Life In Four Colors: Spotlight
Buckeye Con-March 8th 2009
I know. You just did a double take at the calendar and noticed it's Sunday the 15th...March 8th was LAST Sunday.
But last Sunday was the day of the Buckeye Comic Con, and Chris Metzger and I did attend. And both of us really enjoyed it.
But I'm just getting around to talking about here and now.
Let's put it these way....these last few days has been crazy. So much has been going on and it doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon. It's been that way, so it seems, since the ball dropped in Central Park New Year's Eve 2008. This has been the busiest year of my life and it's only 73 days old.
I finally forced myself to make time to finish this report on the con, and afterwards I hope to get caught up on EVRYTHING else I'm so behind on before the end of this weekend.
Buckeye Con is a very high quality show, but a small one. The show takes place twice a year in Columbus Ohio and is part of several put on by Jeff Harper and his production company. It has table space for about 50 different dealers and average attendance for the one day show is usually around 250 people, although this year it looked like turn out was better than last year's July show.
The show attracts regular artists like Sean Forney, Kevin Leen, and Tony Miello as well as regular dealers like Jeff Patrick, Jesse Noble, and Bill Thade.
And you would think that a show this size wouldn't really be that big of a problem to cover, right? Wrong. Whenever I attend this show all the "gremlins" come out. Last year Chris and I missed our exit and had to back track and afterwards (despite the fact that the Buckeye Hall Of Fame Cafe has a big flashing sign in front of it) we managed to drive past the location four times, at least.
Twice going in either direction, easily.
But we finally found it, only to have my audio recorder take a powder on me once we got there.
This year we were determined to not make the same mistakes. First off. I drove. That alone should solve the whole taking the wrong exit thing, right? Wrong. We made the EXACT WRONG TURN AGAIN THIS YEAR!!!! Can you believe it?!? At least this time we knew exactly how to correct that mistake.
And this time we had no problems finding the Buckeye Hall Of Fame Cafe. Big flashing sign in front. Dead give away. Also this time around...I had a new audio recorder.
Too bad the damn camera decided to die on me!!! (I bought a brand new digital camera the day after.)
And thanks to a real life super-hero named Dan Taylor... a true friend to the Comic Related cause....we do have photos of the con. Dan was kind enough to follow me around and take pictures and later e-mail them to me.
Dan....you rock!
And so here we are now, somewhat a little late but hopefully still newsworthy and entertaining. Coverage of the first Buckeye Comic Con of the year.
Artist Kevin Leen already hard at work as the con kicks off.
After taking a moment to stop by the Fearless Readers table to talk to Bill and Jesse and make the rounds....I started talking to several dealers and creative guests. I was pleased to see that Terry Malone who until mid 2008 owned and operated Malone's Comics and Collectables in Urbana Ohio had set up a table and was still selling comics in some capacity after the unfortunate closing of the his store.
"This is my first show ever. As a vendor that is. I still had all these books and thought I would hit some of the smaller cons in the area in an attempt to make a few sells. If I ever try to open up another store I think I'm going to try to split the store up a little more the next time. I think I concentrated a little too much on just comic books last time. Next time I think I would try to mix comics and video games. I completely underestimated the video game market...and gaming in general. I think those two aspects in one store should work well together."
I've got to agree with that statement, although until recently I have had a somewhat close minded outlook towards video games and always saw them as the "enemy" of comics. Video games steal writers, artists and readers. And destroy creativity and imagination giving you instead pre-programmed entertainment. But I know a store that seems to be making the combining of the two work very well.
Not long after my short conversation with Terry I stopped to talk to Jeff Patrick over at the Famous Funnies booth. I got to know Jeff a little at Mid-Ohio last year and he has since become a member of the Comic Related family.
Bill Gladman: "Jeff, how long have you been doing the comic thing? Buying, selling, collecting?"
Jeff Patrick: "As a dealer about twenty five years."
BG: "Twenty five years. Always in the Columbus area?"
JP: "Not always in the Columbus area. It started out back in 1984 and I used to live in southeastern Ohio near Athens. I used to do a couple of mall shows down there and worked around my work schedule at the time and didn't really get a lot of time to travel to shows so I didn't really start doing the number of shows I do now until about 1991, 1992...somewhere around there. Eventually I started doing shows throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana."
