SPX Recap

Hey All-

So I just got back from SPX on Sunday and it was a blast. I had such a great time last year that I decided to give it another go and it was definitely worth it. Below are some notes about the show:

[I can’t smile genuinely. It’s impossible.]

- The show was expanded this year to accommodate more vendors. I like the inclusive nature of SPX and think that this was a wise idea. The only downside I noticed was that may visitors said that they were overwhelmed by the amount of stuff there. But that’s usually the case with conventions.

-Sales were high for most at this show as attendance increased from previous years. I had one of my best days on Saturday and was able to connect with a lot of new people and a few returning people from last year, which is always cool. 

-I was kind of star struck to be at the bar next to people like Daniel Clowes, Adrian Tomine, and the Hernandez Brothers. I considered saying something to them, but didn’t want to come of as a generic sycophant.

-One of the nice things about SPX is the fact that more established cartoonists and newbies all get a shot to sell and hang out after hours. I had the pleasure of talking to some veteran/established cartoonists, which is always educational for me. I talked to Mike Dawson for a bit and he was super nice (plus, he’s also from Jersey, so that’s cool). I had a nice conversation with Keith Knight (who I tabled next to last year) about Kickstarter, which seems to be hot topic right now. And I got to finally meet John Porcellino in person, after some digital correspondence. I ran into a bunch of other cartoonists that I’ve gotten to know from the cons I’ve been to and it’s always nice to feel some sense of community and witness people’s artistic growth over the years.

[SOME of the loot]

- I found out about a site called www.graphicmedicine.org which serves as an interface between medicine/health and comics. As a public health professional, I’ve always wanted to do some health comics, so I was thrilled to find out about this and hear that they have some sort of annual conference on the subject. Thanks Kathy Leamy!

- I started to ponder the issue of trading. I’ve always been a generous trader because I believe that it’s a community oriented act. Sure, sometimes the costs of printing a comic can be pricey and some comics are not for trading, but I think part of going to a con is exchanging and sharing your work. Not everyone shares my view though and I have to respect that.

- Word to the wise: Do not eat sloppy foods when you are selling. This sounds like a no-brainer, but for some reason I always get sucked into eating things like chili dogs because they are cheap. You get grease on the merch and scare people away. Do not do it.

I might have more observations that pop up later. Still decompressing.

-Whit