The University was considering adding a series of courses on comics so this was a test. They expected only 30 or so people to sign up for the week-long series of lectures but got 80 or so to pay for the privilege.

Edu spoke first, about how to prepare portfolios. The 75 people filling the lecture classroom were silent, absorbing everything. There was a flood of questions afterward. I gather it went well, but without a translator, all Deb and I could do was people watch.

Shortly after 12 it was my turn and everyone filed back in and sat still as I went through the presentation. Edu translated for me and I found myself mentally editing the script down, making it easier for him and compressing details. I had my own flood of questions including the chances for Spanish talent, which discipline might be most in need (to me, good colorists), many questions about comics for women and the chances for women as working professionals, plus we covered new technologies and marketing.

The con itself, though, kicked off Thursday. After the tour of the Alhambra, the Americans and many of the artists and publishers also coming to the con were treated to a get-to-know-you luncheon on an outdoor terrace at our hotel. There we met the first of our student interpreters, on hand to put everyone at ease. When I went to introduce myself, they laughed and said they knew, apparently, looking up the Americans on the net to prepare.

There were three conference rooms with one hosting a series of professionals’ only panels and the other two rooms were for the pros to mix and talk, network and do business. Instead, most congregated at the bar.

The con really runs from Friday to Sunday, 11-8 each day with sections set aside for cos play, video games, crafts, and signatures. The convention center was small and it felt like a small show given the number of booths and yet, it attracts upwards of 40,000 people each year.

The publishers, including American editors and me, all did portfolio review in two hour shifts, aided by student interpreters. People made appointments in advance and last year some 30 people arrived in hopes of positive news. This year it pushed 90 people and most wanted as many as five appointments for maximum commentary. They have to cut off signups prior to the con and limit people to three interviews. I wound up doing four shifts over the first two days and saw some people better suited to the European market, some for children’s books, and really only one or two that might be close to ready for the American market. Some needed a lot of work.

Our interpreters for the most part were ignorant of comics and we were told they drilled for a week and arrived with a comics glossary. They delighted in learning something new and using their talents for something “real”. All felt they gained much from the experience and two were interested enough in the field that I took them shopping after we finished so they could buy some graphic novels to sample.

There was little in the way of programming, just some talks by the Americans that were lightly attended.

The schedule was funny because I would do portfolio reviews from 11-1, wander the show floor, then we’d have a huge group lunch from 2-5 then I’d review from 5-7, walk around a bit then we’d head out for another group meal. Sunday, I wasn’t needed at all and could go see the city.

The emphasis is on the artists so six or seven were seated at a long table and people queued up to get autographs and free sketches (as is the custom in Europe). Writers, such as myself, were not scheduled and I didn’t sign a single autograph all trip. Everyone was polite and friendly so we all had a swell time.

They really knew how to take care of the guests. Every day at 2 or so we’d congregate and head out for a massive luncheon that took nearly three hours. After the show closed at night, we’d all be gathered up and taken once more to a fine dinner. It was during the final group meal on Saturday that I really got to chat with some of the French comics people so that was a treat.  But, nothing could compare with the frequent chances to hear stories from Joe Kubert ranging from his early days in comics to the work done at his school of Cartoon Art. A real pleasure.

Our final night, Edu had returned home so we were on our own and with Deb guiding us, we sallied forth into the night. Our first choice couldn’t really seat a group of ten so we kept wandering until Rick Veitch pointed us to a Chinese restaurant which was just fine for one and all.

Our return trip was fortunately unaffected by the closed runway at JFK or the storm which was just passing out of the northeast. Looking back, these were 12 magical days and I am quite thankful for the experiences and opportunity.

Still, he gifted us with bus tickets to spend Tuesday in Seville. We took the three hour bus ride, getting to see much of the countryside as we headed for the city.

For the first time since we landed in Spain, the sun shone and was quite pleasant. After stepping off the bus, we oriented ourselves with maps and decided to stay in the older part of the city, which made it the tourist section but saw the botanical gardens, the Alcazar, and the Cathedral along with many shops, and lovely homes.

The area included the university so the streets were filled with students and many Americans on Spring Break. Turns out we toured the Alcazar with four UConn students which we thought was pretty funny. It’s a large set of buildings along with gardens so once the tour ended; we spent another two hours wandering around.

