MegaCon 2009: Day 2-3

The rest of my time at MegaCon was a little slow. MegaCon was packed to the rafters with people, but their seems to be a less buying mood on the floor. That could be the economy, or the nature of the crowd, or just a one-year glitch. And I’m not doing bad, just down from last year. I’d done more commissions at this point last year, and I expected the trades to move a little better.

That’s okay. No one wins every game, and a “little down” is better than “oh, crap, I could have just set a pile of money on fire Joker-style”.

I got my picture taken in a replica DeLorean from Back to the Future. The photos cost $20, but went to benefit Foxfans, which is the Michael J. Fox Parkison's group. I love Back to the Future, and have always wanted one of these cars. It was a great recreation, complete with working time circuits that even made the same noise when you entered them. Phenomenal.

They offered a $50 package where you could go for a ride in the car. Unfortunately, the time machine part wasn't working, or I would have done it and jumped back in time so I could make my plane flight. Well, after buying some Apple stock and some choice comics.

I have to say, though, I’ve had the most fun I’ve had at a MegaCon in a while. I met up with the lovely and talented Steve Conley, who will be doing his great Bloop character as a web strip in the next year, and through him, wound up going to dinner with Marc Nathan, Grand Poobah of the wonderful Baltimore Comic-Con and some of their posse.

Nothing I say can convey the fun that was had, because it defies description. When I say I was treated to a fifteen minute recounting, or should I say “explanation”, of “Final Crisis,” that sounds dry and boring. Far from it.

Add to that a recurring Mad Hatter impression (Disney style, not Jarvis Tetch) and I really can’t remember the last time I’ve laughed so much.

We even went miniature golfing as Disney’s Fantasia Greens. The whole park is themed like Fantasia, the first, not the second. I don’t think I’ve played a worse round in my life. On the first hole I managed to knock the ball back towards me and onto the sidewalk. The last hole is basically a giant funnel at the feet of Yensid, the great wizard from “The Sorceror’s Apprentice” recreating the giant whirlpool. And I took two strokes.

As Ralph Wiggim would say, “It’s Un-possible.”

Yet, it was grand fun. I’m tempted to make reservations for next year just based on last night alone.

Sunday was about the same, although I did sell more trades than any other day. I met some very interesting people, and did the Students of the Unusual Indy Comics panel. It was a great group of people, and I think I even brought the funny.

Question: So what are the advantages to self-publishing?
Me: Well, I don't have to worry about having to find a place to store all my money.

It was a great panel, with some really fine questions. I think weeven got some good information out.

Then Bob and I packed up my booth, we said our goodbyes, and headed back to the airport. One of the storms from the Casket on Ancient Blizzards was attacking the Eastern Seaboard, but our flight corridor to the Midwest and Cleveland was unaffected. We zipped through security, had a lovely repast at Burger King (really, the only place that was open with the Orlando Airport being under construction) and hopped on the plane back home.

I managed to finish watching Men With Brooms, a Paul Gross comedy about the sport of curling, and caught another episode of Supernatural. Man, I love that thing for watching TV on planes.

Then, a few hundred miles and almost as many degrees later, we arrived in the frigid Hoth-like environs of Cleveland and got home, tired from a good show.

So I flopped on the couch and put on another good show, Battlestar Galactica. But that's another story.

Day two delayed

No update today. Con was slow but afterwardsvwas filled with fun, frivolity and Fantasia golf. More recounting when I get back home.

MegaCon 2009 - Day One

The first day of the con is over. It's been a long day, involving me getting up at 5:00am to pick up Bob and drive to the airport and fly here, only to lad and start the show. So this will be a little short.

Traveling during Lent is always a bit of a challenge, especially on Fridays since we Catholics can't have meat and I'm allergic to seafood. Fortunately, Orlando is home to the second most interesting McDonalds in the world. They've got a ton of stuff, including McPizza and McRavioli. So I was okay there.

The show had the typical Friday slowness, but I still sold well. I even made a few new contacts. Plus I saw some old friends, including Mr. and Mrs. The Defuser and Steve Conley. My friend Sandi and a couple of her friends came up for the day, too. And our group of dinner companions even acquiesed to my pleading to go to Uno's Chicago Grill, which I like on general principal and is no longer an option in the Buckeye State, and has a very Lent-friendly food: pizza. Sandi and her pals even went as an advance team to score our seats so those of us con-bound were able to just walk right in.

Then, Bob and I headed to Downtown Disney for a little shopping. For some reason, the Disney group and I have been drifting apart in terms of souvenirs. When I came down for the first time in 2003, I had to force myself to stop buying stuff. Now, it's not a problem to hold back. I don't know if it's a lack of cool stuff or changing tastes or I just have a lot of what I want.

I did pass on my usual Disney coffee purchase. I've got plenty waiting for me at home, sealed up until after Lent, between my Watchmen coffee and other stuff. So I just bought a couple of presents for my Goddaughter and her brother.

It's amazing how much it changes, too. Stores are remodeled and replaced. Pleasure Island is almost gone. All the clubs are closed, soon to be replaced with restaurants. They have a new T-Rex Restaurant, which looks kind of fun. It's got a crystal ice cave that's actually cooler than the rest of the prehistoric themed decor, and a bluelit ice bar that looks phenomenal. We didn't eat there of course, but it was fun to visit.

