Thing sketchbook, part 13

The Thing sketchbook took a trip to Comic-Con with me this year, and there are some great entries to show.  Here's the 13th installment of the Thing sketchbook!

Liz Robbins - Comic-Con International 2013

Liz Robbins is, along with husband Benn Robbins, part of the Robbins Studios creative team.  Liz worked on the Mangalicious Tick series for New England Comics a few years back, and I had the pleasure to spend some time with both Liz and Benn at this year's Comic-Con.  Always the opportunist, I believe that I've now grabbed sketches from everyone possible at the NEC booth and I'm happy to round out the rotation with Liz's entry.  Also, the Thing's cigar in this image kind of looks like a carrot.

Walter Simonson - Comic-Con International 2013

Walter Simonson is a comic legend, and even though he might be best known for his memorable, lengthy run on Thor for Marvel, he also had a brief but action-packed and all-around incredible run on the main Fantastic Four title around the mid-300s.  Walt has come back to comics in recent years and I couldn't be happier for it.  I saw him signing and sketching at IDW's booth on Saturday of the show and immediately approached him - but as luck would (or would not) have it, he was packing up to leave the area.  Interestingly enough, he was just heading back to his artist alley table where I soon met up with him again and landed this undeniably Simonson-esque Thing sketch.  I've always been a fan of Simonson's signature as well, how it forms a dinosaur with the letters of his name.  An extra treat!

Hannah Nance Partlow - Comic-Con International 2013

Hannah Nance Partlow is a comic book designer and letterer who, in recent months, has worked extensively for BOOM! Studios.  She also lettered the short "Zombie Shark" story for me, so when I found her at Comic-Con, I knew that I had to get some of her work in the sketchbook.  I asked her for a specific sketch, one of the new "Miss Thing" character from the Fraction/Allred FF title.  Miss Thing is a model girlfriend of Johnny Storm who...puts on the Thing suit.  She takes her place in the Thing sketchbook alongside the one image of the She-Thing!

Josh Shalek - Comic-Con International 2013

On the last day of Comic-Con 2012, I went around the small press section and bought a few books that caught my eye; one was a collection of strips from the webcomic "Welcome to Falling Rock National Park" by Josh Shalek.  In 2013, I found Shalek again and got him to add this unique sketch into the book.  Josh had a few new comics available at the time, including one that I bought called "Dancing with Jack Ketch" and another with an ancient Egyptian theme, which inspired this Pharaoh Thing.

Jimena Sanchez - Comic-Con International 2013

On the last day of Comic-Con, I found Jimena Sanchez and Lesley Vamos in the small press section and was impressed by their collaborations.  Sanchez is from Mexico and Vamos from Australia, making their partnership cross-continental in nature.  I bought a few things from them, including a book of postcards titled "From Me to You", and was fortunate enough to get sketches from both artists.  This first one is from Sanchez, and it features a cute, almost Charles Schultz-like Thing, complete with a "4" patch and light grey stones.  This is an understated image but one of my favorites.

More Thing sketches to come!  HOW EXCITING!