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.

Wonder Woman of the Week and other flashbacks

My third trip to Emerald City Comicon was the best one yet.  In addition to bringing a few more friends along, I always look forward to seeing artists and cosplayers I have become familiar with and who have become favorites.  These three creative minds have already been featured here, but are too  great not to revisit. 
Liana Hee
This week's WWoW comes from one of my absolute favorite artists, Liana Hee.  I believe I have described her in the past as supremely talented, and I stand by that statement.
She is currently a designer for Nickelodeon Animation Studio! She was also recently featured at the Disney WonderGround Gallery as the Artist in Residence doing live paintings for what I must assume was an adoring audience.  Because I have commissioned her twice in the past, I was looking forward to a second in my Wonder Woman series.  Thankfully, she was on board; and I now have a Can-Can Wonder Woman to accompany my Flapper Wonder Woman from 2013. 
(Also, it was fitting, since our group caught a show at the Can-Can Cabaret at Pike's Place Market in Seattle.  I highly recommend that any trip to Seattle should include a show there.)
As always, the amount of detail in Liana's work is amazing and her work has so much life and energy. 

No one make any sudden noises ...

 

Catch our original post here.  And check out her blog and (for you superfans) her 365 day photo project.

Livio Ramondelli
If you're a fan of Transformers, you'll love Livio Ramondelli.  If you're a fan of Star Wars, you'll love Livio Ramondelli.  If you're a fan of laser guns, explosions and probably robots, you'll love IDW artist Livio Ramondelli.

Almost makes you wanna root for the villain!

If his work looks familiar, it may be because he has drawn for such comic titles as Transformers, G.I. Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Battlestar Galactica and Star Wars.  He has provided art and Design for Google, Hasbro and Upper Deck as well.   I made sure to find time to hit his table alongside, my buddy Scott - the perpetual kid who never grew up.  His transformers collection fills a pretty massive assortment of shelves and closets in his house.  I saved the trip to Livio's table as a day three reveal at ECCC.  He did not disappoint.  What I have come to love most about his art is that he captures an entire story in one moment.   I assure you, that's no exaggeration. 

Check our first spotlight here.  And have a look at Livio's homepage and deviantart page. 

Ani-Mia
 Ani-Mia was one of the first well-known cosplayers we featured on the blog. (here) She makes made it quite easy, actually.  She is genuinely funny and approachable and there's a cheeky, very unapologetic sexiness to her cosplay.

I hate lanyards!

Really hate lanyards.

She has been featured in every cosplay and geek culture website and magazine we can think of.  She is always full of love and fan service on her Facebook page, and even with all the travel, she still finds time to fit charity work in with her cosplay with groups such as Comic Book Characters for Causes.  She is also a lovely model of non-geeky things too.

She'll be at Awesomecon next, (mark your calendars!) right in my own backyard. Woohoo! No jet lag necessary.  Check her tumblr for more of her thoughts and deviantart for more images.
Aaaand gratuitous Princess Leia in ...

5...

4...

3...

2...

1...

Back to the blog.

Costumes: May the Tenth be with you ...

I had aspirations to celebrate Star Wars Day on May the Fourth (everywhere I looked, by the way, kept putting the label "unnofficial" Star Wars Day.  Are they afraid there's a real one no one knows about?  An Othrodox Star Wars Day?)
Anyway. my plan was to put up all the rest of my Star Wars themed photos from my last Comic-Con trip to Seattle.  Well, turns out they were crap.  But I did find several much better photographers who are willing to let me share their work (so be sure to give them love and check out the rest of their galleries.) 

Before i knew it, it wasn't May 4 anymore, but please enjoy anyway, a Star Wars themed look at Emerald City Comic-Con.

Mandalorians
At this point, I barely can keep track of who's who in which Mandalorian Armor.  So go easy on me.



Baby Boba?
www.dtjaaaam.com

I'm blue ... da ba dee ...
www.dtjaaaam.com



Ok, So I am like 90% sure this is not Boba Fett,
but I do like his lean-back kind of swagger.
www.dtjaaaam.com

Not making a Purple Rain joke here.
Also, that Sith, whoever she is, rocks!
www.dtjaaaam.com

Ok, now you're just messing with me.
www.dtjaaaam.com

Ain't no party like a Mandalorian party; 'cause a Mandalorian party ends
in planetwide destruction!  What what!
www.dtjaaaam.com

 Sith

It's fun to be bad.  Plus, who doesn't want a red lightsaber?


Mord Sith, I will admit is a badass costume,
but it should be clear that I first thought this
was a Lady Daredevil costume.
www.dtjaaaam.com

See?  A little duct tape and Darth Maul
is as good a new!
www.dtjaaaam.com



















A Sith and a Leia gone-evil.
www.dtjaaaam.com

Fan fave Aayla Secura with what
looks to be a Tony Stark Sith.
www.dtjaaaam.com

 

Are you ... evil?

You know him as Darth Nihilus.  I know him as
Aaaaaaaaaaaaghhhhhhhhh!  I hate that guy!
So creepy.
www.dtjaaaam.com

Princess Leia
Rebel Leader, role model, first crush. 