BG: "And this has become your full time job?"
JP: "Oh, no."
BG: "Oh...you still have a full time job as well?"
JP: "Oh yeah."
BG: "So how many shows do you do a year...working around a full time job like that?"
JP: "I had to cut back due to changes in my current work schedule so at the present time I'm only eight or nine shows a year. In the mean time I sell my books through Moore Comics."
BG: "Rob and Laura...over at the store in Westerville. I've been to that store several times. It's a very nice store. Like it a lot. How long have you been doing this show? "
JP: "I do this show whenever he has it. He puts it on twice a year. Actually he started this show over on the west side. Used to be at a Holiday Inn and that was back...I what to say...in the mid nineties."
BG: "Wow. That's been a while. You have plans to do Mid-Ohio again this year?"
JP: "I do have plans for Mid-Ohio. Yeah."
BG: "Great. I'll see you there."
Not long after I concluded my talk with Jeff, Chris and I ran into the two coolest people in Hilliard Ohio, that being Jamie and Teresa Colegrove, owners of Pack Rat Comics and who were at the show only as casual buyers.
I apologized for being out of touch as of late and explained the hectic scheduling affecting both Chris and I and went on to ask how their annual anniversary sale went this year (held each year in early February...and this year was the first one I missed in three years) and Teresa explained that they didn't have a huge sale with special guests this year like they have had in the past and instead celebrated opening a huge annex in the basement portion of the shopping center the store is located at.
Jamie invited us to drop by on the way home, which we always do after attending this show.
(Using some time manipulation powers here...Chris and I did indeed stop by on the way home and was blown away by the hundreds upon hundreds of long boxes Jamie and Teresa had accumulated in this new addition. Hundreds of thousands of great hard to find comics and every single one of them only a buck a piece! No kidding, I think they had as many comics in that basement as the entire Buckeye Con. What a find!! We picked up a few goodies and promised to be back soon to go through the entire basement a bit more thoroughly. If you are in the Columbus/Hilliard area in the near future you need to stop by and check it out for yourself. Just don't take all the good stuff until I get a chance to make it back there!)
Back at Buckeye Con....stopped at the Fearless Readers table to finish of a small trade with Jesse and secure an interview with him and Bill about the "Secret Origins of Gem City Comic Con" which will run separately of this column as part of Comic Related's Countdown to Gem City coverage.
Their table was very busy, one customer brought along an empty long box and was in the process of quickly filling it up with the bargains he found there. I wrapped the interview up as quickly as possible and moved on letting them continue about what would turn out to be a very good day for the two of them.
After that I stopped by to talk a little with Dan Taylor.
BG: "Dan....are you just an artist or do you write too? You write don't' you?"
Dan Taylor: "No more than I need to."
BG: "You know I think I met you for the first time almost a year ago...actually I think it may have even been the very same weekend a year ago...at S.P.A.C.E. Con. I think that show was earlier in the year last year. Is that right?"
DT: "I think you're right. A year ago...maybe the same week end."
BG: "So how are things going for you so far at this show?"
DT: "It's going pretty good. It's been a good start to what looks to be a good show. A lot comics fans, not a whole lot of small press fans here but we've interested a few people."
BG: "You do this show every year? I don't remember seeing you in July?"
DT: "This is actually my first time here. Well, I've been here as a fan a few times but this is the first time I've set up a table here."
BG: " So how did that transition come about? What made you decide to go from fan to guest here at the show?"
DT: "Just wanted to test the waters a little bit and the fact that it is somewhat of a local show for me. It's only about an hour's drive."
BG: "You're from Dayton?"
DT: " Dayton area, yes. New Lebanon which is just a little west of Dayton."
BG: "Is this something you're working with Tony (Miello) on, or just something you just picked up? (reference to Wolfman Mac Nightmare Sinema #1...more on that later ).
DT: "It's something I picked up from Tony. I always go down there and take stuff from his table when he's not looking."
BG: "I didn't know that was out yet. I'm really interested in that book. It looks pretty good."
DT: "Tony's going be doing some work for me in the near future and we've known each other for a while also."
BG: "Wow, that's really cool. Tony's a great guy. The two of you on the same project should really turn out nicely."
DT: "I think so."
