3 posts tagged “halloween”
Well I'm a week late, but here is the run down from APE (Alternative Press Expo) in San Fran.
I had gotten the new books (see last post) and a new banner stand courtesy of Scott and was ready to kick some ass at APE. I also had my costume worked out, but it meant wearing a portion of it on the plane. It was easier to wear my cowboy boots, coat, and hat than pack them away. Not to mention lighter.
I felt a bit silly at the airport, but it was in the interest of a good costume.
Scott, Jack and I travelled together, and would meet the others later. We had to drive to Seattle and then flew into San Fran, which was pretty brutal. Fortunately I'm good at sleeping on planes now.
Once we arrived we checked into the hotel (located on luxurious Ellis street) which was pretty much in the center of "Crackton". Yeah the neighbourhood made the downtown Eastside look alright. Still no one got shot so the area couldn't be that bad.
Anyways after a loooong wait we connected with the rest of the Cloudscape crew. There were seven of us in total, though we didn't see Severine the first night. Of the people staying at the hostel we had Jonathon, Angela, Steve, Scott, Jack and myself. We are then off to the APE preregistration party at the Last Gasp book warehouse. Some of us got into costume including yours truly. Here were some highlights:
My ghost cowboy
Jonathon as the Monkey King
and the greatest costume of all, Scott as Charlie Brown!
It was a good night, however I found my extreme make-up got in the way of networking, as that no one could recognize me. Ah well ive and learn.
All in all it was a good night, I got to catch up with Camilla D'Errico, Keith Knight, and Stephen Notley.
The next day was the first day of APE and I was psyched. We had a slick new book and a great looking table, however there were two things I wasn't counting on.
ONE: San Francisco takes Halloween very seriously and doesn't like to do much the day after.
TWO: The first day of recorded torrential rain for the winter happeneded.
So sadly Saturday was bad sales wise, in fact we got slaughtered, it was pretty nasty. But I did get some nice books. Like the new Acme novelty Library, and Linda Barry's Best American comics.
And we made friends with the Boston Comics Roundtable Cloudscapes Eastcoast American dopplegangers.
It was very rewarding to see the number of comic collectives at the con. I really think this is the future of small press.
Saturday night we missed out on the Comic Art Museum party, but did soak up the free booze and fun at the Isotop comic awards.
Sunday saw the return of the Sun and a rise in sales. I also got to see Chris War talk about his work and even get the mans autograph. I was very nervous to meet him. He creates his comcis much like I created my 24hr. comic. In that he plans his story in advance but then starts immediately on finished art and works from top left to bottom right, allowing the story to evolve as he draws. His comics however end up a lot more polished than my 24 hr. scribbles did.
Still I see some value in applying this thought process to the work. I plan on some more flowing comics in future, maybe a 48 hour comic with sleep breaks is in order.
Chris Ware suggested a 27 hour comic, though possibly this was a plan to eliminate competition ;)
Sunday night Jack and I got to meet up with our old workmate Sasha, and we saw the shrines of "the day of the dead" which looked like even more fun than Halloween.
The next day Jack, Scott and I went to Alcatraz and got to experience the second recorded day of torrential rain in San Francisco. (I think we brought it down from Vancouver)
After we dried out we went to Chinatown for dinner, and the final day was spent at the cartoon art museum before returning home.
Loads of fun.
And on the 16th we do our official Vancouver launch!
Wish me luck!
In my last three years I've celebrated Halloween in Asia. In fact last year I believe I spent it on a train running from Beijing to Shanghai. Even Kofu with it's large foreign population and Halloween pub nights, is not the same as a good old fashioned North American Halloween.
It felt really nice being here this October. Fall is always my favorite season. There is a certain tranquility to it which is nice. There is gunpowder in the air, and the occasional crack of a distant
firework. Leaves crunch under your feet, and the air is crisp and cool.
There are bowls of candy on hand, and everything is just a little more
special.
I really love the end of October, as the Halloween supporters begin to come out to the public with pumpkin lights, cardboard skeletons and carved Jack-O-Lanterns. While other homes remain drab and dull, or worse, begin putting up Christmas lights. (I'm sorry, but anything earlier than November is just wrong!)
This year my costume was a Samurai. My way of getting one more usage out of my Yukata and sandals from my time in Japan. I also experimented with rigid collodion to make a nasty scar on my face.
I also got a chance to do a demons face again, but this time for my friend Nelson. Which was lots of fun. This also got me into the conversation with my mom again. Whenever she looks at my make-up work she suggests I look into movie special effects. Though to be honest this year I take it a bit more to heart.
I'd also been seeing someone at the time, so she and I went to the workless party mascarade, and she helped me and Nelson get ready for the parade of lost souls which was my first time to attend. Still for me the real fun was on Halloween. I helped my family decorate and hand out candy, and once again we were the best street on the block.
And we had over 250 kids! Though a disappointing number of them were not in costume! Lousy mooches! I think next year we should just refuse to give unless they have something.
Guy Fawkes day came a went yesterday which I'd forgotten about. I know it's not really a Canadian holiday, but it would have been nice to mark the occasion. Ah well.
It was definitely nice to have a proper Halloween, and I'm even looking forward to a Christmas that doesn't involve a hectic international flight. I'm enjoying my new full time status at Loomis. Though I also just did an interview with a video game company, so wish me luck!
This has been a very dynamic and exciting year of change, and I am eager to see what happens next.
Hello again!
I've been away an entire month! I blame facebook. And perhaps the general monotony of the last month.
I think that's been the hardest thing ab out being back. There's no more adventure anymore. Or at least no more time for it. Still I might be being overly dramatic. (My specialty these days it seems)
Still I think I've had a better go of things recently. I'm feeling more comfortable, and I've connected with some more friends both old and new. The turning point came from meeting up with someone who'd lived in Japan a few years (Thanks Mei!) I hadn't realized how much I needed to meet more people who had the same experiences. After that I met up with several other people who had lived with me in Kofu.
So I find myself feeling much less isolated. Now my birthday is around the corner. 27 years. That is kind of scary. I wish I could be doing a little more with my life at this point.
Ideally I'd still be globe trotting right now, instead of struggling to make ends meat.
A girl in my life would also be nice. I but perhaps I'm a bit too eager for that one to happen right now. Then again I did just go on a date, so things are not completely hopeless either.
The big thing for me right now is my career, or lack there of. I want to be doing more with my job, something more creative, and with more money. Maybe then I could save enough to do something interesting again.
Though I know I could be doing more about it.
It just gets hard, I find I'm either working, or wasting every moment of free time avoiding responsibilities.
The comic collective is going well however. It's been my silver lining in life. I'm very hopeful that I will be able to see this book published.
Hmmm this seems to be getting rather personal. But I don't really feel like there's much else to write about.
Hopefully there will be some birthday fun to post about, and maybe even some Halloween hijinx.
Hope you are doing well!
