Heroes aren't hard to find: at Heroes Con

Alright, I know this post is WAY overdue, but things have been a little crazy to say the least. I'll cover that in another post, but for now here's some pics and verbage about the Heroes Con Charlotte, NC a few weekends ago. For those that don't know what it is, it's a convention for comic book fans and creators to connect and interact, and for dealers to sell their comics and geekdom like statues, posters, and such.

My goals for this convention were just to get the experience, meet great people, get some feedback on my portfolio from some of the pros, and just have a good time. I accomplished all that and then some. I got some great feedback on my own comic work from some of my longtime comic pro heroes who graciously spent time chatting with me. Thanks again folks! I could write a book on all the details of this con, but suffice to say that I had a great time. Here's some more with photos though:

I actually went to the con with nothing at all to sell or hand out. It was a crazy few weeks just before the con, and I really didn't have time to put anything together other than a simple portfolio and some new business cards. I did, however, bring plenty of art supplies in case someone actually wanted me to do a commission for them. I really didn't expect it, because the first thing I'll ever have been published in hasn't even come out yet. No one had ever heard of me. I was happily mistaken. Within an hour after I arrived at the con a guy named Jeff (aka TitansFan on a few message boards) approached me about doing an ink sketch of a member of the Teen Titans, called Beast Boy (or Changeling), who can morph into animal shapes. He wanted animals in the pic, and had found my website (lots of animal sketches in my online sketchbook) via the Heroes Con website and decided that I would be a good fit for the image he wanted. Very Cool! My first ever Con Sketch! Thanks again, man. You made the Con for me. He was so pleased with the piece that he brought one of his friends over who also got a sketch of a Teen Titans character called StarFire (I think). Here's my first ever con sketch!


I'm really really lucky to have found that rare jewel that all comic geeks seek for most of their lonely days; a beautiful woman who shares my passion for comics, art and geeky stuff! Renee loves comics. She hadn't read the amazing Bone series by Jeff Smith yet, and bought the collected edition at the con so that she could get it signed by the man himself. Jeff is a gracious guy. Here he is posing for a snapshot with Renee and I.


As a recent addition to the professional world of comics I was able to sit behind the table set-up for the Temple of Cartoon Mojo table. Check out the link for info about the Temple. I was honored to sit next to Doug Dabbs, Allen Spetnagel (pictured), and Cara Mcgee. All fantastic artists and writers. The banner is a six foot version of the header I created for the Temple Blog. I was surprised at how well it blew up.


Doug Dabbs is crushing your head!


Here is Doug doing his first ever (I think) Con Sketch too. It was a great time for all of us.


It was also great catching up with my long time friend, professor John Larison and his lovely lady, Raan. John has been teaching at the Savannah College of Art and Design for about 9 or 10 years. There was actually a huge SCAD presence at the con, including my own table made up totally of SCAD students.


And like all cons, there was, of course, costume play. Here's a sampling:

Marvel's Wasp


and the Scarlette Witch. These people put a lot of time into these costumes.


Including this guy, Nolan Woodard, who believe it or not is one of my professors and SCAD-Atlanta. Don't be Fooled! He's an awesome professor when he isn't posing as a Storm Trooper.


I could go on and on, and I have a hundred more snapshots, but this is it for now. I hope to post a bit more regularly now that things are settling down for me. Stay tuned.