Sharing My Story

(Continuing my report from the Arizona Cactus Comic Con.)
Also in the small press area (tables in the Convention Center hallways
and entrance) I met and spoke with two cartoonists who are organizing
a comics creators group in northern New Mexico. There group is called
7000 BC and represent a wide variety of comic artists. I talked with
Ryan Claytor of Elephant Eater Comics and he has produced some
nicely packaged autobiographical comics. Also in the small press
section was Benjamin Ikle of Madseadog Comics who I’d met last
year at the 4th St. Street Fair in Tucson. He has three books out
now about a boy and his shadow. Benjamin is a graphic designer
in Tucson who received his training at Pima Community College
where I am taking some graphic courses currently. He is also
teaching an how to comics course in Tucson. Next to Benjamin
was Greg Mannino., another Tucson resident who produces the
amazingly computer rendered Dorothy of OZ comic (check it out
on www.dorothyofoz.com).

From there I made my first of several excursions into the dealer’s
room where I had opportunities to speak with several
interesting people.

I spoke with Mike Bullock, the writer on Lions, Tigers and Bears,
a beautifully produced all age comic book which has done very
well on the market with most of the issues immediately selling out.
He is also the writer on Moonstone’s Phantom comic. He writes
the character as an unapologetic hero. The Phantom is a hero, a
force for good who fights for the underdog and against evil men.
The Phantom is assuredly not an anti-hero. Bullock is definitely
a writer to watch. Close to Bullock’s table was Jake Black,
a young writer was showcasing his work. I spoke with his wife
and she told me he has worked with Dabel Brothers adapting
some fantasy books (Wyrms) as well as scripting TNMT and
the Smallville TV program.

I also spoke with Steve Rude and his wife and they mentioned
they were formed a separate publishing company for Steve’s
work. The first work he’d do under the new company is a Nexus
miniseries written by Mike Baron. A new Moth series will likely
follow in a year or so as the penciling is already finished.

I had a short conversation with Noel Neill, a thoroughly lovely
lady who played Lois Lane with both Kirk Alyn and George
Reeves in the Superman movie serials and the 1950s TV program.
She was there promoting her autobiographical photo book called
Truth, Justice and the American Way. I asked her about her
thoughts on the recently released film Hollywoodland
(a fictionalized look at the life of George Reeves) and what
she felt about Reeves death. She felt very strongly that his
death was not suicide. I took her that I was an 11 year old kid
in 1959 when I heard of Reeves death and was very disappointed
that the man who played Superman had tragically died.