Captain Atom by George Perez

One of my main goals at this past June’s Heroes Convention was to get George Perez to do a head sketch of Ditko’s original Captain Atom. It’s a cool mask and, I don’t know if George has ever drawn him so I thought it might be fun to have a one of a kind or a rare depiction. I know George did the red and blue uniform in Crisis but as to the yellow and gold design, I’m unaware of his putting pencil to paper to depict it. Not that it really matters, I just think it is a great uniform; it’s why I had Jim Starlin do one for me.
Anyhow on the first day of Heroes this past June when we got there late on Friday, the sketch list was already done. The adorable Amy wearing her Captain America t-shirt ( Kirby-Giacoa inks, to me it matters, she thought that fact that I would say that was…uhh geeky) flirted shamelessly with George. We walked away and I turned to her and said, “Hey you were flirting with Perez!” she looked at me and said,” You think he’s not going to remember a hot blonde in a Cap t-shirt?” Point taken!
The next day she got in the Perez line while I stood in line to get an Andy Smith Commission, suddenly she showed up breathlessly and said, “you need to come now there’s going to be a lottery!” Chowderhead that I am, I replied,” Why can’t you stand in line for it?” She looked at me shook her head and said “Hey double your chances silly.” We did, both days; we still had no luck even when George expanded the Sunday list to 12 instead of ten names. I went home Perez challenged.
Now we are in the month of September,internet pal Michael Finn told me he was going to the convention and I asked him if he would mind taking a shot for me in the Perez lottery. After all, you’ll know within ten minutes if you made the cut or not. Well, Michael good guy and commission genius that he is said yes. While in line he encountered fellow lister Stu Neft another man with a remarkable commission gallery that I admire greatly and who I have also corresponded with over the last few years and who Amy did a favor for this past winter.
Stu hit the jackpot; his name was selected for the Perez and Romita Junior lotteries. Somehow Michael revealed he was standing in line for me and Stu generously turned to Michael and told him I could have his lottery ticket. What a class act!
Michael called me and Stu got on the phone and there we were for about fifteen minutes jabbering away about art while Amy just sat on the sofa and smiled. I’m a lucky man to have an incredible girlfriend and generous friends, Michael for being nice enough to stand in line, Stu for giving up something he did not have to, without missing a beat from what I am told. How many of us would walk away from a Perez sketch for a person they have never met in person? Stu and Michael did...
Enjoy!
09-06