Visiting Dr. Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum - in real life

The Sanctum Sanctorum, Dr. Strange's mystical home with the signature rose window at top, is one of Marvel's iconic landmarks in its comic book universe. Like some other Marvel buildings, the Sanctum Sanctorum also has a real-world address in New York City's Greenwich Village. On a recent trip to the city, I decided to seek out this location to see how it stacked up to its comic book equivalent.

Back in 2018, after spending the day at the New York Comic Con, I took to the streets to see if could find the Baxter Building, home of the Fantastic Four, at its 42nd and Madison address. In February of '22, I found myself near the Washington Square Arch, saw a sign that told me I was in Greenwich Village, and decided that it was time to add another stop on the Marvel Universe tour.

Writer Roy Thomas first gave Dr. Strange's residence its street address, at 177A Bleeker Street - it also just happened to be where Thomas lived for a while. Growing up reading the comics, I had no idea where Greenwich Village was in relation to anything else in NYC, but the name gave it a special significance, I thought, and subconsciously associated it with a gentrified, somehow fancier and more residential section of the city. As it turns out, it's just, like...in a different part of Manhattan.

After checking out the Arch, I walked a few blocks and found myself on Bleeker Street. This is a street that Simon and Garfunkel sang about, too, so my expectations were great. I soon found myself at the 100-block of the street, and there, before my very eyes, I found...

...a crappy bodega and some apartments?!

So here it is, the famed home of Dr. Stephen Strange, and also a place where you can get some scratch-off tickets and a nose ring, probably at the same time. There is no longer a 177A designation, either - 177 is as close as you'll get today.

Of course, it's important to remember that Dr. Strange is a sorcerer, and what better way to keep a low profile than to disguise your three-story mansion as a red brick tenement? That must be it - it's all a facade whipped up by Strange, Wong, or any one of the building's other magical tenants. Knowing this, and respecting the magician's code, I declined to investigate further, knowing that it was important to keep up the illusion.

Okay, now that that's over with, let's look at a few other New York attractions, some of which are also featured heavily in the world of comics. Here's the aforementioned Washington Square Arch!

Enough of that. Let's see if we can find a comic book shop nearby. Not too far away was Forbidden Planet, which I believe is the only branch of this UK store located in the United States? Anyway, this was a very cold day in February, and I was happy to walk around inside for a little while.

The store wasn't exactly what I expected - there was a lot of space devoted to toys and maybe not as much to comics as I had hoped to see - but it was still a fun experience. I've really only been to the bigger chain stores in NYC, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of the independent shops on my next trip. Of comic shops, and maybe Avenger's Mansion or something like that.

pictures from the 2021 New York Comic Con, part 2

Here are some pictures from Saturday at this year's New York Comic Con!

Let's start off with handsome Squidward. 

The biggest booth in artist alley belonged to Scott Snyder and ComiXology. Snyder and artist Greg Capullo signed autographs and gave posters and pins to the long line of folks who waited for them. I snuck in just before the two left.

Did I get some Thing sketches at this year's show? I got three of them! It was great to add some more to the sketchbook for the first time in quite a while. Here's Dane Ault from Monkey Minion Press, holding up his contribution to the cause. Dane makes great posters for different conventions, and I've got a few of 'em from San Diego over the last several years. I was very happy to get this sketch.

There were more comic book and comic art vendors at this year's show - or at least they were more prominently featured this year. This booth was very impressive, and is that the original Bernie Wrightson art from the Thing/Hulk Marvel Graphic Novel I see? Holy cow! 

This was one of my favorite costumes from the show this year. Bravo.

Man-Thing gets interviewed.

The Star Trek Prodigy booth was one of the biggest at the show. I desperately wanted to walk home with a piece of the display, but alas, I did not. Pictures will suffice.

Another impressive booth belonged to eBay, which displayed a number of rare collectibles behind glass. Here's Amazing Fantasy #15! I surprisingly saw several copies of this book at the show this year.

