Mick Foley at New York Comic Con

New York Comic Con returns October 9-13. I am not sure if I will be "On the Beat" there, but if not, I will have someone from my NY-based crew there.

One person who has been there is Mick Foley. Wrestling legend Foley is known to have portrayed three characters in wrestling. Besides himself, he has wrestled as Mankind, Cactus Jack and Dude Love. That is a curse and a blessing. It opened him to many fans. It also meant he adjusted his appearances to fit the character.

Likewise at conventions, it is a double edged sword. Obviously, he is listed as Mick Foley, but many fans will ask about him appearing as any of his characters. Foley actually usually obliges fans. When I saw him in New York, he had the Mankind mask and the Dude Love hair and glasses. While a bit of a pain to carry all the accessories, it also increases his cash intake.

The full guest list hasn't been announced yet, but there will definitely be plenty of celebrities, wrestlers and creators. Go to newyorkcomiccon.com for more info and scheduling.

Mick Foley and me in New York, NY-October 2022.

Jerry Lawler at Squared Circle Expo

The King is coming to Squared Circle Expo. That would be the King of wrestling, Jerry Lawler.

Lawler will join about 60 other wrestling stars and legends in the two day SCX. In addition to the huge lineup of wrestling stars (or royalty), there are panels, Q&As, photo ops, a full wrestling card and so much more.

It is a well-organized and run event by four great friends. Every year it gets better and bigger. This year promises to top all. That is a credit to the hard work and dedication of the organizers. They aren't a nameless corporation. They are four wrestling fans who know how to run a fantastic convention.

Lawler is a well-seasoned convention veteran. Having met him several times at various conventions, the King is always great with the fans. I look forward to seeing him again this year.

SCX runs April 25-26 at the Wyndham in Indianapolis. Tickets are welling fast, but there are still a bunch left. Get yours today.

Check squaredcirclex.com for updates and scheduling on SCX V. See you there!.

Jerry Lawler and me in New York, NY-October 2021.

Sara Richard at New York Comic Con

I think this is the last picture I took with artist extraordinaire Sara Richard. That has to change in 2025.

Sara was one of the first artists I ever interviewed and followed. She has written and illustrated books, worked on Topps cards, independent projects and much more.

She is immensely talented and just as cool. Sara and her mom often clean gravestones. That's just one of many interesting endeavors Sara has undertaken.

She used to come to Chicago for comic cons, but hasn't in a hile. She has been in Artist Alley at New York Comic Con though. That's where I last saw her. Maybe I will return to New York next year, if that's what it takes.

Go to SaraRichard.com for more info on Sara and her latest projects. Check NewYorkComicCon.com for updates and scheduling on NYCC.

Sara Richard and me in New York, NY-October 2021. 

Shiny Hardware: What Not at New York Comic Con 2021

The New York Comic Con starts tomorrow and runs through Sunday. At NYCC a few years back, I held the WhatNot title belt.

What is WhatNot? To be honest, at the time, I had no idea. As I was meandering the convention floor checking out exhibits, the fine folks at the WhatNot booth asked if I wanted to take a picture with their title belt. Why not? I'm always up for holding a title belt, even f it isn't for a wrestling company.

I learned WhatNot is a social marketplace. From sports trading cards to clothing and all else, WhatNot has millions of offerings. What any of that has to do with a title belt, I don't know. They probably just jumped on the belt craze. For a while, many companies made belts for celebratory moments. WhatNot made one for NYCC.

It worked, too. I saw a lot of folks getting their pictures with the title belt. Here I am writing about it. That's a good marketing tactic. I salute WhatNot.

We'll see what other fun is at NYCC tomorrow. Check NewYorkComicCon.com for updates and scheduling on NYCC.

WhatNot title belt and me in New York, NY-October 2021.

Franco and Art Baltazar at New York Comic Con 2021

I missed New York Comic Con 2023, but I hope to be back October 17-20, 2024. That means I missed seeing Art Baltazar and Franco, two of my favorite creators.

