The Dude on the 2023 Baltimore Comic Con

Greetings all,
 
Just back from my first official Big Convention since all this covid hysteria has settled into a more coherent state of address.  Meaning I haven't flown in over 5 years, not having accepted any invitations to any major shows since.
 
The show was the Baltimore Comic Con, one of the larger shows, and it was well run  After 29 years, team leader Brad ..... and his crew had it down.  I had my booth manned, or rather womaned, by the Rude Dude team.  Tons of signatures, but little of what our crew would've liked to have gone home with--namely sales from original art and the actual books themselves.  Proceeds went to Jaynelle's surgery which was just 2 days after the show.
 
Still, Rude fans are exceptional, something I've never hesitated to mention.  Here, there, and everywhere they come.  You know who you are.  So thanks for every human big and small who approached me to tell me so.  Remember:  we're all fans, all on equal footing on some measure, and that's what brings us all together in the first place.
 
I attended the Ringo awards on behalf of Mike Weiringo, which turned out to be quite the event.  That's where I got back in touch with Marvel editor Al Editori-Al Milgrom.  Now there's a guy who knows how to give a speech.  Another cool moment was meeting Abrams Editor-in-Chief, Charles Kochman, who proceeded to introduce me to Mutts strip creator Pat McDonnell.  Pat didn't say much, just listened to me talk about funny moments I recalled reading his strip. 

Speaking of speeches, here's one you won't forget.  That night had another notable for someone getting up at the podium and giving the very worst speech I've ever heard.  I've heard this person talk before and they're normally pretty good.  This night was different.   Worse, the guy was being recorded for posterity in front of hundreds of industry peers.  How embarrassing, right?
 
Yeah, yeah.  It was me.
 
Lesson:  Steve Rude can never work from any kind of prepared speech, because Steve Rude can't memorize anything, he can only shoot from the hip.  Live and learn, right? 
 
Lemme get back to you on that.
 
BTW, I've still got people asking when new Nexus material is coming out.  Those are the questions I most want to slam my head most over.  I wonder what to do when I hear this.  Even the retailers themselves hit me with this question.  Does it do any good to suggest they read the websites, guys and girls?  Well, hey, there are no girls.  Another huge pet peeve of mine.  I have no female fans, guys.  Just ask Gino how much that's perplexed me over the past 4 decades.   Plenty of males, no females.
 
Another great thing about going to shows is getting around to meet old friends.  I had a few moments with Jim Starlin--that was cool.  He did the first 1972 ground-breaking Master of Kung Fu issue after all.  Barry Kitson and I had a chance to get our watercolors at the James Joyce pub in downtown Baltimore and paint a few things for fans. 
 
Meeting Greg Hildebrandt for the first time was quite the honor.  He swears like a sailor, but he's as honest as the day is long.  I don't have to tell you about his 5 decade lineage into the fine and commercial arts.  His Star Wars painting alone puts him on the cultural map for all times.  I'll definitely have to take him up on his kind invite to visit him and his wife Jean soon.  Damn, that means I have to fly again.  Anyhow, I love talking art and visiting other people's studio's.  Especially someone as renowned as Greg.
 
There's more.  But I let your eye's rest for a while. 
 
I'll be back soon with more news--even if no one knows I've been doing new Nexus material for that past 4 years now!
 
Well, now you know.
 
Steve Rude the humble Dude