I have not seen Midsommar. Larry tells me that it was weird.

Tony & Peter.

What is this costume? I do not know. Good for this person for going all out, though.

I hate the Joker Who Laughs, I'm ambivalent about Venom, but these are three good costumes.

MOOD! Oh, wait, I mean, DOOM!

I think this guy dressed up as Mr. T a few years ago, as well. But can you blame him for breaking it out again? I absolutely support this decision.

Leaving the show, I was treated to Reed Richards with one big fist.

It has been brought to my attention that I did not mention that my pal Larry came to this show with me. I also found out that I have almost no pictures of him (or me, I guess) from this show. These things happen! But Larry came along and I was happy to have the company at what was a weird, but good, show.

After we left the convention center on Saturday, Larry and I took the High Line over to the brand new Little Island, an honest-to-goodness new island that was built for a quarter-of-a-billion dollars off the coast of Manhattan. It's over an acre big and features walking paths, performance areas, food trucks, lots of trees and some very impressive views. I recommend this to anyone visiting the Big Apple. It was my first time back since 2019 and I really missed it!

I was really unsure about attending this show, for obvious reasons, in the weeks leading up to it. But it wasn't overcrowded, masking was enforced, and it ended up being a fun time. The show lacked a lot of big draws and there weren't nearly as many attractions in general, but I'm still glad that I went. I bought some comics and some art when I was there, got some Thing sketches, saw a few friends that I hadn't in a while, and got to explore New York a little bit, too. I'm sometimes critical of NYCC for how they handle their show, but this one was a good, albeit weird, one. It was good to go to a show again.

What will happen to Comic-Con?

It wasn't much of a surprise, but I still felt the earth move a little bit when Comic-Con officially cancelled its July 2020 event. This will be the first time in its 50-year history without Comic-Con International, and I, for one, will really miss it, even though I agree that they had to do it. I had originally held out a sliver of hope that there could be some semblance of a convention later in the year, but I think it's time to face facts - 2019 might be the last year for really big conventions of any sort for a while.

The two biggest comic book conventions are currently in San Diego and New York City. Other large-scale cons are, for obvious reasons, in other big cities, many of which have been hit hard by COVID-19. SDCC and NYCC, though, are both in states with progressive governors who have both expressed caution about opening up big gatherings, and these two conventions are among the biggest in the country. I have to imagine that NYCC, scheduled for October, will also be cancelled. New York has been hit particularly hard by the virus, and projections don't point to a vaccine until 2021 at the earliest. Both the Javits Center and the San Diego Convention Center are currently being used to provide shelter for those cities' homeless populations.

Comic-Con has announced dates for its 2021 show, in its usual mid-to-late July slot. It seems unfathomable to think that this won't happen and we all won't be back to "normal" by then, but if the virus is still around next year, even in small numbers, a huge gathering like Comic-Con might be the perfect disaster to jump-start the spread once again. I hope - and would imagine - that Comic-Con actually has two or three plans in mind: one for the normal time and place, and one or two others set later in the year. Now that they actually have time to plan, I think it's more reasonable to think that they'd have a backup going into next year, as challenging as it might seem to have to plan multiple options for such a huge event. If California is still restricting gatherings in mid-2021, would those in charge consider a change of venue for a year - Las Vegas, for example? And would anyone even show up if they did that? (I know that I'd be hesitant.)

One of the reasons why SDCC is such a beloved show is that it fits so well into the San Diego cityscape. Whereas NYCC is mostly limited to the Javits Center (even when it's under construction!), the San Diego show sprawls out into the bayfront, into neighboring hotels and theaters, onto the streets, bridges, parks and restaurants and storefronts of the surrounding area. It's difficult to properly describe, but it's like the whole city is a playground for five entire days. It's a shame to lose that for 2020, and it'll be even more of a shame if the '21 show is imperiled, too. But what can anyone do? The world is a different place than it was even a few months ago.

