ONE UNDER THE BELT!!!

Well folks, I'm back and it was quite an experience! It's hard to believe that a week ago at this time, I was sitting at my table anxiously awaiting the first guest of Wondercon to pass through my isle! For a first time exhibitor, I think things went relatively well. I didn't sell out, but I sold better than I thought I would! I even did some commissioned sketches!

There's so much that can be said about the whole ordeal, but I don't want to bore anybody. So check out these pictures instead...

The calm before the storm... A rare site for most con goers: the exhibit hall before it opens!

My humble abode. It was nothing fancy, but I feel I did a decent job decorating it.

The rest of my table. The guy at the table to my right no-showed, so a lot of people kind of ignored my isle. My neighbors and I felt pretty let down, but I'm sure this dude had his reasons. It didn't help that a restroom blocked out most of Artist Alley! Hardly anybody came through!

Halo Finn! This kid was really cool. His mom bought him a copy of my book and came back the next day to tell me how much they enjoyed it and that they couldn't wait for the next one to come out! Talk about a spirit booster! It really made me feel good to hear that.

Quailman! Doug cosplay seems to be the new rage at conventions these days. Seriously, this is like the sixth dude I've seen dressed like this in the last two years! Now if only somebody would come dressed as Silver Skeeter and Roger!

"WE'LL GIVE YOU HALF... OF NOTHING!!!" I love Metalocalypse! I just hope it goes back to its original ten-minute format when it comes back. The half-hour shows just didn't work.

Sesame Street cosplay? Oddly enough, this isn't the first time I've seen it at a convention. A couple of years ago, a guy came to Comic Con as Oscar the Grouch! I gotta say, this costume's fairly accurate, although the real Big Bird doesn't usually look so stoned!

He's here to change the world! Now if only he could get some dudes to dress like Hooter and the break dancing Whip Warriors, then he'd have something!

"LET'S GET DANGEROUS!!!" Darkwing Duck, one of my all-time favorites!

Speaking of dangerous, this brave soul actually risked life and limb to come as the Star Wars Universe's most hated character, Jar Jar Binks! Can't help but admire his courage though.

It's BOO!!! But where's Hercule?

It's a sad day when even Super Mario joins the Akatsuki! Great concept though. The headband really ties it together.

Pimp Joker! It was bound to happen sooner or later.

One last look at the exhibit hall. I didn't get much of a chance to walk around, having to man my table and all. Luckily, my neighbors kept and eye on things so I could get up and move every few hours. That was hardest part of the weekend: not being able to see all the booths!

All in all, it was a great experience. I'd like to thank all the great attendees, pros and fellow exhibitors who helped make my first time a success. It was nice to get my feet wet without having to dive headfirst into the circus that is Comic Con San Diego. I can't wait for the next opportunity!

Well, that's all for now. I'll be back next time with a little more on Wondercon and maybe something funny too. In the meantime, take care, and I'll catch y'all later!

WONDERCON THIS WEEK!!!

Well, I'm heading out to Anaheim tomorrow to set up for Wondercon! Fear and excitement have already set in, but I'm ready for the challenge, come what may. Due to the fact that I'm still packing and working on last-minute details, I have no comics, videos or photos to post this week, but I'll have plenty to share when I get back I'm sure!

In the meantime, here's the info on my booth:

JON'S CRAZY STUFF

ARTIST ALLEY

AA-199

As for my book:

FORK IN THE ROAD: The Crazy Collection Vol. 1

$8.00 per copy and comes with a sketch!

The book features all comics from the blog's first year and includes brand new artwork!

I'll also be doing commissioned sketches for $5.00! That's a fraction of what most other artists charge!

So come on down and say hello! Or better yet, say hello and help me pay my bills by buying a copy! Either way, I'll be glad to see ya! Well, I hope everybody has a fun and safe time at Wondercon, and I'll catch y'all there!

IT'S GONNA BE A BLAST!!!

