ton of Marvel books and Bendis is having to say, Oh, there's that ultimate fallout book with Scotty Young's caricature of Bendis dropping the mic on the cover.
Yeah. And I knew he was fed up signing it because I had two that I'd given to my girls. So I could see, it's like, Oh, I don't care. I'll just sign it. And I was going to say to him, you know, you did actually do something in that book. You actually drew one of the pinups. But I'm like, no, I don't care. And I don't think he's gonna care either.
So, leave him. Walk five feet. Give the book to Frank [00:18:00] Miller. And Miller is he's got the same expression on his face like, I didn't do anything in this book, but I cut in there like you did the backup story Rattle off this stick cut. You did the backup story, which is actually the reprint of the last thing you did of Daredevil with the roulette Blah blah blah.
It was my favorite, and he comes to me and he's like, oh, okay, and just gets the pen and signs away and He's another one. Get him to sign and Your Dark Knight Returns hardcover, which is what I did. He did a little headshot of Batman in there. I was like, what the heck? See, that's what I would have him sign.
Sweet guy. Very sweet man, actually. Very sweet. And I'm sure you are too, Mr. Benders. That's the sort of thing I get signed. I don't get anything that's signed to sell it. It's never my thing. So, Mr. Miller? I have sold things that were signed, but it was not intentional. It's not the reason why they were signed.
Yeah, I've had that. I won't, I go as far as, I won't buy something that someone has signed. No. Yeah. Because I've. Only if I know the seller. Right. The whole point is, it's like a, [00:19:00] the signature is me getting to go and thank them for their work. That's right. And get the signature in there to say this is my copy and this, it commemorates my interaction with the person that made this thing I really like.
Absolutely. So thinking about your, the jam stories that you've got. Right. Both of y'all probably, maybe remember there was a Justice League Zero back when Brad Meltzer was starting the series over. Correct. And every page a different artist. Correct. And there was a Justice League International one page that McGuire did.
Which was Batman retelling how Guy Gardner got punched to Wonder Woman in Superman. Right. And so I too had several people sign it. So I get up to McGuire with this, because I want him to sign. And I've even, you know. That book was very much, Hey, I want you to sign the page you did. I don't sign the cover.
Because I'm not going to sell it. He looked at it and goes, I didn't do this. This is the wrong year. I was like, you did. It's on page 17. He's like, [00:20:00] No, I don't. Oh. Yeah, I was kind of pissed at Marvel. I was pissed at DC when I did that. He was like, Okay, that's fine. He goes, You know, they never paid me for that.
They never paid him for it? It happened. It, something just, something happened. He goes, you know, then he explained, you know, on the back end, he got something somewhere else. But it's like, that's why I forgot all about it. But it is daunting when you're standing in front of a creator, cause you don't want to be that smart ass.
No. And. It is startling because I just kind of said it to you about the defenders. Keep giving when he came to Texas and that was another poor bastard that I wore. I wore out before I learned because I had all of his Legion superhero stuff and I'd found his ambush bug. Defenders. There's no judgment here.
And he was very, he had no limit for having me in line because no one showed up for him. Right. At the time. Cause I guess they didn't advertise. So me and my buddy, Jeff, we're just, we're handing stuff off. He's like, finish it. Like I'm not signing these. And I was like, Oh, [00:21:00] you did them though.
He goes, Oh, I know I did them. He goes, Jim Shooter so owed me money. I'm not doing blankety blank and that was the first time they ever learned that People in the comics world may not have gotten along. Because Stupid me. I was Jim Shooter an asshole and Giffen went on for like 90 man. I think people left and got food and came back as he just was Telling stories and as a kid That's jarring.
Yes. Because you do have this idea of, oh, everyone's just drawing books and all of this, and everyone's all happy. It's not until you read, you know, Howard Chaykin's Hey Kids Comics, Right. that you realize the seedy underside of Well, I had comic lore. Well, I've got two. One you know, and one I don't think that you do, but the one that you know of course is the Alan Moore story.
Yes. So when the Killing Joke came out, Forbidden Planet was doing a signing with Alan Moore and Brian Bolland. So what was happening is you get online, [00:22:00] And you come across Brian Bolland first, who asks you what your name is, and he writes to, and he personalizes it, and he signs his name, and then he hands it over to Alan Moore, and Alan Moore does his signature, and, hope you enjoy it, and thanks for coming, and, rah!
The guy in front of me on, in the line, When Brian Bolland asked him what his name was, said, Oh no, that's okay, just sign the book. Now, this is before autographs and slabbing, this is like 1988, I think. Before the internet was a thing. Yeah, before the internet. It was bulletin boards, kids. All of this. Not even then.
Yeah. Oh yeah. Before any of it. Okay. And. Bolland's like, no, what's your name, I'm, you know, I don't know, just tell me what your name is. The guy's like, no, I don't want my name in the book. No, you don't have to do that. And this is going back and forth and back and forth. And he's like, no, just, I just want the autograph.
