Mid Ohio Con was this weekend, and it was a fantastic show! It wasn’t a secret that Wizard World bought the convention last year, and everyone was unsure what to expect. I’m glad to say that the show kept everything I love about MOC, while bringing a new level of excitement and energy–as well as a ton of attendees who were checking out the show for the first time.
When Volume 1 sold out last year, I decided to take the year off from conventions. But MOC is my hometown show so I came anyway. Even without books to sell, we had a brand new line of prints that did very well, and I was drawing commissions non-stop all weekend.
Of course, my favorite part of MOC is having my industry friends stay at my home, and being able to take them to all of my favorite haunts in Columbus.
Since I still had a box full of Warren Russet apples in my refrigerator, I decided to turn them into pies–just like Alan’s Aunt Mary Warren would have wanted! How can any Warren enthusiast invite their comic family into their home and not bake apple pies?!
This is my favorite apple pie recipe, but I’d never made it with heirloom apples from New England before! The Roxbury Russets are a lot sweeter than the apples I usually use but that seemed to make everyone love them even more.
That night we all went to my & Mike’s favorite pizza place in town. Despite a long wait, it was a beautiful night and we filled the time with a lot of laughing. Here are our group’s two funny guys: Paul Storrie and Trevor Mueller.
Everyone came back to my house after pizza and devoured the apple pies! Alan Evans even dreamed about the pie that night…
Well, Mid Ohio came early the next morning. We were in a different hall, with natural lighting, a lot of color and carpet. It’s the little things, you know? Here are some of the new prints I had. Captain America and Poison Ivy were popular with this crowd:
I made a point to walk past James Marsters and snap a pic, though I didn’t pay for an autograph. Even without the Spike-blond hair, he got me a little fan-girlie.
And what’s a convention without costumes? Except… huh? what? Is that Vader? No, Batman, right? Oh, no, wait… of course! It’s Darth Batman!
Rumors had it that this guy was six and a half feet tall, and then he was on 8″ platform shoes! Everyone wanted their picture with him. And you had to push through the crowd of eager photographers to make it to the lady’s room…
I met a ton of you this weekend! Dreamers and Paper Wingerz! It’s always so wonderful to put faces to names. About ten people came up and thanked me for the Paper Wings Podcast and said what a help it has been to them. That makes me warm and fuzzy to hear!
This is Nikita, a history major and major Dreamer fan. We talked about our love of visiting famous people’s graves for a long time. (Oh, and she had on a DREAMER SHIRT! So I gave her a free Nathan Hale sticker.)
This is Nancy, smiling with a Wedge Antilles commission I did for her:
Here are the members of the Paper Wings team who made the show. Alan Evans, Meg Syverud, and myself. That’s “W” for Wingerz. Or Warren. Or both…
Mid Ohio Con always throws an after party for guests. Here’s my buddy Thom Zahler of Love and Capes fame, and Webmaster Mike being a ham in the background.
Me and the lovely and talented Comfort Love who was nominated for two Harvey Awards this year!
Thom regaled us with tales from the 17 conventions he had done this year. Somewhere in there he finds time to make comics, too.
Day 2 of Mid Ohio and we all had to be back at our booths. Alan Evans and I started the day by signing our way through the stack of “A Providential Hello” Dreamer comics we needed to mail out to everyone who ordered online.
Alan E. was disappointed because the Nathan Hale cover out-sold the Alan Warren cover 4 : 1! I was secretly rooting for Nathan, so we turned it into a competition. Nathan won by a landslide!
I drew non-stop finishing commissions before the show ended. This is the first show I attempted to do marker and ink drawings. They look a lot more finished than my pencil sketches. Here is Starwoman:
Here is Dr. John and his Harvard classmate Will Eustis up to no good in the secret Spunkers Club. (John, put down the shovel and go find Alan! He’s really sick and could use your help right about now…!)
Here’s a classic Marvel Girl sketch:
My friend and mentor Jim Theodore stopped by the show. He’s the man who taught me how to draw when I worked in his commercial illustration studio. It was fun to show him around my (strange) world!
