blog: appearances

This weekend, I’ll be in Portland, OR for the Wordstock book festival. I’ll be in the exhibitor hall in the comics section, which I hear is a thing? I haven’t seen a map, so it’s hard to say. The future is a bit misty; I may be crouching on the floor. I am fairly tall, so hopefully I will be hard to miss.

I’ll be bringing mainly books! To a book fair! What are the odds. Also, Fiction Generator posters and probably some manly stares, as it is Portland after all. Any of these could become yours with a minimum of effort. Hope to see you there!

This Saturday, the 26th, in Easthampton, Mass., TopatoCo’s having an open house and tag sale, where tons of overstocked, discontinued, and clearance apparel items — including some of my own older designs, to say nothing of those from other favorite artists! — will have their prices slashed and left to bleed out on (presumably) folding tables. GO GO BUY BUY

I think “tag sale” is a regionalism? Here in California, when strangers enter your premises and leave with goods they did not pay the full retail price for, we call it a “burglary.”

All the details are at the TopatoCo website! If you are not in traveling range of Easthampton, or have had your traveling privileges revoked by the state, you may still visit that fine merchandisery on-line. I hear a rumor that my new Piranhamoose, Arabic, and Knitting Survival shirts have arrived in stock and are shipping now.

Also this weekend, on both Saturday and Sunday, I’ll be at the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, Maryland, in a giant webcomics clotted mass which will include friends such as John Allison, Kate Beaton, Danielle Corsetto, Aaron Diaz… from there the alphabetical-surname convention sort of breaks down, but you get the idea. I am going to make and bring some Fiction Generator posters, I think!

Time to get the travelin’ shoes on again! I’m hitting three corners of the country in the next few weeks, making what roughly amounts to a continent-wide check-mark. I’ll have books, a few shirts and posters, probably some holiday cards, and definitely smiles. First up:

The Small Press Expo in Bethesda, Maryland, on September 26-27! One of my favorite shows of the year, not least because the attendees are so uniformly attractive. YES THAT MEANS YOU

The brand-new Long Beach Comic Con on October 2-4! This is the first year for this particular show and I’m excited to see how it goes. I’ll be on a panel talking about webcomics, and if I can swing it, also a panel talking about Chilean potato farming, which I know roughly as much about.

The Wordstock book festival in Portland, Oregon, on October 10-11! I’m very excited for this show, because, you know, I like books. If you do too, come check it out and maybe say hello!

I’m sorry to say I will not be at the APE show in San Francisco this year due to a prior engagement — but I’ll have representatives there probably with some books and shirts! Maybe my proxies can fill the gaping void in your ribs until Wondercon, next spring, which I will be at? If not, I’ll just see you in April!

now where did I put dem travelin’ shoes

The biggest comic convention of the year is next week. By now, you’re either going or not; tickets have been sold out for months. So…

IF YOU’RE IN THE AREA BUT CAN’T COME TO THE CON

Come to the TopatoCo/Dr. McNinja book release party next Wednesday night at San Diego’s Rock Bottom Brewery! It’s free to attend, and a ton of cool cartoonist folks will be there so you’ll have a chance to say hello and chat. Chris will be signing copies of his newest Dr. McNinja book Operation Dracula! From Outer Space, and I’ll be there trying desperately to look as cool as Chris. Details here, Facebook thing here, or just order the book online.

IF YOU WILL BE ATTENDING THE CON

First, it goes without saying that you should come to the Wednesday night book release party too. But also, stop by my table at the show! I’m listed with the “Dayfree Press” gang in the directory (not under my own name) but don’t even worry about that because my booth number is super-easy to remember: 1231. Say it with me. 1-2-3. Then put a 1 on there.

OR, just go to booth 1234 and look behind you. Those chumps are right across the aisle.

Even easier: print out this handy Commemorative Sketch Blank and bring it to me at the show! I’ll put a fun drawing in that guy for free, and there’s even a little map in the corner so you don’t even have to remember the booth number. WHAT COULD BE UNDER THAT HAT???

At my booth I’ll have: all three strip collections and all three Dispatches books; “Beards” and “Futurism” posters; stickers; comic prints; and Revolution and Steam Powered shirts… plus this brand new baby that’ll be debuting at the Con (click for bigger):

Based, of course, on this. (The shirt will be available for online ordering in about two weeks.)

IF YOU WILL BE NOWHERE NEAR SAN DIEGO

Well, it’ll be less crowded where you are. Regardless of where you are.

BONUS LINK: The image at the top of this post is from my 2007 docu-drama “Me Vs. Comic-Con: Who’s Better?” If you’ve never seen it, if you want a glimpse of what Comic-Con’s like, or even if (like me) you watch it incessantly, take a watch. I think it holds up.

SUPER BONUS: Guys you have to check out the “genre microfiction” that clever people are writing in the comments to the last post.