Inspirations and New Content

Photo courtesy of T1nk

One of the main reasons I began going to cons is discovering I could meet some of my favorite comic artists, as well as other people I'm a fan of. I had not realized, until I started attending cons regularly, that I could meet people I admired in rather small, intimate settings (IE. Artist's Alley or Exhibitor's Hall). Every con I attend I try to find my favorite artists and purchase whatever I can directly from them or at least, "donate" some cash.

So I've told you this story to tell you about new content I'm adding to Tales. On weeks that I don't attend a con or review a con I'm going to start doing a comic artist spotlight. Today I'm going to start with one of my all-time favorite webcomic artists - Erika Moen.

I'll be honest I don't remember how I discovered Erika. Although I'm inclined to say it was through Danielle Corsetto. When I began reading Erika's work I started with DAR, and I fell in love. It's an autobiographical webcomic that's just freakin' adorable. I love her simplistic line style and a bunch of the stories were just touching. I think what appeals to me most about her comics is the insight and raw emotion behind a lot of her work. Aside from DAR some of my other favorite pieces include GirlFuck and When We Hold Hands. Erika is currently working on a collaborative piece with Jeff Parker called Bucko.

I had the pleasure of meeting Erika at APE a couple of years ago and tried very hard not act like a creepy fan while I gushed all over her. She was very nice and humble about all my praising. Yet, another reason why I love this woman. Seriously, check out her work. She makes the best fart jokes.

Cons I Wish I Was Going To: TCAF

Sometimes I like to pretend I'm a webcomic artist. So, even though I rarely update my site, I still enjoy cons like TCAF. Not to mention a bunch of my favorite webcomic artists also attend this event. I'm pretty damn jealous.

Of course, I had never heard of TCAF until I started reading webcomics and learned many of artists exhibit there. TCAF seems like an interesting concept of a con. I've been to APE before, but this seems like a cross between APE and a generic comic festival. Mostly a place to celebrate comics and other types of press without the Hollywood movie factor you find at most comic cons. I appreciate "cons" of this type because I really have chance to chat with some of my favorite artists and support their work directly. Typically, it seems, that all transactions made between you and an artist directly supports the artist and cuts out the middleman. Another thing that's wonderful about this con is all the events they have for children. It's very much a family friendly con.

Artists I would've love to say hi to that will be at TCAF

Evan Dahm - Creator of Rice Boy

Jess Fink - Creator of Chester 5000 XYV

KC Green -Creator of Gun Show

Jeph Jacques - Creator of Questionable Content

Lucy Knisley - Creator of Stop Paying Attention

Dylan Meconis - Creator of Bite Me

Erika Moen - Creator of Dar

Kel McDonald - Creator of Sorcery 101

Angela Melik - Creator of Wasted Talent

James O'Barr - Creator of The Crow

Aaron Diaz - Creator of Dresden Codak

Meredith Gran - Creator of Octopus Pie

Sam Logan - Creator of Sam and Fuzzy

Dave Kellett - Creator of Sheldon

Faith Erin Hicks - Creator of Zombies Calling

Michael Jonathan - Creator of Eros Inc.

Vera Bee - An amazing illustrator

Kt Shy - Creator of Shrub Monkeys

Danielle Corsetto - Creator of Girls with Slingshots

Programming that I would've liked to see

Saturday, May 7th

A19 Ask a Freelancer Learning Centre 2:30-3:15 (hosted by two of my favorite ladies from Periscope Studios and the wonderful Lucy Knisley)

A20 Design Learning Centre 3:20-4:10

A21 This Comic Isn't About Me: Gender, Sexuality and Race in Comics Learning Centre 4:15-5 (one of my illustrator inspirations, Erika Moen, will be a host on this panel as well)

Sunday, May 8th

U2 Illustration The Pilot 12:30-1:30

U4 Studio Tour The Pilot 3-4 (I am always curious about artists studios and Jeph Jaques is a panelist)

U10 Comics Storytelling Beeton Room 4:05-5 (I have a huge crush on James O'Barr)

I do hope sometime in the near future to be able to attend this con and report back on it. Til then I hope everyone who went had a great time.