Art and Franco co-own Aw Yeah Comics, which has stores in New York, Indiana and Skokie, Illinois, about two blocks from where I live. They are usually at NYCC, where I have seen them twice. Of course, I also see them in the Skokie store and at some other area events.

Together and separately with others, they have published several books. Franco even did a version of the Johngy character. Some day, I hope to get Art to do a rendition.

Besides being very talented, they are great guys. They are always good for several laughs.

Go to AwYeahComics.com for the latest news from Franco, Art and their stores. Check NewYorkComicCon.com for updates and scheduling on NYCC.

Franco, Art Baltazar and me in New York, NY-October 2021.

Tom Richmond at New York Comic Con 2021

It's not too early to discuss New York Comic Con. Running October 17-20 in NYC, it is one of the biggest comic cons in the world.

Creator Tom Richmond is one of the first folks from Artist Alley I ever interviewed and befriended. Whether he likes it or not, I always visit Tom's booth at any comic con. I'm fairly sure he's okay with my presence. If you've seen Tom, you would know he certainly could toss me away from his booth. LOL

Tom is a great guy. Most-known for his work on Mad Magazine, Tom is a master caricaturist. He even has occasional clinics where he teaches the art of caricaturing.

I've thought about taking his course, but I don't have much inherent talent and I would rather see that spot go to a fledgling young artist.

I always look forward to catching up with Tim. I especially like it now that masks are no longer mandatory at cons..

Go to TomRichmond.com for the latest on Tom and his art. Check NewYorkComicCon.com for updates and scheduling on NYCC.

Tom Richmond and me in New York, NY-October 2021.

Friend Encounters: Franco and Art Baltazar

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

Who is the celebrity? Who is the friend? Franco and Art Baltazar are the answers to both.

Based in New York, Francois is comic book writer and artist Franco Aureliani.  Art is also a comic book writer and artist, but he is based in the Chicago area.

Art and Franco have a lot of chemistry together and it is easy to see why their collaboration produces a lot of entertainment. In addition to owning Aw Yeah, a comic store with three locations (Skokie, Illinois, Muncie, Indiana and New York), they collaborate on many projects. Naturally, they appear at many comic cons together.

I first met them at comic cons, but became friends over the years. I attend many events at Aw Yeah and not just because it's a few blocks from my home. It's like an old school comic books store, but with a modern cool feel. They are a lot of fun solo, but a lot more fun together.

They will be together again at C2E2 in Chicago April 26-28. For more info on this great event, go to C2E2.com. Also, go to AwYeah.com for more info on the pair of awesome creators.

Franco and Art Baltazar in New York, NY-October 2023.

Friend Encounters: Allison Spooner and K Lynn Smith

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Today is another example of a celeb friend meeting another celebrity. Creator K Lynn Smith is my friend and fellow creator Allison Spooner is her friend. The picture is from a comic con.

K Lynn is an artist and writer from Michigan. I first met her at Motor City Comic Con and have bugged her ever since. Aside from her great work, I love following her on social media. She's fun, funky and a bit quirky, all in the best ways. Following her, you'll see wonderful art and have a lot of fun.

Despite attending hundreds of comic cons, I somehow have not met Allison, but I hope to change that this year. Allison is a writer. According to her on her website, her flash fiction work has been described as "have been called, “brilliant,” “disturbing,” engaging,” and “perfect for anyone with a slightly twists sense of humor…” That's right up my alley. Besides, if K Lynn likes her, she must be good.

I love this picture for several reasons. Obviously, it contains two awesome creators and people. It also shows two folks just having fun. I love when celebs of any sort pose with other celebrity friends at conventions. It shows they are just like everyone else. They like friend encounters, too.

Go to KLynnSmith.net for more on K Lynn. Also, check AllisonSpoonerWriter.com for more on Allison.

 Allison Spooner and K Lynn Smith in New York, NY-October 2023.

