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It’s been three days since FANEXPO Boston 2023 called it a day, and while I had a great time and the people were terrific, I come away with mixed feelings, most of which had nothing to do with the convention itself or were the result of matters completely outside the control of the convention organizers.

The biggest problems are costs and logistics.

Make no mistake. I believe deep in my bones Boston is probably the easiest major urban center to get around in. After my arrival on Wednesday, Bernie and I took an Uber from Logan Airport to the hotel we stayed at during the entire convention. On Thursday, I had to pick up a couple of items in preparation which required me to travel across town. Walking the couple of blocks to the MBTA station nearby, I was able to achieve that objective relatively quick and easy. From there, I went to check out the convention center, as it didn’t exist when I used to live in Boston. Nor did the Silver Line, which I had to transfer to from the Red Line. So I was learning about New Boston in my travels.

Upon emerging from the Silver Line, I found it’s a short walk to the convention center itself, surrounded by some of the more upscale lodging accommodations. In fact, when booking a hotel room for this convention, one couldn’t find any room for under $300 that was within a reasonable walking distance from the convention center or MBTA transportation. I was lucky because Bernie and I had options as a result of traveling the past 20-plus years. But for other exhibitors who came from out of town? It was at least a 30-minute drive plus the cost of parking daily, which came to $30 or more a day.

I ended up using an Uber to initially brings my table set-up to the Convention Center on Friday and a taxi when I packed up on Sunday to bring everything back to the hotel. I took the subway back and forth the remaining times. As for taking the taxi instead of an Uber, the app wasn’t working and I had to wait an hour before a Lyft ride would pick me up, but the taxi was immediately available and to my surprise, it cost less than an Uber or Lyft ride.

Food was another matter. Just one meal at a reasonable restaurant could cost Bernie and I close to $100 without alcoholic beverages as part of the experience. Surprisingly, the food at the convention center was reasonably priced, especially when compared to what was found during Comic-Con.

Add the cost of airfare at $400 a ticket, and one finds oneself starting out in a serious deficit before one sells one item at the convention.

Bottom line for me: if I attend any convention outside of the west coast, I need at least a hotel room and a table with 2 chairs at the convention. If the convention is outside the confines of a 6-hour drive, airfare is a must as well.

The advantage I bring to convention organizers is an audience that most creators don’t have, which is generational and family-oriented. I’m easy to contact if someone is interested in me showing up.

As for the convention itself, about the only thing that truly bothered me was constantly being asked if I charged for selfies or autographs, as I don’t charge for either. About the only time I came close to doing so was when one person started to pull out a book bag’s worth of items I had worked on, so I told this person to pick 3, all of which I signed as I normally do.

I was able to finally cross meeting the great Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner, off my bucket list. Not only that, but he expressed compliments regarding the drawing I did of him which he signed. This will be matted and framed and hung on the wall near the Leonard Nimoy-signed portrait I did of Spock.

What made the event truly special for me was bringing my grandson as it was his first convention. He loved it and that more than anything made the experience priceless for me. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

I only have a couple of more days to spend with my son and his family, so it won’t be until this weekend that I have a chance to address the latest topic of interest that has arisen over the past few days, namely the availability of THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES outside the USA.

Inquiries from Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries have arrived in my email, so my plan upon returning home is to present to the US Post Office a package of commensurate size and weight that matches what buyers will be receiving, thus allowing for accurate shipping price options.

Initially, I will be invoicing the people who sent the early inquiries unless I’m able to adjust the shipping costs per country in my online store. I will also recommend anyone overseas to pre-order in order to lock in the costs in case the price of shipping goes up between now and release of the book.

I’ve already committed to a set price on the cost per book, so if my printing and shipping costs increase, that’s just less profit on my end, AKA the cost of doing business.

As always, if anyone has any comments or questions, I’m here to respond. Thanks.

Bernie & I finally made it to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. We’re set up at table P57 and ready to greet people when they allow select individuals in at 2:00pm. The general audience is allowed in at 4:00pm with the hall open until 9:00pm tonight.

While nowhere as big as as the San Diego Comic-Con, it’s a pretty big hall and they’re expecting a sizable crowd.

I’ll keep updating the goings-on around here throughout the weekend. Stay tuned.

If you played the video, you’ll see the prototype of THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES app that will eventually be released via the Apple App Store. The opening sequence shows you how easy it is to access the material contained within. It’s the last part that I wish to call your attention to.

While I’ve been the focal point as the creator, writer and illustrator of THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES, as you can see, there have been others who have assisted in getting the app to the point it’s at, and I haven’t even listed the voice talent as not all parts have been recorded yet.

As one scrolls down the list, there’s also an important acknowledgement from me. None of this would’ve been possible without the support of the fans. The people who have bought the LARA-SU Limited Edition Print so far are acknowledged here as will be the people who are ordering THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: BEGINNINGS hardcover collection. Already I’m compiling a list of everyone who’s ordered so far.

I can’t emphasize how important it is for people to support this project, as it’s what’s going to make future projects possible as well. Future projects such as a print edition of THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: SHATTERED TOMORROWS, as opposed to it being just a digital release. Or THE KNUCKLES OMNIBUS. (I’m still trying to decide whether one volume or two.)

I’m not one to do the Kickstarter or Go Fund Me route, as I like options that ensure the project will go forward no matter what.

Yes, I know, people who order won’t receive their copies until springtime, with the rest who haven’t pre-ordered having to wait until after Comic-Con 2024. The key thing here is that the people working with me have also been waiting for this project to be released and they’re just as anxious to see that happen.

Thanks for sticking with me so far. Your patience and consideration is not taken lightly and is very much appreciated.

The PRE-ORDER page is now up and active.