Through it all, I'm grateful for having been able to attend Comic-Con every year since 2012. I know I'll save money by not having to book flights and housing, and I won't be buying the truckload of exclusives I often do when I'm there. But I also will miss out on the experience of being there that is just second-to-none for me.

Missing Comic-Con means that I'll miss out on the professional opportunities that come along with it. I've had more doors open for me because of Comic-Con than, really, any other event I've ever attended, and it means that the two books I was working on as 2020 show exclusives are no longer happening. More than anything, I'll miss visiting with the friends who I only see at the show. Comic-Con brings so many like-minded people together, and I've made some friendships because of it that really wouldn't exist otherwise.

I'm rambling, of course, but this is all to say that I'm sad that Comic-Con has been cancelled, and I'm sad that NYCC is surely to follow suit, and I hope that they can both start back up for 2021, even though that's no sure thing.

Maybe I'll post some of my favorite pictures from previous years soon. Heck, I always post pictures from that show. In any case, I look forward to the day that I can go back. I hope it'll come back, better than ever.

I (maybe?) visited the Baxter Building in NYC!

The Marvel Universe was created to be "the world outside your window", taking place in real world locations, as a way to serve as a contrast to the DC Universe, populated by fictional cities like Metropolis and Gotham. Most Marvel heroes, at the times of their creation, operated out of New York City, meaning readers could see famous landmarks that supposedly grounded the books' characters.

Yet for every Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty sighting, there was also Avengers Mansion, The Daily Bugle and - my favorite, naturally - the Baxter Building, home of the world famous Fantastic Four. Even though these locations are fictional, many reside in real neighborhoods or at specific addresses in Marvel's New York City, including the Baxter Building, which, according to a number of in-story references, is located at 42nd St. and Madison Ave., which is pretty close to Times Square and midtown Manhattan.

Here's a quite recent reference from issue #4 of the book's latest volume, in which the FF find out that they can't move back in to their home in the Baxter Building (sigh):

Back in October, I attended the New York Comic Con. After the show let out on Saturday night, I thought I'd try and track down the building's street address in our universe. It wasn't that far of a walk from the convention center, and the weather was still pretty nice, so I walked down 7th Ave. and turned right on 42nd St.

Only a few blocks later, I had arrived:

The intersection raises the obvious question, then: which corner does the Baxter Building reside on? This looked promising:

But turning around, I saw this:

This is obviously a case of thinking too hard about something that doesn't actually exist. Still, I was happy to walk to a rather inconsequential street corner and take a few pictures of seemingly nothing at all. Oh, and I had my Fantastic Four shirt on, too! Overkill? Maybe.

Oh, and the Chrysler Building is not too far away! I guess the Marvel Universe has two landmarks right across from each other:

This was more fun than maybe it should've been. Still, fun is fun.

Just a few weeks ago, I played the new Spider-Man Playstation game for the first time. Your friend (and mine) Larry has been doing all of the legwork and unlocking all of Spidey's various costumes, so when he invited me to take a swing (hey-ooo), I did what any self-respecting comic fan would do, and grabbed Miguel O'Hara's Spider-Man 2099 costume and ran over to 42nd and Madison. The game allows/encourages you to take pictures while in the game, so please enjoy this providential picture of Spidey 2099 swinging in front of the maybe Baxter Building:

The building actually does look like what's sitting on one corner of the street in real life. Look! It's the world outside your window!

My day on the set of "The Tick"

When Amazon's Tick pilot aired back in late 2016, one of the first things I did upon finishing the episode was slowly scan the credits for extras casting information. Once I found it, I began the delicate game of trying to pester the company just enough to let them know that I would like to appear in an episode. March of 2017 came, and with it, the beginning of filming on the first season. Week after week went by before I finally got the email I was looking for, and near the end of June, I traveled to Brooklyn to be in an episode of The Tick!