I definitely had to include another look
at punk Vader and Leia.
 www.dtjaaaam.com

They have those books for everything!
www.dtjaaaam.com






See what happens when you're
Han Solo? Seeee?
www.dtjaaaam.com

Hi, I'm Princess Leia.
And these are my abs.
www.dtjaaaam.com

A more Seattle-style Leia
www.dtjaaaam.com



Sitcom Idea:
Oh, no!  I asked both Leias to prom!
and they both showed!
Suzi-Pratt.com

Some folks should be allowed to be
exempt from lanyards.
www.dtjaaaam.com



This is the worst Princess Leia
costume I have ever seen!
www.dtjaaaam.com

Now, look, buddy.  I'm a Han fan, too.
But the lovely lady beside you was brave
enough  to go half naked to the Con.  The least
you could do is paint your gun not-orange!
www.dtjaaaam.com

Misc.



This has got to be so confusing to C-3PO
www.dtjaaaam.com

The D in R2D2 is for "Dapper!"
www.dtjaaaam.com



It's got to get crowded in her helmet.
www.dtjaaaam.com

Look, it's 1/4 of the women in Star Wars!
It's a fantastic Oola costume, nevertheless.www.dtjaaaam.com



Winners of the entire Internet!
www.dtjaaaam.com

AHHHHHHHHH!
Childhood!  Ruined!
www.dtjaaaam.com

Artists: Livio Ramondelli, my fourth grade self thanks you!

"Who's a badass?!  Dynamic Poooooose!"

It has been said that I like the Transformers.
To me they were the perfect toy/cartoon idea ever.  I'm not sure if I ever changed my mind.  Planes, cars, tanks and spaceships that turned into robots!?  I don't know who is not supposed to like that. 
I have a lot of memories centered around them.  Weekday afternoons before anyone gets home, just eating cereal and watching the show on the couch.  Going over to my friend Scott's house (the Guy who always has way more toys than you) and transforming the ones he keeps behind glass.  Watching my friend Sarah try unsuccessfully to transform Ironhide before leaving him half-converted on a shelf. 
And that's just stuff that's happened this past month.
So, maybe I never grew up.

One of my favorite things about Transformers was the artwork.  Whether in the comic book, cartoon or on the toy boxes, the artists gave these Robots (in Disguise) real weight and toughness and dynamic poses to boot.  Then, of course, after saving up weeks' worth of allowances, I get them out of the box only to discover they have the articulation of someone who has had a horrific ski accident. 

Not. A. Dynamic. Pose.
Derp.

So it was seeing our featured artist's work that brought all that childhood fun back again.  Livio Ramondelli was one of the first artists I saw  at Emerald City Comic-Con in Seattle.  And what I noticed right away was his knack for the dynamic pose; the hero shot, in addition to his fine detail and really strong use of light and bold color.  Flipping through his book at the convention was like someone pulled all these images out of my imagination from when I was a kid. 

That's Better!

 Livio Ramondelli has a lot of credits to his name.  he did artwork for the MMO game DC Universe Online.
His resume also includes obviously IDW's Transformers, as well as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, G.I. Joe, 30 Days of Night and others.  He also provides art for Dark Horse's Star Wars titles. In other words, he is fourth grade Me's ultimate hero.  

Dynamic pose... close enough

What I like most about his art, beyond the badass poses, are his large, sweeping illustrations - often featuring multiple characters - that tell a story. 
Oh, yeah, I know we say that about a lot of artwork, parrticulary comic book art, but what I really want you to understand is what I mean by "tells a freaking story."

For example, this image.

A sequence of panels could never come close to depicting what went down as well as this piece does in one shot.  (Those poor, poor Jawas)
 

Or this.  Leaving me to still imagine how Boba Fett escaped. But giving me a good place to figure out how painful it was for the Sarlacc. 

The same idea applies to these two scenes (below) I did purchase there.  After going through his book, I narrowed the list down to like 15 different ones, but finally settled on two. 
I'm happy with my choices and the stories they tell.
One, (left) the story hasn't been told yet, but you know pain is coming for someone.  In the other (right), not only are we looking back on what happened, but we also have Darth Vader making a ominous snowy beeline towards us.  Now that is some cool crap!
 

There's more than just Star wars and Transformers.  Check out his website.  And his deviantart gallery. 

Back to the blog.

Costumes: Star Warsing

Despite any of my other nerdy enthusiasms, It always comes back to Star Wars for me. 
I encountered a lot of Star Wars fans showing their love at the Emerald City Con.  What I enjoy about the SW crowd is the sheer creativity they put into it.  And, to be fair, especially for the women, creativity is a must for a SW fan.  There's not a lot of female characters to draw from, at least in the original trilogy.  In the prequels and EU, there are elaborate Amidala costumes and some Jedi/Sith that can turn some heads, but for those who grew up with Princess Leia, the options are as follows: 1. Any number of elaborate, unflattering white bedsheet dresses.  2. Bikini.


I'm not complaining.  Just observing.

 That's why it was nice to see female fans take matters into their own hands (or the hands of talented Etsy vendors).   Below are some of the themed dresses and outfits I saw on the floor. 

X-wing and Darth as hair accessories!? 
Girls get all the fun.



Love the dress.  Guys? ladies?
Does anyone NOT want to marry this woman?
find the dress HERE

Something, something
"The droids you're looking for."
Something.

And then sometimes, someone brings
a costume that makes you feel ashamed
that you never though to do it yourself.

And then, maybe someone says, "You know,
this is how that character SHOULD haver looked!"

Of course, there were also some great character accurate costumes out there.  You won't be seeing me in that crowd.  There's not a lot of demand for a dark-haried Porkins.

And no one ever dared to dress as Obi-Wan. Ever again.



Would you expect anything less from Han Solo?

And lastly, a question.  have you, even on your best day, been as badass as a bagpipe-playing Darth Maul on stilts?   The answer, understandably, is no.