And we're back from another convention! It's been a crazy month. Doing two cons within two weeks of each other was crazy. Now that I'm back home, I still have the jitters like I'm suppose to be working on something all the time. But Staple is over and our next convention isn't until May so for a few days, I am relaxing. Just for a few days though. Ladies Night prepping begins soon, after all!
(More on that later)
Last year we went to Staple since a few of my favorite comic book people were going to be guests there. We only went one day but it was an amazing show and oh dear god did we buy so much stuff. Like 4 car trips worth of stuff. It was awesome and we pledged to come back every year because Staple isn't a comic con, it's an artist show. No movie star celebrity guests or big box office name, just artists and writers and creators.
My people, more or less.
Then we started the business and started doing cons and somehow, we managed to get into Staple before they sold out. So we got to experience the other side of the show, as vendors this time.
Though we still bought a bunch of stuff. I don't know where we're going to put all the prints we got but my supply boxes are sufficiently covered in cool stickers.
We took off Friday and made it to Austin at about 8pm, going straight to the pre-show mixer Austin Books and Comics was hosting for the show. We bought comics, because of course we did, and got to chat to a few people also tabling. I also learned that the comic/art world is small and I will always run into people that also know people I know. Everyone knows everyone, I guess, especially in the con scene.
After that, we went to the hotel and I worked until 2am because of course I did.
Set up started at 9am and we managed to get our half table to look pretty good. The new displays we got for Lubbock-con were working out nicely and the new 11x17 prints came out really good and looked nice.
Show started at 11am and we were off. I think Rony spent most of the time getting up, buying things, and talking to every vendor in the room. Time flew by so fast I didn't even get a chance to look around our room until a few hours into the show. Everyone was so nice and chill and it was great to just talk to other artists about their business and mine and all sorts of things we love.
Another cool thing is we have two of our designs on t-shirts in the lobby available to buy! Both my Pokemon flash art and Murder of Crows sketch could be bought! I got one of each just to have. Don't judge me.
The day passed so quickly and before I knew it, the show was over at 6 and I had only seen one room of the two rooms filled with vendors.
Afterwards, we got a free BBQ dinner provided for us at Dragon's Lair comics and I had never been so happy for free food. There had been taco trucks outside the venue but I had only had time to scarf one down all day.
We shopped a bit there and I bough Sunstone vol. 2 and an ADORABLE No-Face from Spirited Away, knitting in a basket. It was so cute and I brought him the next day to put on my table. And then we ended the day with ice cream from Lick Honest Ice Cream which made homemade ice cream with odd flavors. I got grapefruit with champagne marshmallows and man, it was so good.
Day two was much more relaxed. We had breakfast with friends at Omelettry and then went to the mixer before the show for LGBTQA and Women artists. Did I mention how cool this show was?
I finally got to make it to the other room to shop and got my Through the Woods signed by Emily Caroll and Bitch Planet #3 by Robert Wilson IV. Both were super super nice. And then I shopped a bunch. Some artists I had seen last year so I went to their tables and some were new. I chatted with some that I had talked to at the mixers and geeked out over some witchy art.
I think the coolest thing was just how the artists at the show supported each other. I would go to their table and talk to them and they would come by later and talk some more. A vendor had had her money stolen from after the first day and everyone chipped in the next to try and help out. It was just the coolest experience.
Day two ended and we packed up, saying bye to everyone we had met and exchanging cards and Instagrams and things like that. We ate a celebratory Chinese food buffet and then started the long drive back to Lubbock.
Since I'm trying to get back into the swing of vlogging, we filmed a bit all weekend the the video is up if you'd rather go watch and see everything. We've had a pretty awesome start to our con season and I'm excited to see how YC3 will turn out. Thanks to everyone that came and saw us, all the new people, and all the rad artists! Hopefully I'll see you next year!
Now it's time for Ladies Night prepping. I'll have a blog up about that soon! See ya!
-Sam <3