SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Chula Vista comic book artist Erik Arreaga is drawing attention at Comic-Con this week for his 35th year in attendance.
Arreaga is hoping his new projects will keep San Diego comic book artists on the map.
Arreaga's said he's draws his inspiration for his comic book characters from the 1990s.
"So I feel that I carry that era here. My artwork has been known to be very gritty, dark, but with some great motion," Arreaga said.
But he is not staying in the past. He is creating characters that live beyond the comic book page — including one who exists exclusively on social media.
"I have a character that is not really in the book. You have to follow her on social media," Arreaga said. "I feel we have to move forward with creativity in our books and just bring in the new generation who are all on social media into comic books."
Arreaga's booth is located in the 700 row, toward the back, under Section E, in the Exhibitor area.
Fans can find Arreaga not only inside the convention center, but also on social media. Over the years, Arreaga has also built a following as San Diego's unofficial Comic-Con tour guide. With his 35 years of expertise, fans look to him for tips on navigating the convention.
"When social media was building, I was always getting messages asking how do I come to Comic-Con. It seems like a cool place," Arreaga said.
Arreaga said the most common questions he gets are what the best ways are to get to the convention center and what great spots are there to eat around Comic-Con.
Arreaga said it's become a mission of his to really open up the world's eyes to all of San Diego: "I tell them not how to come to Comic-Con, but how to come to my city of San Diego."
With Comic-Con now locked in through 2030, Arreaga hopes the experience expands beyond downtown — with more activations in places like Liberty Station, Chula Vista, and more to give local artists their own origin story.
"It allows the world to see the rest of San Diego," Arreaga said. "I think we're missing out on a great opportunity to house more artists, especially local artists, at Liberty Station or in Chula Vista, and I feel that's what needs to happen in the city to really show that Comic-Con needs to be permanent in San Diego for moving on forward after 2030."
