Society Annual + NYComicCon

Here I am playing blog catch-up. It’s been a crazy bunch of days –- the stars aligned just so and there was an exhausting convergence of New York ComicCon and the Society of Illustrators’ annual gala.

Thursday
The weekend started with Richard Solomon’s annual cocktail party. This year it was held at the Beekman Towers with amazing views of east Manhattan. The party was great fun but as too many of us squeezed into an elevator to leave for dinner we managed to get stuck for a solid half hour. While it would be tough to call the experience fun it was a great crew to be stuck with. Luckily, only one person was truly claustrophobic, the rest of us were laughing for a half hour straight. The Elevator Club included Mark Summers, Gary Kelly, Greg Manchess, Peter de Seve, David Johnson, Barbara McClintock, Murray Kimber, Scott Brundage, Elise, Jim Bennet, and myself.

Friday
The Society’s opening and awards ceremony. The show looks good although, typical of openings, I saw very little of it. The awards are always handled well. The director, Terry Brown, does a nice job of keeping them moving without feeling rushed. James Jean got a medal for one of his Fables covers. Gary Kelly got an medal for his brilliant Black Cat Bone book. (A perfect gift for anyone into the blues and Robert Johnson.) Greg Swearingen got a well earned award for the sweetest Cyrano you ever did see. I’m missing some other awards, but that's what I remember right now. It was great to see and talk to John Jude Palencar, Donato Giancola, Brad Holland, Steve Stroud, Michael Deas, and many others. There are a number of Tor covers in the show but, to be honest, I’m not even sure how many. I’ll get back and take some pictures of the exhibit soon.

Saturday
I was manning the Tor booth at ComicCon with our fabulous publicist Dot Lin. (Dot did all the work, hence, fabulous!) We had a well attended George R. R. Martin signing for Ice Dragon. Other authors and Tor alumni stopped by -- Timothy Zahn, David Keck, Greg Cox. I got to see some artist friends. The convention was much larger and more interesting than last year. Sadly, I missed seeing any panels since the rest of the weekend was completely booked up with activities. Hopefully next year I'll be able to spend more of the weekend there.

Saturday night was a massive dinner with John Jude Palencar, Rick and Wendy Farrell, most of the Elevator Club, and others I never got to speak to. All topped off with the traditional annual visit to the lounge at the Café des’Artise, home of the Howard Chandler Christy murals

Sunday
Richard Solomon once again treated everyone to a lovely send-off breakfast, which was followed by a dinner with those still left in town.

Monday
The whole thing was capped off by a small dinner with Paul Cox. Honestly, being at a table for just three at an intimate Italian restaurant was really a highlight --so nice to talk and actually be heard after so much partying.

And somehow amongst all of this I managed to have a lovely lunch with my mom and my brother’s future in-laws. All in all -- a fun weekend but, boy, am I ready for nothing to do for a while.

PICTURES:

Stuck in the elevator -- Mark Summers, Murray Kimber, and others.

ComicCon floor; David Keck talking to Patrick Nielsen Hayden; George R. R. Martin and fan; Wizards of the Coast art directors, Mary (whose last name I have forgotten) and Jeremy Jarvis, with artists David Hollenbach, Arkady Roytman, and Dave Palumbo.

Sterling Hundely’s award winning painting.

Greg Swearingen gets a medal for Cyrano.

James Jean’s award winning Fables cover

Paul Cox, Greg Manchess and me.