Heroes For Hire

   

First family: Marvel Comic's Fantastic Four

The 2015 Boston Comic Book Convention (or Boston Comic Con for those in the know) arrived in the city last weekend. And with it came the usual (unusual?) collection of dedicated costume wearing individuals who spare neither time nor expense to manufacture dead-on make-up/costume recreations of their favorite fantasy characters. Now that comic book culture has gone mainstream and infiltrated everything from television, movies and toy stores, there is no shortage of dress-up material for these unique individuals who want their inner geek voices heard.
     Along with the cosplay aficionados, there was an array of celebrities making guest appearances. The exalted creator of Marvel Comics, Stan Lee, was happily meeting and greeting fans. At age 90 he is inspirational and revered by everyone in attendance. Also appearing were Brett Dalton (CBS's Agents of Shield), Hayley Atwell (Marvel's Agent Carter), Robin Lord Taylor, (Gotham's Penguin), and my personal favorite, Cassandra Peterson (Elvira, Mistress of the Dark).
The center of the crowded convention floor is called Artist's Alley, where many big name artists are sketching commission pieces and signing autographs. I spoke with Annie Wu, artist for the hot new Black Canary series. Her comic book combines super-heroes and rock bands. Annie Wu's unique, edgy art style fits the tone of the book perfectly.
     I spent most of my time speaking with artists, writers and creators from the independent comic book market. These are people who love comic books so much, they spend their own time and money creating and self-publishing their work in an effort to make a living doing what they love. It's endless self-promotion and salesmanship as they try to get their material noticed in a hugely crowded field. With enough perseverance, talent and luck, some of them succeed against insurmountable odds – much like the heroes in their books.
     I have a deep kinship with these writer/artists. These people are born with stories to tell. The excitement in their voices is contagious as they describe their work. Matt Bessette, the creator of the comic book Daemone, Slayer For Hire, told me how his character evolved from the artist's years of attending Catholic school. He was fascinated by stories he learned about angels and demons.
     Equally excited about her work was Kata Kane, writer and artist of a series called Altar Girl. Her unique artwork caught my eye and drew me to her table. Altar Girl looked like a Japanese cartoon version of Archie from Riverdale combined with Sailor Moon from outer space. Kata gave me a brief outline of her story – angels, demons and keys to Heaven and Hell; there seems to be a reoccurring theme in the independent comic book world. Kata got funding for a second volume of her work from donations from fans on Kickstarter.com, where enough money was pledged so the artist could produce her next book. It's nice to see someone succeeding in doing what they love through their own perseverance (another recurring theme in the independent comic book world).
     I left the convention inspired to continue my own work. I've been marketing cartoon ideas for quite sometime. Cartooning is genetic. It's in the blood. Add some sweat and tears and you've got the formula for success. I'm looking forward to attending the convention next year to speak with more of these amazing artists and writers who create impossible dreams out of nothing but a blank sheet of paper and a few strokes of a pen. Don't give up! There's a market for your work. You just have to find it.