Baltimore & SPX

YEEEAH, TAKE THAT!!! Chapter 5 of Roadsong is LE DONE. ... Now for the second half of chapter 6. argh. Will this feeling of "almost done" never go away? I feel like I've been "almost done" for a YEAR.

ANYWAY!!! Time for my belated con reports!! ... Sure, I know I'm supposed to report on a con after it ends, not a week or so later. But ... but yeah! This is my journal, and um... You're not the boss of me!





So, like everything, it started with a very long drive. ericadams (Eric) was my chauffeur this time around, since I stupidly don't know how to drive a manual. ... yet.
The plan was to arrive in DC in the middle of the week, and settle in at the home of Eric's aunt and uncle, who were going overseas to film things for a documentary they were working on. (Did I mention they make documentaries for PBS, and the like? very cool.)


(Ah, Washington DC... and the majestically phallic Washington Monument....)

We were to watch their house while they were away,... which included tasks such as watering plants and letting employees into the production room in the morning, so they could um... edit videos, and stuff. Interestingly enough, before they left, Eric's uncle had me to a dramatic reading to use as a voiceover for one of the scenes in whichever documentary he was working on. (Too bad I SUCKED. There go all my dreams of ever becoming a voice actress. heh.)

BALTIMORE COMICON:

But enough about that. The first con was... dun dun dun~~ BALTIMORE! I was pretty excited about this, because it meant I would get the chance to hang out in Baltimore with diosadelsol, and also to see Al Gross, (writer of Roadsong) and the rest of the Insight Studios crew.


(Al mans the ridiculously huge ISG booth.)

And HOLY COW, they'd printed up and ENORMOUS Roadsong graphic to go with the other ISG book posters! I am a tiny person, compared to its large-ness! And what's better, they gave it to me to use at other upcoming cons! (Such as SPX.)


(Effing huge Roadsong graphic!! Eeep!)

Al had lots of goodies with him, as you can imagine. Not only did he have Roadsong ashcans with COLOR COVERS, but he also brought his guitar, and in the spirit of Roadsong, played a few pieces for us. He even composed and performed a song for Eric's comic Lackluster World. Click here, for Lyrics!


(The Multi-talented Allan Gross on guitar! Is everyone excited for the Roadsong Soundtrack, when it comes out? ... I bet you think I'm kidding.)


(And here's me, in a brief moment of lucidity, when I found time to smile for a photo between all the crazy sketches I did. I've noticed that there's quite a few more pictures of me this time around. Mostly because there were a lot of people besides me, who were taking them!)

The gent sitting next to me in the photo above is John Staton, another ISG member, and talented maker of Manga. If I'm not mistaken, he's working on a little somethin' somethin' for a certain publisher we all know and love.


(The goods!!! ... This is a sampling of the stuff I usually sell at conventions. Oooh, and check out the pretty color ashcans!)

Later on, Eric and I met up with diosadelsol (Jenny) and Aaron, who took us to this *amazing* sushi restaurant. For those who don't already know, Jo & Eric + Sushi = VERY YES. There was much merriment and imbibing of alcohol, that ensued.


(Me n' Eric attack the raw fishies!)


(In order of appearance: Me, Beer, Jenny, Aaron.)

Then, sadly, it was over, and Eric and I headded back to DC, to spend the week working on comics, and preparing for SPX.

SPX:

Once I was back in DC, I started working my arse off on chapter 6 of Roadsong... but hey, I was in Washington DC, and I had a whole week before SPX, so I needed to do at least a little sightseeing, right?

So I conspired with raisha_novar (Liz) to meet up at the Mall at dusk, and walk around and enjoy the various monuments. Apparently, that's the very best time to see all the monuments in DC, because everything is lit up and beautiful. Although it was nighttime, I got some pretty great photos.


(My camera somehow turned the washington monument into this lightsaber-lookin' rocketship thing. Totally awesome, dude.)


(Then the ghost of Abraham Lincoln showed up, and things got *really* crazy.)


(And lastly, the beautiful faces of me n' Liz...!)

Then, before I knew it, it was con time. (Notice how I've carefully omitted all the crappy stuff that happened between Baltimore and SPX, such as forgetting my roadsong poster at Jenny's place and having to drive back for it... or maybe Eric catching a cold, and then giving it to me. urgh.)

It was my first time at SPX, and I didn't really know what to expect. It was pretty cool, though. I sold quite a few things... although I didn't do nearly as many sketches. Different crowds want different things, I suppose? This time around, I did get to sit next to Eric though. That was a plus. I've always thought it really funny that my table is so rainbow colored, and Eric's is so Monotone. That's good though, we make one another stand out at cons. :D


(We're like the wizard of oz, when it suddenly switches from black and white, to colorful munchkinland. Yep. That's me. Munchkinland.)

I'll have to say that the nicest part of SPX was getting to see the friends that I don't often (or ever) get to see! Woo Hoo! I also finally got to meet Gina and Adam Biggs of Strawberry Comics ... and to go out to dinner with them! Big surprise, we had sushi.


(Gee, I hope Gina and Adam don't mind me posting their picture on the internet...)

I had a great time meeting people and talking comics all weekend... but I confess to being a little relieved when it was all over. I'd been viewing my little trip out of state as something of a vacation, but at the end, I think I was starting to need a vacation from my vacation. But just in time, because it was time to go home.

...
.... Oh, and during the drive home, I snapped a particularly revolting photo of Eric, eating a Nutrageous.


(OH MY GOD.)

And that is all.