Tuesday 18 October 2011

Alagg - Strip 172.

Francis Ford Coppola and White Castle Burgers.

Francis Ford Coppola.  Director of films such as Apocalypse Now  and Jack. 

White Castle. 


A funny thing happened in the car from my hotel in Midtown Manhattan to JFK yesterday.

I had got one of those sedan cars as an easy option to getting a New York taxicab and was chatting to the driver on our journey to JFK airport after a long weekend at The New York Comicon.

During our drive the driver got a phone call from his office.  This is what I heard.

'Yes I know.  I have to pick up Francis Coppola at 5pm.  I have loads of time.'

'He wants a what?  Sorry?'

'So he wants two White Castle burgers?'

'No?'

'Oh.  So he wants two White Castle Burger wrappers.'

'Yeah.  Ok.'

he finished the phone call and I asked him what that had been all about.  He told me that he had to pick up 'The famous film director Francis Ford Coppola' and that before he did that he had to get two White Castle burgers.  He could eat the actual burgers but Francis wanted the wrappers.

I made a comment something along the lines of 'Hollywood huh?'

The driver then said 'I'm gonna charge him $20 for all that!'

We then laughed.

This is a genuine story.  Even I wouldn't make that kind of crap up.

NIA

Alagg - Dark Timos Cometh!


Fear Dark Timos!!

(Well.  Fear him a little bit?)

Coming soon to Alagg The Barbarian.

NIA


Alagg - Strip 171.

Sunday 16 October 2011

Alagg - Strip 170.

New York Comicon - Some photos.

Some Crap Watchmen.


(Left to Right) Jason Aaron, Gabriel Hardman and Tony Moore.

Chris Burnham.

Some Bounty Hunters.

Fred Van Lente (right) doing an interview.

Jeff Lemire awaiting a signing.

That's you that is!

Mr Marcos himself.

NIA.

New York Comicon - Browsers.


Funny who you see browsing?

NIA

New York Comicon 2011 - Best Cosplayer.

The NIA award for the best Cosplayer goes to.......


NIA.

New York Comicon - Crossover Event?


Whilst I was walking through the demonstration in Times Square last night I noticed a possible spoiler for a cross company event?

NIA.

Saturday 15 October 2011

Alagg - Strip 169.

New York Comicon 2011 - Saturday.

Three Words.

Lloyd 'Fucking' Kaufman.




New York Comicon 2011 - Friday Madness.


It's fair to say that the Friday at Con upped the footfalls on the isles.  The walk I had at 8.15am (for a 10am opening time) to the end of the line to get in was almost as long as the walk I had from the hotel to the convention centre.  How can comics be in trouble with this many people wanting to read them.  Sadly many people were clearly only there for the toys, movies and computer games (and the fucking Cosplayers!).  Once in I headed straight for the still quiet artists alley and got to meet a few more heroes.

First up was Geoff Darrow who was really great to talk with.  I got a small sketch and a signed print and we spoke about Convention madness and the fever of some fans to fight their way through the crowds.  He also spoke about Shaolin Cowboy and how it's been seemingly abandoned by Miramax after the financial downtown.  Geoff has been working non stop on the animation and sounds like something I would have lovd to see.  You never know it might eventually get a release.


I then bagged two signed prints from Chris Burnham (http://www.chrisburnham.com/ and on Twitter @TheBurnham).  He is a genuine talent and myself and The Boy Wonder loved his work on Batman.
A Deadpool print for The Boy Wonder.

A Rocket Racoon v/s Galactus for my good self.

I then caught up with the always great company Mark Mazz of Atlas Unleashed Comics (http://www.atlasunleashed.com/) and we chatted about his new book Crimson Rose artists Grey Williamson and N. Steven Harris.  It's a police hunt a female serial killer story that looks amazing and will be well worth a hunt down.  I scored from him two invites to the Indy After Party which should be a blast.

I spent most of the day in the isles and diving in to the Dollar Boxes.  I got some harder to find items that you don't see often in the UK (all for a $1 each).


I may well have a later start on the Saturday as I then had a very pleasant evening with top artist and great geezer Adrian Hashami (and his lovely wife Amri) at Kennedys on 57th Street.  Much comics and movies were talked about and beer drunk.  Very cool indeed.

NIA.

Alagg - Strip 168.

Friday 14 October 2011

New York Comicon 2011 - Thursday.

This is the first time that the New York Comicon has been open on a Thursday to the public.  Saying that it was open if you had a four day pass.  Because of this the isles were quiet enough to allow you to wander about without the usual crowds of the last few years.

I made the most of it and managed to speak to loads of people on my list.

First up were the very cool Gabriel Hardman (artist on the recent Red Hulk series and The Agents of Atlas) and his equally talented wife Corinna Sara Bechko.  Mr Hardman splits his time between Hollywood movie storyboarding and comics.  He is without a doubt one of the biggest talents of the last few years. His work has a modernist pulpy feel to it that suits to a tee the work he has recently done on Hulk and Atlas. He and his wife had some pages from their upcoming Boom Studios Planet of the Apes mini series and I engaged in some 'Ape Talk' with them.  I finally bought a signed copy of Heathentown from them (which I shall be reading on my flight home).


Catch Mr Hardman over at Twitter on @gabrielhardman


I also managed to finally catch up with John Siuntres from the always excellent Wordballoon podcast.  He is an absolute gent. 

Pop over and have a listen to his interviews on iTunes or at http://www.wordballoon.com/ and follow him on @JohnWordballoon

I made a point of attending the Kirby Krackle booth and spoke to the boys there and bagged three signed CDs for the Boy Wonder who loves the song Great Lakes Avengers more than life itself.  They are a great Geek Rock band who have songs based on Comics and Movies. (try 'Marvelous Girls' or 'Secret Identity').  I urge you to catch them live if you can.  Infectious stuff indeed.

They can be found over at http://www.kirbykracklemusic.com/ or Twitter them at @kirbykrackle

I also had a great conversation with Brian Wood and we mutually bemoaned the upcoming ending of Northlanders at Vertigo.  A great title that should have sold more.  He said tat he has written some new stuff in a similar genre but is having trouble placing it with a publisher.  I bought a siged copy of New York Five from him.  (which also is excellent).

Find Brian on Twitter @brianwood

I got caught (as is usual with me) into buying some books because the creators managed to pounce on me.  This one actually looks pretty good and I shall be reading it before I fly home.  It's called Dark Age : Dominion 01 and is by Mada Shaye and Vin Shaye.  A little slice of dystopian Sci-Fi.


Weirdly it seemed this year that you should have an airbrushed car on your booth.  I spotted quite a few inclusing a Goon car, an Archaia Studios car and even a Neal Adams Blood car (yeah I know).


Winner of the biggest splash this year has to go to the Marvel Comics stand which was a huge Avengers / SHIELD Headquaters set complete with agents.  It actually looked awesome.


It is really shaping up to be a great year and well worth the Thursday visit.

See you there later (hopefully).

NIA.

Wednesday 12 October 2011

New York Comicon Day 1.

The first purchase of the 2011 NYCC trip.

A Ditko 14.

Yes it's some crazy goodness!

'...and if that's not too convincing, he's got the 'real' culprit..and..he...is...the printer! Ha! Ha! Ha!'

See what I mean!