[dc]T[/dc]his weekend will be a first. No, not successfully matching my socks, pants, and shoes—my first out-of-state comic convention as an exhibitor, SPACE (the Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo). I attended out-of-state comic book conventions as a fan, but never as a creator selling my stuff.
Comics! Image via the SPACE website.
SPACE Prep
I spent this past weekend gathering up various comic wares to sell and gear for my table (Webcomic Alliance features a few posts with great tips). SPACE is my first of three (maybe more) appearances this Spring and Summer, so it made sense to ‘invest up front.’ I bought new stuff for the table (including my very own table-cloth), and decided to overhaul the table layout I used at the MSU Comics Forum in February.
SPACE Supplies
With other convention/artist alley appearances over the years, I learned it helps to come prepared. This means little extra things I might need for the table or my general wellbeing. I found lists online (here’s one), and it is mostly common sense stuff, but other things I may forget about in the rush to pack (duct tape, scissors, snacks, and so on).
Like I said before, since SPACE is my first of three shows over the next month, any work I do now saves me time later. I have a storage bin for all my artist alley gear, so for the next show all I have to do is grab it and go.
Comic Wares
For SPACE, I decided to expand my inventory. I am selling:
- Clattertron mini-comics (collections of favorite strips)
- Chocolate Quest comic books (I printed a run of 15 standard size comic books, and features a new cover I drew just for the book)
- Prints on nice matte paper (I’m selling prints of How to Make a Cat Bed and a slightly edited Game of Thrones Babies)
- Stickers (I’m making these myself. I picked up a package of sticker sheets for my printer)
- Sketch cards (cartoony cards, colored with watercolor paint. I made these myself using watercolor paper)
- Sketches (I’ll have the random-sketch system again)
I’ve come a long way from only selling my mini-comics, and I’m excited to see how SPACE goes. I read several times that it is helpful to sell as many different kinds of items as possible (and at different prices).¹
Let’s Do This
I can’t wait for this weekend—mainly because I will be a ball of stress until I get on the road Saturday morning.²
Now, time to crank out a bunch of sketch cards. I hope everyone likes off-model Batman saying goofy stuff like “Be kind, rewind.”
–
¹ One article I read said selling any kind of sketch cards is a good idea, even if they are simple crayon drawings.
² I’m carpooling with fellow Lansing comic pals Ryan Claytor, Jay Jacot, and Jason Struz. Hooray, male bonding.
