Don Simpson - Megaton Man

2016.04.17 East Coast Comic Con, Seacaucus, NJ

I can honestly say I have read very few Megaton Man comics, however I enjoy the drawing style that Don Simpson utilizes to portray this over-bulked hero. When I heard he was attending the East Coast Comic Con, I knew I wanted to attempt to get a sketch.  I was presented with my usual problem, which stamp do I use to match up with this hero... I did not have any Michigan state issues, nor any Atomic Energy issues, so I presented my case to Simpson. He suggested something patriotic, leaning toward the Statue of Liberty (probably why he drew it on the cover)..

I had the opportunity to watch Simpson work, while we spoke about various subjects, from work to art and teaching. He started with the blue pencil, drawing circles that would become muscles. Adding in yellow and red, light blue and pink in the sky. Outlining Megaton Man after the colors had been laid down.. A pleasure watching Simpson work and seeing Megaton Man take shape (the scan does not do justice to the colors)...

Megaton Man Return to Megatropolis ashcan preview with a Kozmik Kat sketch

Simpson was seated next to Dave Ryan and the Red Anvil Comics table, to which Simpson provided the cover art to War of the Independents #4 (a finger flicking battle between Megaton Man and the Tick)

 War of the Independents #4 (Red Anvil Comics) cover art by Don Simpson and Wilson Ramos Jr signed by Dave Ryan (script) and Nilda Ryan (lettering). Signed on the first page by Simpson and Paul Castiglia (script)

Back cover art by Rick Parker (signed)

Parker-Mannion collaboration

2012.04.21 Barnabas Health Superheroes for Hospice, Livingston, NJ

Hospice Care FDC 1999

When I purchased several first day covers, I found a Hospice Care cover from 1999. At first I was not sure how I would use this particular cover. When I found out the both Rick Parker and Steve Mannion would be returning to meet fans at the April show I came up with the idea of a collaboration between the two. I approached Parker first, with the idea of them each drawing a nurse, with full knowledge that the style of nurse they would draw would not be the type of nurse that would provide the typical hospice care. Nevertheless, this is a comic sketch, so all ideas are welcomed. With the space provided on the cover, Parker came up with the idea of drawing half a nurse and Mannion drawing the other half. Two distinctly different styles coming up with a nurse that is unique. Reminds me of the B-movie beauty queen who runs afoul of an evil doctor and seeks out her revenge on her patients (I don't think I want to know what she is doing with that IV)!

The comic show featured for the first time a lecture series that featured Arlen Schumer speaking on "My Comic Book Life" a lively lecture with Schumer wearing a white suit and a Superman cape. Visually stunning! next Rick Parker gave a demonstration on "How to Create a Comic Book Character" followed by Hannah Means-Shannon speaking on "Why Superheroes Matter: Modern Mythology from Comics to Films". 

Good versus Evil the Comics Podcast was on-site, along with Shane Moore (Omen Comics) Dave Ryan (War of the Independents) Erica Schultz (M3), Chris Notarile (The Protector) Paul Castiglia (Archie Comics)... Picked up Steve Mannion's Fearless Dawn in Outer Space, another classic...

Hospice care focuses on palliative care of terminally ill patients. The concept has been around for centuries, but modern hospice services emerged in the 1950s in the US and the United Kingdom. Cicely Saunders, a British nurse, pioneered modern care of the terminally ill. Obtaining her doctorate she opened the St. Christopher's Hospice in 1967. At the same time Swiss psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross wrote On Death and Dying, 1969, showing how the medical profession responded to the terminally ill. Modern hospice care includes palliative care for the ill, along with providing care for patients who wish to die in their own homes as well as hospitals or nursing homes. Barnabas Hospice has offered physical, emotional and spiritual support to patients and their families for over 30 years. their services are dedicated to improve the quality of life while providing comfort, preserving dignity and honoring the unique wishes of each patient and family.

Superheroes for Hospice is a funding raising event  in support of the Barnabas Health Hospice and Palliative Care Center, Livingston, NJ. Other volunteer programs include Paws for patients - Canine therapy Program and Bear Hugs, where volunteers sew memory bears for grieving families...

Example of a Memory Bear, Superman style, as sewn by my wife, Nancy who is a volunteer...

Rick Parker - Beavis and Butt-head

2011.12.03 Superheroes for Hospice, Livingston, NJ

Beavis and Butt-head is an animated series created by Mike Judge, originally appearing as part of Frog Baseball, 1992. MTV signed Judge to develop the concept airing the first episode on March 8, 1993 until November 28, 1997 (212 episodes). The boys were later seen on Comedy Central and UPN and in a feature film, "Beavis and Butt-head Do America"...

The shows center on two socially awkward teenage delinquents who live in Highland, Texas. Their unsupervised actions sometimes have dire consequences, for which they show little remorse. This has been a controversy for the show, as opponents of the show claim they promote dangerous behavior. However Beavis and Butt-Head proved to be very popular...

From 1994 to 1996 Marvel Comics published 28 Beavis and Butt-Head comics, written by a variety of writers, with each issue being drawn by Rick Parker...

I had met Rick Parker in June of 2010, when he drew Stinky Dead Kid for me. At this show he seemed like just one of many artists meeting fans. At the Superheroes for Hospice show, I saw a different man. He was the center of attnetion. Maybe it was the revival of the Beavis and Butt-Head cartoon, but when the other artists look to get a sketch, you know he is special. Parker's Beavis and Butt-Head drawing reflects the Patriotic Quill Pen stamp in that Beavis is holding the pen and both are wearing stars and stripes shirts.

Parker had a friend with him, who showed me a book of art drawn on matchbooks by Parker. These had been done over a series of time and over a thousand had been done.
This image of Hat was taken from Rick Parker's Art blog, in which he states in his bio...

I do quite a bit of humorous drawing to amuse myself and others, but I feel most fulfilled as an artist creating 3-dimensional objects, incorporating existing or found objects into my work. I believe that art can be a great form of self-expression and through the use of cartooning I endeavor to help people to express themselves and communicate to others their own personal thoughts, feelings and ideas about the world.
Rick Parker Art

Rick Parker has two sites that I have found, one featuring his art the other featuring his photographs, with a truly a strangely wonderful collection of art, well worth the time to look and think! 

Stinky Dead Kid - Frankenstein FDC

2010-Jun-19 NJ Comic Expo - Riverdale NJ

This cover was drawn by Rick Parker, artist for the comic Stinky Dead Kid. When I approached Mr. Parker, my idea was to have Stinky on a Frankenstein cover as he appeared in the comics. Mr. Parker suggested he draw Stinky with a touch of Frankenstein as a tie-in to the stamp. I like to offer the artist the opportunity to create whatever comes to mind, I do not want to dictate what they should draw, so I was in full agreement. The end result is fantastic.