Gem City Comic-Con Recap!

I had another phenomenal convention experience last weekend at Gem City Comic-Con. It was my first time to Dayton. Spoiler: probably won’t be my last. Gem City is very much a comic show, and I appreciate that. I did the most commissions I’ve done in a single day in a long time that first day. And it wasn’t just Pony stuff (though there was that, of course), but I had some interesting Star Wars commissions, even a “draw Uncle Ben and Aunt May… and wheatcakes” commission that’s my favorite one that I've done in some time.

I had a couple great dinners with some great friends and got to do the Drink and Draw for the event, too. I love how many local breweries there are in general, and Twisted Wing even brewed a special Gamma Ray Bomb IPA for the event. It was good, but I’m not an IPA fan. I had a few of their other beers though and loved them.

And I got to hang out next to Christy Blanch most of the show, which compounded the fun. Of course, some of that is just sitting next to her and ruining DC TV shows for her. Ask her, she’ll be glad to share the experience.

Christy also hosted a drawing panel with me, Kyle Starks and Scott McMahon . It was a great panel. We all played well off each other, many laughs were had, and I think we all learned something. Like why I’ll never get a tattoo.

Gem City was a delight, and another convention that treated me like a star. It’s all those little things that go a long way to making the experience so enjoyable. So thank you, Gem City! We’ll meet again!

Great Lakes Comic-Con

This past weekend, I was a guest at Great Lakes Comic-Con. It was my first time at this show, and I had a wonderful time. Mike DeSantis runs a great show and he and his staff took great care of me and the other guests. This was my first show of the year and it was a great way to start. The standout had to be Ellie, the little girl in the photo above. She was so excited and having so much fun, it was just the most awesome thing and my absolute favorite thing about my career.

I didn't get a chance to meet him, but Nicholas Hammond (the 70s Spider-Man) seemed like he was the nicest person, which is great to see. I got to hear some stories from Jim Shooter and Bill Messener-Loebs. And, of course, I spent a lot of great time with Tony Isabella and, the Dean to my Sammy, Paul Storrie. I look forward to seeing them at more shows this year.

I did a decent number of commissions, too. Lots of funs ones, like Doctor Aphra and Lightning Lass as well as some of the more common ponies. And, I even got to play several rounds of The Shadow pinball machine courtesy of the fine folks at Big Toys. They did a glorious job restoring what might be my favorite pinball machine. I love how they replaced a lot of the lights with LEDs. If this is a crazy successful year, maybe I'll give them a call.

If the rest of my con season matches this show, it'll be a great 2017.

Bombshell Lois and Clark Valentine

First come, first served to purchase this 9x12 full color original of Lois and Clark, in the Bombshell style of Ant Lucia for  $80.00! Buy by 2:00pm, February 9 and save $20!

My #NYCC 2016 Schedule

I'll be at New York Comic Con this week. I'll be at C12 in Artist Alley the whole show, excepting… Thursday 3:00-4:00pm: Signing at the IDW booth

Friday 12:30-1:30pm: I’m doing a teaching workshop  Family HQ – 1E16

Also, my "Captain Kirk and His Ladies" piece will be auctioned at the NYCC charity auction. The original and a giclee print (24x6, full color) are a package. This is the only place you can get the green wrap shirt Kirk.

I'll have two giclee prints with gold shirt Kirk for $75 at my table. And then a more in the smaller 18x5 size, the same as my Doctors Who print at the table for $15.

Also at the table I'll have Love and Capes, Long Distance, My Little Pony and more, including original art, sketchcards and more. I'll be sketching all weekend long, and being a mildly amusing conversationalist, too!

My SDCC Schedule

My SDCC schedule:

 

THURSDAY

3:00-4:00 MY LITTLE PONY SIGNING

IDW Booth

 

FRIDAY

MODERN ROMANCE COMICS

2:00-3:00 Room 32AB

Once a staple of the Golden Age, romance comics have faded into the background in recent years, but now they're making a comeback and tackling a wider variety of love stories than ever before! Carrie Sessarego (Smart Bitches, Trashy Books), Janelle Asselin (Rosy Press publisher), Sarah Kuhn (Heroine Complex, Fresh Romance), Thom Zahler Cartooning (Love and Capes, Long Distance), and Cecil Castellucci (Shade the Changing Girl, The Plain Janes) discuss both classic and new romance comics, some of comics' most enduring love stories, and the challenges and joys unique to creating romantic stories in comics!

