Wondercon 2006 . . . report?

[ADamUnRama]

Where to begin? Well, I’ll start it off this way, I GOT MIGNOLA TO DO A SKETCH ON THE BACK OF THE ISNALD #01!!! Which I forgot to bring a pic of, but you'll see it. Ye've been warned. Yea, and its not just a Hellboy sketch, no I did get one of those for my wifey in a sketch book. No it’s the Right Hand of Doom, and he threw a crown above it.

I’ll actually start with the morning, from the beginning of the day to the end. The drive there was pretty good. I love spending time with the wifey, and I was soooo excited to get there I was driving her nuts with “Mignola this” and “Mignola that”. All I want to say about the drive, besides the fact that floods or memories coming back to me, I hate the traffic in San Francisco. Fricken crazy A drivers. Taxi cabbies honking cause your waiting for a pedestrian to cross the road.

Our hotel sucked so bad we cancelled the 2nd night we were supposed to stay. So after the con we drove back to Oregon. Another story.

Michelle and I got into the con at about 10 a.m. We go some great pictures.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/adamunrama/IMG_0739.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/adamunrama/IMG_0740.jpg

[ADamUnRama]

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/adamunrama/IMG_0742.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/adamunrama/IMG_0741.jpg
The Storm trooper Michelle is standing with is short. So I says to him I says “Aren’t you a little short to be a Storm trooper?” You know from the movie, yea he didn’t laugh. I tried to awkwardly laugh it off. I go “Yea, cause that was in the movie, you know Leah and . . . never mind.”

We then proceeded to wait inline for 2 hrs. Which wasn’t a good idea. A line of us had green and brown tags on. We had green tags on. At about ohh lets say 11:50, they called everyone with brown tags on and allowed them to proceed into the convention first. Yes, we were a little pissed. Well, after the earth started moving again, and I could breath we entered the convention. Finally we got there

I was walking as fast as I could, with the excitement of a fat kid gunning for the free skittles stand. Then we got there.

I had him sign a few books, I was extremely nervous. I only got out like 3 books for him to sign. Sheepishly I got them out. I was pissed though, a few guys in front of me bought some art, and I didn’t get first dibbs. Anyway. As he was signing the books I asked him about a Hard Cover. He responded, something like; Yea there is on in works. It’s going to contain a few trades. He didn’t specify on which ones. He said that they weren’t sure if they were going to have sketches in the back of them or do a collection of art, like a sketchbook.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/adamunrama/IMG_0747.jpg

[ADamUnRama]

The important part is, there will be a Hard Cover. Mignola said that I have “the maker of the Shaw shank Redemption for it.” I guess he was wanting one.

As for the ark work, there were a few pages I wanted. There was one from the Conq. Worm. It had Roger, HB, and Lobster Johnson, kind of Lobster Johnson. I liked it, but didn’t love it. The price tag on it was $700. I just couldn’t shell out that cash for something I liked. There was a page from the Island. I was drooling on it. The page where HB is pointing to his horn that the nail had in it. It was just that much too much. I was shy a few bucks. So I sucked it up, and said, with a tear in my eye “I can wait.” Wait for what? Another convention? Frick, like I’ll ever get to meet him again.

Anywho, the panel came around and here’s what I got from it:

