The Bum’s Rush #54

Wow… am I running late or what? Terribly sorry about that, it’s been a really busy week. I’ve been working pretty much non-stop on Mars 1938, trying to get the book ready for Free Comic Book Day on Saturday. All the copies are printed and cut. Now all that’s left is hours and hours of my favorite pastime… folding and stapling!

Here’s a pic of the test copy I put together on Tuesday -

The Stumblebum Crew will be appearing in not one, but TWO locations on FCBD! Dana and Dave will be at Zeus Comics for the big CAPE 2 event while I will be appearing at my favorite comic shop in the universe, Titan Comics. That’s right, I’ll be completely unsupervised! Heck, I may just give away the comics for free! Wait, what? What do you mean that’s what I’m supposed to do? Come on, whaddaya think this is… some kinda free comic book d… oh, right. Damn.

Don’t fret if you can’t make it out to the show though. Maybe you’re in another state or country, or are just afraid of large numbers of comic nerds gathering together in one tightly packed area (rightly so!). Pretty soon we’ll have
Mars 1938 available to purchase through the site. See? It’s all about your needs. And you needs to get a copy of this book!

 

Dallas Comicon 7

The con last weekend was a blast. We got there around noon and met up with Dave, who brought along Touched By A Bum’s Neal Langham and Kim Ernspiger, Stumblebum’s second official cheerleader. Don’t worry Rowena, you’re still our number one! It was Neal’s first show and I’m pretty sure he had a rockin’ good time. That guy is an amazing artist and he was drawing his butt of the whole time. But I think Kim may have been our table’s biggest draw the whole weekend. Who doesn’t want to go see the table with the hot, friendly chick who occasionally jumps up and down?

After a about an hour little known writer/artist Howard Chaykin came and set up at the table next to us. I’m pretty sure that’s why he had such a huge crowd. It’s good to see the Stumblebum fans helping out the little guy. He was a really friendly bloke and has an amazing art style. I predict big things for that kid.

Once the mob in front of our table had cleared a little bit I went walking around the dealers room. It was a pretty impressive set up and there was a ton of merchandise practically begging to be bought. Amazingly I showed just enough restraint to buy just one thing. What did I buy? Why, this is what I bought –

That’s right, a replica of Harrison Ford’s gun from Blade Runner, one of my favorite movie guns of all time. I got it from the same guy who sold me the Sky Captain Ray Gun at All-Con. I actually got to talk with him a bit more this time. He has a pretty amazing knowledge about movie weapons, which is why his stuff looks so authentic. If I run into him again I might just buy a Han Solo blaster. I want there to be no doubt that I am the biggest nerd on the block.

In the far corner of the dealer’s room were a lot of the big art and movie guests. Guys like Tony Harris (whose art in person is even more breathtaking than in the comics), James O’Barr, Bernie Wrightson and Thomas Jane. Also sitting in the same area were the Bad Habits guys, Jim Daly, Erik Reeves and Jaime Mendoza. I hadn’t seen any of those guys in ages so it was great catching up and seeing their latest work. Jim is one of the absolute best artists in comics, every time I see him his stuff is so far beyond where it was, it’s amazing. And Erik is kicking major butt with his art, I can’t believe how much better his stuff has become since the last time I saw it.

That night Dave, Dana, Neal, Kim and I hung out at my place drinking and making filthy jokes and generally having a great time. Kevin showed up after a few hours and we decided to do a couple of comic jams. Hopefully Dave will post those up at some point, they’re completely insane. I’ll post them up here sooner or later. We all stayed up way too late and watched way too many crappy movies. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun just hanging out.

The next day at the show was a bit slower than Saturday but it seemed busier at the Stumblebum table than ever. Kevin showed up and started doing sketches, which prompted the rest of us to do the same. Once people found out we were doing free sketches we were swamped with requests. The weirdest might have been when Dave was asked to draw a Superman who had been turned into a sad looking ten year old by some red kryptonite and whose costume was now too big for him. Creeeepy. All the sketches gave me an idea and I started a Stumblebum Page O’ Fun. The goal was to get as many show guests as I could to draw something on the page. I think it turned out pretty sweet –

Wait a sec… is that Rom? Everyone was totally cool about drawing something. I wish I’d managed to get a few more of the guys to draw something on there but it’s still a hell of an impressive page. I think I might make that a regular con thing. Although next time I think I’ll call it the eBay Page O’ Fun. I’ll be rich!
 

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A couple of quick highlights from the show –

Gates McFadden (Dr. Crusher from Star Trek: TNG) walked by our booth at one point, saw our sign, repeated the name and laughed with delight.
Kim got a hug from Alan Ruck (Cameron from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) which I’m sure was real difficult. Picture this - a cute, bubbly twenty-something walks up to you and asks for a hug, what would you do? Man, I wanna be famous.

Every one at the show, fans and guests alike, were going crazy over the Mars 1938 preview we brought with us. It was the biggest ego-boost I’ve ever had.

Finding a Stumblebum flyer on the floor near the ATM and then finding a Stumblebum button abandoned on top of the same ATM. Wait, that’s not a highlight… that just sucks.

Dave cracking me the hell up describing the menstrual cycle in the most factually inaccurate way possible. I’m pretty sure there is no such thing as uterus ninjas.

Dinner at Saltgrass Steakhouse. Mmmmm.

Sleep.

Quick Bits

Warning! Nothing you read here in Quick Bits should be considered FACT until it actually happens. Which it might not. How do you know I’m not just making all this crap up? I could, you know. You’ve been warned!

1. The Superman Returns trailer is here! Good Lord, that movie looks amazing.
2. Jon Favreau has been tapped as the director of Iron Man. Tell me Vince Vaughn wouldn’t make the best boozehound, womanizing Tony Stark? Vegas, baby! Vegas!
3. For some inexplicable reason JSA will be relaunching as Justice Society of America. Geoff Johns will return as writer.
4. Ugh… this column is sooo late it’s early.

NEXT WEEK: Free Comic Book Day Report!!



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