The Sleep of the Just

Hey, guys, I’ve been really busy with the move, which seems it may never end, but I wanted to remind people local to the Twin Cities area that SpringCon is happening this weekend, and I will be there!!!! I haven’t been for a couple of years due to various reasons, but it was my mission to make it again this year. Mission: accomplished. I’ll have books and prints and some original art! Please come give me money or at least the pleasure of your company.

SpringCon will happen this weekend, May 18th & 19th, from 10 am until 5 pm at the Grandstand at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

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I’ve been officially confirmed to have space at both Kids Read Comics! and SPX this year, which is a relief! I’ve also added a new show to the roster: ConnectiCon in Hartford, CT, where I’ll be hanging out with the Hiveworks crew. If you’re on the East Coast, come see me!

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Girlbot has been officially-unofficially adopted by Hiveworks. I have not been bought out, and nothing on the site is changing, except for a little button in the left sidebar there. This way I’ll have someone looking out for the comic, as far as getting ads run on pertinent websites — ‘cuz I’ve never really had anything resembling an advertising budget — and who knows what else down the road. I have to say, the fellas running Hiveworks are really sweet!

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Sweet, I made the fundraiser goal! I realize that $600 is a pretty modest goal compared to the comic Kickstarters that have been blowing up every which way, but every little bit helps, for real. It’s all going to essential stuff. The phone I got has already been a godsend, and it’s going to come in super handy at cons this spring, where I’ll be able to take cards for the first time!

Thanks everyone who retweeted/reblogged my drivel and everyone who donated. I’ll be starting on those sketch cards at the end of the month and contacting everyone who didn’t already send me their sketch request before then so I can do them all at once.

You can still donate for the wallpaper, of course, but no more sketch card requests for the time being. If you meant to get one but forgot or ran out of time, I’ll be sure to offer them again some time in the near-ish future.

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I was going to wait until Friday’s update to post this, but since it’s already set up, I’ll make the announcement now. I’m doing another little fundraiser this February, for a few different things:

1. Plane tickets for Stumptown and (possibly) TCAF.
2. A new phone since my old one is totally borked, and I can’t just trade it in for a free one.
3. A vertical banner for display at conventions this year.

So I’m asking for $600 to help cover these things. As before, I’m doing sketch cards — either paper or digital — of whatever you might like, within reason, for those who donate $5 or more. Just put your request in the special instructions field when you make your donation! (Also, let me know if you’d prefer a traditional or digital sketch.)

The more you donate, the bigger and more elaborate the sketch card. Donating also puts you in the running to win the original art for the lovely new donation wallpaper:

Every dollar you donate gives you a chance to win in a raffle from which I’ll choose the winner at random. Donate $5, you get five “tickets;” donate $100, and you’ll have a 1-in-6 chance to get this 8×12″ frameable piece of original art, in addition to your personalized sketch card. I hope that’s enough incentive to get a little help here.

So please go donate! Your support of Girlbot keeps her in cookies and me in rent money.

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Last week, some local artists and I went to the dress rehearsal of a Minnesota Opera production, this time for the debut of the opera adaptation of Doubt. As before, here are the sketches I did at the event, which you can click to look at the fullsize versions:

Doing decent sketches at Doubt was definitely trickier than at past shows I’ve been to, mainly for the fact that it’s a more-or-less modern setting, with pretty conservative costumes most of the time. Also, a lot of the acting was more reserved than what I’d come to expect from shows like Madame Butterfly. (I got really excited when they had a dance class scene, but it unfortunately lasted for all of 30 seconds.) Otherwise, it was very enjoyable! I’ll be going again at least once more before the season is over.

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I just wanted to give you guys a heads on some Kickstarter/Indiegogo projects that I think really deserve all the support they can get. Please consider checking these out. (Some of them contain mature content! Be advised!)

1. PLASTIC FARM
          A funny, subversive indie comic about a man’s descent into madness and the ways it affects the world around him.

2. Mail Order Ninja
          The triumphant resurrection of one of Tokyopop’s signature original series, now to be self-published by its creator Josh Elder.

3. Titty Time: Volume One (adult material warning!)
          The first book by my friend Amanda Lafrenais of Love Me Nice, a collection of her adorable porno comics. Already super-funded, but still worthy of your attention!

4. Elysium Online
          An exciting original project from a number of talented Greek comic creators about a near-future world where technology is about to connect the worlds of the living and the dead.

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The list of 2012 appearances in the right sidebar has been updated with the following additions:

• SPX on September 15th-16th
• Gaylaxicon on October 5th-7th

SPX, of course, is the big indie comic show in Bethesda, MD, and this will be my first year! I’ll be there with Iron Spike. And Gaylaxicon is a local LGBT-friendly sci-fi/fantasy/horror/comics con, where I’ll be exhibiting with Blue Delliquanti, of O Human Star, a new comic I highly recommend reading.

SGMS is unfortunately a no-go due to changes in management. Maybe in the future, I’ll be able to do that one again.

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Looks like there won’t be a comic for Friday, for which I am remorseful. But I do have some consolation comics for you guys to check out, leftovers from San Diego Comic-Con this year!

1. I partook in a jam comic that was posted today on Sam & Fuzzy!
2. Check out these SDCC-related posts on my Tumblr, many of which are comics.

I hope that will tide you fine people over until Tuesday. I’ve gotten some post-SDCC work out of the way now, so I can spend a lot of this next month cranking out Girlbot pages and getting this thing back up to speed! My goal is to be back to M-W-F by the fall. I have ideas about how this can happen, which I’ll be letting everyone in on soon!

P.S. If you don’t follow me yet on Twitter or Tumblr, you should do that!

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Due to a conflict with an important out-of-town booksigning party I have to be at this weekend, I won’t be able to make it to SpringCon. It sucks, but I can’t do much about it. HOWEVER, if you’re local to the Twin Cities and you want to get your hands on a signed Girlbot book RIGHT THE HELL NOW, you can find them at these retail locations:

• Big Brain Comics
• The Source Comics & Games
• Uncle Hugo’s Science Fiction Bookstore
• Grassroots Gourmet at the Midtown Global Market

Just ask for Girlbot! There are only a few available at these stores, but if they run out, I can always resupply. Please go check them out and give them business! I’d much appreciate it.

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