MoCCA.

I didn't bring all of my business cards by accident today, and so they were all snatched up. Some people who may have gone to my website may wonder why they are looking at a blog, and not a real website. Well, let's chalk it up to "not being able to get my crap together in time", and so I just set it to redirect to my blog. It's exciting stuff.

So far, it's going pretty well! I am at home, exhausted, not doing fun stuff, because not only did I do too much fun stuff too late Friday night, but it was hot in the Armory. By the way, MoCCA is in a freaking National Guard Armory. It's sort of strangely forboding, like, you feel like you're trapped inside while the zombie hordes are clamoring outside. It's huge and hot. I was very tired by the end of the day, despite consuming a total of five shots of espresso and one grande iced coffee from Starbucks.

I sold a number of framed pieces, and like I said, gave away all the business cards that I had. I managed to walk around briefly when my friend Nicole arrived. I also acquired the following things:

This great shirt from Squid Fire

and


This amazing print from artist Stephanie Yue.

I didn't get any books, or much time to look at any; I had to head back to the table to hold the fort down while Joe drew caricatures. Tomorrow I aim to score some more sweet loot, probably including the latest 'Octopus Pie'.

I better take some photos, too. I always forget to. Mostly because I'm stuck sitting behind a table, not wandering around...

Dear NBC

Three things.

Number One: we have enough tv shows where people can read each others' minds. It was a neat episode of 'The X-Files' (i'm... pretty sure it was an episode of the 'x-files'), but let's just move on.

Number Two: If you're shooting for having a suspenseful drama, don't name the protagonist Toby. Toby. For Chrissakes. Seriously.

Number Three: Soft lighting works for Tyra Banks, but not for a primetime drama. About reading minds.

If you're wondering what I'm referring to, it's the new summer hiatus time filler The Listener. Why we couldn't just have a night of reruns of '30 Rock' I'll never know.

Oh you crazy kids and your robots and comics

So, MoCCA starts Saturday. A problem I had with TCAF was just that I didn't have the ability/opportunity to make enough originals or to make prints. I'll have a few more originals this time around, and also some prints. I'm emphasizing the words some prints.

But whatever; I'm looking forward to it. The Art Squared table will have all the books of course, including 'Famous Corpses'. I'll be there with my tiny corner reserved for the mini art, and I'll sign copies of 'Famous Corpses' as they sell. I'm interested to see how it sells at this crowd; the NYCC and Mega Con saw a bit of interest, but it was TCAF where people were all over it. I'm assuming because it's a more indie, irreverent crowd? And so is MoCCA. So we'll see.

TCAF 2009: A recaf. I mean recap.

So this is how it went down: 9am, I piled into a van with fellow artists Joe Bluhm, Brendan Burford, and Rina Piccolo, and we drove a million hours and crossed the border into exotic Canada. I experienced Tim Hortons. I say "experienced" because all of my Canadian friends have waxed poetic about it for so long. My experience was mundane, though tasty.

It occurred to me upon arriving that, oh shit, I didn't have business cards. Cue hurriedly throwing something together on a laptop and then running a thumb drive to the least helpful printers in North America. But whatevs, I ended up with cards.

Essentially, I was there to sign copies of 'Famous Corpses', but I also--at the last minute-- brought some mini pieces of artwork, which sold very well, considering I really didn't bring enough, and particularly didn't bring enough robot pieces, because as we all know: People love robots.

No matter! I'm going to be completely prepared for MoCCA, which is creeping up on me.

At any rate, I had a lot of fun in Toronto, met some fab people, and saw a good number of things. I just wish I'd been able to buy more books-- I did manage to pick up Kate Beaton' book, which I heard sold out. I believe she should have more at MoCCA, for anyone who may be there. It's totally worth getting.

Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis

In which he interviews cartoon pilot and star of 'Mad Men', Jon Hamm. So dreamy.

TCAF 2009

Now that I've remembered there's an internet to be on, let me take a moment to say that the answer to your burning question is that yes, I'm going to the Toronto Comic Arts Festival. Art Squared will be at a table (most likely dominated by a banner featuring George Costanza's giant head, as seen on Rachel Maddow (about 18 seconds into this clip) and I'll be sitting there. If someone wants a book, I'm there. If someone wants to steal my chair so they can get drawn by Joe Bluhm, well, I'll be... right over there.

