Sunday at the Con

The last day at the Con is always exciting because everyone is ready to buy! We decided Sunday was "Coaster Day" because we sold an amazing amount of my aviation/Fantasy drink coasters. They are priced to go at $5 a set, which includes a hand-made box. It's fun thinking up ways to make your artwork functional as well as fun.
Midway through the day, I went upstairs to check on my art show pieces. It was a good year for the art show as well. I sold 4 pieces and only brought down 5. The art show is how DRB Graphics originally started their presence at the Con since the panel space is relatively cheap. With continued success upstairs, DRB Graphics eventually moved downstairs as well with a table (G-5) in row 900.
This year, all family members had art for sale at the table. Calvin, my son, drew an original sketch of his 64 VW bus and we sold it in button form. Elizabeth, with her Click Chick products, had a very profitable time at the Con as well. Her money earned is going towards her trip to France for Spring '09.
Rokbot t-shirts started flying off the shelves early in the day and we could have sold a bunch of small and mediums if we had had them in stock. Next time! (If you weren't able to get a Rokbot shirt at this year's Con, email me at drbbois@hotmail.com, subject line-Rokbot, and I will get one to you). Rokbot says, "Thank you Comic Con fans for your continued, fleshy support of me!"
As some of you may know, I am phasing out my clocks. All my aviation clocks have now sold and I am down to 2 Devil Gal clocks which will be on display at Oktoberfest in La Mesa in 3 months.
Overall, the Con experience was what it is every year. A wonderful, rollicking time that beats the snot out of you, but it is well worth it. I had a great time seeing my many Con friends such as Dean Yeagle, Gary Hamm, Alberto Ruiz, Robert A. Kraus of Rak Graphics, I got sketchbooks and prints from Dean Yeagle, William Stout, Mark Schultz, Bruce Timm, Darwyn Cooke, Cameron Stewart, Dave Bullock(who did an amazing Julie Newmar sketch in his book with reference googled on a blackberry! Thanks again Dave). I traded my comic & prints for books and prints from Rick Cortez, Josh Hughes, Matt Pott (all the way up from Tasmania!), Javier Guzman, & shirts with Kevin Dart! Thanks guys!
Remember, DRB Graphics is located in the San Diego Area. You can find DRB Graphics at the La Mesa Oktoberfest in October and the Rolando Street Fair in March. We share booth space with Billy Martinez of Neko Press.

Saturday: Day 4, We are ALIVE!

Hi All!
Tired has taken on a new meaning. But it's only 1 glorious week a year and so we plunge on! (As living proof as to how much I love the Con and start missing it as soon as it is over-My daughter who is also a budding photographer, gave me a wonderful Christmas present last year. She had made a collage of several Comic Con photos from 2007 and entitled it, "Dad's Christmas").
I want to thank all my friends, co-workers and fellow art students, & Drawing board members who have visited my table this year (Tom, Chris Paluso, Billy, Janet, Andrea, Melanie, Sal, Matt T., Gary, Oliver, the Jessicas, Mikey, Jerome, Mel, Josh Hughes, Matt Pott, Rick Cortez, Javier Guzman, Kevin Dart, Shane Corn, Walley Wingert,Christine, Adrian, Alex, Shawn & the "Bat Family", Ruby & Jenn, & Billy, Catherine, Guenevere, Gabrielle, Camille & Hampton). I also want to thank all my returning friends who, even though I don't remember all your names, I recognize your faces when you stop by the table to check for new airplanes or fantasy art. Thanks!


As fans of my table know, my artwork is a compilation of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Aviation. One of my favorite things about exhibiting my aviation artwork is meeting the pilots/crew members/or relatives that lived through this era and hearing their stories. It happens at the Con each year.
This year I met the grandson of WWII Flying Tiger pilot Frank Lawlor, Lindsy Lawlor. He stopped in and bought several of my aviation prints and shared stories about his grandfather who he resembles.I also met the nephew of a WWII B-17 Waist gunner from the "Bloody 1ooth" bomb group of the 8th AF who told me several stories that had been passed down to him about his great uncle.
And I met the granddaughter of WWII & Vietnam ace Robin Olds who was kind enough to share her stories as well.
My aviation art holds a special place in my heart. I am an amateur historian of WWII aircraft and read anything I can get my hands on, not only for reference material, but a love of the subject as well.
My aviation art is available in bookmarks, buttons, large prints, stickers and coasters. My wife pointed out that I haven't drawn any new planes in awhile. So I'll add that to my list of things to do before next year's Con.

What I did debut this year from an aviation standpoint, was my print entitled, "Keep 'Em Flying". I had this in the art show upstairs and it sold out at the table. It was very popular and once it sold out, fans bought the button version. The original concept for this piece started out as a contest submission for a university that was looking for t-shirt art that would resemble aviation nose art with a pin-up girl. I ended up being the artist they chose. Then I adapted that original piece into the print that was on display this year. I utilized a 40's color palette which really makes the piece "pop".
Katie and Elizabeth began the day doing time in Room 6B as they waited for "The Office" panel. Unbeknownst to me, the entire cast of "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" was in the panel presiding the office and Elizabeth managed to get photos of them. This show is a family favorite at our house so I was extremely jealous.
I have saved the highlight of today for the very last tidbit. I had a conversation with a gentleman from Columbia Pictures who is interested in obtaining some of my aviation artwork for set dressings for Columbia! What a great way to end the day. In addition, a good friend of mine, Chris Paluso, had a very productive conversation with Lucas Arts & Topps. Chris is an excellent artist and wowed them with his portfolio.You can view some of his art on his myspace page(http://www.myspace.com/paluso4art)

"We Come in Peace, and in Spandex Uniforms..."

