Life happens. At this particular time, it happened in the form of necessary garage and home repairs, not remotely serious medical appointments, organizational problems and even several work-related matters and meetings. Because of this, I’m postponing my final Vast Accumulation of Stuff garage sale of 2019 to Friday and Saturday, September 6-7. It will still be held at 840 Damon Drive, Medina, Ohio. That’s the only garage I own.
Because this is my final garage sale of the year, I’m extending my usual garage sale hours. I’m determined to make it possible for as many fans as possible to take advantage of this sale.
Friday, September 6: 9am to 1pm, and 3pm to 7pm.
Saturday, September 7: 9am to 1pm, and 3pm to 7pm.
By appointment, I am also willing to open on Sunday, September 8. The same appointment policy holds true for Monday through Thursday, September 9-13. To set up these appointments, you have to e-mail me or text me via my cell phone number. If you already have my cell phone number, you will be able to text me. If not, you’ll need to e-mail me. If you have my old land line number, it won’t do you any good. I unplugged that line due to excessive scam and spam callers.
This year’s garage sales have not been as successful as I’d hoped. For 2020, I’m going to be rethinking how I do them and whether I’m going to do them at all. It’s not outside the realm of possibility that this last garage sale of 2019 will be my last one.
My game plan for the next ten days before this garage sale is to make it as terrific as I can. One of my goals is to have more $10 mystery boxes than ever before.
Another is to offer some discounts on large purchases. Excepting only the mystery boxes, you will get $5 off on any total purchase over $50. You will get $10 off on any total purchase over $100. You will get $15 off on any total purchase over $150. You will get $20 over any purchase over $200. You’re seeing the pattern, right?
I’m going to go through my dollar comics boxes and put a bunch of them into my quarter boxes. With the exception of my Commando digests, my fifty-cent tables will be quarter tables.
I’m going to reduce prices on just about everything else that I’m selling. A good number of my hardcovers and trade paperbacks will be either put on the quarter tables or put into my mystery boxes. My overall goal is to have as little stock left over as possible, allowing me to start anew in 2020.
As always, I’ll sign any Isabella stuff for free at my garage sale. It doesn’t matter if it’s an item you’ve purchased from me or that you’ve brought with you.
Look for further information on this garage sale on Craig’s List, Facebook and Twitter. I also plan to give the Medina Gazette just one more chance to see if advertising there can move the needle on my bottom line in a positive direction.
In other matters...
My next convention appearance is the Flaming River Con, September 21 at the Cleveland Public Library’s downtown branch. This is the second year for the Midwest’s only LGBTQ comics convention. I will be appearing on a panel during the convention and doing a signing to benefit the convention that evening. I’ll have more details on these in the near future.
In October, I’ll be a guest at the Fanboy Expo Comics Convention in Knoxville, Tennessee. The dates are Friday through Sunday, October 18-20 at the Knoxville Convention Center. Celebrity guests include prominent voice actors like Rob Paulsen and reunions of actors from movies and shows like The Addams Family, Scream, She’s All That and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I’m the only comics guest who’s been announced at present, but there will be more added in the weeks to come. For more information, visit the website.
I’m doing two shows back to back in November. Under new management, the Akron Comicon will be held November 2-3 at Emidio's Expo Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Less than a week later, I’ll be attending the Grand Rapids Comic-Con, November 8-10, Grand Rapids, Michigan. I might also do a library event near the end of the month in Ohio.
I’m not currently scheduled for any December events.
I’m also not scheduled for any conventions in 2020. Obviously, I’m hoping that changes. If it doesn’t, well, I’ll be able to spend a lot more time writing, preparing for next year’s garage sales and planning more household renovations.
If you’re a promoter that would like to have me as a guest at one of your events, or a college or library that would like to have me speak at your institution, e-mail me as soon as possible. Whenever I hear from you, I’ll send you my appearance requirements and see if we can work together for our mutual benefit.
Because this is my final garage sale of the year, I’m extending my usual garage sale hours. I’m determined to make it possible for as many fans as possible to take advantage of this sale.
Friday, September 6: 9am to 1pm, and 3pm to 7pm.
Saturday, September 7: 9am to 1pm, and 3pm to 7pm.
By appointment, I am also willing to open on Sunday, September 8. The same appointment policy holds true for Monday through Thursday, September 9-13. To set up these appointments, you have to e-mail me or text me via my cell phone number. If you already have my cell phone number, you will be able to text me. If not, you’ll need to e-mail me. If you have my old land line number, it won’t do you any good. I unplugged that line due to excessive scam and spam callers.
