This was our second year getting a table at the coolest comics convention of them all. Our first year, we’d sat across from Caveman Robot in the cheap “Self-Publishers” area. They had the idea for us to get a more expensive booth together to share, which would cost us each individually the same price. This pricier table would get us a better location with better visibility.
I was left to getting the paperwork in, so I chose for us to be down by artists alley, which seemed to get the kind of traffic I wanted, and which I knew was also where Mike Mignola, Dave Stevens, Arthur Adams, and JH Williams III had been the year before. Sure enough, all these great artists were there again this year, and we were between them and artists alley, which had tons of other great artists. But what I didn’t realize is that they would put us basically in the “Fantasy Illustrators” area.
There was a sign directly above the aisle we were facing, and it said “Fantasy Illustrators,” so if I saw that sign, I would assume that meant the whole aisle was full of fantasy illustrators. And that’s fine and all, but I won’t be looking for film noir mad scientist stories, and I won’t be looking for a Caveman Robot. And so of course, when sales were once again so-so, it made me wonder if our new label helped with that.
As soon as we were unpacked, situated, and settled at the convention, I immediately went over to Mike Mignola, to see if he had original art for sale. I was surprised to see he actually had some pages from some of his books, and not just some sketches, which was all I’d seend the year before, so I promptly bought a couple pages (All I could afford). I asked if he’d gotten the copies of Tabloia I’d sent him, with his pin-up, and he had. He didn’t say if he liked it, and I didn’t ask. I did ask if he’d like some copies to keep on his table, and I wished I hadn’t asked, because he obviously didn’t. He of course was gentlemanly about it, and said he needed as much table space as he could get for all his own stuff. I really realized that I shouldn’t ask artists questions like this, though, because it puts them on the spot. It’s uncomfortable for everyone. I should have realized at Wondercon, when I’d gotten the same reaction from Thomas Yeates. But now I know. When an artist does a pin-up for me, I ask them if they’d like any copies, and they usually say “one,” and I give them as many as they’d like, and thank them, and be sure to let them know how pleased I am with their pin-up, and leave it at that.
I had set up to get a pin-up from Dave Gibbons at Bristol Con a couple months earlier, and Dave said he’d have it finished and give it to me in San Diego. I gave my cell phone number in an email. I went over to the DC booth, and he was there signing. I quickly reintroduced myself, and he seemed excited to see me. He said he had the pin-up, and he’d bring it to our booth the next day.
Sure enough, I got a call at the con, and it was Dave. He confirmed our booth number, and headed over. It was exciting to have him come to the booth, so naturally we snapped a photo. He was in such a great mood, because the night before he’d been awarded an Eisner for “The Originals.” He was so sweet with the pin-up too. He penciled it, and then inked it on a separate paper. He said, that way, if I wanted to try my hand inking it, or have a professional inker do the job, I was welcome to it.
Tim Bradstreet was as fun as ever. He got a real kick looking at my monster stuff, and said he really loved them. I always enjoy visiting with him.
I found Berni Wrightson in artists alley, and showed him the monster stories and pin-ups. Hadn’t seen him for a couple years, and that first time he appeared to really love the stories, but this time, he didn’t seem quite as interested. Didn’t really care about all the pin-ups. Still wasn’t interested in doing a pin-up himself. He had just gotten there, and was probably distracted trying to get set up. I bought one of his sketchbooks, and saw it was full of giant monsters. I went by later, and realized he had a ton of original artwork for sale, and a lot of it was giant monsters. I asked if he had any sketches of giant monsters he might be willing let me pay him to print in my story. He was telling me most of these monster drawings were concept art for films, and the film companies owned the rights to the work. The more I spoke with him, the more I felt like I was getting on his nerves. Certainly not the reaction I was hoping to elicit with a legend I admire as much as Berni Wrightson, so I thanked him and got away as discreetly as I could.
As usual, I popped over to Russ Heath, beginning to suspect he would never draw something for me, and had just been giving me the run-around all this time. To my shock, he said he was finishing up all his projects, and would probably have some free time for a pin-up in a month or so. He said someone who’d been calling him for two and a half years called recently, and Russ actually told him he’d do the sketch for him. The guy couldn’t believe it. I told Russ, well I’ve been bugging you for over two years, so maybe I’ll be next in line. He smiled. I didn’t want to get my hopes up, though.
I tried to approach Adam Hughes again this year, but got kind of intimidated and didn’t bother. I did buy another sketchbook though. I also learned, talking to Mark Chiarello, that Adam is a huge Star Wars fan. I brought that up, and told him I didn’t have him pictured as a sci-fi guy. He said, he’s not a sci-fi guy. He just grew up with and continues to love Star Wars, specifically.
