Saturday, May 4, 2019

SOMETHING GARAGE SALE COMES THIS WAY

If you reading this on Saturday, May 4, I’m celebrating Free Comic Book Day at the magnificent Rubber City Comics, 74 E. Mill Street,  Akron, Ohio. Voted the city’s best comic-book shop for three years running, the store is open from 10 am to 5 pm. I’ll be signing and otherwise expounding on the comics art form and industry during that time...except when I’m going through the countless comics for a dollar that the store has put on sale. If you’re anywhere in the area, come on over!

My legendary Vast Accumulation of Stuff garage sales will commence the following Friday and Saturday. Due to inclement weather and a few of life’s other annoyances, I’m just starting work on the first sale tomorrow (Sunday).

Am I up to the challenge of throwing together an outstanding garage sale in just five days? Of course, I am. I’ve survived nearly half a century working in comics and not only am I still alive, I’m also mostly sane.

Normally, when plugging my garage sales, this is where I would be writing about all the wonderful stuff that will be available for purchase. I can’t be definite about that at this time.

There will be Isabella-written comics and books on sale. There will be boxes of dollar comics, quarter comics, more expensive comics,  magazines, manga, hardcover boxes, trade paperbacks and as many of our popular $10 mystery boxes as I can put together between Sunday and that special moment when I open the garage door to welcome the legion of comics fans waiting to hand me their money in exchange for bargain-priced wonderment.

This first garage sale of 2019 will run 9 am to 1 pm on both Friday and Saturday. If you come late, I won’t push you out of the garage at exactly closing time as long as you’re buying. That buying part is key to this. Because, as much as I might enjoying speaking with you, the dozen other things that I have to do before the end of the day will still have to get done.

My second garage sale of the year will be the following week. I’m not exactly sure of the days and hours of that one. My neighborhood is having a two-day garage sale on Thursday, May 16 and Friday, May 17. Their hours are approximately 9 am to 5 pm...and I’m not sure I’ll be able to stay open that long. I’m working on getting someone to assist me those days, so that I can accommodate the longer hours and also be open on Saturday, May 18.

For now, I’m only planning out my garage sales a month in advance. If you keep reading the bloggy thing and follow me on Facebook and  Twitter, you’ll be able to stay in the loop.

May and June are going to be all about my garage sales and writing a book. I’m not going to carve this in stone, but it’s unlikely I will be appearing at any conventions in either month. If you’re a convention promoter who thinks you can talk me off this position, e-mail me and send you my appearance requirements.

My appearance and garage sale schedule as of today:

May 10-11: Vast Accumulation of Stuff garage sale (9 am - 1 pm)

May 16-18: Vast Accumulation of Stuff garage sale (TBD)

May 31-June 1: Vast Accumulation of Stuff garage sale (9 am - 1 pm)

July 12-14: G-Fest (Chicago)

July 17-21: Comic-Con International (San Diego)

August 4: NEO Comic Con (North Olmsted, Ohio)

August 16-18: New Mexico Comic Expo (Albuquerque)

September 21: Flaming River Con

November 8-10: Grand Rapids Comic-Con


Garage sale notes:

I don’t charge for my signature on Isabella-written stuff you buy directly from me. As for Isabella-written stuff you didn’t buy from me, my garage sales are among the only 2019 events where I’ll sign those items for free. It’s possible I’ll sign for free at G-Fest to celebrate my lord and master Godzilla. It’s possible I’ll sign for free at San Diego’s Comic-Con International, but that’s uncertain at this time.

After my May garage sales, I would be open to hosting comics creators at those events. Anything you make at those garage sales is all yours, though, if you’re an artist, it would be nice for you to gift me with a sketch for my blog.

Come June and thereafter, I might also have some convention-style panels at my garage sales. I did this a couple years back with area pals Mike W. Barr and Tom Batiuk. It was great fun, so I’d like to do it again.

Convention notes:

I’m attending Comic-Con International at my own expense because my wife and daughter want to attend. If I have any business reason to attend, it eludes me. However, I hope to enjoy seeing old friends, making new friends, maybe doing some panels if I’m asked, maybe doing some signings for charity. I don’t think I’ve ever been less excited to attend Comic-Con, which is not a reflection on the event itself. I’m 100% open to having a great time.

I’m not a guest at the Flaming River Con, which will take place in the Cleveland Public Library in downtown Cleveland. I’m attending to show my support for the LGBTQ+ comics community. From the con’s Facebook page:

Flaming River Con is the Midwest's first Queer Geek Con! Your queer destination for everything geek, nerd and fandom. With vendors and sponsors, we're bringing you comics, cosplay, drag, panels, art, books, podcasts and more!

Our mission is to foster, showcase, and celebrate LGBTQIA+ voices and the community, and combat bigotry by increasing the visibility of queer and marginalized persons within geek culture.


One last convention note:

If your convention or other event isn’t on my list, don’t assume I’ll be attending just because I’ve attended in the past. The only way to confirm that I’ll be at your convention or other event is to e-mail me. I’ll send you my requirements. Hopefully, I’ll be able to add you to my appearance schedule.

That’s all for now. I’ll be back soon with more stuff.

© 2019 Tony Isabella

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