FIRESTORM CLOCK

Last month, I attended a BBQ with a few friends, hosted by Mark Braun, all around cool guy who is working on his first novel. I had to bring something as a token of gratitude, and picked up this gem at the Salvation Army. George Barth was given this clock, missing whatever was on the pedestal, after working 30 years at Continental Glass, a factory on the far NW side of Chicago. Since I had a few duplicate action figures, I went with Firestorm to cover the hole where the display had been, using brown packing tape.I intended to make it more of a man cave clock by putting Hawkgirl on it, but the wings  presented a problem.

Gifts aren't cool unless they are bizarre. Maybe the clock will be as murder weapon in Mark's novel.

BBQ AT BRAUN'S

Sunday I was out in Norridge. Mark Koldny (with sunglasses) visiting from NYC, Mark Braun (next to the guy faking the sullen look) having the BBQ, goofy old me and artist legend Alex Ross. Song Koo and I knew each other 25 years ago, working at comic shops on either side of the city, trading inventory and the risque "good girl art" comics that were a product of the early 90s.

Mark Braun designed what was the first cover for a collection with Crossroad Press, but once that project blossomed into a three volume collection, the cover changed. I gave him a clock with Firestorm taped to it, the clock itself once was given to George Barth after working thirty years at Continental Glass here in Chicago. I'm not talking to the lawn gnome, but let's just go with that.

And last, but not least, the great Barkley Braun. A neat excursion. On the way there, Mark Kolodny drove and we took a bunch of photos at the Damen Silos. On the way back, I was on my own, so wandered around the Lawrence Avenue el stop and took some decent photos. If it wasn't so late on a Sunday--I had no real idea when I would get near my house--I would have walked around a bit more.