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/adamunrama/IMG_0752.jpg
- He has the story for the LoJo in his mind, but hasn’t settled on an artist, I’ll get to why I’m okay with Mignola getting other artists for Hellboy in a minute. Mignola said that what he wants to keep with LoJo is the mysteriousness of him. He said it’s hard to have a mysterious character, and have him stay like that, while having a story based around him. That and he wants to find an artist that can draw that style, or time. He said he was hoping to announce an artist at the San Diego con.
- He handed a script, or story over to Del’Toro and the script is done. Or almost done.
- Ohhyea, get this. He said he was so happy with how Screw on Head that he didn’t feel he could do anything as good. So he didn’t want to try to mess with perfection.
- But the cartoon is under way. He has no say with the script. But I ask you, fellow Hellboarders, if he thinks Screw on Head was too good, why let someone else write a script and animate it? If he doesn’t want to, why let them? Either way, I don’t care, it is supposed to be in his artistic style
- This is what hit me. When he was talking about why he was getting other people to do Hellboy. I finally accept it. He was so happy doing Screw on Head, and with how it turned out that he wants to take time off from drawing Hellboy to do these stories. Because he doesn’t want anyone else to draw them. They are in his own world. Duncan Fergado (spelling?) has three Minnie series’ he’ll be doing for Hellboy. Mignola said that he’s been drawing Hellboy for the past 12 years, and he wants to go somewhere else. He wants to explore what else is in his head. I’m cool with that. And I understand that. But he said that the past 12 years of Hellboy was act one. Duncan’s series’ will be act two. And when he takes back the writing and art of Hellboy, that will be act three.
- He said that he has an ending in his head for the Hellboy series. But with how slow he draws and all the other stuff he wants go get to, he’s not sure if he’ll get to it. But he knows how he wants to end it. Bitter sweet.
- He’s illustrating a book for Christopher Golden. Not illustrating like Golden brings in a new character and Mignola draws him, but a character enters a city, and there is no description of the city, but Mignola draws it. He said it was like a mix between a book and a comic book.
- I asked if he ever gets on the Hellboard to read what his fans are saying about him, and he said no, but he has CBM do it and he finds out that way.

[ADamUnRama]

One of the biggest let downs for me was that his daughter, Katie, was going to be there on Saturday and be signing Happy Endings. That would be the sickest dual signature series. Mike and Katie Mignola. He also said that “the Magician” was one of the best stories he’s ever drawn.

He must have been sick of seeing me, I went up to him 3 times to get stuff singed. I bought “Doris Danger Seeks Where Giant Monsters Creep & Stomp”, and it has a Mignola page in it. So I went and had him sign it. I asked like 4 questions at the panel.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/adamunrama/FortheKing2004.jpg

(I’ve also posted this on the “Random covers” Post)

Cheeks was there. He was fun to talk to, my wifey really like his art style. We talked to him, his girlfriend and his friend for like 30 min. Good guy.

I got a Goon sketch by Powell. I’m pretty happy with that.

Texiera’s a good guy too. He drew me this Wolverine. He makes the funniest faces when he’s drawing, and he’s just funny. Look at his face in the picture. And, I don’t know if I’m the only Wolverine fan, but in his run in #v2 #’s 61-68 he didn’t draw an issue. He said he got the story late, and he was running behind so he had someone else do an issue. I forgot that pic, but I'll try to bring it in

I didn’t meet Miller, the line was huge, and he was only signing for 2 hrs

[ADamUnRama]

That’s it, here’s all the swag I got while I was there.
Cheeks
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/adamunrama/IMG_0758.jpg Here’s the spidey pic.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/adamunrama/IMG_0760.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/adamunrama/IMG_0761.jpg For Moses

[ADamUnRama]

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/adamunrama/MingolaHellboyheadsketch.jpg


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/adamunrama/IMG_0764.jpg
And here is our newest addition to the Armstrong family LUCY


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/adamunrama/IMG_0754.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/adamunrama/IMG_0757.jpg

Ohhyea, and can we get like Hellboard shirts?

[Neil Hill]

Great report Adam! Thanks for all the pics also, as my report was lacking in pic-riffic joyfullness. I figure it this way. Some people are pic takers and some people aren't (like me), so I leave the picture taking to the professionals. After all, no picture I can take can match the pictures I take in my mind and have to last me until the next convention. Lots and lots of memories rattling around in here btw. Hopefully I'll never get corrupted memory or some such, because I'd lose quite a bit of valuable data from conventions past. But as Peter David used to say in his CBG column, I digress.... :D

Thanks also for the panel recap. Sadly, I missed that. Also, it's great news that DH is FIIIIINNNNAAAALLLLYYYY getting around to a Hellboy hardcover. :p BTW, I say that tongue in cheek, as I'm sure Mike has been just as much behind the delay as Dark Horse. Both wanting to time the release just right and not have it seem like some bit of marketing fluff concocted to temporarily satiate the masses. No, I'm sure it will be one true class act, just like the man himself.

[ADamUnRama]

I forgot to say this also. I asked Mignola why he didnt mass produce the Hellboy comic in the movie, like as a print or something. And he said it was because Marvel would have "sued my ass off". He said they were pissed enough as it was that he did it

[ADamUnRama]

And he said he was finishing up a few drawings for the San Diego con. A sketchbook maybe?

[Neil Hill]

And he said he was finishing up a few drawings for the San Diego con. A sketchbook maybe?

