Sundays are always interesting days at conventions. The bulk of the event has passed and priorities shift to clearing out by the mid-afternoon closing time. Big-name guests are long gone, as are the crowds who filled the center only 24 hours prior to see them. It is safe to say that the hardcore fans are in the majority on Sunday, closing out their weekend by sifting through comics, toys, etc. for that elusive deal.
It is a magical time.
I was wandering aimlessly through the artist’s alley on the last day of Wizard World East 2011 in Philadelphia. Suddenly, a voice called out to me:
“Draw a penis for a dime!”
Since I immediately realized that such a phrase most likely won’t be repeating itself anytime soon in my life, I took a temporary leave of absence from my wandering duties and made my way to the source of the call. It turns out that it originated from Patrick J. Reilly, seated at the table for Pronto Comics. Sure enough, right there on his table, I found the following:
That’s right: ANY character drawn as a penis on a Post-It Note for a mere ten cents. Some of his display drawings (also for sale) included The Flash and Venom from “Spider-Man.” It was certainly not only unique, but also MUCH more affordable than other pieces of artwork around the convention. Again, this was on Sunday, a mere 1-2 hours from the event’s closure; at that point, your credit cards are crying out “No more! Swiping hurts!”
I scanned my memory bank (and, while I was at it, my spank bank) for favorite characters of mine that would look good re-imagined as a key part of the male anatomy. It didn’t take long before I came up with not only a choice, but a challenge.
“How about Johnny 5 from the ‘Short Circuit’ movies?”
His reply?
“That’s the best suggestion I’ve had all day.”
He went right to work.
The artist at work.
The finished product.
Excellent attention to detail. My favorite part is of course the chrome. Reilly made sure to add the phrase “Johnny 5 is hard and alive!” If the toy-making career he assumed in the closing scenes of “Short Circuit 2” doesn’t pan out, perhaps Johnny can do porn. Hey, rule #34 exists for a reason.
I named the creation “Johnson 5.”
When I had first approached the table, Reilly took note of the Star Trek shirt I had opted to wear that day and offered “I haven’t done Spock yet.” As the ink dried on the 3M canvas now home to Johnson 5, I requested Leonard Nimoy’s famed character next; “Spock the Cock” seemed like an appropriate moniker. As he drew, I suggested that he also draw William Shatner himself for his table’s sample pile, as the Shat is renowned for being quite a dick.
Finally, Spock the Cock was completed and submitted for my approval:
I’m sure this re-imagined Vulcan will enthusiastically “live long.”
I happily informed Mr. Reilly that his two small masterpieces were NOT worth ten cents apiece; instead, I paid a cool fifty cents for the artwork. Reilly’s work is, in my opinion, a small but nevertheless certain sign that Wizard World is returning to its roots as a show for fans of comics and those who create them. While the big-name guests again stole the show, folks like Patrick J. Reilly, who use their creativity to create art for a price that won’t absolutely break potential customers, make up the heart and soul of what conventions should be all about. Celebrities who haven’t been relevant since the dawn of the NASA program charging 3-4 times the price of an admission pass should NOT be the heart and soul.
Check out Reilly’s personal site at https://sites.google.com/site/notpatreillyclub/ and follow him on Twitter at @NotPatReilly. Tell him Johnson 5 sent you.
Inochiblog 