Just a reminder that I’ll be in Ann Arbor this Wednesday, June 1, presenting a slideshow of True Stuff From Old Books! I had a fun time at the World Steam Expo in Dearborn over the weekend — pictures of that coming soon. In the meantime, I’m preparing for the Ann Arbor talk and I hope to see you there!
Wednesday June 1, 2011: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm — Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room
343 South Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor, MI
More info on the Ann Arbor District Library website.
Thanks to everyone who said hello at Maker Faire last weekend! It was a whirlwind trip, but what fun it was. Here are some sketches I did for folks at the show!
(Confidential to the Annie E.Z. and Nancy C.D. who got books from me at Maker Faire: Would you email me please?)
Next weekend — I’m in Dearborn, Michigan for the World Steam Expo! It will be my first time ever visiting Michigan, and I’m very excited to meet Eminem. He will be at the airport, right?
The show runs Friday through Monday at the Henry Ford Museum, which I’ve heard is quite the place. I mean the Hyatt! Which I’m sure is nice too. I’ll be doing a special “Making of Wondermark” panel on Sunday afternoon, but if that wasn’t enough, there is also a ton of other steampunky programming, including a “Mad Science Fair.” Oh and I also designed the programs for the show!
Then, on Wednesday, June 1, I’ll be presenting my “True Stuff from Old Books” lecture at the Ann Arbor District Library! I believe it is free to attend. I further believe that it will be amazing? I’ll be signing books and stuff afterward as well.
Finally — I’ll have a little time to kill in Ann Arbor and environs during the trip. Any recommendations of things to check out while I’m in town? Leave a comment or send me an email!
TCAF was great! It was super busy (as you can see above) — another reason why it is one of my favorite shows ever. Here are a couple of sketches I did for folks!
My sketches are very self-aware.
We also played a game of Machine of Death Draw & Guess in Toronto! This was mega fun. We have some great pictures, as well as full video, of that event over on the MOD blog.
Also in that same blog post, I talk about the Machine of Death Official Seal Embosser that I’ve started bringing to shows. If you’d like to get your copy of MOD not just signed, but sealed against tampering, come see me at any appearance this year. See some pictures of it in action!
Next on the docket is this coming weekend — Maker Faire, in San Mateo!
Here is a picture of me taken at last year’s Maker Faire (by Flickr user notthatjeffy).
I think it makes me look like a crazy man who makes comics in a canoe adrift on a lake. AM I? Come to Maker Faire and find out for yourself!
P.S. I’ll have these brand-new items at the show! shhhhhh
It’s been two nights since the Machine of Death Half-Birthday Party and Talent Show and I’m still super excited about it! Thanks so much to everyone who came out to see us in Hollywood, it was an absolute blast. I’ll be talking more about it soon, and in the coming days and weeks we’ll be posting videos of the acts up on machineofdeath.net.
This weekend, I’ll be with Smilin’ Dave Kellett at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, which is a huge, absolutely free event held on the USC campus. (Note — in years past it’s been at UCLA! This year it’s at USC, for the first time.) It’s super-cool because you can just walk in and browse all the tents and booths, or check out their schedule for author talks and panel discussions.
Dave and I will be at Booth 871, which (if you know the USC campus) is directly in front of the Doheny Library on Childs Way. The library is the one with the pin in the graphic below:
If you don’t know the USC campus, it won’t matter what I say anyway. So just follow your nose! Sniff out the pleasing musk of my pheromones. Not in a gross way though. OR, if you INSIST, you can consult maps of the show here.
See you there!
The Machine of Death talent show in Hollywood is coming up in just a few days! As you recall, it’s what prompted the creation of Boom! And a Bear Comes Out, the party hit of the summer.
Over on the MoD blog I’ve announced the full lineup for the show. Highlights include:
• A live rap performance by me
• An improv set by Mission IMPROVable’s The Grind
• A reading from MOD by The Sound of Young America‘s Jesse Thorn
• And, of course, the heart of the show: the wonderful talents of spirited readers who took the initiative to make something cool.
We’ve got musicians, monologists, animations and all sorts of stuff planned — and I really want to reward these folks by packing the place Tuesday night. The house opens at 7:30, admission is free, and there’s even going to be birthday cake.
The Fake Gallery, 4319 Melrose Ave, Hollywood
More details here! And the Facebook invite is here, if you’d like to RSVP. We’ll also be livestreaming the entire event at machineofdeath.net.
During the show, feel free to tweet your thoughts using hashtag #MachineofDeath (and search #MachineofDeath to see what other folks are saying)! I’ll be reading some of my favorite tweets during the show.
I have been quivering in my sleep anticipating this show! PLUS: SURPRISES. Of the GREAT kind.
ALSO
One of our talent show musicians has asked if I can find a sax player who would like to accompany him during his song with a brief solo. “No rehearsal required,” he says! Would you like to bust a sweet sax solo on Tuesday night? Email me (dave at wondermark dot com), and I’ll see to it that you leave the show with something special for your trouble.
IN SUMMARY
I had Easter lunch with my mom, and she said “David, the thing about you is that you can take a small thing, and make it into a big thing in a way nobody else would think to do.” I think I fundamentally do not know how to do a thing simply. Maybe it’s a medical issue? The moral of the story is, once I decided to put on a talent show, I set myself on this path toward the creation of a massive thing, and I owe it to all the people involved to see it done right. Will you help out, and provide these folks with the audience they deserve? Watch us, online or in person, live on Tuesday night. I guarantee it will be amazing.