AMA: Conventioneering

Q.: Could you describe what a typical convention trip was like for you when you still did them on a regular basis (ex: booking travel, coordinating with other creators, loading/shipping books to convention center, budgeting, etc.)?

A.: Allow me to go into Old Man Mode. Back in the day, going to comic conventions was a joyful experience. Here's what it was like.

Air travel hadn't been turned into the extended torture session that it is today. I actually looked forward to going to the airport. It was also comparably affordable, and you could actually sit comfortably in the seats.

Over the last decade, airlines have reduced legroom — what the airline industry refers to as “pitch”— to accommodate more seats per cabin. Since 2011, the average seat pitch — the distance between the back of one seat and the back of the next — has dropped from 35 inches to 31 inches, according to a passenger rights group. Ultra-low-cost carriers, such as Spirit Airlines, have reduced the pitch on many seats to 28 inches. — L.A. Times: Airlines have been shrinking seats

Today, I dread having to travel by plane.

Wizard World Philadelphia, 2016

When I was doing conventions regularly, I worked out a deal with Wizard World. (Remember them?) In exchange for doing some panel discussions, I got my table and flight covered. In some cases, I got the hotel comped as well. There were some truly fantastic people working for Wizard, and I miss working with them a lot. I also attended San Diego Comic-Con every year for over ten years. And some of the independent conventions were often the best — like Baltimore Comic Con. This photo was taken at another of my all-time favorites, Emerald City Comic Con.

When you do conventions for a few years, you start to see the same people over and over again. Gradually, you start to make friends. The old Webcomics Weekly crew was the core of my con-friend group — Scott Kurtz, Kris Straub, and Dave Kellett. We shared hotel rooms, exhibited at booths together, and celebrated. Some of my happiest memories during those times were closing out the weekend at a steakhouse. Those three guys are insanely funny people, and I would always return home hoarse from laughing so hard.

Of course, there were a couple of other reasons conventions were fun.

But seriously... comic conventions were a nice opportunity to go out and talk to the people who read my comics. That was the most satisfying part of all. It's a true joy to be able to share my stories with you. But talking about those stories with people who really get what I'm trying to do? That's heaven. And I miss it.