Cape Comic Con draws a variety of enthusiasts to West Park Mall

The Cape Comic Con is a place where fans can find accessories for a Star Wars costume or a copy of a classic comic to complete a collection.

But it is also a place where visitors can find ambitious artists willing to put their own money behind their creations as they seek recognition in the comic world. Adventurous readers can step into a superhero world set in St. Louis, a post-apocalyptic Japan with armored female ninjas or read about a satirical world where ninjas are on strike.

Doug Baltz, a Cape Girardeau native who moved to Paducah, Ky., about a year ago, is back at Comic Con with a new graphic novel, "Beware the Nephilim," about a half-angel, half-human creature based on Biblical references.

"I was talking with my pastor in Paducah, and he thought a lot of the monster legends that seem to be in every culture, some with the power to shapeshift and some who drink blood, came from the nephilim," Baltz said. "I took that and ran with it."

Baltz, who does acrylic paintings and other artwork, said he became intrigued by the graphic novel format and wrote "Epitaph," to test his skills. All his work is self-published. Baltz, 45, said that "with the advent of home computers, laptops and desktop publishing, I realized that I am at a point where I could do this myself."

Doug Baltz sits at a table in Artists Alley with his graphic novels on display Saturday at Cape Comic Con. (Fred Lynch)

And while Baltz said he would like to find a publisher who will take a chance on his work, "that's not the No. 1 goal."

Ken Murphy, former owner of Marvels & Legends and organizer of the Comic Con, said one of the most satisfying parts of the event is looking over the offerings from artists seeking recognition. A good portion of the customers at his store were aspiring comic artists, he said.

"They need a chance to get out and show their work," Murphy said.

At larger conventions, artists often get a chance to meet people representing comic book publishers. That's not the case at Cape Comic Con, but finding fans can lead to being noticed, he said. "I would say if you sold 5,000 copies by hitting conventions or over the Internet, you would get published," he said.

Brian Rhodes, an ad designer at the Southeast Missourian, was selling a bound compilation of his web-based comic strip "Mike and the Ninja." He calls it a PG-13 action/comedy/adventure.

Brian Rhodes displays his graphic novel Saturday in Artists Alley at Cape Comic Con. (Fred Lynch)

While the strip itself can be read at his website, Rhodes said fans have asked for something more tangible, which is why he invested in having his comic published in a bound volume. "At this point I am kind of glad to have something tangible," Rhodes said. "The purpose is to get a little exposure and sort of shill the product. Right now it is just a hobby at this point."

For inspiration, Comic Con also features two Jackson natives who enjoyed major success in the comics field. Gary Friedrich, who now lives in Arnold, Mo., created and wrote the first 12 issues of "Ghost Rider" for Marvel Comics and wrote scripts for many other Marvel titles. His friend from high school, Roy Thomas, was a writer and editor for Marvel whose credits include Spider-Man and X-Men.

Both said gaining exposure for creative work by getting it in front of the right people is key to success. And it doesn't hurt to have a friend in the business -- Thomas was in New York, working for Marvel, when he called on Friedrich to join him.

"It is like all of the arts, it is very difficult to get started," Friedrich said.

Thomas said he drew attention writing and editing a fan magazine, which he said is similar to what the self-published authors are doing. The artists need to put their work in front of publishers, he said. "There is still the old-fashioned way of mailing out copies," he said.

rkeller@semissourian.com

388-3642

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Pertinent Address: West Park Mall, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Want to go?

What: Cape Comic Con

Where: West Park Mall, old Steve & Barry's Store.

When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today