As the dust settles on another rapturous Long Beach Comic Convention, minds of all shapes decompress and reflect on new fiction that has captivated them or a conversation with a fresh voice. In a city as diverse as they come the convention boasts an eclectic mix of veterans in the game and rising talent hitting their stride.

Three such meetings resonate as I reflect on the weekend that was…

Keith Jett. Photos by Curtis Herod.

Creator. Artist. Force of Nature.
Keith Jett stands behind his artwork like a bouncer guarding the door to his imagination. A natural fit in the athletic world, as he states, you can find him in the gym curling 100s on the regular. The Waterford, Michigan native moved to Long Beach two years back and brings a voice of diversity and dynamic characters with him. Whether Keith is spinning tales of Gangster Turtles or chatting about his squad, the self-proclaimed only practitioner of the Shadow Art Technique says, “I may mean mug everywhere I go, but trust and believe I’m the funniest and friendliest person you’ll ever meet.” See for yourself.

Allison Solano (left). 

Enter the Yeti Detective.
Though the comic con road can be long and winding, we connect the dots to writer Allison Solano repping her new comic “Doc Yeti Fuc’son” a tale of a Yeti detective (which is fun to type) in search of redemption, justice and the perfect pun. Originally from Seattle, Allison has bent to the ways of the entertainment gods and now resides in L.A., or as she frames it Stockholm syndrome in a city. A voice informed by a masters degree in screenwriting from London Film School and a walk with a notable dreamer, Allison’s Yeti detective will have you searching the darkest corners of San Sela (a fusion of San Francisco, Seattle and LA) for answers.
Get to know Allison Solano and “Doc Yeti Fuc’son…Yeti Detective”.

Daniel De Sosa.

“Keep on Slothin’”
During day two in the waning hours of the Long Beach Comic Con only the true believers remained. Shuffling through the byzantine maze of imagination led me to Daniel De Sosa of OMEOW Comics, a lifelong artist from the San Fernando Valley he arrived in Long Beach with a three-eyed kitty and a mind for conspiracies. He sketched my lady and I as sloths as we talked methods on how to take on the machine and liberate the artist. Much like his title character Kitty Jenkins we wax symbolism and I made sure to remind him to take in the beautiful mural outside the convention center, adjacent to the newly finished “Cove” space. A double dragon handshake between us confirms what many have taken home from Long Beach Comic Con this last weekend, a meeting of kindred minds that inspires the artist within us all.

Thoughts or experiences at Long Beach Comic Con this weekend? As always reach out to the Long Beach Post on one of its many platforms. Kudos for staff and Convention Center on another successful unique convention. And as always anytime my words are written in a public forum you can find me @86cujo on Twitter.