Reggie And Friends At Comicon

New friends, old friends…SDCC had all the above, like this picture of Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, who I worked with on the Marvelous Color comic book art exhibition several years ago and is currently editor of the great new DMC comic book series! Edgardo and I had never met in person before but our friendship deepened even more as we joked about the supposed health benefits of pig guts in Latin and Black American cuisine!

The lovely lady in the middle is Marjorie Liu: writer on Astonishing X Men, attorney, novelist and teacher at MIT!  

Together the three of us form a rainbow coalition of kickassery! 

My man Edgardo and me with DMC, one of the founding fathers of hip hop, promoting his new comic book series. Darryl is a really nice guy, and we have a very animated conversation that amused the crowd that was patiently waiting on his autograph.  

If Fellini had stuck to cartooning instead of becoming the cinematic master of neo-realism and surrealism…he would be the Hernandez Brothers. Each so talented and unique (even from each other) as writers and artists. I can’t believe they finally won their first Eisner after decades of great work.  

Bucket list: Jim Steranko was a huge influence on me as a young man.  His innovative art and writing in Captain America and Nick Fury: Agent of Shield ushered in a new generation of storytelling in the late 1960s.  He would combine Orson Welles, Salvador Dali and 60s psychedelica to radically reinvent the medium. His two-part HISTORY OF COMICS was hugely impactful to me both in its thorough layout of the golden age of comics and as an artist who was also a historian. Jim was an escape artist in his younger days, and after comics, helped design INDIANA JONES!  

Jim’s recent reappearance in the public eye (especially his hilarious Bob Kane story on twitter) has been a treat to fans. It was a pleasure to finally meet him and thank him for his contributions.  

The man to the left taking the picture is storyboardist and all around great guy Warren Drummond with his son, Josh.

Here I am with Milestone co-founder Denys Cowan and Sergio Aragones, he of the great little cartoons in the margins of MAD magazine and the long running Groo comic. Sergio is one of the all time great ladies men. While Denys was telling me about how Sergio could stare at a beautiful woman walking toward him down the street and seduce her by the time they were face to face, a lovely young woman walked up to him and started a flirty conversation.  

I was lucky enough to work with brilliant artist Ken Lashley at the end of my Black Panther run, but hope to collaborate with him next year as well. Here he is with his two daughters and Kevin Grevioux, scientist, actor and creator of the UNDERWORLD franchise. I had a better picture of Kevin, but Ken’s expression was good I went with this one.  Sorry Kev.  

There was also a Milestone panel this year, which focused on the legacy of Afro Futurism (expressed over the decades through artists like Sun Ra, George Clinton, The Wu Tang Clan and Janelle Monae) as well as the history and future of Milestone comics and the curious origin of the Black Panther animated series.  

Host Phil LaMarr kept it peppy and lively, while panelists Selwyn Hines (VOODOO CHILE) and Milestone founders Denys Cowan and Michael Davis took turns rocking the mike. I did what I do.  

John Sempter is a legendary writer who has worked on the Spider Man, Hulk, Static Shock and Ghostbusters animated series, as well as the Kid and Play movie I didn’t make – Class Act. John himself is also a Class Act! 

Bill Seinkowicz and Denys Cowan – legendary artists, great guys, despite Denys’ sinister expression…have teamed up on my new book! I can’t wait till you see it next year! Their collaboration is seamless!  

HEF stalwart Sam Wilson represents to the fullest at all times. Thanks for introducing me to Magarie Liu! You, Keith Kopinski and Joe Thomas Jr. hold it down at all times! 

Even hardware stores in downtown San Diego are getting in on the act with namesake Milestone characters. Best Comicon ever for me. Can’t wait till next year.

Talk about it on HEF – the Hudlin Entertainment Forum

Reginald and Alexander in a biplane

Reginald and Alexander Hudlin prepare for a biplane flight over Martha’s Vineyard to celebrate Alexander’s 7th birthday.

More beautiful smiles on HEF

Murder In The First Smiles

Me and fellow director Allison Anders on the set of MURDER IN THE FIRST

James Cromwell and I on the set of MURDER IN THE FIRST

More beautiful smiles on HEF 

Murder In The First

My first experience as a freelance director (as opposed to directing material I developed) came from me meeting Steven Bochco at a birthday party of a mutual friend. I introduced myself and asked him why, in his expert opinion, haven’t black dramas succeeded on television. He said funny you should ask that since he was doing a black medical drama that fall and by asking I had just volunteered myself to work on the project. 

The show was CITY OF ANGELS and the cast included Blair Underwood, Vivica Fox, Hill Harper, Maya Rudolph (great in a dramatic role), Viola Davis, Octavia Spenser, a young actress named Gabrielle Union,….I even got to work with Ossie Davis in a guest appearance. 

As the creator of the modern television drama with shows like HILL STREET BLUES, LA LAW, NYPD BLUE and many more, Bochco runs a tight ship but it’s a fun cruise. Working there taught me television and I use those lessons everyday. 

Steven and I became friends and we would hang out personally. When my then girlfriend would leave the table at dinner, he would grab my arm and tell me I was an idiot if I didn’t marry that girl right away. Two kids and over a decade later, he was very right. 

I know it doesn’t look like it but we’re actually having fun together in this shot!

I’ve been lucky enough to work with Steven on several shows, but the MURDER IN THE  FIRST experience was exceptional. It was old home week with some of the best crew people in the business who are always there for Steven, and an amazing cast including the very quick witted Taye Diggs; the awe-inspiring James Cromwell, who delivers two page monologues with the greatest of ease; and Tom Felton who is as nice in person as he is awful as his character. The entire cast was spectacular and we spent a lot of time pitching each other ideas for season two. 

Me and Taye Diggs on the set of MURDER IN THE FIRST. Boy, that guy is handsome!

Me and Tom Fenton on the set of MURDER IN THE FIRST. Magical.

The show debuted to great ratings; I directed episode six. Check it out.

Talk about it on HEF – the Hudlin Entertainment Forum