I realized something this year: Chicago is my most favorite city in the country to visit. It’s clean; it’s beautiful; transit is pretty good for US standards; there’s a ton of history; every year I learn something new, stay somewhere new, eat at new places. It’s full of the kindest people, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to return to C2E2 and say hi to the Midwest again!
This year, our set up was so smooth, and I wish every con could have 8’ tables. It’s just so nice to have that extra elbow room and display space. I remembered our first time in Chicago, how we got lost on the way to badge pick up, and now it was easy. Shout out to MK who reminded us that badge pick up was actually in a different place this year. It’s absolutely so important to read the big emails, guys.
On day 0, we went to dinner with Julia who we ran into during set up. I knew I wouldn’t have the stamina to do a lot of socializing this year, so having a nice small dinner was a good toe dip in the socializing waters.
Taking the bus in the morning isn’t for the faint of heart or the claustrophobic. The downfall of Chicago’s convention center is there’s only one bus line at one stop right outside the building, and everyone in the world wants on it. We only rode it once, but coincidentally got sardined next to Vincent! The world is beautiful and serendipitous.
C2E2 Haul
Day 1 was so high energy. I did my shopping in the morning, as I usually do at shows. If you’ve read my con blogs in the past, you know I have a superstition that spending money on Day 1 brings good luck. I think it injects positive energy into the artist alley, and it means I’m buying things that I really love with the limited amount of funds I have at the top of the show.
My haul includes a Death Note riso from Papyrjam, an Ace and Yamato riso from Nyan, and a Jojo’s print from Arianna Hernandez. We talked about how Joseph is our favorite, and I reflected privately on how you can really tell when someone is making fanart for the love of the work, rather than the marketability or trend.
Apart from my anime-from-20-to-40-years-ago collection, I also picked up a ceramic lil guy from CJ, a patch from Ludo, a keychain from Charity McLeod, and a graphic novel from Nicole Goux and Dave Baker. I got a book from Nicole at ECCC, and it was cool to be table neighbors with her and Dave in Chicago! They were both so fun to talk to and a real highlight of the con.
They Stole My Balls and Ran
I was hunting for more zines and comics this year, but I’m happy with my treasures. Besides, my TBR list is huge, and it’s currently being interrupted by Steel Ball Run. If I was looking at my phone that weekend, it’s because I was reading manga behind the table. With the anime starting up (and immediately going on a long pause), I wanted to find out what happens instantly!! Between reading SBR and all the creativity and talent in the artist alley, my inspiration is fillled to the brim!!
Shoutout to Courtney, Tay, and MK for letting me cast my phone to the hotel TV and stream me reading SBR. I hope you all enjoyed the taste of JJBA. I was temporarily overcome with a power beyond my comprehension. MK walked in on me casting various horse paintings by Eugene Delacroix, then tabbing back over to Steel Ball Run. It was my art history lecture for the weekend.
What’s Fuh Dinny
For dinner on Day 1 and 2, I got take out and went right back to the hotel with Courtney. I think a combination of factors made me more fatigued and inclined to go rest after hours at this show: ECCC and C2E2 being closer together than in the past two years, me trying to save up for the wedding, and me working 3 days at the print shop and doing customer service regularly. Not to mention, there’s just so many friends, so little time! So few restaurants that can accomodate a big crowd, so few bars with a good food menu.
Soooo… this time around, I prioritized rest and reading manga in the hotel room, so I could be my most energized and present self during the show hours.
Day 3 went by smoothly, and on our way out after teardown, I recruited people I passed by for another small dinner, which ended up being Carmen, Adelle, and Julia. Successfully socialized, check check check. I think the saddest part about ECCC and C2E2 being so close to each other in the calendar is there’s very little chance I’ll see some of my friends again until next year, unless they do RCCC in Portland. NYCC is such a coin toss on who will be there, and everyone else scatters to the winds of their hometown shows and markets (or they get on that circuit grind. Shoutout to MK again, you demon.)
While this was my most successful C2E2 yet, I think the real measure of success for me is seeing friends and getting to meet people who have been supporting my work and getting to meet new people and introduce new people to my work and to each other. That’s the true measure of a good convention to me. It’s all in the people!
Stats and Boring Stuff for Nerds
If you want numbers, I made about $2500, and En did similarly (before expenses of table, hotel, flight, etc.), which made it our best C2E2 yet! I think next chance we get to have our own tables, we’re going to take it seriously! My best sellers were my riso prints, namely the cave painting horses (one of my newest prints) and surprisingly Boyish Girlish (THE oldest print on my table), along with the werewolf and maiden print (also new). Zines also did well, with both In Their Clutches (my newest title on the table) and Howl (my oldest title??? what’s going on!) practically selling out (so like, selling 20ish copies each).
My perfect bound books moved slower at this show, but maybe everyone else also has a huge TBR list. This pattern was basically opposite to ECCC this year where people bought almost exclusively books and zines from my table.
C2E2 Greatest of All Time
I also want to shout out Zander and the pride lounge! We’ve been contributing to the pride lounge raffle every year at C2E2, and it’s a wonderful chance to help build community and share the love. I really appreciate all the work they do. That and the gender neutral bathrooms really make this show top tier to me.
Thank you to everyone who came out and made this con so fun! I’m back in the PNW for the rest of the spring and summer, but my midwest excursion is always invigorating and inspirational. I hope to be back again next year!
Next up: back to Washington for Squatchcon! I can’t wait to be in Port Angeles this weekend <3 See you out there!