So now I'm back, missing Battlestar Galactica since I've picked another hotel that doesn't carry Sci-Fi Channel. Oh well, that's why Jos invented iTunes, right?

Safe Haven

I've mentioned a few times that Diamond Comics, the largest comics distributor in the country, has raised their minimum order requirements. It's possible that this could cause problems for Love and Capes down the line. I think I've got a handle on it, but I'm a firm believer in not putting all my eggs in anyone else's basket.

So, I'm happy to announce that Haven Distributors is now stocking Love and Capes. Maerkle Press will be joining other fine comics companies as Top Shelf, Bongo, Slave Labor and Moonstone in having our books available through this new channel.

Haven is a wholesale comics distributor, so they're not a place for individuals to buy comics. But, since Haven stocks the entire Love and Capes catalog, issues #1-9 (and will the only distributor to stock the retail version of #10 when that comes out), if your fine comics shop has been told they can't backorder Love and Capes, now they've got another channel that can.

Back Up

Yesterday, the Love and Capes site was down briefly. It has to do with RSS feeds and fscockets and htacesses and stuff like that. Really, it's not important. What is important is that the site and its blog and bi-weekly strip are all back up and functioning. So, if you tried to log on yesterday (especially if you came over from The Pulse article) and saw some weirdness, you know why.

Orlandos Other Than Bloom

Since I haven't left the state in almost fourteen days, I'm headed down to Orlando, Florida for MegaCon. I'll be hauling down the entire Love and Capes library, my Powerful Women sketchbooks, some shirts, and my drawing materials to do commissions. The con is always good, and I get to hang out with some of my Sunshine State friends that I don't get to see otherwise.

I'll also be on the Indy Comics Panel on Sunday from 2:50 to 3:40pm. It's osted by Terry Cronin and described as a Talk with Indy Comic creators Layne & Perry Toth, Jeremy Dale, Greg Williams, Thom Zahler and Robert Venditti. It should be fun.

Just Don't Stand Between Me and a Microphone

Hey, there's another interview with me up on The Pulse. Here I was grilled by the lovely Jen Contino. Well, not so much grilled. Actually, it was very pleasant.

Anyway, interview here. Clickity click.

Because If You're Gonna Build a Robot, It Might as Well Look Good, Right?

I got a commission request to draw Cameron from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which happens to be one of my favorite TV shows. (Please don't cancel it, Fox. Please. Don't you have enough blood on your hands already, killer of Firefly, John Doe, Lone Gunmen and who can remember what else?) Anyway, I had to draw Summer Glau.

Summer's got a really exotic face. I drew her years ago for the program book for the first Flanvention. I was having a hard time with her likeness, and I got lucky in that she was a guest at that year's WizardWorld convention and I got to meet her and actually see her face in three dimensions. Still, it wasn't an easy likeness to achieve.

Here, I needed to mesh that caricature quality with the stylized cartooning that I use for my Powerful Women books. I think they blended together fairly well. As much as the face, I think I got the cold, intense stare as well as the pose.

Oddly, my favorite part is the rifle she's carrying. I did the reference on it, it's an LR-300, I think. It's getting those little details accurate that I dig. And it strikes the right chord between cartoony and realistic.

When the Free Comic Book Day Book is a Little Less Free

Taking a step back, here's the alternate cover for the retail version of Love and Capes #10. Because of the new Diamond minimums, these won't be available through the Previews catalog, but they will be available on the Love and Capes website the Monday after Free Comic Book Day. They will be available for direct order by comic shops, too. I'll post more information about it soon.

And More Love and Capes Valentiney Stuff

Did I mention it's Valentine's Day? Did you forget to get something for that special someone in your life? You know what he/she/it (we don't judge here) would love more than anything? To appear on the cover of Love and Capes!

I soft-announced it a couple of days ago, but here's the full release an information. If there are too many words, here's the short form: Send me some money and you'll be on the cover of the double-sized LNC#12, coming out in November/December, as part of the wedding congregation for Abby and Mark. Click here to sign up. The full release follows.

You are cordially invited…
to attend the wedding of Mark and Abby in Love and Capes #12.

You might not have been invited to Lois and Clark’s wedding. You probably couldn’t attend Peter and MJ’s wedding (and, if you did, you don’t remember it.). But you can be in attendance for the comic book wedding of the 21st century! The Crusader and Abby are getting married in Love and Capes #12, coming out in December 2009, and you could be there.

Tickets to this wedding are limited and seating is first come, first served. Cost is just $40 per couple or $25 per single. No "crashers" permitted. To be part of this special event, RSVP by sending a photo of yourself, along with your payment, and you will be drawn into the wedding scene cover of Love and Capes #12 and mentioned by name at the end of the book.

To commemorate this special event, and to show our appreciation for the fans of Love and Capes, artist Thom Zahler will be creating a special limited edition 11 x 17 print of the wedding cover. All "attendees" will be sent a signed and numbered print to commorate their attendance at this "super" celebration. Interested attendees can also look for Thom Zahler at MegaCon in Orlando, Florida on Feb. 27-Mar.1 or the Free Comic Book Day event May 2nd at Rogues Gallery Comics in Austin, Texas , where he’ll have his camera ready to snap your photo on site.

If response warrants, an alternate version of the cover illustration (featuring Mark in his tuxedo, rather than his Crusader uniform) will be created to handle the overflow crowd.

Please RSVP by May 25, 2009.