 

SUNDAY

2:00-3:00 MY LITTLE PONY SIGNING

IDW Booth

 

EVERY OTHER DARN MOMENT OF THE SHOW

Booth 2000

Space City Wrap-Up

I did the Space City Comic-Con this past weekend in lovely Houston, Texas. You may have heard about the show on the internets. Here was my experience. All of the show volunteers and workers that I had occasion to interact with were amazing. In particular, Cheryl did an amazing job and made sure I was taken care of as best she could. That's important, because there are always problems, but what's more important is what's done about those problems when they arise.

There were certainly communication issues from the start. I had to remind them to give me my hotel information, for instance. And the shuttle situation from the hotel to the show was glitchy at best. But, I managed most of those and the biggest problem I had was the Act of God storm that wiped out power and water to my hotel on Friday night. Thankfully, it was made right before I had to head to the show.

With the abrupt change in management, I imagine there will be other glitches, but I also think the show that comes out of this will be much better than the one before.

Most importantly, I had a great time. I'm fortunate that I have so many friends in Texas and they make the effort to come see me and make me feel welcome. I've got a decent fanbase and more than a few regular customers thanks to Fiesta Equestria and Comicpalooza (which, because of it's later date this year I can't do), so I couldn't love going there more. That was all fantastic.

A couple random highlights:

I got to watch Game of Thrones with my friends and Lancel Lannister himself, Eugene Simon. That was a treat and a half.

And the show arranged a VIP tour of Johnson Space Center, which is just amazing. We got to see everything except the buoyancy pool (which is still on my list) and have a wonderful experience. Sadly, no one took me up on my "Artist in Space" idea. I mean, why should teachers get all the fun?

My C2E2 Auction Piece

C2E2 does a charity auction every year and I'm always glad to participate. Here's my piece this year, showing my favorite scene from this year's Supergirl TV show, Supergirl and the Martian Manhunter just flying together. It was the most comic booky thing I've seen on TV and it was glorious. The auction includes the original and a giclee print. Melissa Benoist will be at the show, too. Maybe whoever gets it might be able to get it signed.

My Wizard World Cleveland Schedule

I'll be at Wizard World Cleveland this weekend. Sure, my commission list is open and I'll be at my table most of them time, But if you like seeing me on a stage talking about stuff, you'll have three separate opportunities to do that, too! FRIDAY 4:30 – 5:15PM HOW TO DRAW FUNNY! WITH THE SIMPSONS’ PHIL ORTIZ, LOVE AND CAPES’ THOM ZAHLER AND NANCY’S GUY GILCHRIST (ROOM 26A) Ever wonder how humor artists are able to create characters and stories that leave us laughing like idiots? Here, one of the finest practitioners of the simple art of humor, Phil Ortiz (The Simpsons), Thom Zahler(Love and Capes) and Guy Gilchrist (Nancy) tell and show you how they do it! Moderated by Danny Fingeroth (How to Create Comics from Script to Print).

SATURDAY 4:00 – 4:45PM HOW TO EXHIBIT AT A CONVENTION (ROOM 26A) Are you ready to cross the line from fan to pro? Ready to set up and exhibit at a convention. Join Thom Zahler (Love and Capes, My Little Pony) and friends as they discuss the ins and outs of setting up at a convention. What do you bring? What do you need? How do you do a show across the country as well as you can do one at home?

