New York Comic Con 2015
By: Krista Moy
Mid-October, New York Comic Con invaded the Javits Center adding an additional fourth day this year to their usual three day event. The first day, Thursday October 8 opened to the public with very limited number of tickets.
One of the most talked about displays of this year’s con was the Back to the Future Pepsi Perfect Booth. BTTF fans eagerly waited in line everyday for the chance to win one of the 200 limited edition Pepsi Perfect soda bottles given away each day for fans dressed as Marty McFly. Those without Marty costumes could also win a Pepsi competing in the Wild Gunman challenge based on the “Cafe 80’s” game in the second film, awarding a bottle to the fastest gunman draw time. Professional impersonators Matthew Bell and Eric Sellin as Marty McFly and Doc Brown posed with fans next to a real DeLorean.
The Block a.k.a. Artist Alley is arguably the most exciting place for comic art fans and collectors to explore. The Alley featured many seasoned local artists and galleries along side some newcomers to the scene. Tanya Michelle exhibited for her first time this year with an impressive solo booth, Lil Art Bodega, featuring a collection of eye catching comic pop street art. Her work infuses stylized comic characters such as Archie, Alfred E. Neuman, Charlie Brown, and Catwoman with bright colored lettering and hip hop street themes. Tanya’s art was the only one of its kind on the block, hopefully earning her spot in next year’s Artist Alley.
When asked why she chooses art, Tanya replied:
I didn’t choose art. Art followed me around and I ran with it. Art gave me the freedom to be creative, it actually saved my sanity.
See more of Tanya at www.lilartbodega.com
A handful of artists delighted spectators with live painting in addition to selling merchandise at their booth. Another first timer, Gilosan Watanabe, appeared to be in his own world despite his centrally located booth, wearing headphones and sunglasses while painting a gun wielding robot on a large canvas. His charming collection of comic character inspired robot paintings acted as a backdrop to his live performance.
Gilosan sat down and discussed why he chooses art:
What causes me to divert my attention from leisurely and fun life activities to wrestle with paint for no discernible reason? What is it about this sickness that has me in its thrall? Moth to a flame. Objects at the event horizon of a black hole. The spiraling vortex of a hurricane. Honestly, I don’t know. Maybe it’s the physical act of pulling the vague and intangible notions from my brainpan into reality through the medium of my choice. Usually paint, though sometimes it’s other materials.
It did choose me and I hate art for it. It was not my choice to be broke half the time and marginally employed the other half. Though recently that part is kinda over, but I hate the time it takes me away from life and leisure. It’s work. Yes it’s enjoyable, but it’s still work. I hate that, I’d rather not be working so much. I already have a full time job! However, I paint all the damn time. It’s not something I can control. When I’m not painting for periods of time, my hand get itchy and start flicking about as if it were painting.
This is not a life I would recommend, ever. This is a manic existence perpetuated by an indecipherable need. A compulsion that manifests itself as artistic endeavor. You’re probably saying to yourself- why would he continue to create these things if he did not love it? I need art. Though I hate her fucking guts. It’s an abusive relationship, one that has gone on so long that I know absolutely no other way to live.
Visit www.gilosan.com for more of Gilosan’s work.
