WonderCon 2015 --- tour the con with Marty Mouse (updated May 9 with Kickstarter link)

Enjoyed escorting Martin "Marty" Mouse (in Squeeze Marty pillow form) around WonderCon 2015. While Business Marty toured Comic Con http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2014/08/comic-con-2014-fun-of-camaraderie.html and CTNX  http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2014/11/behind-scenes-with-martin-marty-mouse.html  with me on previous posts.... This year, he's even been to France ..http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2015/02/france-2015-preview-of-posts-in-progress.html
For WonderCon Marty got into the cos-play spirit and went in superhero garb.

Martin "Marty" Mouse is the Facebook page of photographer Sarah Hunt.
https://www.facebook.com/martymousetherat
Marty's following includes nearly 20,000 Facebook likes... plus Marty has been featured on Buzzfeed, Cute Overload and other internet sites.

 

Marty pillow art designed by Steph Laberis. See all the designs here: http://martymousehouse.bigcartel.com/category/pillows

Here's links for artist Steph Laberis: http://stephsketches.blogspot.com/ and here https://www.facebook.com/stephlaberisart

Special thanks to all my artist pals featured here .. plus the good sports in the cos-play community .. for helping make Marty's tour of Wondercon so much fun!

At the artists table area.. there was always a long line of fans to meet featured artist Babs Tarr. http://babsbabsbabs.com/

 She did the cover art for the 2015 WonderCon program

A wide range of exhibitors at this con .. lots of comic and pop culture fun .. and the tangent fun items, like this table selling costumes for pets.

 Posters and prints are always popular ....

Inspiring heroines of all sorts can be seen. Here's a lovely Scarlett O'Hara from Gone with the Wind.

And of course, there are lots of heroes ....  Here we caught up with Sherlock Homes, dressed in his wedding episode garb, and looking dapper for Easter Sunday photos on the last day of the con ...

Costumed couples make for charming combos ...

sometimes entire families co-play together. Spotted in the hall (but sadly no pic) ... a Harry Potter family with towering tall Dad as Hagrid, two young boys as Harry and Ron and the mom as Mrs. Weasley.

 In addition to costumed characters wandering the halls ... many exhibitors have life-size replicas of famous characters on display. Here's Robbie the Robot from the booth promoting Lost in Space...

But my favorite part of conventions is visiting with our artist pals! Always friends to see .. and new artists to discover. Chatting with the artists is a great way to learn about their work. Be a patron and support the arts! 

Fans of hearthrob Benedict Cumberyummy and TV Sherlock

 flocked to this table with art by Fox Estacado. http://foxestacado.deviantart.com/ 

She's also part of The Three Patch group that hosts a Sherlock podcast .. and will be seeing the Benedict Cumberbatch performance of Hamlet in London later this year! Lucky duckies! http://www.three-patch.com/

Artist Amber Harris is known for her character design (and is also an SNB pal) .. http://www.orcish-illustrations.com/original.html

We carry her sketchbook on our website http://stuartngbooks.com/harris-mixed-a-collection-of-random-art-by-amber-harris.html

More gal artist power ... here's Mayumi Nose and Marty. She was exhibiting at WonderCon along with artist Sunmee Joh (not pictured).

 Sunmee and Mayumi are the duo featured in their sketchbbook "Pearls/Ribbons", also on the SNB website http://stuartngbooks.com/pearls-ribbons-signed.html
Their sketchbook has two covers ... here's Sunmee's cover for "Pearls"

 And Mayumi's side is "Ribbons" Two great artists in one book!

Long-time SNB pal, artist Brett Bean took a break from his table to show Marty his sensitive artist side...

Several Brett Bean books are on the SNB website, including this anthology...http://stuartngbooks.com/the-drawing-club-master-the-art-of-drawing-characters-from-life-clone.html

And this Brett Bean sketchbook http://stuartngbooks.com/bean-sketches-doodles-and-ideas-a-brett-bean-sketchbook-2013-signed-with-a-drawing.html

New to the Marty fan club .. artist pal Jillian Altmeyer http://squidbrainsdesign.tumblr.com/ (on the right)

with her table mate Marie Yumm (PuccaNoodles http://puccadraws.tumblr.com/)

My tours with Squeeze Marty are just one part of Marty Mouse travel... Marty toured London and South Africa recently, made possible thanks to artist Yukari and her amazing hand-made plush pals featured at her Flat Bonnie booth... and the dazzling eye of photographer Sarah Hunt. Pictured below are Yukari (r), photographer Sarah Hunt (l) and the Flat Marty Yukari made! See more Flat Bonnie friends at the website http://www.flatbonnie.com/

You can follow Flat Marty's adventures on Facebook ..https://www.facebook.com/martymousetherat/photos/pb.547622778622074.-2207520000.1428382708./907982045919477/?type=3&theater

And looked who stopped by the Flatbonnie booth on the 1st day of the con ... chefs Colette and Linguini from Pixar film Ratatouille ... including animatronic Remy on top of the hat! 

So exciting to see young artists start out at a con with a small table and a few items .. then as they years go by, their hard work and experience helps them grow....

Artists looking for ways to expand their brand should see all the options on view from the Furry Feline Creatives crew ...    Plush, prints, buttons yes .. but also clothing, keychains, vinyl toys and handbags! http://furry-feline.com/

 Another up and coming brand is Akumu Ink. Their t-shirts and gear are super popular with teens and 20s .. http://akumuink.com/

UPDATE May 9:

They've launched their Kickstarter project to help publish their first illustrated book:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/84747847/akumu-ink-just-another-birthday

Thanks to all the artists who welcomed Marty on his tour... look forward to seeing you again.. and making new friends at upcoming conventions.