Sharing My Story

(Journal entry for July 23, 2006)
This morning we vacated our room at the Bristol Hotel
and I took Robert Flores, Clint D. Johnson an his son
DeMarcio to the Convention Center. The CCAS had a
combined chapel service with Clint giving a short and
well done sermon on the war of the spirit against the
flesh. Robert Luedke, Christine Kerrick, Robert Flores
and myself were on the panel discussing the general
topic of the Christian approach to doing biographical
and autobiographical comics. We had a good discussion
and a good question and answer period. There were
around sixty who were in the audience.

Several people came up later and had a short
interview with a newspaper reporter and also
a reporter from the LA Times who
Scott Shuford spoke with later. Also a gentleman
associated with Riddler’s Fayre wanted to give me
a copy of his wonderful graphic novel. The only
problem is I had already but we had a good but
short chat. The next panel was coming in and the
management were kicking us out of the room.
After that in the Hallway had a short meeting with
Clint Johnson and Scott Shuford about marketing
issues and possibly getting together over Labor Day
weekend. I shared with them the importance of
having an overarching goal for CCAS that will drive
all he efforts.

I stayed for the Jewish Side of Comics panel.
Marv Wolfman and several others were on it. Wolfman
is working on a graphic novel (though not straight
comics) on the history of Israel.

After that I went to the exhibit of Alex Toth artwork
at the Omni Hotel. Alex’s son, Eric Toth and his sister
Dana Palmer were there hosting the event. I did have
a chance to speak with Eric about his father’s life
and work. Had a good conversation with him.

Then I came back to the Convention Exhibition Hall made
a last purchase (one item with a new book of Alex Toth’s
drawings and sayings. I said goodbye to Ralph Miley,
Robert Flores and Kendra left the Convention and started
out of San Diego for home about 4 PM. Stopped again in
El Centro ate and got gas. Also stopped in Gila Bend and
got gas. Got back to Green Valley around 11:45 PM—
made better time going than coming.

(Journal entry for July 22, 2006)
This morning before heading to the convention I had some
good conversation with Robert Flores and Cedric. The walk
to the Convention Center was very crowded at 10:30 AM.
The first panel I went to was the one on the Silver Age
and later versions of the Flash. It had Joe Giella, Carmine
Infantino, Geoff Johns, Howard Porter, Brian Bolland and
the two current writers, Paul DeMeo and Danny Bilson,
on the new Flash relaunch. These two also directed/produced
the Flash 1990 TV show. Then I went to the Convention Art
Show. Lots of Fantasy-dragons and unicorns-some very nice.
Perhaps the most interesting section were a series of
biographical posters on famous comics artists, writers and
editors. After that I went to the James Bama panel about
the film documentary on him where they showed a 15 minute
clip from the film. James Bama is a commercial painter who
did among other things many famous Doc Savage paperback
book covers in the 1960s and 1970s.

I had to leave that session early to get to the panel with
Ray Bradbury, Ray Harryhausen and Forry Ackerman.
These gentlemen are getting along well in years (both
Bradbury and Harryhausen are 86 this year and Ackerman
will turn 90 in November). They talked about their literary
work as well as their adventures in the motion picture industry.
Then I went to the Comic Arts Conference Poster Session.
Matt Posusey had a rather superficial presentation on how
Darwin’s evolutionary ideas are presented in comics. After
that I went to the Dynamic Drawing seminar with Jeff Watts
and Erik Geis. They had a demonstration with a live model
on how to do finished portrait sketching. They are very good
and good presenters. Stayed for the entire presentation.
They have an atelier north of San Diego for students.

