Continuing My Series On Creators that will be at the Comic Con International San Diego 2009, AND whom I think You should make a point to stop and see...

Jeff Balke, colorist & artist, tells me that he will be in the area known as 'Artists Alley' and invites YOU to stop in during the convention to see him and his work at Table HH-14 !

Jeff is really proud of a process that he does. Here he is in his own words about it: 

"Recently, I’ve created something called Sketch Coloring.  This is where I take a sketch cover of any comic and color it right there on the spot with special markers.  This is my way of doing a sketch.  Since most colorists really don’t sketch “traditionally” (like Jim Lee, Micah Gunnell and so on…) I wanted to come up with my own way to give something to the fans so they can take home and have a “one of a kind”.  Sketch Colorings do just that.  No two Sketch Colorings are alike(even if I color the same cover 100 times for 100 people)."

If you are not one of the 125,000+ persons that are attending this great comic book & pop culture convention this month, then you must take a look at Jeff's additional "Sketch Colorings" work at:

http://www.jbalkesart.com/sketch%20colors.html

However, if you are attending  the San Diego Comic Con International later on this month, then please hi-lite on your program map the area known as 'Artists Alley' so you can meet Jeff Balke in person; as well as maybe commission him do a 'Sketch Coloring' for You!  Remember, he will be at Table HH-14!

Please Note:  Days and Times of programs / panels / doors opening etc.  are subject to change at any convention, so double check when you get there!  There is a daily updated schedule that is available onsite!

For those that don't know... the 2009 SDCC / CCI-SD is being held at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. 

The address is: 111 W Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA.  Dates of the Con are from July 23rd through July 26th, with a Preview Night July 22nd for 4 day Badge Members Only!  However as this blog post 'goes to press' ALL memberships have been SOLD OUT already!

BTW, we don't colorize any comics here at Make It So Marketing's Blog, but we do blog daily on comics and pop culture news and events.  Check out our daily blog posts, new listings of comics, graphic novels, Comic Con exclusives and more pop culture items for sale including Justice League of America Comics in our online eBay Featured Store! 

Thanks again to all of YOU reading our current and archived blog posts!!  

Brent Frankenhoff, Editor of Comics Buyer's Guide, tells me that he will be co-hosting the CBG Booth at the 2009 SDCC / CCI Comic Con at booth #1419 and invites YOU to stop in during the convention!

Besides editing the monthly magazine, Brent also produces an annual price guide, and administrates the CBGxtra web site. Plus he has a lot of knowledge on comics and the industry itself, as he has worked at CBG for more than sixteen years!

When I asked what they will be displaying at the Con, Brent told me "We'll have the current issue for sale, along with books and DVDs. A preview of Tony Isabella's upcoming '1000 Comics You Must Read' will also be there for folks to peruse and preorder".

Wondering if Brent would be on any programs or panels this year, Brent went on to say "I won't be on any panels, but CBG Editor Maggie Thompson should be on the Impact University panel. Impact is a book imprint of our parent company, F+W Media, that produces dozens of "how to" books on writing and drawing for comics and other media".

Brent also suggested that if you aren't aware of his 'Oh, So?' forum online, you are welcome to check out http://www.cbgxtra.com for updates of what they will be doing as they get closer to show time.

BTW, I have been a subscriber to CBG for many years!  It is one of the few publications on comics that I have kept a hard copy subscription to year in and year out, as I like having the printed format in my hands to read. 

Anyways, when you are at the San Diego Comic Con International later on this month, mark on your program map the CBG Booth #1419 so you can meet Brent Frankenhoff as well as check out all the goodies on display there!

Please Note:  Days and Times of programs / panels / doors opening etc.  are subject to change at any convention, so double check when you get there!  There is a daily updated schedule that is available onsite!

For those that don't know... the 2009 SDCC / CCI-SD is being held at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. 

The address is: 111 W Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA.  Dates of the Con are from July 23rd through July 26th, with a Preview Night July 22nd for 4 day Badge Members Only!  However as this blog post 'goes to press' ALL memberships have been SOLD OUT already!

BTW, we don't publish any pro-zines here at Make It So Marketing's Blog, but we do blog daily on comics and pop culture news and events.  Check out our daily blog posts, new listings of comics, graphic novels, Comic Con exclusives and more pop culture items for sale including Prozines and Fanzines in our online eBay Featured Store! 

Thanks again to all of YOU reading our current and archived blog posts!!  

Kat Cahill tells me that she is scheduled to be signing at the Image / Shadowline Booth at the 2009 SDCC / CCI Comic Con!  

She tells me... "Right now I am scheduled to sign at noon on Thursday and 10AM on Saturday. This will be in the Image/Shadowline table".

I have blogged about Kat before when I read her first series 'I Hate Gallant Girl', aka IHGG.  (Click here for my 4 previous posts on IHGG.)

Matter of fact that three issues series is scheduled to be published in a trade paperback format sometime in September 2009! In addition Kat says "The IHGG trade will have a new cover drawn by Jimmie "Bomb Queen" Robinson".   So you might want to put in an order with your LCBS if you haven't read all of the series yet!

Kat's latest comic book work is 'Bomb Queen Presents - All Girl Comics' #1, as seen at the top left of this blog post!

