Big Wow! ComicFest 2015 is this Weekend

I’m excited for Big Wow! ComicFest this Saturday and Sunday in San Jose at the Convention Center.  Big Wow is a fun show with a large, spirited crowd.  The cosplay is impressive and there is a good variety of vendors selling some cool stuff.

Plus, since it is San Jose I expect/hope to have some supporters come by to keep me company.  I don’t have any planned table mates, but there may be a last minute surprise or two.  I have a good feeling about this show, as I’m more prepared than ever.  I’ve got my big new banner to draw some eyes to the booth and a bunch of new prints that I think people are really going to enjoy.  And of course plenty of copies of TDM to sell.

So there is the potential for this to me my best show, sales-wise.  Which would be really nice.  I mean REALLY nice.  And out of all the things that are scheduled to be there, one in particular has me excited…

I know a lot of people are looking forward to meeting Tom Felton, a.k.a. Draco Malfoy.  Maybe some people want to see Jake Lloyd, a.k.a. the kid who ruined Star Wars in that horrible Episode 1; hopefully so they can punch him.  Maybe someone actually wants to meet Daniel Cudmore, a.k.a. some forgettable character from the recent X-Men movies.  Jim Steranko will probably have some fans, especially with S.H.I.E.L.D.’s recent popularity.  Maybe there is someone left who hasn’t met Neil Adams, who seems to be at every show and will happily charge your a thousand bucks for sketch.

But there is really only one man I want to meet…

Dave Gibbons.  The artist behind the most lauded comic in history, Watchmen.  Now I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I intimately know his entire career, but I sure appreciate what he did with that particular book.

I’ll share with you now, before man and blog, that I had not read the Watchmen before I saw the movie, and I had only a very limited knowledge of it.  So I did not grow up with it, and it was not an inspiration for my humble drawing origins.  But I loved the movie, immediately read the comic on my Kindle Fire, and later bought the awesome over-sized hardback edition, Absolute Watchmen.  In fact I dug through my garage and got it out so I could have him sign it.  Then I’ll just have to track down Alan Moore…(Why didn’t I think to have Mike Mignola sign my Art of Hellboy last year?!)

So while I did not grow up on Watchmen, it had a very strong immediate effect on me, and has been a source of inspiration since.  The things Mr. Gibbons does are really amazing.  And while I wouldn’t see it is the most attractive art style, it certainly is distinct and does some amazing storytelling.

So as long as I get to meet him I’ll be happy and consider it a success.  Of course it will be more of a success if you, the dear reader, come by and see me (and buy something)!  So come see me and my buddy Dave, beat up the Star Wars kid for ruining your childhood, ask the X-Men guy who the hell he is, gawk at all the girls in their skimpy costumes, by some weird novelty toys and have some fun this weekend!