Just beat...

I’ve learned an important lesson this past summer –

I’m completely and utterly burnt out on comic book conventions.

After a solid year of working them for my last job, and not having anything to show for currently…other than catching up with some old friends oh so briefly, Heroes Con just felt like a waste of a weekend and money. Don’t get me wrong: Shelton puts on one of the best conventions with Heroes, and I think it’s a show that everyone should check out (it was, by far, better than the dismal Philly con last month). I’m in no way putting the convention itself down, but have realized that it’s just personally not worth the hours-long drive and expense right now.

Six years ago, I had loads of hope for working in comics; you know, the whole pie-in-the-sky mentality. And others were attracted to that.

But then, life got in the way, and I got back on my feet.

And life got in the way again.

And again.

So, now, I’m at a point where I don’t feel like the creative juices are really going, and I’m really beginning to question the need for me to pursue writing comics full-time…when I feel like I need to get back to what made me want to write in the beginning, and that I need to get that creative kick in the ass.

My saving grace could be the next book project I’ve signed on to, an essay and photo book about New York cartoonists, with a strong focus on what makes NYC the birthplace and mother of the medium. I’m working on it with an extraordinarily talented photographer named Seth Kushner, and I think we’re going to take everything by storm with what’ll be a beautifully produced book.

But, as far as conventions go: I’m already signed up for San Diego. I’ll go do the show for a few days, but am mostly planning on seeing the sites and, maybe, just working on this book while there.