I’m going to be trying something different next year. I’m going to attend a few carefully chosen “comic cons,” or comics conventions. I’m already booked into the Vermont Comic Con in Burlington, Vermont, next August. I might be in Boston a couple of weeks before that. That’s right. I’m finally going to make it to New England. It’s been a long long time since I was there last, and I’m looking forward to it. I hope to make a half dozen or so such events in 2016, so check back on that. There was a time when a cartoonist such as myself could lock himself in the spare room and make a decent living. That day is coming to an end. Marketing and promotion will be the new reality. I’ve never been strong in those areas, but I’m willing, even eager, to learn. I am looking forward to embracing my readers in person. Well, handshakes all around, at least.
98 responses to “Safety in Slumbers”
You’ll do fine. People just want to (imagine that) they have a personal connection with something they care about. You’re way ahead of the game, Jimmy, having been on the web for so long. Hope I can get to one of your New England visits!
If you make it to Dallas, I might just have to travel down there! http://dallascomiccon.com/
Since the Houston Comic Con is also in September, I guess you won’t be there. Sigh.
Well, if you ever come to Michigan, I can offer a nice home cooked meal. I have never attended a Comic con. One time I was working with the Detroit Free Press Marathon and helped them with their booth ant the Mini-Indy Half Marathon. Next door was a Star Wars convention. When I went out for a break, I saw dozens of people entering in full costume. I did go up to a guy in a Chewbacca costume and asked him if he thought he might break 2:00 at the race the next day. He just said: “grrrwaaaaaarggggh”
we’ll do what promoting we can with our shirts. I’ve already explained to a couple of hiking / walking friends – best comic strip, no, it’s not in the lame Houston Chronicle. You can see it in the Fort Bend Herald or gocomics.com
oh yeah, and Arlo, well, you didn’t just leave the house and have Janis wondering where you were? It’s not like you have a ball and chain, just to let her know you’re going out.
OF due now-1116 CST, but it’s foggy. emb
http://www.nps.gov/features/yell/webcam/oldFaithfulStreaming.html
JJ, this is useful reading for first time attendance at Comic-Con.
http://www.wired.com/2015/07/nerdist-comic
Good luck and keep us updated on your schedule. If it works, maybe a couple of evening meals with Jimmy. 🙂
GR6, this more your survival guide.
http://www.wired.com/2015/08/allison-stewart-heres-what-disaster-preppers-pack-to-survive-for-72-hours/
Bemidji has an appropriate bldg./, the Sanford Ctr. [same Sanford as Sanford Health Bemidji, S.H. Fargo, Sioux Falls, etc.] Plenty of decent hotel space nearby. Bemidji Pioneer carries A&J, and also my monthly column.
If there’s a mtg. here, I’d definitely go, and might go if it were in Mpls/St.Paul. I think the Star Tribune carries A&J.
Peace, emb
sand, actually I think I’d like to take Allison along, too, when I bug out. 😉
http://40.media.tumblr.com/T4oL9c0wZgih6o9aANII5JVco1_400.jpg
Ref today’s retro cartoon: “Never get out of the boat! I gotta remember, never get out of the boat!”
Ref today’s real-time cartoon:
Wooden floors – Hard and cold, not to mention the danger of splinters. (Although I have known a few who were “splinter-worthy”.)
Ceramic tile floors – Harder and colder.
Marble floors – Get real!
Flagstone floors – Get out!
Linoleum floors – Tacky. Just tacky.
Regular carpet – Two words…rug burn.
Plush deep pile carpet – Now you’re talking!
Hope you consider Pittsburgh, or even (shudder) Cleveland.
GR6, don’t let Giada hear you say things like that.
Jimmy
I see that you say A&J doesn’t have much presents in Texas. That surprises me since my tiny paper Mineral Wells Index carries it; though we are down to 4 days a week. so I have to resort to gocomics the other days. My day doesn’t seem the same if cant get mt A&J fix first thing
Pioneer doesn’t publ. Mon., but my fix is here. emb
For JJ to give us this means of seeing his work free of charge is rare and generous. The local wrapper does not have A & J and only one or two strips that I ever glance at. The whole concept of a daily newspaper seems to be on the way out and computer subscription is probably going to be the only way to go in the future.
I remember twice a day mail delivery and the milkman, pharmacy and dry cleaners all made deliveries. I remember also party lines on the telephone and our phone number was Sunset followed by a 5 digit number.
My husband, author Roger E. Bruner, has found the same situation. As much energy has to go into promoting the books as it does writing them, which he would much rather be doing. 🙂
Question for those who have received the t-shirts: By what means were they delivered? USMail, UPS, drone, dogsled, or what? JJ wrote that mine shipped Dec. 10th, but nothing has yet arrived and today’s mail is already here.
There’s a ComicCon down in San Diego, but I’ve never been because it’s so crowded. If you were going to be there, JJ, I’d make an exception.
curmudgeon same problem here. Which would mean USPS, “lovingly” and accurately known as snail mail. Of course I live in a holler, on a hillside in Appalachia and my place can’t even be found with a GPS.
Everything we’ve sent or had delivered by USPS in the last few weeks has been received quite promptly. Only reason I haven’t ordered our A&J shirts yet is that I want to be sure they won’t come while we’re away.
If you show up near me, and I have money, we’ll shake hands. 🙂
JJ: Maybe you should tell us what a Comics.Con. is like. Most of us probably are not contemplating a cartoonist career. Is there much for T.C. Mits* to do, or see? How much does it cost to register or whatever? [Been to lots of mtgs. that would totally bore or mystify non-cognoscenti, and several that had little of interest for me, despite being sci., biol., or zool. mtgs.
*The common man in the street. His wife, T.C. Wits, has kept her maiden name. They both look with disdain or concern / T.C. Wots.
Peace, emb