Roanoke Comicon

The show went well.  Got to discuss my comics, and meet a lot of people.  Sold some stuff of course, and bought some stuff of course.  Its a drive to get to Roanoke, but I have been doing the show for years and it has been good to me.

Next weekend is NC Comicon in Durham, also a good show.  It is a lot bigger with a lot more people and stuff.  I need a week to prepare.

Snow

So here in NC we got a few ice storms last week and snow last night.  People are losing their minds, like we have been snowed in for months.  It will all be fine, but I am worried about ac ouple of events this weekend.


I planned to go play Heroclix in Greenville Saturday.  That would also give me the chance to pick up comic books at the closest comic book store to my house, Nostalgia Newsstand.  It is about 35 miles away.  Since our local shop closed I don't get comics regularly anymore and it depresses me.  But you do what you have to do.


Sunday is a comic book convention in Raleigh, snow willing.  It is put on by the people who do NCComicon who do a great con.  I only live about 40 miles from the show, so it shouldn't be a problem for me.


Other than that things are good.  I am inking issue 12, currently on page 5.

What I have been doing

I had a few days off of work around the weekend and holiday, which was very nice.  I have been getting some artwork ready for NCComiccon.  Aside from just getting so fed up with Staples, nothing has been happening.  The copy choices in Wilson, NC are extremely limited.  Also finished some one of a kind pieces.


A mental tangent has started, so a few friends and I are starting a geek equivalent of fantasy football, we are starting a FANTASY LAFF A LYMPICS LEAGUE.  Which will be a Facebook creative story telling exercise.


All in all, a great weekend.  Now back to work for a few days until NCComiccon this weekend.

NCComiccon

Been working to get some things ready for NC Comiccon, always one of the biggest shows I do.  It is in Durham, which is not far away from me.  I have several fun ideas for prints, as well as a couple of other unique paintings and crafts.


This show has consistently been good to me, so I want to bring the best of my work.  Unfortunately I have been putting off working on issue #12 because of that (and other shows).  I have the story written, and blocked out, and the first 11 pages penciled.  I have some vacation time coming soon.  I am looking forward to sitting and working on the other projects, but especially issue 12.

NC Comicon

That was the best showing at a convention I've ever had! I had the best location I could hope for, met TONS of people and got to show them my art, my comics, and talk about whatever.  It was pretty awesome.

My only complaint is that I couldn't just leave my tables for hours on end and watch the comic film festival.  Those looked awesome, I could have made a weekend of just that and been a happy geek.

It was a whirlwind of activity, and I am exhausted.  And I couldn't be happier, it went so much better than I expected.

SOOON!

After work today I am on my way to set up for NCComicon in Durham. A lot of people I know will be there, looking forward to it. I only wish I had time to see their movie festival cuz that looks awesome.

Come by and see me at the show. Say the magic phrase and win a prize...
"Knowing is half the battle"
Also acceptable is ... "Hey! You're that famous guy from Bear Butt Comics!"
Cuz I'm a sucker for flattery.

SOON

NCComicon... Durham, NC... big comic convention... this weekend (Nov 9th and 10th)... lots of stuff to do... trying to get ready... very busy... gotta go.

Post Roanoke Post

I had a very good show at Roanoke this past Saturday.  They had a huge crowd, and I met a lot of people and a good number of them bought a comic, art print, original sketch, or craft.  It was a variety of things sold, with no big seller. That is very cool to me, it means that people are finding something to fit their taste.

So great show, then got lost on the way home. That happens to me a lot, so Wendy and I have bought me a smart phone so I can use the GPS Directions app thingy from now on.

I have a bunch of pictures that I will post soon.

Next up... NCComicon this weekend!

Upcoming shows and progress on issue 10

Saturday Nov 2nd I will be appearing at the Roanoke Valley Comicon.  I have been there several times before, and had some very good shows there.  I am using the trip as an opportunity to stop by and see my mother this weekend as well.  So I will be on the road this weekend, and loving it.  I have not been to many shows this year, but my new work schedule has opened up a lot of new chances.  By the end of the year I will be doing four more shows, which is as many as I have gotten to do for the first 10 months this year.

I have a lot of new stuff to take with me, and more I hope to finish before NCComicon on Nov 9th and 10th.

Moving forward with issue 10, almost half inked. When I put down the 12th page (out of 24) to begin inking I thought to myself "HUMP PAGE!" and snickered.  It was late, so to me that was funny.

Roanoke, and NC Comicon

I have a table at the Roanoke Comicon on Nov 2nd. I haven't been to that show in quite a while, and it is always a good one, so I am excited.  OK, I haven't been to any show in quite a while, so I am just excited to be going anywhere and display my work.

The weekend after that I will be at NC Comicon (Nov 9 and 10), and that was an amazing show last year, so I am looking forward to that as well.  I will also be set up with Stacy and Jason and their artistic creations and costume pieces.

