Bender (2001) - FUTURAMA Letters prize - J. Ho

In 2001, I published a poem in the letters column of Futurama #6. Readers who published letters got a couple of goodies as a prize: a sketch, a copy of the comic, and an 8" x 10" print signed by John DiMaggio, the voice of Bender. What a delight it was to receive this Bender sketch by Jason Ho, longtime Bongo cover artist and penciler. I would explain the context of publishing the letter, but it's all explained in the letter itself (see "Will Rhyme for Food" and "Ode to the Bender Unit"). Looking back, I must've been vying for a sketch, but back then, I didn't know what "sketch" meant (not literally, of course!). I didn't really know what to make of it and it certainly didn't give me the "comic art collecting bug." I just thought it was something interesting and collectible and I tucked it away for safe keeping.

8" x 11"
Marker over blue pencil on bond paper
2001