2015.04.12 East Coast Comic Con, Secaucus, NJ
I purchased 2 sketches from Schigiel at the ECCC, which is not something I usually do. My first sketch from Schigiel was Pix, the obvious choice since it was his own character. I was at the comic con with my sone Matt, who was looking over Schigiel's work on the SpongeBob Comics. Both of my boys had grown up watching the SpongeBob TV show, and we still watch it. After walking around the show for a while we went back to Schigiel's booth.
I had been saving my Wonders of the Sea first day cover for an Aquaman drawing... I knew I had to have a sketch of Mermaid Man.
SpongeBob SquarePants premiered in 1999 on Nickelodeon, and has shown close to 200 episodes. The character of Mermaid Man and his sidekick Barnacle Boy (voiced by Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway) made their first appearance in episode 6 (August 1999) as two retired superheroes. The character was created and designed by Stephen Hillenburg, creator of the series...
Borgnine and Conway had performed together on the TV series McHale's Navy from 1962 to 1966. Hearing these voices come from these SpongeBob characters brought a little more excitement to an already good show. While my boys watched and enjoyed the show, I had recognized these voices from my childhood and was easily drawn in...
Matt had appreciated that Schigiel included the Mermaid Man catch phrase to enhance the sketch... EEEEVVILL!
The Wonders of the Sea postage stamp was designed by Charles Lynn Bragg, issued October 3, 1994 Honolulu, Hi