My good friends, Scott and Vicky, who always visit the table when dressed as Batman and Wonder Woman and/or Catwoman, made their debut as part of a landing team from classic Star Trek. Not only is this my favorite Sci-Fi show of all time, they had the look down! Scott was Capt. Kirk and Vicky was Lt. Sebring. They had a Dr. McCoy and a Mr. Spock. I "geeked" out to the fullest extent possible and then later confided to my wife that I wanted to be a member of the team next year. Being a wonderful gal, she fully supports me in this wish. Vicky handmade all their uniform tops and her attention to detail was great. (I can't decide whether I want to be a yellow or a red shirt). They had phasers and Dr. McCoy even had his medical scanner, which detected I was tired and ravenously hungry. (Little do they know, I already have my own phaser at home which I can dust off for next year).
I warned you, it is my absolute favorite TV show of all time.
I met Scott and Vicky through the 66 Bat Board (http://www.66batman.com/) which is a chat room devoted to the '66 Batman TV series. They have been coming to the Con for several years and they always dress up, usually multiple characters each trip. This time I was visited by Jennifer & Ruby in their excellent 66 Batman & Batgirl Costumes.
Jennifer picked up some more Batgirl Chest emblems from me to keep her going for all of her Batgirl appearances at other cons. Ruby & Jenn have quite a few other costumes and you can check them out here (http://www.rubyrinekso.com/sdcc2008.cfm) I am also a huge fan of the 66 Batman TV show, as most of you can tell by my original interpretations of the 66 Batmobile on display at my table and the art show upstairs.















Our special guest featured at the table today is Ms. Katie W., another close associate of the proprietress of Click Chick. She is a huge fan of The Office and is looking forward to tomorrow's Office panel.

Thursday-1st Official Day of the Con

Well, we are back. A little bleary-eyed but we're here. It took awhile to get out of the parking garage last night so we didn't get to bed until after midnight and up at 5:00 to get a parking spot today. Getting a hotel room sounds better each morning!
After setup I was able to go around and visit friends from the Drawingboard (www.drawingboard.org). Before the Con is over, I will return and buy all their great sketch books as soon as our table is visited by old and new fans alike to replenish the DRB coffers which are low on day 1.
Shawn from the 66Batman board(http://www.66batman.com) came by to pick up some 1966 style bat chest emblems I had made for his Nephew & Brother who were costuming as 66Batman & Robin. The Bat Family looked awesome and they had a blast at the con(check here for a full story with lots of pics!) (http://www.66batman.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1217550942)
I had to run upstairs to the Art Show and hang "The Witches of Danville" really quick. It was one of the items forgotten in the melee yesterday as we loaded both cars. This piece is popular because it features three of my original witches in a 3 foot vertical or horizontal frame (whatever mood we're in), along with assorted spells and witch "shopping lists". I always think it will do well at the La Mesa Oktoberfest (http://www.lmvma.com/lmv_oktoberfest.html) when we exhibit there due to the time of year, but it actually moves better at the Con.
We have a very nice guest at the table today, Matthew W., who is offering his assistance at the Click Chick end of the table. He is a close associate of the proprietress, Elizabeth.

Comic Con 2008: Preview Night!

Wow! Comic Con is finally here. It's like Christmas in July. Tonight's crowd was amazing and our little corner of the Con did the
best it's ever done for opening night (thanks to everyone that stops by every year to check in and buy the new goodies!). There was a lot of interest in the buttons which are new; not just mine but my daughter's as well (see http://lizclickchick.blogspot.com) .
Another new item was the debut of my comic, Saucer Girls: Peril on Planet Earth! I am really excited to see how it goes over. I invested a lot of blood, sweat and time to get this ready in time for the Con. My two space aliens, Jean and Aileen, crash on our little planet and run into a human friend. What a labor of love comics are. You don't realize that until you create one. All that effort and then it is read in minutes. I hope everyone enjoys it. I had a blast making it. It began as a project in my weekly art class at Neko Press (http://www.nekopresscomics.com/).

My goal is to produce a new issue every year. Next Con, Rokbot, a DRB original robot of questionable background and proportions, will come on the scene in issue #2, so call me out if he doesn't.

I also have 2 new prints featuring Jean and Aileen. They are upstairs in the art show too.
Speaking of Rokbot, you can get him on a t-shirt this year. (He always sells out in sticker form so get yours early).

Comic Con 2008-Just around the corner...

Ahhh..... a Saturday spent bent over the hockey table in our back room making buttons from my artwork and designing business cards for my daughter. Not your typical weekend unless you are one of the many SD artists getting ready for "the most wonderful time of the year", and I'm not talking Christmas! Comic-Con 2008 is breathing down our necks at this point. Why, I can smell the nachos and churros from here.
What will be new for Dan Bois Graphics this year?
Making their debut will be:

• Button art!
• Rokbot t-shirts!
• debut of Click Chick art (original art by my daughter Elizabeth)
• and last, but certainly not least.... drum roll please....my first original comic, "Saucer Girls".