And Bolland's like, [00:23:00] you're not gonna give me your name. And I, if memory serves me correctly, it's Alan Moore who picks up the book and flicks it back to the guy saying, You're not getting Signature then. Next! And of course I'm stepping in there, that's Stephen, S T E P H E N. Right, you know, oh yeah, absolutely.
And this guy who'd been waiting hours online, Was given. He was to use one of my favorite Miller's Crossing expressions. He was given the high hat. Yeah, you know, you know, you're out of here. So that's the other thing is that if the creator wants to personalize, don't argue. Enjoy the fact that he's willing to add some extra wrist, finger and pen action on your book.
Read into that as you wish to do that. But the other story is Stranko. Because I met Stranko in Atlanta, I think it was 2002. Anyone that slapped the shit out of Bob Kane? I don't know if that happened but if there [00:24:00] was an altercation, yeah, I think there was something Like, what was the there was something where It's either Stravinko or Neil Adams, one of these, where he came up before an autograph session and patted them on the head, said, Hey, you're doing a great job, kid.
Very kind of demeaning because Bob was very flamboyant and yeah, I don't remember which one, but then After the session, whomever showed up, like, they slapped the shit out of Bob Kane, it's like, hey, you're doing great, kid and you know, Bob sometimes forgot. Yeah, well, Bob forgot a lot. But Stranko.
So, I was super excited cause it's frickin Stranko. So, what I had for him to, to autograph was There was a publishing house that had just recently started to reprint, republish some old Right, there you go. We've just Googled, Googled verified the Strangho Yeah, Strangho slapped him. [00:25:00] There was a publishing house, Who had just released some new printings of a couple of Cornell Walrich novels.
Okay he's the man who wrote The Bride wore Black Rear Window, I think. Was Rear Window a Cornell Walrich story? I think it was. Very famous, you know, wartime mystery writer, Cornell Woolrich is fantastic stuff to read. And Serenka was doing the covers. So I had one of those, because I love the covers that he was doing on those books.
This is just what the good Mr. Stranko told me is that there was a clause in his contract regarding his royalties the way it was phrased. was for reproductions of his work printed in the United States. Stranko is entitled to a royalty. They printed those trade paperbacks, I think in Canada. Ah. Or in Europe, and Stranko didn't get a dime.
So he's like, if you have one of [00:26:00] the earlier trade paperbacks, I would have signed that, because I got paid for that, son. But that one, no, sorry. And I was like, Be able to sign the other two? Of course! And he saw that, you know, one of them is this Cornell Woolrich was like, Oh, wow, nobody's given me one of these, so I'm happy.
And he signed it, to Steven, to Serenko, we talked about Cornell Woolrich. It was a lovely occasion, but he was adamant. I can't sign that. But he was an absolute, So, he didn't fling it back in my face, like. And you know what, I can appreciate that because some of us civilians don't know. No, we don't.
And, I've had it, I've had it on both sides of the equation. Yes. I've had it where people have been very gentle about that. Yes, absolutely. Even Keith Gittin was like, look man. And it, you know, back then it all came back to Jim Shooter. Yeah, sure. Which, you know, up and down, but I've had some people that treated him like I didn't pay 'em.
Yes. And one time I had a friend with me that took offense to a [00:27:00] particular X-Men rider, long term rider with a beard. Right. That did may have written the death of Phoenix. May not have. May not have, okay. Don't know. Looked and said, looked at him and said. But you got paid for the original story.
Ah, okay. And I'm not saying that the autograph session ended for that individual with me at the time. And I almost wanted to go, I don't know this guy, could you just sign this other book? But You know, since I don't live in that world. Right. And I don't have to get paid. I And but, I mean, I believe if you're supposed to get paid, you should.
Yes, of course. And But if I'm a fan and I picked up the book and I have no idea, just treat me gently. If you're going to tell me no don't treat me. That's your decision. And I think most people would be quite reasonable about that. I'll throw in real quick. One of my absolute heroes in the industry who passed away far too young was Darwin Cook.
Yes. Now, Darwin Cook [00:28:00] had a bit of a reputation. He was a little, he was a little he, this was a man who, A little feisty. Suffered no fools. Yes. Okay? And my daughter my middle girl, she's got a sketchbook. Okay. Thanks. That we, since she was little we've taken around to various conventions and got little headshots and cute stories behind the headshots and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
But she doesn't know much about comics, so whenever we've gone to these shows I've been like, well, you know, That this is an artist, this is, you know, Mr. So and so. And if he asks you what you would like, let me tell you some things that he's done. Which is where I pissed off Bielsinkiewicz. But that's another story.
But, so there's Darwin Cook. And we're having a lovely conversation because he was doing the Parker adaptations, which, the novels the Stark novels, Parker, yeah, which are fantastic I forget what publishing house it is, but they recently, within the last couple of years they did the Martini edition, it's this giant slip [00:29:00] case, I've got to get that at some point because it's just fantastic stuff, but anyway, I'm having a nice conversation with Darwin Cook, and little Dagmar, who's probably like, I don't know, six years old at the time, five years old at the time, she's got her sketchbook, and, Mr.
