February 23, Mt. Laurel, NJ: The EXP’s Original Art Experience is back with another dedicated special show this Friday February 24 at 7 PM EST (4 PM PST). Once again, there will be a mix of donations. A percentage will be going to a trio of great causes in the comics community, including legendary creator George Perez’s wife and cancer research, and pivotal comic retailers Fat Jack’s Comicrypt and Aegis Comics.
Among the art and collectibles offered during the show will be even more of George Perez’s iconic Hawaiian shirts that were his signature at conventions. All of these shirts were custom handmade by his wife Carol Flynn, and they are being offered to collectors with all of the funds going to Carol.
Collectors will also be wowed to get the opportunity to add a true grail piece to their collection, as host Nick Barrucci is also bringing along a page from New Teen Titans #10. This is the early third appearance of Deathstroke, one of George’s most influential creations. It features many of the Titans on page and is signed by both George and writer Marv Wolfman. Nick is donating a percentage of the sales of this art from his personal collection to Carol.
Fans can also check out the official one of one color guides to pages 9, 10, 11, 12, and 15 from Crisis on Infinite Earths #8, another industry-shaking collaboration between Perez and Wolfman that continues to be felt in the DC Universe decades later. Again, Nick is donating a percentage of the sales of this art from his personal collection to Carol.
In addition to Titans and Crisis, George Perez is renowned by comics fans around the world for additional celebrated tenures on Avengers, Fantastic Four, Wonder Woman, and much more. Across 45 years in the industry, his impeccable detail, countless creations, all-time crowd shots, workmanlike output, and bright smile at conventions made him one of the favorite artists for nearly everyone who has got to experience his work. Perez passed away in May 2022 from complications related to pancreatic cancer.
10 percent of sales of the non-George Perez related art or shirts will be going to Fat Jack’s and to Aegis Comics.
Fat Jack’s Comicrypt is coming up on nearly 50 years of continuous business, ranking as one of the country’s oldest and most celebrated direct market comic book stores. Owner Mike Ferrero started one of the first direct market comic retailers in 1976 in Philadelphia’s historic Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. Over its history, Fat Jack’s has expanded, moved, and even gotten into distribution for periods, at one time boasting five locations. Today the two storefronts are located in Philadelphia on Sansom Street and in Oaklyn, New Jersey. They can use the help of fans and those in the industry, as the staff have set up a GoFundMe to raise funds to stay afloat through struggles brought on by cashflow halting in the wake of pandemic related business shutdowns. More information can be found, or to directly contribute, people can check out the official GoFundMe page.
Aegis Comics is one of the much-loved retailers for their dedicated local community and their influence in the retail business. The store is based in Wasilla, Alaska near Anchorage, a part of the country and world that treasures retailers like this and the spaces they provide. Having opened in May 2019, the store strove to survive through the pandemic period as a young business, like many others. They were further impacted by local extreme weather limiting holiday shopping. For more information, or for direct contributions, supporters can check their GoFundMe page out here.
The EXP, or the Comic Shopping Experience, is a network of entertainment and sales shows broadcasting live 7 days a week. They have partnered with Comic Book Creators, Publishers, and Local Comic Shops from around the country to bring comic book and pop culture fandom to computer screens and mobile devices everywhere.
This special episode of The Original Art Show airs on The EXP, Friday February 24, 2023 at 7 PM EST / 4 PM PST and can be watched here:
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