COMICS COMICS COMICS
by Frank Santoro
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Man, did I have fun. I just hovered by the PictureBox endcap and harassed passersby to look at my back issues! Dan kept glaring at me from the other end of the table, haha!
Me: “Look, a complete set of Sienkiewicz’s run on The Shadow! You don’t know who colored them? Richmond Lewis! C’mon! You have to buy these comics!”
Customer: “Dude, stop yelling.”
Anyways, it was busy early and stayed that way all Saturday. I did my best to snag a particular demographic walking around: the comics fan who generally cannot help but look at a pair of white comics long-boxes perched on a corner table. People kept asking me if I was selling my collection, and I said, “No these are just my doubles! I hoard these things! I can guarantee that all the comics in these boxes are satisfying reads! Comics Comics-approved comics for your reading pleasure.”
But, really, the most fun was watching Powr Mastrs 2 just fly away, people freaking out over it. It’s insanely beautiful and glowing with color parts and killer continuity. Christopher seemed to be enjoying himself, watching the few advance copies we had to sell sell out THAT fast. It was a little bittersweet tho’ because we could have moved so many more if we had them. Stupid slow boat from China. (Homer Simpson voice please.)
Lauren Weinstein seemed to be signing and selling copy after copy of Goddess of War. It was crazy for awhile. She has a really diverse fan base, too. Lauren’s like an author and an artist and a cartoonist. Meaning she engages her readers on so many levels. I know because I overheard her having so many different conversations on a lot of different topics.
Not me tho’!! It was, “HEY LOOK COMICS! LOOK! IT’S MIKE MIGNOLA INKED BY P. CRAIG RUSSELL! YOU HAVE TO BUY THIS COMIC!”
(And, oh, well, I humbly add that the new Cold Heat Special is fucking unbelievable. Lane Milburn really killed it, crushed it, sent it into orbit. It will be available on the PicBox site soon. I’ll post something about it when it’s time!)
Labels: "comics elitists", C.F., Cold Heat, Lane Milburn, Lauren R. Weinstein, Powr Mastrs, SPX
It was great seeing you guys, Frank! My disappointment in missing Powr Mastrs #2 = large. You also didn’t tell me about the new Cold Heat–I didn’t get one! Also getting bullied by Dan and Tim into buying Ganzfeld #7: priceless. Stupid intelligentsia. Keep that smile on your face, man–it’s always refreshing to see!
I always thought that Mignola’s best stuff was the worked inked by PCR.
I think we should do a dorkout show at some point.
UUUuuuukkkKKNNNOOOOOoooowwwwWWW
Fuck man, I didn’t know you had any of those Shadow comics! I would have totally snagged those off of you.
Fuck.
Just seeing the comics boxes there brought a smile to my face. I thought you were giving improptu seminars on Greg Land or something.
It reminded me of the manager at my old comic shop who would challenge us to pick out any issue from the bins so he could name the writer, editor, penciller, inker, colorist & letter without looking. He would usually get at least 5 out of 6, and he was 19 years old at the time!
There is something almost religious about that level of geekdom.
I didn’t realize Richmond Lewis colored those! I have that whole run….somewhere. Gotta dig them up.
yeah, everyone thinks Sinkevitch colored those.
postscript:
I was on a couple panels. The Kramers Ergot panel and the Collaboration panel. Will try to write something about them but they were both fairly devoid of hi-lights or fireworks. Too many people on both panels, honestly.
It was awesome to see super heroes at SPX, a place where everyone bitches about comics diversity. More’a dat
That’s like white people complaining that a neighborhood’s not diverse enough because THERE AREN’T ENOUGH WHITE PEOPLE!
{What am I doing here?}
yeah but the one guy with a costume on arrived in a trenchcoat and then with the coat on his arm strutted in his yellow tights!
frank, I really enjoyed digging around in yr longbox, that sounds like a come-on but whatever
Also watched th videos you recommended to me on yr colouring process and general thought process when making comix — am glad to know there are people who care about keeping that handmade feeling alive in objects that are mass-produced
Cold Heat’s sensibility is very much of its time — futuristic, even — so it’s surprising that th way it is made is a throwback to olden days
–mza.
thanks man
cool to meet you at the show
Dennis the Menace was actually one of my faves from the show. i dropped $10 for the Mexico issue. Great comic, though unfortunate that Dennis shoots his slingshot at a matador.
One of Jaime Hernandez’s favorite comics! A guaranteed Comics Comics Classic!
GOLDEN!!