At any rate, WOW! Exotic Canada! I've never been! I one time went to the Canada Pavillion in Epcot. The educational video I watched tried to tell me that everyone in Canada ice skates, and is either a fisherman, a dog sledder, or a cowboy. Scott Pilgrim tells me everyone is a cartoon, and when you fight people, coins appear from the sky. So I don't know who to believe.

MegaCon: simple & to the point

Really, these photos pretty much sum up Orlando's MegaCon.







Actually, there were a shitload of teenagers leading each other around by these stupid leashes, but I didn't get any photos of that. So just pretend there's a photo of some unhygienic dipshit 14 year olds with chains around their necks, holding "FREE HUG" signs and stuffing their faces full of soft pretzel from the concession stand.

Austin, eh?

Wow, so someone in Austin is into this blog. You're here like, every day!


Does Austin get humid or is it more of a dry heat in the summer?

Tabloids Pt II

Damned if I didn't call it. In a post dated November 4th, 2008 (where I shared my favorite, creepy tabloid covers documenting their sick obsession with celebrity babies) I said, "the idea of Shilo and Suri cavorting together is OK's biggest possible wetdream"



YAY IT'S JUST LIKE IN MY FAN FICTION

I am becoming less and less inclined to go see 'Watchmen' and have Zack Snyder ruin that book for me. The more I hear-- which is surprisingly vague, but negative-- the more I don't want to see it.

I took my hard-earned money to see 'Coraline' instead; now that is a decision I can be happy with. Some have pooh-poohed the character design, but I go on record now saying they are super mega-wrong. I just really like it. I was equally impressed with it as I was the tiny costumes (they were knitted!), the tiny sets, the background, and the superb animation. Not a bit of it disappointed me.

I owe a post to MegaCon; I will probably get around to it later tonight, now that I've actually thought of it. Been back a week and I haven't reported at all, save for a Facebook photo album.

The Fisher King

A twelve year old probably doesn't understand Terry Gilliam so well. Or at least, that's what I would assume at 29. I saw a trailer for 'The Fisher King' when I was 12, and was so impatient to see it-- it was rated R-- I bought the movie novelization, and read it intently during study hall in school. I loved the story, and re-read it, envisioning the story the best I could. It may well have been borne out of a great like for Robin Williams, or perhaps of a budding love of Monty Python, but I wrung my hands until the title was released on VHS, at which point, I immediately watched it. My parents reasoned that I'd already read the book-- and I assured them there was no sex--so they allowed me to watch it. All the same, I remained scandalized at the full-frontal nude scene of Robin Williams' although to his credit, his intense body hair obscured anything obscene that a twelve year old would have no business seeing.

The video was returned upon its due date, and over the years I rented it again and again, finally owning the copy in college. I started using it as a litmus test of sorts with friends and boyfriends; it remained my favorite movie-- was it New York? The composition of shots?-- and it became important that people knew it. It's like that scene in 'High Fidelity'; it's not what you're like. It's what you like.

The scene above is my favorite scene of the movie, or maybe of any movie. It's because the scene imbued me with a sense of wonder at twelve that still persists today. I saw it the first time and just wanted to go to Grand Central Terminal, where it was filmed. And everytime I pass through it today, I think of that scene. My real life experiences in that space are nowhere as beautiful or seemingly effortless, but I still look up at that clock in the Main Concourse and think of that scene.

Didn't heed my advice, I see.

Seriously, Craigslist: What is your deal?

In all honesty, I would say that every other ad I have clicked on has been for an unpaid "intern" position, and half of the legitimate-sounding jobs have actually been fake ads, trying to scam people into chasing after some sort of ridiculous, fake, "work from home" thing. I responded to something that sounded absolutely perfect... and got an almost immediate reply that the position had been "filled" (in 40 minutes since the ad was posted!) but they had a SECOND position.... that of posting newspaper ads! From home! For commission!!!

What kind of animation studio does that?

NO KIND, that's what.

Oh, economic recession. You're ruining my year.

New York Comic Con Wrap Up...

I got my new copy of 'Scott Pilgrim Vs the Universe' signed by Bryan Lee O'Malley.

I signed some books of my own at the publisher's table:


I did a lot of standing.

Um... AND I MET JOSS WHEDON AND SCOTT ADSIT.




I promise you I normally don't chase people for photos, but they both wandered dangerously near my table so I threw caution to the wind and cornered them. Win!


Mega Con is the end of this month. I expect to do some signing and standing there too, but in a warmer climate.