Then I went to the Golden & Silver Age Panel moderated
by Mark Evanier. The panelists were Shelly Moldoff, Everett
Raymond Kinstler, Luis Dominquez, John Romita, Arnold
Drake, and Irwin Hasen. These guys are getting older. Poor
Mark Evanier had a hard time controlling the panel. Met Linda
Brown there and she took a lot of notes. Also sit by the
Convention Archivist, Gene Henderson and chatted with him
a short time. After that I went to the Jack Kirby Museum
seminar panel with John Morrow (Editor/publisher of the
Kirby Collector) and Lisa Kirby (one of Jack’s daughters).
It is an online museum (kirbymuseum.org) and will also
have a traveling exhibit of Kirby’s work. Then I went to
the Alex Toth panel. Irwin Hasen was on it as well as
two of Toth’s children, Eric Toth and Dana Palmer.
After that I meet the Christian Comics folks at the
Horton Plaza again for some good fellowship and food.
One of my good friends, Monte Wilson made his only
convention appearance with the group this evening.
We took a lot of impromptu fun photos of each other.

(Journal entry for July 21, 2006)
Today is business day. I am on several committees with
the LA CCAS. Two committee persons couldn’t make it
until later so we postponed it until in the afternoon.
This morning I went to the panel on the 9-11 Commission
Report and the graphic novel that is being produced about it.
Sid Jacobsen is working on it with Slade Gordon, former
US Senator from Washington. After that I went to the
CCAS booth and waited for the meetings to be scheduled.

A group of us found a Gaming room that was not being
fully used and we sat in the back and had our CCAS
Publication meeting. Geoff Strout, Robert Flores, Ralph Miley,
Eric Jansen and myself were there for the meeting.
We discussed smaller promo projects (Post Cards, Posters,
etc) and larger projects (Ragged Capes, recolorizing old
B & W material and the miracless of Christ which I am
promoting.) We decided to go with the Ragged Capes
(Ralph has the ability to finance that and have it go into
the direct market.) We also discussed doing a series on
the miracles of Christ. I mentioned a need to have an
editorial committee to oversee the selection of art for
inclusion in the printed book (This stems from a desire
to have really high quality). Overall a good meeting-with
a sense o accomplishment.

After that I went to the Jack Kirby Tribute panel.
John Romita, Neal Adams, Mike Royer and others
were on it with Mark Evanier as moderator.
It was very well attended with a high level of interest.
Romita was very funny. Then I returned to the
Gaming Room (before the Kirby panel was over)
and had a meeting with the Marketing/Publicity
Committee with Eric, Scott Shuford, Geoff Strout,
Robert Flores and myself. There was discussion on
getting a forum for the web site and also havving the
CCAS website hosted on Frontgate’s server. This meeting
was less decisive. There is a desire to market the work
(publications) of CCAS and also to recruit members to
the group and even start groups in other locations.

After that I went to a panel with comics artist Howard Porter
(doing a new Shazam mini-series). This was a rather
boring panel. Today I was fatigued and didn’t join the
group for dinner and went and rested at the hotel and
got a bite at a local Wendys. Later that night we had a
great round of fanboy talk with Ralph, Richard, Cedric
and Robert. Discussed X-Men #3 movie and Superman
Returns. Cedric got on-line with his Mac Powerbook and
was able to upload a very funny and well made Star Wars
parody short movie. I drifted off to sleep while the guys
were still talking.

(Journal entry for July 20, 2006)
Got up this morning a little after 4 AM and got out
of Green Valley at 5 AM. This morning in NW Tucson
ran into a lightning/rain storm. Stopped and got gas
at Gila Bend. After leaving there I ran into a swarm
of locust/grasshoppersthat went on for several miles.
Stopped in El Centro and got gas and ate an early
lunch (10:30AM) at Carl’s Jr. I arrived in San Diego
and found parking by the new Padre’s Baseball Stadium.
Went to the Convention Center and got my convention
badge and info without a problem, also got my
convention book and it did have Larry and my
illo of the Silver Age Flash in it.

