Anime Milwaukee was a good con to start the convention season with. Not so crazy big as Wizard World Chicago, but a lively crowd. Friday was my best day sales wise and that’s with being in the corner nook of the hallway. I should mention that Anime Milwaukee is held in the Student Union of University of Milwaukee and because of that, I knew the area quite well.

Friday night, Trevor and I picked up some grill food and watched Zombieland. I’m happy to say that it was an entertaining movie and just a little bit slick. There’s a great ‘Hulk’ joke in there too which I appreciated.

We started the con out on Saturday with a panel on (drum roll) Making Webcomics! I know a thing or two about that. We had a good turnout and some consistently good questions from the audience. Back at Artist Alley, I have to say it was my slowest sales day and I think for a lot of other guys too, though you’d never know it because the attendance was it’s highest. It seems they revelers had spent most of their dough on Friday! It was still fun. We even got to meet friend and webcomic friend, Onyx Sparrow!

Later that night, Trevor and I worked on comic stuff while watching Jurassic Park 1 and 2! Total nerd-out! But, I was happy for it as I was able to finish up some Rival Angels work and help keep that update streak alive. (349 and counting!)

Sunday, back at the con started furiously with sales right away and then a drop off. It was fun mingling with the guests and I even got to see a few of my hometown buddies in attendance (and even some not so friendly faces! !!) but all in all, a pretty cool con and I’ll definitely be signing up again next year. As it turns out Anime Milwaukee doubled it’s attendance from the previous year and are moving out of the scholarly halls of the university for the posh of the Hyatt hotel! Is it mere coincidence that Anime Milwaukee’s attendance would double the same year Rival Angels is there? I didn’t think so.

I was only able to take a few pictures because my batteries ran out of juice!

Ms.Marvel Commission

My first Baltimore Comic Convention! I worked all day on Friday and took the 7pm flight out to MD. The flight was fine and I was even able to access the internet and write some pages of Rival Angels. Taking the shuttle to the airport was fun. Baltimore makes the mean streets of Milwaukee look like Sesame Street minus Snuffleupagus because you can’t say his name without saying ’snuff.’ Got to the hotel around 11:30pm and because I’m sick in the head, decided to go for a walk around town. Was expecting a Ray Lewis like stabbing, but didn’t happen.

Dreamer Cosplay!  Sara looks awesome!

Saturday morning was slow getting out of bed and I was working like a slave to get my table together. I’m not sure the green tea I had that morning had the desired effect I was looking for, unless I was looking duplicate the jittery energy feeling of 9 red bulls. Luckily, my table neighbors were none other than The Dreamer’s Lora and Mike Innes and they gave me a hand putting my table together. It was then I decided that I’d forgive them steady creeping over onto *my* side of the table. (It’s great to see how far you can stretch one joke, isn’t it?)

CAIMRU!

Saturday was much fun as I got to meet guys like Scott Sava, say Hi to guys I’ve met before like Thom Zahler, W00t with friends like Hannah and meet readers in person like CAIMRU. Oh yeah, I sold some books, sketchbooks, prints and did some commissions. Busy!!  I also got to meet Keir and he used to do an amazing female wrestling comic.  Think of it as a precursor to Rival Angels.  I really hope he gets back into drawing.  He also did a couple of amazing sketch cards that I hope to have scanned up soon to show you.

Reader and Ultragirl model, Hannah!

Hannah’s alter ego, Harley and Mr. J (Eric)!

Mike Kington, Me and Jesse Justice. Wrestling comic guys.

After the con went out for dinner and booze with Jesse Justice, Mike Kingston and Ben Carter. Jesse does a fun Lucha Libre wrestling webcomic, Diablito Del Ring and Mike does a wrestling comic, Headlocked, that deals with the behind the scenes reality of pro wrestling. I had to cut the night a bit short because I wanted to attend the Harvey Awards and show some love for Lora and her multiple nominations. The show was fine, the drinks were overpriced and damn if there wasn’t a head scratcher in the middle of the ceremony. Imagine my surprise that some of the crowd had signs for their favorites. !!! The crowd appropriately had Lora’s back.

A happy Rival Angels reader

Bryan Glass won Best New Talent and he’s an awesomely cool guy with a great sense of humor. Scott Kurtz was pretty funny as the MC, especially poking fun at Zuda and Diamond. Like I said *long ceremony* and as soon as I said some goodbyes, I bounced out and hit the hay.

Hawkgirl’s mom bought the book!

Sunday morning I got to the con extra early to meet up with some Webcomic Collective guys but they weren’t about. Sad! I did meet Sherry and Arie as well as pick up a commission from them. I also ran into George Perez *mark out moment* and if anyone knows anything about George Perez, it’s that he would enjoy a copy of Rival Angels. I hope he liked it.

I debated good natured enough with a few con goesrs about fangirls and Twilight. While I don’t enjoy Twilight myself, I’m all for fangirls marking out at a comic con, Twilight or not. Who are they to say what pop culture is okay and not to have at a *comic show?* /soap box.

I got to chat with Mike Kingston for more than a few minutes. The man has a mind like a steel trap and its always great talking with him about wrestling, babes and comics. I was able to pick Scott Christian Sava’s brain on webcomics and the ways of the universe. The man is totally freaking cool *mark out moment* and he broke it down like a fraction. Let me tell you that the reading Dreamland Chronicles is the very best way to forget about your surroundings and just enjoy a good read.

The White Queen

I rectified that grave error of not getting Love and Capes the week earlier from Thom Zahler. Some guys are funny most of the time but they suffer some duds but not Thom. Thom is always funny and it shows in his work. So yes, I hate him.

George Lucas’s greatest creation to fanboys.

Lora’s parents were in town to represent at the Harvey Awards and they were very cool. They looked surprisingly comfortable at the convention and I can only guess this wasn’t their first show. (Detective Al) Totally cool. Papa Biondi even pitched the Rival Angels book to the masses! I got mad hero-worship for the Innes and the clan. Mike knows what I’m talking about. XD Also, Lora did a outrageously cool picture of Brooke and Dreamer foil, Shantel vamping it up. You’ll see it soon. I’m not sure how insanely talented people can be so cool to hang out with.

Lora and the awesomeness

I did a couple of charity sketch cards for Scott Sava’s charity and when he picked them up he was like, we should hitch a ride together to the airport. *mark out moment* The stupid Ravens and their weak defense lost to the stupid Bengals and we were running into the traffic letting out of the game. Figuring that the shuttle would be slower than a cab, we opted for the cab. I kept the man-crushing to a minimum (I think) and got to pick his mind a bit more about the biz and hockey!

Tank Girl and Wonder Woman!

Because of all of the great books I picked up at the con, I was not bored for a minute on the way home.

No more cons until next year, probably C2E2 but you never can tell.