At last weekend’s Austin Comic Con (aka WizardWorld Austin), I ran into some familiar though long seen personages. Same thing happened last year when I visited with artist Mark A. Nelson for the first time in nearly 15 years. This time I found Weird Business contributor Miran Kim.
Miran illustrated Poppy Z. Brite’s story “Becoming the Monster.” Poppy was the first contributor to the book, turning in her script before Joe R. Lansdale and I even had contract for the book. (Loads more behind the scenes of Weird Business) At the time Miran was the primary cover artist for Poppy’s novels.
Art by Miran Kim from Weird Business
Though I couldn’t recall if I had met Miran previously, she had vague memories of meeting two guys from Mojo at a New York convention. Neither me nor Mojo Press publisher Ben Ostrander ever went to a NYC con. After a few minutes, we figured it must have been at one of the San Diego conventions.
We caught up on things. Miran was in town visiting her brother. She showed off some of her recent works including the new graphic novel 27 Graves, written by Steve Niles. Remarkably, the gorgeous work has yet to find an American publisher.
In the duh-department, Miran revealed she doesn’t like her work from Weird Business. Really, what artist does like their work from 20 years ago?
The other old acquaintance renewed never actually worked with me though I wish he had. The legendary Berni Wreightson made his first of what will surely be many appearances at the Comic Con. Berni moved to Austin back in February.
I first met him at the 1997 San Diego Comic Con, shortly after Weird Business came out, when he asked me why he wasn’t include in the book. Dumbfounded and flattered, I told him that Joe and I didn’t know how to contact him.
Image from Berni Wrightson’s Frankenstein
Wrightson has long been one of my artistic heroes. His work in Creepy and House of Mystery informed much of my earliest works. Without him, I doubt Weird Business would exist.
I chatted with him and his wife Liz about Austin and comics. Berni happily signed my copies of Roots of the Swamp Thing, Frankenstein, and The Reaper of Love. I am looking forward to more interactions with the couple in hopefully the near future.