Dan and I hanging out at the show. The book he's holding (Symphony in Ink) features his artwork on the cover. If you have seen some of Dan's work...you (like me as well) may have thought very incorrectly that all the guy does is humorous mini-comic work. Almost cartoonsy type of stuff but I discovered a whole new side of Dan Taylor at this show. He's a very talented cover artist...and he's also done some incredible illustrations for short horror stories.
Dan's wife, Carrie, took this photo.
BG: "So what's your convention schedule look like for the rest of the year?"
DT: " The next show is Gem City in early April, then S.P.A.C.E. in middle April and Mid-Ohio Con this fall."
BG: "Have you done Mid-Ohio Con before?"
DT: " This will be my first time setting up at Mid-Ohio. I've done both Gem and S.P.A.C.E before but this is the first time for Mid-Ohio."
BG: "So that's the biggest con you've done. You've never done a con that size before elsewhere?"
DT: "No, that will be the biggest show I've actually set up at."
BG: "That sounds good. Do you have any new projects that you are working on? I think you mentioned something earlier?"
DT: "Yeah I have an anthology book coming out which is called Symphony in Ink....it's actually the fourth issue of the book and I hope to have that ready for S.P.A.C.E. actually. My mini-comic series, Time Warp, is on going and I have sixth and seventh issues now available and hope to have an eight for S.P.A.C.E. That's a series with many of the old timers from the seventies and the eighties climbing out from under their rock and getting back into mini-comics again."
BG: "Cool. I know I'll be catching you again at S.P.A.C.E. Chuck and I will both be working together to cover that show. I'm just kind of winging it today by myself..."
DT: "Well you're doing a great job."
BG: "Thanks, man. I know either Chuck or I will be talking to you again in the future if not Gem city definitively at S.P.A.C.E. and seeing how things are progressing for you at that time."
DT: "Wonderful. Look forward to seeing you again, Bill."
BG: "Nice talking to you, Dan. Hope you have a good day."
DT: "Thank you very much."
BG: "Thank you."
Before I left Dan's table he pointed out another mini-comic that he had done the art for called Images.
The book is actually written by Dan's wife, Carrie, and draws attention to image disorders. Carrie has spent several years as a hair stylist and also as a mental health technician and has seen this social disorder affect a number of people. Dan and Carrie decided to work on the book together to help draw attention to this situation and Carrie offers several links in the back of the book where people suffering from image disorders can go to seek out the professional help they need.
Nicely done guys.
Next stop....Artist and good friend Sean Forney from near by Westerville Ohio. Sean and his wife (Stephanie) were at the show but at the time I caught up with Sean he was the only one at the table.
BG: "Sean, nice seeing you again. I recently got an e-mail from you about getting some Scarlet Huntress stuff together in a trade paperback and you said you hoped to have that ready by Gem City, is that correct?"
Sean Forney: "Yes. I just heard from the printer and I should have it in the next couple of weeks here. Its 48 pages. 26 pages of it I believe is story. 16 or 18 pages, I can't really remember now, from the original #1 issue and five pages each from two stories that were included in anthologies from a publisher called Twisted Gate Entertainment. They're a publisher in Cincinnati that I did some work for back in 2003 Or 2004...somewhere around there."
BG: "All Scarlet Huntress material?"
SF: "Yep."
BG: "Awesome."
SF: "Also included in there is about another twenty pages of pin up stuff. I've done a lot of pin up art work for various sketch books, covers, and shirts....and what not. They're going to be in there. My buddy Josh Warner did a pin up in there that I colored and another good friend of mine by the name of Scott McMann....goes by Scoot...he did a couple of pin ups for me. He's been a good friend of mine over the last couple of years so I included those in there as well. That's kind of the book in a nutshell."
BG: " I helped open a comic store in Springfield recently and we have some of your work as well as Josh's work displayed in the shop. We have your Captain America, Spider-Man, and Nightwing up and his Huntress and Hawkgirl."
SF: "Awesome."
BG: "They always get a lot of compliments and hopefully we can throw some business your way."
SF: "Thanks."
BG: " The trade paperback...is that part of a strategy to get into San Deigo Con? I think you mentioned something about that in another e-mail?"
