Tuesday, May 20, 2014

CON-VALESCING

Signing, signing and more signing.

Got back late Sunday night from the Motor City Comic Con and, as usual after these events, I crawled through the front door brain-fried and wasted.  (I don’t drink, but I’ve got a serious comic book hangover.)  For a guy who spends most of his time alone in a room, playing with his imaginary friends, it’s quite a dimensional shift to spend three days among thousands of people, signing books and talking till I’m hoarse.  

That said, the joy of these conventions—and it really is a joy—is meeting the folks who read, and appreciate, my work.  The people who visited my table at Motor City were an enthusiastic and heartfelt group and I offer deep thanks to everyone who stopped by:  your kindness was profoundly appreciated.  (A special shout-out to two regular Creation Pointers:  Drew and the ever-mysterious Jack.  A genuine pleasure to meet you both outside the confines of cyberspace.)


Talking, talking and more talking.

I also got to spend time with—among others—my frequent collaborator Kevin Maguire (who had some amazing prints for sale), Mark Waid (that kid’s got talent:  I think he’s got a future in this business), Christy Blanch (whose digital series The Damnation of Charlie Wormwood is one you should be reading), the Sliderwave Family (they know who they are) and the inimitable William Shatner.  Okay, so I didn’t actually hang out with Shatner, but my beautiful wife (who spent a good part of the weekend taking pictures, including the ones on this page) and I attended his panel and he was, as always, smart, funny, whimsical, philosophical, hugely entertaining and extremely Shatnerian. 


A gorgeous Kevin Maguire JLI print

So fare thee well, Michigan—and thank you.  Next up:  Wizard World Atlanta.  And—for the moment, at least—that’s it for me and conventions this year.


Side by side with my Younger Self.
All photos ©copyright 2014 Diane L. Epstein.

20 comments:

  1. It was such a pleasure to chat with you this weekend. I can say that no other writer has had as much of an impact on me as your work has through the years. It is always great when you can spend some time with one of your heroes and find that they are truly every bit as great of a person as they are an artist. I hope you find your way to the midwest again sometime - we loved having you here!

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    1. The pleasure was all mine, Drew—and I hope we get a chance to do it again before too long. Thanks so much for your kind words: VERY much appreciated.

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  2. That is indeed a gorgeous JLI print!

    --David

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    1. Kevin has a wide variety of fantastic prints, David. Beautiful stuff!

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  3. Do you have to describe as "ever-mysterious?" Who am I fickin' Batman?

    Jack

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  4. I certainly feel a lot better for Detroit knowing Jack is around.

    --David

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    1. He's Detroit's Great Hero, patrolling the city, protecting the innocent!

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    2. Thanks... I guess.

      It is good to know that I wasn't the only one getting Into Shamballa signed. Is it just me or was that the Dr. Fate series before the Dr. Fate series?

      I do like to think behind the scenes you and Claremont debated the finer points of Science Fiction, what with how big of a Heinlein fan he is.

      Which leads me worrying you'll go crazy trying to duplicate my "Philip K. Dick Was Right" shirt. Scrambling trying to get all your artist buddies to try and recreate it, trying to get that back scene perfect.

      Jack

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    3. Oh, yeah, and did you get a chance to talk to Gerry Conway? you seemed excited about that before the show started.


      Jack

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    4. Didn't have an opportunity to speak to Claremont at all. Did most of my chatting with Kevin Maguire and Mark Waid. (And a little with Charles Soule.)

      Yeah, that was quite a shirt (although I don't remember what the background was). Should have tipped me off right away to the wearer's identity.

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    5. No, didn't talk to Conway. Don't think I even saw him! Another time, I hope.

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    6. So, was Into Shamballa a prototype to the Dr. Fate series?

      And at least you have your growing psychosis over trying to recreate that shirt to keep as a souvenir. That's nice.

      Jack

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    7. Not in any conscious way, but those two characters certainly open doors to similar themes and ideas.

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    8. I just meant if maybe Into Shamballa was the firs time a mainstream allowed you to explore such themes, and if you consider them similar in style., tone, or theme.

      By the way, that article I interviewed you for is up. It was broken into two pieces, so I'm not sure which one concerns you.

      Jack

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    9. Well, I was working on MOONSHADOW at the same time and it explored similar themes (albeit in a different way) and I'd certainly slipped those themes into earlier stories, but not as directly. Still, SHAMBALLA, since it involved a main character who was a mystic did it in a very direct way that
      was, perhaps, a first for me.

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  5. It was nice to meet you at Motor City. Thank you for signing my Moonshadow book and not mocking the mini comic I gave you.

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    1. I not only didn't mock it, I read it and enjoyed it. Thanks, Douglas!

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    2. You're welcome. I started picking up Justice League Dark after the convention. Good book. I have also started rereading Moonshadow for the umpteenth time. Thanks again.

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    3. Hope you continue to enjoy JLD, Douglas. And hope the "umpteenth" reading of MOONSHADOW still hits the spot!

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