If Anime Boston was the show for fans, C2E2 was the show for friends. When Volume 1 sold out less than a year after it had been released, it was not financially feasible for me to do comic conventions until the reprint. So I took 2011 off from traveling the convention circuit. Needless to say, it was good to be back. I missed the scene, I missed my friends and I missed my fans.
And listen to interviews I did for my podcast Paper Wings live from the show floor!
My friend Trevor Mueller was kind enough to let me stay at his place for the whole weekend. Sadly, I don’t have a pic of us from this show. Well, if you’ve been following my convention reports for awhile, he’s the bald guy in the photo comic I can’t name here. Click the link, I’ll bet he looks familiar.
Webcomic BFFs Rival Angels and The Dreamer.
I spent the weekend sharing a table in Artist Alley with Alan Evans, of course. It’s always fun to sell copies of The Dreamer short story we did together, A Providential Hello, when we’re both there to sign it. This was the first show he had his brand new Rival Angels volume 4 for sale. Which means you can now buy the entire first season of the comic. Considering it is my favorite webcomic (and *cough*I’vewrittenpartofit*cough*) I think you should pick up a box set next time you see Al at a show.
During set up Friday morning I realized that I had left the key to my money box back at Trevor’s place. All of my change and my Square Reader to accept credit card transactions was in the box. Panic moment!
"Thank goodness ONE of us is from Detroit!"
My friend Paul Storrie happened to be at our table chatting with us when the discovery of the missing key was made. He proudly announced that he wasn’t from Detroit for nothing, and proceeded to break into the money box without, well, breaking it.
Real-life Superhero moment from Storrie. Thank you!!
Sushi Dinner Birthday treat complete with candle.
That night a TON of my friends took me out to celebrate my birthday at an amazing sushi place over by the Navy Pier. I hope I don’t forget anyone but Bryan Glass (Mice Templar), Steve Sunu (CBR), Trevor Mueller (@$$hole), Alan Evans (Rival Angels), Comfort Love & Adam Withers (Rainbow in the Dark), Paul Storrie, Thom Zahler (Love & Capes), Michelle Timian (Elevator) and several brand new friends all came out for the party. I had a lovely evening, everyone. Thank you!
Comfort & Adam were disappointed that they forgot my birthday gift that night. They expressed their regret over and over again. It wasn’t until the next day that I could see why they were SO upset. They… Drew… Me… THIS:
I have no words for how amazing this birthday gift was.
In case you can’t see, that is Alan Warren rescuing Bea action hero style. He is singlehandedly firing a musket like a pistol. Amazing!! I can’t wait till they post this over on DeviantART so I can send you all there to see the wonderful details of it.
As always I drew commissions all weekend long. This one was for Amy Ratcliffe (Geek with Curves) who wanted, no joke, Alan Warren as Captain America for her Captain America themed sketchbook. There really was a Revolutionary War version of Captain America, so I drew Alan in Cap’s colonial uniform. Epic:
The Original Captain America: Alan Warren.
White Queen commission marker drawing.
One awesome dad was collecting Wonder Woman drawings in his sketchbook for his daughter.
Quite possibly my favorite cosplay from EITHER convention: Elf!
Chicago Loves me!
We went out Saturday night with my favorite canuck, Kurt Sasso who has interviewed me on his TGT Webcomics Podcast twice. And it’s not a trip to Chicago if Alan doesn’t make us go to his favorite place for ribs, Millers.
Kurt Sasso & Alan Evans
…I ordered a salad.
We were all exhausted but it was the only time of year I get to see Kurt, so it was worth it.
Adam Withers poses with his Mustache Monocle.
By Sunday everyone was a little silly. A Steampunk booth was handing out Mustache Monocles. Here, Adam Withers is posing with one. I almost didn’t recognize him…
We were selling strong all weekend long.
Sunday afternoon I was surprised when none other than our fourth president James Madison stopped by my table! I made sure to flip through Volume 2 of The Dreamer to show him that his Federalist Papers cohort Alexander Hamilton made an appearance.
Thanks for the whole Bill of Rights thing, Jimmy.
Usually at conventions I’m stuck behind my table or talking at a panel, but when I saw that Anne Rice was going to be a guest at C2E2 I pulled out my fangirl card, made Alan watch my half of the table for several hours and I set out, book in hand, to meet her.
When I was a teenager, I followed the Vampire Chronicles the way girls love Twilight today. I cut my teeth as a writer doing vampire Lestat fan fiction. Because, yes, it’s highly likely Lestat would find himself living in Pittsburgh in the 90′s, and if he did, he would most assuredly turn myself and my best friend into vampires, too.