I met Ryan from the band Pinback, who kindly bought all the Tabloias and went home and read them that night. He came back and said he enjoyed them, and brought me some CDs of his band — which I didn’t realize was so well-established in the indie scene. We were wandering around at one point, and he said, “You should ask Matt Groening for a pin-up of a giant monster. I just saw him right there…Wait a minute, where’d he go?” Then we spent the next several minutes trying to figure out where Matt Groening had disappeared to, and we never found him. I even went to the Bongo booth to see if he was doing any signings, and they said he’s at the con incognito this year, and not making any official appearances.
A day or so later, I was just making the rounds, and I suddenly spotted the elusive Matt Groening at the Fantagraphics booth, talking with Gary Groth! Two guys I wanted to talk to! But I didn’t have any copies of my books, and I didn’t have my portfolio of all my monster pages and monster pin-ups. In a panic, I sprinted back to my booth, grabbed some books and the portfolio, and sprinted back! But alas, now both were gone! Drat! Did I learn my lesson! ALWAYS have everything you need to give out as handouts on you, AT ALL TIMES, because you never who you’ll just happen to bump into! Always! Making rounds. Going out at night. Going to the bathroom or snack bar. ALWAYS!
I went and introduced myself to Scott Allie at Darkhorse. He was real friendly, and said he knew I’d come looking for him, so he had read a little of “The Lump” that I’d sent him. He told me that’s one creepy story. I really appreciated that he said that. I told him I’d love if Darkhorse would publish the story as a trade paperback, and he got quiet. Ah well…
I had Elizabeth come with me to meet Gary Groth. He was talking with someone else, and all of a sudden, Elizabeth interjected in their conversation, “And I’ll use that as an in to your conversation,” and she introduced me as an artist of giant monsters. Gary and I were puzzled by her butting in. He had a guarded demeanor, like he knew I wanted something, and was just going to wait until I revealed what it was. I reminded him we’d met through Sam Kieth at APE Con, and he said that sounded moderately familiar. I showed him my monster stuff again, and he politely looked it over, but didn’t have anything to say about it this time around. I gave him a packet of my books, which he took. I think he’s gotten quite good at politely listening to artists making a pitch, and graciously accepting copies of the work. I’m sure he does it every con.
Later, Elizabeth told me she could have sworn Gary had been talking about Kirby-style giant monsters when she interjected. I bumped into him again and brought this up, and he said he’d done no such thing, and was puzzled by her interruption. I was able to smooth that awkwardness out by giving him a flyer to the upcoming panel I was on, about Espen Jorgensen’s documentary, which Gary was going to be in. He said he didn’t know about it, and thanked me.
Over the next few months, I sent Gary some emails, but never heard from him. I suspect he thinks I’m an annoying freak, because I tried to be clever with my emails.
I was excited to be participating in my first panel. It was headed by Espen Jorgensen, who’s putting together a documentary on comics, featuring Will Eisner, Daniel Clowes, Chris Ware, Roberta Gregory, Denis Kitchen, Sam Kieth, Gary Groth, myself and others. He filmed me last year. There was a sparse turnout, and people left as we spoke. I (probably stupidly) tried to talk about my own comics whenever questions got asked. One person in the audience actually made a crack about how he was there to hear the topics listed in the panel description (and presumably not about me). Despite it all, overall I think it went okay. And I met Denis Kitchen and Roberta Gregory, both on the panel with me.
I spoke with Sam Kieth before the con, and he told me he would be going this year, but just for a couple hours. I was quite surprised, because last time I’d talked to him about cons, he made it sound like he never wanted to do one again.
After that, he said he wished he weren’t going, because he had way too much to do, and maybe he could find some way out of it. And then he said with finality that he supposed he had to just go. I told him we’d have to snap a photo together, but hee said things like, “What does that prove? That we know each other? Everyone already knows that, because we worked together.” He was very opposed to the idea.
At the con, his signing was right around the corner from me. He popped by our booth, and said he’d be back soon because he had to leave in an hour. And we didn’t see him for two hours. I walked with him over to his signing area, and Alex Pardee, the third and final member of the Ojo crew, was there too. I was telling Sam, “This would be great to get a photo of all of us together, don’ you think?” But Sam just curtly said, “No pictures.” After the con, he actually called and apologized that he wouldn’t take a picture, and he said he’d let me take a picture with him next time I saw him. I wouldn’t see him for almost a year, but when I did, it was at a friend’s wedding, and did we snap some pictures!