chrisco37 Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 For me, Maleev. Can't tell you how much that sucks too. I was a huge fan before he really blew up. Oh well, peace! Patrick +1 I met him in Philly years ago. He wasn't the most pleasant guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Balls Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I give Liefeld a LOT of credit for the way he interacts with fans while he is fully aware of the abuse that he takes from them behind his back. Yes, some of the critique is warranted (the Cap image comes to mind) but the guy has become a comic book punching bag meme. It's like the fashionable thing to do for some to beat up on the guy. Meanwhile, he seems to thoroughly enjoy interacting with fans whereas some other creators view it as a chore or just part of the job. Yup I won't get on a diatribe here, but let's not forget he's a punching bag because he's one of the most unethical people the comics industry has ever seen - and that's saying a lot. If he's pleasant to fans, that's great - but let's not give him props for putting up with the consequences of his actions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F For Fake Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Boy would I be bummed if I met Stan Sakai and Sergio Aragones and they both turned out to be tools in real life I've had the pleasure of talking with Mr. Aragnoes twice, and he couldn't have been nicer either time. Totally great guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighVoltage Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I'm glad that a lot of you took the time to chime in on good creator experiences. There are a bunch of great people in the comics field. Certainly there are some a-holes. I've met a lot of creators over the years, and almost every experience has been great. Some folks are just remarkably consistent with their good nature, no matter the circumstances (venue, fans, food, schedule, etc.) - like Perez. Others seem to be perpetually cranky... again, no matter the circumstances. Some fall somewhere in-between. It was definitely easier to interact with the more popular creators on the show floor, at say a SDCC 20 years ago - no question. You could have a conversation about whatever, and there wasn't quite the same pressure to "move along." One reason why I like smaller or mid-level size shows/conventions now, is because you can have a more personal experience with a creator. It can be tough when you meet an artist/athlete/actor/legend/whatever, and you have expectations built up because of the work they have produced or skills they have, and the encounter doesn't meet what you had in mind. It can put you off, for sure. But it's also a magical moment when meeting the creator comes off as well, or better than you imagined. As a side note, and as a parent, I pay attention to creators that interact well with kids. There is nothing quite like seeing a kid's eyes light up when they have a great creator experience. Bendis, Wolfman, Perez, Simonson, and Ayers all come immediately to mind, as they were fantastic to my son when he was a boy & he met them at various shows. I'd also like to note that Gil Kane was one of the nicest creators I ever met. Consistently a great guy when I met him. As with anything - your mileage may vary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighVoltage Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 One of the best creators I have ever met, who is now a friend as well, is John K. Snyder III. John is truly a great guy. Agreed! (thumbs u Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artboy99 Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 That is weird What about RAW-will he sign RAW? The signing had two rules. 1. Two book limit. 2. One of the books had to be from the last 15 years. Republications do not count. Within twenty minutes of the signing Art stopped signing books and yelled about how there were more signed copies than unsigned copies of Maus in circulation and that this is why he doesn't agree to signings. This was a reaction to someone bringing book 1 and book 2 of Maus to get signed. I wonder why that matters to him? So what? Maybe like a famous singer or song writer that keeps getting asked to sing the same song from 25 years ago, over and over again, he just wants someone to bring him something else he's done. If he is going to bother showing up to a signing he should expect that he will be signing things. Who cares if it is Maus or someone's Tshirt. Shouldn't he be appreciative that people like his work? I guess I just don't get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garlanda Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 That is weird What about RAW-will he sign RAW? The signing had two rules. 1. Two book limit. 2. One of the books had to be from the last 15 years. Republications do not count. Within twenty minutes of the signing Art stopped signing books and yelled about how there were more signed copies than unsigned copies of Maus in circulation and that this is why he doesn't agree to signings. This was a reaction to someone bringing book 1 and book 2 of Maus to get signed. I wonder why that matters to him? So what? Maybe like a famous singer or song writer that keeps getting asked to sing the same song from 25 years ago, over and over again, he just wants someone to bring him something else he's done. If he is going to bother showing up to a signing he should expect that he will be signing things. Who cares if it is Maus or someone's Tshirt. Shouldn't he be appreciative that people like his work? I guess I just don't get it. I met Herb Trimpe at a con in DC last year. He was generally pleasant to most people, but I showed up with a GI Joe: A Real American Hero 119, which he had written, penciled, inked, and colored! He seemed so happy to see something that was a little less common. Then a guy I was with was deciding which print to buy, and picked a Captain America over a Hulk/Wolverine print. Herb was thrilled that people wanted something from him other than Hulk 181-related stuff. He was nice to everybody, but was clearly tired of being best-known for some work from about 40 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prince Namor Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 That is weird What about RAW-will he sign RAW? The signing had two rules. 