Can’t go home again? What. Ev. Mid-Ohio Con is my hometown show!
Two shows, two weeks in a row = crazy even for me. Not to mention the fact that a best friend got married Saturday and I was bridesmatron numero tres, so I missed a big chunk of day 1. All was not lost! Erick Korpi flew in last minute and saved the sales day: he manned the table and sold and sold and sold copies of AZTECA and POE TWISTED all day long! Could have been because the books are awesome. Could have been Erick’s snazzy Sheldon t-shirt. All I know is that while I was attempting to walk a long straight line down the aisle in strappy four-inch high gold shoes and a strapless orange dress somewhere in Westerville, POE TWISTED and AZTECA were flying off like glossy, papery hotcakes into the hands of some eager new fans in C-bus! Hate to have missed that…pictures NOT to follow…but I still made it to Saturday’s convention after party, suckas!
I am nothing if not a professional.
Sunday, day 2 of the show, was bright and clear. POE TWISTED really stole this show for us. Great response, great interest from new fans–even a few marketing secrets and tricks from other folks in the bizzniss. Black cats a la Alex Cormack, anyone? The anthology garnered the most questions and interest by far, especially with Halloween approaching (and some local folks who take the Con as opportunity to do some early holiday shopping for their favorite comics geeks.) Also of import and excitement: the debut of NEW art prints by our vignette masters Andrew Jerz, Jason Strutz and Dirk Strangely. Oh yes, I think they liked it!
For those of you who have not made it to Columbus OH for this show, Mid-Ohio is a fun convention. Some big names, some great artists, a lot of indie fun, and it’s held in the heart of downtown, so there’s even more to see and do when you walk out the doors. Plus, Columbus is not a crazy big city that you have to sweat parking and over-inflated prices. Not a small one-horse with nothing much out there either. Of course, I was born there, so I am biased. And who are we kidding–after the absolute mania that was New York, home sweet home-show was just my pace. Still…
This was the first year that Wizard World took the show over, and I think we’ll find it to be in good hands in the years to come. Special thanks, as ever, to Erick Korpi, super fan Sarah Gray, Dirk Manning (who has written a very detailed article about the show itself right here), Paul Storrie, the friendly team and our aisle-neighbors from Pendant Audio, Brett Pinson, Kevin Leen, Bob Hoskins and Laura Guzzo from Stormwatch Comics, Bob Shaw from Comic Art House, and Steve Shamus from Wizard World! And since we’re passing out the thank yous…thanks to my Dad, who stopped by the convention on Sunday for recon and just to wish me well…and my Mom, who not only stopped by, but ALSO stopped by every single other table in artist alley “just to say hello.” Four people (count ’em!) returned the favor and dropped back by the RSM table just to tell me how proud my mother is of me. Win!