Ramapo Comic Con VI Flyer (1992)

These cons were some of the most enjoyable I ever attended. They were small affairs-- taking place in the Ramapo High School gymnasium, put on by the school's enthusiastic comic club, attracting mostly locals and friends of the club. Sarah and I attended them pretty much up until Allan Rosenberg, the club director, moved to another school, where they continued afterward for a while (and we went to a few of those). A few years before that co-director Jay Horowitz had left the club, I think he left the school, or retired --?. Memory does not serve.

I was surprised not to see Sarah's name on the flyer, because she was always a guest when we went. I guess this was before we were doing more work together, and before Action Girl. We'd only been living together since the year before. She might not have even gone with me in 1992. My brain doesn't remember yesterday, so, I'm not even going to try. I can't remember if my Bill and Ted editor at the time Fabian Nicieza or Kurt Schaffenberger (!)  or Bernie Wrightson (!) was there. Actually, I dimly recall Fabian being there. I don't know. Ancient history. Just like yesterday.

We never made money at this show, not much to speak of, at least. I don't think anyone really did. It was a show for the club, for the kids, and some fans who were in the area. You'd donate books and art or whatever for lotteries to raise money for the club. They'd have free pizza and soda and snacks and a huge cake. It was wonderful. The drive there and back was pleasant, the weather was almost always nice, the area was small-town, throwback. picturesque. They were enjoyable days.

Most of the name guests were local DC and Marvel folks, some of whom were old-timers that were close to retirement, if not already retired or semi-retired. I met a number of silver-age creators there, some of whom I had sign DC Archives and Marvel Masterworks. When I culled my Archives for need of money last year, I accidentally sold these books, with autographs from Joe Giella, Murphy Anderson and Carmine Infantino, among others. I certainly regret that, but I forgot they had signed the contributor sections in the back of the books. Oy. I took pictures of a few when I realized I'd been doing it, one buyer wrote me to let me know they were autographed, and was kind enough to offer to send them back. I wavered, but they wanted the books and I needed the money. Alack, and alas. 

(Signatures in a DC Archive volume I ended up selling, forgetting that the books were signed. I got Joe Kubert's signature at a comic shop event we were guests at, he was in a real pissy mood and left early. It happens.)

I still have the EC library volume that George Evans signed for me, though. Oh, boy. He was swell to talk with. Everyone was swell, except for Julie Schwartz, but he was a dick 24/7, so what can you do?  

I don't remember all of the guests on the flyer actually being there, there's always a few folks who don't actually make it for one reason or another, and you can see several people were listed as (tent). It's a nice guest list, especially for a gymnasium show! I feel like the earlier ones I attended had more people set up, with more rows crammed into the space. But like I said, this was a fan show, a comics club event, with no real financial or PR gain of any real note for a guest. After a few shows  there were less creators, but there was always a solid turnout. A few retailers and dealers, sometimes an art dealer or two, and a bunch of regulars, with a few surprise guests changing out year-to-year. 

We went almost every year for a good stretch. It was a day out, Allan was a great guy, it was for a High School comic club fer chrissakes, and we'd see a few people we knew and eat some pizza and cake. I think we once made $300, which was massive, I probably sold some art that time. The only drawback of the show was that the room got hot -- there were two skylights that the sun would turn into twin magnifying glasses to broil everyone.   

Memories tend to run together, between the Ramapo gym shows and the shows at the second school, which were in the cafeteria. I remember hanging out with Walt Simonson at one of the latter, one which Sarah stayed home for. I traded art with an art dealer at that event, the only time I've ever done that. I got a lovely Lee Elias Black Cat page in exchange for a Milk and Cheese pin-up and a small Mad illo or two. I definitely made out on that one. I'd been staring at the Black Cat piece and the dealer recognized me, and saw I was interested. I was broke, we were broke, it was $500, there was no way I was buying anything. I'm glad he asked about a trade, because I would never suggest it. I've only asked someone to trade art once, and it was with someone I'm friends with, who was interested in buying an Eltingville page. I wanted a Street Angel page he had at the show (Cincy Con). So, me and Jim Rugg traded pages and were both pretty happy. 

The Lee Elias Black Cat (Harvey Comics) original page I traded for. Still want a "judo tricks' page from the series.

I remember sitting next to Joe Staton one year, and wanting to introduce myself, but never getting confident enough to. I remember having really enjoyable conversations with kids and fans as a professional, and with several of the silver age guys as a fan, especially George Evans, who was very personable.

I remember fidgeting about maybe possibly buying a 70's Kirby Captain America page from a dealer, not going for it, regretting it, and then really regretting it when Kirby died the following year and the prices for his work skyrocketed. I never looked at another Kirby page with the idea of buying it since that show, dagger in me fanboy heart. It was a few hundred dollars, I should've done it., but we were doing well back then (1993), and I remember thinking I'd have a chance some other time. 

I remember meeting Joe Giella there for the first time, I'm not sure if World's Funnest was out by the time I met him at the show or if it was before then, but I got him to sign my copy at some event. I believe I met Murphy Anderson at a Ramapo show and got him to sign a book, I did not let him know he and I had a fairly heated argument over the phone years earlier regarding the return of my Pirate Corp$! originals (Eternity Comics had not paid him for the color separation work and he was holding it hostage). It's not much of a story but I'll type it up some other time.

Ramapo wasn't a con that spawned industry stories or had big announcements or any notoriety. It was an event to hang out at, support and have fun at. It was a small, sweet, old school (literally) comics event organized by some very nice people who loved comics in all the best ways. I miss it a lot. Those were some happy times.

Give me back my art, Murphy Anderson! (Don't sell books with memories attached, Evan Dorkin!)