Artists, Writers, or Creators that you'd like to meet...

[Blue Meanie]

I've been going to comic cons since the age of about 14. In 30 years I've met a lot of Artists, Writers, and Creators. There are a few that are still on my list that I haven't met yet that I'd like to meet:

Alan Davis
Jerry Ordway
Joe Staton
JM Demateus
Sal Buscema
Ron Frenz
Ron Lim
Ramona Fradon
John Byrne
Jackson Guice
Pat Broderick
Charles Vess I don't think I met him yet. I know my bro was in the same elevator with he and Colleen Doran at one of the Creation Conventions.
Richard and Wendy Pini
Neil Gaiman

I know there are a few more. Again, the ones that are still alive. Anyone else have a list of Artists, Writers, or Creators they'd like to meet?

[samurainoir]

Charles Vess is an interesting guy. Super nice too.

[madmarva]

I'm hoping to meet Kevin Maguire at the Dallas Sc Fi Expo in early February. I'm planning to go, weather permitting. But there is so many I could name.

Howard Chaykin, Bill Sienkiewicz, Ian Churchill, Chris Spouse and Ethan Van Sciver are also going to be there. I'm hoping to get a couple of sketches, but it's hard to decide which artists and what characters.

Richard Dreyfuss is also going to be there. Jaws is one of my favorite films so it'd be cool to talk to him.

[johnnystorm]

The Holy Grail would be Steve Ditko.

Jerry Ordway & Alan Davis are on my short list of faves to meet, Al Weiss who did the LSH & the last few issues of Shazam in the '70s. I've managed to meet most of the artists you mention at various cons over the past few years, I still would like to get some of the British artists like Kevin O' Neill, Bolland, Adlard...a few have been in Baltimore but they sign very few items and are hard to get to.
Wish I could have met more classic artists like Aparo, Irv Novick, Nick Cardy, Giordano, etc before they passed.

[Blue Meanie]

I'm hoping to meet Kevin Maguire at the Dallas Sc Fi Expo in early February. I'm planning to go, weather permitting. But there is so many I could name.

Howard Chaykin, Bill Sienkiewicz, Ian Churchill, Chris Spouse and Ethan Van Sciver are also going to be there. I'm hoping to get a couple of sketches, but it's hard to decide which artists and what characters.

Richard Dreyfuss is also going to be there. Jaws is one of my favorite films so it'd be cool to talk to him.

You may be a little disappointed in meeting Chaykin. When I met him back in the old Creation Convention shows he was a arrogant little SOB. Then again he was the darling of the industry at the time. Just before Black Kiss came out. Sienkiewicz amazingly was very cool...although I hard heard the same about him that I am telling you about Chaykin. I guess some artists/writers/creators have to get knocked of their high horse every once in a while to remind them where they came from. There are only a handful of them I can name that didn't let their success get into their heads. I think the best thing in life is to remain humble...especially in a field like comic books. Here today and gone tomorrow.

[Blue Meanie]

The Holy Grail would be Steve Ditko.

Jerry Ordway & Alan Davis are on my short list of faves to meet, Al Weiss who did the LSH & the last few issues of Shazam in the '70s. I've managed to meet most of the artists you mention at various cons over the past few years, I still would like to get some of the British artists like Kevin O' Neill, Bolland, Adlard...a few have been in Baltimore but they sign very few items and are hard to get to.
Wish I could have met more classic artists like Aparo, Irv Novick, Nick Cardy, Giordano, etc before they passed.

This year I am definitely getting to Baltimore come hell or highwater. Alan Davis is on the list of confirmed guests. One of my all-time favorite artists. I had the pleasure of meeting Nick Cardy at probably his only NY appearance at the Javitz Center comic con a few years back. Again, one of the artists that is on the top of my lists of great artists. Very nice and very appreciative of the fans. Didn't care for his so called "handler" at the show. Same with Dick Giordano....very cool and well spoken. Never got the chance to meet Aparo and I had been to at least 3 shows that he was at.

[Earth 2 Chris]

When I was doing independent work and attending cons as a "pro" (and I use that term VERY loosely) I got to meet a good number of folks I admired, many of whom have now passed on. Joe Kubert, Julie Schwartz, Irwin Hasen, and Mike Wieringo spring to mind. I did meet Jerry Ordway and he is a very nice, humble fellow, as I always suspected. He actually was very kind and encouraging to me about my work, as was the late Mr. Wieringo.

George Perez is one of the nicest guys you will ever want to meet. Genuinely enthusiastic at all times it seems.

