Archive for August, 2010
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Wizard World Chicago was my first “big” comic convention. I met many of my friends there. Most of my comic friends, in fact. It’s a show that holds a special place in my heart.
Last year, many of the publishers in the comic industry pulled out of the show and many of us were wondering if the show would continue on without them. Many of us wondered if we would ever again make the trek from the Hyatt Bar back to our hotels, exhausted and satisfied (and maybe a little tipsy). There were only two ways that the next year’s show could go: the show would thrive without the publishers, or the show would disappear.
When I agreed to get a table at WCC this year, I figured even if the show sucked at least I’d have fun with my comic friends. The fear from the previous year still prevailed, however, and I wasn’t sure what would happen. The unknown invigorated me, and the adrenaline was high on Thursday when I left the office and headed out to the show once more. Suffice it to say, our fears were unjustified. The show was AMAZING.
Alan Evans – creator of Rival Angels
Thursday night and everyone there had already made a ton of sales – and the show didn’t even start until the next day, officially. We celebrated the weekend by going to the Ram (one of Russ’s favorite places) and downing a few stiff adult beverages. The next day would start our weekend of selling comics. Including our new book, Reading with Pictures!
Trevor (hey, that’s me) models the Reading with Pictures anthology
Of course, other books were on sale as well. Russell was selling copies of The Batman Strikes, Hope: New Orleans, and his self-published work The 29.
John Bivens was selling copies of Comic Book Tattoo, PopGun, and his other anthologies. Steve Wallace was selling copies of Sequential Suicide, Binary Love, and his Sandman prints. And of course, I was on hand with RWP, as well as a little book we all know and love called “@$$hole!”
I love this book a little too much, sometimes
Russell and myself were interviewed a few times by several news outlets, including Bleedingcool.com and appear in their write up of the show.
The table display…yeah, it’s important
Sales were high all weekend, and I even got to meet a few of the celebrity guests including Paul McGillion (Stargate: Atlantis), Walter Koenig (Star Trek, Babylon 5), and John Schneider (Dukes of Hazard, Smallville). Paul and I chatted at the bar after hours about the show (since he admitted to being a little new to the comic scene). But most of the time was spent with my good comic friends…and losing my voice selling.
Many fans and friends came to visit me at the table, and it was awesome to see them all. And many new friends were made. And a personal victory for me was that I completely sold out of the first box of Reading with Pictures. The book was a huge success, and people loved it.
The show was tons of fun yet again, and while I’m going to be really busy at shows coming up, I totally plan to attend the show again next year. And that last sentence totally doesn’t make any sense….
Expect to see this image in a coming @$$hole! comic
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Remember that big news I’ve been teasing about for the past several months? Been asking yourself why the website hasn’t been updating lately? Well, it’s because my lifelong dream has taken a major step forward to becoming a reality. I’ve been published.
Reading with Pictures came out several weeks ago, and the premiere event was at Challengers Comics in Chicago. Several of the creators were on hand, including Josh Elder, Russell Lissau, Jeff Brown, and Jill Thompson. And the book sold gangbusters!
Lots of people came into the store that day, and many of the creators were on hand to sign books and mingle with fans of the book, the project, or our individual works. The store bought boxes of the books (and I’m told, have bought and sold boxes more), and we signed them all.
There was a charity BBQ as well, with the coolest guy making some great food.
The book was available for order in the June Diamond catalog. Diamond ordered about a thousand copies of the book, and we’ve been selling them individually at conventions as well.
I have a bunch of events that have been keeping me away from the regular updates, and I apologize for that. My schedule looks like the following:
August 17-22: Wizard World Chicago (con report to follow)
September 9-12: CECE (guest of honor)
September 11 (yup, same weekend): Library workshop in Lincoln Square for kids on how to make comics
October 4: FallCon
October 8-10: New York Comic Con
November 6-7: Mid-Ohio Comic Con
Littered throughout the year I have weddings to attend and whatnot as well. It’s a very ambitious convention schedule, and unfortunately it’s cutting into my creation time. On top of all this, I’m also working on another children’s story AND a regular series pitch based on my Reading with Pictures short story.
Lots of great work on the horizon, and I hope to see some of you at a convention soon. Thanks for sticking with me, and no worries – comics will start up again soon.