Fall fun

Originally published November 27 1992, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #993

Special short-text column, since I’m taking the liberty of running a number of photos this week. Two interesting events have prompted this:

1) Halloween came toddling along here, as well as throughout the rest of the country. My daughters celebrated in their usual style. As is customary, I gave away comics rather than candy, since I live by the axiom that it is far better to rot a child’s mind than his teeth. (Note to all educators and dentists: It’s a joke, okay? Spare me the letters.)

2) My excursion to the Kansas City Comic Convention (Mo-Kan) was a great success, if you determine success in terms of signing comics nonstop from the moment I got there until the moment I left. Rick Leonardi and I signed our little hearts out, and I’m starting to get the impression that fans won’t be happy until we’ve inscribed our names on every single one of those million-plus copies of Spider Man 2099. Kudos to Mike Worley and the Kansas City Comic Book Club for putting together a pleasant and successful convention. And for anyone who goes in future years: If they bring you to that restaurant called Joe’s Barn or something like that–the place with the huge buffet–for God’s sake, try the cinnamon rolls. They’re evil.

But to me, the big success of the convention was discovering the work of Steven Meador, who creates brilliant and detailed super-hero miniatures through means that he explained to me repeatedly, and I still don’t understand it. Selling for wildly reasonable prices ranging from $15 to $30, they are meticulously painted and crafted. I’m not running his address here because, to be honest, I don’t want to be responsible for his getting cease and desist notices from various comic book company legal departments (lawyers being notoriously humorless about that sort of thing.) But I snapped up four of his pieces and have discussed further specialty commissions with him. Look for him at various area conventions–or maybe he’ll publish a list of his other planned convention appearances.

That’s all for this week. Next week: the numbers are in. The tallies have been made. The future of comics–and possibly the world–revealed in next week’s But I Digress. Who will be #1? Who will be out of business? Who will turn out to be the Anti-Christ? How many people claimed to be Inigo Montoya? Place your bets now.

(Peter David, writer of stuff, wishes to congratulate Bill Clinton, the first president-elect in this country’s history who can’t have his last name appear in a Marvel or DC comic because the “L” and “I” in “Clinton” might run together. On the other hand, the VP-elect’s last name will more than make up for it in today’s grim and gritty anti-hero atmosphere.)

A) Jenny David, 7, sharpening her claws as Catwoman.

B) Ariel David, 14 months, as Baby Sinclair. Gotta love her.

C) Shana David, 11, award-winning writer and future columnist. Her gypsy costume isn’t comic bookish, but what, I’m gonna leave her out?

D) As always, the presence of Spider-Man outside casa David alerts kids that comics are given out instead of candy–and also causes police prowl cars to slow down.

E) Guido Carosella of X-Factor, a.k.a. Strong Guy, ready to kick butt and take names. Sculpted by Steve Meador; Guido created by Chris Claremont, © 1992 Marvel Entertainment Group.

F) Doc Strange and Clea hurtling through the dimensions. Sculpted by Steve Meador; Doc and Clea created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, © 1992 Marvel Entertainment Group.

G) Spider-Man and the Vulture slug it out in this recreation of the splash of The Amazing Spider Man #2, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Steve Ditko and created by same. Sculpted by Steve Meador, © 1992 Marvel Entertainment Group.