ape

The Alternative Press Expo in San Francisco was TONS OF FUN!

As usual, the highlights were the friendships, new and old that I got to enjoy.  I got to hang out with my cousins Edward and Anne on Friday night.  They're really great folks, so it was fantastic to get to hang out with them.  As usual, I shared a table with Kenan Rubenstein, who is a great guy, and a lot of fun to be around.  Next to our table were our buddies Josh Shalek and Reid Psaltis.  The number of good friends inhabiting the show are too numerous to list here, but they are all awesome folks, and they should know how exciting it is to see them whenever I get to.  I also got to meet some new folks, some I was excited to meet, like Anne Koyama, and Michael Deforge.  Others were pleasant surprises like Lea Zalinkis, and Sarah Palmer.

I had some fun food experiences, from a failed trip to buy vegan doughnuts on Sunday Morning, to the most manic and bizarre chinese restaurant I've ever been to, to delicious vegan organic mexican cuisine!

Sorry, it's not much of a recap, but my head is still spinning.  Photos help tell the story too.  Also, check out my photos from the Madison Zine Fest.  I'm trying really hard to get better at taking pictures.

ok bye.

cleveland, ho!

Tomorrow at noon, the doors will open for the very first time at the Genghis Con, an Independent Comics show in Cleveland, Ohio.  One of the schmoes behind a table there, hawking his wears will be this guy.  I jump on a megabus tonight at 11:59pm (after working at Quimby's until 10pm), ride through the night, and get to Cleveland at 7:30am.  I'm gonna make a detour to a much-recommended restuarant, Tommy's, and then up to the Beachland Ballroom, where the event will be held from 12-6pm.  After that?  WHO KNOWS!  I'll have about six hours until I need to be back at the bus stop, to head back to Chicago, getting in around 5:30am.  I'll be back at work at five and a half hours later.  Whew, I'm exhausted already.

Ahem. At the show I'll have all my standards, The Trugglemat, Spitting Pennies, What is This? both Alpha City Comicbooks, plus, In Anticipation of Hugs.  As always I'll also have a bunch of free things, comics, uncle envelope propaganda, stickers, and a brand new button.  This thing is probably the most impractical object I've ever affixed a drawing to.  Busy Beaver has started to make OVAL buttons, they're 1.75 x 2.75" much to big for the hipster chic of their standard 1" buttons.  I'm excited about them.

A note about the drawing above.  I drew it on the back of my exhibitor badge at the Windy City Comicon this year, as badges tend to turn around while hanging from your neck (this way people will always know who I am).  If you're hoping I'm gonna look like that tomorrow, sorry, I don't have a haircut (in fact I'm desperately overdue for one), my shoes aren't very new anymore, and I make no promises about having brushed my teeth, or wearing pants.  You never know, I may remember to wear pants.

another last minute show!

robot headache

 I've been drawing everything except comics right now...AAAARGH!  I gotta get sequential, or I'll be that robot, my head exploding.

  It's not official, but I think I'm definitely hopping into a last-minute vacancy at my friends Leslie, Ramsey, and Matthew's table at the Milwaukee Zine Fest this upcoming weekend. Here's the basic info:

Milwaukee Zine Fest
Saturday, November 14, 2009
11am-6pm
 @ Falcon Bowl

801 E Clarke St

Milwaukee, WI

 

This'll be my first zine fest, which I'm super excited about.  I get the feeling that zine fests are more aligned with my personal values than with standard comics show.  I don't mean to knock comics shows, I love those things, but the impression I get is that comics shows are more business, and zine fests are more about the heart-power of self publishing.

 

genghis con

Oh, Hi...Oh.

Last minute decisions have been made, megabus tickets have been purchased.  I've decided to exhibit at an Indy Comics Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, Saturday, November 28.  It'll be really exciting to be exposed to folks who may not trek out to some of the shows I've been to this year.  Plus, I've never been to Cleveland (the bus depot doesn't count), so I'm excited to check out the sights.

  So if you're near Cleveland, or are looking for an excuse to visit the Forest City come to Genghis Con!

posting when i should be drawing

I just wanna post real quick about the upcoming WINDY CITY COMICON, so
when mid September comes around, nobody's all like "WHAT?! Nobody told me about this?!" Consider yourself warned. The Windy City Comicon is Windy City Comicoming!

This show will be super awesome! I'll be there with all my books, so will Short Pants Press (towing behind them, at least Sarah Becan, Grant Reynolds and Bernie McGovern). Jeff Lemire, Jeffrey Brown, Art Baltazar, Matt Kindt, Andy Jewett, and Nate Powell will all be there! Plus a ton of people whose reputation I really should know better, but don't. Check out the guest list. Also, I'll be smuggling Kevin in my back pack, so you can meet the dude who writes Alpha City Comics, as we unveil issue two!

Not to single him out, but Nate Powell needs a little spot lighting. This'll be his first year at Windy City, and he should get a big Chicago welcome. His work is AMAZING! His latest graphic novel, Swallow Me Whole (Top Shelf), won (and rightly so) the 2008 Ignatz for outstanding debut, and the 2009 Eisner for best graphic album. It blows my mind! Well, the book blew my mind when I read it, and it totally blows my mind that it's damn near IMPOSSIBLE to find it in Chicago right now! Luckily, Windy City has hooked you up, because with admission to the show, you have the opportunity to buy the book, as well as meet the dude. And meeting Nate Powell is an opportunity all on its own, because this guy is one of the nicest guys ever. He's super friendly and nice, and has some really funny arm gestures what's not to like?

Windy City was a great success last year, there were tons of folks, and everyone had a good time. The ticket price has increased from $5 to $10, BUT! You're getting 30 more creators to meet than you would have last year, plus, the program is expanding from a half-sheet of paper, to a FULL COLOR COMIC BOOK! Each creator got a page to do whatever they want with. I drew a brand new comic, and you can only get it in that program!

This'll also be the first show that I'll be selling What is This? my children's minicomic. I'll also have buttons and stickers and free comics for you. That's all I gotta say. go to the friggin show.