SF: " Yes. Actually it was. Josh and I both sent out applications to get into the small press area at that show and one of the requirements was we had to have a new book that was printed within the last year so I decided to put this book together. Reformatted some stuff...collected a few things and did the trade and basically had a couple advance proofs made so I could send them out with my application. Still waiting to hear back with that."
BG: "That was going to be my next question."
SF: " They said mid-March."
BG: "That means next Thursday."
SF: " I hope so. It could mean up to the end of March, I guess."
BG: "I wish you the best of luck with that. That would be great if you could get out there."
SF: "Thank you."
BG: "Are you and Josh going out?"
SF: " If we get in and we decide it's affordable to go, yeah we will both go and split a table...it's pretty pricey to be out there so we're going to try to share the cost and it could quite possibly tie in with the graphic novel that Josh and I are working on."
BG: "En Garde?"
SF: "En Garde. Yeah. We talked about it back at Mid-Ohio."
BG: "After that show I learned from another friend of ours that Brant (Fowler) one of the guys that is actually very active on the Comic Related website is actually lettering that project."
SF: "Yes."
BG: "Brant's a really cool guy."
SF: "Yes....yes he is. Brant and I started up a project several years back, I want to say it was around 2003. It was just after I got out of college. He hit me up for doing a project that kind of fell through unfortunately, but we've stayed in contact since then. We talked at Mid-Ohio and I was telling him about the project and that we were looking for letterer and got his business card and tossed it off to the writer and like the next day Brant had the gig."
BG: "He's a jack of all trades. Writes, draws, letters."
SF: "He's done some really good stuff with the book so far and he's helped me out with creating some logos and what not that were put into the story."
BG: "He's done some logo work for me...and in the future...I know he and I stay really busy, but I would like to ink some of his pencils.....hey...is this the G.I. Joe book you were talking about at Mid-Ohio?"
SF: "Yeah, yeah. That's it. I did four different character dossiers in there. It's all based on the Joe Con exclusive toys from the 08' Joe Con. I just got the books here recently. I think they shipped to stores in October. I picked up a handful that I could find at local comic shops and I just recently ordered a big set from the publisher so I could have some for the convention season."
BG: "Is this the first show of the year for you, or have you done some earlier?"
SF: " This is the second show. The first show I did was Jeff's (Harper) Akron/Canton Con."
BG: "You didn't do the Fort Wayne show?"
SF: "I didn't make it to the Fort Wayne show , unfortunately, I just had too many things going on."
BG: "Well I'll see you again at Gem City. I'm really interested in the trade paperback. Just knowing there's Scarlet Huntress stuff out there I haven't read yet is awesome.."
SF: "Cool...cool we'll have it at Gem City and hopefully have issue #2 before the summer. I also plan on doing an anthology book mixing up a few concepts we've come up with over the last couple of years."
BG: "I think I mentioned this before. I first met you and Steph in Westerville a few years back when you were doing a benefit for breast cancer. Is that something you do every year?"
SF: " We didn't do it last year because I think we were out of town at another convention or something like that. I haven't heard yet if it's going on again this year or not."
BG: "I was really blown away by that whole affair. First by the turn out for the event itself and then to see that there was actually a couple of people in the comic field involved in supporting it...that was incredible. Alright ...thanks Sean. Take care."
SF: "You too, buddy."
As I finished up my conversation with Sean I noticed that Chris had struck up a conversation with the next guy on my list that I wanted to talk to ...Mr. Tony Miello, writer, artist and creator of the infamous Gapo the Clown (that's gap like clap...no long "A").
I just let the recorder continue to roll and joined in on their conversation, already in progress. Pink Floyd's "Welcome To The Machine" was playing in the background and provided the perfect soundtrack for the conversation Tony and Chris were engaged in.
Chris Metzger: "....I can't believe they're not doing anything with Alpha Flight. I mean that's the team he was supposed to lead. Not all these rejects from the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and crap....and Gambit. Deadpool too. What the Hell?"
Tony Miello: "It's supposed to be guys that were involved with Weapon X project but now they're throwing in guys that weren't even involved in Weapon X."
Bill Gladman: "Like Cyclops. Did you see that?"
TM: "Cyclops?"
BG: "Yeah. Cyclops has been abducted and held captive along with all this mutants and Wolverine frees him. He's a young kid."
