X-Ray Studios

Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures issue 2 came out today.



As mentioned in a previous post, many people gathered for lunch. Todd and Tyler are pictured.



Unpictured would be Uel and other people. There were lots of people there. It made us happy. Do you see? Do you see happy we are?



That's because YOU weren't there. Yes, that's right. I'm talking about you. Specifically.

Anyway, these photos were all stolen from Branwyn "Hambiggler" Bigglestone. Because I'm a scumbag thief and she carries around a real camera.

In related Supergirl news, Belinda tracked down a copy of the book just a few blocks from her work in Elk Grove. Which means she doesn't have to wait until the weekend to find a copy. She's sweet to me, she is.



In the above photo, she is utilizing her mind control powers commanding me to stop posting nonsense. Goodbye.

Actually, all the good aftermath photos have been locked away.

The signing went well. There were very few of copies of Supergirl unsold by the time the signing started. So we sold out completely in about half an hour. Many people came by wanting to pick up multiple copies as Christmas presents. We sold out of Kid Gravity trades like lightning. Seriously, I didn't even see people pick them up. They just kept disappearing.

I got to chat with some young kids who were very shy. Since I am also very shy, it was a quiet conversation. An old friend from High School whom I had not seen in about 13 years showed up. She brought a video camera. So who knows what terror that will someday bring. Jennifer and Brian from SLG and showed up and we laughed in astonishment of creepy people. Jose and Jef. Richard. Ange. Belinda. Erin. Tracy and Dave. Joel. Josh. Emil. A bunch of others. All I know is that Sam and Pannel dropped off a bottle of champagne. The rest... the rest is a blur.

So it was a good day. Here's a photo of Eric, Todd and myself.

Just a reminder about the signing tomorrow. Yes, I know most of you live hundreds of miles away. I don't care. Particularly if your name is Mark.



By the way, the awesome flyer was constructed by Jonathan from Comic Relief. Thanks Johnathan!

At long last, the first issue of Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade is in stores now. Eric and I went out to Comic Relief in Berkeley to pick up a couple copies. We also had lunch.



The banner above was kindly crafted by the folks at SLG publishing. It's good to know that they have our back, even when we're working with another publisher. Go SLG!



I attempted to read the first issue. I just finished writing the 6th last night, so it's a bit strange to see Supergirl at this stage of her experience on Earth. She's in a very different place come the 6th issue, I think. Maybe I'm wrong. It might all be in my head.



As evidenced above: We were joined for lunch by Todd from Comic Relief, Tyler from Image Comics and Pannel Vaughn from Disney Adventures. I say these things as if I haven't known these guys for years and years. In fact, most of us grew up together. But saying who they are and what they do makes me feel important. So there you go.

Not pictured is Branwyn Bigglestone (also from Image comics), who I guess had more important things to do. Like fly out to the East Coast.

Eric and I will be signing at Comic Relief in Berkeley soon. We will have many of our comics on hand, including the newly released first issue of Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade.

Sunday, December 7, 2008 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Location:
Comic Relief
2026 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA

Branwyn and I are birthday junkies now. We celebrated again last Sunday. As you can see in the picture below, we take this very seriously.



Then Branwyn's arms began to float away. Before escaping the pull of gravity completely, they snapped a picture:



Pictured below is Todd from Comic Relief and Tyler from Image Comics. They are sad because they did not have pizza with us on Sunday. We felt bad, so we went ahead and another birthday celebration on Thursday. I don't think anyone knew it was our birthday. We got no loot that day.



Traci sent Branwyn the naughty cake Care Bear pictures. Of course I have yet to post them. This is because Traci is awesome with responsibility while I shy away from it constantly. Or something like that. She also sent the video version. I may post it this weekend.

Somewhere around here I have all this great top secret Supergirl stuff to post about. But I'm out of time. Oh well. No Supergirl news for you.