The first panel I went to was one the Comic Arts
Conference Session #3 that had Rick Geary, Chip
Kid and Michael Doodley. Geary talked about how
he approached the Classic Illustrated adaptations
in the 1980s. Chip Kid worked with Michael
Millionaire on a Batman Story (1930s retro look).
Then I attended a panel called New Challenges in
Self Publishing with Batton Lash, Kyle Baker, Paige
Braddock, Rich Koslowski, Phil Foglio. They emphasized
the importance of Internet comics— the way circumvent
the expense of paper comics. Innovative way to keep
up interest between issues. Then I went to the Carmine
Infantino interview (he was the original artist on the
Silver Age Flash). He has aged quite a lot since I saw
him several years ago, but is still very forthright, bright
and opinionated in his comments. He shared a wide
range of viewpoints.From that I stopped at the
TwoMorrows panel. They had a good presentation
of their products.

After that I visited the CCAS table and Ralph Miley,
Robert Flores, Cedric Hohnstadt and I checked in to
the Bristol Hotel. The Bristol is within easy walking
distance of the Convention Center. Chris Yambar
who was going to stay with us but left the convention
earlier today, because of some health related issues
(recovering from very recent appendix surgery). The
Christian comics folk ate together this at Horton
Plaza as usual. Those there were Cedric Hahnstadt,
Ralph Miley, Robert Flores, Linda Brown, Kendra
Holmstead, Christine Kerrick, Richard, Eric Jansen
were there and we had a good time talking. Spent
some time with Eric talking afterward.
(In later posts I will do more to identify these people.)

This was a special year for me at the San Diego Comic Con.
Every year the convention produces a high quality souvenir
magazine filled with biographies of writers, artists, film
producers, actors and others who are special guests of
the convention. It also the chronicles the passing of well
known entertainment creators and It also highlights
significant anniversary events that have happened in
the past on that year. For example this was the 75th
anniversary of the Universal Monsters (Frankenstein,
Dracula). It was the 40th anniversary of Star Trek, the
100th anniversary of the birth of Robert E. Howard
(creator of Conan the Barbarian), the 65th anniversary
of Captain America and Archie. For me the most
significant landmark was the 50th anniversary of the
first appearance of the Flash.

In 1956 (I was 8 years old), the comic book industry
was going through a severe depression. With the
notable exception of Dell Comics (publisher of Disney,
Warner Brothers and other TV/film related comics)
many publishers were dying or had increasing trouble
finding and holding an audience. Was the comic book
industry going to eventually expire with the onslaught
of television?

At National (now DC Comics), the publisher of Superman
and Batman, it was decided to revive with a new costume
and identity a defunct superhero that was shelved over
a half decade previously. This hero was the scarlet speedster,
The Flash, whose alter ego was police scientist Barry Allen.
This new improved Flash appeared in Showcase #4
(August 1956) and after several further appearances
in 1957 and 1958 (with very good sales figures) gained
his own comic in 1959. The editor and artist of that first
issue of the Flash was Julie Schwartz and Carmine Infantino.
Schwartz later went on to revive more of the classic 1940s
super heroes with new identities like Green Lantern, Atom,
Hawkman and a super hero group called
the Justice League of America.

Over at Marvel Comics Stan Lee noting the success
DC was having with these new super heroes (with the
help of artists Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and others) began
publishing their own super heroes like the Fantastic Four,
The Hulk, Thor, Antman, SpiderMan, Iron Man, the
X-Men and others. Other companies followed suit and
the 1960s saw a major upsurge in the popularity of a
once floundering industry. The enormously popular
campy TV series, Batman added further to the fortunes
of comic book publishers in the 1960s.

Editor Julius Schwartz died two years ago, but artist
(and former DC Publisher) Carmine Infantino was on
hand at this year’s convention to recount the origin
of the “Silver Age” Flash. During this past year I
decided to contribute some artwork to the Comic
Con Souvenir booklet. Since my first convention in 1974
I had thought about doing this but had never gotten
around to it. I depicted (perhaps apocryphal) the
moment when Infantino began drawing the first
Flash story with editor Schwartz approvingly
looking on. I had long-time small press comic
artist Larry Blake ink it. And it was published (p. 73).

The answer to your question, no, I didn’t read the
first Flash story when it was originally published.
I discovered the character in 1962 and enjoyed
the series very much.