TM: "That's just ridiculous! Because in the first movie they obliviously never met each other."
BG: "Well they screwed Cyclops and his back story for years in the comics with all that Mr. Sinister crap, but they've really put it to him in the movies."
CM: "They've really screwed the X-Men movies up. It's like there's Logan and then there's the X-Men...and the X-Men are really just background characters for Logan...and they don't even get his story right for the most part."
BG: "You just got to take the films like they are a part of an alternate reality or something and take the bad....with the good. Hollywood is going to make their changes."
TM: "You know what? I've really got no problems with making changes when the movies are made, but at least try to make the movies consistent. If these movies are supposed to be their own little thing to themselves...at least keep true to that. Know what I mean?"
BG: "Oh...I'm rolling this audio here. I don't know how much of it I will use but I was enjoying the conversation about Wolverine. (Chris makes a quick exit) It's always good to see the man that is the mastermind of the crime that is Gapo the Clown, a favorite over on the Comic Related site. Actually the site just started running some vintage Gapo stuff. Classic Gapo the Clown if you will. How did that all come about it?"
TM: "Ummmm...I was talking to Chuck about starting up and working together on a different project and he mentioned he wanted to start running Gapo on the site, from the very beginning and kind of do it once a week or something...covering the little stories that appear in the strip and I was like go for it man. Have fun."
BG: "He's always been a big fan of that stuff."
TM: "Yeah. Chuck's got to be the #1cheerleader for Gapo the Clown. He sure does like it. I think he might even like it a little more than I do actually."
BG: "It's a great strip..."
TM: "Thanks."
BG: "...I used to hit your site every morning and read a whole page before I got started on anything else."
TM: "Oh really? Wow."
BG: "I always tried to make a practice of it, because you have like what....three or four years worth of strips archived on your site."
TM: "I think the strips on the page start back in 2004."
BG: "And that's the stuff that Chuck is now running, like you said, starting from the very beginning."
TM: "Yeah."
BG: "I recognize some of that stuff...but then I lost my job and actually got really busy on the creative side on the home front and things just seemed to get in the way of that daily routine."
TM: "Hey. Some times life gets in the way with those types of things."
BG: "So you mentioned earlier you were involved with Chuck on another web comic?"
TM: "Ummmm...we're going to do a web comic specifically for comicrelated.com. Chuck is going to be writing it. I'm going to be drawing it, and it's going to be something I never have done before. It's going to be a stretch for me, but I'm really excited about it. The characters that Chuck has come up with have just been spectacular. It's going to be a lot of fun and it's going to be real interesting. Everybody is going to be able to read this and find something in it that they can relate to."
BG: "Like the man says...it's all related...so is this something that Chuck initiated?"
TM: "Actually it's a concept that I had come up with. Last year at S.P.A.C.E. I was doing some doodles and I came up with this concept about these robots....the strips gonna be called "Killer Robots Love You" and it primarily takes place in this apartment building where these Killer Robots happen to live...with people...and nobody happens to think that's odd or anything which is funny in itself. So Chuck started coming up with some really, really interesting characters and situations. It's going to be very entertaining."
BG: "It's going to be very interesting to see that side of Chuck. You know ...the creative side. I know he can write but everything I've seen....for the most part....I assume...that everything anybody has ever seen from Chuck as a writer has been in a journalistic type of vein. This will be new. Sounds good. I can't wait to see it."
TM: "Well everybody thinks of Chuck as the mastermind of Comic Related, the guy that crunches all the numbers and what not, but he has a great sense of humor and it's going to be interesting to see this sense of humor come out. To be given an outlet,"
BG: "He can definitely be a funny guy when he wants to be."
TM: "And he's a big tech-geek too. Which is something about him that I don't think a lot of people know."
BG: "Actually he has banners that proclaim how proud he is to be a tech-geek. But it is going to be very nice to see this creative side of him."
TM: "Just the ideas that he has been bouncing off me have been awesome!"
BG: "I know he's been wanting to make a huge push to get a lot of web-comics on the site."
TM: "Oh yeah. He was talking to me about devoting a whole section of the site to nothing but web-comics. Original material web-comics created by several different members there a t Comic Related for Comic Related."
BG: "So how did you and Chuck first met? That should be a pretty good story."
