Amazon Has Atomic Robo.
Hey check it out!
Sometimes meeting your heroes can be a very bad experience. Or so I’ve heard. The only real hero I ever had was my grandfather, and I’ve never been such a big fan that I’d totally geek out at something. No matter how much I love the movies and associated swag, you will never see me at a convention dressed like a Jedi. Its just not my thing. But if I had another hero it would probably be Mike Mignola.
I had seen Mike Mignola at conventions before but the poor guys is always swamped. And there’s always that jerk with 60 copies of some obscure book he inked 3 pages on back in 1987 and he needs to have them all signed, despite the long line of people standing behind him.
So last year in Baltimore I dropped a copy of Robo #1 on his desk and ran. It vanished at some point but I think some dork in the line just grabbed it. I said “hi” at the end of the show but he was clearly exhausted and not in the mood to be bothered with yet another fan.
But last night, Mike Mignola and Chris Golden gave a presentation at Boston’s ICA and it was fantastic. He and Chris went back and forth, with Chris sort of interviewing him, but in a very conversational way. Mike talked about his influences, his methods, the insanity of writing and drawing at the same time, etc. There was a short period of questions and answers with the audience.
Afterwards there was a book signing. I quick grabbed a copy of
So I hand the book over for him to sign and then I pass this manila envelope across the table –which I have written “ATOMIC ROBO” on with a big fat Sharpie. Mike is signing his name and doesn’t notice but Chris does and says “Atomic Robo?” And I’m thinking they have no idea what I just gave them. “I love Atomic Robo!” he continues.
So I says, “My local shop sent me this with orders to make sure you guys got it.” And to be honest, if Double Midnight had not done that I would never have gotten in line to meet these guys.
So Chris goes on about how fun the book is and how well the art fits with Brian’s dry humor, etc. Mike is now looking over. Chris says he was just telling someone who asked him what comics were good these days that they should read Robo. Then he says to Mike “Hey this is that book I was telling you about.”
Mike says, “Yeah, the robot. He wears pants right? Man that’s great!” He said he was on the website recently looking at some stuff.
So then one of them looks at me and goes “So you work for these guys?” (I think meaning Double Midnight).
I hesitate for a second. “Uh . . no. I’m Scott Wegener. I draw Atomic Robo.”
Well. Smiles and handshaking all around. We chatted for a minute more and then I shuffled off so the next guy in line could get a chance. And since the next guy in line was my buddy I kept talking at Chris and Mike from a few feet off. 
WOW.
So both Mike and Chris really seemed to like the design and story of Atomic Robo and when I mentioned the comparisons we get between our book and Hellboy they thought it was ridiculous. Mike said that sure, the influence on the art was there, but I wasn’t copying him, and Chris was quite certain that the stories were very different –PHEW!
I need to get a quote to that effect at NYCC or PittCon from Mike. “It’s not Hellboy. Really.”
So I drove back to NH on adrenaline and euphoria. I’m still slightly queasy about it all.
Like I said, I’m 33yrs old and getting worked up like this over someone is pretty silly. But damn! I totally got validated by my favorite artists. That is SUCH a great feeling. Not that I need anyone’s approval to do what I do, but to get such a warm reception from a person whose work you really admire is a good feeling. I was a fan of Mignola before Hellboy, but it seems that with HB he really hit his stride and it was obvious that he was working on something that he really loved and could be proud of. That always comes across in a writer or artist’s work.
When I was first toying with the idea of working in comics one of my major issues was that there was nothing I could point at and say “Yeah, I want to work on that.” So much stuff you see on store shelved just looks like it was phoned in by everyone involved. It was a paycheck -not something they were personally invested in beyond its ability to pay their rent. And then of course there was the rampant sexism and stupidity that I’ve gone on about in other blogs. I didn’t really want to be a part of that.
I had sort of figured out exactly what sort of comic book I did want to be a part of about the time Brian pitched Atomic Robo to me. If you pick up Popgun Vol.2 when it comes out you’ll get a glimpse at what direction I was moving in with Heaxbreakers Inc. So here I am, working regularly on Robo and sporadically on HBI and both books are things that i think are worth doing. That offer something not currently out there -or rehashing several old ideas into something new. Something that people forgot they liked.
Even if I had not gotten to talk to Mignola it would have been enough to hear him talk about doing things his way, drawing things that made him happy, and producing a work that he was proud of. His success is all the proof one needs to see how, when paired with a lot of talent, that sort of thing can go far.
Maybe he’ll email me and we can be secret BFFs. LOL
The Dragnet theory of Atomic Robo. You should always check in on Atomic-Robo.com to see what Brian is thinking.