1. Two book limit. 2. One of the books had to be from the last 15 years. Republications do not count. Within twenty minutes of the signing Art stopped signing books and yelled about how there were more signed copies than unsigned copies of Maus in circulation and that this is why he doesn't agree to signings. This was a reaction to someone bringing book 1 and book 2 of Maus to get signed. I wonder why that matters to him? So what? Maybe like a famous singer or song writer that keeps getting asked to sing the same song from 25 years ago, over and over again, he just wants someone to bring him something else he's done. I drew some elaborate picture for a flyer in college (1985), and I imagine if I had people still coming up to me saying, "That was so awesome, what was your inspiration, yadda, yadda, yadda...", I'd be really annoyed by it, here almost 30 YEARS later, and be thinking, "What the hell is wrong with these people?" Especially if they were saying, "It meant so much to me..." or whatever. And then on top of that, if there were people out there collecting original printed copies of the flyer and selling them on eBay for $100, I'd think, "WTF is going on with these people. I'm getting' ripped off. I did that piece of work for free." And now someone wants to do a signing? And fly me out to some comic book store in Omaha, Nebraska? And put me up at the local Motel 6? Man, get outta here.... It's funny to listen to us think how weird THEY are.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comix4fun Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 That is weird What about RAW-will he sign RAW? The signing had two rules. 1. Two book limit. 2. One of the books had to be from the last 15 years. Republications do not count. Within twenty minutes of the signing Art stopped signing books and yelled about how there were more signed copies than unsigned copies of Maus in circulation and that this is why he doesn't agree to signings. This was a reaction to someone bringing book 1 and book 2 of Maus to get signed. I wonder why that matters to him? So what? Maybe like a famous singer or song writer that keeps getting asked to sing the same song from 25 years ago, over and over again, he just wants someone to bring him something else he's done. If he is going to bother showing up to a signing he should expect that he will be signing things. Who cares if it is Maus or someone's Tshirt. Shouldn't he be appreciative that people like his work? I guess I just don't get it. True, but I guess it depends on the signing. I've seen plenty of book tours where the only thing being signed is whatever new release they are pumping. Same goes for celebs at some conventions. They'll only sign items from the new movie, tv show, whatever they are promoting. Personally, I'd be happy that people came out to see me and are my fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F For Fake Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I feel fortunate in that I've had many, MANY more positive experiences than poor ones, and very few that I would describe as "jerks". Like most of the other folks here, I'd put Perez and Aragones in the All Time Class Act category. Jeff Smith has always been really nice as well. I'd also add Chris Ware and Archer Prewitt to the list of guys who were very nice, easy to talk to, and (seemingly) genuinely appreciative of their fans. Looks like YMMV with Steranko, but I've talked to him twice, and he couldn't have been cooler. Of course, there's a lot of showbiz put-on with the guy, but that's part of his charm. He's like the Robert Evans of the comic industry. Cool cat, lots of charm when I've met him. Neal Adams was fine by me, but I didn't say much. Bought a sketch from him, had him sign a statue, and he was fine doing both and polite enough. I also had very nice experiences with Mike Mignola (a few times), Dave Stevens, Evan Dorkin, Art Adams, Adam Hughes, Darwyn Cooke (I've heard he can be prickly but he has always been nice when I've talked to him), Tim Sale (quiet guy but nice), Phil Noto, Beto and Xaime Hernandez, Linsner (again, not sure what has happened with other folks, but he was very pleasant with me), Eric Powell (not much to say, but definitely polite), Cully Hamner, Brian Stelfreeze, Karl Story, Karl Kesel (SUPER nice guy!), Paul Pope, Don Rosa, Sienkiewicz (I've heard stories, but again, couldn't have been nicer the one time I met him). There are a lot more, but those are the ones that stand out in my mind as having lived up to, or exceeded, expectations. The slightly grumpy but not outright rude list would include Julie Schwartz, Carmine Infantino, Byrne, Claremont, Kurt Busiek, Peter David. None of them was a "jerk", but none of them was particularly pleasant, or engaging in any way. So, for me, the good has definitely outweighed the bad. Hope it stays that way, though the list of people I'd still want to meet is getting pretty small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weird Paper Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I have read a few things about Frank Cho in this thread, and my interaction with Frank was positive. We had a mini forum dinner after a show in Arlington several years ago, and one of the guys attending, Jeff (Stronguy), asked Frank to have dinner with us. Frank was kind of quiet, but was polite, and it was cool getting to chat with him. I guess we all have bad days, but Frank was just one of the guys that evening. I remember that dinner. I wasn't sitting next to Frank, but as far as I could tell, he seemed like a pretty nice guy. I didn't even realize until we were halfway through with