Romita Sr. & Romita Jr.

Last Friday night at The Palms, Derrick of Comic Oasis (another great comic store here in Vegas), hosted artist John Romita Sr. and his son John Romita Jr. for a benefit for the Boys and Girls Club (and he had them at his store last Saturday for Free Comic Book Day). I'd never met either artist and have been huge fans of their work since I'd first seen their art so being able to see both Romitas in a smaller gathering (because you can believe that their appearance at Comic Oasis last Saturday and at conventions draws long lines) was a chance I wasn't going to pass up.

John Romita Sr. is most known as the artist that drew Amazing Spider-Man for years after Steve Ditko and for many he is THE Spider-Man artist, but he's drawn many Marvel characters throughout his career (as well as being Marvel's art director and drawing romance comics for DC). John Romita Jr. first started drawing for Marvel in the late 1970's and is an amazing artist in his own right. Romita Jr. also drew Spider-Man for several long stretches, in addition to long runs on Daredevil, Hulk, X-Men, and several other Marvel characters and titles (as well as his creator owned title Kick Ass with Mark Millar, which really does kick ass).

All the stories you may have heard of what nice, gracious people the Romitas are, are very true. I'd brought my Daredevil Omnibus to get signed by John Romita Jr. (it includes his Daredevil Man Without Fear mini series that Frank Miller wrote). I was surprised to hear that Romita Jr. hadn't seen this book (how dos he not have a copy of this!?) so I was more than happy to let him look through it and all the extras it has (I'm so nice - ha!). Anyway, Kate and I had a great time - I only wish I'd thought to pimp this event here on my blog before it happened and I encourage everyone who gets a chance to see and talk to John Romita Sr. and John Romita Jr. to do so.