Cook spots her and he says, you know, do you want me to do something in that book kid? And Dagmar is like, Oh yes please. Of course, you know, Dagmar, she's got these big doe eyes. Big eyes. Oh, yes please. Okay, what do you want there? And Dagmar says, Captain America, please.
Well, this is the time where D Mr. Cook had his very famous blowout with Marvel that involved pouring a drink, I think, over an editor's head, and he was like, I'll never work for them again, they're a bunch of scum, it's all DC from here on out, blah, blah, blah. And I looked at Darwin Cook, And Darwin Cook looked up at me and I've got this look on my face like, He's about to tell my daughter no, and hopefully he'll be gentle about it.
Because [00:30:00] again, Darwin Cook. And he just had a deep breath and he's like, Sure kid. He did this head shot of Captain America in a book. Thanks mister, you know. And I just, I shook his hand and I was like, I really appreciate you going through it. And he was like, It's okay, he was cool, but like, we knew, like, this was not if I, if it had been my sketchbook, he would have probably shoved it down my throat.
She handed the book to Bill Sienkiewicz, and Bill Sienkiewicz was like, oh yeah, absolutely, I would love to do this, and he gets his pen out, and he's just about to put pen to paper. And I turned to her and I said, so, what would you like Mr. Sienkiewicz to draw for you, sweetie? And she said, well, what has he done?
And I said, well, he did he's done some X Men work and did a little bit of Moon Knight. Oh, Moon Knight! And you, and I looked up and Sienkiewicz is like, Ugh, fine. He did this it's not a very good sketch. But I felt awful because Well, with Sienkiewicz, [00:31:00] I mean Wait, I don't understand the Moon Knight thing.
No, it was that Sienkiewicz was about to draw what he wanted to draw. Oh, okay. And I just told him what to draw. And I'm sorry, most of Sienkiewicz's head sketches from conventions looks like someone just had a seizure. I could draw and fake his stuff, but His Moon Knight actually looks like a used condom is actually what it looks like in this drawing.
I've learned and I've gotten more mileage. Still love you, Bill. Yeah, love you, Bill. I'll look at Cray and go, hey man. He absolutely listens to this. He never knows. 100%. You never know. Don't doubt the power. I'm glad that we gave Marvel advice earlier in the recording. I'm gonna look at Cray and go, hey man what character are you not tired of drawing?
Right. And that was, I said that to Perez and got his, the best beast. Yes. I mean, it's like, look I've said many times and sometimes I know that drives him crazy when you're not specific. Yeah. Yeah. It's like going to the barber. What do you want [00:32:00] done? I just want straight back. Yeah, whatever you think looks good.
But there have been so many, I'm just like, Hey man, who, whoever you're not, I just like your art. Whoever you're not tired of drawing. And I've gotten some wonderful where, you know, they have their in their mind, what a 25 head sketch. And you might get a 30 and I just appreciate the effort. Right.
Absolutely. Now there are some that by God, if you're not specific, you might get a Drunk Mickey with a, you know, something. I will tell you an Adam Hughes story. Right. That went wrong very quickly when we were at a convention in Richardson. He'd come out, he was at a Q& A. And my buddy Cliff, that I work for, my day job, We're at the Q& A and someone asked, What is the most disturbing picture you've ever had to draw?
Because, you know, once again, Adam Hughes is known for, you know, pinups and things like that. And he said, there's this guy that has followed me from [00:33:00] convention to convention that wants Lois Lane in a diaper.
And he's sitting right there and he pointed at you. And that was him. And so we're sitting there and we're listening to this. And for Adam Hughes's for Adam Hughes, when you go to get an autograph, he has pre signed a lot of his own little books and artwork. And unfortunately the pen he used for a lot of it looks like it was already printed on there.
So if you picked up something and I'm the idiot that's standing in line waiting for him to sign it. And he's like, what are you doing, kid? I'm like, what? He goes, I've already signed it. Oh, I didn't hand it to you. Well, my friend behind him was like, hi, I'd like, Vicky Vale in a diaper? I don't know where security came from, and I don't know how many people snooped down on this poor bastard.
I, he was my ride out there to Richardson and I had to find another way to get home because it was all of a sudden, he's gone. Right. Because he thought it would be funny to say that. Mr. Hughes apparently has no sense of humor about that, [00:34:00] which means I'm looking forward to if he ever comes to Dallas Fan Expo, Yes.
I'm going to ask for Lois Lane in a diaper. Well, you've got to, really. Because there is, I'm The other thing I thought about was like going to Kevin McGuire and say, Hey, Adam really thinks this is disturbing. Could you draw and then go take it to, you know, start like, cause you know, you know those guys like picking on each other /
Yeti Stereo Microphone-8: All right. True. Believers will hit pause on the conversation right there and come back to it next time. See you then./
Yeti Stereo Microphone-9: Thank you for joining us on the multi-verse podcast.
Thank you for joining us on. [00:35:00]
Really, this is disturbing. [00:36:00] Could you.
Yeti Stereo Microphone-9: you know, those guys. But he got on each other.
Okay.
