Friday night after work Nicki and I attended the summer Broad Avenue Art Walk.

It happens a few times a year (next one will be this fall) and has many of the shops, studios, and galleries on the block participate.

This time there was live music and dancing performances outdoors.

This time at the West Memorials gallery (my day job) we had art and photographs by three artists.

Paintings and folk art by Alex Warble.

Carousel photos by Nicole C. Perugini.

And poster art by Tom Foster.

That’s Tom.

We had a great turnout!

After enjoying some wine and cheese at West we headed east up Broad.

After checking out several spaces that way we came back down to Hollywood and over to a photography studio…

and caught a glass blowing demo across the street.

It was a lot of fun to watch, and we’ll have to go watch her play roller derby sometime!

It started to get late so we headed back across the street.

Then called it a night.

The next day Nicki headed over to Comics and Collectibles for their “Not At Comic Con” day. Picked up my pull list comics, a Joker Toon Tumbler glass, Nicki a Star Wars: Clone Wars trade, took a free shot of Red Bull, entered a Dark Horse contest, and picked up a couple passes to Scott Pilgrim for next week. After that we headed to Micheal’s to pick up some canvases for my upcoming art show and by Books-a-million to do some shopping. Nicki kept me updated on all the comic con news as we drove around. Watched a bit online when we got home (Gail Simone, Buddy Christ, Bender, and protesting Baptists all in one video- only at San Diego!) and some on G4 (not  lot of comic book coverage- much like San Diego). It was a great “Not At Comic Con” day, just didn’t see as many celebs as I normally do in San Diego.

Congrats to my Bushi Tales partner Dave Beaty for getting the chance to sign at the DC Comics booth on Saturday!

Lin

Nicki and I went to see Despicable Me this weekend and it was AWESOME!

It also made me and Nicki want our own minions.

I found one out in the lobby, but couldn’t take him home with us.

The look and humor of the movie reminded me a lot of UP and The Incredibles- two of my all time favorite films.

If you have kids, or are a kid at heart don’t miss this movie!

Now if you will excuse me I need to go shopping for my own minion..!

Lin

Thanks to her day job ILS, we got to see the game and eat BBQ, nachos, hot dogs and more on the 1st base party deck.

We had a great time watching the game with several of her fellow co-workers.

The game was fun, but the Redbirds lost.

After the game we got to watch a Buggs Bunny baseball cartoon and then…FIREWORKS!

They were awesome!

After the game Nicki and I walked around downtown for a bit to wait for the crowds to thin out.

I’m surprised that the mosquitoes down by the river didn’t fly off with us!

When we got back to the parking garage the traffic was still pretty thick so we went up to the roof of the garage.

The traffic finally died down and we headed south.

Lin

Admiral Ozzel (markers)- sold for $79.99 (+s/h).

Michael Sheard played Admiral Ozzel in Empire (the first officer to be forced choked by Darth Vader- and over a video conference call!)

He was a fan favorite at our local con- Midsouthcon.

This was taken at the last MSC he attended in 2005. (That’s Timmy, me, Michael and Dave.)

He passed away later that year at age 65.

He had written three autobiographies on his career, Yes, Mr. Bronson — Memoirs of a Bum Actor, Yes, Admiral — Sci-Fi and Further Memories, and Yes, School’s Out — Sci Fi Conventions, Parties and Much, Much More!

Lin

Let’s fix that!

Tim Brown and I headed up on Thursday afternoon, and as usual Timmy and I stopped at Lambert’s Cafe in Sikeston, MO.

Timmy happy! He had the hog jowls- or as I like to call them, “bacon on steroids”!

We got there just in time for the opening ceremony/skit.

It was funny as always!

Artists Alley/Writers Way was jumpin’ as always. That’s writer Josh Elder with Superman (Josh Boultinghouse).

Comics legend and Guest of Honor Carmine Infantino with Nicki Howe.

Me with my Bushi Tales partner and DC Comics artist and guest Dave Beaty.

My Bizarro painting found a good home.

We got to see the unveiling of the new Noel Neill/Lois Lane statue.

Papa Cliff drove Noel to the statue plaza in his Studebaker.

The statue was created in Utah by the same folks who created the Superman statue and now stands just up the street from it.

I got to meet the statue artist/sculptor Gary Ernest Smith.

Down at the chamber of commerce on Saturday Traci and Nicki inducted guest Sam Witwer into the Memphis Star Ward Fan Force.

Sam stars in the Star Wars: Force Unleashed game and comic, as well as in SMALLVILLE on TV, along with co-star Laura Vandervoort.

Laura, who is a martial artist, too- said she’d love to play Kimiyo in a Bushi Tales movie! (Did you hear that, Hollywood..?!)

Both Sam and Laura couldn’t have been nicer, but they both gushed when Trevor Hawkins presented them each with one of his paintings of them.

Friday and Saturday nights in AA/WW we had a showing of Superman II (with producer Ilya Salkind) and Fan Films sponsored by Inked Monkey.

As usual it was hot again in Metropolis- so hot some might have sold their soul for a Big Gulp!

