After two weekends off, my body is finally starting to recuperate from my whirlwind spring tour. My travels started with a trip to Asbury Park Comicon held on the board walk at the Asbury Park Convention Center. I was amazed at how devastated the board walk was from hurricane Sandy. It reminded me of a ghost town. The show however was anything but dead! As I entered the main show room floor the show looked small and it was surrounded by stadium seating. As I signed in I was informed that my space was on the second level. I looked upwards and there was a large hall way that ran along each side of the building. I walked up the stairs and thought no one is going to venture up into this area. What I didn't realize was the hall was filled on all three sides with apsiring comic artists and writers. Kind of like a small SPX. I was greeted by my friends Carolyn and Joe from Curls Studio and we went about the task of setting up. We still felt ambivalent, but once the show started, an announcer on a loud p.a. system continuously reminded show goers that there were more vendors on the second level and the people were listening. It was a good flow all day long and I walked away with a pleasent amount of sales. Promoters Cliff Galbraith and Robert Bruce did a fantastic job with this show and I look forward to going back next year!
Next it was off to the Buffalo Small Press Book Fair held at the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum which is a large renovated church. This show has a little of everything. Comics, novels, magazines, just about anything that is printed on paper is represented. At Buffalo I was blessed to be sharing a table the Aaron O'Brian and Jason Gusmann who create the comic Return to Snakeland. When I first looked at their site I thought I'd be tabling with a couple of young 20 something's that I had nothing in common with. As it turns out, both were around my age and had kids. We had a lot in common and I enjoyed my time with both of them. The promoter for this show was Christopher Fritton. He puts his heart and soul into this show and he's one of the most easy going promoters I have ever worked with. He is always understanding when it comes to his vendors concerns and nothing ever seems to ruffle his feathers. When I was saying good bye he told me he was already planning next year's show. Ah, to be young and ambitious.
The third week was a marathon in Marathon. The annual Maple Festival was just as busy as ever despite chilly temperatures. Fortunately, I had my usual spot in the Marathon high school gymnasium drawing my caricatures. Normally, Saturdays are the busy days and Sunday is the slower day. This year, the days flipped as Saturday was unusually slow and Sunday I had a line from the time the doors opened. Thank goodness my friend Cindy was with me helping me get through what is normally a grueling pace. What really surprised me was I don't think I drew a single soccer caricature all weekend. Kind of weird for Marathon since they have a big soccer base there. As usual I did very well at the show. I feel a bit torn as I begin my semi retirement from caricature drawings. I had told a committee member this would be my last year, but I've been doing the show so long now I almost think I might miss it if I didn't do it. Well, the next Maple Fest is still a year away and who knows, by next year I may have a change of heart and once again the Marathon gymnasium will be filled with the smells of cinnamon and sharpie marker!