Baltimore ComicCon Preview: Artist Mike Maihack

This guy! It has taken me a bit of forever to spotlight the fantastic work of all-around awesome artist Mike Maihack.
Mike is a graduate from the Columbus College of Art and Design who spends his time - as his bio says  - "drawing pictures of cats, superheroes, space girls or just about anything else he can think of that might involve rayguns or serving tea." That, folks, is a sentiment that the cat-loving, sci-fi geeks who populate this blog can get solidly behind. There's not enough rayguns in the world. I have to settle for my wife's hairdryer.
Mike created a webcomic called Cow & Buffalo,and has contributed art and stories to books like Jim Henson's The Storyteller; Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities; and the Eisner and Harvey award-winning Comic Book Tattoo.  But the work we know him best from is Cleopatra in Space, a webcomic he wrote from 2009-2012, which is now a graphic novel series published by Scholastic/Graphix. In it, a 15-year old Cleopatra has been whisked away from ancient Egypt and flung into the far-future where a prophecy says she will one day be the savior of the galaxy. So long as she passes school and avoids detention.

Pew Pew!

The first time we met Mike, Rosa scooped up one of his pieces of fan art, a Where the Wild Things Are print.  Since then, we have bought Harry Potter prints, X-Men art and fan art from Miyazaki films ... admittedly, we go a little crazy for his work.  It's hard not to, when every image evokes heart or playfulness or both.  Much of his art involves female characters: his own protagonists, well-known superheroes and literary figures.  And no matter how cute or youthful, each image also evokes smarts, toughness and a depth of personality.  His work has recently hit a serious note with fans in the form of his Batgirl/Supergirl fancomics, which hilariously and sweetly paint the two heroes as pals - admittedly with different priorities.

This is the only Supergirl comic I can stand anymore!

 A few years ago, I was finally smart enough to commission a piece.  This Princess Leia image was for a tattoo I was, and am still, planning to get.

I find that I might overuse the term down-to-earth to describe some of the artists I have met since going to cons and since starting the blog.  But there's a reason for it.  Folks like Mike have always managed to be friendly, approachable and excited to talk with complete strangers about their work and their own fandom.  It's part of why I keep coming back, frankly.  I'm excited to visit his table again at Baltimore ComicCon - hopefully you will too - and in the meantime, check out his website.

Baltimore Comic-Con Preview: Artist DesignStew

Design Stew is the face of local graphic artist Maureen Stewart.  A professional in design and visual communications for more than 13 years, her work will find a new audience in the Artist Alley at BCC14, since she's finally let her friends push her into going.  And we couldn't be happier at her terror.









So, are you excited for ComicCon, scared or a little of both?
Definitely both! I don’t know if I should say this, but…
This is my first con. Shhhh…
I’m wading into murky waters, but it looks like there’s a shnarftastic party on the opposite shore that I’d be kicking myself for missing.
What kind of art can people expect from DesignStew?
I’m a graphic artist and designer, so what you’ll see from me is digital art. I’m heavy into vector (Bezier curves are super sexy) so you’ll see a lot of that in my prints. Really clean, and stripped down…I guess you could call some of it minimalism. As for what’s portrayed in my art? I do a lot of fan/pop art sort of stuff. If a show or movie is one of my favorites, I’m probably going to create some fan art based on it at some point. From Orange is the New Black to A Christmas Story, I create pieces based on clever quotes, or create revisionist art.
I also do a lot of portraits. I’ll be showcasing a series of silver screen starlets and sexy sirens at the Baltimore Comic-Con to include the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Bettie Page, and Marilyn Monroe. I love faces. Other than that, you’ll see some typography work as well as some designs that were created because I was feeling particularly creative one day.

Have your friends/fans offered a lot of support?
I don’t say this lightly, because I try never to say this, but, Oh. Em. Geeeeeeee. Yes. Definitely. I wouldn’t even be doing this if it weren’t for my friends and fans suggesting it and then pushing me to give it a go. Like I said earlier, I’m not a con-going gal. I’ve always wanted to…have friends that always do…I just never have. So going for the first time and getting an Artist Alley table as well? Eep! It’s as terrifying as it is exhilarating.

Does the support help get you ready for BCC14?
Yes. 100%. I have friends that have helped me pick the prints that I’ll be offering up for sale, friends that will be helping me set-up and tear-down, friends helping me work my table, and friends and fans offering SO MANY words of encouragement. I’m super fortunate to have such a great base of support. You guys kind of rule…like, a lot. So more than kind of. You know what I mean. Sheesh.

Are there other artists you're looking forward to seeing?
Um, everyone? Haha. Like I said, I don’t know what to expect, really. I just know that the talent is AMAZING (another reason it’s a little scary to be dipping my toes into such artistically fantasmic waters) and that I’m lucky to be there to see it. I have a friend (Harry Crosland) doing a Cosplay Intel Panel on September 6th, and that should be incredible. He and his wife Gina create and wear the most freakin’ incredible costumes, so if you’re into Cosplay, you should definitely check that out!

Pick your poison.  You can find DesignStew on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Etsy.