SUNDAY 1:00 – 1:45PM CREATE A COMIC WITH MARVEL ZOMBIES’ FRED VAN LENTE, LOVE AND CAPES’ THOM ZAHLER AND SPIDER-MAN’S DANNY FINGEROTH (ROOM 26A) Ever wonder what it would be like to collaborate on making comics with top professionals? In this fun-and-educational session, celebrated comics creators Fred Van Lente (Marvel Zombies; Action Philosophers), Thom Zahler (Love and Capes; My Little Pony) and Danny Fingeroth (Spider-Man; How to Create Comics from Script to Print) create a new character and story before your eyes, incorporating audience members' ideas and suggestions! Come see—and join in—the creative process!

Amazing Arizona 2016

I just got back from the Amazing Arizona Comic-Con. It's a bit of a difference, going from walking around in shirt sleeves and writing out by the pool in Phoenix to the admittedly-pretty but very chilly Cleveland tundra. I had a great time out at the show! I hosted a My Little Pony meet up and got to meet a bunch of fans. We did a trivia contest and some lucky winners went away with some of my art. And then, on Sunday, we had the Pony Hour of Power where I did free sketches for kids ten and under. That was a blast! (Most obscure request: Cheese Sandwich.)

It's also the first show where I've had and sold the Long Distance trade. And the second, and the third… After having worked on that project for so long, it's nice to see the collection out in the world and finding an audience. Love and Capes continues to sell, too, which is also nice.

I got to hang out with the show crew a little bit more than previous shows, as well. That was a blast! It's nice getting to see Jimmy and Holly and Erin and Ben and lots of people I'm forgetting, I know, outside the show itself in a more relaxed environment. And Jimmy is a great host!

Best of all, as always, was meeting and seeing friends and fans. I 'm sure I've mentioned it before, but so much of being a cartoonist is isolation, that being able to get out and see people and have discussions is a wonderful thing. Thanks to everyone for coming out!

Lastly, this trip seemed a little more foodie than the last. Maybe I'm just figuring out how to use Zomato better. I had doughnuts at the Fractured Prune, and dinner at The Phoenix Public Market Cafe and Angels Trumpet Ale House. And then I played some video games at the Cobra Arcade Bar, where, for at least a little bit, I had the top score on Donkey Kong. All of which was awesome!

I even managed to finish up writing a script while sitting out by the pool. It was like being Stan Lee, except without the standing.

Live from New York Comic Con

This past weekend was the excellent New York Comic-Con. I've just about recovered from it. I had a busy show, appearing on ConTV, doing two signings at IDW, and teaching a drawing class. I would have liked to have been at the table more, but it's the perils of being popular, I suppose. Sales were good, and I think I may do more commissions in NYC than anywhere else. I've got some regulars who like to challenge me, including doing a Teen Titans/Star Wars mashup, and a Princess Leia pony. (The hard part there: Figuring out her Cutie Mark.)

I also had a fantastic time after the show. Great friends and great conversations at great restaurants. I had marrow, or "meat butter" for the first time! Cucumber soju continues to be my kryptonite. And New York pizza is still New York pizza… which means tasty but no Chicago pizza.

The highlight of my nights was when Tony Fleecs and I got to go see the taping of Saturday Night Live, as well as getting a tour afterwards and hanging out with some of the writers. Seeing SNL live has been on my Bucket List for a while, and it was great to check that off. It is so much better, so much funnier in person. It's amazing to see what they do to make that show happen in such a small space, and how great the band is to perform flawlessly while so much is going on around them. It was definitely a treat, and I don't know how much I should say about how this trip happened, but thanks Person Who Arranged It! Thank you so much!

The other highlight happened at the show when a mother came up with her daughter who was in my drawing class. I taught a higher-level class because it was mostly teens in the class, but her younger daughter was there and just absorbed the whole thing. She always liked to draw and took classes in previous years, but her mother said that she saw the light go on in her daughter's head in that class, and that I was going to be "her memory" of learning to draw.

I like doing what I do, but I can get a little cavalier about it. Moments like that remind me how I can actually have an impact on people. It's very humbling.

A big thank you to everyone who came by. I hope I gave some good advice to the Kubert School students who stopped. Thank you to everyone who came by and said kind things about Long Distance. That book is finding an audience in ways I never would have expected.

I'm looking forward to next year already!