LET YOUR GOOD HEART LEAD YOU HOME

Back home from Comic Con. Like many a Portlander, wondering how I left California and its ever-present sun only to end up in a ridiculous heat wave here in Oregon. Give me the cold and the gray any day.

My thoughts are pretty scattered, my mind pretty shattered, but I must say, it was quite a convention. I know there has been some complaints about it being too big and comics got eclipsed, etc., but I know Oni had a banner year and it was a pretty successful year for myself as a freelancer. Joëlle and I moved several cases of You Have Killed Me, selling out by Sunday afternoon. Keep in mind that when we sell direct, every one is like selling three books via the regular distribution chain. All the money goes direct to us! So, selling 120 is even more impressive.

The Spell Checkers announcement was met with a lot of great response and quite a bit of buzz. Oni is really committed to it, and we've got a plan to do at least three volumes.

Joëlle was blowing up all over the convention. Her signing with Joss Whedon and the writers of Doctor Horrible went really well. I stood to the side and we sold a ton of her sketchbooks. The fans seemed excited by the announcement of the one-shot comic book drawn by her, coming this November. She and Dark Horse editor Sierra "Genghis" Hahn were also kind enough to let me tag along to dinner afterward. Joss and Zack Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen were all there, and what a great crew, Joëlle is lucky to be part of the team. Also attending was Cameron Stewart, Scott Allie, Eric Powell, and his lovely lady, Sam.

Joëlle's two-issue stint on Vertigo's Madame Xanadu was also announced. Though, I don't see anyone picking that news up. Come on, guys!

Our group was pretty good this year. Me, Joëlle, Terry, and Natalie "Tally" Nourigat. Tally apparently told her friend Emi (who I saw all of once at the show) that she was rooming with a bunch of grown-ups, which I guess shows what a youngster she is since I am the only one over thirty. Joëlle kept calling me "Raggedy-Ass Grampa." Of course, it's the youngster crossing her eyes. This photo was taken on Friday after the Oni Press/United Talent Agency/Electronic Arts party, where we got to talk to a lot of the Dollhouse cast, and Tyrese took over the microphone and turned it into a dance party. It was really crazy, a lot of fun. I talked to Dichen Lachman, who plays Sierra on the show, and she was really nice, and I also accosted Alan Tudyk and we talked a little Strangers with Candy. He was realllllly nice.

I think that was the night I socialized with the most people. Got to hang out with Brian Hurtt, Antony Johnston, Chynna & Jon, Phil Gelatt, Rick Lacy, Chris Schweizer, the Oni guys, etc. Ray Fawkes and I spent a lot of time talking at the Oni dinner the night before, and I was able to catch up with Hope Larson and Ross Campbell during our signings. Chris Mitten avoided me like the Wasteland plague, though. Screw him. He's the Big Wet as far as I'm concerned!

Let's see. I lunched with Jann Jones. Got to meet Frazier Irving and then be horribly embarrassed when our book sold out before I could give him the one I promised. Saw Jennifer de Guzman briefly, met Barnaby Ward. Did a fly-by of Paul Pope, Scott Morse, & Jim Mahfood at a party. James Robinson almost made me cry telling me how You Have Killed Me combined elements of James M. Cain with the humor of Raymond Chandler. Met a lot of the boys from the Allred message board, saw my old friend Jason but didn't see my friends Michael and Stephen. Saw Sarah Grace McCandless all of five minutes; maybe she lost more weight and disappeared, the skinny bee-otch. I think I've discovered that the upside of having a solid business-level show is that social elements become more difficult. Barely saw Jenny (who was also working) and never saw John. That's the only bummer.

That's the swag I picked up. An uncorrected proof of Hope Larson's next book, Mercury; a Twilight Zone bobble; a Muppets hardcover (thanks, Chip!); the two volumes of Rose & Isabel by Ted Mathot; Stan Sakai's new sketchbook; minis from Renee Lott, Tyler J. Hutchinson, and Dan Connor; a book from some boys from Brazil; and the first issues of Citizen Rex and The Warriors: Jailbreak. It's a fairly good haul for me. I rarely get stuff at shows.

Current Soundtrack: Peter, Bjorn, & John, s/t; Christina Aguilera, Back to Basics


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All text (c) 2009 Jamie S. Rich