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Emery Calame
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 5773
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| Posted: 31 December 2006 at 6:28am | IP Logged | 1
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I'm more thinking that straight uppercuts to his crotch until he moved his foot might have been called for. If he wanted to continue his conversation during THAT he'd be most welcome.
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Landry Walker
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 29 August 2006
Posts: 510
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| Posted: 31 December 2006 at 6:41am | IP Logged | 2
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I'm reminded of an experience I had a couple of decades ago.
Wondercon in Oakland. I'm there with a couple of friends, and turned out
they had a friend who was working in the industry. Darick Robertson to
be precise. At the time, his claim to fame was Space Beaver. Not
something I was familiar with. Understandably, amidst the chaos that
was the third WonderCon, they wanted to stop and say hello.
Our mutual friends introduced us. We talked for a few minutes, I flipped
through his artwork. Told him I thought it looked like nice stuff. He
offered to do a sketch for me. I declined, trying to politely explain that I'm really not a sketch collecting sort of person.
Regardless, he persisted, asking who my favorite character was. After
much back and
forth of this, and feeling much pressure to accept what seemed to be a
gracious offer, I finally said "Sure. A sketch would be great". He told
me to
drop back by around 3:00.
At 3:00 I dropped what i was doing and headed to the table. He glared at me. Told me it wasn't ready and to come back later.
Having already felt his ire directed at me, and feeling puzzled because
of it, I waited until the very end of the convention. I walked up to
him and he handed me my sketch and quoted me a price. Thirty dollars
for a sketch he insisted he would do for me, as our mutual friends
introduced us. I was a fairly shy teenager, and I really didn't know
how to say no. So I handed him the last of the money in my pocket and
walked away. I have never felt so cheated in my life as I did in that
moment.
I count it now as a good experience. I learned what not to do. In 15
years of working in the comics industry, all sketches remain free. I do
not hold that comic book creators have a responsibility to their fans
that exceeds the delivery of the work itself. EXCEPT when they choose
to put themselves down at a table and interact. Then they have the same
obligation everyone else does. To be as honest and courteous as the
situation dictates. Yes, that means sometimes putting up with
frustrating individuals who are overly demanding. Not capitulating to
unreasonable demands, mind you, but deflecting them with civility
whenever possible. The job of a creator is to deliver the work. The job
of a creator who chooses to interact with the public in a professional
setting is somewhat more.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133563
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| Posted: 31 December 2006 at 7:06am | IP Logged | 3
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Burne Hogarth was full of it.
****
One of life's Eternal Truths.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133563
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| Posted: 31 December 2006 at 7:15am | IP Logged | 4
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I met JB at a ChicagoCon many years back. I was in college, I think, and had brought my portfolio along. I was a little shy about showing my portfolio, but John said he'd be happy to look at it. I had been hanging around the table long enough to know that John had a wry sense of humor. After looking at my work, he looked up and said to me, "Come back in five years and I'll break your hands." It took me a moment, but I assumed what he meant was that I had potential if I kept working at it. I laughed and said, "After you break them, will you sign them?" At this point it took John a moment, but he smiled, and gave me an exuberant, "Sure!" I went back to where my friend was standing. He didn't have nearly as much luck showing his portfolio around as I did. He said to me, "I can't believe you mouthed off to John Byrne like that!" I was kind of shocked. I said, "We were just joking. You don't think he was offended, do you?" "I'm sure he was," he scolded. Now I don't expect JB to remember this particular exchange--we're talking decades ago, but at some point I think I came to realize that my friend's portfolio reviews may have soured him that day. I was glad that I got some encouragement that day from one of my illustration heroes. *** Oddly enough, I do remember this -- or at least something very much like it. (I tend to use the same lines more than once.) And, no, I was not offended. Why would I be? Your chum's reaction, tho, reminds me of something I have seen a lot since I became a regular feature of the internet. I compare it to those prosecuting attournies who get someone on the stand and bring up some past instance where they said "I'm gonna murder that guy!" There's a flat out refusal to even consider that such a phrase might be used without it being a statement of actual intent. So, on the internet, where the sad boys are so very, very desperate to have something to rail about, and thus give an illusion of substance to their otherwise empty lives, the first thing left at the door is any whisper of a sense of humor. Everything must be taken at absolute face value, unless properly annotated with :-) or <g> or some other signage that cues the reader to the humorous intent. Which signage being, of course, the first thing deleted when the statement is "quoted".
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Kevin Hagerman
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 15 April 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 18100
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| Posted: 31 December 2006 at 7:37am | IP Logged | 5
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You can wait your whole life to meet an idol, while he or she's been waiting to meet you since the person in front of you left. Gotta keep that in mind.
I've told this tale before, but after a Frank Black & The Catholics show I had a chance to meet the man himself as he chatted with fans in the parking lot. Now, he might be a stranger to you, but this is a man I place just below Johnny Cash in the emotional attachment I have to his songs. I debated going over to talk to him but I knew the moment would never match the anticipation - and the anticipation would likely strain the moment. I bought a baseball cap instead.
Edit: typo
Edited by Kevin Hagerman on 31 December 2006 at 7:43am
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Victor Rodgers
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 26 December 2004
Posts: 3508
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| Posted: 31 December 2006 at 7:41am | IP Logged | 6
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I have zero interest in celebrities. I have never met any (except for walking past William Shatner in 1973 while on a kindergarten field trip) and if I saw one on the street or whatever I would never approach them. What for? To bask in their aura?
******
Im sure there are some people who just want to meet stars. But some people just want to meet people whose work they admire.
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John Aardema
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 12 March 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 45
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| Posted: 31 December 2006 at 9:59am | IP Logged | 7
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Thanks, JB! I'd been rolling that particular exchange between us around in
my head for years, looking at it from this way, then that. It's good to get
some closure on it.
Would you mind if I posted my comment and your response on the blog
section of my website, inkyboy.com?
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133563
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| Posted: 31 December 2006 at 11:42am | IP Logged | 8
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G'head!
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John Aardema
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 12 March 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 45
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| Posted: 31 December 2006 at 1:25pm | IP Logged | 9
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Thanks!
It's here.
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Wallace Sellars
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 01 May 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 17700
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| Posted: 31 December 2006 at 1:51pm | IP Logged | 10
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"Wallace - The name of my book is THE COMPENDIUM OF PROFESSIONAL
BASKETBALL..."
Thanks, Robert!
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Jeff Stockwell
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 1610
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| Posted: 31 December 2006 at 3:02pm | IP Logged | 11
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John Aardema, you have a beautifully designed website. (And your
illustration work is pretty nifty, too.)
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Brian Floyd
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 07 July 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 8649
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| Posted: 31 December 2006 at 3:17pm | IP Logged | 12
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Seconded. I really liked the Masque of the Red Death and Candy Hippo illustrations.
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Topic Closed)
