I’m back from Seattle and my first Emerald City Comicon! How was it? Long story short, I’ve already signed up for next year.
Here’s the long story.
I flew out the day before the show. I managed to start the trip forgetting my banner stand, but on the upside that saved me a bag charge. There’s got to be a better way to get those things out to my conventions. I’d have brought it as carry-on if I hadn’t maxed out my two items already.
Ben Thompson, writer of Badassand the soon-to-be-released Badass: Birth of a Legendpicked me up at the airport. He and his wife Andrea were nice enough to put me up for the show, and then I was spending some extra time in Seattle with relatives. Being able to save on hotel costs and rental car costs made doing a new show a lot easier, so thanks to everyone on that!
Ben and I wandered into Seattle early so that I could do some sightseeing. We rode the Monorail (insert your favorite Simpsons joke here, Lord knows I did) and went to the Science Fiction Museum. Most of the exhibit was closed so that they could put in the new Avatar exhibit, which I can only assume is a lot of green screens and motion capture suits.
But, there was a Battlestar Galactica special exhibit that we could get into. And it was the last day for it! Timing power for the win.
Ben and I spent the time taking pictures of ourselves with the Vipers and Cylon Raiders, dramatically looking for Earth, and being on Adama’s phone. “This is Zahler Actual.” 
There was even a place where you could stand and find out if you were a Cylon. How did you determine this? If you were a Cyclon, you could hear the music. I’m no frakkin’ Cylon, so I certainly didn’t hear anything. Why would you say that? Maybe you’re a Cylon. And the music certainly wasn’t All Along the Watchtower.
Ben and I then traipsed over to the show. I’d gotten a show fastpass to get in, which was the closest I’ll get to having slightly psychic paper. I flashed that thing and I swear I didn’t have to break stride before I was badged up.
It didn’t take us long to set up, and I swear Emerald City has the most spacious artist alley I’ve seen. There was plenty of room between me and the people behind me for us to store boxes, and there were several breaks in the tables so we could exit. Good job, guys!
Sales were decent. Normally, I sell as many copies of the first trade as the second. It’s almost just as easy to sell two books as one. At this show, I sold far more copies of the first than the second. There are a couple of things that could account for this. It’s possible that the higher gas prices had people buying cautiously. It’s also possible that, despite being 
distributed nationally, that I didn’t quite have market penetration into the northwest and this was the first time people saw the book. It wasn’t bad, just odd.
Also, I have to give a shout out to my Square credit card reader. I took purchases for both myself and Ben, and between us we sold almost $300 that we would have lost if we didn’t have the card reader. Emerald City had fine AT&T cell coverage for most of the show. Saturday afternoon, probably the busiest time, had a little bit of a slowdown, but it was manageable. So, if you’re doing shows the way I do, I can’t recommend it highly enough.
It was great to see everyone there. The fans were great and I’m continually surprised how many people really do read the book and like it. And hopefully I managed to get some new fans, too.
I also got to spend some time with some comic friends that I don’t see outside of the show circuit. Emerald City is that perfect size where it gets great guests and a sizable number of attendees, but yet the hotel bar’s not too crowded and you can see and talk to people rather than just have sightings.
Well, unless you’re like me and miss meeting both Wil Wheaton and Jonathan Frakes. But don’t worry, I’ve taken steps to fix that.
Also cool about the show is that they do a charity art book called Monsters and Dames. I think this is the fifth year for it, but don’t hold me to that. Show attendees provide artwork on that theme that are then collected into this beautiful BrandPress book. It’s really a gorgeous piece. 
I was glad to do it. I donated my original art for the charity auction, and I don’t know what it sold for, so I’m going to assume it was for One Million Dollars! I’m sticking by that until I’m proved different.
It’s also brilliant marketing, because it generates booth traffic as people want to get each page signed by the attending artist. Hopefully, they’ll let me be part of it next year. There’s some amazing art in there, and I hope I didn’t bring down the curve.
I also got to spend time with relatives while I was out there, which was great. I stayed in their cabin on Mt. Rainer which was just awesome. It’s an amazing place and Mt. Rainier was amazing. We went up the mountain, about 6000 feet or so. It’s weird to be walking around on 250 inches of snow. But man, I want to go back. Hopefully the next time I’ll get to try skiing.
I also got to spend some time wandering around Seattle. Ben Thompson recommended the Bill Spiedel’s Underground Tour, which explores some of Seattle’s underground city. The city was built up to get it out of the flood zone on Puget Sound. It’s really an amazing story, so if you get a chance, take the tour or buy the book.
Me, I did both.
I lucked out and got a great tour guide, too. Sadly, I’ve forgotten his name, but I did remember it long enough to get a discount on the book at the gift shop. A lot of these tours rest on the ability of the tour guide. I took a Duck Boat tour of Boston back in 2000 and “The Professor” (as he liked to be called) is a huge part of why it was so amazing.
I drifted through some shops and went back to the Pike Place Market which I’d seen with Ben but had time to wander around. I went to the Kells restaurant where the owner, from Northern Ireland, and I tried to out-charm each other.
She won, by the way.
And, yes, I did go to Starbucks Prime, the very first Starbucks store. Tuesday was also Fat Tuesday, the last day before Lent. I’ve taken to giving up coffee rather than chocolate for this forty-six day period (yes, I count Sundays) and I figured this was the place to have my last cup of that sweet elixir that men call “Joe.”
Totally worth it.
So, I get it, okay, Seattle? I see why so many people come out for the show and wind up moving out there. It’s a great city. I’m not planning on leaving the Buckeye State anytime soon. 
Hey, we’re getting the Avengers movie after all, and if Scarlett Johnanssen can make the bad decision to date Sean Penn, then she’s perfectly capable of making just as big a mistake with me. Besides, I like it here.
But I’ll be back next year. Better have some coffee on.