Red5 Comics wins Best New Publisher in Diamond’s Gem Award. I love my publisher.
RANDOM SPLENDOR
-This is Admiral Bia-tch.
-I continue to LOVE Dark Horse Presents on MySpace.
-Check out the freaky work of Zamak! This is one of his pieces below.
A little Matt Bennett love.
WOWZA! Derrick Fish, who we met at MegaCon, did this beauty. How can I talk him into doing a Robo back-up story?!?
April 7th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Dude regardless of the reasons, I wouldn’t blame you for that geek-out moment with Mike and Chris. We’re all allowed several geekout moments in our lifetime.
[Just please, no fangirlish squealing.]
Atomic Robo in the Jurassic era? HMMMM. The age-old “plying someone with alcohol” trick still does wonders.
April 7th, 2008 at 11:26 am
My only regret is that I wasn’t there to witness the geek moment. I would have liked to go. I just picture you sliding the envelope across the table like in a movie all secretive and stuff. I was more than happy to hook you up with copies of the book. It sounded like a good opportunity to chat with Mike cause cons are all weirdy like you say.
Oh and don’t you know you do work us for us? You just don’t know it
Looking forward to NYC!
April 7th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
I can understand the geeking dude! I’ve had a few experiences withthat at some of the cons I’ve gone too and met folks who stuff I really dig’d and would be shocked to learn that they had seen my work, much less even heard of me. i remember a trip to New York and i was visiting my friend Zeea. I had some work to finish up so we went to her dad’s studio and production company. oh did I mention that her last name was Adams and her dad’s name Was Neal? Yeah, he sees me inking at a table in the studio and peeks over my shoulder and says,’Nice stuff.’
Yeah, I just about croaked. I love this biz.
April 7th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Hey!! Robo vs Dinosaurs was my idea!!! hehe… cool piece, though!
Yeah, I didn’t hear about Mignola being in Boston until AFTER it happened. Sucks.
I’ll tell you what ALSO sucks… Michaela I can’t go to Pittsburgh this year! We’re bummed. So have fun for us!!
April 7th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
You really can’t go wrong with a pterodactyl launching missiles from its mouth. Super.
April 7th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
I can indeed confirm the aforementioned geekout moment, as I was present at the time.
Funny story, actually. I was introduced to Mike Mignola’s work in college by a friend of mine. Ever since I’ve been a huge fan of Hellboy, BPRD, etc. So when I heard that Mignola was going to be talking at the ICA I bought a ticket before I even knew my hand was holding the credit card. As I’m sitting in the small yet stylishly comfy auditorium I start scanning the audience to see what the demographic is like. And lo, I spot an Atomic Robo shirt.
I love Atomic Robo and first saw it wandering by Scott’s table at the Boston Comic Convention (the one with the luxurious bathroom) last March. In short, I chatted about the Rocketeer and art pencils and from then on followed Robo and this very blog. Anywho, as I’m eyeing the Robo shirt I scan to the right and see someone with a sketchpad out who I thought curiously resembled Scott Wegener. Turns out it was.
I was in the signing line after the event to get my tattered art of hellboy signed, and I wanted to say a general “Yay, Atomic Robo.” But by the time you had left the line, I was trapped in the far corner of the entrance.
So, “Yay, Atomic Robo” for what it’s worth.
And your geekout moment made me smile.
April 8th, 2008 at 4:49 am
Cool story, Scott.
I lived in Boston from 1988-(mid)2001 and aside from a couple of stores, comics were abundantly ignored, so it’s nice to see the ICA did this (and a Ralph Steadman exhibit a few years ago, as the ICA was always a bore-fest) and that apparently conventions are starting to show up there periodically.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:28 am
[...] And Mignola doesn’t think Robo is like Hellboy. [...]
April 8th, 2008 at 11:31 am
I had a really cool encounter w/ Mignola at WonderCon last year. My wife and I were wandering and I see this little bald dude ata table w/ NO merchandise and a little tiny piece of paper w/ “Mike Mignola” typed on it.
He didn’t have any big cardboard pinups or piles of books, he’d been completely wiped out or merch and was literally twiddling his thumbs.
Amidst my geeking out and whispering while nudging my wife and pointing. She pushed me over to him and a tried to be a non-psychotic. We talked about how the show was going, my wife got him to draw my old guy superhero “Starblast” for me.
http://mattcrap.deviantart.com/art/MIKE-MIGNOLA-s-STARBLAST-yeah-50162175
The EXTRA cool part was that I got to see HIM geek out when he met Tom Waits. When I was talking to Mike, Waits’ PR lady shoulder tapped him and Mike went all girlie, it was pretty funny.
