Other than an occasional email to friends over the years, sharing something funny or interesting that happened at one convention or another (valuable historical material indeed), I didn’t begin writing any of these experiences down until the plane ride back from Baltimore’s convention, September 17th 2005. At that time, I thought it would be fun to start keeping a journal, as I went to different cons and met different people. It wasn’t until February 2006 and San Francisco’s Wondercon, that I realized I would also like to go back and document all the past I could remember, before it got too far into the past.
One memory would lead to another, usually faster than I could get them all down. I’ve managed to keep way too much of this fresh in my head. I guess with a life dream of making comics, and meeting all my comic book heroes in the process, every event feels like such a big deal. It’s like I’m in Junior High again, and things matter. And it all feels so important. (To nobody but me, just like in Junior High…) I find I can chart the chronological time by relating it to the work I completed each year, and the associations of who I showed it to at what conventions.
I plan to post all this stuff chronologically. I had a seven or so-year backlog worth of experiences. So all that past material isn’t so much a diary. It’s technically my “memoirs.”
Everything that’s happened from September 2005 and on is an actual diary entry, even if I don’t post it on the day. I have written, and will continue to write, as soon as I can after every event. Hopefully, if not on the flights home from the cons, (on this great new laptop I’m loving more every day), then the week I get back.
Naturally, there must be plenty of inevitable hindsight vision, romanticizing, and possibly mistakes in these events of the past (such as the actual year at Wondercon I first met Sergio Aragones, for example — since I’ve spoken with him every year for at least five years). But when you meet your idols like this, even if you forget the dates, the memories stick with you. Everything they said was so important and amazing to hear…
BLOG WARNING
Please read carefully before continuing on to Blog!
This diary was written solely as a means to elevate myself in the eyes of potential fans, and wow them, regarding my role in the industry of comics.
These are my own reminiscences and opinions and versions of these experiences, people, and conversations, to the best of my knowledge and memory and ability, or as described in romanticized terms to make for a good story.
I know I can’t get quotes word-for-word, so I just do my best. Know that anything in quotes isn’t necessarily an exact quote. I’m just trying to capture the sense of what I think people were trying to say at those times. Or what makes for a good story.
Sometimes I’ll write something down, and then remember something else about it later. Some nuance I forgot to mention. Or I’ll have different feelings or thoughts about something that happened, after I’ve had time to think about it, or see the results or consequences. Or some event that hadn’t seemed important at the time, I’ll realize later actually was important to me after all.
Of course, over time, as you tell or think about a story over and over, you just keep subconsciously working it over in your head, and it starts getting to be better or more entertaining as you do. So how accurate is a diary or memoir, anyways?
Last of all, it’s hard to get a tone or attitude across in text. Please assume at all times that my tone is of utter enjoyment, awe, pleasure, and gratitude toward this great industry and everyone who makes it up.
If you can live with all that, then read on, dear reader!
Chris
So here it is, for your reading pleasure. Hope you get a little pleasure, and not just a bunch of reading.