March 27, 2006
After the Orlando Con, I started getting really excited about the monster comics again. A large part of this was hooking up pin-ups from Al Feldstein, Sal Buscema, Nick Cardy, and possibly Mart Nodell. I started thinking, if I put out another monster book, I should be able to complete it within a few months and have it out before the year is up. Whereas if I try and pound through my 175-page Limbo Café project, it would be a lot longer wait. Add to that it would be less confusing for fans, if I put out a few books of the same type, rather than jumping so spasmotically from genre to genre. And then of course there’s the fact that the monster books are so fun to do. And I’ve already got pin-ups that haven’t seen print yet, from JH Williams III, Dick Ayers, Peter Bagge, Peter Kuper, Herb Trimpe, and one from Simon Bisley (theoretically, although it’s been eight months since I paid him, and he hasn’t returned my emails). So I’ve switched plans. Put Limbo Café aside. It’s gonna be the monster book. I’d better get cracking.
Now this year, same as last year, I got a huge…HUGE…tax return. Partly because I lose so much money trying to be a professional at doing comics, but also because my wife got a raise last year, and that bumped up how much money was pulled from her paycheck. Also, we’ve got a kid coming, and that means we’re going to need to move from our two-bedroom apartment to a three bedroom. But right now, with our return, we were able to finally pay off our credit card debts, and pay for my 2006 ROTH IRA contribution, and still have some money left over, and soon (as soon as we have a baby and move into a more expensive place) that money is just going to go and go. So I discussed things with my wife, and told her I want to just really punch to get as many pin-ups of monsters as I can right now, while we can afford it, and get up enough for two more monster books.
So on March 27th, I sat down in front of the computer for over three hours and wrote out personal emails to thirty-five people. Some of them, I’ve written to before, some of them I’ve at least met at conventions, or had some kind of contact with, and some of them I just sent out cold, unsolicited emails.
Here’s who I tried to contact:
People I’ve been in touch with, who have continued to write me back that they’re really busy:
Mart Nodell’s son, Spencer, who’s always really kind and seems interested at conventions, but has never written me an email
Michael Kaluta, Tim Bradstreet, and Tim Sale, who used to write back regularly, but I haven’t heard from any of them in a long time
Matt Wagner
Michael Lark
John Romita
Mark Chiarello
The MegaCon convention, who is helping to get me in touch with George Tuska
Mike Zeck
People I’ve met, who only wrote back once or twice, a long time ago, but I haven’t heard from for a long time:
Simon Bisley
Brian Bolland
People who have never written me back, even though they gave me their emails at some point:
Adam Hughes, who was real friendly at Orlando, but I haven’t heard back yet. I sent some photos, gave news we’re having a boy…but I know how busy they are
Howard Chaykin
Scott Shaw
Sam Glanzman
Walter Simonson
Tim Truman
Paul Grist
Bill Morrison
William Stout
Michael Avon Oeming
I also wrote comics companies, to let them know I’m looking forward to seeing them at APE:
Top Shelf
AIT-Planet Lar
Oni
I also wrote to a couple distributors who have been very generous to buy some of my books in the past, but haven’t returned my emails for months:
Mile High Comics
Coldcut Comics Distributors
The Kirby Collector, to see about potential write-ups of my monster book
Lastly, since I was on such a kick, I figured, what the hell do I have to lose, and I sent out comics to these idols of mine who I’ve never met, and who I assume are mostly untouchable, just to see if for some reason any of them might write back:
Guy Davis
Kevin Nowlan
Frank Frazetta!
Shag!
Then I found Geof Darrow’s mailing address but no email, so I sent him a letter.
We’ll see who writes back. You’d think that would generate some responses, if you send out 35 emails, wouldn’t you?
Pingback: mr.Open