Well, I am back from the San Diego Convention.
From my Green Valley home it is about an eight
hour car trip to San Diego. I got home about
11:45 PM last night. Over this next week I will
try to give some of my impressions of this
popular culture event. As mentioned in my
last post the Comic-Con International: San Diego
is probably the largest (or most attended) of any
convention in the US and probably the Western
Hemisphere. However there are similar
conventions in Japan that host 200,000 or
more individual registered attendees.

The San Diego Con is almost getting too big.
The large San Diego convention center is being
maxed out. The huge exhibitors/dealers room
is crammed with numerous sellers of various
kinds of merchandise as well as large motion
picture and media companies promoting their
new films, TV shows and so forth. Usually the
crowds peak on Saturday, but this year it seems
as if the crowds were constant from Thursday
through Sunday. The Convention opens on
Wednesday night for attendees with full
membership. It was reported that there were
around 17,000 that turned out for that.

I suspect that the constant walls of moving
people have an inhibiting effect on customer’s
buying habits. Also the dizzying array of
products competing for the attendee’s dollar
is overwhelming. It seems as if there is too
much product chasing to few customers
(even considering the enormous crowds.)
One convention executive said he felt that
the massive attendance will slowly decline
as the large motion picture companies turn
away from fantasy, science fiction and super
hero subject matter to other areas. He expects
these companies to leave the convention in
two or three years. This may send the send
the convention back to it comic book
collecting roots.

For those interested in a very detailed report
of the just concluded CCI: San Diego I’d
recommend going to Infuzemag.com.

There are so many things I could write about concerning
going to the San Diego Con. In 1976 science fiction scribe
Ray Bradbury, who wrote the classic Martian Chronicles,
was absolutely beside himself because one of the Viking
landers actually touched down on Mars during the
Convention (July 20, 1976). Thirty years later he will
be in attendance at the convention as a special guest.
That same year a group of young Hollywood movie
makers came and spoke about the film they were making.
Many fans thought it was just another flash-in-the-pan
sci-fi movie. The following year a modest little film called
Star Wars came out and made motion picture history. This
year the Con with hosts a Star Wars Day and aStar Wars
Film Awards event. Over the years Hollywood has used this
convention to hype their latest efforts. With over 104,000
individual attendees last year its not hard to see why. The
convention even has it’s own film festival.
The folks I will be hanging with are fellow
Christian comics fans and pros. DinoDon will
even be on a panel on Sunday. Well I need to
finish packing. I’ll share my experiences next week.

This Thursday morning I will be leaving from my
Southeast Arizona home and be driving to San Diego,
California, about a 6-7 hour drive. July 20-23 is the
annual popular arts festival called the Comic Con
International: San Diego, more affectionately know
as the San Diego Con. The San Diego Con started
out in 1970 as a get together of comic book fans
and collectors to sell, buy, trade comic books and
related merchandise. This convention early on
attracted professional comic book artists, writers,
editors and wannabes trying to break into that industry.
Soon programs with panel discussions, lectures,
24 hr. film viewing of science fiction and fantasy
movies made it on the convention schedule.

Originally a “dealer’s” convention rapidly developed
into multi-level event that had sometime that would
appeal to anyone interested in popular culture. As I
have written elsewhere 1974 was my first time at
the convention (though I was aware of it from the
beginning). The thing that fascinated me the most
was the presence of comic book writers and artists
whose work I’d grown up reading over the years.
Jack Kirby was the first professional guest at the
convention. Kirby was one of a handful of truly great
comic book areas who was in the industry for at least
50 years. He was a co-creator of Captain America,
was involved in introducing romantic comics and with
Stan Lee created the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, the
X-Men and many other comic book properties that
have become media icons.

