I will already be heading to New York City by the time many of you read today’s bloggy. I’m leaving a few days ahead of the Big Apple Comic Con so that I can spend some time with New York City friends before the convention takes over my life.
The Big Apple Comic Con is Saturday and Sunday. I’ve been posting links to the event’s site for days now. If you’ve visited it, you already know it’s going to be spectacular. I wrote about it in some detail in Friday’s bloggy thing.
Whenever I announce I’m appearing at a convention, I get comments saying how much the person commenting wishes I would attend a con in their city. My response is usually the same:
If a convention or other event promoter contacts me by e-mail, I’ll happily send them my appearance requirements. If I have the dates open and they can meet my requirements, I’ll be happy to add their show to my schedule. I try to limit myself to two appearances per month, but that’s not carved in stone.
Having worked with my dear pal Roger Price on countless Mid-Ohio-Cons and other events, I know the financial and other constraints involved in such endeavors. I know not every promoter will be able to meet my requirements. While it’s unlikely I’ll do a convention without an appearance fee, I have made exceptions. Make your best pitch and we’ll see what I can accept.
Sometimes - thankfully, not often - a promoter or a fan will react in horror to my appearance requirements. I’m a great guest, but I am not a cheap guest. Nor am I a terribly expensive guest, but that may be an “eye of the beholder” thing.
The typical two-day convention takes up to six days of my life. There is a day of preparation for the event. There is a day of travel to get to the event. There is the event itself. There is a travel day to return home. There is a recovery day. Because, at 67 years old, though I am in pretty good health, I can’t bounce back immediately from what a convention takes out of me.
If a promoter can’t meet my appearance requirements, assuming they don’t get insulting about, I take no umbrage. I do understand the economics of such things...and I ask them to understand the economics on my end as well.
Here’s my 2019 appearance schedule as it currently stands:
The Big Apple Comic Con is Saturday and Sunday. I’ve been posting links to the event’s site for days now. If you’ve visited it, you already know it’s going to be spectacular. I wrote about it in some detail in Friday’s bloggy thing.
Whenever I announce I’m appearing at a convention, I get comments saying how much the person commenting wishes I would attend a con in their city. My response is usually the same:
If a convention or other event promoter contacts me by e-mail, I’ll happily send them my appearance requirements. If I have the dates open and they can meet my requirements, I’ll be happy to add their show to my schedule. I try to limit myself to two appearances per month, but that’s not carved in stone.
Having worked with my dear pal Roger Price on countless Mid-Ohio-Cons and other events, I know the financial and other constraints involved in such endeavors. I know not every promoter will be able to meet my requirements. While it’s unlikely I’ll do a convention without an appearance fee, I have made exceptions. Make your best pitch and we’ll see what I can accept.
Sometimes - thankfully, not often - a promoter or a fan will react in horror to my appearance requirements. I’m a great guest, but I am not a cheap guest. Nor am I a terribly expensive guest, but that may be an “eye of the beholder” thing.
The typical two-day convention takes up to six days of my life. There is a day of preparation for the event. There is a day of travel to get to the event. There is the event itself. There is a travel day to return home. There is a recovery day. Because, at 67 years old, though I am in pretty good health, I can’t bounce back immediately from what a convention takes out of me.
If a promoter can’t meet my appearance requirements, assuming they don’t get insulting about, I take no umbrage. I do understand the economics of such things...and I ask them to understand the economics on my end as well.
Here’s my 2019 appearance schedule as it currently stands:
April 12-14: Great Philadelphia Comic Con
April 27: Cleveland Public Library Coffee and Comics
May 4: FREE COMIC BOOK DAY (to be announced)
May 18: East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention
July 12-14: G-Fest
July 17-21: Comic-Con International
[Comic-Con isn’t 100% certain, but it’s about 95% likely as I write this. At the moment, I’d be attending without support from the con, any publishers or any exhibitors. Mind you, I’m not at all adverse to accepting such support. I’d be willing to appear on some panels for the convention or the publishers...and put in some signing time at exhibitor and publisher booths. If I do attend, I’ll definitely be on some panels with Mark Evanier because, really, who could say “no” to that cutie?]
August 4: NEO Comic Con (North Olmsted, Ohio)
August 16-17: New Mexico Comic Expo
I’m trying to lock down a couple of shows I attend every year and will add them to the list when that’s done. Whenever I go, I hope to see lots of old friends and make new ones.
That’s all for this morning quickie. The bloggy thing will return next week on Thursday, March 14. See you then.
© 2019 Tony Isabella
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