I have family who lives about two hours outside of New York City, so the day before, I stayed with them and tried to figure out how I was going to both drive and park in the city. I've done both before, and it's not like NYC is an alien planet, but traffic and the availability of parking are naturally two of the most most daunting hassles of a a big city, and unlike any other time I've been there, I actually had a time where I had to be somewhere - in this case, 7:00 am. I was worried about rush hour traffic, so I left...REALLY early. Before 4:00.

This turned out to be much too early, as whenever rush hour starts in New York, it doesn't start at 5:00, so as the sun was coming up, I drove through the Holland Tunnels and into the city. Where was everybody? I drove right past both Little Italy and Chinatown on my way towards Brooklyn. I didn't realize it, but they are actually right next to each other.

Astounded at how quickly I had made it, I then turned onto the Brooklyn Bridge.

Here's a shot of the city from the bridge. I figured that I would be able to use the extra time to find a parking spot. I spent a while the night before looking up parking garages that were near the set.

When I arrived at the designated area, near McCarren Park, I found that I was able to park right next to the holding area, on the street, for free. It was 5:45am. I was stunned that I was able to make it to the destination in under two hours, and that I could park within about 50 feet of my destination. I mean, I'm glad it happened - I'd rather be too early than too late - but I showed up before the production assistants and the catering workers.

I managed to find my way inside the holding area as the caterers were setting up their tables. I put my things down and then walked around town for about 45 minutes. It was a cool, clear day in New York at 6:00, so why not?

We ended up filming just a few scenes on this day, and both of them in the same basic spot. A few familiar faces were there, including creator Ben Edlund and executive producer David Fury, whose TV Guide interview I interrupted for a few minutes in between scenes. Ben didn't know I was going to be there, so when I said hello, he looked a bit shocked until he recognized who the heck I was.

At around 2:00, we all left for lunch. I've been on a few movies and TV shows before, but this is the first time I had heard the phrase "walking lunch", which I guess is code for "you're on your own, kid!". I walked a couple blocks to Vinnie's Pizza, which in addition to having some fantastic pizza (I recommend it if you're ever in town), also had a TMNT-themed bench right outside.

After lunch, we moved onto a new scene. Earlier in the day, the crowd I was a part of was at a memorial for the Flag Five, with François Chau (Walter) and Patricia Kalember (Joan), Arthur's parents on the show, as well as the dogs who play Midnight, voiced by Townsend Coleman. Chau also played the Shredder in 1991's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze, so hey, there's our second TMNT reference of the day.

The second scene was a continuation of the first, after the Terror and The Tick's big fight at the end of the season, and in this one, both Griffin Newman (Arthur) and Peter Serafinowicz (The Tick) were there in costume. I got to talk briefly with Serafinowicz about Comic-Con, which was at that point only a few weeks away. The temperature had risen steadily throughout the day, and by the end of the second scene, it was into the mid 80s. The Tick suit looks like it's just about as hot as you'd expect, and Serafinowicz was drenched with sweat. Somebody get that guy a towel!

I was (thankfully) given a hat to wear during the two scenes, which prevented me from getting too much of a sunburn and also gave me the opportunity to wear a prop for a while. The scene also had a table with Flag Five merchandise on it, with things like keychains, hats and buttons on display.

One of the most heavily enforced rules on a film set is the "no pictures" rule, for obvious reasons. That's why all the pictures I've shown here have been of things that are decidedly not on the set. Do I have other pictures from this day? Absolutely not. Did I keep that hat that I'm wearing in the above picture? Goodness, no. Why would you even ask that? Ridiculous.

The scenes shot on this day were actually used in three episodes - 10, 11 and 12. In episode 10, the memorial is being set up. In 11, Midnight gives his speech and the crowd gets an alert to clear the area. In 12, we're all running for our lives, first in fear, then in jubilation. As expected, I can be seen in these various scenes almost not at all, except for a crowd shot in episode 11, the screenshot here provided by your friend (and mine) Larry. Despite my relative decent position (I was just a few feet from Chau for most of the morning), this is the best that I can be seen. That's okay - this just means that I can come back again for season two!

