Our pal James H. Burns writes to ask…
I don't remember ever seeing John Celardo at a convention, at least not in the late '70s, through '80s…
I'm always kind of fascinated by those comic artists and writers who might well have had a ball going to a con, meeting fans and contemporaries…
I guess I've always kind of wondered why some comics folk seemed to never attend a show —
Or were we in New York just too dopey sometimes to think of inviting them?
I don't recall Mr. Celardo ever appearing at a convention. Given that he never had his name linked with a superstar character in comic books (as opposed to strips), I doubt he was invited very often to cons and it's possible he was never invited. It's also possible he went to a couple on his own and no fuss was made.
There are professionals who get invited to cons and decline. Some are scared of crowds, especially if they're expected to appear before an audience for a panel. If you elect to spend your life sitting in a little room by yourself drawing comic books, it may be because you're shy and don't relish being around a lot of other people. One of the umpteen reasons I started hosting as many convention events as I sometimes do is that there have been writers and artists who were afraid of attending Comic-Con because it meant appearing before an audience. It has a calming effect on some when, as has often been the case, a peer could tell them, "Don't worry…there's this guy named Mark who will interview you and make it very easy."
Actually, almost anyone could do this but it helps to have that continuity of one person. For years, Nick Cardy refused entreats to San Diego because it frightened him, especially the part where he'd have to be interviewed before an audience. Someone — I think it was Arnold Drake — told him I'd hold his hand and get him through it and he finally agreed…though he did ask that we put someone else on the Nick Cardy Panel in case he froze up. I added Marv Wolfman, Colleen Doran and Sergio Aragonés to that dais…and of course, they weren't necessary at all. Nick turned out to be a great interviewee, loved the experience and couldn't wait to come back. I believe it was Nick who then urged Bob Oksner to overcome a fear of "public speaking" and accept…and Oksner in turn assured a few of his friends who were reticent. (You can read a little of that Nick Cardy Panel here.)
About a dozen veteran comic creators have turned down the free trip to San Diego to be a Guest of Honor at the con. Some were simply afraid or unable to travel. There have been one or two who had an unpleasant experience at some small local convention and either didn't grasp how different Comic-Con would be or thought it would be the same bad experience on a larger scale. I assume that with most, it would have turned out like it did with Cardy…but maybe not in every case. Jerry Grandenetti always said no. So did Johnny Craig. So did Ross Andru and Mike Esposito. Winslow Mortimer said no a few times and then when he finally said yes, he died before he could make it out. Robert Kanigher said no, then yes, then no, then yes. He finally agreed to appear and was announced, then backed out a few months before the event.
There was one veteran creator I'd better not name even though he's no longer with us. He refused and a friend told me the reason: "He decided it would be too painful if he came out and had the shortest line for his autograph." I don't think that would have happened but having met the person, I can believe that was a nightmare for him.
Still, most have the time of their lives…at Comic-Con and other such events. Most discover there are a lot more people out there who know and admire their work than they'd ever imagined. They usually seem startled at how many younger folks approach them and say something like, "I draw for Marvel and one of the main reasons I took up art as a kid was because of how much I loved your work on [name of comic]." Some also discover a lucrative source of income selling original artwork or contracting for commissions. A few who were away from comics even find an avenue to get back in. It's really great to see the comic art community of today thanking and honoring those who came before…and who in many cases were not particularly well-rewarded for their work and were unaware how much it meant to so many.