I managed to get a few hours sleep, which is always nice, because I always have some anxiety before signings or conventions. My stomach butterflies and overctive imagination can override my anxiety meds, and I don't want to take a bigger dose because I don't want to be a zombie the next day. Especially if I'm driving. But I got a few hours in, got up on time, got ready in time, and got there in time.
It was an old-school in-the-gym con, whch I'm very fond of, stemming from all the gym shows I did back in the day. The New Dorp con isn't actually held in the gym so I was happy to be in one like old times.
Ye olde high school gym. Taken during set up.
Walking in, I was happy to see my old Eternity Comics pal Delfin Barral, but we didn't have much time to catch up before the show kicked off. Even though I didn't have a ton of things to bring with me I took forever to set the table up. A few minutes before the start I had someone come up to get their book signed and I had to ask them to give me a moment.
Once I settled in I was super-busy the entire five hours, much busier than I had expected. I sold almost everything I brought, all the Nerd Inferno and almost all the Beasts books went, most of the Catacomb of Torment issues went, most of the pins went, my last extra Mad Magazine comp finally sold. And I sold most of the card drawings I brought (I sell them for less for them at shows/signings than I get on eBay for them, just FYI. Especially at something like a high school show where there are a lot of young students).
The wildest thing was being given a statue of Georgina Riley and Myron the Living Voodoo Doll by a fan who last year gave me a statue of Winky, the Pirate Girl. I had to be extra careful packing the statue up because the figures loosened from the base while being transported by taxi to the show. I got it home safely and it will go into the display case in my studio. Which reminds em that I have a second Winky statue that was given to me in Austin, I need to take a photo of that to show it off.
I signed a lot of stuff and did a few free sketches and was so wrapped up in everything that I was surprised when they announced the con was over in fifteen minutes. It went really quickly. I never got to walk around and see if there was anything I might want to buy. I also never got to take advantage of my guest bracelet and grab some free pizza, snacks or ice cream.
A fan showing me a Hectic Planet drawing I did for him at a con 34 years ago.
While packing up I finally got to talk a little with Sean Chen, who was seated across from me. It's been ages since I've seen him at a show. Then Delfin grabbed me two warm sodas from the VIP corner and helped me pack up because the school principal and the cops were really bent on getting people to leave asap. As if AEW was setting up at 4 pm or something. Uptight. I saw the back of Kyle Baker as he left, he must have showed up after things kicked off. But that was it for comics people I knew there. Delfin walked me to my car and we hung out and talked a while. I drove home and went to Wendy's and went to bed pretty early. I was zonked out.
Also, I was dealing with a tooth gone bad, it was getting worse during May and it really flared up before I left for Texas. Constant pain and headaches, I had to ice everything so I could fall alseep. I was able to see my dentist on Monday and she yanked the rotten thing out for me, which I appreciated because I thought I was going to have to go to an oral surgeon. I wasn't upset about losing the mol;ar because I was warned a while back it would likely need to be pulled bcause the opposite tooth was gone, I was just happy to have it out. I slept like crazy through today between meds and tour-tiredness.
And I may be heading into another appearance next week if things go the way they're supposed to, so my schedule it all disrupted again. Good thing the tooth is gone. I still have my carry on luggae and portfolio bag in the studio from Austin, so fingers crossed, I'll be needing them next week. Crazy. If nothing else, I'll need it for the June 20th signing at Four Color Fantasies in VA.
Then I get to rest up and get back to work on commissions and the next EC/Oni script. Hopefully no more teeth will go rotten, I have another appointment after VA to see if I need a filling.
Anyway, Forest Hills was a fun blur, thanks to everyone who stopped by the table to pick up something, get something signed, or just say hello. The May leg of the Nerd Inferno tour was pretty amazing and the experience meant a lot to this sleepy old cartoonist. Thank you, all.