Finishing up a few drawings as in, he's currently working on drawings for something that will be included in some SDCC thing? Another sketchbook sounds great to me, since he hasn't done one since 2004. I know it's no walk in the park to put them together, but I still like seeing the new material from Mike.

Also, it might be nice if it were non-Hellboy Mignola material this time. Not sure what he'll be including, but regardless, I'll be buying. :D

[Mike Cross]

What graphic would we use for the Hellboard t-shirts?
One of you artisty types want to create?

[Ming]

i was thinking of giving that idear a shot-i know a few t shirt peeps that may give me good deal ;) something i may have for the few that show up to the san diego con.....well that is if the price for the shirts is otay :rolleyes:

[Ken O]

Nice report. Looks like you had a great time.
Don't worry about the Stormtrooper, the short ones get that line alot.

[kid cthulhu]

Cool, thanks for the report Adam.
I actually finally accepted the idea of Mike taking a bit of a leave on the HB artistic duties when I realized it just means other really cool things will be popping up from him from time to time. And the fact that he'll be back for act III will be very sweet, indeed!

It's cool that Cheeks was there. I'm a big fan of his as well and love his design for the animated Hellboy.

Just out of curiousity, will you be making it down to the SD Con this summer?

[kid cthulhu]

“Doris Danger Seeks Where Giant Monsters Creep & Stomp”?!?

Could you tell us a little bit more about this? Like how recent is it and who publishes it? Format and price? I see it has a date of 2004 on it, but I've never seen or heard of it.

Sorry, just dying to know...

[ADamUnRama]

“Doris Danger Seeks Where Giant Monsters Creep & Stomp”?!?

Could you tell us a little bit more about this? Like how recent is it and who publishes it? Format and price? I see it has a date of 2004 on it, but I've never seen or heard of it.

Sorry, just dying to know...
Doris Danger Seeks is a magazine size compolation. I hadnt heard of it either. I was standing in line to meet Ryan Sook, and the guy next to Sook's table was Chris Wisnia. He helped Sam Kieth out with Ojo. Me being the Sam Kieth fan I am I inquired about him. He did do a good portion of the art in the series, and he showed me a pin up Kieth did for his book. Sook has one in there also a few other people. Michelle was looking through the Hellboy sketch book she bought, and he said "Mignola has a pin up in here." It was in the Doris Danger Seeks, which I had Mignola sign.

But it was first published in Tablodia, I think its tablodia. I will have to double check that. But yea, I really liked the page.

After I bought the book, and went to have Mignola sign it, I said "This looks a lot like the piece in Nickelodean Magazine." He replied "yea I really like this page. This came before Nickelodean."

[Jan Bentzen]

You guys newer check my Mignola list - do you ?? :rolleyes:
(Misc. Mignola)

- Jan

[Neil Hill]

You guys newer check my Mignola list - do you ?? :rolleyes:
(Misc. Mignola)

- Jan

You have a Mignola list?! No WAY! :p

[ADamUnRama]

You guys newer check my Mignola list - do you ?? :rolleyes:
(Misc. Mignola)

- Jan
Yea the Tabloia, there it is. Here I was looking at that the whole time and I missed it.

What else do you have on that list ?

[ADamUnRama]

Heres the pic of Texiera

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/adamunrama/IMG_0748.jpg

And here's my Island
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c298/theMignolaCollection/Mignola-HellboyTheIsland012005signe.jpg

[Tad]

The two coolest things about that sketch are 1) you got it and 2) He drew it as if it was coming out of the fog bank instead of just a complete hand.

Congrats.

[Neil Hill]

The two coolest things about that sketch are 1) you got it and 2) He drew it as if it was coming out of the fog bank instead of just a complete hand.

Congrats.

I agree completely on both accounts! :D

[ADamUnRama]

Thanks guys. I like the crown he threw up there too.

[Sparky]

I was there on Saturday and so missed any Mignola-related happenings (although I picked up a copy of the Death Jr. TPB). :( Had fun, though. All the photos I got are of Stormtroopers...man, there were a lot of stormtroopers there. Sorry about the SF traffic and hotel, Adam, but at least you got your Island, and you have an incredibly cute dog.

