This was the first time this event has been organized, and it was really a great turnout. There were tons of families present with their children, getting some great exposure to some very talented creators and expanding their appreciation for the comic art form.

The fate of comics is one that I’m sure will prosper in the years ahead, but given how comics have matured so much in so little time it’s harder for parents to find books that are appropriate for young readers, leading many in the industry to develop plans for attracting the next generation to this amazing medium. It’s events like this one that really go that extra mile to help them do just that—promoting education as well as entertainment—and it was a privilege to be a part of it.

A big thanks to Dan Mishkin, Edith Burney and Dan & Katie Merritt for organizing this very special event, and may it grow by leaps and bounds in the years ahead!

For those who are interested, there’s a podcast from the event that actually discusses the future of comics, which you can find here: http://mlatcomics.com/krc/?p=303

Chatting with con goers

What really made it rock was that I met so many people who were on the same wavelength—folks who immediately picked up on the references in the art and identified with the message and/or approach I’m taking to make my dream of a better world come to life. There were also a lot of people who were gung-ho about supporting local artists, which really helped. I want to send out a big ‘THANK YOU’ to everyone who stopped by and picked something up—you really made my weekend!

Poster Power!

Pretty much all the artists I spoke with met with similar success, which I was glad to hear. It was ironic that despite the challenging economic times we live in, this seemed to be the best Motor City Comic Con in the last few years, as if people were searching for a good reason to enjoy themselves amidst the struggles we’re all facing. Whatever the cause, though, everyone I spoke with was having a great time and really living it up.

I also want to send out a big thanks to my parents who contributed to the growing cost of having a table at the convention, and an extra special thanks to RYAN CLAYTOR and JAY JAYCOT and JONATHON GORDON—these, my fellow comic comrades from Lansing (and table neighbors during the the convention), made a special, out-of-their-way-trip Saturday night to grab extra copies of my books which were on consignment at comic shops in Lansing, because I was doing so well at the show that by the end of Saturday I was down to only three books! Their side-trip made it possible for me to return to the show on Sunday with enough stock to last the rest of the show. Thanks guys!

Ryan Claytor, Infamous Photo Infiltrator

Incidentally, my goal was to sell all my remaining books at this show—though I had no idea what to expect, initially—and by Sunday’s end I had only two books left! ROCK! Now I’ve got to order more books, and boy is that a good feeling!

Lastly, I also want to thank my buddies Elliot and Jeremy who were kind enough to help me out at my table over the weekend, making it possible for me to get away for a bit and see some of the other amazing artists at the show. It’s good to be busy at these things, but it makes it that much more difficult to see what else is going on and really network with people. Because of my buds I was able to do that—THANKS, GUYS!

That pretty much says it all for the MCCC.

The next show coming up is in Chelsea, MI on the 12-13th of June: Kids Read Comics!

Check it out if you can!

E!

There will be a pack of local creators in attendance, with a variety of panels being held to explore the educational—as well as entertainment—value of comics, the unique qualities of the medium and how comics are evolving. Those of you with young teens and some free time would likely find this show a lot of fun.

For more info and directions to the show please visit the main site: http://kidsreadcomics.org/

Greetings, Everyone! It’s been a few months since I’ve sent out an email update, and with all the springtime happenings going on I decided it was time to catch you up-to-date. Incidentally, there’s a bunch of new readers getting this email for the first time, so welcome!

As for those of you already subscribed to my RSS feed or keeping tabs on me via Myspace/Facebook you may have noticed I’ve been attending some shows lately. The next show coming up is the Motor City Comic Con, May 15-17th. For a recap of the other shows I’ve been at since the holidays, check out the links below.

Recent Event Recaps

• SPACE Recap – April 22nd, 2009
• MSU comics forum recap – March 30th, 2009
• Tails of Sparky – The release of a new Sparky book I contributed to.

TTFN!

E!

I’m stepping through the door
And I’m floating in a most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today…

For those of you who didn’t get the notice, I went to SPACE this last weekend. FYI, SPACE is the Small Press & Alternative Comics Expo, held in Columbus, OH each year. The last time I attended was in either 04’ or 05’—before all the $#@! in my life hit the proverbial fan—and this year (09’) was an awesome re-entry.

It began at 5am on Saturday with a bitchin’, four-hour road trip with my comic comrades from Lansing, Ryan Claytor, Jay Jaycot and Jonathon Gordon. Couldn’t ask for better company on a journey of this sort.

The show lasted from 10am-6pm on Saturday and 10-5 on Sunday, and it was not only the best SPACE con I’ve ever attended, it was the most lucrative experience I’ve had at a convention to date.

Lightweight Setup

I experimented with a different setup this time, since the carpooling  posed distinct limitations on what we could collectively carry, and I think it may have helped in more ways than one. Instead of the heavy/bulky gridwall I’ve previously used to hang framed versions of my prints, I picked up a foam display from Staples and slapped the prints up with some double sided sticky tape.

Besides being lightweight and far easier to transport, it gave people a better view of the art. It’s a long way from perfect, but the nature of these shows is to constantly improve your game, so this time I think I met with success.

All-in-all it was a fun weekend. I got to reconnect with my buddy Steve Peters (creator of Sparky and Awakening Comics) and a whole host of other sequential artists–plus I met a lot of new folks—many of whom were attending SPACE  for the first time—huzzah!

Workin' on a Sparky Jam comic

Jammin'

For those of you who didn’t get the word that this was going on, Michigan State University put on it’s second annual forum devoted to comics, hosting a variety of panels from accomplished comic book artists around Michigan. I was in attendance in the artists’ alley with about fifteen other creators, and I think it’s safe to say we all had a really good time.

Besides the fact that this is a free event for both the artists (no table fees!) and attendees—it was an outright scholarly event, in contrast to the typical convention circus filled with vendors, washed up celebrities and caravans of costumed freaks (no offence to the freaks out there, gods bless ya’). What we had instead was mostly students and faculty, with a decent dose of local comic book fans.

Most of the students that came by were taking courses that address (amongst other things) the impact comics have on social development and the traits comics exhibit as a unique form of expression. It was interesting for me because most of the students rarely read comics—if ever—so it was a great opportunity to not only expose them to why it is we artists do what we do and why we have such a passion for comics, but we also got some insight into the various reasons someone might not be drawn to comics.

One guy in particular explained to me that though he’s an avid reader and loves art, the combination of text and images seems cluttered and cumbersome to him, repelling his interest in the medium—something I never would have imagined.

Besides having a lot of fun and some really good conversations, this event was a great way to wrap up the Madness of March and ease into the ritual of the spring convention circuit.
Next up—SPACE!

MSUCF 2009 Promotional Poster, by Ryan Claytor

As Described on the event website:

“Held every year on the beautiful campus of Michigan State University, home of the largest public collection of comic books, The Michigan State University Comics Forum is a 2 day event that brings together scholars, creators, and fans in order to explore and celebrate the medium of comics, graphic storytelling, and sequential art.”

I’ll be setup there on Saturday, so please swing by if you can and check out some cutting edge comic-culture.

When: 11:30am-4:30pm
Where: The Spartan Room in the International Center on the MSU campus.

View a campus map:
http://maps.msu.edu/interactive/index.php?location=GDFZ

Directions:
Google Maps

For more information visit the event website

http://www.comicsforum.msu.edu

MSUCF 2009 Promotional Poster, by Ryan Claytor