Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Back to the Bins #24

Hey folks! If you're interested, I appeared as a guest host on the Back to the Bins podcast, with my good friend Scott Gardner, where we each chose a back issue that we'd picked up out of a bargain bin to review. Give it a listen, if you're interested!

If anyone has found this site through the podcast...welcome! I hope you enjoy the content I have posted on the blog, and feel free to comment or shoot me an e-mail with feedback!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Dragon-Con 2009, part 3: Blog Crossover!

The last part of my DragonCon involves a crossover with another blog: Firestorm Fan! I was lucky enough to be able to meet up with the proprietor of the blog and Firestorm fan extraordinaire, the Irredeemable Shag!

Shag and I met up after he'd finished going to the Patrick Stewart panel (an experience he details here). We headed over to the mall food court and grabbed some eats while we chatted and people watched. Somehow, we kept running into people we both knew. In fact, we randomly sat down next to a friend of mine from college. I tell you, thousands of geeks at the con, and you still manage to run into the same people every year :)

Anyway, Shag and I had a great time chatting about all manner of geeky things, including our respective favorite DC heroes. So you all can see how much fun we were having, here's a shot with Shag and I at the mall:
I'm on the right, looking slightly sweaty in my bright green shirt. You'll have to forgive me, but DragonCon takes place in Georgia, in the summer :) Shag is on the left, rocking it out in his Firestorm t-shirt. If only I had been thinking, I would have donned my super-awesome Green Arrow tee!

While chatting, Shag and I found out we had another thing in common (besides our love for relatively obscure DC superheroes, that is): we'd both gotten a head sketch from George Perez that weekend!

Mr. Perez was one of the top tier talents at the show this year, and he was offering quick head sketches of whatever you requested in exchange for a donation to the HERO Initiative. I jumped at the chance, of course! I wanted to get a character Perez would be familiar with, but that would also make good material for the Arrowcave...and the I hit upon an idea. Everyone's favorite archery based Teen Titan, Speedy!


How awesome is that? Way awesome, at least.

I have to say, George Perez is one of the nicest people you will ever encounter in the comic book industry. If you EVER get the chance to meet him, take it. I promise you'll not regret it. In fact, this is how gracious he is:

He was willing to hug a sweaty Adama and then compound his error with photographic evidence! A helluva guy, I tell ya!

Shag, of course, got a sketch of Firestorm. You can check out his sketch, plus his take on our Super-Blog Crossover Event here, at Firestorm Fan.

In fact, he was even kind enough to set up a Green Arrow/Speedy/Firestorm action figure diorama! Be sure the heck it out post haste! (Hopefully he won't mind if I steal the picture!)


Friday, September 18, 2009

Dragon-Con 2009 Con Report, part 2

Hey guys, more pictures, more GA, more fun!

Here we have a slightly shaggy Green Arrow and a Wonder Girl. It is just me, or would this guy also make an awesome Thor?
Another super nifty GA, again from the DC photo shoot I stumbled on. This gentleman was kind enough to pose for me and everything!
This is a costume idea that I would never have come up with on my own: a civil war era Green Arrow and Black Canary! Love it!
And lastly, we have a modern era Black Canary demonstrating her Canary Cry. Luckily, I managed to snap the picture before it could shatter the glass in my camera.

Acquisitions:

Not much this year, honestly. In my current unemployed state, I couldn't afford to go wild like I normally do.

In fact, I didn't pick up any single issues at all! My only comic related purchases were a few Crossgen trades I pulled out of discount bins, namely Sigil vol. 1-3, Scion vol. 4, and The Path vol. 1. So far I've enjoyed everything I've read. I might have to track down the other trades when I find work again!

I also got a sketch from an artist you may have heard of...but that will have to wait until next week :)

Monday, September 14, 2009

Dragon-Con 2009 Con Report, part 1

Hey folks! Sorry it took me so long to get this together, but there was plenty to see, do and report on at the con this year!


In this first section of the con report, I'm putting up a selection of the cool costumes and such that I spotted. Some of these are GA related, and some aren't, but they're all cool!

First up, we have Penance, of Generation X. I love it when people put so much effort into an obscure character!

Next up, we have a pair of Bat-Villains, Two-Face and Poison Ivy! I saw these ladies leaving a huge comic book photo shoot near the con, which you'll see more of below.

I guess there was a French castle nearby that needed invading. Too bad they forgot to climb inside first!

Here we have Diance, Princess of the Amazons, complete with bracers and Lasso of Truth!

Aquaman, King of the Seas took some time off from protecting the Earth's oceans to attend the con. I spotted his arch enemy, Black Manta, later on that day. He had a tattered orange shirt hanging from his trident. Hope poor Arthur's alright...

Black Lightning also made an appearance. I really like this guy's dedication. It had to be 90 degrees outside that day, and you know he had to be sweltering inside that costume!
Here's me and comic art legend George Perez! Mr. Perez was doing quick head sketches in exchange for donations to the HERO Initiative. I'll be posting that sketch soon!
The lovely Zatanna prepares to pull something out of her hat. Yes boys, she is in fact holding a hat :)
Here's me and an amazing Green Arrow! In fact, there were several Green Arrow's at the con. Its always nice to see other GA fans, since we're so few and far between :)
A post-fight Comedian from Watchmen. Who knew that an old brown bathrobe and a smiley face button could make such an awesome superhero costume!

More to come folks!