Mystery Art Challenge -- NYCC 2014: The Flash and a...?

At most comic conventions, we do the Mystery Art Challenge. The artists that agree to take the challenge have no prior knowledge of what they'll have to draw. The way it works is, it's always a familiar character along with a random object. The artists then have seconds to try to come up with a creative idea. Because so many love taking part in the challenge, they've started indirectly challenging each other.

At New York Comic Con, we had seven and a half artists taking the challenge. Usually it's five or six. Peter Nguyen, Chris Giarrusso, Marcus To, Derek Fridolfs, Daniel HDR, Todd Nauck, Brian Buccellato (and...?) all took the challenge. There were even others that expressed interest like Agnes Garbowska, Ryan Stegman, and Michael Walsh. It was a crazy show and it sadly just didn't work out with them.

The challenge this time was the Flash...and a banana. Pretty much everyone said, "Everyone else is probably going to draw Flash slipping on a banana..." You'll have to watch to see how many did go that route. There was also a little twist at the end.

We decided because there so many that took part, we split the video into separate parts with a massive one as well.

Here's the entire challenge:

Peter Nguyen has the tradition of always going first. That's just how it went so now if he's at the show, he's always the first we seek out.

What happened here was Clay Mann wanted to do the intro. They're buds and while you won't see him on camera, you can hear and see him give Peter a hard time.

Chris Giarrusso is always willing to take the challenge. He always just jumps right in. He's done eighteen challenges.

Marcus To returned to the Mystery Art Challenge. This was his second time with the first being Black Widow and a Garden Gnome.

Derek Fridolfs is getting to be a MAC veteran. I believe this was his sixth time.

Daniel HDR loves doing the challenges. Since he's in Brazil, he can only take part when our paths cross at certain shows. This was his third time.

Todd Nauck pretty much always does the challenges as well. At WonderCon, he stopped by to drop off some commissions and take the challenge. He's close to Peter's number with seventeen under his belt.

Brian Buccellato often takes the challenge as well. Something pretty interesting happened during this video. Did you catch it right away?

That is it for the Mystery Art Challenge for 2014. It's pretty likely we will not be attending any more shows this year. We'll have to wait until 2015 for the next one.

I didn't finish watching all the videos yet, but man, the fact you caught Zordon summoning the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers at the start of the Brian Buccellato video was awesome :D

Always enjoy these. Definitely got to get a sketch from Peter someday.

BTW, Clay Mann is a stand-up fella. I commissioned a sketch from Mann at the '14 Boston Comic Con and he wasn't able to make it on the last day so I was never able to get the art. Well it took a little while but after getting in contact with his management and him the sketch was mailed to me and now sits framed on my wall.

G-Man, I tried to ask another time but I was wondering what sketchbooks do you use for collecting all this art?

@irishx: I've tried different ones. The current one, I bought two. It was a little more pricey with less pages but the water colors and markers absolutely do not bleed through so I don't have to skip any pages as I have in the past. I got 'em at a Michael's craft store.

@g_man:

Thanks mate. I just started a sketch book (small one 8x5) and used a comic board behind the pages to help keep things from bleeding through. I will definitely take a look at those for sure though as it would be nice to have a more normal size book as well.

The only ones I was really feeling this week were Daniel HDR and Brian Buccellato. Buccellato actually had the same idea I originally had. Surprised nobody went with the obvious of Flash slipping on a banana peel.

Anyway, here's my take below.

@nappystr8: They all pretty much assumed everyone else was going to do the slipping on a banana peel.

I did get this on Twitter from @THEjesusmarquez

Oh, I was like, wow, Brian has really upped his watercolor skillz ...

Also, I see Marcus To is hip to the idea of superheroes and banana hammocks. Do not search that phrase under any circumstance. :)

Brian Buccellato's drawing is just amazing, Grodd holding a Flash-Banana + these water colors ... Just amazing.

All of these are amazing. I absolutely love these videos and look forward to every time the CV crew comes back from a con.