In fact, by the time we were done there, we had lunch, leaving us just an hour to see the cathedral. Now, I thought the one in Granada was pretty amazing, but this structure dwarfed it. We were especially impressed with the crypt for some of Christopher Columbus’ remains along with the spectacular view from the bell tower. Thankfully, the law prevents any building from being taller than the cathedral so the view will never be spoiled.

Walked a lot, took many pictures, didn’t eat anywhere near as much as the last week and were better for it.

Tomorrow: The Con itself

Last Monday, it was cloudy and drizzly and thankfully, I had the school talk for the first half of the day. After our lunch, though, we hit the streets and began exploring. We headed for the center of town and the cathedral. En route, we wandered past an interesting looking building and discovered it was an old, somewhat rundown hospital that had three attractive courtyards, old frescoes and other decorative touches. And it was open so we could wander freely around the grounds.

After hitting a plaza, we turned around and Deb happily found one of the city’s many yarn shops.

Let me tell you, Europeans knew how to build houses of worship. We saw many throughout our stay and just about all of them were incredibly decorated. The cathedral here was large and heavily decorated within with nooks, crannies, and corners filled with carvings or paintings. I was overwhelmed by the sheer size and scope of the structure.

Wednesday we got to tour some more and the sun shone brightly. We walked past the cathedral and towards the Plaza Nueva which had the legendary Alhambra overlooking the area. We walked up the hills, through numerous barrios and kept climbing, exploring narrow streets and alleys. We reached the top of one hill and found a flat park that provided us with amazing views of the snowcapped mountains to one side and Alhambra to the other.

Our walking led us to see how the people really lived and worked and it was pretty informative. In time, though, hunger called, and we headed down and settled on an outdoor restaurant in the plaza.

Thursday, before the con really opened, the Americans were taken on a tour of the Alhambra. This structure was rescued from neglect thanks to Washington Irving visiting it and staying to collect stories which he turned into his book Tales of the Alhambra, which reignited interest in the former palace of the Sultan along with Renaissance English structures. Maria, our tour guide, was terrific in explaining things to us and we followed along, gape-jawed with most snapping away with abandon. No wonder this is the most visited site in all of Spain.

Deb took advantage of the convention to wander different parts of the city while I worked until Sunday when we together took one last walk through the city. We went through the plaza again, in new directions and came across a small but nicely filled archaeological museum with artifacts pulled from Granada and the surrounding portions of the Andalucía region. While the placards were in Spanish, the accompanying illustrations were more than sufficient to give me a better idea of what was being described. I, of course, was fascinating and studied everything. That day, we also saw more churches, sampled local baked goods and walked quite a bit.

Tomorrow: Seville

When Carlos heard I was spending time in Madrid with Edu, he asked if I’d be willing to speak to his students. I, of course, agreed and we spent a lovely Friday afternoon at the school. Some 15-20 people gathered including Mariano Saura ad Carla Berrocal, two of the instructors. The school’s admin, Eva, was incredibly gracious and despite being on staff a mere month seemed to fit right in.

Once got started, I began talking (with Edu translating) about my background and the role of the comic book editor. I described what editors looked for in talent, how important it is to pick the right people for the right assignment and how vital it is for artists to be professional by staying in communication and making their deadlines.

The questions followed and flowed with people curious about prospects for artists in the States, some of the differences between companies, and who was stronger: The Thing or the Hulk (Jade Jaws wins every time). I then spoke to some of the students and looked at a variety of portfolios and I gather everyone had a good time. I’m told the write up on the site is most complementary but I’ll have to take their word for it.

Overall, I was made to feel welcome and they seemed to hang on my words, soaking it all in.

Carlos has even asked that write up my impressions about the Granada con for the students so I gather I’ll be keeping in touch with him and the school in the future.

Tomorrow: Granada

As most of you know, Deb and I were in Spain for 12 days mainly to attend the Granada Comic Convention otherwise known as the Salon del Comic de Granada. For the last 15 years, the guests have included a mix of Americans and I was lucky to be invited this time around.

For the first time, the con partnered with the University of Granada for an academic program that saw several of us talk to students who signed up. I was invited to speak on the American comics market as a part of this.

