Hi Everyone,
As I mentioned a week or so ago, I had a big announcement, but was just waiting on the final word – the news is that Star Wars / Blueberry artist Colin Wilson, one of my all-time favorite artists, will be sharing my booth with me at San Diego Comic-Con this year. I hope that you will all join me in giving Colin a huge welcome so he keeps making that exhausting flight over here from Australia every year.
I first discovered Colin’s art from reading the “Blueberry” series that he was doing back in the 1980s. He was able to capture the feel of Giraud’s style, yet give it his own flair and storytelling. Next, after that, I encountered him doing some wonderful Judge Dredd artwork for 2000 AD. I followed his work through other graphic novel projects such as “Tex,” and “The Black Sun” and “Rain Dogs.” Fortunately, the American comics scene picked up on his talent and Wildstorm brought him into American comics with “Point Blank.” Now that he’s involved in doing Star Wars comics with Dark Horse, the world will finally get to see his talent on a major popular project.
On a San Diego-related topic, for those of you who are deciding whether or not to sign up for COMIX ACADEMY, I can tell you that it will be money well spent. Not only will you be getting coached on your art projects for six days from professional, internationally renowned illustrators and comic book artists, but you will also have the opportunity to meet with some of the top comic book editors today. That alone would have been worth any price to me when I was trying to break through and get noticed in the early days. This is the class I yearned for when I was starting out, and that’s what it’s so important to me to be a part of this and “pay it forward.”
I want to say a special thanks to the Orlando “Wolf Pack” 501st garrison, who included me in their private gathering during MegaCon this past weekend. I also want to tell Marv Wolfman and Barbara Kesel how much I enjoyed my time with them, as always. They are both such gifted, amazing writers and people and it’s an honor to know them. As always, I thank the many fans and friends who took the time to stop by and say hello.
For whomever is handling The Last Air Bender’s licensing, please step it up with the product offerings. My son is an Air Bender fanatic, and I couldn’t find a single licensed product to bring back to him from MegaCon this past weekend. That was hugely disappointing to come home empty handed. I did get a cool Nostromo t-shirt, an Airship Absinthe shirt, and an “Overlook Hotel” t-shirt for my wife, who is as big of a Stephen King fan, Tabitha King fan (and now, Joe Hill fan), as am I.
My next appearance will be at Planet Comic-Con the last weekend in March in Overland Park, KS. Christopher, the show organizer, has asked me to participate in a Star Wars panel, and so if anyone has questions they want me to put forth to the moderator, please let me know. I’m never sure what people want to know about.
This year, a career retrospective art book of my last 30 years of work will be coming out, and I’m in the throes of determining who will write my FOREWORD. I’ve crossed paths with many famous people who are my fans, but I’m always reticent to ask someone to do me a favor. If you are famous, a fan and you’re reading this, please let me know if you want to write my FOREWORD…it will get great publicity, and you’d be welcome to join me in book signings…
Again, thanks for reading,
Dave.
Dave Dorman 