April 8th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
When I read the title of this blog entry, I thought it said “Amazons Have Atomic Robo”. Sort of a Amazons vs. Atomic Robo story line…
April 8th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
How cool is that. Way to go Scott.
See you in NYC.
April 9th, 2008 at 7:48 am
@Jessie –that’s a good plan. I think Brian is driving to the liquor store right now.
Hey are you doing Paradise Toronto?
@Crispy –Hey man you and your store have been over the top awesome in supporting Robo (and me!). Oh when is that Concord show again? I might have time now that I cut out those big shows from my schedule.
@Mark –I dunno. Just . . yeah ?
@Jeff –Word!
@Lauren –Oh you totally should have said something! I love re-meeting people outside the cons, because more often than not I don’t really remember meeting them the first time because I’m in Social-Overload Mode and having a small internal freak-out at all the people around me. Unless you are that pretty blond woman who gave me a bitchin’ brush pen in which case I totally remember.
I wonder who had a Robo shirt on because they weren’t with us! Or do you mean the super secret new Robo-esque shirt with a round thing on the front of it that I can’t say anything more about until after I spring it on Team Robo at PittCon? In which case “SHHHH!!!” lol
Your website is fantastic BTW. Everyone should click on Lauren’s name and check it out. Brian or I will be emailing you soon. We need some Robo art!
@Jay –yeah Boston seems to be getting better and better the past 2 years. Comic book wise. New England Comics had 10 or 30 locations around the Boston area and the stores I’ve been in are great. They sell Atomic Robo shirts BTW. ?
I’d love to see the new Boston ComiCon turn into a 2 or 3 day show eventually.
@Matt –I still owe you that sketch! Shite. I love Mike’s Captain Geezer.
@ Tetsubo –Oh don’t worry, that’s in Volume 6.
@ Brian M –I will see you there!
April 9th, 2008 at 7:49 am
@ Alec -Aww MAAAAANNN!!
And I’ve been practicing how to not fuck up Michaela’s name for days now in anticipation of seeing you guys later this month!
April 9th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Scott-
No, I was the hideous brunette with the peg leg.
April 9th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Dunno if I wanna hit the Paradise Comicon, but if you’re there, then sure I’ll visit :D. I’ll see if I can drag in Korim with me.
I dunno if it’s too late to get tables, but even if we do, it’s not like we have a stack of Neozoic comics on hand y’know? Maybe Paul or the other Scott would be kind to send some over?
April 9th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
@ Lauren -Ooh yeah. I liked your parrot. ARGHH!
@Jessie -Not sure about the comics. Brian and I have blow through so many that we are now buying them from Red5.
April 9th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Um…I just threw that out there as a joke. Heh.
Didn’t foresee the potentiality that you’d actually been visited by a peg-legged pirate.
I’ll choose my witicisms more carefully from now on.
April 9th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Man, I did sound a bit sedate didn’t I. Holy S**T! Neal f’n Adams! He was a bit shorter than I expected. I do have a Mignola anecdote. I inked his Dracula stuff at Topps when I was an assisstant to John Nyberg. It was just filling in big black areas, but it was still inkin’ Mignola. Bitchin’!
April 10th, 2008 at 9:58 am
@Lauren -There are pirates everywhere at those shows!
@Mark -Oh I know. I was totally into you geek out -there was supposed to be a smiley in my comment but it disappeared. Weird.
This is how much of a comic book geek I am *not* ; while of course I know Neil Adams by name I had to Google him to see what he worked on. Haha!
April 10th, 2008 at 10:40 am
That was a really cool story, Scott. I met Mike at HeroesCon several years ago, very nice fellow. I was hoping to see him again at the Baltimore show last year, but 2 hrs from home, my tire blew out and rather neatly took the weekend budget right along with it. Harrumph. But he’s coming back this year, so maybe karma works.
I’ve already pre-ordered the TPB through my local shop, but I’ll send the Amazon link to a few friends of mine.
April 11th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Scott -
You’re the bomb diggity.
There.
Satisfied? =D
-emily
April 12th, 2008 at 8:21 am
@Scott C. -Man for some reason i thought Mignola was going to be at PittCon. he is not.
I’ll have to see if I can get within 30′ of him at NYCC.
@Emily -yes. Thank you.
You should do that more often. lol
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:47 am
I don’t want to be accused of spamming this blog tho…. =D
-emily
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Funny you should say that.
A bunch of goof balls were actually using an old post as some sort of message board.
April 27th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Like we are now? D’oh!
-emily
June 6th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Thanks for the kind words, all. I love Atomic Roba AND Dinosaurs, so the idea was kinda obvious to me. That said, without going into details, alcohol was NOT required.