“Webmaster Mike” helped man the booth, and went on food runs for us! Always my support!
Well, all good things come to an end. A few years ago we started a tradition of going to Jeni’s Ice Creams after the end of the show on Sunday. Sort of a final hurrah before everyone drives home to their own corners of the country. Jeni’s is a local Columbus place that has crazy flavors of ice-cream: like cayenne chocolate, beet cake & cream cheese, and goat cheese & cherries!
(Trevor, Comfort & Adam did a lot of tasting before settling in on a choice!)
Alan Evans beholds his Coco Rococo sundae. Oh, and check out that awesome shirt he’s wearing…!
Well, there’s the whole gang. I’ve really missed doing conventions this year and didn’t realize how much until I spent the weekend with these guys. It had been too long!
(Thom Zahler, Adam Withers, Bob Ingersoll, Trevor Mueller, Robin Dale, Paul Storrie, Comfort Love, and Alan Evans.)
Next year I’ll be back on the Convention Circuit! So watch my blog to see what cities I’ll be in. And if you want me to come to a particular show, let me know! I haven’t settled on a schedule yet.
Yay, what a fun weekend! I totally admit that was the tastiest apple pie I have ever put in my mouth. Your hype was much deserved. ;)
Jeni’s has such a great variety of flavors it’s hard to settle on just one…or two…or three! Always a fun post-con tradition.
Miss you guys already, and look forward to the next time we get to hang out!
Awww, the Paper Wings group photo is awesome!
Agreed! One day we’ll have a big meet up! Until then…
The prints look so lovely and vivid! So much nicer than on a laptop screen! Agh…you baked a Warren apple pie…..agh…. :DDD
YES! I was wondering which cover would win – I’m with you on the boat of rooting for Nathan! :D
Three things I want:
To get up there next year
One of those awesometastic commissions
THE PIEEEEEE
I was thinking the same thing! :D
Me tooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Omg, the 18th century boys all in Black Togas as the comison from Lora……..such a tempting thought
Teehee
ok, I know this is off topic, but Caera, if you like Orlando…..you HAVE to see the new Musketeers movie! Well, for Mr. Bloom….and the fact Aramis was reminding me a little of Nathan
I just saw that movie, in all its epic ridiculousness. I saw it solely for Orlie. And he made it worth it. Ooohhh Mythbusters will have a field day with that movie. lol I didn’t get any Nathan vibes but I see what you mean now that you say it. lol
lol right? oh, and did you notice the Doctor Who star in there as well????????
I did! lol
lol… oh! speaking of the Doctor…..I just finished a drawing something like one of our “Saving Nathan with the TARDIS” jokes……it’s a little different but I have a feeling you’ll love it ;D
I think I was overly excited to meet you that my brain went 160 mph, my only hope is that I did not blow the brain that creates The Dreamer! Plus, my first time at any convention in my whole life, I was overwhelmed too. I am so glad I finally met you and hopefully will see you more often as I think I am going to go to more conventions. Plus, I am thinking I really need to dress up as a New England Woman from 1776, what do you think? :D
P.S. I love apple pie, you made me crave apples when I saw the pictures.
P.P.S. Nathan Hale wins, Alan was asking me why I would like Nathan, when he has scar on his face. :P
Because scars are sexy!
I told Al that the scar gives him an element of “bad boy” even though he’s such a good boy. Kinda makes him perfect.
*Sigh and swoon*
Lol, scars are sexy! Nathan is prefect no matter how much Alan wishes it not to be so. :P
Yeah, well….Nathan is like, totally spoken for. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. XD
http://www.rivalangels.com/2010/04/01/dreamer-angels/
lol Don’t worry we Nathan luvers have long since learned the concept of sharing. XD
Watch your hands, Brooke!