While it may not actually be my birthday quite yet, the timing seemed right for myself and Branwyn to combine forces into one mega birthday celebration. Unofficially, this celebration was entitled the Lan-Bran Birthday Bash 2008. I can't tell you what the official designation was. You don't have proper clearance.

It was held in the back room of Comic Relief in Berkeley. We had a projector, an XBox, Rock Band and a giant concrete wall, as seen here:



The picture doesn't really do it justice. Perspective is key here. That wall is far away from the people playing the make believe instruments.

Branwyn brought her Image Comics peeps to the event, I countered with crew from SLG. I've been wanting to incite a rumble between the two companies for some time now. Sadly, no rumbling occurred.

Eventually, Branwyn declared herself Supreme Ruler of Birthdays. As seen here:



She can call herself this if she wants. But in my mind she shall always be the Hambiggler.

In the end though, we all know what birthdays are about. The loot.



The loot is courtesy of Jose, Mike and Jef and Jennifer and Brian. Jennifer and Brian also thoughtfully attached a pirate eye patch to the gift bag, which I did not discover until I got home. I wish I had been more observant, as I would have worn it the entire evening.

( More pictures behind the cut )

Last night there was an informal gathering of some of the Comic Relief staff (past and present). Eric went, but I was unable to show up until very late, just as Todd was about to take off. There was a huge table of food items that people brought that reminded them of Rory. I stole a pack of strawberry Pop-Tarts. I wish I could say that the Pop-Tarts took some sacred place of honor and that I would always remember Rory by them. But they have already been eaten. By me.

Though I missed the gathering in full, I understand it was an impressive display. That would have not only made Rory happy, it would have surprised him too.

For those interested in attending the official memorial service, please follow the link to the Comic Relief website below. There is currently a poll about when the best day to schedule the event would be. Unless the poll has already closed. I'm not sure. Follow the link and find out. Do I have to do everything for you?

http://www.comicrelief.net/2008/05/24/20/

Here's a picture of Rory yanked from the Comic Relief site.

Many people have posted about this now. It's strange to see. I first met Rory 25 years ago, long before I began working in the comics field. Before the days of Comic Relief. Back when he worked at Best of Two Worlds on Telegraph Avenue. I was 11 years old and he caught me switching the price tags on old issues of Groo. Banned me from the store.

When Eric was 17 years old, He got a job working at Rory's store, Comic Relief. Eric then got my girlfriend at the time a job. So I ended up hanging out the store or conventions quite a bit, eventually working at Comic Relief myself. Rory never recognized me from my younger days as a price tag switcher. I always meant to tell him. Never got around to it.

I've been friends with the man ever since. Hanging out with him here and there. I hadn't called him in years, but his phone number is still memorized. Rory used to drive me crazy. Everyone is talking about what a great guy he was. I wish I could just jump in and sing his praises. I can't. Like all of us, he was deeply flawed. He was an incredible supporter of independent comics who will be missed for a variety of reasons. And he was a horrible boss that engendered frustration and bitterness in his emotionally abused employees. He was a fantastic friend who cared greatly about even the most casual of acquaintances. He was a lonely man whose entire sense of self was so heavily wrapped up in his store that he took care of it while his health deteriorated to the point of his death.

I'm in the process of recalling moments spent with him. And there are just so many. It's a bit hard to reconcile. He loaned me his car without question. He verbally abused me in front of customers. I threw a pair of keys at him. He gave me a raise I didn't deserve but did need. I sent him free pizzas.

He was a friend for decades. I spent the first few hours after his death numb. Then a bunch of ex and current Comic Relief employees went out to dinner. For years we have all seen this coming. It was expected. I always thought I was ready. But now I don't know how to feel.

I just wish I had been given an opportunity to say goodbye. I don't even know if I still have any pictures of him. I had to find this one online. I owe alot to the man and I don't even have a picture of my own.


*2003 photo by Whit Spurgeon