FIFTEEN MINUTE BREAKJuly 22,2003

Back after a long absence attending San Diego.

Not much of a convention for me this year, since I was busy working the Mother Grim booth. I was sandwiched inbetween soft core Marvel Comics girl artist Greg Horn who provides eye catching cleavage covers of both Elecktra and the White Queen and Steve 'the Dude' Rude of which sadly I didn't get the chance of buying anything from either of them. My friend, Erica Grant who poses as her comic book character, Mother Grim was doing phenominal sales with her varied assortment of photos, t-shirts, trading cards, and comic books. People from all corners of the convention floor were stopping by to take pictures, a lot were digging on these whited out contact lenses that was a part of her costumed assemble. I sold a good number of my Deposit Man books, trying to blow them out at a buck a piece and at least one of my boxes was made lighter by the time the show ended. I couldn't give you a estimate of how many I actually sold as I haven't gotten back the boxes that Erica will be bringing back from San Diego. I at least gave out approximately 300 of the new postcards that I went down to Kinko's to replenish every so often. Erica's boyfriend forgot to bring the boxes of all the promo CDs, tapes, and DJ lps to give out to the attendees, so I'll probably going to have to save them for the Las Vegas Con if I happen to snag a table there. But, I did however bring down some Promo CDs of the latest Arena album and gave out most of them to those bought my book and to a select few people in the biz who I thought would appreciate it. I saw a few people down there of whom I hadn't seen in years like Cynthia Johns, formely of Blonde Avenger Comics fame and a local guy named Cutter who used to hang out at this comic book store I used to buy from of when I used to live in Encinitas, Ca. Of course, I said hello to a few accquintances I have known over the years such as Heidi MacDonald, Janet Harvey, George Clayton Johnson, and Bob Schreck.

As far as attending panels or events, didn't get to see much in that department - as I was really busy helping out with Erica. I tried keeping awake during the presentation of the new animated Batman DVD, The Mystery of Batwoman- but I really want to experience the entire thing on my DVD player rather than watching it on the big screen- so after nodding off to the second half (not that it wasn't any good- I was just plain exhausted) I decided to cut out and go back working the booth. I attended a shitload of parties- because face it, that was the only way to enjoy myself and that was to immerse myself in some tasty adult beverages. I got to hang out with Dean Haglund who portrayed the long haired Lone Gunman on the X-Files and get this: the guy recognized me from the X-Files Movie video signing in Sherman Oaks that happened over five years ago!

I landed a assignment to do an article for the Comics Buyer's Guide about the effects of outdoor marketing having an impact on comic book stores based on comic book movie properties. Editor Maggie Thompson thought it was an outstanding idea after I showed her some of the photographs I've been taking of Hulk, X-Men 2, and Daredevil billboards and bus placards. So I'll probably be real busy getting that stuff ready in the next couple of weeks.

My big purchase at the con was Vanguard's publication of Joe Simon's memoirs called the Comic Book Makers and both the con's beautiful Alex Ross's JLA t-shirt and a Teen Titans logo t-shirt based on the new animated series.

And the search continues for a Deposit Man cover painter.

~

Coat