When Chuck Brouillette was a kid in Albany, he went down to a local store and gave the comic book rack a spin.
Something he saw changed his life.
Brouillette, who had read a few Disney and Archie comics to that point, was transfixed by the cover of a comic depicting `The Flash.` The superhero’s red outfit with a yellow flash stood in stark contrast to the white paper it was printed on, and Brouilette had to have it.
`I just fell in love,` he said.
In the roughly 30 years since, comics have played a huge role in Brouillette’s life. Their influence will be on display Saturday, June 21, at the Saratoga Springs City Center, Brouillette and his brother, Ed, will host their second comics and art convention.
Brouillette is quick to point out, though, that people need not be comic book aficionados like him to enjoy the show. There will be art of all kinds on display, along with a vintage Batmobile and Star Wars characters, including a fully functional R2-D2.
`If you want to be surprised or delighted by any kind of art form, you should come,` Brouillette said.
For years, Chuck and Ed had dreamed of having this kind of convention locally that they could attend (Brouillette, 46, used to pass his comic books down to his brother, who is five years younger and became an avid collector in his own right). Albany used to host conventions at the Egg, but it’s been more than a decade since the Capital District really had a big comic show, Chuck said.
So he and his brother decided last year to stage their own. Their credentials extend beyond just collecting comics; Chuck is an artist and used to manage the Warner Brothers store in Colonie Center, where he oversaw a gallery featuring original comic book drawings (or cels).
The stereotype of a comic book collector is `a guy who lives in his parents’ basement,` Brouillette said. In truth, comics are a sophisticated art whose stories are almost like America’s own breed of mythology, he said.
Given his reverence for comics, he and Ed didn’t want to take a traditional approach to their convention, stocking it with just comic book vendors and artists.
`I wanted it to be an art expo,` Brouillette said.
So alongside the people selling comics were people drawing calligraphy and showing off other kinds of artistic talent.
Brouillette, who lives in Saratoga, figured it was a good location for the convention because it’s close to Montreal, New England and New York City. Even so, he and Ed were surprised at just how many people turned out for the inaugural convention.
`It was a great success,` Brouillette said. `We had at least 800 people there.`
This year’s show, he said, will be even bigger and better. There will be a slew of guest artists, such as Rob Granito, an artist/illustrator who has worked for Warner Brothers, DC comics, Disney, MTV and VH1 and designed the one-day special-issue Batman postage stamp for the United States Postal Service. Sid Couchey, who worked on the Harvey Comics characters Richie Rich, Little Lotta and Little Dot, will be on hand, along with Fred Hemback, whose work has been published by both DC and Marvel Comics.
Several local comic book stores will have booths at the convention. The Brouillettes regularly shop at Spa City comics on Phila Street in Saratoga Springs, and owner Shaun Belisto will bring books, toys and other merchandise to the show. Darren Carrara, who owns The Comic Depot in Greenfield Center, returns, and this year will host a Magic the Gathering card gaming event.
Carrara, who’s heard customers reminisce about the big comic conventions Albany used to hold that inspired the Brouillette brothers, said the lure of the convention is about more than selling merchandise.
`It’s fun to chit-chat all day with people who are into that stuff,` he said.
The convention runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the city center. Admission is $5, or $3 for those under 10. For information, visit http://sscomiccon.blogspot.com.“