But first, we went to Madrid. Edu Alpuente, agent, con organizer and all-around swell guy, invited us to stay with him for a few days so we could see the city before flying south. So, after a red eye on the 3rd, we arrived the morning of the 4th and were whisked by Metro into the city and his home. After getting things settled, he took us from the outskirts into the city to begin wandering about.

He took us to Plaza del Sol to begin seeing the city and we wandered from block to block, taking it all in. After lunch, we went and saw the King’s palace and the cathedral. Both places were quite fascinating to see and hear about.

Afterwards, we returned to the apartment where we met his patient wife Monica and their 3.75 year old daughter Valeria. Monica is a marvelous host and made us feel most welcome while Valeria claimed she was too shy to use the English she was learning so quietly and enthusiastically babbled to us in Spanish, not caring at all that we barely understood her.

Our second day had us sleep late thanks to jet lag and general exhaustion. Once we were alert, Edu took us to the shopping and theater district to look around, a different perspective on the city. We also visited a comics shop which was clean, neat, welcoming and very well stocked. Soon after we took a Metro to a different part of town where we met Carlos Diez, former Heavy Metal artist. Carlos is apparently an in-demand painter with models and actors calling and asking to pose for him, the lucky guy. He took us to the city’s largest shopping mall for lunch and it looks like the typical American megamall with the typical (Clare’s) and the atypical (a tattoo parlor).

After lunch, we went to his school where I spoke to his students, something I’ll address tomorrow. Once the session ended, later than expected, we all went back to Edu’s home where we were joined by Carlos’ wife, Monica, and their son. All six adults chatted with the Alpuentes translating all the way, and we feasted.

By this point, we had pretty quickly adapted to the eating schedule of the country: lunch around 2 and dinner no earlier than 8 but both meals are so filling you never need an in-between snack.

On Saturday, the Alpuente family were given time to themselves while Deb and I made a solo venture into the rainy city. We wanted to be pure tourists so took the Metro to the Atocha Train Station, which we were told was pretty impressive. While chilly and underheated, it had some typical train station touches but there were also some nifty architectural touches on the exterior that made it worth a look.

From there, we strolled over to the Prado, bought tickets, and went to look at some pretty impressive art. We saw many familiar masters and many new to us. Much was made over Goya but frankly, I was underwhelmed. I was surprised to note that the pieces I most enjoyed did not exist as reproductions as postcards, posters or magnets. So much for taste.

We braved the drizzle and wandered the city until we were hungry and found a local eatery. The waiter’s English was as good as my Spanish so the owner helped us and for whatever reason, seemed very amused by us. The food, though, was particularly good and enjoyable.

From there, we headed in search of El Corte Ingles, a chain department store that had been recommended. We found a few of them and browsed for a bit but headed out after short tours. Instead, we decided we needed to samples their version of hot chocolate, which is usually served with churros. Well, let me tell you, this stuff was rich and thick and chocolatey and could be quite addicting.

We got back to the apartment just after 7 and reunited with the family. Apparently, we were invited to the Diez’s home, where Carlos has completed a sketch for me and we were invited to stay for dinner. So once more we feasted and I toured Carlos’ spacious attic studio, talking shop (through Edu of course).

Our final day in Madrid was spent in the apartment, packing for Granada, and playing with Valeria.  Around 4 we headed for the airport and Granada.

Tomorrow: Talking to the Students

This has been a pretty good week overall with lots of details to follow in the coming week but suffice to say all has been good.

On Tuesday, I had a really good call with Dan DiDio and Bob Harras, as Bob steps up to edit the Who’s Who project. Bob joined DC back when I was still in Collected Editions and he was a good team leader and we got on fine – of course it helped that I’ve known him since he was an assistant editor at Marvel and we’ve both come a long way. Bob is genuinely enthusiastic over the project and he’s coming up to speed quickly while I keep pounding away on entries. It now looks like the series will debut in July, not May as previously mentioned. And no, I have no control over the art assignments. Yes, I will consult and lobby in some cases but it will be handled by Bob and co-publisher Jim Lee.

On Wednesday, the Democratic Town Committee met for its bi-annual organizational meeting. As Mitch Fuchs stepped down as chair after eight strong years, Devon Pfeifer moved up to chair so I was elected Vice Chair. What does this mean? Well, rather than just being a District Leader, I will be a lot more involved in Democratic issues in town and that will force me to think politically, which is going to be new for me. It also will allow me to help recruit and train candidates for town and state elections which will be interesting.

