TCAF 2011 Fancy Sketches Part 1

Still decompressing from my trip to Toronto for TCAF 2011. If you missed part 1 of my TCAF sketches you can see it HERE [even if you didn’t miss it, I updated the coloring and added the alt-text so go check it out again]. Canada was kind to me, and I expect a return trip is inevitable. Wednesday and Thursday I’ll be posting photo comics from the trip.

Very special thanks to my friend Paul Westover, who is the artist for the comic Woody After Hours. You may remember Paul from THIS very beardly HE guest comic. He was kind enough to drive me from Buffalo to Canada and back, thus making the trip possible. It turns out flying directly from Texas to Canada costs $100,000. Even with the exchange rate, that’s still a lot of money. Paul and I watched the season finale of Fringe at his place, so even though I am not getting to it right away, rest assured that it will be covered in the comic (holy crapgasm was it amazing).

“The Doctor Is In” shirt based off the “You’re The Last of The Time Lords, Charlie Brown” comic is here!

TCAF 2011 Fancy Sketches Part 1

TCAF was so much fun. Thank you Toronto! Getting on a plane now. I’ll post another round of sketches tomorrow and do some photo comics after that.

Watch out for moose-vipers.

~Joel

“The Doctor Is In” shirt based off the “You’re The Last of The Time Lords, Charlie Brown” comic is here!

C2E2 2011 Fancy Sketches Part 2

EWOK STAAAAAARRREEEEEE!!!

If you preordered HE Book 2, please read the updated shipping times on THIS PAGE.

Here are some more nice pieces of paper which were ruined by me at C2E2 2011. I hope you enjoy them.

COMMENTERS: It’s up to you this time. I’m still recovering from the trip and am not yet of sound enough mind to… with… stuff. Exactly. So feel free to talk about the convention, or other stuff, or ham. Ham is always good.

C2E2 2011 Fancy Sketches Part 1

EWOK STAAAAAARRREEEEEE!!!

If you preordered HE Book 2, please read the updated shipping times on THIS PAGE.

I had an amazing time in Chicago. Special thanks to my boothmates Randy, David and Danielle. By our powers combined, we were… able to afford the booth. And have fun. And sell things to people. Some of whom were in costume. It was good times. Chicago welcomed us into its hefty, meaty bosom and bathed us in the deepest of dished pizzas and the greenest of beers (it was St. Patty’s Day weekend, which is apparently Chicago’s Christmas). Despite these kindnesses, it also offered us this cruel joke of an abominable bastardized hot dog. Where was the chili? The shredded cheese? Has the city no sense? It was like a wet salad was gunned down Robocop style near a hot dog that wasn’t finished being made. I will let it slide this time, Chicago, but I expect you to correct this error in hotdoggery before I return in 12 months time.

I was very pleased to get to spend so much time with my friends from Least I Could Do and Cyanide and Happiness during this trip. Along with Danielle, we all participated in the single greatest panel I have ever been a part of. It was a solid hour of laughs and good times. The audio will be posted as the nest HijiNKS ENSUE Podcast for those that are interested in receiving enjoyment through the ears.

I hope you enjoy these book sketches in place of a comic. There will be more of them tomorrow.

Emerald City Comicon Fancy Sketches Part 2

The only geek greeting you’ll ever need! The Sci-Five!
Get up on that Sci-Five shirt business!

Emerald City Comicon is THE BEST show of the year. Part 2 of my blow-by-blow wrap up is below [Part 1 is HERE]. Lots of the links go to pictures from my various con adventures so click like your potential enjoyment of my pictures depended on it!

Saturday:

The show itself was INSANEBALLS. Tons of readers new and old.
I crashed Wheaton’s signing line and sketched his copy of HE Book 2. I also, per his request, improved his headshots (one of which he framed in his office).
Erica Moen introduced me to Jasika Nicole from Fringe [swoon].
Dinner with David, Gordon, E, Stepto and a billion other people who work for X-Box Live at Gordon Biersch. Fish tacos and bread pudding the size of my head.
Back to the Sheraton bar for drinks with Stepto [who tried to date rape me], Marian, David, Gordon, Lar and a dozen others. I don’t mean to just keep listing people, but I want to remind myself who was there and who contributed to the fantastic fun I had to make sure I appreciate them. I also want to remind myself that I do have more than 3 friends, even if they all live in different states.
My friend John Rogers (who makes one of my favorite TV shows, Leverage) introduced me to Jonathan Frakes. [additional swoons]
I was able to repay the favor by introducing Frakes to my friends Angela and Lar. Though it felt like 30 minutes, witnesses say we talked to Frakes for a good 2 hours. [woon-vomit-swoon]
Lar drew my head.

Sunday

The show was a little slow which was fine, because I was A LOT slow. After 3 action-packed days and little to no sleep I was running on fumes.
The highlight of the last day of the show came in the form of a couple of brothers who did not realize they were cosplaying one of my comics/prints.
After teardown I had sushi with Gordon, Dave and a few of Dave’s local Seattle friends.
A homeless guy kept bothering us in the street and I told him to leave us alone. I felt like a dick afterwards. Then I felt stupid for feeling like a dick. A group of people should be able to walk a city street and have a conversation without feeling obligated to quietly put up with being assaulted by vagrants. I know it’s not a black and white issue, but if he wasn’t homeless his actions would just be seen as unacceptable and rude. I do not abide rudeness, regardless of the source. [steps off soapbox]
We finished the evening at the hotel bar where David regaled us with tales of the various conflicting expanded universe origins of the Transformers. I just kept asking questions and his eyes just got bigger and bigger and his enthusiastic smile grew wider and wider. I think he almost cried.

Monday I was traveling the entire day. I don’t really understand how you can get on a plane in the morning for a 4 hour flight, yet not arrive at your destination until late that evening. Times zones? More like time vortexes. Even MORE like time bullshit.

Regardless of my disdain for EVERY SINGLE ASPECT of air travel (did I mention they “shredded my suitcase?) I really did leave Seattle a changed man. It was just an incredible and eye opening weekend. Instead of trying to shoehorn myself into situations or groups of “cool kids” where I am less than welcomed (which is what it feels like I was doing for all of 2010… huge mistake), I surrounded myself with people I admire (and who seem to genuinely enjoy my company) and wonderful, fantastic things just kept happening over and over. This was a really big deal for me. It took me more than a year and over a dozen cons to realize that I should stop trying so hard to be friends with everyone and work on just being myself and letting others decide of they are interested in what I have to offer. You can’t force a friendship, no matter how bad you want it.

I am also proud of myself for not being quite so up tight and allowing myself to have more fun that I usually do. These are my lessons for 2011: Worry, fret, and anxiety are useless. If you can’t control/affect it, then be at peace with it. Everyone isn’t going to like you. Be kind, make an effort then move on. Find your friends, and you will find your home. Thank you, Seattle. I left my extra iPhone battery pack somewhere in you. Consider it a gift.