I can't give a review on it, as I've not yet read it. However, Kat tells me "There is only one story in the issue. Kris Simon came up with the plot and I wrote the script". The art is by Seth Damoose.  

So, when you are at the San Diego Comic Con International, mark your program schedule to meet Kat Cahill either of those two times!

Please Note:  Days and Times are subject to change at any convention, so double check when you get there!

The 2009 SDCC / CCI-SD is being held at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. The address is: 111 W Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA.  Dates of the Con are from July 23rd through July 26th, a Preview Night July 22nd for 4 day Badge Members Only!

BTW, we don't have 'signings' here at Make It So Marketing's Blog, but we do blog daily on comics and pop culture news and events.  Check out our daily blog posts, new listings of comics, graphic novels, Comic Con exclusives and more pop culture items for sale including SIGNED Comics in our online eBay Featured Store! 

Thanks again to all of YOU reading our current and archived blog posts!!  

The past few weeks have seen the passing of several persons including Farah Fawcett and Michael Jackson.  Overlooked by many was the death of Gale Storm on June 27th...  

My thanks to Glenn Walker for bringing this to my attention.  He blogged about it yesterday, and referenced it on his personal Facebook Wall.

The reason I am bringing this to the attention of my Blog readers, is that many will not know that Gale Storm had a comic book connection among many other achievements during her long life.

When Gale was the star on the TV Show 'My Little Margie', she was on many covers of the Charlton Comics comic book series of the same name. Matter of fact, Charlton Comics published the title series 'My Little Margie' from July 1954 to November 1964 for a total of 54 issues!

In addition, just like in today's comics world, where if one title succeeds, add another, Charlton had two other titles based on the TV Show!  My Little Margie's Boyfriends ran for 11 issues from August 1955 to April 1958.  Plus My Little Margie's Fashions for 5 issues, from February 1959 to November 1959!

And... like other stars of that era, she even had a promotional comic book based on her 'My Little Margie' series.  This one from Blue Bird Shoe Company Presents: My Little Margie in 1963!

Like many other TV and Film Stars of the era, Gale Storm was not her original name.  She was born Josephine Owaissa Cottle in Bloomington, Texas.

She was a star in Film (1940 - 1952), TV (1952 - 1960), Radio (1952 - 1955) and Music (1956 - 1960). 

But I'll only mention the TV years here.   It was the years 1952 to 1955 that her television career first skyrocketed!  That was due to her starring role in 'My Little Margie'.  The show was originally a summer replacement for the 'I Love Lucy' TV Show on CBS.  That show went on to run for 126 episodes on both the NBC and CBS networks.

When that series ended, Gale's personal popularity was capitalized upon when she briefly served as 'hostess' on the NBC Comedy Hour in the Winter of 1956.

The rating from that stint showed that she had personal popularity still, so she was placed in another situation comedy, logically called 'The Gale Storm Show'!  This series ran for a total of 143 episodes between the years of 1956 and 1960.

Gale of course appeared  on other television programs in the 1950's and 1960's as well.  Although Gale had been out of the limelight since 1989 when she stopped working actively, (her last role was an episode on 'Murder She Wrote'), her works in TV, Music, Film, Radio, and Comics live on.  She actually has 3 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame... For Recording, Radio and Television!  Thanks Gale for the memories!

Here at Make It So Marketing's Blog, we blog daily on comics and pop culture news and events.  Check out our daily blog posts, new listings of comics, graphic novels, Comic Con exclusives and more pop culture items for sale including TV Show Comics in our online eBay Featured Store! 

Thanks again to all of YOU reading our current and archived blog posts!!  

Bob Bretall, Podcaster at 'Comic Book Page', tells me that there will be a 4th Annual 'Comics Podcasters Panel' at the 2009 SDCC / CCI Comic Con!  

Bob asked me if I would mention it since I enjoyed the earlier panel from the 2008 SDCC. (Click here for my Blog on that panel.) Which I am glad to do here in my Blog!  John Mayo of Comic Book Page will be there also, but this year there is only supposed to be one spokesperson for each podcaster on the actual platform. 

Here are the listed representatives from the podcasters at this time. (Schedules and persons are subject to change.): 

Comic Book Page: Bob Bretall
Comic Geek Speak: Brian "Pants" Christman
Comics News Insider: Jimmy Aquino
iFanboy: Ron Richards !

If you haven't checked out the above podcasts, I urge you to do so, even if you aren't checking out the Panel at the SDCC!  My thanks to Ron Richards of iFanboy for setting up this year's panel!

Bob won't be on any other panels or programs during the Con, so this may be the only chance to see him!

BTW, although John Mayo won't be 'on stage' for the panel, you will want to find him in the panel room, as he will be distributing FREE Comics for those that attended this panel!   

Also, when I am wrapping / shipping our packages for shipment out to our buyers I listen to podcasts.  When not listening to eBay Radio archived podcasts for up to date news, I listen to John & Bob at: http://www.comicbookpage.com  

BTW, we don't podcast here at Make It So Marketing's Blog, but we do blog daily on comics and pop culture news and events.  Check out our daily blog posts, new listings of comics, graphic novels, Comic Con exclusives and more pop culture items for sale including ARCHIE Comics in our online eBay Featured Store! 

Thanks again to all of YOU reading our current and archived blog posts!!