Cons?! Omg Cons!

So being that the C0n FAirY has been quite broke lately I'm just going to mention some up and coming cons that I wish I could attend. (maybe one of you can go for me and let me know how it was?)

This weekend is Baltimore Comic-con. As has been the case, I'd never heard of this con til a couple of weeks ago when Danielle Corsetto of Girls with Slingshots mentioned she'd be going. Also Scott Kurt from PvP and Terry Moore from Strangers in Paradise will be there.

Panels I'd love to see if I was going Digital Comics and Publishing, Spotlight on George Perez, (being a big Buffy fan) Dark Horse Comics Buffy Season 8, The ACT-I-VATE Experience (i don't follow any of these artists but I love hearing what people have to say about webcomics), and lastly the Spotlight on Chris Claremont.

Alternative Press Expo or APE arrives in San Francisco, CA 10/17-10/18. I would love to go mainly to have started connecting with other artists for a webcomic H4773r and I are developing. SLG Publishing (known for Gargoyles and Emo Boy) with special guest artist Jamaica Dyer will be there along with a couple of local artists I know: Katgirl Studios/Lost Graphics and Speckley of Timothy Green.

A couple of friends of my will be attending Steam Con on 10/23-10/25 in Seattle, WA. Hopefully they will be kind enough to do a guest report upon their return. As far as I know this is the first time this convention will be held. I wish them the best of luck and fortune.

My hometown of San Jose, CA will be hosting World Fantasy Con on 10/29-11/1. I still haven't figured out what this con is about or why it's so expensive compared to other cons. The only reason I even heard about it is because Neil Gaiman tweeted about it.

And lastly, Yaoi-con which will be held on 10/30-11/1 in San Mateo, CA. This is one of the few cons that you have to be over 18 to attend, which of course makes it that much more appealing if you ask me. I'll be honest, I don't read any yaoi so I wouldn't even know who the special guests are let alone why they are special guests. But I wouldn't mind attending this con for the sheer titillation of it.

Other notable but not exactly con events: NorCal Ren Faire, which I will be attending! I'm going the last weekend of it 10/17-10/18. I may find a way to combine my usual ren faire garb with C0n fairy garb, we'll see. This faire takes place every year at Casa De Fruta in Hollister, CA. It currently runs every weekend now through 10/18.

I think Exotic Erotic Ball deserves an honorable mention here for the month. This expo takes place 10/23-10/24 in San Francisco, CA. I've never been but have always wanted to go since I was oh...16. Maybe next year. While it's certainly trashy I wouldn't mind seeing Tila Tequila or Coolio.

That's it for now. I'll be sure to update soon as I'm getting tweets from many cons about ticket sales for 2010.

San Diego Comic-con, Wrap-up

Things I missed because I didn't have 4 days passes: Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" and Johnny "Fucking" Depp, Amanda Palmer's NINJA session, all the Mythbuster sightings including their panel, the Kevin Smith panel. More chances to see Neil Gaiman, Amanda Palmer, and Felicia Day. More time to explore the Exhibit Hall.

Things I missed completely out of ignorance: Greg Dean

Things I missed because we didn't get a hotel room: All parties to meet and greet, a live showing of Repo! with a shadow cast, hanging with GeekgirlDiva, talking webcomics with Scott Kurtz, meeting Grant Imahara at Hard Rock, getting tickets to get into autograph sessions, etc.

Lessons learned: Really even with a transit system that stays open later and opening up several parking locations in the area, you can not beat getting a hotel room close to the con. The transit system just doesn't run late enough for my liking and the money you'll spend on parking as well the headache that comes from trying to find parking makes you want to kill yourself. If you can, find someway to get a fucking hotel room. OR, have none geeky friends who owe you big favors to chaueffer you around for the weekend, i.e. dropping you off and picking you up at insane hours.

Also, I had a major contact malfunction. I'm going to be considering LASIK soon.

And to be completely contradictory, I'm considering attending APE without getting hotel room. But in my defense, APE is fairly local and doesn't sound like it has crazy parties going on. It sounds like more of a meet and greet for all alternative press. So basically I'm going to learn more about webcomics, as well as stalk more webcomic artists.