I could do some Hellboard t-shirts (have my own little screenprinting press) for Comic-Con, if ya’ll want, for pretty much the cost of the shirts & ink...we could meet & distribute 'em at Preview Night or something. I just got some nifty deep red metallic plastisol ink that would work great. The RHoD with a mouse has been done before, I’m sure, but here's a rough idea I threw together in Illustrator (yes the HB font is all wonky and would be fixed, arg):

http://www.phobe.com/hellboard_shirt_trans.gif

Or if someone wants to draw something, I could make screens out of it as long as its at least 300dpi.

Or I could just make everybody Roger underoos, and we could all walk around in those...

[ADamUnRama]

Sparky what do you call a dog with no hind legs and metal . . .

I like that T shirt design. If its okay with Jnapper and them, lets do it. Man I used to screen print all the time in highschool. You know, looking back on the whole trip, watching Tex draw, the faces he makes, was worth it all. Man, not only did I meet Mignola but Tex. Anywho

Did you see the Stormtroopers from Episode 2 and 3? I wanted a pic with one of them so bad.

[Neil Hill]

I was there on Saturday and so missed any Mignola-related happenings (although I picked up a copy of the Death Jr. TPB). :( Had fun, though. All the photos I got are of Stormtroopers...man, there were a lot of stormtroopers there. Sorry about the SF traffic and hotel, Adam, but at least you got your Island, and you have an incredibly cute dog.

I could do some Hellboard t-shirts (have my own little screenprinting press) for Comic-Con, if ya’ll want, for pretty much the cost of the shirts & ink...we could meet & distribute 'em at Preview Night or something. I just got some nifty deep red metallic plastisol ink that would work great. The RHoD with a mouse has been done before, I’m sure, but here's a rough idea I threw together in Illustrator (yes the HB font is all wonky and would be fixed, arg):

http://www.phobe.com/hellboard_shirt_trans.gif

Or if someone wants to draw something, I could make screens out of it as long as its at least 300dpi.

Or I could just make everybody Roger underoos, and we could all walk around in those...

I'm all over that action! Great idea! I'd love one of those t-shirts and I'll be there to pick mine up when they're made available. :)

[Nick W]

Ok, so I'm finally back home & kinda settled so here's some stuff about the show. I got to Mike's table right when the show opened & was the 7th or 8th person in line and who should I see, but everybody's pal Stygian. Even though we'd never actually met, we settled into conversation easily. He showed me the 2 WtD pages he got (at a GREAT price btw) and we talked a bit with the woman in front of me in line (who we later realized was Cyber Ghost). Styg went off to check out the show and I waited my turn. When I got to Mike he had a very nice selection of Island & Third Wish pages with some older ones to boot. It came down to a WtD and Christmas Underground page & I had to go with the Wake the Devil. I chatted with Mike a bit and asked him to do some sketches which he said he do later.

I headed over to Ryan Sook's table where I spent the majority of the show. To keep this kinda short, I'll just list some bullet points.

-At Mike's panel I ran into Adam & his lovely wife and "met" Cyber Ghost officially. Most of what Mike said has been covered so I won't go into it.

-Things of interest that I picked up: A Franky/Goon cartoon from Eric Powell as well as a Goon sketch, something for JD, got Mike to sign the Art of Hellboy for a friend of mine, in my sketchbook- A Lil Hellboy sketch from Eric, a Rasputin sketch from Mike, a HB sketch from Mike, Art Adams, Daniel Davis, Dan Hipp, Adam Byrne & the aforementioned Chris Wisnia (great guy btw).

-Met up with Gene again for burgers and beer (burger & beer for him/beer for me). It was another great talk and I hope we can do it again next year and maybe get some other 'boarders in the mix.

A couple of cool things: 1. When I showed Mike my HB sketchbook he told me that the Liz sketch he drew for me a few years ago is one of only 3 that he's ever done (Selma Balir has one of the others). 2. Near the end of the day on sat I saw that Mike & Eric's lines were pretty nonexistant, so I decided to ask Eric for a Goon sketch and push my luck & ask Mike for my 4th Miggy sketch of the show. The time it took between getting to Eric's table and leaving Mike's was under 4 minutes! The guys really know how to knock stuff out. :)

Last, but not least here's Adam, Mike, CG, me & CG's pal.

http://members.aol.com/bigdaddyschwinn/group

When I get some time, I'll post all of the sketches I got at my swag site. :D

NW

[Cyber_Ghost]

Wow, that pic turned out better than I'd expected. Right on!

