ComicsMonkey

From my info on my Ka-Blam info it seems that Comics Monkey is on the way! Ka-Blam (my digital printer) is going to start their own distribution system called ComicsMonkey. Since Diamond has cut back on so much stuff (coincidentaly within a month of when I submitted Intermezzo to be carried by them. For some strange reason they did not want to carry a brand new title by an unpublished creator self publishing his comic- huh go figure). That was the height of bad timing.
So it appears that Ka-Blam is making a bar code for Intermezzo to include it in the ComicMonkey catalog. So that is pretty $%#@& cool.

I hope it is soon. I think it is a great chance for Intermezzo to reach a lot more people, but I also think it is the same opportunity for a lot of other talented creators to get their work in front of the reading audience. I hope that retailers will give it a chance. I know I have been disappointed in the Previews catalog as of late since it has been shrinking more and more.

Conventions

I went to Virginia for the Capi-Con show last weekend. Jeff was the guy who ran the show was very nice and professional. He runs a good show and it had a good crowd show up for it. I talked to a lot of people (those who would stop), told them about Intermezzo, they would laugh, and then walk away.

This seemed to be a collecting only crowd. When I walked around the room, it was almost all silver and golden age books. I didn't see any newer stuff. I guess the crowd that came to that show knew what to expect and no one was interested in giving a small press comic book a try. Except for the one guy who actually bought from me, yeah... one. Talk about a depressing experience. Even Stacy (my freind who makes the leather masks) didn't sell anything. And after her extremely successful show in Charlotte, it is very surprising.

So, not a great experience for the bottom line, but not a bad show in itself. If you are looking for the older comics, its a good show for you. Not really a place to see artists or find new or underground stuff.

The next show Stacy and I are set to do is the Charlotte ComicCon on September 13th. I went to their last show just to check it out and they had a lot of artists and small press people. So I think it will be a better fit. After that is Richmond on September 20th.

Appearing at Capicon in VA

Just dropping a quick note that i will be attending a comic show in Tysons Corner, VA this Sunday. Looking forward to it. This is my second show, so I don't have as many butterflies as i did for heroes Con in Charlotte. I haven't been to this show before so I am very curious to see what it is like.

I will post afterwards to tell how it went. If you read this and plan on attending stop by and say hi... there might be a prize.

see ya.

Moving Right Along

As of last night I have finished the pencils and lettering for 21 pages of Intermezzzo's fourth issue. I have been spending a lot of time to work consistently. My wife, and reluctant editor, Wendy has been very forgiving with me and i am very grateful for that.

Something that sprung to mind; about the lettering...
yes my lettering style is an intentional choice. I break the speech bubbles, angle the words, do not follow precise lines and do it all by hand. All of it is a choice I made to try and give my characters "their voice" and make it a part of the page's art and not just placed over the top of it. I have had several people think I draw the speech bubbles and just run out of room. Actually I draw the letters and then draw the bubble around it. I know it does not have the professional look comic readers are used to, but I hope it is something that can be unique about Intermezzo and that their voices come through to you as clearly as they do to me.

Look for me to show up at comic conventions in the North Carolina area to introduce people to Intermezzo. If you know of one coming up drop me an e-mail.

Intermezzo the Third

The third issue is available on Indyplanet! Go check it out!
http://www.indyplanet.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2433.
Check it out, buy it, read it, and let me know what you think.
Later

Heroescon, the postgame show

So I went to Charlotte and set up at a small press table in Artists Alley. Despite butterflies in my stomach the size of Mothra I put Intermezzo, some artwork, t-shirts out for sale, and sat behind a table to try and get the word out about Intermezzo. My insecurity about my work is very strong (to say the least) and for me to spend a weekend promoting my art and myself is very uncomfortable for me. Nathan Massengil (professional inker and great guy) gets quite a laugh when I call myself a "Self-Promoting Machine" (insert sarcasm here).

If you've never been to Heroescon (I recommend it, the people are wonderful) it is a three day show, Friday through Sunday. Friday for me was horrible, I sold one t-shirt and a sketch. No comics at all. It was pretty much every fear come to life (scratch that- every fear but snakes). After that day what little wind in my sails was gone.

But I went in on Saturday and talked to a lot of people, showed my book to a lot of them, and sold some comics (and other stuff). I got better about telling people what my work was about and making them laugh. A lot of them laughed and then walked away, but I still felt a lot better about how things were going. That day really recharged my batteries (or blew wind in my sails if you are a stickler for constant metaphors).

I have always heard that Sundays were dead at Heroescon, but it really wasn't the case for me. The crowd was smaller but i sold about the same on Sunday as I did on Saturday.

So "the Self-Promoting Machine" will be seen again, what I enjoyed most was meeting the people and the excitement that they will read my work. It was fun for me and I hope it was fun for them to read Intermezzo (e-mail me and let me know).

In sharp contrast to my weekend is my friend Stacy (Leather Mischief, she makes fun, artistic, mardi Gras like masks). She made her table cost on Friday, made a sizable bit o' cash on Saturday and then doubled it on Sunday. She made lots of superhero design masks that sold very well (including two bought by George Perez as Stacy and I tried not to embarass ourselves, and I suspect failing miserably). We saw people wearing them around, she got all kinds of questions and requests. She was practically giddy by the end on Sunday.

So, to everyone who stopped and talked, I thank you. To everyone who bought the first three issues of Intermezzo (everyone who bought comics, bought all three issues) I would like to hear from you.

When I grow up...

Ok, just to clarify I'm 37 so I've grown up just about as much as I ever will (sorry Wendy, this is as good as it gets). But when I look back to my childhood and I thought about that question the only answer I ever gave was a comic book artist. When I was five years old I was certain I would make a living drawing comic books for people in a parking lot (I did not know what printing was back then, I thought every comic book was hand drawn). Now I have taken the steps to get my comic book to the public (Intermezzo, get your copy now). For the first time I am the comic book artist that five year old imagined and i am about as scared as a five year old.


I am going to heroescon in Charlotte North Carolina 9 days from now (as I am writing, not as you are reading). I have sold comics at my local store and even appeared as a comic artist at Free Comic Book Day, but this is a much grander scale. So... I will let you know how it goes.


I would like to hear from you, whether that is someone who has read Intermezzo, someone i meet as Heroescon, or another obsessed comic creator.