A great show!
Only set-backs...snow...Tim Truman cancelled...and I wish I was rich so I could afford the stuff in the charity auction!!!
I wandered over to the artists tables and met up with Rick Veitch (Greyshirt, 1963, Rare Bit Fiends, Comicon.com) for the first time. We've talked via email, but this was the first face to face meeting. Wotta great guy!!!! We talked for a bit, and arranged a T5w interview. So keep a watch for it!
Then I wandered over to John Totleben, who was drawing the most awesome Man-Thing you could imagine, in someone's sketchbook! I had met John once before, in Pittsburgh 1999, and other than that, have had little contact. I said..."Hey John...when are you going to be at the Pittsburgh Con again?" He looked up at me...smiled...and said..."I don't know yet...Glenn right? Glenn (pause) Barbis! Yeah...it has been awhile."
I was impressed this guy remembered my name, and full name at that! I wonder if that was a good thing, or a bad thing?!?
We talked for a bit, and he showed me the pages for the Ultimate Team-Up book. WOW!!!! I wish I had the bucks to buy a few!!!
Then I wandered over to Will Blyberg's table, and he was impressed with some of the stuff I had. Mostly alot of his Eclipse work (DNAgents, Airboy, Crossfire) and the fact that a few were with Erik Larsen work. He told me how he inked hios pencils, but never talked to Erik, because he always had some phone connection problems when Larsen called. He said that Larsen probably hates him, thinking that Will was snubbing him! he also thanked me for not giving him his entire body of work in DNAgents and Astro City. I had told him I had them all, and he said that he was tired from people bring Astro City runs to sign. He was pretty cool!
Then it was time to hit the main man...Jim Steranko! The guy looked like a millionaire! Decked out in a really slick suit, and his silver hair styled high...he looked cool as hell!!!
Three signs were on the table..."5 signatures per person"- "Mr. Steranko Will Not Sign Any of the Nick Fury Trade Paperbacks"- and "Please Do Not Photograph Mr. Steranko."
When it was my turn to meet the man, I asked him if he still lived in Reading (PA. where he was born and lived, and me as well!). He said..."I'm trying!" I laughed and we talked about how bad Reading had become. He told me there were 3 murders last night there!
I must admit...the man has a presence! We talked for a few more minutes, and he shook my hand and thanked me. As I walked away, he asked me if I had a store in Reading. I was surprised he remembered, as he had come in with Dan Adkins but never really spoke to me. We then talked for a few more minutes about Dan.
Next I talked at length to George Khoury, who is the author of "Kimota: The Miracleman Companion." he was familiar with me and my site as well...so I promised to do a good review of the Kimota book!
Then it was onto Tom Yeates, who was busy with a sketchbook, so he signed my stuff quickly, and we only chatted briefly.
After that, I wandered about, bought a few things, and looked at the auction items. Too rich for my blood!!!
The program booklet is a small black and white photocopied one, but it has some really cool "Reflections of John Totleben" articles, written by Rick Veitch, Tom Yeates, Darick Robertson, Mike Collins, Joe Kubert, Alan Moore, Brian Bendis, and even a short "confession" from John himself!
That's all for now.