TM: "Last year at S.P.A.C.E."
BG: "That was the very first time you guys met?"
TM: "First time. Yeah. I did a quick little interview with him and the rest is history."
BG: "That's where I met him as well....last year at S.P.A.C.E. Con."
TM: "After that I...."
Kevin Leen: (who had a table next to Tony's) "Tony didn't exist prior to that show."
TM: "What's that?"
KL: "I said you didn't exist prior to that." (everybody laughs...Pink Floyd is no well into Have A Cigar.)
TM: "....so after that I went to his website (you wise ass...more laughter)...I went to his web site and was really impressed with what all he had going on there. He had a call for people that wanted to be involved with Comic Related and I sent him off an e-mail and he was more than happy to have me included. In no time at all he set up a Gapo the Clown forum for me and I've been a part of the site ever since."
BG: "One other thing I wanted to ask about. A book you have mentioned in your forum...this one right here. Dan had a copy of this that he claimed he stole from you over at his table."
TM: "Ah...Wolfman Mac's Nightmare Sinema."
BG: "How's this doing?"
TM: "Well that of course is the first issue. It's kinda an introduction to the characters and it's based on a local Detroit area television show with the same name...it's basically a horror host show thing...with a zany cast of characters and the comic is going to tie in directly to the t.v. show."
BG: "Wow. That's a great concept. This actually him here?" (referring to the corner box.....yeah I love corner boxes!!!!)
TM: "Yep. That's him and his little side-kick Bony Bob. The show itself....they're actually changing the shooting....entire sets and everything. The show is going to be going into a bigger and better direction...but that's going to put off production of the comic for a while. The first "official" issue of the comic was supposed to come out this month but because of the aspects of the show that is getting re-worked we've pushed it back into spring time. We're really excited about it. It's going to be a whole lot of fun."
BG: "What part of spring? After Gem City?"
TM: "I would say closer to summer."
BG: "So it will be available at Mid-Ohio?"
TM: "Oh yeah."
BG: "Awesome."
TM: "If you want to talk to Brett.... (Tony points out the guy at the table to his left)....Brent Pinson...he's the guy that's writing it."
BG: "Great segue. Thank you, Tony."
TM: "A pleasure. Thank you, Bill."
BG: "I'll see you at S.P.A.C.E.?"
TM: "I won't be doing S.P.A.C.E. this year but I'll see you at Gem City."
And that brings us to the final interview of the day, another Comic Related family member, Brett Pinson.
BG: "Brett. How are you?"
Brett Pinson: "Pretty good. You?"
BG: "I'm covering for Chuck today, doing some interviews for Comic Related."
BP: "Comic Related. Cool!"
BG: "I think I met you at Mid-Ohio last year. Very briefly."
BP: "Yeah, yeah."
BG: "So you're actually the writer for the comic Tony was talking about?"
BP: "Yeah. The Nightmare Sinema comic."
BG: "The guy that does the show as well as you and Tony....how did you all first meet?"
BP: "Tony got to know Mac last year. He's a fan of the show and I think they first met at Motor City because Mac was up there promoting the show. Tony took the initiative and he and Mac talked about doing a comic and then Tony came to me and asked if I would write it. I wrote the first story...a little twelve page comic....I'm doing all the "in the studio" stuff. Tony's writing the stuff based on the show. I do the story about the going ons in the studio and the plots that connect to each episode. Actually it's in a drive in...that's where the stories take place at. In the projection room there. The first issue is about the zombies going on strike."
BG: "Was that your idea? That your concept?"
BP: "Tony and I came up with that together."
BG: "That's pretty cool. Zombie's on strike."
BP: "Yeah and there's this one character who's part of the grave keeper's union or something like that....and he's representing the zombie union. You see the zombies have started their own union called N.A.G....the National Association of Ghouls..."
BG: "I was just getting ready to ask what that stood for..."
BP: " ....and basically they want more brain break time and brain vending machines so they can have snacks on the job."
BG: "Tony said the book was kind of on hold right now because they were re-tooling the show?"
BP: "Well the second issue is already written. Tony has all of that and he's already started drawing it. It's just a matter on waiting for them to finalize the new title of the show and to change the logo and in a couple of months that should be ready to come out. Then we'll get the book on track with another one coming out about every three to four months."