But the heat and humidity didn’t stop the costumers from coming out in force.

The judges had a tough job again this year- tons of great costumes were entered!

The winners! Best Clark/Superman, Best Lois, crowd favorite (Doomsday), best hero (Steel), and best villain (Lobo).

Best group- The Avengers

The Avengers’ secret weapon- Tiny Thor!

And proof that cloning does exist!

Nicki and I had a great time and look forward to being back again next year.

Hope to see you there!

Lin

Low to mid 90′s and NO humidity- I loved it!

We shared a table with my Bushi Tales co-horts Dave and Micah.

Nicki and I got to meet Stan “The Man” Lee on Sunday.

Nicki got to meet Todd McFarlane.

Todd was walking around checking out the show.

Thanks to the Star Wars fan groups- especially the ISO for inviting me and Nicki to their Star Wars mixer on Friday night. We had a blast.

Looks like Star Wars artist Tom Hodges did, too!

Another big thanks to the staff and volunteers of the Phoenix Comicon- Phoenix rocks!

And in case you haven’t heard yet, Nicki and I got engaged at the PHX Comicon on Saturday night after I emceed the art auction.

Thanks to Kevin Williams for “giving me the finger”.

I’ve got more photos posted over at the Comic Book Page Podcast forums.

Bob Bretall is joined by guests Al Sparrow, Dave Beaty, and Lin Workman (Me!) in a round table episode of the Comic Book Page Podcast to reminisce about the 2010 Phoenix Comic Con. Listen to the highlights and see why we all think it should not be missed by anyone in the Southwestern US. Also mentioned is the Superman Celebration in Metropolis, Nicki’s new website FanGirlWednesday.com, and strange goings on at the Phoenix Comicon’s art auction.

You can listen to the podcast here.

Photos from the con can be seen on the Comic Book Page forums.

Thanks, Bob!

Lin

…and they’ve made their way to ebay.

Cloud City (Starting bid $49.95)

AT-AT Driver (Sold- $200)

R2-D2 ($350 bid)

Darth Vader (Starting bid $99.99)

These are my artist’s returns. Don’t have them in hand yet, but as soon as I do I’ll post it here and on the Scoundrel Art Forums.

MTFBWYA!

Lin/Dork-Vader

Nicki and I did a bit of “speed tourism” and fit a ton of sightseeing, con-going, visiting with friends, birthday celebration, and even a bit of a family reunion all into one week.

We flew to Phoenix for Cactuscon (Phoenix Comicon) where we met Stan “The Man” Lee and ate at Alice Cooper’s restaurant Cooper’stown, drove up to Prescott Valley to Dave and Micah’s for the night, hiked in Sedona, stopped in Jerome, visited Glenn Canyon Dam and Lake Powell, had ho’made pie at the Thunderbird Restaurant in Utah with my folks on Nicki’s birthday, oohed and awed at Kaibab National Forest, ran into two fellow Memphians at the Vermillion Cliffs, saw a dust devil in Cameron, and were blown away by the south rim of the Grand Canyon.

We even managed to get engaged between all that!

I popped the question as Beetlejuice after emceeing the art auction at Cactuscon on Saturday night- which also happened to be our 1yr 9mo anniversary!

We went down to the Hard Rock with Dave and Micah after the auction and had some celebratory drinks and dinner.

It was a great night!

Pics from Cactuscon’s Preview Night and our flight to PHX up next…

Lin

Tuesday night I attended Star Wars In Concert – one of the coolest Star Wars events I’ve experienced since my dad took me and my sisters to see Star Wars at a small twin movie theater near Graceland here in Memphis way back in ’77!

This time I went with my girlfriend Nicki (thank you Uncle George) and it was AWESOME! Each time I hear the opening fanfare and see the Star Wars logo on-screen I feel like an 11 year old kid again.

This time Mama Howe chaperoned us two kids.

We joined several thousand other Star Wars fans downtown at the FedEx Forum.

Including some of our fellow SMT/Memphis Fan Force crew.

There were a lot of props and costumes on display in the lobby of the forum.

Some were very still…

…and others moved around a bit more like this 501st member.

Our narrator for the evening was Anthony Daniels, also know as C-3PO.

The concert was a great mix of live orchestral music and choir, lights, movie footage, production art, and more!

Kids of all ages attended and enjoyed it!

Last night Nicki and I attended the SMT Drive-In Night for a showing of The Empire Strikes Back at Memphis Fan Force members Tim and Traci Brown’s backyard.

Timmy fired up the digital projector…

…hoisted up his new and improved (and of course bigger) screen…

…we all kicked back in our lawn chairs…

…and enjoyed a screening of a pre-special edition Empire!

Nicki and I had a great time and are looking forward to the next SMT Backyard Drive-In Night- “Return of the Jedi“!

Don’t forget the Topp’s Empire Strikes Back 3-D Widevision cards hit stores this week.

I’ve got 100 artist sketch cards in the set- and 6 artist returns (above).

May the force be with you!

Lin/Dork-Vader