RASL! BONE! The JEFF SMITH Event Wrap-Up!

For those of you who missed The JEFF SMITH Event at Flying Colors on Saturday, here are a few shots from Jeff's visit here.

First up, Friday was FlyCo Libby's birthday. So we went to dinner at La Havana in Walnut Creek for some amazing Cuban food and mojitos.

Jeff did a cool and quick sketch of Smiley Bone on the paper place-mat for Libby and she asked him to be here for every one of her birthdays from now on!


Flying Colors Retailing Brigade Senior Staff Mike Fantastic asked Jeff for an unusual sketch request: Marvel's MODOK mashed with a BONE character.
Jeff analyzed a little reference (the "Super-Villain Team-Up trade paperback from Marvel) and came up with a piece that had Mike floating... not quite like MODOK, but close. I wonder if the International Journal of MODOK Studies would be interested in this one? Next time: Kingdok meets MODOK!



And FlyCo Retailing Brigade Junior Staffer Melissa danced with Jeff after receiving her own Smith original.
Maybe that's not dancing... but after studying the photo, that's all I could think of to call it. Sort of like PEANUTS dancing, only to a John Mayer song.


Before Jeff sat down to officially start the signing, he took some time to hang out with his legion of fans who showed up for the Flying Colors event.

I was awed by how smooth things went, how Jeff made each of his fans feel very special, asking them questions, answering theirs, sketching in almost every graphic novel he signed. I know I won't forget how generous Jeff was here with his time and talent!


Fone Bone gets all patriotic and hoists the flag in this specially requested sketch.

Many of Jeff's fans came from a long distance to get to the Flying Colors' event. I recall hearing people say they came from Chico (three hours drive), Santa Maria (four hours plus), Fullerton (seven hours minimum), San Diego (eight, nine hours?). Well, I hope you all had a good time and will spread the love for Flying Colors!



Toward the end of the event, we took this shot.
That's my Flying Colors Retailing Brigade --- Mike Fantastic ("Dr. Literal"), Andy ("Sir Soul-Crusher"), Marty ("The Blond Bear"), Leticia ("Super-Skrull PhD") and Melissa ("Super-Wit!"), and FlyCoJoe. FlyCo Libby (aka "The Caring Crusader") attended the first part of the event, before her super-powers started to wane from her recent surgery.

In the last shot here, long-time FlyCo Faithful Paul and Ronna get their RASL issues signed, and get a Jeff Smith peace sign as a bonus!

OK, so you've seen BONE sketches, you've seen Jeff Smith carousing with fans, staff and the FlyCo Executive Team (uh, Libby and I), but we haven't mentioned yet the WORLD PREMIER of Jeff's new series in a stunning new collection called RASL Volume One: The DRIFT.

By special arrangement, Flying Colors asked Jeff Smith to sign more of the limited edition exclusive bookplates for RASL Volume One and BONE Volume 9: CROWN of HORNS. If you would like to place and advance order for either (or both!) of these items, please let us know. Flying Colors also has a short supply of bookplate editions of SHAZAM: MONSTER SOCIETY of EVIL hardcover that Jeff did for DC Comics.

These are limited to a first-come, first-served basis, so don't miss this chance to own the bookplate editions of these cool JEFF SMITH books. Need I say that these would make terrific holiday gifts?

Check out Jeff's site at BONEVILLE.com
And thanks to Charles Brownstein and the whole team at the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund for sponsoring the auction that brought Jeff Smith to Flying Colors. Donate to the CBLDF at CBLDF.org
And since I'm plugging away, the auction was exclusively directed to comic specialty retailers who are also members of ComicsPRO, the retailer trade and advocacy group.

Thanks to all of you who showed up. When you get the chance, we'd love to hear your stories from the event.

And thanks to Jeff and his team at Cartoon Books--- Vijaya, Kathleen, Steve, Tom and the crew for helping us the put this whole thing together.

Hey, Jeff--- Let's not wait another 15 years until you're here again, OK?

Peace!

FlyCoJoe