Funny books

If it's the end of April then it's time for the annual Calgary Comic Book Expo.  Last year I went both Saturday and Sunday, but this year only went Sunday because there wasn't that many people I want to go see.  They double the size of space, yet there were still a lot of people crammed in there.  It seemed like every time I saw something I wanted to look at like twenty showed up to stand right in front it.  When we first walked in we walked by someplace selling some vintage G.I. Joes and I wanted to get a original plain old blue Cobra grunt or "The Enemy" as labeled on the package.  I went back to find the table later and couldn't find it!  I wandered around that place like fifty times and couldn't find it unless it was just my imagination.  I'm getting old.

As I said there wasn't that many people I wanted to check out, but I did get a few things signed and got a couple sketches, but that is about it.  I didn't even spend that much money which is cool because I can spend it on some other stuff I don't need.

Every year the Expo puts out an art book with stuff from the guests with the proceeds going to charity.  In past years it was done with a "western" theme, but this year they went with a sci-fi theme.  I picked up my book and never really even looked at it, but just got a few artists I liked to sign it.  After I went home I had time to look at it and there is lots of cool stuff in it.  I wish I had a few more of the artists sign their pages.  I was getting a sketch book and signature on my art book from local artist Gerald Garcia and he asked me if I ever filled an entire art book with signatures and I was like, "No, I'm not that ambitious."  That is too much work!

Mini Marvels!  I got my Mini Marvels signed by writer/artist Chris Giarusso.  You may have seen his work when I posted a commission he did for me of the Punisher.  I also got him to do me a Spider-Man sketch.

The comics above are signed by colorist Christina Strain.  You'll notice the Mary Jane ones are also signed by artist Takeshi Miyazawa making them twice as cool.  Daughters of the Dragon is also signed by writer Jimmy Palmiotti.

Tiny Titans signed by Art Baltazar.  I picked up my art book after getting him to sign this and forgot to go back and get him the art book.  Oops.  Nice guy though, and he was wearing a Superman costume.

A couple things signed by local artist Fiona Staples.  I tried to buy a $3 comic from her, but all I had was a $20 and she didn't have any change.  I said I'd come back later which I did with a $5 and she still have the change.  How unprofessional, that is the last time I ever buy anything from her.  Good thing Cody gave me $3.

The Mighty Skullboy Army signed by creator Jacob Chabot.  Another nice guy and mad props to him for recognizing my L4D2 Midnight Riders t-shirt.  FYI, the new L4D2 DLC is now out.   Take notice he drew a little Unit 2 aka the monkey in the bottom corner.  He also did the Marvel mini series X-Babies and he did me this kid Wolverine picture.  I also bought an old Spider-Man picture off him that for some reason he has had since 2006 and nobody wants.

I also got artist Marcio Takara to sign my art book and I got a Spider-Man sketch and a Invisible Woman print from him.

That is pretty much it.  There was a lot to do I guess and a lot of movie guests this year like Leonard Nimoy,  Brent Spiner, Malcolm McDowell, Billy Dee Williams and Lloyd Kaufman.  I didn't learn until about 5 minutes ago that Garry Chalk aka Vice Principal Grimes from Scooby-Doo: The Mystery Begins was there.  I totally missed out!

There didn't seem to be as many people in costume this year or maybe it just seemed that way because there were more people in general.  One of the best costumes I saw was some girl dressed as one of those blue aliens from Avatar which looked totally professional.  The best wasn't the fanciest, it was a little girl dressed as Hitgirl from Kick-Ass complete with cardboard knife.  I wonder if she even knew what the character was about because the comic and the movie are way too adult for her.

I carried all my comics around in a messenger bag and my back is killing me from standing/walking all day with a bag hanging on my shoulder.  I'm getting old.