Tom Richmond at C2E2 2019

I meet a lot of creators of all sorts at comic cons. Tom Richmond is one I followed long before meeting him for the first time.

Tom's work with Mad Magazine is legendary. I can't say I grew up enjoying Tom's work, as he is only a tad older than me, but I have loved his work in my adult years.

I met Tom more than a decade ago and always stop by his booth at any comic con where he appears. I could sit there for hours watching him draw, although that wouldn't be good for his business. That talent amazes me.

After a few years, I finally realized I could have Tom do his version of the Johngy character. What took me so long? In any case, I loved his version. How cool is it to have a drawing from the man who has created so much fun stuff for Mad and elsewhere.

That artwork is now available on a Johngy's Beat shirt at rpowrestlingtees.com. Thank you to Tracey at Global Traveler for facilitating this.

On top of all of that, Tom is super nice and very friendly with booth visitors. He doesn't even get annoyed when I ask for a picture every time. Hey, if I am promoting a convention, who better to pick from Artist Alley? The man is a legend.

Go to TomRichmond.com for more info on and scheduling on where Tom will be. If you get the chance, I highly recommend getting a commission drawing from him at a convention.

Tom Richmond and me in Chicago, IL-March 2019.

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.

Tom Richmond at Wizard World Chicago 2017

One of my favorites on the comic con scene is Tom Richmond, perhaps most notably known for his outstanding work with Mad Magazine. The freelance cartoonist and caricaturist is amazingly talented and very friendly.

In addition to Mad Magazine, Tom did work for Cracked, the Married... with Children comic book for NOW Comics and The Coneheads, the mini-series for Marvel Comics. Tom also created his version of my Johngy character. It is one of my favorite pieces and proudly hangs on my wall/

Tom is a great guest at comic cons. He is extremely engaging and has lots of cool artwork. One of the most enjoyable things is to catch him sketching. To see him in action is simply amazing. Watching ablank sheet come to life with his artwork is always one of the highlights for me at any comic con.

I have followed Tom's work for many years and I always look forward to seeing him at comic cons. My next chance should be Fan Expo Chicago, August 10-13.

Check TomRichmond.com for info and art. Go to FanExpoHQ.com for news and schedules for events all year.

Tom Richmond and me in Rosemont, IL-August 2017.

Tom Richmond Loves Johngy's Beat

Johngy's Beat Contributor Joey Roth and I interviewed the legendary Tom Richmond of Mad Magazine at C2E2. That interview can be found at On the Beat With Tom Richmond at C2E2 2021.

After the interview, Tom was kind enough to send a shout out to Johngy's Beat. We appreciate it greatly and return the favor by encouraging all to check out TomRichmond.com to see all of the cool work Tom does.

On the Beat With Tom Richmond at C2E2 2021

My post-event coverage of C2E2 brings us to Tom Richmond. I have interviewed the legendary caricaturist before, but it had been too long since our last one. That changed when Johngy's Beat Special Contributor Joey Roth got an update from Tom. That interview can be found at On the Beat With Tom Richmond at C2E2 2021.

A major part of Tom's career involves his work at Mad magazine. Naturally, that came up in the interview. With the sad decline of the print industry, kids today won't know the joys we had of getting the new Mad. Even as an adult, perhaps even more because I get some of the jokes and connections, I always enjoyed Mad. Meeting Tom was a thrill years ago and it remains cool to this day. I am sure Joey felt the same. Tom is a legend in the industry.

Tom is also very cool and always up for a chat on or off camera. He also graciously agreed to do his version of the Johngy character, a piece of art which now hangs on my wall. Years ago seeing Tom's work in Mad, I never thought I would meet him and I certainly didn't think he would create a caricature of me.

For more info on Tom, go to TomRichmond.com. Also, check C2E2.com for news and updates on C2E2 2022.

Friendly Encounters: Tomas Bunk and Tom Richmond

This is a weekly series featuring my friends who have met celebrities.

Wizard World takes over Madison, Wisconsin from Friday, November 30 through Sunday, December 2. I'll be crossing the northern border to be "On the Beat." Over the next few days, I'll be recalling some of my memories from past Wizard World events. Today, I feature Tom Richmond, one of my favorite artists, in a special Friendly Encounters Wizard World edition.

Born in Croatia, Tomas Bunk originally was a painter, but switched to cartooning.  Eventually, that led to working on Wacky Packages and Garbage Pail Kids for Topps.  In 1990, rhe became a regular cartoonist for Mad magazine.

Tom Richmond has been doing cartoons and caricatures since the early 1990's and joined Mad in 2000.  He is a 2x Caricaturist of the Year and he has been featured in other comic strips, including Beetle Bailey and Pearls Before Swine.

