Thread by @GailSimone

Okay, so a sweet thing happened.

When we were doing the fundraiser, a bunch of people kindly offered to send me stuff. I said no for lots of reasons, even thought the thoughts were very kind.

I also made a rule that I wouldn't bid on anything no matter how much I wanted to.

So there were hundreds of auctions (the last day alone, we closed almost a HUNDRED), and of course, some of them, well, I WOULD HAVE BID ON LIKE BONKERS if I hadn't made the rule to not do so.

There were a few such auctions.

One was that spectacular Jose Garcia Lopez book and FLASH sketch cover. Jose is my favorite living comic artist. I just love every doodle from his pencil. And it was DANG HARD to pass that one by.

But also, it was okay because the whole event felt so important.

So, that was a big I AM JELLY moment but it also made me happy because I know the high bidder had something special. I raved about the piece a lot, you all prolly got sick of hearing me talk about it.

Anyway, LOTS of people offered to send stuff, I said no, except to three.

One was a small crafted item, another was a page the owner REALLY wanted me to have, and the third was a mystery.

The donor was the donor for the auction I mentioned and said he wanted to send me a 'little something.'

I don't know why I agreed when I turned the rest down, but 'little something' sounded pretty innocuous and it was in the middle of the excitement of the auction ending, so I agreed.

Now, here's the thing. One of my most treasured books as a kid was a weird one...

It was a Giant Sized Treasury Edition of, I think, the fourth DC/Marvel team up (Oz, two Superman/Spidey books and then this), featuring Batman and the Hulk.

And it was drawn by Jose Garcia Lopez, and I just...holy crap I read it to pieces.

I don't remember how I got it, I couldn't afford a lot of comics as a kid. But if you've read it, especially full size, it's just a gripping story with GORGEOUS art, and the definitive Joker for me. Fantastic Batman AND we got to see Garcia Lopez draw Marvel characters. Wow!

Anyway, so I get a package on the magic porch. I don't recognize the name, there's no note. I have nothing I'm expecting, I don't know what it is.

So I open it up.

And it’s this.

Batman and the Joker, in the style of the comic that I absolutely CHERISHED as a kid, a huge, beautiful sketch by my favorite loving comic artist.

I literally felt like, a rush of feeling from reading that comic to tatters as a child. Like a kidney punch of joy and shock.

This was gifted to me by @SeanJ0917, this was his ‘little something’ he wanted to send, after already donating and bidding in the fundraiser.

He knew I loved the artist, but there is no way he could have known what a big deal this art would be to me.

So I talked to the helpers backstage right away, ‘I can’t keep this, can I?’ And then I talked to Sean, and said, ‘I can’t keep this, right? It’s too much?’

And he said he wanted me to, that Birds of Prey and Secret Six had helped him during a difficult time.

Don’t know, maybe I am just agreeing because DAMN but he was absolutely lovely and convincing and I think I have finally accepted that I have this beautiful sketch that somehow looks like joy from my childhood and I think this is going where I will see it all day long every day.

So, @SeanJ0917, I am sorry if this embarrassed you a little bit but I had to say thank you and you have the heart of a Titan.

I AM LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW.

:)

Ps. Also, if you ever see this book, buy it, it’s a blast to read even now.

Pps.! The great @ahtweet, backstage Avenger and the new owner of that incredible Diane Nelson-donated package, just suggested I put this page where the Wonder Woman page used to be, the one I donated to start #ComicWritersChallenge.

YES.

THAT IS THE PLAN NOW.

:)

Ppps., Seriously, Batman is still in mostly rough sketch mode, but still awesome.

But check out that Joker.

I maintain that JGL is one of the best Joker artists ever, period.