Day Three at Fan Expo Canada: Bananas

Donkey Kong

Just when you thought it couldn't get any busier at Fan Expo Canada in Toronto, Saturday's crowd was bigger than ever. There was talk floating around that Fan Expo is now the second largest convention in North America, behind Comic-Con International in San Diego.



Fear Agent critiques Ronn's art



Fans were out in full force and colourful costumes. Ronn and I were kept at our table doing commissions and chatting with folk, and we got a surprise visit from Fear Agent, a character Ronn drew. Ronn did a sketch of the fellow, who bought an Excerpts sketchbook.

We also got an unexpected visit from Ronn's nephew Daryl and pals. Daryl was amazed at all the character outfits and scored a mint Transformers toy.



Krissy as Wonder Woman



Lots of shopping going on, and I picked up a Big Bang Theory shirt with Sheldon, Leonard, Raj and Howard presented like a Beatles cover. Geeky cool. I also got a "free" G4 T-shirt for becoming G4's friend on Facebook.

Sunday will be a short day for us because we have to catch our Porter flight back to Ottawa. Some come on by at 10 am and say hi!

RONN SUTTON ILLUSTRATES FEAR - BOTH REAL AND IMAGINED

Artist Ronn Sutton hits front pages with his courtroom drawings of alleged terrorist

Artist Ronn Sutton has switched from drawing pure science fiction fantasy appearing in FEAR AGENT #22 (Dark Horse Comics), out June 2008, to illustrating the epitome of true fear – alleged Canadian terrorist Momin Khawaja.

Khawaja's trial began this week in Ottawa, and Sutton's courtroom art has been featured on the front pages of The Ottawa Citizen, in the National Post, online and on television.

"The challenge of courtroom drawing is to get a good likeness and depict the environment in an accurate way, often in a very short period of time," Sutton says. "It's very different from drawing rocket ships or comic book heroes."

Security has been greatly enhanced for this trial. Khawaja faces seven terrorism charges related to an England terror plot, foiled in spring 2004. Six hundred kilograms of ammonium nitrate fertilizer was to set off violent fireballs to kill and incinerate people inside "soft" public targets, as well as gas and electric utilities. Five Britons, all Muslims of Pakistani descent, were convicted in a London court last year for their roles and sentenced to life. Khawaja stands charged, among other crimes, of using the basement of his family's suburban Ottawa home to build up to 30 remote-controlled devices to transmit radio signals to the bombs' detonators. More details are emerging as the trial continues.

On a more pleasant note, Sutton's artwork is also being showcased in the comic book back-up story, "The Good Guys," appearing in FEAR AGENT #22, out as of June 25, 2008, from Dark Horse Comics. The script by Hillary Barta (who also inked the story) pays homage to classic science fiction, and Sutton interpreted the tale by drawing Wally Wood-inspired aliens and 1950s-style spacecraft.

Sutton and Barta are teaming up on several other science fiction and horror projects, yet to be announced.

Ronn Sutton will be attending FanExpo in Toronto, appearing in Artists' Alley, from August 22-24, 2008.

HETHERINGTON & SUTTON @ NEW YORK COMIC CON

Ronn Sutton "Vampira: The Movie" Tribute Art Print offered at show

Ottawa, Canada -- Comics creators Janet Hetherington (Eternal Romance) and Ronn Sutton (Fear Agent, Liberty Girl) will be making their first convention appearance the year at New York Comic Con, taking place at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York from April 18-20, 2008.

Both artists will have artwork available in Artist Alley, where Janet and Ronn can be found at table spots E25 and E26.

“I have a lot of new color pieces that I worked on for this show,” Janet says. “As always, Ronn has terrific comic book pages available -- including fun and sassy original Elvira pages.”

Janet scripted stories for the Elvira, Mistress of the Dark comic book (Claypool Comics) for six years. Ronn pencilled Elvira for nine years, and is now working on such projects as Liberty Girl (Heroic) and Fear Agent (Dark Horse). Ronn’s art appears in the Fear Agent #22 (June 2008) back-up story, “The Good Guys,” scripted and inked by Hilary Barta.

Ronn’s artwork is also being showcased as a New York Comic Con exclusive. The Ronn Sutton Autographed "Vampira: The Movie" Tribute Art Print -- a beautiful tribute to another legendary horror host, Maila "Vampira" Nurmi -- is being offered at the Camp Festival Booth (900-A). (Sadly, Maili Nurmi passed away on January 10, 2008.) The print, which is autographed by both Ronn and by documentary filmmaker Kevin Sean Michaels (Vampira: The Movie), measures 11” x17” and is being offered at $20.

After New York Comic Con, Janet and Ronn’s next appearance will be closer to home. On May 3, 2008, for Free Comic Book Day (FCBD), the creative duo -- in conjunction with activities organized by Bill Chappell, owner of The Hobby Centre / Comics Cave -- are scheduled to appear at both the Alta Vista Library and the Greenboro Library in Ottawa, Canada, to display art and talk comics with kids of all ages.

Free Comic Book Day is an international annual event that allows children to choose a free comic book to keep and read. In addition to Janet and Ronn’s appearance at the libraries in Ottawa, Bill is planning to have costumed characters on hand to get children excited about reading comics and about Free Comic Book Day.

Images:
Fear Agent #22 art by Ronn Sutton and Hilary Barta. © 2008 Rick Remender, Tony Moore, Hilary Barta, Ronn Sutton
Vampira: The Movie art by Ronn Sutton. © 2008 Kevin Sean Michaels.