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| Random Photos | New York 2006 | My Tour of Marvel Comics |

Some Random Photos.

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NYC

April 2006

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Marvel Comics

Spring 2003

In 2003 I was fortunate enough to tour Marvel comics. At the time I was so excited, this was one of the coolest things I've ever got to do. Since then I've got to do more exciting things, including going back to Marvel (Thanks Andy Schmidt!) to see their new offices (Now they don't allow photos). Although I've topped this on the 'cool ' factor, none will top the excitement of going to Marvel Comics for no reason other then the fact C. B. Cebulski is one of the nicest guys around!

One of the coolest phone calls I've ever gotten was this May when I was walking through Central Park. My cell phone rang. It was Marvel Comics editor, C. B. Cebulski. "Hey Scott, this is C.B. Cebulski, do you want to come up to Marvel and look around?" Oh geeze, do I want to look around? Is this guy crazy; I've been looking forward to this for months.

Several months earlier my wife found out she would be going to New York City on a business trip. I've never been there and so I had to tag along. She would be in meetings all day and I would be free to roam around NYC. The first though was "I want to see Marvel Comics." I tried to get in through regular channels, but was ignored. So I e-mailed C. B. Cebulski. C.B. had reviewed my portfolio at the San Diego Comicon the summer before and given me his card. I hadn't talked to him since, but I was desperate. I e-mailed him about helping me get a tour. He said "Sure, just call me when you get to town."

Awesome! I was in!

After trying the first day to get ahold of C. B. I was starting to doubt this would happen. So when I got the call I was excited. I agreed to be at Marvel after lunch.

Working at Marvel would have some obvious benefits, one not-so-obvious one: Bryant Park. Marvel is very close to the New York Public Library and behind this is Bryant Park. This is a nice patch of grass and if you're wireless (I'm not) it's Wi-Fi equipped.

I was way early to meet C. B. and so I bought me a hot dog (hot dog venders on the street! I love NY!) and waited in Bryant Park.

Marvel occupies floors 9, 10 and 11. The 9th floor is receiving and where visitors go. The 10th is editorial and the bullpen. 11th is administration.

The 9th floor was a mess! I went in and the receptionist's desk and floor and couch was covered with boxes of Hulk merchandise. C. B. came down and took me up some stairs to his office. On the way there I casually mentioned "Oh, yeah. I brought my portfolio."

"Cool."

When we sat down in his office he asked,"So where is your store?"

Uh-Oh.

"Er, I'm not a retailer. I hope I didn't mislead you." All the while I'm thinking 'Oh man, this is not good.'

"Oh, no. I'm just confusing you with somebody else. No big deal."

Whew. He looked at my portfolio. While he didn't give me a job he gave me some good advice. We talked for a while about comics and New York City. Then he showed me around starting with the Bullpen.

Marvel moved a few years ago so this isn't The Bullpen of the Stan Lee days. If you have ever seen an art dept at a newspaper it looks about the same.

Still I'd work there if I could.

BTW, the first 30 minutes or so I was there the place was deserted. I mentioned this to Darrick Robertson and he said I was there at lunchtime. It was 2:00. Go figure.

Then we went down editors row. C. B. showed me all the editor's offices.

Note to self: Should have swiped a phone list!

When we got to Joe Quesada's I stopped. Whoa! THE VIEW OUT JOE'S WINDOW IS AMAZING! Most office windows faced the building across the street. Joe's view was looking down the street. You could see the convergence of the buildings in the distance. But did I take a picture? NO. I'm a moron!

After showing me around C.B. introduced me to Stephanie Moore (Epic editor) and she told me about Epic and how the system would work. She looked at my portfoilo and took my handout. Then I went back to C.B.'s office. He seemed genuinely dissappointed that more editors weren't there for me to show my portfolio to.

I noticed a huge stack of art next to C.B.'s desk. That was his stack of unsolicited submissions for about a week. Oh geeze, I felt kinda guilty about all the submission I've mailed off.

Then C.B. escorted me to the elevator and told me to keep in touch. I promised to and that he would regret being so nice to. He assured not to worry about that.

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