I arrived in Baltimore’s Penn Station at about 11:30 on Friday, and was picked up by the amazingly helpful Brad Tree. He was a real trooper taking care of guest needs all weekend– thanks, Brad…! When Brad dropped me off at the hotel, I took a little nap, and decided to try to work up some sketches to offer for sale BEFORE the show, so that I wouldn’t have to do commissions while at the booth. It’s become clear to me that trying to draw while signing books I’ve worked on has become almost impossible. ESPECIALLY as I continue to produce work, and people bring more of what I’ve done to have signed at shows. Some folks will have almost every comic I’ve ever worked on– and after something like 12 years drawing comics, that really adds up…! And so I got 5 pieces done, and also had some other sketches — and that allowed me to resist any sketching requests/commissions– for a while, anyway. I’ve long since stopped doing free head sketches for people at shows. I used to, years ago, spend all my time at shows doing free head sketches for people, and only making whatever money I might make during those shows by selling art pages from my published work. I thought it was a way of thanking people for buying my comics. But what started happening was that people who didn’t even KNOW MY WORK would be waiting in line, because it’s in the nature of people to get free stuff. People LOVE free stuff. That bothered me greatly. And in an effort to accommodate EVERYONE, I would whip out very quick, and often pretty BAD sketches. Many of these would end up on eBay for auction… which just made ME look bad. And so I stopped doing free head sketches. But in Baltimore, A.C.T.O.R., a non-profit organization set up to help retired and/or out of work comic book artists who need money for living expenses or emergencies, had asked all the guests to display their donation collection containers…. and to ask folks for donations when sketching or signing. And so, for the last few hours of each day of the show, I decided I’d do head sketches for people and ask them to donate to A.C.T.O.R.– which most did. There was one point when a group of teenage guys came up to get sketches and I asked them to donate– and I could hear the plink of just a couple of coins in the bucket. That was more than a little annoying. I felt like saying “C’MON, GUYS…. YOU CAN’T EVEN AFFORD ONE MEASLY DOLLAR….?”– but I kept my mouth shut. Then there were the couple of guys who, on the last day– after the announcement that the show was CLOSED– still stood there and wanted sketches… and these guys didn’t donate to the fund either. It’s people like this that cause me to act in a surly manner at these cons– which is not my real nature. But there’s something that people who expect free sketches have to understand: folks who draw comics for a living are doing it because they love it, yes– but it’s also their/our way of MAKING that living. To ask for– or expect– something for free from an artist is to absolutely devalue that artists work. Getting a comic signed is fine. I would never even THINK to charge for signing something. But the reasons above are a large part of why I have stopped doing free sketches at shows. I did it this time because it was for charity– but it reminded me like a slap in the face why I stopped doing it years back. I’ve come to the opinion that I don’t owe people sketches for buying my work. The COMIC ITSELF is what they paid for, and I don’t owe anyone anything else beyond that. It might sound hard– but it’s the truth.

But don’t get me wrong– over all, I had a great time. I got to see friends…. many of whom I ONLY see at these shows; got to eat some great food; and got to meet some wonderful fans– the vast majority of whom were kind and delightful folks. One of them– Devon Sanders– I would like to thank for sending me a scan of the WONDER WOMAN sketch that begins today’s blog. This is one of the sketches I did Friday when I got to Baltimore, and again, thanks to Devon for sending it to me.

OK– that’s it today.

This is entry 147.

Mike

I’m leaving today for the first ‘leg’ of my trip to Maryland for this weekend’s BALTIMORE COMICON. I’m going to drive to Richmond and spend the night with my brother, Matt, and his lovely wife Suzanne (and I can’t forget the life of the party– they’re gorgeous cat Toonces….!). Then, first thing tomorrow, I jump on a train for a nice, leisurely ride up to Baltimore. It’s the same way I traveled to the show last year, and I really enjoyed the trip. I spent the extra money (not that much more, really) for a Business Class ticket– and the difference in leg room and comfort is well worth the price. It’s about a 3 and a half hour trip– and that’ll give me time to read, nap, or work on SPIDER-MAN layouts if I choose to do so. I really enjoyed the show last year (the first time I had been able to make it)– Marc Nathan is a great host, and he puts on a wonderful show with a friendly, family atmosphere that reminds me very much of Shelton Drum’s HEROES CON. BALTIMORE COMICON’S guest list is very impressive, and it’s going to be great to see some favorites of mine– as well as seeing some great friends (and creative cohorts) that I usually only get to see at shows like these.

I’ll give you a report on how things went when I get back. Have a great weekend– and maybe I’ll see some of you at the show– I’ll see the rest of you back here on Tuesday.

This is entry 146.

Mike

I had seen this thread recently on SKETCHBOOKSESSIONS.COM about a fantastic looking Italian comic series called WONDERCITY. I was instantly in love with the drawing and coloring of this comic. And that highlights one of my favorite things about the internet– that it allows me to see amazing work like that of WONDERCITY from countries so far away; work I’d probably never get the chance to see without the World Wide Web that brings people from all over the globe together under one virtual roof. And as it turns out, a friend in an email group I’m a part of was working on a pin up for the WONDERCITY guys. He was talking about how they’d sent him copies of the comics they’d had published…. and I started salivating. So I asked him for an email address I could contact them to try to get some of that action myself. I emailed Emauele, the colorist, and asked about the possibility of doing a pin up in exchange for some of their work. It turns out they all knew my work– and so the deal was set.

