The line stretched from one side of the gallery to the other as fans waited for their turn to talk, have a print signed and take a photo with acclaimed artist Kevin Eastman the evening of June 4 in Liberty Station. As the Stone IPAs flowed and the couscous was consumed, guests at the grand opening of the San Diego Comic Art Gallery at IDW Publishing were ultimately fueled by turtle power – as in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle power.
Eastman, a San Diego resident and comic book legend, co-created the Ninja Turtles with Peter Laird in 1983 as a bit of a goof. Since then there have been five feature films, with another (co-written by Eastman) on the way for June of 2016, cartoons, comics and countless toys.
The San Diego Comic Art Gallery is showcasing Eastman’s art with an emphasis on the Ninja Turtles as its inaugural exhibit. From early sketches on notepads and napkins to colorful panels and photo cells, all the different takes of the popular comic book characters are displayed.
On Thursday, June 11, the gallery will host Comics and Cocktails, a special event with drinks from Soda & Swine and beers from Stone Brewery, for TMNT fans to get a firsthand look into the creation of a pop culture sensation. “It’s such a pleasure for us to have our first exhibit around Kevin Eastman,” said IDW CEO and publisher Ted Adams at the grand opening ceremonies on June 4. “Kevin is not just an extraordinary artist, he’s an extraordinary guy.
“He’s just unbelievably sweet and kind and he’s the kind of friend who is always there for you. I can’t tell you what it means to me personally, I get a little teary eyed thinking about it, but he’s such a great guy,” said Adams, whose company secured the rights in 2011 to publish a new series of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and reprint the older comics.
During the past 15 years, IDW has grown by leaps and bounds and in April relocated their headquarters, due to business expansion, from Pacific Beach to the historic NTC in Liberty Station. As part of this move, IDW made plans to create the San Diego Comic Art Gallery and include it as part of its offices. The space is San Diego’s only gallery completely dedicated to sequential comic book art, which makes it a perfect extension to the city’s annual Comic-Con International event.
“For IDW to be a part of NTC Arts & Culture District is just going to absolutely transform our company in significant ways,” said Adams, whose grandfather went through NTC while training for duty in World War II. “It’s just only been a couple of weeks here and it has completely changed the attitude and made us more creative, and I think it’s a better company already.”
Alan Ziter, NTC Foundation executive director, noted that from 1923 to 1997 nearly two million men and eventually women did their basic training here for military service. “It’s a place that helps shape young lives and set them on a path for life,” Ziter said. “It’s a place where heroes come from.”
And also, apparently, where a group of stealthy terrapins would feel at home. It seems that running beneath the pathways between Barracks 2 and Barracks 3, where IDW is located, are all the old steam pipes for the pump station that used to provide heat to the buildings.
“It’s a perfect place for the Ninja Turtles to hang out,” said Ziter.