The Adventurer's Club

Goodbye Opus (and Bill)

I'll miss you (again).

When I was in college I drew many of my own Bloom County Strips.

This was for two reasons.

One - I really loved the characters. They spoke for me. They even influenced me in some small way. For fifteen years I had a cat named Binkley, today I have a cat named Milo*.

Two - I drew those cartoons to impress someone. Twenty-two years later we're still married. Must have worked :)

So, Opus, Bill, Milo, Binkley, and Steve.  I'll miss you.

'til ... Nah, the fourth time won't happen

Keep the Adventure Alive,

AT

* Yes, some of you remember I also had a cat named Hobbes. Good comics inspire good pets.

Free Comic Book Day at Heroes

Another Free Comic Book Day has come and gone. The "free" is somewhat of a myth as most everyone (me included) spends money when they go in the store. This is a good thing as you see a lot of new faces in the store, and bringing new fans in is positive for the entire industry. Of course all of the artists and writers are giving their time for free, and for that we are very thankful.

Heroes Aren't hard to Find in Charlotte

People outside Heroes waiting to meet the artists and writers

Sonic the Hedgehog writer Ian Flynn sketching Knuckles for my kids

Wonder Girl artist Sanford Greene

All in all another great event, and though the Heroes Con is much bigger, this little gathering is in it's own way just a bit more special to those of that have been reading comics our entire lives.

'til Heroes Con 2008

Keep the Adventure Alive,

AT

Free Comic Book Day 2008

It's that time again. Free Comic Book Day is this weekend.

2007 Update:
Ian Flynn
Mark Brooks
Brian Stelfreeze

2006 Update

I'll be hanging out at Heroes as usual. Look for a report on the event sometime Saturday night.

'til Iron Man flies in for a sketch

Keep the Adventure Alive,

AT

And Yeah, It's Got a Hemi

I just bought a new car. I don't enter the car market very often, so it's easy to forget the sleazy nature of the business. That may be another post, but in the interim thought I'd cover something more fun.

Just after buying my car I saw this ad for the first time:

Now, I'm a huge fan of the Fantastic Four so I'm thrilled that the filmmakers brought one of the comics signature items to the big screen. I sent a link for the YouTube ad to my wife asking her if I could upgrade my non-flying Camry to the more souped up Fantasticar. Her response? "It looks like a flying dog bone." She is so NOT a comics geek.

Interestingly enough the cast of the movie were in town last week for the Coca Cola 600. There were quite a few photos taken of the event, but almost all of them are of Jessica Alba. Do you think most media photographers in Charlotte are men?

Sue Storm, I mean Jessica Alba, smiles for the camera in Charlotte

'til they put an iPod dock in the Fantasticar (then I'll buy it)

Keep the Adventure Alive,

AT

Buffy lives and lives well

Buffy's eighth season has been flying off the shelves. Here in Charlotte, Buffy was completely sold out on Free Comic Book Day.

Part of it seems to be stories that appeal to the capes and tights crowd, but another factor has to be the amazing cover art by Jo Chen. It's hard to look at her amazing paintings and not pick up the book.

Jo has also painted covers for Runaways, maybe the best comic of the last five or six years.

Here is the  cover art from the next three issues of Buffy:

Willow by Jo Chen

Dawn by Jo Chen

Buffy by Joe Chen

Can you tell I'm plugging this series?  You'd be right. I was dissapointed we didn't get Buffy Animated, but in reality, Joss can probably take this a whole lot farther. After all, there are no budget limitations.

So, head by your local comic shop and pick up a copy of Buffy. While you're there, snag a copy of Sonic the Hedgehog and take it home to a kid you love. They'll thank you for it, and you'll add one more comic fan to the mix.

'til Dawn comes out of the rabbit hole

Keep the Adventure Alive,

AT

Free Comic Book Day - Brian Stelfreeze

A twenty year veteran of Heroes cons, it was great to hear Brian talk about how he and many of the artisits at Free Comic Book Day would turn down appearances in their home town to support Shelton Drum at Heroes Aren't Hard to Find, because Shelton had treated them so well over the years.