dinner that he was that Frank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weird Paper Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Great experience meeting Frazetta at SDCC in 1995. His wife seemed to be in a hurry, but he was taking his time, meeting and talking to the legion of fans surrounding him at the Cristie's booth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmixer Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Having been in this game a long time, i've met most creators more than once in a variety of venues. Many Many of them are different from experience to experience. Sometimes sketches are free, the next time they cost money. Sometimes they want to engage you in conversation, sometimes you feel like you're 'bothering' them. A single experience often does NOT tell the story. I just find it bizarre when the rules of getting a sketch or autograph changes dramatically depending on venue. I also find it off-putting when a creator is at his table at a convention, but will only sign books 'the last hour of the convention.' -- That happened 2 or 3 times at HeroesCon this year. Then what are you doing at your table for 6-8 hours if you aren't meeting fans? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reader's Copy Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Never had a bad experience with a comic creator, but Larry Niven (sci-fi author) was sort of rude to my friend and I at Motor City about a decade ago, but the story isn't that interesting. Shooter was very nice when I met him, and Walter Koenig gave me a sort of half-snarl half-grimace when I got his autograph (snagged when his handler wasn't around, so no $40 charge for me. Score!) If I ever meet Neal Adams I'm gonna have him sign a book about the origin and formation of the earth. I wonder how he'd react to that. (Adams has some pretty far-out-there non-scientific ideas on the formation of the earth that he expounds upon when given the chance) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Diggler Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 MIke Baron has been the only person to every actually pissed me off. I went to have him sign a copy of my Flash #1 and he rolled his eyes at me said nothing and signed it on the inside like he was ashamed of it. If you want some to care about your new book on Jazz I guess you shouldn't act like an , I might of actually asked about it. From what I saw the rest of the convention he pretty much got no traffic. Now I don't know whether to throw or give the book away. James O'barr was definitely off putting but I had heard that going in. Met O'Barr at Heroes Con1994. This year was undoubtedly the highlight of his fame. New Crow movie came out... all kinds of merchandising $$$ to be made by him... everyone wanted to meet him... ... and it felt like he hated every minute of it. I mean he wasn't rude or mean... just that he really would have been happier if his book hadn't have taken off. If that makes any sense I asked him to sign a Crow movie and please personalize it to one of my friends as a gift... He said (in his vampire-ish voice)... " I will sign it any way you so desire " O' Barr was great when I met him a few years ago in Atlanta. Nice, chatty and drew me a fantastic gritty Batman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I think the reverse-he was good at 23 terrible after 27.... Are you serious? Go out and buy The Studio. Go out and buy the Weapon X trade. Go out and buy Rune or Archer and Armstrong or his black-and-white Conan comics. Ugh-I prefer his work on Conan Rune the faces were stretched out about 10 feet and he lost that energy he had.... It's like he was trying for the Image style-not good. So you haven't seen ANY of his fine art work done in the last 25 years then? No that stuff is ok though I prefer his BA comic work It's just his post BA comic work that makes me puke-Rune Weapon X et al Doesn't he make you sign a contract saying that when he sells you art, that if you sell it you have to give him 15% of what you make, including people that own it down the line? I don't have the time to read through all 25 pages so far, but I knew it wouldn't be long until I found something on Barry Smith. I've been a fan since day-one, and I have to say he sure has an attitude. It started to worsen after a few years of fans cloying him at cons and also selling convention sketches and autographed books (some of which he signed for free) and he decided that he should be entitled to a portion of the proceeds of any sale of an item he drew or signed. To be honest, the guy comes off like a tool - but he's a very talented tool I'll give him that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I heard a story about Barry (WINDSOR) Smith openly laughing and mocking a portfolio of some poor guy at a con.... anyone ever witness something like this? I didn't realize it was from the very first thread forward - so I guess I was spot-on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Got this splash-page from Savage Tales #1 signed by Barry and Roy (I don't remember if they charged me for it) at the legendary Comic Artists convention in White Plains way back when things were friendlier between him an his fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Conversely, Mike Kaluta, another of the Studio artists, is one of the nicest guys to deal with. He was photographed here delivering a commission to a friend. He signed a bunch of books for a few of the comic geeks while he was up here at the agency. Yes, I do still have that book (and all the others he signed ) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisco37 Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Kaluta is great. Definitely a really nice guy. Some of my other favorites: Eduardo Risso JG Jones Dan Jurgens Herb Trimpe Mark Millar Derek Robertson All those guys have been really nice to talk to and have treated fans great (at least from what I've witnessed). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
