We came, we saw, we honored!

It's over!  Phoenix's 3rd annual celebration of Jack Kirby's birthday has passed, and this year we honored the King's 100th birthday with a multifaceted three day event I won't soon forget, because I recorded the whole thing!

Firstly, I'd like to thank Drawn to Comics for hosting the 24 Hour Kirby Comic Challenge. Drawn to Comics has come up a lot here lately, not just because I co-host a podcast with shop owner Ken Brown, but because he and his wife Susan are incredible supporters of local artists like myself.  Who else would let five weirdos lock themselves in a comic shop for 24 straight hours?  

One of those weirdos was me -- the rest were four of my favorite people in Phoenix (well, one of them is in Sedona, but that's Phoenix adjacent, so it counts).  Birdie Birdashaw, Derk Harron, the Janimal, and Zoe Sugg agreed to attempt the 24 Hour Comic Challenge to honor Kirby, while I documented the whole thing in an attempt to create a webseries of the day.  Here's a picture of them as the sun rose over Glendale, bushy-eyed but strong-willed -- as you'll see when that webseries drops on YouTube later this year!

That Monday, the 28th, the day of Kirby's actual birthday, 10 of the Valley's funniest people gathered to roast the King's first, and perhaps most important creation -- Captain America! My thanks to Monkey Pants Bar & Grill in Tempe for hosting our event.  If you're ever hankering wings and/or karaoke near ASU, Monkey Pants is the place.

I'll post the roast on Phoenix Tonight's YouTube page soon, but in the meantime, here's a shot of me with the Avengers in attendance.  I guess Stark had an expo, or something.

My appreciation to the comedians that made the night hilarious, and particularly to the Captain himself, who made both the 24 Hour Comic Challenge and this roast some of the most memorable events in this fanboy's life.  Follow him on Instagram @stevenrogersusa.

Keep your eyes glued to this blog for more posts this fall!  Karaoke adventures, zines, and more zany fandom to come!

To Honor A King!

It's here!  Jack Kirby -- the King of Comics -- would've turned 100 years old on Monday, August 28, and fans here in Phoenix are planning a multi-dimensional three-day extravaganza to honor him.

At his zenith, Kirby drew five to eight pages a day, at his board for 10 to 12 hours, so we're celebrating his productivity in a special way.  On Saturday, August 26, four local artists will attempt the 24 Hour Comic Challenge -- they'll try drawing a 24 page comic book in 24 consecutive hours.  If that isn't hard enough, they'll pull a Kirby-inspired topic from a hat first, to use as inspiration for their story.  If you're in or around Phoenix, join us at Drawn to Comics in downtown Glendale to see the cartoonists in action, and answer Kirby trivia questions for prizes, including sketches from the artists themselves!  The festivities will start at 1 p.m. -- and everything will be recorded for a webseries we'll drop later this year.

Then, on Monday, the 28th, ten comedians will roast Captain America -- Kirby's first, most famous creation -- at Monkey Pants Bar in Tempe, 8 p.m.  The dais will feature some of the funniest people in the Valley . . . and Captain America himself!  Kirby fancied his drawing prowess as "performance."  He was a fan of cinema and pulp magazines, so a comedy show in his honor is as eclectic as the man himself.  A raffle -- featuring some pretty cool prizes, if I do say so myself -- will benefit the Hero Initiative, so bring some dollar bills.

Jack Kirby inspired a lot of people.  He created a legion of timeless characters and demonstrated a work ethic that sets a high standard for anyone writing or drawing comics today.  Honoring him is as humbling as it is fun, and I hope you'll join us, if not in person, then in the future, as we post pictures and videos from these events.  Happy birthday, Jack!

Thank You, Drawn to Comics & Glendale Glitters!

Glendale Glitters wrapped up last weekend, and Drawn to Comics was kind enough to host some artists for the final night's worth of festivities.  If you're visiting the blog because you picked up a flyer, welcome!  I hope to see you at the Amazing Arizona Comic Con from January 24-26 at the Phoenix Convention Center!  Swing by the table in Artists' Alley and ask for another free sketch; it's always my absolute pleasure.

In the meantime, check out the new Amazing Arizona Comics Tumblr here for inspirations and excerpts from the only superhero mini-comic about current events in the Grand Canyon State!

Finally, to put a bow on the Christmas season, I've reposted a few of my superhero Santa comic book pitches with images below -- but here are the drawings combined to create what would be a tri-fold cover of pure holiday hooliganism!