Thing sketch cards, part 2

Hey, let's take a look at some more of the Thing sketch cards I have!  WHY NOT!!

Puis Calzada - Like many of these cards, I grabbed this card on eBay, and if I think about it, I'd say that this is the card that really got me into collecting these things.  It's another example of a card with color, and it's a full body shot - two things I don't see too much of in the sketchbook.  It's a pretty cool image.

Roger Andrews - The art on this card might look somewhat familiar.  If you think you've seen it before, chances are that you just might, because Roger Andrews is an artist whose art can be seen on Marvel's Super Hero Squad-brand toy packaging.  This art is indicative of the style of the kids cartoon branding, and it's got a whole lot of action packed in to such a small space.

Ken Hunt - I ran into and harangued artist Ken Hunt into drawing me a Thing sketch at a recent Steel City Con.  Ken's been moving up in the comic book world recently; pay attention and you'll see his name attached to a big-time project coming up very soon!

Alan Gallo - Alan's name is a familiar one around these parts.  He's worked on such comics as Teddy and the Yeti and the two-page Franks and Beans story.  I recently bought a few pages off of Alan and, never missing an opportunity to put my friends in a tight spot, I managed to get him to send me a Thing sketch as well.  This is definitely Alan's style and I love it.

Rafer Roberts - Here's a classic Kirby-inspired Thing from Rafer Roberts.  Rafer is another familiar name around these parts as he's worked on previous volumes of FUBAR.  I picked up this sketch card after I pledged a few bucks to a Kickstarter project.  I love the look of this one.

There are more to come at some point!  This is all a part of my master plan to deluge the internets with images of the Thing!

Thing sketchbook, part 9

It's come to my attention that I haven't posted in a while.  After some vigorous research, I find that it's been over a week since my last blog!  This is unacceptable, but I have just the remedy - a brand new batch of Thing sketches!  Let's take a peek:

Ben Lichius - Pittsbugh Comic & Collectibles Show 2010

Ben Lichius is the co-creator of the Black Coat, a Revolutionary War-era hero (in the vein of Zorro or Batman) published by Ape Entertainment.  Ben drew the Thing in this Blackbeard getup, which is reminiscent of the story in Fantastic Four #5, where the Thing went back in time and decided to be Blackbeard for a while.  Really.

Jeff McComsey - Baltimore Comic-Con 2011

Hey! It's the first "Trench Coat Thing" of the sketchbook! Jeff McComsey's FUBAR booth was one of the highlights of the Baltimore Comic-Con and he was busy all weekend sketching in copies of FUBAR's just released second volume, so of course I hounded him to add his take on the Thing.

Jeff actually kept the book overnight between Saturday and Sunday; situations like this cause me to fidget. But he protected the book with his life and I ended up with a real gem.

Ken Hunt - Baltimore Comic-Con 2011

Artist Ken Hunt sat at the Wagon Wheel Comics booth at the 2011 Baltimore Comic-Con, and like any good host, I put him to work right away with the Thing sketchbook.

David Hammond - XCon World 2011

I made the trek back to Myrtle Beach this year for XCon World, a tiny show that just so happens to be on the beach. David Hammond was sitting behind me at the show, which was the perfect opportunity for me to add him to the sketchbook. The result is one of the most unique takes on the Thing in the entire book - and the "depth" in the character's shoulders is quite the nice touch.

Bob Camp - XCon World 2011

Bob Camp is most certainly best known as the co-creator of Ren & Stimpy...so he Thing-ified Stimpy in this sketch. The quote is just lovely.

And THAT, my friends, is all of the Thing sketches I have at present.  I'm not quite half way through my sketchbook at this point, which means I've got lots more to come, though it'll take a while as these things do.  I'll post 'em as I get 'em.  I hope that everyone has enjoyed seeing these 45 sketches so far!

Teddy and the Yeti & Mr. Massive sketch cards by Ken Hunt!

While at the Wagon Wheel Comics booth at the Baltimore Comic-Con, artist Ken Hunt was magnanimous enough to draw some familiar characters on blank Teddy and the Yeti sketch cards!  The Yeti is above and Ted is immediately below:

Ted has a little bit of that Kirby flair to him, doesn't he?  Things are looking good in any case.  Now, I'd be happy to keep any and all of these cards for myself in a steel vault for the rest of time...but I suppose if anyone would go to the Teddy and the Yeti store and buy at set of 18 cards (plus the convention promo card!) for a meager five bucks, well, then I might just have to part ways with them.  Just saying.

