After San Diego 2001, I wrote to Mike Allred, c/o Marvel Comics, and told him what a great artist I thought he was. Joe Quesada had brought all these great indie artists onto Marvel’s mainstream books, and Mike was now on an X-book, shaking things up in the industry. I wrote him in the old-fashioned style, by typing a letter and mailing it to the Marvel offices. I wrote that I thought it was great that he was riling up mainstream comics fans, and good for him. I wrote about how impressive I thought it was, that he could use such simple, thick lines, and convey so much. I was thinking specifically of his Red Rocket Seven books, where he would draw crowds of people, and each one was so distinct, and had so much personality, even though they were all just simple, thick lines. I never heard back.
A year later, when I spoke with him at San Diego 2002, I mentioned writing him, and he said that Marvel forwards any emails they receive about X-Force, but they never mail him any mailed letters. That explained it, I thought.
My confidence was up after visiting with him at the 2001 con, because he was so friendly. Soon, I was searching the internet. I found a Mike Allred Message Board online, and saw he would even occasionally answer people who wrote in. I finally got up the nerve to write to him, and said a lot of the same stuff I’d said in my original mailed letter. I appreciated that he was approachable and friendly. I appreciated how much variety and character he could convey with his simple lines, and how it almost seems more difficult to convey so much, as opposed to cross-hatching any potential blemishes until they’re hidden. He posted a reply to my email right away, and was as friendly and welcoming as ever. His reply was also sent to me as an email, so I wrote the email back, but found the email was sent computer-generated, through his webmaster at the website. The webmaster told me to post on the message board. I wrote another post, listing my email and asking him to get in touch with me, but he never did. Of course, the reason I was trying to get in touch with him was that he was first on my list to try and get a pin-up from.
Because I’m persistent (bordering on stalking?) I put together a package and sent it to the PO Box that Mike had listed inside his Atomics comics, which I knew he self-pubished. I sent him copies of I think the first three Ayers-inked monster stories I’d done, and gushed what a fan I was, and if there were any way I could negotiate to get a pin-up from him, that would be the greatest. This package returned me the honor of a personal email from Mike.
He wrote that he really loved the monsters, but that his schedule was just too busy to do commissions. I didn’t really expect that he would do a pin-up, so I wasn’t too disappointed about that. He had told me at San Diego that he didn’t do commissions. Mostly, I just felt so cool that I had just gotten a personal email from one of my very favorite comics artitsts.
I wrote back and told him I hoped he would think of me if his schedule ever lightened up. I also wrote that if he ever decided to sell any of his original art, I hoped he would let me know, because I would be interested in buying some of his art. I was excited about the thought of getting some up-close looks at his line-work. I didn’t expect he would be up for selling any art any time soon, however, because at the last San Diego Con, when I had asked about his original art, he said with a laugh that he kept it all, because he liked it too much.
So imagine my surprise when he wrote right back to tell me that he was just talking with his wife about selling some of his original art, for the first time in quite a while. There were a few Madman issues he decided he was willing to part with, but the catch was that he didn’t want to break any of the art up, so he decided he would only sell full issues as a set. He listed a price, which was of course way more than I could afford. After all, it was twenty-four pages AND a cover.
And that’s when I started getting crazy ideas in my head. I started pacing, as I am wont to do when I get crazy ideas in my head, or just when I’m concentrating and my mind is racing too much to sit still. I had just gotten a credit card that had a zero percent interest for nine months, and a few no-fee checks. I knew, realistically, it would take me at least nine months to pay off a purchase like this. What in the hell was I thinking? Why was even considering this??!
I called my wife and told her Allred emailed me that he was selling his art, and how expensive it would be. And I told her I wanted to see, if I offered to pay the amount he was talking about, if he would maybe throw in a pin-up of a giant monster that I could publish. A crazy, daring, completely idiotic scheme. But then I would own a full issue of original art by one of my favorite comics artists, and I would have a pin-up, to publish in my very own comic, by one of my favorite comics artists. I bit my nails and waited for a reply, and he went for it. If I bought a full issue of Madman original art, he would draw me a giant monster.
This really got me pacing. Was I this stupid, that I was actually going to do this? It was crazy. I sent him another email, asking if I would need to pay any extra for the pin-up, or shipping, or taxes. Or anything. I also wanted to make sure I could announce my comic would contain his pin-up, and make sure he didn’t expect any royalties.
I had to go to work, and while there, I started thinking…
You’re fucking crazy. What in the hell is the matter with you???!! This was completely idiotic!! What have you done!?! What have you gotten yourself into??! I realized, my only chance to get out of this was if he disagreed with any of my requests, like wanting extra money for shipping. I almost hoped he would add shipping, just so I could say, “I’m really sorry, but I’m stretching myself too thin.” I was sweating and pacing all day at work. I couldn’t concentrate on anything else. But when I got home, there was an email from him, and he was so sweet about everything. He said, of course everything I asked for would be included in the price. I had no excuses, no recourse. I grabbed my no-fee, no-interest credit card checks, and sent him the payment.