C2E2 2010

Popa and I made the trip to check out the very first C2E2 in Chicago, IL. We got in Thursday with the show not starting until Friday, which gave us some free time to see a bit of Chicago. I enjoyed our commute from O'Hare on the L Train, however, the Navy Pier was very scenic. Best of all, were the Chicago-style Hot Dogs! I really miss them!

Friday, was show time! We got there way too early (like usual) and had a total blast! It is always great to visit with friends like Uko Smith, Jeremy and Kelly Dale, Comfort Love and Adam Withers, Robert Atkins, Chris and Laura Samnee, Brian Hurtt, Jeff Moy, Phil Moy, Jeremy Haun and I am sure I am missing a few!

I picked up my Covers that I have had on lay away with Robert Atkins. Robert is way too nice of a guy and he has gone out of his way to hook us up.

2010 brings the Cranboyz to our theme of Armor Wars! C2E2 was a great place to enjoy that theme, especially with Iron Man 2 right around the corner! Bob Layton being on hand didn't hurt either!

This was set up as a pretty huge show, and the excitement for it was everywhere! They had it set up as a big show with lots of room. You could tell they did put thought into things and were still learning as they went. I don't think the turn out was exactly what they hoped for, but it wasn't bad.

There were plenty fo costumes at this show, and folks seemed to really be trying. There were not too many lame outfits to be seen!

The show did wear us out. Nothing is close and we were always on the go. Overall, it was a good show, a great time and we got some awesome sketches! The trip was worth it and I would do it again!

And special thanks to JLAdam for picking us up in style!

C2E2: First In, Last To Go

Friday morning at C2E2:

2009: Year of the Serpent

John Popa and I have always been fans of the group known as the Serpent Society. We have also, always joked that we should just get sketches of the entire team, sometime. Well, one thing led to another, and in 2009, it happened. We decided that 2009 was the Year of the Serpent! Being the Cranboyz that we are, we had Andy create a logo, had shirts made, the whole deal.

So, we chose our favorite memebers and got to work collecting sketches of them! Not a lot of people are familiar with the Serpent Society, so we often had to explain who they were. They are a villain group that primarily fought against Captain America and appeared in his title in the mid 80's. They were led by Seth Vorhees, better known as Sidewinder. His goal was to create an established group that could bid on jobs and could offer the bonus of never having to spend time in jail. Sidewinder was a teleporter and would simply rescue his team memebers from incarceration so that they could continue to work. Brilliant!

Not all of the Cranboyz are such fans of the Serpent Society (don't ask me why!) but still wanted to particiapte in the Year of the Serpent. So, we decided that as long as you got some sort of serpent sketch, you were in! Well, that made for some interesting contributions!

Dave got this sketch of Fin Fang Foom!

Andy Decided to have some snakes added to his sketch of Indiana Jones!

And our mysterious member, Carl, picked up a sketch of his hero, Snake Pliskin!

Now, for the Serpent Society sketches of 2009!

I picked up ANACONDA by Adam Withers!

Popa got the ASP from Robert Atkins and I got her from Jay Fife!

Popa had Darryl Banks draw this perfect BLACK MAMBA. Comfort Love played off of the characters background, for me!

Mahailo Vukelic drew BUSHMASTER for me.

Classic Villain COBRA was drawn for Popa by Jeremy Dale and for me by Casey Jones!

CONSTRICTOR turned down an offer to join the Serpent Society, but ran around with Viper in the Serpent Squad. Tom Lyle drew him for me!

Shawn had Comfort Love add COPPERHEAD to our collection!

COTTONMOUTH was a founding member of the Society. Robert Atkins drew him for Popa, Sean McArdle drew him for me.

Mysterious and deadly, DEATH ADDER was drawn for me by Josh Medors and for Popa by Reilly Brown.

DIAMONDBACK left the Society to date Captain America and fought them at his side! She was drawn by Sean Chen for Popa and by Joe Pekar for me.

Uko Smith drew PRINCESS PYTHON for Karen!

PUFF ADDER is a newer member to the team. He could increase his bulk AND spit acid! He was drawn for me by Jeremy Dale and for Popa by Adam Withers!

Casey Jones drew the team's founder, SIDEWINDER, for Popa!

I had Uko Smith draw the beautiful and deadly VIPER!

There are still a few members we want to add. I know Popa still wants BUSHmaster in his collection and I have plans for SIDEWINDER! Overall, it was a lot of fun having a theme to shoot for. It makes it a little tough, considering that most of us have theme's for each of our sketchbooks! But we did it!

And a lot of the artists had fun with it as well! We have had many requests for a theme for 2010, but, that's a story for later!