August 2012 – I recently had a chance to talk to THE Jimmy Jay (owner of Jay Company Comics, Organizer of Amazing Arizona Comic Con) about his path to fame (and fortune). This will be a two-part interview. I attended my first Comic Con in January, thanks to Jimmy Jay, and I’ve been hooked ever since! Ready?
JW: What was the FIRST comic book you read?
JJ: My first comic book- I’m sure my mom bought me some funky SPIDEY SUPER STORIES FEATURING THE ELECTRIC COMPANY, the first book I remember COLLECTING was THE HUMAN FLY from Marvel. I dug that he KINDA looked like Spider-Man but he was just off the beaten path, where the character was my “own”. Looking at the designs of him now, the spandex Evil Kinevil knock off, with a half cape and pimp stick accessories, I just laugh!
JW: When did you know you wanted to make comics your awesome/wonderful/amazing career?
JJ: While Mom Jay brought me to Comic Con since I was 12 years old, and was super cool with COLLECTING comics, I never thought that this could be a career until I took a road trip with my brother. I was having a mid college crisis and Bill convinced me to go on a road trip from Southern California to the Wondercon in Oakland. By the time we hit Bakersfield, he had me convinced we could be “professional comic book dealers”. As the weekend ended, and we drove him, we asked our mom to enter an even split 3 way partnership, and she pledged to put up $300. We thought this amount was THE WORLD- and it was at the time- and we turned that in a thriving business of nearly 20 years…
JW: In YOUR opinion, who’s the most famous person/super hero you’ve met?
JJ: Can I say MOM JAY? She was our very best friend, our business partner, and our family. She traveled with us, and rode on this roller coaster of convention circuit, and still kept Bill and I in check. Everyone knew her on the con circuit, and she was certainly the most likable, if not lovable of all the Jays. Mom passed away several years ago, but I think she would be proud to see the lives her boys have carved out. She would have flipped out seeing us pull together the AMAZING COMIC CON and other events. (JJ admits he became a bit nostalgic here).
Author’s note: I’m sure your mom would be VERY PROUD of you!!!
JW: 2012 isn’t over yet, what do you have planned for us next Jimmy Jay?
JJ: Las Vegas Comic Expo- that show is coming up at end of September. Jimmy Jay will have a retail booth at Comikaze Expo and Long Beach Comic Con. Our next few months will be planning The 2013 Amazing Arizona ComicCon!
JW: Thanks Jimmy Jay! You’ve been a wonderful addition to the Comic Book community! See you at The Amazing Arizona Comic Con in January!
Stay tuned for part two!
Geek? Nerd? Rock Star Mom? I’m not really sure which title fits me best. I’m an artist and poet. I have two blogs. I don’t read comic books. I have a good eye for composition. I know some artists that will be famous one day. My oldest son (Big Chris) is an amazing artist! My youngest son is a Punk Rock Star (Jeremy Wood, bassist for Authority Zero). I am very social and I like to interview cool people, so I write a few stories for GNN. Who wouldn’t want to be included with such a cool/geeky/nerdy group of people, right? Judy Wood, poet, artist, writer for GNN.
