Not every comic book creator is as blessed as I am with attentive, thoughtful fans.
Beanworld gives you a lot to think about and there are many fans that spend a lot of quality time doing just that.
Thinking.
Measuring.
Comparing.
And finally coming up with their personal theories of how and why the Beanworld process ticks. One of those intrepid folks is named Joseph J. Anthony but here at the Beanworld Press we simply know him as JJA.
Every bit of correspondence or conversation I’ve ever had with JJA pretty much starts out the same, with me blurting out: “JJA, you never cease to amaze me. Your observations are always right on the money! "
Charles Brownstein and I have marveled many times how JJA can take a sliver of a teaser from one year and match it up with a seemingly unrelated drawing from another year and pretty much nail something this is going to happen in a Beanworld story.
He’s a regular leguminous Sherlock Holmes!
Last year at SPX he arrived, along with the lovely Laura Nass, wearing these cool iconic homemade Mr. Spook t-shirts seen above.
I was thoroughly blown away.
And then he started asking me questions.
Good questions.
Really good questions.
Questions so good that a few stopped me in my mental tracks.
It’s a very good thing when something like that happens!
Anyway, I got an email from JJA not so long ago with some terrific attachments.
“Beanworld fan art...the first two are from my website at pageatatime.com and you may not have seen them. The last two are on my Beanworld fan site and you probably have seen them. If you think that any of them are worthy to be added to the Leguminous Legions, please do so. %?)”
Good questions.
Really good questions.
Questions so good that a few stopped me in my mental tracks.
It’s a very good thing when something like that happens!
Anyway, I got an email from JJA not so long ago with some terrific attachments.
“Beanworld fan art...the first two are from my website at pageatatime.com and you may not have seen them. The last two are on my Beanworld fan site and you probably have seen them. If you think that any of them are worthy to be added to the Leguminous Legions, please do so. %?)”
You better believe I think they are worthy.
There are four of them and they are now taking up residence in the "Leguminous Fan Art Gallery" starting here!
A hale and hearty Wahoolazuma! to JJA!
Amazing shirts!
ReplyDeleteMe want.
Cosign what Wil said!
ReplyDeletePam in LA
Larry:
ReplyDeleteI remember driving for five hours to reach SPX to meet you, and when we arrived the con badges covered up the shirts so you couldn't see what they were, spoiling our dramatic entrance. That's why the badge is tucked under my arm in that picture. %?)
Thank you very much for your words of praise, and thank you for creating a work that repays careful attention. Beanworld has been a delight and an inspiration to me for many years now. I enjoy following Proffy and Beanish as they struggle to understand and control their environment, and I love watching Mr. Spook do The Things That Are Right. Behind the intellectual aspects, there throbs a deep and potent power.
Even now, as innocence is reborn in their midst, the older Beans are inventing secrets and complicating politics, but they have not yet descended into cynicism or division... But they are still in Springtime. I wish them luck in finding a way through the troubles ahead.
Wil, Pam:
If Larry gives his permission, I will be happy to post instructions for making a Mr. Spook tee, and provide a template in PDF format.
Alternately, if enough readers make big puppy eyes and beg, perhaps he could arrange to have them professionally printed. I would certainly buy several of them; I am not quite satisfied with the quality of the ones I made. When I used white fabric paint, it got too stiff; when I used iron-on material, it was so thin that it cracked easily. I think that silk screening is the best way to go.