As I mentioned, this isn't the first set I've been on. I've probably been a part of a couple dozen productions over the last 10-or-so years, but this one, naturally, is very high up on my list. I can say that I was officially part of Amazon's The Tick, even if just for one day. That's something I'll always remember. Now let's bring on season two!

Pictures from the 2015 New York Comic Con, part 1: Friday (Rotten Tomatoes, Image party and more!)

Well, I might as well unload the next slideshow on the blog that is apparently all about showing lots of pictures. Now that we're done with the pictures from Comic-Con in San Diego, I guess we'll fly across the country to New York for their annual response! I was able to attend for the Friday and Saturday of the event. While NYCC doesn't stack up to SDCC, New York's show is finally starting to take shape and show off its own identity. I found that I enjoyed 2015 more than any previous year.

It was recently announced that the Javits Center would be seeing a substantial increase in size - 1.2 million additional square feet, including a half million feet of new exhibit space - in the next few years. The convention center will soon have a new ballroom that will rival San Diego's Hall H. Despite the incredible number of people who attend NYCC, the big thing that was holding it back was available space, so it'll be interesting to see if this new addition will help the convention truly rival SDCC, at least in on-site events.

There were an abundance of costumes on display at the show, but not a lot of places to take pictures of said costumes. Many people stopped in the lobby of artist alley. Here's a nice Zatanna.

I have no idea what the Superman dummy is doing on the floor. I'm not sure if I want to know.

Jelly Belly had a display set up in the tunnel to artist alley, and all throughout the weekend there was someone building a mural with jelly beans. They gave out samples, too, and I snagged...a lot.

It's the guy with toy dogs strapped to his face! I saw this guy at Comic-Con over the summer. I still don't get what's happening here, but I guess he's got his own camera crew. He interviewed folks at the FUBAR table for a while.

Among the pieces of original art I saw at the show, here's a Jack Kirby original from Fantastic Four #40 (an important issue)! This page was apparently set to go to auction, and probably brought in more money than I make in a year.

I met Sweden's own Karin Rindevall for the very first time at NYCC! Karin has colored a number of pages for me over the years, and was one of the first collaborators I ever worked with. It was so great to finally meet her!

As the show wound down for the day, I made sure to get to the Rotten Tomatoes panel. My love for RT is no secret on this blog. They do a great job and everyone should check out their panels at either SDCC or NYCC.

Apparently, people are starting to take my advice. The room was a little small for the panel, but it was absolutely packed.

It's great to see these guys every year. There were a number of new panelists involved this time, too.

Here's emcee Grae Drake. Do a google search for her and you'll see her at every major movie award show with some of the biggest actors on the planet. Why does she acknowledge my existence? I have no idea.

And here's Matt Atchity, who runs the whole dang show. He is way too important to be taking pictures with me. And yet, here we are. Bizarre.

Image Comics hosted a party at a nearby location after the show. It's great that NYCC is starting to branch out, even unofficially, into the city. The place, much like the show, was packed.

I went to the show with my brother-in-law. We bowled a few games at one of the many lanes.

We eventually played a few games with writer Jim Zub (Skullkickers, Samurai Jack) before calling it a night.

On the way out, I ran into none other than Paul Tucker! Paul's another friend and collaborator that I had never met in person before. We were able to hang out a bit on Saturday and I'm sure I'm not surprising anyone when I say that Paul is one of the nicest guys you're likely to meet, in comics or otherwise. Paul has drawn a number of things for me over the years, and now he's got a great book out from IDW, "Tet". I highly recommend it.

This concludes the first half of my NYCC pictures. There will be more. I can feel the anticipation building.