Speaking of which, I’ve also been helping my state rep, Tom Drew, gear up for his re-election campaign and the formal announcement comes tomorrow morning. He’s a good guy who has done a lot after two terms and still has a list of things to accomplish. Best, he’s not in lockstep with the legislature’s clueless tone deaf Democratic leadership, instead he’s taking point on a moderate (saner) caucus that will try to actually get things done.

Finally, some columns I’ve written for a website have gotten good marks from my editor so I’m very encouraged. The site is scheduled to launch March 31 so we’ll talk about it more in a few weeks.

I’ve been patient but now can proudly show it off. Nice Gary Frank art and a bold design so it’ll attract attention at your local bookstore.

First of all, I have been asked to write a different Fairfield-based column since Fairfield News Online more or less ceased operation. I gather they’re regrouping but haven’t heard anything but someone else asked me to participate in a new venture, debuting in mid-March and since they were offering cash not fame, I accepted. As a result, I’ve been writing the first four columns, which will appear weekly, getting my bearings, and establishing a tone.

Secondly, work has begun on the next issue of Who’s Who, as I work slightly ahead for a number of reasons, the least of which has to do with the recent executive changes at DC. This way, I’m building a cushion to give them plenty of breathing room as assignments are juggled and people come up to speed. Details to follow.

I’ve also begun work on the second artist retrospective for Dynamic Forces. Obviously, this takes time to do research and since January I’ve spoken with the subject for about four hours . Once I receive the final transcription I can begin the serious writing, but the researching continues along with collection anecdotes and testimonials from peers.

Similarly, I’ve begun work a new article for a future issue of Back Issue, something I haven’t done in a year and it’ll be fun. So far, three of the four interview subjects have agreed to reminisce with me.

I just polished off my two March columns for Westfield Comics, recommending Showcase Presents Suicide Squad and Thor: Warriors Three.

It also appears I have successfully pitched an essay for a forthcoming anthology — details when it becomes a reality.

I do need to circle back to the spec collaboration. After we did the world building, we reworked the outline to reflect the changes and flesh out our protagonists. My partner then eagerly leapt at his sample chapter while I have yet to begin writing, although scenes are conjuring themselves up in my mind. Once I clear the decks and actually begin writing, it should flow nicely. Unless I read my partner’s chapter and want to hide in a closet for fear of disappointing him.

Ed McKeogh was the only one of you to ask and he was passionate enough about it to ask twice.

He wanted to know when the Howard Chaykin Retrospective will be coming out.

Just this week, Ed, I got word from Dynamic Forces that manuscript editing has begun so with luck, I’ll get their feedback shortly, revised, update and deliver so it can be copyedited and designed.

The best I can tell you is that the book has been pencilled in for fourth quarter 2010 release. Exact date, size, shape, page count, and cover price all to be announced in the coming weeks.

And I have already begun working on a second retrospective for Dynamic so this is fun.

Today is one of the most anticipated days of the new year as stop complaining about the cold and snow and begin looking ahead. We take comfort in knowing that further south, in Port St. Lucie to be exact, pitchers and catchers are reporting.

Pitchers and catchers is the first tangible sign of spring (forget the Groundhog) and better times to come.

Pitchers and catchers have started arriving in Arizona and Florida with full squads to follow in about a week. For this household, the arrival of players at the Mets’ spring training complex means we can finally forget about last season.

Did they have a good Winter? No. They let too many potential free agents go elsewhere so Atlanta and Philadelphia are stronger in the Eastern division. Omar Minaya, the Mets’ General Manager, held pat and decided the class of available players wasn’t worth overspending or trading away their meager prospects. He’s got one eye on his team playing healthy, unlike 2009, and one eye on 2010’s free agent class which looks far more interesting.

I think the team will train and play Spring Training games and then see who is healthy and who has lost something. The key to the rotation appears to be Oliver Perez. If he’s really back in 2008 form, we have a stronger chance. If he’s erratic all Spring, you’ll see some panicky moves.

Behind the plate, they’ve decided to give Omir Santos a shot and I applaud that.

Pitchers and catchers. I just love the sound of that.