That’s actually kind of cool. Nathan needs a special someone. :33
Wow! Awesome report! I wish I was in Ohio again. Jeni’s ice cream… how I miss thee. MOC sounds like it was exciting this year. Love the Paper Wings photo. :)
The show was very high energy, that is for sure. And it was great to meet so many people who had come for the first time!
Poor Alan…It’s okay! We love you too….it’s just that…we…well, love Nathan more! I wanted to buy both issues…but…I’m just a broke sixteen year old!
I’m glad it was a great weekend! :D Looks like it was a blast!
Come to Australia! Please? :P
OMG, I WISH. *___*
Hokay… pie has me drooling… ai-yaa! What a wonderful idea!
wow I wish I was there! I could sure use some of those prints as Christmas gifts (espetialy Capitan America) for my best friend. I need to order a shirt soon, but I don’t know which one
What a great time! The convention was amazing and mind blowing and I’m so glad you decided to cone to moc! It was my first convention so seeing a familiar comic was so :-) exciting! My Bea charm is hanging lovingly on my DS. I’m hoping that maybe there might be a Nathan hale charm someday…? Oh, and i got both versions of the mini comic because I love them both. <3 thanks again miss Innes :D
Things I would have liked:
-Pie
-Ice Cream
-To have been there
-More pie
-A t-shirt (stupid money, damn this silly need to fill my stomach)
-A sketch of Captain America and Knowlton….or maybe Cap and Washington
-Even more pie
Still looks fun — now please come to a Boston or NY con :(
Also, is that a life size Bea behind Mike or just a really good print?
It’s our banner stand for conventions. Yeah, she’s close to life-sized!
I second the Boston/NY request. And the pie too, of course.
And I feel a new icon coming on…
Will or John? XD
Oh, I’ll have to give Cousin Will his due, for sure (although John’s expression could come in handy on certain days).
I’m planning to switch over to big brother Joseph when the biography comes out… but I just went on Amazon, and they have the date now listed as December 15th! Hope that’s not right…
I saw that! I was planning on emailing Sam today to ask if that is for real. So bummed! I was looking forward to a release TOMORROW!
I third the request!!!!!!!!!!
Hmmm. Keep watching my blog. I should have an announcement soon. ^_^
*chattering teeth of giddiness start chattering* \^_^/
I wish I was there
I really need to start saving up a heck lot what with all the places I want to visit. D:
Oops. I forget to add, AND ALL THE CONS I WANT TO CHECK OUT. Hahaa, next time. Next time.
I know it’s a bit far, but I hope you will make it back to Otakon in 2012!
That’s the plan! We’ll see if I get table space.
Lora, thanks again for the Poison Ivy sketch.I really like it a lot!! :)
Hope to see you again next year!!
That was my husband’s favorite drawing I did all weekend! :) Everyone loved your sketchbook when they saw me drawing in it, ha ha. Have fun filling it up!
It was nice chatting with you briefly on Saturday morning. I’m enjoying The Dreamer webcomics. Hope you are contacting libraries to suggest that they pick up the trades for the shelves. It’s a great way to get some exposure and bring on a new readership.
If you could make it up to a convention in Canada that would be great! I just moved to Winnipeg, MB and found out they have an annual comic convention here so I am pretty excited (can’t attend this year, but maybe next year…if you came Lora I would make a point of going next year for sure ^_^)
I LOVE your Nathan Hale t-shirt! I want one sooo bad but, alas, I’m a broke history major, planning on getting her masters in Colonial History. Nathan is my favorite historical person & I love how the heart has the Colonies flag in it. Your current updates have me hyperventilating twice a week, freaking out that today will be that fateful day Nathan is found out by the British & hung. I’ve been reading since day one & I can’t wait for more! Wish I could go to Columbus and meet you!
Thanks again for the awesome sketch of Wedge. It’s perfect and absolutely love it!
It was very good to meet you in person!
Can put in a vote for a Virginia comic-con? If you’re wanting to return to the Hampton Roads/Historic Triangle area. :)
Pingback: Page #3: Wrong Man | The Dreamer