The two legends appeared at Wizard World Dallas in 2016.  Richmond presented Bunk with a caricature of him.  It was a very cool moment.

For fans of Mad magazine, seeing these two together is huge.  They are two of the best in the business.  Richmond's show of respect with the drawing was awesome and seeing them interact was great.

It's nice to see the people we admire, showing admiration for others.  Obviously, these two respect and like each other and they aren't too proud or selfish to show their affection.  Attendees of these comic cons aren't the only fans, as these two demonstrated.

I have met Richmond many times, but unfortunately I haven;t met Bunk.  I do have something in common with Bunk though.  Richmond did a caricature of the Johngy a few years ago.  It's one of the coolest things I have ever gotten from a Wizard World event.

Check out TomRichmond.com for more info on this talented artist. Check out WizardWorld.com for all of the info on the many great events they hold across the country.

Tomas Bunk and Tom Richmond in Dallas TX-November 2016.

Mad Magazine's Tom Richmond Loves Johngy's Beat

At the recent Wizard World Chicago 2018, I caught up with Tom Richmond, one of my favorite creators. Tom is perhaps best known for his caricature work in Mad magazine. I am the proud owner of an original piece of his, as his version of The Johngy hangs on my wall at home.

After our chat, Tom was kind enough to cut a promo for Johngy's Beat. Thank you, Tom, for your kindness over the years, for this promo and especially for The Johngy!

Tom Richmond at C2E2 2016

Artist Tom Richmond is a native of Wisconsin.  He crossed the border during his college years to work as a caricature artist at Six Flags Great America.  He claims his work sucked in comparison to others and his goal became "not to suck."  I think Richmond is underestimating his ability back then, but either way, his ability now is undeniable.

Richmond worked at a variety of jobs involving caricatures.  He evetually worked for Cracked, although his dream was to work for Mad.  Eventually, he did land his dream job at Mad.  He also does commissions, which you can purchase through his site or at comic cons throughout the year.

Richmond is very approachable at comic cons.  In fact, rarely is someone so accomplished, so under the radar at such places.  This man's work appeared in Mad!  That magazine brought tears of laughter to generations.  It inspired many kids (including me) to attempt to reproduce the caricatures.  I first saw and fell in love with caricatures, although I never developed that talent.  I could copy their work free hand pretty well, but I could not create original caricatures.

Richmond's work is amazing, whether it is for Mad or other creations.  You can see a lot of his awesome work on and get more info, including his appearance schedule at TomRichmond.com.  You can also follow Tom Richmond on twitter.

Tom Richmond and me in Chicago, IL-March 2016.

C2E2 With Tom Richmond

A couple years ago, Johngy's Beat Contributor Extraordinaire Matt Parker scored an interview with illustrator Tom Richmond.  That interview can be found at On the Beat with Tom Richmond.

Despite his many awards and his lengthy resume dating back to the early 1990's, for my generation, the highlight is his work with Mad.  In our eyes, that makes him caricaturist royalty.  That was our dream job.

When I first met Richmond, I immediately noticed his size.  With no offense to other artists, Richmond's arms stood out.  I learned the obvious, that he was into body-building.  On his site, he also mentions that the biceps are a deterrent to his daughters' boyfriends.  Richmond doesn't only draw humor, he is filled with humor.

To learn more about Richmond, including updates and appearances, head over to TomRichmond.com.  It also has galleries of his Mad work, his caricatures and a huge store where you can find prints, books and other fun stuff.  There is also a gallery of caricatures of Richmond done by other artists.  This site is so much fun, I spent a couple hours on it the first time I went there.

Tom Richmond and me in Chicago, IL-April 2015.

On the Beat with Tom Richmond at Wizard World 2013

A lot of artists can be called "mad" artists (as can a lot of bloggers, but I digress), but only a select few can be called "Mad" Artists.  Tom Richmond is a Mad Artist and JohngyBeat.com's Contributor Extraordinaire Matt Parker interviewed him at Wizard World.
Richmond had a lengthy and successful illustration career before he got Mad, but wasn't it every young boy's dream to draw for Mad?  He explains his route to Mad in the interview.
Richmond also talks about his book, Mad Art Caricature.  I have always been a fan of and been fascinated by caricatures.  Caricatures take regular artistic ability to draw, coupled with a keen eye or imagination to pull out the certain features which will be highlighted.  That ability just mystifies me.
I would really like to interview Richmond again.  I would love to ask him a lot more about his caricatures.  I think there is a wealth of fun conversation that could be had.
After you watch the video, please check out TomRichmond.com, to learn all about this Mad artist.  Be sure to also check out his book.  It is very interesting./