Heroes may not be the biggest of the Comic Cons, but I have a feeling the creators behind the comics regard it as one of the best.

Brian Stelfreeze preparing to sketch at Free Comic Book Day 2007

Domino by Brian Stelfreeze

A video of Brian sketching Domino

'til Free Comic Book Day 2008

Keep the Adventure Alive,

AT

Free Comic Book Day - Mark Brooks

Mark Brooks once again returned to Heroes for Free Comic Book Day 2007 .

Mark does some amazing work and he is a true joy to watch as he sketches.

The artists tables are something of an "artist roulette" if you want a sketch, so it takes a bit of luck to get in the right line if you have a particular artist in mind. But that's okay, because like most everyone there, I enjoyed just watching everyone work.

There are so many talented folks visiting Heroes you can't lose and I was able to pick up a signed copy of one of Marks prints, Along Came a Spider.

Mary Jane and Gwen - Along Came a Spider - Mark Brooks


Mark sketches Nightcrawler

A video clip of Mark inking Nightcrawler:

'til Free Comic Book Day 2008

Keep the Adventure Alive,

AT

Free Comic Book Day - Ian Flynn

Free Comic Book Day 2007 at Heroes in Charlotte was another huge success.

Ian Flynn, the writer for Sonic the Hedgehog, returned this year and like last year graciously sketched Sonic characters for the fans.

Ian sketched Knuckles and Super Sonic for my kids and he also spent a lot of time greeting and talking to all of the Sonic fans that showed up to meet him.

Ian Sketches Super Sonic

A video of Ian Sketching Knuckles:

'til Free Comic Book Day 2008

Keep the Adventure Alive,

AT

Free Comic Book Day 2007

Don't forget this Saturday, between eating Mexican food and taking in Spidey 3, it's Free Comic Book Day.

Charlotte's Heroes Aren't Hard to Find has one of the best events in the country with comic stars such as Brian Stelfreeze and Mark Brooks creating free sketches. You can't beat that.

Take a kid you love to get some comics, they'll thank you for it.

'til Spidey makes a castle out of Sandman

Keep the Adventure Alive,

AT

Buffy Lives!

I'm a Buffy fan, a fact that at times annoys my wife. Not because she has anything in particular against the show, it's more because when Buffy is on the screen slaying a variety of ghouls and monsters, the show is major attraction for our children.

Buffy cover art by Ju Chen

If you've seen Buffy you realize of course that at times the Scooby Gang isn't great viewing for your 9 and 13 year old kids. But mine can't seem to resist the blonde girl battling the evil beasties. Lori would same the same about me, but that's another post.

I've tried to convince Lori that it's a "deep" show, not only mindless slaughter, after all they teach Buffy classes at Universities all over the USA, but that argument doesn't always work either.

Of course kids at this age don't get the deep stuff, they just see cool looking monsters.

So, for the most part my kids are banished from the room when Buffy is on. Last night was an exception, the episode where Willow becomes a vamp is mostly humorous, and bad-girl Faith has only a cameo. Anyone that watches Buffy knows that the "gore" quotient increases significantly the more air time Faith gets (so does the sex).

What does all this have to do with anything, especially since Buffy, Willow, Xander and Giles have banished to the realm of DVD's and reruns?

Well, Buffy is back.

Buffy art by Georges Jeanty

Season 8 continues in comic book form from Dark Horse. It's being scripted by Joss Whedon and without the budgetary limitations of television, it's stretching in some pretty unique directions. I won't spoil any of the plot from the first issue (yet) but I will say that it's not what I expected. It's probably a little bit superhero, with a touch more sci-fi than you would expect, but this isn't a bad thing.

The first issue has also blown off the shelves so that's a good sign, even though most first issues with major properties do the same thing.

After issue 2 comes out, I'll probably come back and talk more about the plot from issue one. But until then, stop by your local comic rack and take a look. And don't forget FREE Comic Book day is just a couple of weeks off and there's another stellar group of artists headed to Charlotte. More on that in a day or two.

'til Faith becomes a Nun 

Keep the Adventure Alive,

AT