Thanks Nick! :D


I like the t-shirts, too. It's a good idea..heh, with the San Diego crowd, at least we'd notice eachother in there. :rolleyes:

[Jon D.]

wow, awesome... sounds like good times. :cool:

once I start walking man... i'd love to go and get Mignola to sketch something on me so I could get it tattoo'd, haha. :D

[minmaxticus]

Dude, that's so awesome. Thanks Nick!

I like the shirt idea too.

[kid cthulhu]

Ah, these con pics got me so revved up for SD! Nice to put a few more names together with some faces.
I hope Mike has some pages of Third Wish still by then, as that's my favorite story to date.

And I really like those shirts. Count me whole-heartedly in!

[Neil Hill]

Awesome Con report Nick! Thanks for mentioning our interaction. It was awesome finally getting to meet you, and sort of getting to meet you also Cyber Ghost. :)

I'd love to see a pic of the WTD page you picked up Nick, when you get a chance.

[Sparky]

Okey-dokey -- I guess I'll start a thread about t shirts when it gets a bit closer to Comic-Con, that way everyone can decide on a design, clear it with the powers that be, etc.

Yay, a chance to use my shiny red ink (http://www.tcfh.com/crap/red_metallic.jpg)!

[Neil Hill]

Okey-dokey -- I guess I'll start a thread about t shirts when it gets a bit closer to Comic-Con, that way everyone can decide on a design, clear it with the powers that be, etc.

Yay, a chance to use my shiny red ink (http://www.tcfh.com/crap/red_metallic.jpg)!

Excellent idea Sparky! Personally, I'm looking forward to finally being able to wear a t-shirt that signifies our alliegance (if that isn't too strong a word) to this Messageboard. :D

[morna]

I'd LOVE to see the newly acquired WTD pages if possible!?? :)

[Neil Hill]

I'd LOVE to see the newly acquired WTD pages if possible!?? :)

If you want to see the pages I acquired Morna, just look a little further back in this Thread. I posted them a page or two back I think. :D

Edited to add: Sorry, Morna. I forgot that the pages I posted were located in a different Thread. Please check out the WTD pages I picked up here:

http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=93187&page=10&pp=15

[Cyber_Ghost]

Well, I was able to get most of it into the scanner. :rolleyes: It cut off the very bottom..I need to get myself a larger scanner.

This is the page I picked up at the con.

http://photobucket.com/albums/v349/CyberGhost/random%20stuff/?action=view&current=img026.jpg

[Neil Hill]

Beautiful page Cyber!! If I may ask, how much did that run you? Thankfully I spent under 5 bills for the two pages I picked up, but I know that many of the pages in his portfolio at WonderCon were very easily $700 and up.

Thanks! :D

[Comic Rush]

Good report! Cool pictures and sketches!!! Sorry about your hotel experience though.

[Tad]

Cyber Ghost that IS a great page. Very lyrical and the "This is bad" dialogue is iconic Hellboy. Reminds me of some of the early pages of the Island. Was Mike selling those?

[Cyber_Ghost]

Mike was selling a couple of the pages from The Island, I think..but just one or two. From what I remember, most of the pages he had that day were Third Wish and Conquerer Worm, with a few others in there at random.

This one was 700. I don't think I could have picked up anything more pricey, even though I did know what to expect upon opening that black folder.

Actually, I think I'm glad to see that he can sell them like that. Back in the day when they were going for a couple hundred..Mignola has certainly become better known over the years.

[Neil Hill]

Yeah, I've heard prices from back in the day of $100-200 a page, easy. :) In fact, I remember prices like that myself, as I started collecting Mignola Original Artwork seriously around 1998.

To answer your question Tad, yes Mike had (as Cyber said) several Island pages from the first issue, but nothing more and nothing under $700 per page.

[morna]

those are great pages thanks for posting. Cyber Ghost that third wish page is fantastic! congrats, good score

[Nick W]

but here's the page I picked up... apologies for the crappy pic

edit*I've noticed it takes awhile to load*/edit

N

http://members.aol.com/bigdaddyschwinn/wtd3p9

[Neil Hill]

Mark my words, Nick, I'm gonna get that page from you someday. :) I'm sure I have a page or three around here somewhere which might work as trade bait. :p