Comic book enthusiasts are fanatical. Many of them
have a bend toward recording the history of comic
books. Magazines, fanzines, books, motion pictures,
web sites and other forms of media have been used
to document the minutiae of comic book lore. In 1998
I attended the San Diego Con and a highlight of that
event was a panel featuring Silver Age comics writer
John Broome. Broome was most famous as the writer
of many of the Flash, Green Lantern, Batman, the
Atomic Knights and numerous science fiction tales for
DC Comics. When Broome entered the packed meeting
room he was greeted by a standing ovation and
thunderous applause. This being his first comics
convention the 85 year old Broome was somewhat
baffled by this show of adulation. Many in the audience
were either long time comics fans who loved his work
or comics professionals or both.

That day I made a audio recording of the panel
as well as taking numerous candid photos of Broome
and the others on the panel. Later I spent time
doing a laborious transcript which was eventually
published by the small press zine “It’s a Fanzine.”
This proved to be Broome’s first and only convention
as he died about six months later. Yesterday I
received copies of Alter Ego #60 where “my”
transcript made it into the pages of this leading
comics history magazine. Very gratifying and a
fun way to go to the convention.

Saturday night I read Alec Stevens’ Sadhu Sundar Singh
graphic novel. Stevens is a professional illustrator who
has worked for the several of major comic book companies.
Several years ago he came out with two issues of a comic
book called Glory to God which illustrated true stories of
famous Christians (with art by himself and others).

The graphic novel (perhaps more accurately a graphic biography)
is Steven’s most ambitious work so far and he did an excellent
job. Singh was an early 20th century Indian evangelist who
preached widely in India, Burma, China, Japan and made
trips through Europe, Great Britain and the United States.
Singh had an extraordinary life. I found his Christian
conversion experience (he was born into a Sikh family)
similar to what a number of Muslim seekers encounter
today in closed Islamic societies. Also it is similar to
the apostle Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus.
This book is filled with fascinating accounts of the suffering
and persecuted Singh experienced for his faith.

Once while traveling to Tibet he was rescued by a 300 year old hermit
who gently challenged the young evangelist’s thinking on
Christian believers being imbedded in Roman Catholic
and Hindu societies. Later in America Singh preached
sermons much to the discomfort of his listeners rebuking
rich American Christians in the early 1920s for their
materialistic lifestyle. He would probably be physically
ill if he came back and saw the American Christian church
in the early 21st Century. Singh had opportunities to meet
and witness to Gandhi and encouraged a young Corrie Ten
Boom (of The Hiding Place) in her walk with God.

Alec Stevens has done a fine service in illustrating the
life of this remarkable Christian evangelist. This book
is inspirational in the best sense of the word.
(This book is available from www.calvarycomics.com)

One of the first African American artists to succeed in
recent comics was Reggie Byers who drew RoboTech
and other comics. In 1994 under the King Comics imprint
Byers came out with the comic book called Kidz of the King.
The Kidz were a group of four pre-teen super heroes from
different ethic groups. The Kidz were Truth (a super strong
African American boy), Mercy (a acrobatic Asian girl),
Faith (a flying Hispanic girl) and Zeal (a European super
fast boy). From the first issue The Kidz made no bones about
their Christian faith quoting scripture and fighting against
gang bullies and evil spiritual influences.

The Kidz have appeared sporadically off and on over
the next ten years. Finally in 2003 Reggie and his wife
Dione reached an agreement with Urban Ministries Inc
(a Sunday School curriculum publisher) of Chicago to
produce a series of Kidz of the King comics on a
regular basis. Since then over 11 issues have been
produced. This is a comic well suited for younger
children. It teaches uncompromising Bible truth
and has an evangelistic emphasis.

Another new publisher from Springfield, Missouri
named Arcadius Press. Arcadius is Roman Catholic
in orientation and had recently started publishing a
series called the “Lives of the Saints.” These are well
written and drawn 18 page biographical sketches of
various men and women canonized by the Roman
Catholic church. Some of the saints portrayed are
ones that are well known like Saint Nicholas, St. Patrick,
St Joan of Arc as well as lesser known holy men and
woman like St, Rosa of Lima, St. Pachomius and
St. Stanislaus.

