EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW !      

THE COLLECTOR'S SERIES: RICK SHIU
RAGING CHEETAH CHATS WITH VETERAN COMIC ART COLLECTOR AND CONVENTION GOER RICK SHIU

April.23.2008
By Andrea Randall
Staff Writer

Raging Cheetah continues our series of exclusive interview content: THE COLLECTOR'S SERIES! We sit down with the fans - veteran collectors of comics, original artwork, commissions and convention sketches, to hear their stories and share their experiences from shows like Wizard World, Anime Expo and Comic-Con. So if you're a fan of comic book shows worldwide, read on!

RC: Let's start with where you are located, and what comic book shows you regularly attend each year.
Rick: I'm located in Southern California, so I attend all of the major shows in California including: Wondercon (San Francisco), Wizard World Los Angeles, Super-Con (San Jose), and of course the San Diego International Comic-Con.

RC: Which is your favorite show?
Rick: I'd have to say my favorite show is probably San Diego for the size and diversity of things to do. It's sort of like a vacation resort of pop culture, with something for just about everyone. It's become a bit too mass media over the years, which draws larger crowds and makes it harder to navigate at, but at the same time, it's created great exposure and opportunities to get new people turned onto other aspects of comic book and pop culture fandom, which is always a good thing. I'm looking to possibly venture outside of California one day to travel to an out-of-state show, but right now there's enough in California to keep me busy.

RC: Who are your top five artists right now? And who is your all-time favorite artist?
Rick: Well, here's how I'd answer this. My top five artists of yesteryear that are no longer actively drawing monthly books are: Neal Adams, Jim Steranko, Jack Kirby, John Byrne, and Joe Chiodo. The top five artists that today's collectors may be familiar with are: J. Scott Campbell, Michael Turner, Ed Benes, Greg Land, and Ian Churchill. The top five artists that I've met at conventions who are very fan friendly that are not massively well known (yet!), that I'd love to turn others onto are: David Nakayama, Stephanie Lantry, Josh Howard, Ryan Sook, and Philip Tan. There's a lot more artists that I've met that I'm a fan of, but those were the ones that popped into my head right away.

RC: Out of your collection, which piece is your favorite one, and why?
Rick: The pieces are like my children, so I can't pick just one favorite! Just kidding. The piece I'd been waiting and waiting to get was one by J. Scott Campbell, and at Wondercon this year I finally got one, the "Red Sonja" piece, so that would probably be amongst my favorite from the standpoint of putting blood, sweat, and tears into waiting and waiting for the opportunity to get on his commission list at a convention after years of following him (not like a stalker tho'!) from show to show. However, some of my favorite pieces are the ones I get for free from the artists at the shows out of their generosity towards the fans, and I'd have to say my favorite piece to that regard was the "Vampirella" that Joe Chiodo did for me. I've purchased lots of Chiodo art throughout the years, and part of the reason I buy his art is not only because I like the artwork, but I also like the artist, as he's a very nice person.

RC: We just did a recent interview with Emily Warren. What do you think about those commissions she drew for you?
Rick: I just met Emily Warren at the Wizard World Los Angeles convention, and she happened to be sharing a table with David Nakayama, who's one of my favorite artists, so I got turned onto her artwork through him indirectly. She's a very nice and talented person who did some wonderful pieces for me. I had her draw Marvel Girl, Vampirella, and Red Sonja. I do look forward to her continued success and hope to see more mainstream published work in the future. I'd encourage comic art fans to check out her website at www.frozenlilacs.com.

RC: Give me your favorite sketch-related experience so far.
Rick: I'd probably say it was waiting in a line for a Jim Lee sketch at Wondercon two years ago. It was at that line, and waiting and waiting and waiting, that I met Tatiana (shout out! :)), who became a good friend... and yes, we both got Jim Lee sketches that day, too! Most of my favorite experiences are not just about the acquisition of artwork, but rather the social interaction with the other fans and the artists. I do enjoy watching the process of art being created and also getting to know more about the artists, too.