BG: "You were here last year as well, right?"
BP: "Yeah, yeah."
BG: "Do you do this show often?"
BP: "This is actually the second time I've done this show. I was here last summer. I do several of Jeff's shows."
BG: "I actually met you for the first time at Mid-Ohio but I thought I saw you here last year."
BP: "Yeah, Kevin and I were here."
BG: "Yeah....I remember his Joker. Right before the movie came out."
BP: " I think he still has more of that one over there."
BG: "Do you , Kevin, and Tony all live close by?"
BP: "We all live about twenty minutes from each other up in Michigan. They actually came down this morning. I drove down yesterday and I hung out with Sean and Steph, cause I don't get to see them very often. And we just hung out for a little bit. We grabbed a bite of dinner and hung out at Game Works."
BG: "So what's your plans for the rest of the year as far as conventions go?"
BP: "Oh I've got a full slate. In two weeks all three of us will be doing the card show up near Toledo in Perrysburg."
BG: "My wife's grandparents used to live in Perrysburg. We love it up there."
BP: "It's going to be at a Holiday Inn up there. That's where Jeff does his Toledo show. It's a two day show. March 21st and 22nd. It's not Jeff's show though...it's a guy out of Chicago spreading out into the mid-west a little more. "
BG: "And it's cards and comics?"
BP: "Yeah...non-sport cards."
BG: "I want to talk to Jeff on the way out and get more information about that show because my wife's been dying to have a reason to go back up to that area."
BP: "April 19th is when Jeff actually does his Toledo show up there."
BG: "That's the weekend of S.P.A.C.E."
BP: "Yeah...S.P.A.C.E. is April 18th and 19th. I won't be able to do that show this year because I'll be doing Jeff's show....and I just got back from Mega-Con down in Florida."
BG: "You've already had a busy year."
BP: "I did another of Jeff's shows back in January in Akron. And I have Gem City in April. Steel City Con...me Tony and Kevin are all doing that one. Free Comic Book Day we're at a comic shop in Taylorsville Michigan. Motor City a couple weeks after that. Kevin and I are heading done to Knoxville in June for Adventure Con the following week he go the HeroesCon in Charlotte."
BG: "Man you guys are all over the place!"
BP: " Got to. Trying to make a living."
BG: "So is this your day job?"
BP: "Right now this is it."
BG: "And you're doing alright?"
BP: "I could do a little better, but it's going."
BG: "But it's good to see that people our making a living in this field though, doing what they love to do."
BP: "Don't let it fool you. It's still about working and working hard....and getting out there."
BG: "Sounds like a lot of road work. More than I really thought about. A rock-n-roll road tour of sorts."
BP: "Yeah it is. You got to put in the time and you got to put in the miles."
BG: "When do you get time to work when you're on the road all the time like that?"
BP: "Well most shows are on the weekend so you have all week to do your work, unless you have a really long road trip like down to Florida, then you lose a few days of course. Depending on the time of year you may lose an extra day if the weather is bad...but sometimes you get to sneak in a sunny vacation as well."
BG: "A little of both worlds....well thanks for your time."
BP: "Hey no problem. See you at Gem City."
After the recording was done Brett and I talked a little more. He has some really incredible work, including some stuff my daughter would just love. The next Buckeye Con is actually on her 21st birthday (July 19th) and I think I'll bring her up here to just make a day of it. Let her pick up a few things at Brett's table.
I did want to talk to Jeff Harper but as we were going to lunch (at Johnny Rocket...a great near by diner which we always hit when we're in the area either at this con or the O.S.U disc golf course) Jeff was actually taking time to eat lunch himself and I didn't want to interrupt.
The plan was to come back to the show after lunch and talk to him but a phone call at lunch changed those plans.
I'll have to corner him in July.
Chris and I will be back...maybe Raichal as well. You should come along.
Bill Gladman - Bill is a writer and illustrator and currently working on several different projects including the first issue of an ongoing comic book series (Prodigy), an illustrated fantasy novel (The Book of Noheim), and the first of four illustrated science fiction/fantasy novels (Jack the Rabbit, Living Legend of the Purple Plains) as well as a light-hearted on going mini-comic (Three Wise Men). Bill also pens a column for Comic Related and will be doing a mix of regional convention coverage.
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