The stories are very relevantly told an serve
as good educational tools for young Catholics
to learn some of their spiritual heritage. So far there
have been a dozen issues printed with more on the way.
The stories and artwork are done by various comics
creators and overall the packaging is very professionally
done. While I am not a Roman Catholic I appreciate
these stories of good and godly men and women who
did significant things. It seems as if Arcadius Press has
tapped into a large market with young people in the
Roman Catholic Church.

Another major success in Christian comics this
year has been the adaptation of G.P. Taylor’s
Shadowmancer novel. Shadowmancer was
published several years ago and became very
popular within the Christian bookstore market
as a sort of Christian “Harry Potter.”

Shadowmancer has a strong appeal to young
readers. The story is set in a fictional 18th century
time and place and concerns the struggle of
several young people against an enormous evil
personified by the malevolent Parson DeMurral,
an apostate prelate, who strives for the power
to challenge God Himself. The story is rendered
in a very professional animation-like style using
heavy shadows and the story seems to stick very
closely to the book. The comic is adapted by
Tony Lee with art by Pedro Delgado and coloring
by Eva de la Cruz. This is a comic strongest appeal
will be to tween and young teen boys. There have
been five issues published so far in this series
by new UK Publisher Markosia. Shadowmancer
is one of Markosia’s strongest offerings.

Serenity is a young blue haired girl from a
broken home (she has problems with her mother)
who moves into a new school
and tries to find a peer group who will accept her.
She runs into a group of Christians who befriend
her. She struggles with wanting to be involved
with this group of religious do-gooders (she is
attracted to none of the boys in the group).

Serenity has a lot of rough edges and growing
up to do. Her story is not one with a quick
conversion but it tries to deal honestly
(and with humor) the spiritual struggles
this young girl goes through as she tries
to fit in. Serenity is published full color by
Barbour Publishing and so far there are
five issues out. Serenity is written by
comics and animation industry veteran
Buzz Dixon and drawn by Min Kwon. As
an older male comics reader I found Serenity
a good comics read even though I’m not the
intended audience. This is a good series for
tween and teen girls. This is something
your daughter, grand daughter or other
young female relative might enjoy.

The past several years has seen a ground swell of
Christina Comics come into various market places.
Perhaps the major story this year is the emergence
of the manga, Serenity. Manga is the Japanese word
for comics. Manga is an ongoing media phenomenon
in Japan. Manga is read by all ages and segments of
Japanese society and and racks up sales in the million
on a weekly basis. Manga (along with Anime-Japanese
animation) has developed an enormous foreign following
especially in North America. Manga style is quite specific
with characters often depicted with huge eyes with a
blending of semi-real and extreme cartoony drawing
styles. Manga appeals especially to young girls both
teen and young teens. Serenity at this point is published
for the Christian bookstore marketplace.

Over the past several weeks I’ve been hard at work
on doing the 2006 Guide to Christian Comics.
This is the third annual edition which began in 2004.
I have been involved in Christian comics in one way
or another for over twenty years. For those interested
in my background there is a fairly up-to-date autobiography
concerning my involvement in this area on my web site
www.shareyourstory.info (hit the sample bio button on the left).
Without repeating what is in that autobiography I have
found the medium of comics, the melding of words and
pictures on a two dimensional surface, a completely fascinating
way of narrative story telling. Besides their entertainment
value comics can be used (and legitimately) for educational
purposes. One of the greatest pioneer practitioners of the
medium, the late Will Eisner spent many years doing
educational comics for government agencies. As a Christian
I have wanted to mix the comic strip/book form with Christian
themes and content. For anyone interested in studying early
Christian Comics I’d recommend the visiting the Christian
Comics International web page (christiancomicsinternational.org)
for short biographies of original pioneers of the movement.

July 8, 2006
I am resurfacing. The past several weeks I have been
hard at work on an annual project that I began in 2004.

It is called the 2006 Guide to Christian Comics. Having
been a comics/cartoon fan for many years I have taken
a special interest in the what Christian are doing in that
medium. I will share more about this over the next week or so.

Please see my Tagworld web site (tagworld.com/DinoDon)
for a scan of the cover for new Guide.