This year’s garage sales have not been as successful as I’d hoped. For 2020, I’m going to be rethinking how I do them and whether I’m going to do them at all. It’s not outside the realm of possibility that this last garage sale of 2019 will be my last one.
My game plan for the next ten days before this garage sale is to make it as terrific as I can. One of my goals is to have more $10 mystery boxes than ever before.
Another is to offer some discounts on large purchases. Excepting only the mystery boxes, you will get $5 off on any total purchase over $50. You will get $10 off on any total purchase over $100. You will get $15 off on any total purchase over $150. You will get $20 over any purchase over $200. You’re seeing the pattern, right?
I’m going to go through my dollar comics boxes and put a bunch of them into my quarter boxes. With the exception of my Commando digests, my fifty-cent tables will be quarter tables.
I’m going to reduce prices on just about everything else that I’m selling. A good number of my hardcovers and trade paperbacks will be either put on the quarter tables or put into my mystery boxes. My overall goal is to have as little stock left over as possible, allowing me to start anew in 2020.
As always, I’ll sign any Isabella stuff for free at my garage sale. It doesn’t matter if it’s an item you’ve purchased from me or that you’ve brought with you.
Look for further information on this garage sale on Craig’s List, Facebook and Twitter. I also plan to give the Medina Gazette just one more chance to see if advertising there can move the needle on my bottom line in a positive direction.
In other matters...
My next convention appearance is the Flaming River Con, September 21 at the Cleveland Public Library’s downtown branch. This is the second year for the Midwest’s only LGBTQ comics convention. I will be appearing on a panel during the convention and doing a signing to benefit the convention that evening. I’ll have more details on these in the near future.
In October, I’ll be a guest at the Fanboy Expo Comics Convention in Knoxville, Tennessee. The dates are Friday through Sunday, October 18-20 at the Knoxville Convention Center. Celebrity guests include prominent voice actors like Rob Paulsen and reunions of actors from movies and shows like The Addams Family, Scream, She’s All That and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I’m the only comics guest who’s been announced at present, but there will be more added in the weeks to come. For more information, visit the website.
I’m doing two shows back to back in November. Under new management, the Akron Comicon will be held November 2-3 at Emidio's Expo Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Less than a week later, I’ll be attending the Grand Rapids Comic-Con, November 8-10, Grand Rapids, Michigan. I might also do a library event near the end of the month in Ohio.
I’m not currently scheduled for any December events.
I’m also not scheduled for any conventions in 2020. Obviously, I’m hoping that changes. If it doesn’t, well, I’ll be able to spend a lot more time writing, preparing for next year’s garage sales and planning more household renovations.
If you’re a promoter that would like to have me as a guest at one of your events, or a college or library that would like to have me speak at your institution, e-mail me as soon as possible. Whenever I hear from you, I’ll send you my appearance requirements and see if we can work together for our mutual benefit.
Quick tip. Don’t come with a request for me appearing on panels at your event in exchange for a free table. Honey, I don’t get out of my pajamas for a free table. That’s why you don’t see me at Wizard World shows anymore, not even in Cleveland or Columbus.
One more thing...
I don’t say this often enough but I am immensely gratified by the love and respect shown to me by the cast and crew members who work on the incredible Black Lightning TV series. I am equally gratified when comics industry professions - my fellow creators - come up to me and express their delight in my good fortune.
I know few creators have received this kind of support. I know how lucky I am that Black Lightning (on TV) is in the hands of talented people who understand and embrace the core values of my creation. Who are as determined as I have always been to tell not just great stories about these characters, but meaningful stories about their world and, by extension, our troubled society.
The only downside to this bounty of good will is that I constantly ask myself “Why me?” Why doesn’t this extend to all the incredible comics creators who have so informed our blockbuster movies and TV series? You know the names and the work of these creators without which these movies and TV shows would not exist.
Comics publishers and the entertainment industry in general should do everything in their considerable power to keep these creators working in comics and to get them involved in movies and TV shows and whatever other venues in which their creations appear.
They deserve it. Their creative wells are not dry. They have much to offer. Most importantly, it’s good for business. The next great comics/movies/TV blockbuster will not come from one of the suits. It will come from a creator with a vision for something only they can bring to life.
I’ll be back soon with more bloggy stuff.
© 2019 Tony Isabella
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