Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Choose Comics

Sometimes life is overwhelming. I've been writing this blog for over ten years with over 200 posts. If you've followed this blog, which I don't blame you if you haven't, you'd see how my life has changed, how my art has changed, the things that I've wanted have changed. I've drawn comics off and on since I was a kid. I was constantly inspired by newspaper strips and then manga and then indie/alt/and autobio comics. But for some reason my idiot brain never realized that comics was my favorite way to express myself. I think for too long I thought that if I was going to make art, then I had to make it my career. And for most of my life comics didn't register as a career. In September 2008, in my seventh ever post, I talked about how I started taking a cartooning class and posted my first ever autobio comic. Ivan Brunetti taught that class. Everything I learned in that class and all of the cool comics I was exposed to was so inspiring. I continued to scribble comics in my sketchbooks and for fun even doodled a daily comic just as a drawing exercise. It wasn't until almost six years later, inspired by the awesome artists I met at NYC Comics Jam, that I finally realized that I could share my art with people through my comics. I printed my first ever No Pants Revolution and tabled at my first ever convention. This post is already getting too long. Long story, short: I'm so inspired by all of the artists and amazing people in my life. I love being able to share my art with people. If you factor in time and materials and table fees, I don't make any money from making comics. But sharing my comics and zines with people give me this weird human connection that I, as an awkward, anxious, depressed person, have a hard time doing in person. Last weekend was Chicago Zine Fest. And even though I've tabled at several cons and zine fests in the past, I still felt really nervous. Just as the show opened, the first person to walk past my table was Ivan Brunetti. He was the first person to buy my No Pants Revolution 4, eleven years after encouraging me to draw journal comics in the first place. 

There are so many people in my life who support me and inspire me and encourage me to continue. Thank you guys so much.  



Oh, so, Chicago Zine Fest was a great show, as always. I debuted my two new books: No Pants Revolution 4: Who Am I? and Mito and Me #3. If you didn't get the chance to see me at Zine Fest guess what?


I got into CAKE (Chicago Alternative Comics Expo)! I'm so excited and honored to be able to table at such a cool convention alongside so many amazing artists. 

Poster design by Marnie Galloway

So, I'm also tabling at Comicopolis and Grand Rapids Zine Fest and hopefully have a couple other shows for the last half of the year. I will keep yous guys posted. 


Thanks for reading.