Post-APE-frenzy-a-go-go

UPDATE: Okay, looks like James Sime linked to this write-up over at Comic Book Resources, which was nice. Here's a bit more from APE, including links to my pictures (not very good) and Erika's pictures (quite good, and link to be found in the comments).

.........

Man, APE was a good time. I'll try to sum it up as interestingly and succinctly as possible. Will I fail on both counts? Seems likely.

I drove up with Leslie and Erika on Friday, and we stayed at Leslie's friend Hilary's house. After we arrived, we headed over to Lauren's place, where Paul, Frank, Alan, Asa, and Liz were staying and stayed up too late drinking and eating pizza. It was okay, though, since those are two of my favorite activities.

The next morning we got up relatively bright and early to go set up our table to promote our website, The Lair of the Dreaded Atrox. Leslie had made a swell banner as well as a stand-up Atrox, so we put both of those up, as well as our postcards, minicomics, and T-shirts. Leslie also had tons of little sculpey critters that she had made, as well as her photos. The right side of the table we reserved for Erika's minicomics and Dominion portfolio. Once the floor opened Asa got in and we put out his Cash Milliondollars strip collections as well as his "How to Tie a Tie" prints. Leslie had originally thought we wouldn't have enough stuff to fill the table, but our table actually ended up being pretty cluttered.

Anyway, the con was a good time. Since our table was homebase to about eight or nine people, there were always folks hanging around behind and/or in front of the table area. And people seemed to really dig our stuff! They took postcards and the Atrox and DARC minis, and seemed to really enjoy them. One guy took an Atrox comic, went off and read it, and then came back to get it signed. Another guy came back, saying he had checked out the site the night before, declared the coolest, and bought two T-shirts. We actually sold some shirts! I was kind of shocked. I mean, I like the site, I like the work we do, *I* think it's cool, but it's always nice to have a complete stranger tell you so, you know? By mid-afternoon Sunday we had given away all the Atrox minis and only had a few DARCs left.

Leslie CLEANED UP. Her sculpeys were insanely popular, and she sold all the little watercolors she had done of The Bunnim. She raked in the cash. Raked it in like crazy. She deserved it, of course. She had worked so hard.

Alan came to the con dressed as Cash Milliondollars, and on the first day went from booth to booth, handing out comics and being in character. Every time I caught site of him chatting up some artist I giggled like a fourth grader. On a completely unrelated note, the cute girl quotient at APE? EXTREME.

Here are some mini-plays about Team Atrox's hilarious interactions with children.

ADORABLE BOY: "Can I have a piece of candy?"
LESLIE: "Sure you can!"
(Kid takes candy)
DAD: "What do you say?"
ADORABLE BOY: "Maybe two..."

DAD: (indicating Atrox sculpeys) "Do you want this one, or this one?"
ADORABLE BOY: "What happens if I say both?"

(Two kids slide up to the table, but start at Erika's end first, where there is a minicomic called "GirlFuck".)
1ST KID: (agape)
2ND KID: "Whoa, that's not appropriate!" (turns kid towards rest of the table) "Hey, look! Candy!"
1ST KID: "Oh boy!"

That last one was my favorite. Self-censoring children are HYSTERICAL.

I didn't spend as much time actually enjoying the con as I thought I would. I was just sort of antsy about the table all weekend, and I'm shy around strangers, so I would just cruise by tables and not look closely at anything. I am the world's worst con participant. I did get a couple of books (Pyongyang and Seth's It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken), and cruised by Jeffrey Brown, Chynna Clugston, and Corey Lewis. I also got Leslie a swell T-shirt from the booth across the way from us. But that's about it. Paul found a pack of minicomics entitled Teen Boat, which had the hilarious tagline "The ANGST of being a teen! The THRILL of being a boat!" That's hilarious.

Saturday night we went to the Isotope party, just in time to see Danica Novgorodoff win the Isotope Award for Excellence in Minicomics. It's a really good book, if you're wondering. I stole Frank's copy to read since I ran out of money fairly quickly. Later I saw Asa engaging Danica in conversation, and word on the street is that Alan asked for her hand in marriage, but far be it from me to spread unsubstantiated rumors like that. Our old PHS friend Ian came up and met us there, so it was good to see him, especially considering the events of late (a good friend of ours died, and let's leave it at that). Erika and a some other members of the team spent some time talking to Stephen Notley of Bob the Angry Flower fame. Where was I? Probably waiting on a drink. But Frank told me that he told Mr. Notley that my favorite strip is Ore Sledge, and I can find no fault with such a statement. I do loves me some Ore Sledge.

Sunday night we went out for curry and afterwards went back to Lauren's to spend our last night in San Francisco. Ali was able to come up for a bit, and it was great to see her as always. I guess she'll be back up in LA in June for a wedding. Frank and I tried to convince her to come with me to Rachel's wedding, but she was reluctant. We'll wear her down.

Okay, that seems to be it. If I forgot anything awesome I'll tell you, I'm sure.