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C2E2 Artists' Alley Part One by Greg Baldino and Samantha LaFountain

Published Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:50:21 -0500

Greg Baldino and Samantha LaFountain write for Bleeding Cool

I would hardly describe anyone as radical but I have to say, Justin Peterson and Lee Bretschneider are a couple of rad dudes. Sharing a table in Artist Alley at booth C7, their table is brimming with comic book-BFF and great comics as well.

Justing Peterson is the creator/illustrator/writer of the independent original graphic novel, Very Near Mint. You might have heard about this graphic novel, it happened to take KickStarter by storm! Even better this comic book is about comic books, it is so meta…it makes everyone's brains hurt. The book starts out with a Delivery truck full of comics on fire, literally on fire. However, its new comic day and some poor comic book store is not going to get their shipment. The Splash Page is just that comic book store and the owners, Colin Turner and Sam Jones, are the ones who are going to have to deal with the chaos. You like Scott Pilgrim or North World but with hilarious comic book reference (the batmobile is better than the spider-mobile)? Do you like artwork that is stunningly unique? Have you ever worked in a comic book store and wanted something that understood what you've dealt with? Pick up Very Near Mint either at Justin and Lee's booth or order it off the website at http://verynearmint.com/

Now Lee gave me the big scoop with Very Near Mint, you can see a sneak peak of his comic, Bellanova Redstar: Space Girl 4199, At the Edge of the Universe in it! It's about this space captain named Bellanova Redstar whose spaceship breaks down and needs this unique and extremely brittle crystal to get it up and running. Cue a helper robot who is very much literal like Spock and crazy alien creatures who find humans the most disgusting thing in existence. And you've got a blend of hilarious storytelling meshed with clean stylized artwork. If you like space and sarcasm then pick this book up. You can actually pick up a FREE preview copy of the first few pages at their booth or you can check out, http://adventuringcompany.com/sg4199/ and read it there!

Excuse me while I go finish reading Very Near Mint and memorizing Lee's new Pokemon designs (not to mention pre-ordering Space Girl). And if you would like to learn more about Justin and Lee check out their websites, justinpeterson.net and adventuringcompany.com! (SL)

If you're having trouble finding time to read both Lovecraftian horror AND magical girl adventure fantasies, then you need to check out Neko Pilarcik and Joshua Cook's webcomic Lulu Cthulhu. Described as a "car-crash" of genres, it follows the story of Cthulhu's daughter and her friends as they try to bring evil to the world and fail miserably. You can find them online at lulucthulhu.com, but right now you'll have to stop by the webcomics pavillion to check out their glow-in-the-dark cameo buttons featuring Lulu, Emily Post-Mortem, and an Alien Girl from Yuggoth, soon to be available online but right now a C2E2 exclusive! (GB)

So who would draw the graphic novel about two serial killers, such as the Boston Strangler and the Zodiac killer who are now old and dying in a Nursing home called the Shady Lane Retirement Center. Who can draw these two characters as they trade war stories and slowly progresses into a dark game. Only Erick Rose could draw something like that and its called, The Roberts.

You can find Erik in Artist Alley booth I11 and oogle his beautiful artwork, you can also pick up a copy of The Roberts (Image Shadowline). This graphic novel is pretty chilling, like you-have-to-read-it-with-the-lights-on-and-will-you-please-hold-my-hand-scary. You'll even find a chilling extra in the book is some from fan mail from some very famous and very real serial killers. Writers, Justin Shady and Wayna Chinsang, have a way of giving a reader terrible nightmares that one doesn't mind so much.

Erik has a beautiful style of artwork that takes shadows and bends them to his will, that's really the only way I can describe it. And if you are looking for some of his new artwork (and if you're as big of a fan as the Coen Brothers as me) check out, The Dude Abides: The Gospel According to the Coen Brothers. Written by Cathleen Falsani (an Award Winning Religion Writer), the Dude Abides, gives you a short biography of the movie making duo and also break down every single movie they've made (Blood Simple to A Serious Man). You will also find the "14 COENmandments" and Group Study Questions. Erik Rose provides beautiful pictures of our favorite Coen Brother's character all throughout book (my favorite is from No Country For Old Men).

You can also check out more stuff Erik Rose has done on his website, www.erikrose.com. Here you can order copies of The Roberts (Image Shadowline) or his other chilling and beautiful pieces. (SL)

Located in booth #862 near the webcomics pavillion, Danielle Corsetto is pimping out a peck of prickly plushies for her webcomic girlswithslingshots.com. Stop by and you can check out the recently released book five, a mousepad featuring Special Kitty the naughtilicious Strip Drunk Scrabbnel poster and beloved plushies of the strip's surreal mascot, McPedro the Talking Cactus. Danielle also has free word ballons that she'll fill-in and include when you buy your very own McPedro! (GB)

Greg Baldino and Samantha LaFountain live and write in Chicago, where they form either the Wonder Twins or the Chuck D & Flava Flav of comics journalism. Look for them at C2E2 turning into an ice bridge and wearing a big clock, respectively.

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