Friend Encounters: The American Gladiators and Michael Kingston

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Today is another instance of me featuring a celebrity friend meeting other celebrities. This one is so cool as I am a big fan of all of them.

If you're a fan of comics or wrestling, you'll love Michael Kingston. His Headlocked Comic combines the two worlds. It's what originally drew me to Michael many years ago.

Michael is a hard-working man. He was earned every bit of success he has and he has a lot. From a kernel of an idea to a hugely popular wrestling comic, Michael has grown his business with the help of many in the wrestling industry who love his work. Mick Foley, Bret Hart, Jerry Lawler and so many others have contributed to Michael's work and many more are getting on board with each issue.

At one comic con last year, Michael met several of stars of the American Gladiators, a cool television show. It might have been one of the first reality, competition shows. Either way, I loved that show. While there were theatrics, it seemed very legit competition.

Look at how happy Michael looks and good for him. It's so cool seeing him meet his favorites.

Now to test my memory (bad) and powers of recognition (even worse), I know Nitro is far right of Michael and Zap is just left of Michael. I think the other woman is Sky. I don't know which Gladiator the other man is, but I should. Does anyone out there know?

Go to HeadlockedComic.com for more info on Michael and his great work. Also, follow him on social media to see him with many of the folks in his books and other fun people, like the American Gladiators.

Michael and the Gladiators in New York, NY-October 2023.

Dirk Manning at New York Comic Con 2021 (and 2022 and 2023)

New York Comic Con is one of the biggest comic cons in the country. I covered it last year and even still in the pandemic mess, it completely blew me away in size and excellence. I did not make it this year, but I will be back.

I have known Dirk Manning for many years. He was one of the first creators I interviewed and we became friends over the years, bonding over our interest in comics, horror, wrestling and ice cream.

Last year at NYCC, Dirk was celebrating and promoting "Butts in Seats: The Tony Schiavone Story,"

thr graphic bio novel he did with the famous wrestling announcer. I was ecstatic to buy a copy and have both men sign it. Dirk also gave me a mini-scoop that something else was already in the works. That something turned out to be a graphic bio novel with Arn Anderson.

Already a highly successful creator in the horror genre, Dirk is becoming a force in the wrestling world. I always thought wrestling would be a good fit for some artists, but I never applied that same logic to writes like Dirk. It's a perfect fit and nobody is a better person to handle this.

Dirk announced he will be at NYCC and I will catch up with him there. Maybe I'll even get another scoop. Nothing will surprise me with Dirk.

Go to DirkManning.com for more info on Dirk's latest projects. Check NewYorkComicCon.com for updates and scheduling on NYCC.

Dirk Manning and me in New York, NY-October 2021. 

Terry Huddleston at New York Comic Con 2021

After going the last two years, I missed the New York Comic Con this year. NYCC is one of the biggest comic cons in the country. I will be back "On the Beat" meeting celebrities and creators of all sorts.

Terry Huddleston was one of the first artists I met at a comic con. I saw his wall of superheroes and immediately looked for Aquaman. I found it and it was old school Aquaman, too.  I became a fan of his right on the spot. Of course, I like all of Terry's work, not just Aquaman.

Terry is a freelance artist and illustrator from South Bend, Indiana. I first noticed his Superhero heads, but he does more than just Superheroes and more than just heads. The heads do take up a major part of his booth though. Actually, his booth might have the most artwork of any creator booth at comic cons. He is literally surrounded by his fantastic art. As you can see, I could barely get a selfie with him because he has so much stuff on display.

That's not a complaint. I love seeing all of his work displayed. No matter how many times I see his display, I always am amazed by it. I always seem to find new things in it.

Terry is also one of the coolest artists put there. He is always up for a little chat with con attendees. His booth is a regular stop on my Artist Alley loop and I always look forward to catching up with him.

Go to TerryHuddlestonArt.com for more info on Terry and his latest projects. Check NewYorkComicCon.com for updates and scheduling on NYCC 2024.

Terry Huddleston and me in New York, NY-October 2021.