I’ve included a smaller version of the black and white pin up art along with the STUNNING colors that Emanuele (or ‘Manu’ as he’s known) did so you could see how brilliantly he brought the relatively flat and open line art to life with his color magic. When you click on the link to the WONDERCITY pages above, you’ll see why the colors that Manu does excited me so very much, and why I had to see them on some of my own drawing. THAT is the wonder of the internet that makes drawing comics so much damned fun. Meeting such friendly and immensely talented folks like Manu online reminds me of what it was like to meet others who loved to draw comics when I was much younger…. during that time when anything and everything seemed possible and attainable with comics. I got to relive a little of that feeling of wonder– thanks to WONDERCITY.

This is entry 145.

Mike

John Gallagher is a very good guy. For the past two years, he’s spearheaded an anthology/sketchbook project called MORE FUND COMICS to benefit the COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND that has been sold at the last two BALTIMORE COMICONS. He’s done a wonderful job motivating folks to contribute to the cause and thanks to his hard work, he’s raised a lot of money for the CBLDF. THIS year, with the horrible disaster that has befallen the folks of the U.S. Gulf coast, he’s putting together a benefit sketchbook called DRAWING STRENGTH. There’s a news item about it over at NEWSARAMA — but I wanted to post it here for you as well:

NEWS RELEASE: Baltimore Comic-Con Exhibitors “Drawing Strength” For Katrina Survivors
Creators Come Together for Star-Studded Benefit Sketchbook Launch in Baltimore

Hurricane Katrina caused unimaginable devastation, destruction and human suffering, and just as with any disaster, unprecedented destruction and suffering calls for an outpouring of generous response. Doing their part to help, many of the talented comics creators appearing at the Baltimore Comic-Con (September 16-17, Baltimore Convention Center) have come together to put together a benefit sketchbook, to be offered for sale in an exclusive limited print run at the show. All proceeds from the book will go to Habitat for Humanity’s “Operation Home Delivery,” creating low-income housing for Katrina’s survivors.

“Baltimore Comic-Con is the first major US comics convention since the Katrina tragedy,” said contributor/publisher John Gallagher, “so we, as creators, are really trying to come together to raise funds, awareness, and a feeling of unity in the comics community.” The sketchbook idea came from a conversation between Gallagher and his Roboy Red co-creator Rich Faber, as they both expressed a desire to help the Katrina victims. Within minutes, they had the idea, and a name, “Drawing Strength.” With the help of Baltimore Comic-Con organizer Marc Nathan, Gallagher and Faber contacted almost all the show’s guests over the weekend, and the response has been overwhelming, with Brandon Peterson, Greg Horn, Mark McKenna, Jim Calafiore, Mike Manley, Neil Vokes, Marc Hempel, Mark Wheatley, Faber, Gallagher, & The Luna Bros already on board, offering sketches and pin-ups for the project.

Just added! Frank Cho, Walter Simonson, Howard Chaykin, Joe Linsner, Mike manley, Howard Porter, Ron Garney– and featuring a moving color cover by Mike Wieringo!

More info will be forthcoming as Baltimore Comic-Con exhibitors contributors continue to join the “Drawing Strength” cause, and, for those unable to attend the Baltimore Show, the sketchbook will be made available for sale online at Gallagher’s Sky-Dog Press website. (www.skydogcomics.com/drawingstrength)

And also, I’d like to show you the cover image I did for the sketchbook:

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So if you can make it to Baltimore, please be sure to stop by and purchase one of these sketchbooks and help out. If you can’t make it to the show, then as it says in the press release, you’ll be able to buy one at John’s web site.

This is Entry 144.

Mike

It’s been a week since my last blog post… and the reason for that is that I’ve been so transfixed and horrified by the aftermath of HURRICANE KATRINA that I’ve frankly been at a loss for words. The constant flow of heartbreaking images of suffering and loss have left me stunned and saddened. I’ve also been feeling that any ‘lighthearted’ posts in light of these terrible events would be inappropriate– so that’s also kept me ‘cyber-mum’. This is the worst natural disaster that this country has faced–at least in MY lifetime. And so I wanted my first post since last week to be about something that could make a difference. I’ve already made a donation to the AMERICAN RED CROSS and I encourage everyone who can afford it to do the same. The Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coast line has been virtually destroyed and the need for money, goods and services for that area is going to be great for a long, long time to come — and regular donations will be needed to aid these poor folks over that time. And in that spirit, I’ve decided to start an eBay account for selling sketches that I can then donate the proceeds they generate to The Red Cross or any other charity that will be needing funds. You can find my first auction for the above BLACK CAT pencil sketch here on eBay. If you like this sketch, please bid on it and that way, you can help donate funds to folks who desperately need it– and you can have something in exchange for that donation.

UPDATE: J.Donelson warned me that the auction would more than likely be removed by eBay due to their policies regarding charitable auctions– and he was exactly right. I should have read their user policies more carefully, I suppose. I’ll register with MISSIONFISH (a program they use as a conduit/go-between for charity auctions) soon and let you know when the BLACK CAT piece is back up for auction.

This is Entry 143.

Mike