It has been a long time since I've gone to a show, but my new work schedule looks to be opening up a lot more opportunities.

Work on issue 10 and the continuation of the Bootooth Saga is underway.  I have several pages inked and moving along at a good pace these days.  But when I am finished I will have to address the scanner problem ($#!&%^%$#).  Not sure what will be the solution.

Update

Started my new job yesterday; I have that "In over my head" feeling, but I think I always have that these days.

Still no scanner.  Still no daily sketches to post (I have dozens of them, just can't post them).  I am making progress on issue 10 (currently inking).

I have shows I am hoping to attend, the next solid date I have is NCComicon.  That has been a great show in the past and it is really expanding.

@&^$%#*!!!!

So lately I have been posting a lot of Daily Sketches. 
There were a couple of reasons; I have been doing a lot of sketches and I wanted to start posting more of my non comic pages because I thought some of them were pretty good,
 and also because after numerous times of problems with my scanner I thought that if I used it everyday it would not go out again. 
That would have been an incorrect assumption.  The scanner is out again.  I am so sick of this.  I went into the living room after it has happened again and my wife asked me straight away "Something wrong with the scanner?"  Apparently I have a scanner face.

I will work on it again tonight and try to resume the daily sketches.

On a non related but also irritating note, there is a comic show in Winston Salem this Sunday that I couldn't get a table for because I had to work.  I tried to get someone to switch days so I could make it but no one did, until last week when someone had something they needed a day off for and we swapped days.  But by then, the show was sold out, so I still can't make it.  Hopefully I can add something soon; if not my next show isn't until NCComicon in Nov.

Update and stuff

So I have the lettering for issue 10 done, the pencils for the cover done (the third in the bear head silhouette covers), and I am working on a page for a DC Comics contest.  Its a Harley Quinn Contest that has stirred up a bit of controversy among the comic community (but completely unnoticed by anyone else, like most comic book controversies that don't involve Ben Affleck).

Add that to a lot  of sketches that I have been drawing lately (and I mean a LOT, I need a portfolio just for displaying sketches now) and it looks like I have been pretty busy.

If I ever get to another comic show I am ready.  I have a couple I am looking into, and others I am missing because of work (Rassa Frassa frassa).  The next one I have actually scheduled is NCComicon in November.

I have missed far too many shows this year, I need my comic geek fix.  And issue 10 is too far from being finished to appease the obsession.

POST CHARLOTTE COMICON POST

A truly remarkable show for me!  It was my 2nd most successful show ever (including 2 and 3 day shows)!  Only last years NCComicon was a better show for me, and it was a three day event.  I am stunned.  I am also a bit tired, but happy.

Saw a lot of people, some I have met before and some for the first time.  There were 1200 people through the doors, for a one day show.  Sometime you can do more in a smaller one day show than in those huge cons, because you can take your time.  Work your way around the room, check out the dealers and meet the artists before deciding with whom to spend your money.

I knew that I was really looking forward to this show, because I haven't done one in so long, but I wasn't expecting such a good day.  Thank you with deepest sincerity to the attendees of the show, other artists and writers, and of course Rick for putting the show on in the first place and all of his work to expand it.  It is obviously working.

If you haven't been to this show in Charlotte, go if you are able.  It is a great convention.

 

The new years optimism

I've had a overall good year for 2012.  On the bad side I did not get to do as many shows as I was hoping (because of my real world work schedule, which I try not to get into), several things popped up to get in the way of working on iNTERMEZZO. I missed Heroescon which really hits home.  That was the first show I went to as a fan, and the first big show I set up at as an artist.   And I never sell as many comics as I hope (I want to sell out of everything at every single show, so its hard to be happy with a realistic goal).

But the good news of 2012, the shows i went to were good shows, and I did better at them on average than any previous year (so maybe I am getting better at this).  Including NC Comicon which was the best show for me yet. Put out some comics, and have made great progress on several others and other ideas as well.  I think creatively I am doing more and gearing toward the future. 

Here's to more progress in 2013.

Post NC Cmicon post

Had a great time in Durham for the NC Comicon.  My best show to date in fact.  There were 4500 people in attendance, that place was crowded!  This was the first time I ever heard a convention announcement saying the room was at capacity, there was a line outside and they couldn't get in until some people left.  Met a lot of people, sold some stuff, and just in general had a great time.  It was so busy the entire time, it was a bit tiring, but definitely worth it.  I hope this is an indicator of how well  this show will grow in the future.

NC Comicon

Going to be at NC Comicon this weekend (Nov 17 and 18) and really looking forward to it.  I will be set up with Stacy (Leather Mischief, masks and stuff) and Jason (sculptures, some steam punk stuff). 

I have new issues, number 8 which is a big turning point in the story of iNTERMEZZO, a new print that people seem to really like and lots of homeless hero sketches.

Always remember...

Day at a Comic Book Convention > Day at work

So for this show, if you meet me and say the magic phrase "Meanwhile, back at the ranch" you win a prize.