Tony Schiavone at New York Comic Con 2021

New York Comic Con is less than a month away. Running October 6-10, it is one of the country's biggest comic cons. Once again, I will be "On the Beat" meeting celebrities and creators of all sorts.

Last year, I had the pleasure of meeting wrestling announcer Tony Schiavone

A while back when my creator friend Dirk Manning told me he was doing a book with Tony, I excitedly awaited the release. Graphic novel Butts in Seats: The Tony Schiavone Story came out recently and it is fantastic!

Tony has had a great career. With a broadcasting career going back to 1983, Tony has been a broadcaster for wrestling, baseball and more. Nearing 40 years behind the mic, Tony is still an underrated broadcaster, who deserves more credit and exposure.

Now as a Senior Producer and announcer for All Elite Wrestling, Tony is being exposed to another generation of wrestling fans. Already selling in crazy numbers, Butts in Seats is giving Tony even more exposure.

Butts in Seats is 148 pages of colorful stories of Tony's life in and out of the wrestling world. It's a quick read. I planned on just starting it and reading a bit each day for a while, but once in the book, I kept going. Kudos to Dirk, Tony and the other involved on a fantastic book.

When at NYCC last year, I talked to both Dirk and Tony about the book. They were very excited and proud. I met Tony a couple years ago, but this was the first time I really talked to Tony. He is such a genuinely nice guy. I am very happy for him.

Go to AllEliteWrestling.com for more info on Tony and all the wrestlers of AEW. Go to NewYorkComicCon.com for more info and updates.

Tony Schiavone and me in New York, NY-October 2021.

Dan Parent at New York Comic Con 2021

New York Comic Con is underway. Running through tomorrow, it is one of the country's biggest comic cons. I will be "On the Beat" meeting celebrities and creators of all sorts.

Comic book artist and writer Dan Parent is a regular stop on my Artist Alley circuit at comic cons. Somehow though, I have never gotten Parent for an interview. I hope and plan to change that soon, now that comic cons are starting to return.

Parent started working for Archie Comics right after graduating from the Kubert School. He might be best known for introducing the first openly gay character in Archie Comics when he created Kevin Keller in 2010. In 2013,  he was given the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book.

Parent also started the Die Kitty Die comic series. The comic features young witch Kitty Ravencraft, who stars in her own comic book. Her greedy publisher wants to increase sales and plots to kill her in the comics and in real life.

There's so much content for an interview just in that paragraph. Actually, his work on Archie alone is enough for an interview. Archie recalls simpler times, when comic books were part of every kid's life. While Archie would seem to be a dinosaur in today's larger-than-life comics world, he remains popular. That's a major credit to Parent and all involved. I'd love to pick his brain a bit about Archie and the rest of his work.

Go to DanParent.com for more info on Dan and his latest projects. Check NewYorkComicCon.com for updates and scheduling on NYCC.

Dan Parent and me in New York, NY-October 2021.

Orange Cassidy at New York Comic Con 2021

Running October 12-15, New York Comic Con is one of the country's biggest comic cons. I will be "On the Beat" meeting all sorts of celebrities and creators...and wrestlers.

If the picture below looks odd, it's because it is odd. It's also perfectly normal. Such is the world of professional wrestling or at least as wrestler Orange Cassidy sees it.

He made his professional wrewstling debut in 2004 and joined All Elite Wrestling in 2019. Did I just break one of his rules by writing there was life before he debuted in AEW? I'd ask him, but he wouldn't answer or he'd wave me away. That's Orange Cassidy.

What I mean by all of this is kayfabe (or keeping the secrets of wrestling). It's an old school principle not seen much these days. OC keeps complete kayfabe as far as I can tell.

At New York Comic Con, OC acted disinterested. Unlike some celebrities who occasionally are really disinterested at comic cons, OC was simply staying in character and it was beautiful

He's so good, some folks get annoyed, not realizing it is him staying in character. Maybe those not interested in wrestling won't get it. That's okay, too. OC isn't there for those folks. The ones who get it, and there are a lot of us, love his style. Many fans tried to get him to break character, but I never saw even a crack in the exterior.