(Of course he would. I won’t believe otherwise.)
This was the only non-blurry shot I got because my hands were shaking.
It was worth the wait.
I had intended to leave the show early and drive straight back to Columbus but I was in line to see Anne Rice longer than I’d hoped. Everyone told me to stay so that I could meet her, and my college roommate in Indiana was kind enough to let me stay with her that night. So after the show, I made the drive to her place and she had a birthday present for me:
PEZ-idents 1 through 5.
Yes. PEZ-idents Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe.
I love Boston, I love road trips, I love comic conventions but it did feel good to be home.
Well, the next afternoon, after twelve days on the road, I made it back to Columbus and drove straight downtown to meet Mike for lunch. (I kind of sort of missed him, we’re gooshy like that.) And my poor car got to see a mighty fine chunk of our beautiful nation:
...I think my little Yaris was glad to be home, too!
Both shows were wonderful, and a great way to kick off the 2012 convention year!
Alan has got QUITE the manly goatee going! One more reason to wish I was there- to see that in its full glory!
Guess you’ll have to come with us to Otakon…! O:-)
Agreed. Tracie also co-signs on the ‘Mike, come to Otakon’ petition.
Goatees FTW!
Ah! Pez-idents! That’s awesome!
Sounds like Chicago was a blast. Did you have time to visit any celebrities (not counting Anne Rice, who you mentioned) or panels consisting thereof?
I was 5 feet away from Sean Austin while I was in line for Anne Rice. Didn’t get Mr. Gamgee’s autograph, but I did snap a pic: http://instagr.am/p/Jc_KmILv1Z/
I heard that he’s involved in the fight against Human Trafficking. He signed a few posters for Traffic Free to raffle off to raise money, which makes him even more of a stand up guy than I already thought he was.
I had a friend text me about those Pez dispensers the other day. Good to know they’re not just in one lonely location outside of Waco that I’ll never go to lol. They’re so nerdy and wonderful. Glad you got a set!
I have to admit I’m a bit jealous over you meeting Anne Rice. I feel like all the vampire lit today has been trying to keep up with her, but how do you top Lestat and Louis?
Glad you had a good time! Still hoping for one of the conventions down this way sometime in the near future :)
It’s been probably 15 years since I was in Texas. (At least). I was in San Antonio for a High School marching band trip. I remember loving the cactuses, all the cowboy hats, but not so much the Alamo. And is there a cool river front or water front part of downtown? That’s tickling something in my memory…
Yes, there’s a river walk. I lived in Texas for the first twelve years of my life and only saw the Alamo once. xD. You’d think it’d be a yearly school trip! I was in San Antonio once (we’d always go to New Braunfels because the theme parks are there,) the river walk is my most vivid memory! It makes an impression.
Great post, Lora. You’re always welcome to stay at Casa Trevor & Beth anytime you want – and we have room for Mike, too.
Glad you had a great time!
I did. Thanks again. It was SO nice to have a non-hotel place to stay this year! Especially one so close to a Starbucks….
Good to see James was okay! He’s been having a hard time adapting to life in the modern day…
If he gets too homesick, he can always just head to the nearest grocery store and pick up some of Dolly’s homemade treats she sells there.
“Thank goodness ONE of us is from Detroit!” LOL OMG SO WRONG!!!! You guys are hilarious.
And might I say best birthday present ever?
That guy cosplaying as Buddy, are you sure that wasn’t really Will Ferrel working on the sequel? Or is the resemblance less uncanny in real life? And how can Buddy ever be better than James Monroe?!??!? That is so much win. Lol
Lol Pez = magic pills in happy containers.
Um, is that number from your trip alone or is that the total number of miles on your car period? If it’s the former, nice work, if it’s the latter HA-HA! You should see MY mileage: 136,000 and counting.
No seriously, that guy looked JUST like Will Ferrel. It was amazing.
And the odometer was just for my road trip. I clock the miles for tax time.
Hey Lora! I had a blast with you and Al at Miller’s :D If you didn’t know, because you were in line for Anne Rice (I totally understand btw), I bought book 1 and will get book 2 / 3 when you’re next back in Chicago… Or, I’m just going to have to drive down and Podcast stalk you or something :D
Never be a stranger,
Kurt
TGT Media
http://tgtmedia.com
Aww, thanks, Kurt! Alan told me he sold some books, I didn’t know one was to you.
The fourth president was James MADISON. That’s who stopped by your table.
ha ha, did I say James Monroe? LOL. That’s what happens when you blog late at night.
Thanks!
how did he photograph the skull? I dont think there were cameras back then
I mean, on the page 44 blog