Book Launch party in Toronto last night w/ Wendy Everett

Yesterday's Book Release Launch in Toronto for my Bill Everett book was not to have been missed! It was a far better presentation than what Wendy Everett (who flew up from Cambridge, Mass.) and me had done at the San Diego Comicon. Not that what we did at San Diego was a reflection on Wendy at all but, for this presentation, I had a great deal more time to refine my approach and achieve a better flow with my questions for her. We also changed up the format. I opened with a 15-minute slideshow review of Bill's career and key images from the book, and then Wendy and I sat down and had our chat and took questions for just under an hour.

Chris Butcher, Manager of the store The Beguiling who hosted the event, tweeted this during my on-stage chat with Wendy Everett: "This presentation is utterly amazing. The story of Everett's battle with alcoholism coming from his daughter... Heartbreaking." Aaron Broverman, also in attendance, said, "I hope Wendy knows that her contribution to Daredevil in making him blind when she was just a teen, suddenly christened possibly the first disabled superhero. In doing so, she and her father provided a source of possibility, hope and inspiration for millions of kids with disabilities, including me."

Luckily, the presentation was recorded and we'll share it with you soon. The response to it has been so good that Wendy and I are looking at holding another event in New York City before the end of the year. Stay tuned for more details!

My Bill Everett Book Launch starring Wendy Everett on Sat Sep 25 in Toronto!

On Saturday September 25, 2010, a book launch party for my new Bill Everett book will take place in Toronto, Canada (Everett being the creator/artist of the Marvel Comics' character, the Sub-Mariner, and co-creator/artist of Daredevil). The launch party will be hosted by the world-renowned book store, The Beguiling, and doors will open at 4pm. This is taking place at Innis College Town Hall, 2 Sussex Ave, just barely off St. George St, just south of Bloor St (the Hall is part of the University of Toronto).

My book hasn't hit stores yet, so this will be an opportunity to be one of the first to get a copy. And we have two special treats for those who attend. At 4:30pm, proceedings will begin with a presentation by me on Everett's work and career, but the real treat is that I will be joined during the presentation by our very special guest, Wendy Everett, who is Bill Everett's daughter and first-born child. She's making a special trip up here to Toronto for the launch of the book and this is a unique opportunity to hear her share stories about her Dad, the man, the father and the artist. Wendy is incredibly articulate and exceptionally versed in the details of her father's life and career.

The second treat is that anyone who buys a copy of my book at the launch party will receive a very limited bookplate signed by myself and Wendy Everett.

A Facebook Event page has been set up with all the details. What's also unique about Sat Sep 25 is that, in the same location, our launch party is being followed up by a Louis Trondheim event, so it's really a two-for-one special when you come out that night. Hope to see you all there!

Audio for Bill Everett Panel at San Diego Comicon '10

The primary reason I attended this year's San Diego Comicon was not because my Bill Everett book was debuting at the show, but because it was a chance to finally meet Wendy Everett, Bill's daughter. I couldn't pass up that chance and to do a panel and book signing with her, and to be able to hand her a copy of my book on her Dad who passed away 37 years ago. (FYI: the book likely won't be in stores until first week of September - these were copies flown in from the printers across the ocean especially for this show at a very high cost to the publisher, Fantagraphics)

I was able to accomplish all of this, and now you can listen to the audio of the panel with me and Wendy talking about her Dad (clicking on the link will start a download of the mp3, which is 50 minutes long, and 45 MBs in size). The audio for the panel is provided by fellow Canadian Jamie Coville who is the Keeper of the Audio Flame, travelling to various conventions and keeps a fabulous archive of audio files at thecomicbooks.com website.

He has many other panels of interest at that link from this year's San Diego Comicon, including audio of the Eisner Awards (where Gene Colan won for Captain America #601), plus Moto Hagio and Peter Bagge who received their Inkpot Awards at the show, and my publisher Gary Groth appearing in two panels, "Comics Criticism" and "Comics Reprints". My panel with Wendy Everett was also videoed and we had a slide show, so we're looking to have it all rolled into one package in the near future for your viewing pleasure. Click HERE to view all the pics of me and Wendy at the show.