C2E2 – Jim Keefe

Tom Gianni 1960-2020

Tom Gianni was a fantastic illustrator. He was also a courtroom artist for WGN, NBC, and WTTW in Chicago.

I knew Tom through C2E2 and I made sure to stop by his table every year I went back. He was always up for talking shop.

Here’s a quick video from 2011 where he let me take a little video of a commission he was working on. (Sorry for the sound quality, but Artist Alley gets kinda noisy).

And here’s a few pics from over the years…

My favorite work of Tom’s was his illustrations of pulp fiction heroes like the Shadow and from Robert E. Howard stories.

Fun side note – His work was awarded the Rankin Award for Artistic Achievement from the Robert E. Howard Foundation.

Best of all, his self-published Mechanic Anna.

An original Tom Gianni sketch on the Title page.

The last time I saw him at C2E2 in Chicago he had to leave abruptly as he was called to do some courtroom sketches. To see him take off harkened back to newsmen of the 1940s racing off to catch a story. And that’s how I’ll remember him…

He’ll be sorely missed…

My business card holder – purchased from Tom.

Word on the street was that Ulysses Klaue was in Chicago April sixth through the eighth looking to fence a stash of stolen Vibranium. My Command Center for the weekend was at McCormick Place – concurrent to some convention called C2E2 (whatever that is).

As luck would have it I found an ally.
Enter – The Black Panther!

Unfortunately before we could pool our resources, Doctor Otto Octavius (street name Doctor Octopus) attacked! Thankfully Spider-Man happened on the scene and was able to subdue him before any injuries were incurred.

Derailed on my search for Klaue, I ran into a new formidable adversary…Killmonger!

I’ll add that he was NOT at all happy that I called him “Killraven” by mistake.
The look he gave me after the fact was to die for – literally.

But before Killmonger could wipe that smug look off my face, we were set upon by Galactus, devourer of worlds!

Thinking fast, I made it known to the all-powerful Galactus where the nearest McDonalds was (to satiate his endless hunger) and the threat was over.
But Killmonger had escaped!

I barely had time to catch my breath before running into none other than…

Killmonger…AGAIN!

And he had obviously bulked up since our last encounter (something about a heart-shaped herb he ingested – a plant native to Wakanda).

But before he could exact his revenge on me, I was saved by the combined forces of none other than Supergirl and Wonder Woman!

My mind reeling from the licensing and copyright issues of a DC/Warner Brothers & Marvel/Disney crossover, I commandeered the nearest vehicle and made my escape.

All in all a successful assignment.