Jonathan LaMantia at C2E2 2017

Jonathan LaMantia is another of my regular stops at comic cons.  Based out of Chicago, LaMantia does "mostly drawings of monsters."

The Freddy exclusive he did for the New York Comic Con a few years back is one of my favorite works of his.  It is creative, colorful, frightening and amusing.  It is just a beautiful piece.

Of course, LaMantia has created many other great pieces, too.  He has worked with full color and b/w and all of them are impressive.  Staying true to his own description as stated above, most of his creations involve monsters of some sort.

One of his creations that does not involve monsters is his version of a safety pin.  He drew the safety pin to support those who feel unsafe.  In his words, "I will do my best to provide a safe space to anyone who is in need- I will not stand idly by while acts of hate are being committed- I am here to make a difference."  It's a simple drawing, yet a powerful statement.

As much as I applaud LaMantia's artwork, I really salute his character.  By joining #safety pin, making his voice heard and donating to the ACLU, LaMantia is making a difference. 

Check out JonathanLaMantia.com for more info, including a gallery of his work, updates and his convention calendar.  Also, follow Jonathan LaMantia on Facebook.  

Jonathan LaMantia and me in Chicago, IL-April 2017.

Culture Shock with Jonathan LaMantia

I met talented artist Jonathan LaMantia at Culture Shock.  LaMantia had several of his creations on display and they were drawing quite a crowd, including me.

When I got home, I checked out JonathanLaMantia.com and his JL Comics Facebook page to learn more about him.  On his site, I saw a lot of his cool prints, I learned he does commissions and I checked out his future appearances to see if our paths would cross again.

I got several laughs from his Facebook page.  I learned his mission is to do a job that won't kill him (or anyone else).  He would say, "Yes, please" to an award.  Also, his products are "art things."  He mostly draws monsters, but if you ask nice (or preferably pay nice), he might do something else for you.  

LaMantia is as personable as he is talented.  He is a great guest for such cons.  His booth is loaded with cool/scary artwork and he is funny and approachable.  Creative people like LaMantia are really the backbone of these conventions and I like discovering new ones.

Jonathan LaMantia and me in Indianapolis, IN-March 2015.