A lot of my friends had talked the convention up to me so much that it had quite a but to live up to. It did not disappoint.

Drove up with Colin and my friend Conley who stayed the night prior. We had pizza and watched movies in preparation for our little road trip. Headed up early Friday morning and had a nice drive. I mean, it rained for a while, and I napped most of the way, so it was fine for me, but Colin drove most of the way. I DID offer to drive though, I’m nice like that. Anyway, we got checked into our hotel and met up with Natalie and Emi who we roomed with.

Things moved pretty quickly from there. Natalie and Emi very, very sweetly helped me carry a few things and took me to where I needed to check in and get my badges. Best hotel mates ever, right? Set up my table pretty quickly with Colin’s help and it looked fantastic thanks to all the Kickstarter donators. Briar Hollow looked great on the table in all it’s full color glory and I got many compliments on the new cardboard cutout of Chase.

Here is a photo of me and my table set up:

Highlights of Day 1:

• Meeting Joel Watson of Hijinks Ensue. Colin edited the second volume of Hijinks and it was great for us to meet him at his table and chat for a few. I got to give Joel the painting I did of Josh and he really liked it! He also gave me a print of one of my favorite comics he did.
• Getting to talk to Scott Kurtz again and buying his awesome PVP poster.
• Selling stuff! Briar Hollow did well. I mean, I have nothing to compare it to, this being my first time, but I sold books and people seemed to like my Doctor Who, My Little Pony and Hunger Games prints! I also met a great mom and her son, Myra and Dominique, who bought all 6 of my Misfits prints! They were super cool.
• Having dinner at Johnny Rockets. I think it was the latest I have eaten dinner in decades. I had a burger, fries and chocolate shake at 9:30. From there we spent time at White Horse with Emi, Tally and Eric and got to rest and take it all in.

Highlights of Day 2:

• Selling more stuff.
• Talking to Zan Christensen from Northwest Press and getting an awesome mug from Prism Comics.
• Got Louie Del Carmen‘s book, Steel Noodles, and he recommended some awesome inking materials to me. He’s the uncle of the best roommate I ever had in California and it was funny thinking that I had Thanksgiving dinner with the both of them like, 8 years ago. Maybe more.

A Lowlight of Day 2:

• Not getting to give my artwork to the three media guests I had painted portraits for: George Takei, Jason Momoa and Jon Bernthal. I left Colin at my table briefly in the morning to run down to the area with the signings and asked a volunteer if they wouldn’t mind giving my art to them. They said they were not allowed to and couldn’t approach their tables etc etc. I said all right and went back to my table. It was more important for me to sell my comics and art so I had to hurry back, but then Colin took my stuff down there, asked and they were like: SURE! So a volunteer took my art and hopefully gave it to them. The only one I know for sure who got it was George Takei, because….

BACK TO HIGHLIGHTS:

• When the convention ended I went back to my hotel to charge my phone and saw George Takei standing next to me. I hate bothering people when they aren’t in a formal signing scenario and so it took everything in me to say hello and ask if he enjoyed my print. It was so loud we could barely hear each other, but we rode the elevator together and he seemed to get a kick out of my little “Broker of Star Peace” art.
• That evening Colin and I went to an interesting party that can only be described the way Stefon from SNL would describe it:

“This place had everything. Easter Bunnies in gogo cages, nipple clamps hidden inside eggs and Homo Superiors.”

“What are Homo Superiors?”

“It’s like that thing, where gay men wear superhero themed underwear while dancing to Lady Gaga and judging the other gay men across the room.”

This was also Colin’s assessment of the place. But it was fun. We went with some friends, Josh and Eric and met up with Zan there as well. Later that night, we met up with a few more friends and just hung out before getting to bed.

Highlights of Day 3:

• Selling out of my Hunger Games print!
• Getting to meet Claire Hummel aka Shoomlah, who I have admired for the longest time, and whose work is a big inspiration to me. She was so sweet and so cute and I got a Briar Hollow commission from her! It’s already framed and on my studio wall.
• Meeting Dean Trippe and talking to him about his Lois Lane, Girl Reporter pitch, which I think is the best idea in the whole world, but I’m doing fan art for it and going to write an entire post for that as well, so that’s on it’s way. But yeah, he was just an awesome guy. Super intelligent and respectful.

All in all, I’d have to say it was a terrific experience and a convention I want to do every year from now on. Thank you so much to everybody who donated on Kickstarter. thank you to Colin and Conley and Matt and anyone else who watched my table when I needed a break, and thanks to my two awesome roommates, Emi and Tally.

See ya next year!

I will be in Artist Alley at table F-07 selling many, many things:

Briar Hollow issues 1-4 in color!
Briar Hollow, issues 1-3 in black and white
Briar Hollow posters
Bookmarks, Postcards
and a whole round of prints including the entire cast of Misfits, Wiccan and Hulkling, My Little Pony, Doctor Who and many others!

Come see me!

Briar Hollow Thursday Page 18 marks the last page for this chapter of Briar Hollow. Check it out or read all of Thursday from the beginning.

Briar Hollow – Thursday Page 17 is up for your viewing pleasure.

Briar Hollow – Thursday Page 16 is up. Check it out why don’t ya’?