RC: What would be your least favorite sketch-related experience so far?
Rick: I've met some artists who were seemingly disinterested in fan interaction, let alone doing any fan sketches, which is sometimes disappointing. I think some artists are now jaded by profiteering www.ebay.com sellers in disguise as fans and collectors, and are weary of drawing sketches that end up for sale and not directly in the hands of the true fans. I can understand both sides to that issue, but I think some artists are now far exceeding pricing their commissions based on supply and demand and are pricing some of the fans out of contention to get pieces for their collections, which is a shame for those fans who don't have deep pockets but have the heart and passion for the hobby.

I'd like to see more charity events like what the Hero Initiative and Comic Book Legal Defense Fund do with artists and sketches for fans, too. But, to answer your question, my worst sketch-related experience so far has been the rampant disorganization of some of the events and the lines, especially when people cut in line. It usually takes 15 to 30 minutes per sketch, so if a few people cut ahead of you, that not only lessens your chance to get a sketch (as sometimes the artist opts to only do a few), but it steals valuable time from experiencing more of the convention, figuring if only four people cut somewhere in front of you, that's anywhere from one to two hours more you have to wait.

It's disappointing sometimes, but the pursuit is also what makes going to conventions fun. I think it's the people who don't play by the rules and either are taking the artist's time just to profiteer and/or (as most of these are "one and the same" types of people!) those who have no etiquette (in the name of their selfish greed), and cut in lines that makes the experience less than fun. So, rude fans is my pet peeve of the sketch experience. I like that some artists are now doing raffles or building lists of names for sketch requests to add some sort of organization to the chaos that sometimes arises at the shows.

RC: Dorian Cleavenger versus Greg Horn versus Mike Mayhew in an all-out slugfest to paint the baddest Vampirella cover ever. Who wins this one?
Rick: I like them all, and I have artwork by all three. I have also met both Mike and Greg at conventions. I think I'd have to go with Greg Horn as my personal champion of the three, as he has a style that really stands out for me in both artwork and coloring/digital painting. A name you didn't mention who would probably paint not the baddest (if you're looking for powerful sexiness), but the cutest (yes, still sexy) cover would be Joe Chiodo, who's done Vampirella covers, and his style is probably my favorite of non-digital painting artists. I'm surprised you didn't ask me who would win a battle between... Vampirella versus Buffy, the Vampire Slayer.... But maybe that's a question saved for a different interview.

RC: Yup, we'll let you think about that potential question for a little bit. Mebbe we'll come back to it in a Part 2 to be done in the future. Meanwhile, you've got some amazing Red Sonja pieces from Mark Brooks, Terry Dodson and J. Scott Campbell. Who's next on your list to get a Red Sonja from?
Rick: I'd love to get a Red Sonja from Ed Benes, but since he's not a regular on the U.S. convention circuit, I'd have to say, reasonably, I think I'd like to ask either Arthur Adams, Adam Hughes, or Paul Smith, all of whom are going to be attending one of the conventions that I'll be at in 2008. I'm also commissioning a piece from Amanda Conner right now, so that's hopefully officially the next on my list (if she finds time to get to do it).

RC: We'd love to see that once it's finished! Hey, who is your top male comics character?
Rick: I'd have to go back to my childhood memories of reading comics and say the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing, from the Fantastic Four. Oddly enough as a kid, when I asked artists to draw me "The Thing," they'd sometimes groan, "Oh, so many rocks." And if they seemed like they didn't want to do it, I'd end up with some other character like Batman or Spider-Man. Today, I'm a bigger fan of the female form, as you've probably seen in my Comic Art Fans gallery.

RC: Alright, Rick, what's the next comic show we'll likely be seeing you at?
Rick: I'll be at Super-Con in May, and San Diego in July... then do it all over again in 2009!

RC: Thanks very much - we'll see you there!