Boston Comic Con Wrap Up

  

 I know it's been almost a week since the show but I had to get a few commissions left over from the Con that I wanted to hold off for the posting.

 As with any Convention, it's great to get out of the studio and head out to meet new people, fans, other artists, and friends I haven't seen in awhile. It's about the people, and there was a LOT of people. Although Saturday morning seemed slow, there was a steady stream of people walking and stopping by the table all weekend long. Being in this new larger facility was awesome, even with the greater number of people, there was more "breathing room". I heard that one or maybe both of the days they were pushing the limits of the shows fire codes. Nice.

I talked with a lot of people that stopped by to check out my stuff and to say hi or ask about my work. I think there are a few art schools in the Boston area as I met a bunch of the students that were walking around, checking out artwork, and asking questions and getting advice from other artists. I must have gone over 7 or 8 portfolios.

  I was doing sketches for the entirety of the show and only took a few breaks. Thanks to my buddy Steve for sitting in for a few minutes on Saturday and my Wife and son came on Sunday to help out a bit and enjoy the festivities. I didn't get pics of all the sketches that went out but I do have a few things to show. Some were just quickies or an occasional fast freebie for kids and I had some repeat customers from last year that wanted something new to add to their collections.

  Gripe moment: I have to ask.... what is up with all the charity requests lately? I did 3 Sat and Sunday morning and then had to turn down 2 more after that. It was getting ridiculous. I've also been getting them online more frequently lately. I don't mind doing one every once and awhile for charities I've heard of or from people that I know but you have to draw the line somewhere. (pun intended) I will have to think about and come up with a guild line to follow for doing these charity pieces from now on. Gripe moment over.

On to some pics and art posting!
This one is of my son. He has just recently gotten into Star Wars and the 501st was there at the show. Along with being wide eyed at the clone troopers walking around, he thought it was the coolest thing watching R2 zip by the table. So We got a pic with the droid.

Spiderman requests were popular as I found myself drawing him all weekend and had a few Spidey's as pre orders. Here are a few.

Here's one of the charity sketches that Granite Con was collecting in a sketch book to be auctioned off next year for the Make a Wish Foundation.

Some after show commissions that I just finished up today, A Hulk and Deadpool.
(It's so much easier when I have a scanner handy)                                                                                      

   

 I'm always happier with the ones I can spend a bit more time on...
                                                  

So it was a busy weekend, I was pretty horse by Sunday night and took Monday off and slept like a bear the next day.
But it was fun.

Later
WM                  

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Warren Martineck

The Boston Comic Con Report.

Time for a little review of this past weekends Boston Comic Con.

Having the name "Comic Con" attached to your title is a hard thing to live up to, especially when your only 3 hrs away from New York and there are really big Cons with that in the title. It wasn't as big as the New York Comic Con but it wasn't a small local con either and it's only in it's 3rd year. I have no clue of the numbers that came through the door, but I do know I was busy all weekend. Although Saturday was busier than Sunday, I did equally well for both and was very happy I attended this year. I noticed an large number of costumed patrons at the show and I'm not sure if it had something to do with it being so close to Halloween or from the popularity of it from shows like Dragon Con and San Diego. I was a bit surprised there was little fanfare, reviews, or news about the show before or afterwards. Not even a mention on Newsarama which usually over-covers these types of shows to death.

Other than the last few hours on Sunday, I basically sat at my table drawing all weekend chiseling away at my sign-up sheet and sucking down Diet Pepsi's. Being a comic convention I did more comic sketches than PSC's but it was expected and welcomed. I met a lot of new fans

(which is the whole point of getting out of the studio) and the

commissionees all seemed very happy with what I sent them home with. I missed some and a couple were unrecognizable but here are a few of the commission pics I took, a Clint Eastwood "Hand Em High", and a Jonah Hex.

I also did a color Dark Phoenix

PSC for Bob Almond to go towards the Inkwell Awards funding of a scholarship for the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art in which I attend a few long years ago.

More on this card and how you can get your hands on it in an upcoming post. Bob and I go way back and it's always good to see him and his family and he was only 2 tables over.

Although I didn't get out of the artists room I was set up in, (There were artists everywhere, this room, that room, down the hall, in the hall, and filling up the entryways) I sneaked out every once and awhile to catch a stretch and visit with buds I haven't seen in awhile Like Norman Lee and Mark McKenna. I didn't get to see everyone I wanted to but I got to talk with Walt Simonson for a bit . (Thanks to Jan for taking the pics and yelling at me to smile more.)

Norman Lee and I...

...and here's Mark McKenna who created a great childrens comic called Banana Tails that my son just loved.

The info I got on the next Boston Comic Con, in which yes I have signed up for, is that it's moving to a new and larger place next year. The Westin Boston Waterfront in April. It's much bigger and when you've got names like Jim Lee and Mike Mignola already signed on, you need a big place.

So there it is. A great show and I'm happy to be writing about it now. I've had a good and successful time at the past couple of shows and I've got the convention bug again. So it looks like I'll be hitting up a few more shows this coming year and hopefully hitting places I haven't been to yet.

Until then,

later

WM

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Warren Martineck

Star Wars Is To Blame For All This.

I came across this old photo of myself and a good chuckle was had. I'm guessing around 16 yrs old, surrounded by a little hobby I used to have. I was one of those Star Wars nuts. I had all the Star Wars toys, every action figure, trading card, art book, toothbrush and whatever else they made, I owned it and had it displayed. I also started collecting the Star Wars comic title. (1. seed planted)

There was a collectables dealer at a local indoor flea market near my house. He had all the rare and hard to find Star Wars stuff and I spent so much time there that he finally just hired me and put me to work. (He knew he couldn't get rid of me and I took merchandise for payment.)

He and his wife owned a comic shop in town and I eventually started working there as she needed more help. (2. seed watered) I was able to complete my Star wars Comic run and being exposed to all those other comics, I started reading and collecting other titles. (3. seed fertilized)

Before I knew it I was working comic conventions for the shop and meeting all these new people and cool comic artists. One con in particular, we were set up right next to Mike Zeck. I got to talk with him all day about his job and whatever else. Really nice guy and I came to realize that comics could be a viable career. (4. seed growth) Which was good because I was also one of those kids that had no idea what I wanted to do with my life.

After awhile, I quit the comic shop, (and eventually quit my next job at McDonalds) and ventured off to cartooning school.

Thats how it all started.

in a really tight pair of jeans....

Any and all comments on the picture are welcome.

Later

WM

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Warren Martineck