In the "old" days, you would never see a wrestling bad guy posing happily with fans. It broke the image. It shattered the illusion.

I knew the picture I would get wouldn't be a buddy shot. I was fine with that. To some, this picture looks odd. To me, it is a throwback to great wrestling, just as OC is. I hope he doesn't change.

Go to AllElieWrestling.com for more info on OC and AEW. Check NewYorkComicCon.com for updates and scheduling on NYCC.

Orange Cassidy and me in New York, NY-October 2021.

Sara Richard at New York Comic Con

I have written many times about Sara Richard. One of the first artists I ever started to follow and interview, Sara has become a convention friend (whether she likes it or not lol).

I have interviewed Sara many times. A bunch of them can be found at Sara Richard's interviews on YouTube.

Sara has been especially busy lately. Whether illustrating, writing or both, she is amassing quite a library on Amazon. You can see her books on the Sara Richard Amazon page.

Along with books, Sara has also done work for Topps trading cards and many other projects. She is as versatile as she is talented. She is also super cool and very nice.

Did I mention when she has a spare minute, she likes to clean and restore gravestones? It's a form of art and a hobby. It is also historically significant.

I used to see Sara more often, but she hasn't come t Chicago for conventions in a while. The last two years, I trekked to New York Comic Con to see her and a few others. I'm not sure yet if she will be there this year, but unfortunately, I will not make the trip this time. A much as I would love to catch up with Sara and the others, I have a scheduling conflict and have to miss it.

I hope Sara returns to Chicago. She is one of the most talented and popular creators at any convention she attends.

Go to SaraRichard.com for more info on Sara and her latest projects. Check NewYorkComicCon.com for updates and scheduling on NYCC.

Sara Richard and me in New York, NY-October 2021.

Michael Kingston at New York Comic Con 2021 (and 2022 and probably 2023)

New York Comic Con starts today. Running October 12-15, it is one of the country's biggest comic cons. Once again, I am "On the Beat" meeting celebrities and creators of all sorts.

I met Michael Kingston many years ago. I have interviewed him many times over the years, including last year at NYCC. The interview On the Beat With Michael Kingston, shows a glimpse of what he has at his booth and the fun of NYCC.

Michael created Headlocked, a real world comic about wrestling. A talented and creative person, who was a wrestling fan, Michael put it all together and made his comic book, which quickly became embraced by the wrestling world, including big name wrestlers. Jerry "The King" Lawler jumped on board as the cover artist and many others lent their talents to issues. It was amazing to see Headlocked grow so much over the years. It couldn't happen to a better guy. Michael has passion for all he does and is one of the hardest working folks out there. If you follow him on social media, you'll see he is on the go all the time. He is a great promoter of his work, but he also gets those big name wrestlers helping.

I always check out Michael's booth and I look forward to seeing what he has this year. I am sure there will be legends and current stars. Plus, it's always fun catching up with Michael.

Go to HeadlockedComic.com for all the news on Michael's latest projects. Check NewYorkComicCon.com for updates and scheduling on NYCC.

Michael Kingston and me in New York, NY-October 2021. 

Ali Cantarella at New York Comic Con 2021

New York Comic Con is less than one month away. Running October 6-9, one month from today, it will be ending.

Last year was my first year at NYCC and despite the somewhat scaled back con due to the pandemic, it was still incredible. I plan on being "On the Beat" once again.

One of the cool creators I saw last year was Chicago artist Ali Cantarella. Yes, I traveled all the way to New York to catch up with one of my favorites from Chicago.

NYCC 2021 was the official debut of the special edition Cantarella Ink Johngy's Beat shirt. Ali was kind enough to lend her artistic skills to create the first Johngy deviant and I couldn't love it more.