Chris

[sprytel]

Alan Moore.

He has the combination of exceptional talent and bats--t crazy personality that would totally make the experience.

[The Bat]

Neal Adams
John Byrne
Jim Lee

[johnnystorm]

If Alan Davis is coming to Baltimore, the thing to do us get in early and go directly to his table. That's apparently what happened with Brian Bolland last year. They hand out tickets for signing later in the day. The con scoops these guys up for a batch of panels, and they sign very little to begin with. I wish they would have one day for signing only, and leave the panels for another only, rotating the artists between days, some Saturday some Sunday.
As mentioned above, Chaykin can be very rude. Perez is the tops, so was Kevin Maguire, Ron Frenz, Joe Staton.

[PNGwynne]

I would like to meet Ramona Fradon most of all, but also Jerry Ordway. I suppose of artists who have died, Gene Colon, Mike Parobeck. & Jim Aparo.

For many of the "big names" whom I admire--Ditko, Byrne, Moore, Chaykin for example--I'd rather enjoy their work & avoid their personalities.

[Blue Meanie]

Byrne is a total Richard....see what I did...I laugh at filters

Yeah, I've heard that about Byrne. Also...didn't he also get into it with fans on line a few years ago??

Haven't had that many bad experiences in the almost 30 years I've been going to shows. Marv Wolfman was kind of a tool the first time I met him at one of the first shows I ever went to. Russ Heath was another somewhat not so nice experience as was Gene Colan. They sort of seemed that couldn't be bothered to sign autographs. I know they try to make money at the shows by doing sketches...but the main reason that they are there is to sign. I can see someone getting turned away that has one of those strollers that they may have with the comic box on them...but when someone is asking you for 2 autographs it really isn't that much. The best at signing are George Perez and Walt Simonson. Most gracious and fun people to be around at a show.

[Random Axe]

It's sad that a big chunk of my list are those who have passed.

Mark Gruenwald - I truly think he "got it" about comics. He was the perfect combination of a writer/artist who truly had his finger on the pulse of the readership and had the talent to bring readers back each month. His love of the genre and industry was evident in every book he created. Squadron Supreme and the Hawkeye mini were absolute favs of mine in high school and really influenced and inspired me as a creator.

Dave Cockrum - I wasn't, at the time, a fan of his panel-to-panel work, but recently realized that his designs are found in just about every original figure/custom I make. I've really grown to appreciated his work very much but I truly am in awe of his eye for dynamics and design.

Dick Giordano - What a career he had as an artist, writer and inker. He did it all and was excellent in every facet of his various jobs. It's no cooincidence he ha inked two of my five favorite pencillers. What a loss to the community.

Alex Ross - I know a lot of people do not care for his work, but for me he a HUGE influence. He completely changed my vision of comics and what was possible within the pages. More than any artist I've seen, he gives the characters weight and makes them feel like they truly exist. Can't ask for much more than that.

George Perez - Berto was gracious enough to get me a Shazam sketch from him last year, a gift I cannot ever repay, and it's framed in my office that I look at daily. I was at a store signing back in 1987 but did not get to talk to him. There was a raffle for a full ink picture that I lost. Someone got them a cool Iron Fist that he had to go back to the bins to find reference for.

Kevin Macguire - JLI was my favorite book of the late 80's and he was a big part of that. I've read a few interviews and have the Twomorrows book of his work, and he appears a bit smarmy, but I don't care. I'd like to thank him for all the laughs I got from those first 30 or so issues.

Bart Sears - I mention him because I am probably his only fan and I totally dig his style. His line for a meet and greet would be short.

[jwyblejr]

I'm hoping that one of these days to make it to Mego Meet to meet Art.

[madmarva]

I actually had a decent experience with Byrne in Atlanta, but I did buy a page of Green Lantern art from him. That might have softened him up.

Most of the creators I've met have been very nice. I've found stopping by their tables early will sometimes allow for more one-on-one time.

Curt Swan, Jack Kirby and Jim Aparo are the three I would have liked to have met who have already passed. Swan was supposed to attend the Heroes World Con in Charlotte, NC in 1996, but he didn't make it. His art agent Spencer Beck was at Swan's table but said Swan was missed the trip and was ill. He had several gorgeous sketches by Swan of Superman and Captain Marvel. I passed on getting one, thinking I would have the chance to meet Swan at a Con down the road and get a sketch then. Sadly, Swan passed away that weekend. It would have bee a treat for me to tell him how much I enjoyed his work on Superman.