Though I've met Stephen Sadowski at a previous convention, I had a great experience with him at the NYCC show after finding him seated beside Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez's table. Garcia-Lopez hadn't arrived yet and I discovered that Steve and I were a year apart in age and also greatly effected by Garcia-Lopez's influence on the DC Universe. We shared similar astonishment at the creator's Bronze Age books and so it made complete sense to ask this talented artist to produce a Batman piece directly opposite and facing the Joker piece that Joe agreed to do on the inside front cover of my sketchbook. He agreed to do this after vehemently denying my request to draw the character on the same page as Garcia-Lopez's sketch. :) I'm extremely happy with the results. Here are both pieces in the order viewed:

When Garcia-Lopez handed me back my sketchbook, I eagerly opened it to see the Joker sketch he did for me and found this sheet of paper enclosed. I went to hand it back to the man, thinking that he had accidently placed it in there and he simply nodded and gestured for me to keep it. I was astounded. Moments like that are what I love most about conventions!

As amazing as it sounds, I picked up this page, Jonah Hex #4 page 13, at the NYCC 2010 show only a few months after getting the page immediately following it from the same issue at the Baltimore Comic Con. Love Garcia-Lopez's work and I have great respect for the man behind the fantastic storytelling and artistic ability.

...and believe it or not, picked up this page at the NYCC 2010 show only a few months after getting a page from the same issue at the Baltimore Comic Con. Along with DC Comics Presents #1, this was my favorite of his artwork as a kid. I was so excited when it hit the news stands!