5. The Edgar Rice Burrows Panel
Every year, I'm asked to join a panel or two, and I choose judiciously, because time spent on panels is time away from my Artists' Alley table, where I could be selling and connecting with fans. When my buddy Bob Leeper or Evermore Nevermore and Nerdvana Media) asked if I'd be willing to join a panel about Arizona's role in pop culture, I couldn't resist! First of all, Amazing Arizona Comics is all about Arizona's larger in the world.
Secondly, Bob delivered a great presentation at Ignite Phoenix last year about how Edgar Rice Burrows' John Carter of Mars birthed many pop culture tropes we take for granted today -- and how the opening act of that classic story takes place right here in Arizona! See his presentation here, thanks to YouTube!
Secondly, Bob delivered a great presentation at Ignite Phoenix last year about how Edgar Rice Burrows' John Carter of Mars birthed many pop culture tropes we take for granted today -- and how the opening act of that classic story takes place right here in Arizona! See his presentation here, thanks to YouTube!
Our panel was an expanded version of this presentation, with guests like Burrows historians Frank Puncer and Steve Ringgenberg, and NAU astronomy expert Dr. Timothy Yamamura. These guys were pros, and I was honored to contribute.
4. Friendly Neighbors
Weird story. The map of this year's Artists' Alley planted my table on a corner, so I was prepared for the exposure from either aisle. Of course, Phoenix Comicon reserves the right to change things up, so I was a table in from the aisle come showtime. During set-up, a guy put down a line of tape two feet in front of our tables and said we could scoot up, if we wanted. Weird, but they must've mis-measured the floor plan. When my neighbor on the end arrived, I asked if he wouldn't scoot up, so I could have some semblance of a corner table, and he agreed! "He" is Nathan Blackwell, director of the Star Trek inspired webseries Voyage Trekkers. Please visit their website and watch their series! It's as great as Nathan was for accommodating this high-maintenance neighbor.
Nathan was so cool, I asked him to be a guest on my talk show this month! Here's his segment:
Nathan was so cool, I asked him to be a guest on my talk show this month! Here's his segment:
3. After Con Activities
Comic con doesn't end when the convention hall closes. Geeks usually take to the streets for food and frivolity. This year, I was excited to participate in another Untidy Secrets Storytelling & Zine Swap at Ash Avenue Comics in Tempe. Storytelling events are becoming very popular, and this was the first I ever attended -- and it's in a comic shop, to boot! Hearing local artists spin personal yarns amidst comics is a pretty magical experience for me, and May's theme was "Spider-man is having me for dinner tonight," so it was even more magical than usual. (The theme is usually pulled from some music usually too cool for me to know.)
The final two memories are coming soon! Is this the only blog that can milk four day's worth of activity into four weeks' worth of content? Keep reading to know for sure!
Other nights included dinner and podcasting with Drawn to Comics' Ken Brown, and a bite with Birdie Birdashaw. Good times all around!
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