I little bit back I shared this story of how I met Amanda Conner and how she had my Stephen Colbert, Wrist Strong Bracelet. At MegaCon 2015 I got the opportunity to see her again. She was so nice and actually remembered me. I guess I am as memorable as I think I am.
I think she is the greatest female comic book artists of my time. (possibly ever) The book I feel personifies her, is The Pro. Written by the great Garth Ennis, inked by Jimmy Polmiotti and penciled by my girl, Amanda. My comic shop guy back in New Port Richey, FL at Colossal Comics challenged me. He handed me this book and said...
"Buy this and if it's not the greatest book you ever read. I'll give you back double your money and you can keep the book." "You'll just take my word for it?" I asked. "Yea, tell me with a strait face you don't like it and you get double your money back." He answered.
Seemed like I couldn't loose, so I went home to read it. I came back next week and as much as my broke younger self wanted to lie and get my money back, I just couldn't. It was so funny. The writing and artwork told the story so damn well. The story is about a single mother, who is a prostitute, who is given super powers and is asked to join a super hero group. The concept alone is priceless. Everything about this book is raunchy, hilarious and real. Just a great book. Go pick it up. It's still in print. (I think.)
So that book got me hooked on Amanda Conner artwork. Then I went on to have a couple interactions with her that made me love her even more.
At MegaCon 2015 at the end of a day on Friday I headed over to Amanda's table. She was packing up for the day, so I moseyed on over to talk with her. I said hello and asked if she got the tweet I had sent her about the post I wrote about her. (Her Twitter is @AmandaRantsAlot) She seemed to light up a bit and said...
"Yes, was that you?" "Yea, that was me" I replied "I still have that bracelet" she said. "You do?" I exclaimed "Yea, it's kinda of in a shrine. It's in my bathroom around a bottle of Stan Lee cologne." She explained.
Stan lee has a cologne? I thought that to myself. What does it smell like. I'd imagine it smelling like old comic books and ink. Does it smell like old man? I love Stan Lee, but let's face it... He's old.
Amanda reminded me of a small victory dance she had done when I gave her the bracelet. She was very happy to get it. She worried that my ex-girlfriend may have been offended, because she apparently walked up as Amanda was doing this dance. I told Amanda she wasn't an issue any more, so blah. Perhaps next time I see her I can get some video of her and I doing the victory dance. It was basically the Cabbage Patch. We then talked about my art briefly. I told her I had grown out of my pointlessly large boobs phase and all my large breasted woman I draw now had a purpose. She said it's just something I had to get out of my system. It's not out of my system, but giant boobs aren't my main focus anymore. They are always in my Peripheral. Amanda then thanked me one last time and reached over the table to hug me. That woman is very strong for a little lady. The picture at the top should illustrate our height difference well. She yanked me right down and squeezed. A really good and genuine hug. The woman is all heart.