That's right folks! We're a week away from Wondercon, and excitement is running high here in the CRAZYVERSE! After years of convention hopping as a fan, I'm finally taking the next step and making my debut as an exhibitor. I haven't been this scared and excited since my first day at San Diego State, back in August 2006. I really don't know what to expect. I've got the thought in the back of my head that I'm just gonna be sitting alone all weekend, hoping that somebody will come buy a copy of my book. But I also got the thought that there are fans like me out there that like to browse and talk and learn a thing or two. What ever happens will happen I guess, so I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

I know I promised a wrestling post this week, but I probably won't have time to post next week as I'll be busy at Wondercon. So instead, I'm sharing some photos from last year's Anaheim Con, hosted by Wizard! Enjoy...

Ironman and Mil Mascaras! Interesting duo I must say.

I like the red Storm Trooper look. It certainly gives them a more menacing feel.

It's amazing the things one can do with some balsa wood, PVC pipe, LED's and paint! I wish I could build something like this! This Proton Pack was made by the SoCal Ghostbusters, a cosplay group devoted to the greatest movie ever, Ghostbusters!

Although I find the Brightest Day saga to be pretty damn confusing at times with all the figgin' Lantern Corps involved, this Atrocitus costume was pretty badass! It was really hot that weekend too.

Batman and the Flash take some time to share a snack. Apparently Flash was really happy to get his picture taken!

The Madalorian Mercs always have a strong presence at these shows. I'm not all that into cosplay, but the costumes and armor these dudes make is pretty impressive. I mean, look at the above helmets; THEY HAND-MADE THOSE!

Bounty Hunters playing video games. Only at Comic Cons! One of the reasons I love the smaller shows so much is because there is a looser atmosphere, a quality that is sorrily lacking at the San Diego Comic Con.

So that's what the Great Pumpkin looks like! Actually, I believe he's a character from an online game called Zombie Beans. (I honestly can't remember. If I'm wrong, contact me so I can correct it!)

Gambit! I swear, he was the coolest of the X-Men! I waited so long for Gambit to finally be put in one of the movies. Imagine my excitement when they finally did it, and then my disappointment when hardly used him!

If only she'd been in Captain America: the First Avenger! Just kidding folks, it was a good movie. Now if only they'd put her in Avengers...

It's kinda sad that Wizard isn't hosting the Anaheim Con this year. I guess the company isn't doing too good right now, but I'm sure they can get things right again and put on a great show next year! In the meantime, I don't think you'll hear any complaints about Wondercon taking over this year. I'll say this, an Artist Alley table is a hell of a lot cheaper at Wondercon than it is at Wizard World.

Well, that's it for now. I don't think I'll have time for a post next week, so I'll do my obligatory book plug now: FORK IN THE ROAD: The Crazy Collection Vol. 1 premieres next week at Wondercon in Anaheim! I'll be at in Artist Alley at table AA-199! So please stop by, say hello and help me pay my bills by buying a copy! After all, who doesn't want to have Mike and Mindy in convenient book form? Take care y'all and I'll catch y'all later!

MIKE AND MINDY: COLORFULLY TASTEFUL!!!

Well, here we are again! It's a new month, and that means new new comics for Mike and Mindy and Mushrooms! I've been working around the clock to get everything ready for Wondercon, and the last piece of the puzzle fell into place yesterday when I approved the proofs of my postcards for this year's round of conventions! I'm very excited about the upcoming experience. It's gonna be great fun for all!

Anyway, that's enough talking for now. Enjoy the comics...

You know something? Mindy looks good in blue! Maybe I should do Mike and Mindy in variant colors more often. I don't know if there's a set rule that says you're characters should always have the same colored clothes on, but it certainly does seem like it!

And now, here's Mushrooms...

Don't worry folks. She didn't feel a thing! Well, we're almost at the end of my UT Contest submissions. I'm not gonna lie, I really wanted to win that thing. The payoff was gonna be terrible, but the exposure would have been nice. This is a tough time to be a syndicated cartoonist. Many newspapers are going under right now, leaving fewer opportunities. The sad part is, I think I might be getting better exposure through Twitter than I would've if I'd won the contest. But, that's life.

Well, that's all for now. I got a busy weekend coming up, so I'm glad I got all my art finished up last week! I'll be back next time with a funny wrestling post and a desperate last plug for my Wondercon appearance! In the meantime, take care, and I'll catch y'all later!