Even Mr. Massive got into the action!  Ken did a great job with all three of these, but this one might capture the character best of all.

Pictures from the Baltimore Comic-Con, part 3

Here's the final batch of pictures from last weekend's Baltimore Comic-Con.  A good time was had by all!  And I've got the evidence below.

YES!  Awkward blue-screened celebrity photos.  I went up to the table with the prints and snapped a picture of them, and oh, what gems I found!  This is such an odd phenomenon, and one born of an event planner's desire to expedite the money making process.  I understand why someone might want a picture with his or her favorite famous person, but who wants something so generic and often creepy?  All of these people did, apparently, and shelled out a nice chunk of money to do so.  Stan Lee looks a bit like someone stuffed him and propped him up.

Ken Hunt drew this great Yeti sketch for a fan who bought the whole set of Teddy and the Yeti.  I was sad to see it go!

This zombie couple stayed in character as long as I saw them - staggering thought the isles, moaning and staring at passers by.  I appreciated the commitment.

There's so much to like about this homemade Galactus costume.  The globe is a really nice touch.

Ken Hunt sketches a Yeti in the Josh Howard Presents: Sasquatch collection.

This was a very well done movie Thor costume.  The circle things on his chest even lit up!  When we asked him if that was his own hair, he looked at us as if we were crazy.

Words cannot describe how awesome this duo was.  I'm not sure why the guy dressed as Krang didn't go as Rocksteady instead, but still, give credit where it's due.  Anyone who breaks out the 90s Ninja Turtle costumes gets an A+ in my book (I also saw a girl dressed up as April O'Neal at the show).

Dazzler is probably too much a product of her time to be really relevant today.  But this costume looked good anyway.  I asked her (mostly joking) if she had thought to wear roller skates, but she told me that she tore some ligaments in one of her feet, so that idea was out.  I imagine heels in general must have been pretty painful.

Hey!  It's the Franks and Beans table!!  All of our fans are just off to our left.  What a great time for Larry and alternate me.

This happened outside the convention center after the show was over -- I'm not even certain that this mermaid had anything to do with the Comic-Con itself.  But she still looked cool.  As these two guys were carrying her, her tail began to slip off, revealing some gratuitous nudity underneath.  A great end (pun!) to a great day.

Well, I'm finally out of pictures to share.  I guess I'll just have to think of something different to say tomorrow.

Pictures from the Baltimore Comic-Con, part 2

Here's more pictures from the recently concluded Baltimore Comic-Con!  I didn't realize how many great costumes I saw, but...here's the evidence.

Ah, the obligatory "I'm very sad behind the booth" picture.  IT NEVER GETS OLD!!

This steampunked gentleman is Nate Taylor, which sounds like a pseudonym but is perhaps his real name.  Here he points to his walking stick...

...and here he blatantly promotes Teddy and the Yeti after buying the whole set.  Awesome.

The banner kept its new vinyl smell all weekend!  And I appreciated it.

This picture doesn't do this Batman costume justice.  This guy said that he worked on his costume on and off for two years.  It looked like he could actually go out and fight crime after the show.

This is quite the staged photo...both I and artist Ken Hunt (at the booth sketching all weekend!) are looking good.

This Deadpool stayed in character the entire time I saw him, which was cool.  Domino behind him looks good, too.

This is quite possibly the most impressive Hulk costume I've ever seen.  The person inside stood on platforms and was probably over seven feet tall.  I'm not sure if the Hulk is supposed to be battle-damaged or if it's a zombie Hulk, but either way it's a fantastic outfit.  I hear that an Optimus Prime won Saturday's costume contest, but I'm not sure how it beat out this guy.

A great Scott Pilgrim themed outfit!  It's simple but spot-on.

Officer Rick Grimes.  Good stuff.

I've still got more pictures...and I'll show them.  But not now!  Soon.

Visit Ken Hunt at the Wagon Wheel Comics booth this weekend!

The Baltimore Comic-Con is just hours away (and I should really get to bed and not worry about Blogger...BUT I MUST CARRY ON), and here's a last minute announcement for anyone attending: artist Ken Hunt will be at the Wagon Wheel Comics booth (A213) both Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 until 3:00.  If you're in town and at the show, stop by, say hello and get a free quick sketch from Ken - that's practically what I made the Teddy and the Yeti sketch cards for, so get to it!

Check out Ken's great deviantART site here: http://kenhunt.deviantart.com/
Ken tells me that he's going to bring some original art as well as prints of his work, including the great Joker piece you see above.  The Baltimore Comic-Con is here!  It should be fun.