I have followed Ali for several years. Her pet portraits first caught my eye. She does a lot more awesome stuff, too. She has done street art in and around Chicago. She also has done huge murals in offices, businesses and even apartments. I love watching her in-progress videos on social media.

Aside from her fantastic talents, Ali is just simply cool. She is one of the nicest, most fun creators or even people I have met.

Go to Cantarella.Ink to see more of Ali's work. Check NewYorkComicCon.com for updates and scheduling on NYCC.

Ali Cantarella and me in New York, NY-October 2021.

Jim Ross at New York Comic Con 2021

Jim Ross started working in wrestling in 1974. Starting as a ref, he moved into broadcasting a few years later and became an institution behind the mic. Good Ol' JR carved out a Hall of Fame career in the NWA, WCW, WWE and now All Elite Wrestling.

Ross had been on my list for a long time, before I finally met him at the New York Comic Con at Michael Kingston's Headlocked booth. Ross was just one of many wrestling stars Kingston brought in to his booth, but he might be the biggest. A true wrestling legend, Ross deserves to be on the Mt. Rushmore of broadcasters. 

I always say events like NYCC are great places to meet wrestlers. The lines are usually shorter than at wrestling conventions and you get a little extra time with the legends. Such was the case with Ross. I got to talk to him about his famous barbeque sauce and his time broadcasting college and pro football.

Go to AllEliteWrestling.com for more info on JR and AEW.. Check NewYorkComicCon.com for updates and scheduling on NYCC.

Jim Ross and me in New York, NY-October 2021.

On the Beat at New York Comic Con 2022

I spent a long four day weekend at the New York Comic Con. My full report is on the Patch at On the Beat at the New York Comic Con.

Produced by ReedPop, the same folks behind C2E2, NYCC is arguably the biggest comic con in the country. San Diego Comic Con is has been the biggest, but I heard NYCC passed it. that's unconfirmed, but either way, both are huge.

This was my second year at NYCC and it won't be my last. NYCC 2021 was a bit scaled back, still in the grip of the pandemic, but I still thought it was almost overwhelming. Then I saw this year's NYCC. It was immense, huge, crazy, busy, but mostly fun. It took me about a day to figure out the lay of the land. Even with that, the mere glut of people sometimes made getting from one spot to another very difficult and slow. This did make me strategize, to limit my need to go to different rooms multiple times. I'd make one long loop in each area, then maybe return at the end of the day if I really needed something.

I met so many cool creators and celebrities. I also ran into several friends from all over the country. As usual, I will sprinkle in those stories here and there, so as not to dump them all at once. 

Go to NewYorkComicCon.com for more info. Check back here for my recurring coverage of NYCC and C2E2.

Me in New York, NY-October 2022.

Danhausen at New York Comic Con 2021

Last year, I attended my first New York Comic Con. Produced by Reed Pop, who also produced C2E2, it was the biggest comic con I have ever attended and it was downsized because of the pandemic. This year, it returns today through Sunday and I will be "On the Beat" again.

One of the most interesting celebrities I met at NYCC was Danhausen. Born Donovan Danhausen, he is a wrestler on the rise. He debuted in 2013 and is currently wrestling for All Elite Wrestling.

Danhausen is a second generation celebrity encounter for me. His father is Brian Danhausen, an author and artist. I met the elder Danhausen a few times at the Motor City Comic Con.

When I met Danhausen, I told him about talking to his dad years before and how his dad mentioned his young wrestling son. For me it was cool to see him doing so well. He seemed genuinely touched and thanked me. The next day, he thanked me again when I saw him. I think after meeting hundreds of wresting fans at NYCC, he was probably happy to have the change of pace to discuss something else.

NYCC 2021 had a large wrestling presence. This year, Danhausen returns, along with Sting, Mick Foley, Jack "Jungle Boy" Perry, Britt Baker and more. Go to AllEliteWrestling.com for more info on Danhausen and his AEW mates. Check NewYorkComicCon.com for updates and scheduling on NYCC 2022.

Danhausen and me in New York, NY-October 2021.