ECCC 2009:NOW THE TRUTH CAN BE TOLD!

So ECCC was over a month ago, but I finally get around to blogging about it (I've been real busy, I swear).
This was the huge line to get at in at 10:45 in the morning on opening day!
Big Tiger and I ponder starving to death in this line...
I blame J.J. Abrams for this one.
I scored a signed & numbered THE MASK HC Slipcase Set of Arcudi & Mahnke's original run for $25.00! Yay!
Hey, it's Comic Book Awesome Guy #1: Vasilis Lolos! I took a picture of Becky Cloonan as well, but it disappeared! I blame ghosts! If only there was someone to call...
Hey alright - it's the Ghostbusters! We're saved!
Wonder Twin Powers Activate! The Batgirl in the back there is a guy named Ian, who was a regular at the LCS that I used to work at; he handmade all their costumes.
Shortly after this, Veronica & I met Barry Kitson at his table. Barry was very busy doing a commission of Spider-Man for a soldier, but he took time to chat with us and promised to do a sketch for us both if we came back early in the morning on Sunday. No problem!
The Next Morning, up bright and early (after dj'ing until 2 A.M.) and slightly hung-over. Luckily, we live a little less than ten blocks away from the convention center at which ECCC was being held. And, yes, that's a PHONOGRAM poster on the wall behind me.
Miss Hutchinson is seen here wearing the season's latest Tara McPherson design.
Arriving at the con, we met up with Barry and watched him draw for a few people that were also waiting for a sketch from the previous day. Barry was very sociable and nice to everyone (something some other creators could try at cons) and was genuinely happy to chat with the fans and draw them whatever they wanted. Veronica was up first; her request: Barry Allen. This pencil and ink drawing of Barry Allen by Barry Kitson far exceeds what any normal person would consider to get as just a "sketch" at a con. We both thought this was absolutely stunning!
Then Barry breaks out the watercolors and paints it too! Awesome!
The finished Barry Allen by Barry Kitson for Veronica!
So, what did I ask Barry for? Take a wild guess.
Lana Lang, Insect Queen by Barry Kitson!!!
Me, Barry & Roni at the end of show ECCC 2009 (they've already turned the lights off). Barry says "I wish we knew of a decent bar to go to, last night's choice was terrible". Then I say "I told you that I work at a bar, right?". To most comic creators I've met, that's like manna from Heaven.
Cut to the Whisky Bar, where Barry tells me about the time he met Tom Peyer.
I'm trying to keep this a family friendly site for now, but the look on my face says it all I think. Oh, Tom.
Barry Kitson lines up a shot, moments before sinking the eight ball and crushing that kid in green there mercilessly.
Eventually, we wondered across the street to play darts at The Nitelite (another Seattle Comic Book People Hangout) and some poor soul took this picture of Chad Olsen, me, Barry, Veronica and Miki Annamanthadoo. Chad & Miki are the mods over at barrykitsonart and they were also art contributors to the BEST of the LEGION OUTPOST book from TwoMorrows. Miki & Chad have been helping Barry sell his original art pages, of which I bought four (my first ever original art buy)! I bought two inked pages from FLASH & GREEN LANTERN: THE BRAVE & THE BOLD (by Mark Waid and some Peyer guy), a pencils-only page from JSA: STRANGE ADVENTURES (it's got Ted Knight and Alan Scott on it and they're fighting ROBOT NAZIS!), and a great page from the recent "Threeboot" Legion of Cosmic Boy telling the U.P. Council where to stick it. I'll make a short blog post of those pieces with pictures of the art and actual issue and page numbers with comparison shots from the comics as well soon.

Thanks again to Barry (for the amazing paintings), Chad & Miki (for the art buying tips), Vasilis (for drawing Veronica an awesome Batman) and a very special thanks to Becky Cloonan for drawing me a whole new page in my defective copy of DEMO that had twenty something blank pages in it. Word.

Long Live the Legion!