If you live in the US, you’re good to go as shipping is the same no matter where you live in the USA.

If you live outside the USA, please contact me for shipping options to your specific location.

Those who pre-order will receive their copies sometime in Spring 2024. The rest will have to wait until the San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024.

Thanks for your support. It’s deeply appreciated.

I finally received my Artist Alley table location at this coming weekend’s FANEXPO Boston. You can find me at Table P-57.

I’ll be there with original art, prints, back issues, Sonic Archives and other Sonic trade collections. I’ll also have patches, Lara-Su T-shirts along with taking commissions upon request.

Stop by for an autograph as I never charge to sign an item during a convention. You can even bring your own Sonic comics for me to sign up to 5 issues free of charge.

I’m looking forward to getting back to my old stomping grounds and look forward to seeing you there as well.

While getting ready to head out for our trip to Boston to see the grandkids as well as attend FANEXPO Boston, I thought I’d try something different.

I had been wanting to do a timelapse study of my drawing process for some time. I had also been wanting to illustrate a STAR TREK print for some time, so I thought I’d kill two birds with one stone. Since I wasn’t sure what would result, I laid down some ground rules for myself.

First off, I would not erase. I could sketch and build up and work the drawing, but I couldn’t erase. Second, I would not hem and haw. I would simply move as fast as I could and live with the results. If it wasn’t perfect, there’s always next time. Third, this would be the initial stage of a much more detailed layout and illustration. I know how I want this to go, so the placement of the head where it is on the overall layout is exactly where I want it.

If people don’t think I botched this, I will continue to update the progress of this piece as well as show my approach to drawing other characters I’m associated with such as Sonic and Lara-Su. Constructive criticism is appreciated.

I only made 50 copies of the original art I designed and airbrushed for the cover of SONIC SUPER SPECIAL issue 2. The original had been hanging on the wall in our home until my son Steve decided to get married. Prior to his wedding day, I shipped the painting to him as a present, where it now hangs on the wall in his home office. Eventually, one of his children will be hanging it on their wall.

I made the copies as an opportunity for Sonic fans to hang a special piece of Sonic art on their wall. Of the 50 copies, only 11 remain. 5 are earmarked to be sold at the FANEXPO Boston convention the weekend of August 4 thru 6, and 5 destined for the FANEXPO CANADA convention taking place later during August 24 thru 27, with one available for mail order thru this very website.

Each was individually numbered 1 thru 50 and personally signed by me at the time of sale. I even personalize the signature “To (whatever name is requested) -“. So once the last one is sold, that’s it. Anyone else who wants one will have to seek out a previous owner to see if they want to part with their print. (And no, I don’t sell or give out anyone’s private information. EVER.)

And yes, it looks fantastic hanging on one’s wall when matted and framed.

I’m currently getting ready to travel from Los Angeles to Boston for the FANEXPO Boston that’s scheduled to take place from Friday, August 4, thru Sunday, August 6. For a variety of reasons, I can only bring so much in terms of original art, prints, back issues, reprint collections and so on.

So if there’s any fan planning to attend that has my table in Artists Alley on their “must check out” list looking for a specific back issue or other item, now is the time to let me know. Otherwise, my response will be “you’ll have to order online” as opposed to me having the item right there for me to sign.

I hope to have more details by Monday, such as my table location, so I can post them to make it easier for people to find me. Keep checking back. Thanks.

I was feeling nostalgic last night. It was hot even though the sun had gone down, so I decided to watch a film on the 70″ 4K TV we installed on our patio wall, experiencing the closest thing to spending the evening with my Dad 50 years ago at the drive-in watching Roger Moore’s first James Bond film, LIVE AND LET DIE.

He had taken me the previous summer to a triple James Bond feature at the same drive-in, screening GOLDFINGER, DOCTOR NO and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE on the same night in that order. From that point forward, seeing the latest Bond film would be our thing.

My father passed away on March 2, 1982, so we didn’t have many more of the Bond films in our future, but the memories remain special, and I was more than in the mood to watch this.

To anyone making the claim the Bond films are politically incorrect, my response is “so what?” I grew up with these films and the era they were made in, and I’m not about to apologize for the films or my enjoyment of them. They were also the closest thing back then to the Marvel films we have today, full of action in which the stunts were real. In this case, someone actually drove a boat up a ramp over a road and actually landing on water. There was no CGI in a Bond film until the early 2000s.

The film was also notable for its predominantly black cast, with the film’s producers facing a backlash from American southern states because James Bond is depicted kissing a black woman. Today it’s no big deal, but back then people rose up in arms over this sort of thing. Three years after the film was released, I was in the military when I took leave to go home. A friend from the base drove home with me to see her family. When I drove to pick her up for the drive back to base, she had to stay longer to deal with her father having thrown out her sister from their home because she was dating a black man. People really don’t appreciate how radical this film was back in the day.

One could argue Ian Fleming’s book was better because of the scenes of more graphic violence, but Hollywood wasn’t ready to depict a man being mauled by a shark. That would take another two years with Steven Spielberg and JAWS. Felix Leiter being eaten by a shark would eventually be depicted in the 007 film LICENCE TO KILL nearly 16 years later.

But for what it was, it was a fun time spending 2 hours with my dad, and today, in all honesty, the film looks and sounds much better on my widescreen television than anything I remember experiencing at the theater.

The film starred Roger Moore, Yaphet Kotto, Julius Harris, Geoffey Holder, David Hedison, Gloria Hendry, Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell, Tommy Lane, Earl Jolly Brown, Roy Stewart, Clifton James and introducing Jane Seymour. Title song composed by Paul & Linda McCartney. Directed by Guy Hamilton, who also directed GOLDFINGER, DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER and THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN.