My wife and I attended the Mid-Ohio-Con over the weekend, and we had a great time. I was really glad that my wife was able to enjoy herself since she's not much of a comic book fan. She had a lot of fun laughing at all the people dressed up in costumes and asking me who they were. She even snapped a few pics of some of her favorite costumes.
Saturday was by far the best day. We sold half of the books we brought and met a lot of awesome people. I'm always surprised by the amount of people who are familiar with YHT and want to say "hi". A lot of sketches were drawn in convention programs, and I even drew some panels for an underground comic book published by Steve Peters. Steve was our neighbor at the convention, and my wife really enjoyed his comic books. Not only that, but he was a super nice guy.
Tricia had a few "rockstar experiences" herself. She fielded questions from several people asking her, "What do you think about your husband drawing a comic about you?", we were both interviewed by a comics podcast, and she even signed an autograph! I've been trying to tell her that my readers would enjoy talking to her about the comic strip, and I think this weekend proved it to her. So expect to see Tricia at more of the conventions I attend. :)
Unfortunately, Sunday was nowhere near as awesome as Saturday. We sold a couple books and talked to a few people, but I spent most of the day drawing comics while Tricia surfed the internet on her MacBook and read her celebrity magazines. I knew that Sunday wouldn't be as busy as Saturday, but I didn't expect it to be that slow!
For me, one of the most fun parts of any convention is meeting fellow creators, and this convention was no exception. I finally got to meet the lovely Danielle Corsetto, the whimsical Mike Maihack and his wife, Jen, and the enigmatic David Willis. I've never met a creator I didn't like, and all three of these guys (and gal) proved to be totally awesome.
All in all, it was a fun show. I'm not sure if I'll do it again next year, but it's hard to justify not doing the show since it's so close to where I live. We'll see what happens . . .
Sorry for the lack of a comic today. I decided to take an extra day off to prepare for the Mid-Ohio-Con this weekend! I'll be sure to take lots of pictures!
A few people have asked me to post more info about the convention this weekend. All the info you need can be found at the Mid-Ohio-Con website. The con is Saturday and Sunday only. I've gotten some e-mails from a few of you who've told me that you'll be at the con, and I can't wait to meet you!
I'll be selling copies of Volumes 1 and 2 of the strip, as well as the the one-shot comic book (including a small amount of the limited edition covers!). I'll have a bundle deal that includes copies of all three books for just $10. If you'd like to get your hands on some original artwork, I'll have a few pieces of work that I'll be selling for dirt cheap. And of course I'll be signing, sketching, and high-fiving, so make sure to stop by my table located in the artist's alley section of the convention.
In addition to all of that awesomeness, my wife, Tricia, will be sitting at the table with me. So make sure you say "hi" to the real-life Katie when you stop by!
Tuesday's strip will be published late. Make sure to check the site throughout the day as I'm not sure when it'll go up. Don't fret, though - it will be published tomorrow.
Mid-Ohio-Con . . .
This weekend is the Mid-Ohio-Con in Columbus, OH! I'll be there with fellow webcartoonists Mike Maihack (Cow and Buffalo) and Danielle Corsetto (Girls With Slingshots). I'm hoping that three of us will be seated next to each other, but, if not, the convention center is small so you should have no problem finding us!
Sorry for the late strip today. I intended to draw it up last night after I finished my speaking engagement, but I wasn't feeling too hot when I got home. So I went to bed early and woke up today with a stuffy nose. Not sure what the heck is going on with the pathogens in my body.
Now it's time to grab a sandwich, walk the dog (Trish and I got a dog BTW), and start working on tomorrow's strip.
Christianity and Comics . . .
Last night I had the pleasure of speaking to a group of around 20 people about my fledgling career as a cartoonist, and how my Christian faith plays a part in it. It was a lot of fun and it was a very intimate evening. I talked for about an hour and fifteen minutes, and there was a wonderful question-and-answer session near the end. It was awesome and inspiring for me.
We were able to record the evening on video and audio, and I'm waiting for those files to be sent to me so I can edit them. I'll post 'em up somewhere for you guys to download if you'd like to listen to me ramble about God and comics and stuff.
Comic Book Convention . . .
I'm gearing up for the Mid-Ohio-Con in November, and I need a banner or something to get people's attention at the show. Any of you guys have any tips on creating a banner or poster (or any kind of backdrop) that looks professional and doesn't break my bank account? I really appreciate some input . . .
The Trinity Church that I will be speaking at is located in my hometown of Chillicothe, OH. There are a million-and-a-half "Trinity United Methodist Churches" out there, and I made a mistake by not specifying at which one I would be speaking. My bad.
Also, I've been told that we will be recording the talk in both audio and video! So for those of you who can't make it, don't despair! We'll try to get the talk up on the interwebs in one or both of those formats for you to download!
This Sunday, October 28, I'll be speaking at Trinity United Methodist Church during an evening event called Between the Lines. The event runs from 6 to 8 PM, and I'll be speaking at some point in between those times. :)
Between the Lines is a monthly gathering hosted by Trinity Church that features local artists talking about their work and their faith. So if you're in the area you should spin by and listen to me talk about YHT, how it's created, and why I create it.
WARNING: I'm going to be talking about God and stuff. Sooooo . . . don't say I didn't warn ya. Also, I'm gonna talk about why I believe Christian creators should stop making Christian content. Should be exciting!
If any of you are interested in coming to the church on Sunday, feel free to drop me an e-mail and I'll give you directions.
Today's guest strip was created by Jarrod Depugh and Josh Ray, creators of the webcomic JJ Sunshines. Go check it out and tell 'em I sent ya!
San Diego . . .
I had a blast in San Diego! I can't believe how many readers came up to say "hi" and thank me for my work. What an awesome ego-trip! We sold more books than I expected to sell, and we got rid of most of the limited edition one-shots! What a good feeling.
If you found YHT for the first time this weekend at Comic Con, this week is a "guest week" so I can recoup from the convention. You'll Have That will resume its normal schedule next Monday, so stick around!
I took a bunch of pictures at the convention, and I'll have them posted later tonight. Keep checking the site for photo linkage!
I'll be teaching two cartooning workshops today and tomorrow at the Pump House Art Gallery in Chillicothe, OH. Today's workshop is from 10 to 11:30 AM, and tomorrow's workshop starts at 6 PM and ends at 7:30 PM. Both workshops are exactly the same - we're just offering them at different times so people who can't attend in the morning can stop by in the evening and vice versa. Hope to see you there!
Big News! . . .
San Diego Comic Con starts this Wednesday, and I'm totally psyched! This is my first time attending the greatest comic convention in the world, and to celebrate we'll be offering LIMITED EDITION copies of the You'll Have That one-shot! Check out the cover I drew exclusively for the convention:
So make sure to stop by the Viper booth (#1903) and give me a shout! We'll have a nice stack of these limited edition covers to sell to ya, but once they're gone they're gone!
Opening Reception . . .
The Opening Reception for my art exhibit was awesome. We sold close to fifty books, which is more than any of the other appearances and signings I've done. The volunteers at the Pump House set up my books on a podium near the center of the gallery floor, and I was standing there most of the night shaking hands and signing books. So many people stopped by to check out the artwork, and the gallery was very happy with the turnout. From what I was told, it was one of the larger exhibit openings in a long time.
I got to meet a lot of new people, and I'm quite surprised at how many artists live in my small little town. It was really neat to see all these people and talk shop for a moment or two. I even got to see a lot of folks I hadn't seen in a long time. One of my old friends, whom I haven't seen in close to five or six years, made the trip from Columbus to check out the exhibit. I even got to see my old fifth grade elementary school teacher who heard about the exhibit on the radio! What a nice surprise!
We had a great time and we took a few pictures. Unfortunately, I'm so busy getting ready for these workshops and San Diego that I don't have time to upload them from my camera onto flickr right now. When I get back from Comic Con I'll upload all the pictures from both events, and I'll post those links ASAP!
My new buddy, John Victor, and I spent all day yesterday hanging our art exhibit for the Art of Cartooning show opening this week. I feel as though a weight has been lifted from my chest! There's still so much other stuff I gotta work on to get ready for my workshops and San Diego, but I've decided to take today off and do absolutely nothing.
This past month has the been the busiest I can ever remember. And it's been awesome! It's really cool to walk down to your office and see your desk covered with crap you gotta get working on. I had four days off of work the weekend after the 4th, and I spent three of those days drawing maniacally at my table! I've also had some opportunities to work on a couple of other small projects this month, and I hope I can talk more about those in the future. We'll see what happens!
Overall, this has been a great month for me. I've already made some great contacts with a few people, and I haven't even been to Comic Con, yet! And, let me tell ya, Comic Con is already starting to look really busy!
I know I need to get some things in the mail for a few people, and I just want you guys to know that I haven't forgotten about you! I've been swamped, but I'll get that stuff in the mail THIS WEEK! I promise! It's on the agenda! Same thing with e-mails - I'm not ignoring you guys, I'm just trying to get work done to meet my deadlines this month! I will respond very soon! But not today because I'm taking a break. ;)
Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you guys and gals can make it to the Art of Cartooning Exhibit while it's running. The dates are July 17 through August 25. Thursday night is the Opening Reception, and I'll be sure to post plenty of pics from the event. We're gonna have a good time!
Check out my latest interview with Eric Moreno over at ComicBloc.com!
I have to say that this interview is probably my most favorite of all the interviews I've done over the past few years. You can tell that Eric is a real fan of the strip, and he asked me a ton of awesome questions! I think you guys will enjoy the interview, so quit wastin' time and go check it out!
YHT One-Shot Order Code . . .
The YHT One-Shot hits store shelves in August, so make sure to place an order at your local comic shop and make sure they get it! Here's the Diamond Code:
JUN07 3944
Puttin' Out the Call . . .
This summer, I'll be attending the San Diego Comic Convention for the first EVER. I'm really stoked, and I'm hoping that I'll get to meet a few of you while I'm there.
In order for me to take a break from the comic strip while I'm gone, I'm gonna need some guest strips. I know that there are a few webcartoonists out there who read the strip, so if you'd like to draw a guest strip for me just send it to wesmolebash@gmail.com. The strips will run the week after Comic Con.
The file requirements are that you save the image as a .gif or .jpeg that's 760 pixels wide. It can be as tall as you want, but 760 is the max width.
I only need five strips total, but if I get more I may use them at a later date. I'll e-mail the creators and let them know when I use their strips on my site.
The due date for guest strips is Sunday, July 29th! Thanks guys!
The newest Viper webcomic, Small Wonder by Worth Gowell, has made it's debut here at the Viper site. Go check it out and bookmark it! It's quality stuff!
Sasquatch is Done . . .
My esteemed colleague, Justin Stewart, put the final touches on the colors for my Sasquatch story last night, and I have to say that the story looks great. Justin's colors really made my artwork look better, and I'm excited to hear what people have to say about the final product.
The only way you guys can see the whole 15-page story is by picking up the Sasquatch book when it hits stores in April! Go pre-order your copies now!
Diamond Order Code: FEB07-3830
Book Signings . . .
I'm cooking up some ideas for book signings this summer. Make sure to check the blog for updates.
Today's guest art is brought to you by the mega-talented Frank Page. Frank draws the comic strip Bob the Squirrel, which is getting ready to make its debut here at Viper! Go check it out and laugh until you puke!
I absolutely love this piece of artwork, and I have every intention of buying it. Frank, the check will soon be in the mail! Sorry for taking so long!
If more comic strips were this good, the newspaper would be much less of a wasteland every day.
Thanks, Marc! I appreciate the kind words!
Speakage . . .
Tonight, I will be speaking to a group of high school art students at an art show sponsored by my local library. I'm pretty psyched about it, and I'm hoping I don't bore people. I'll let you know how things go.
Next week begins a two week stretch of guest strips before my huge comeback! Think of it as the grand finale leading up to my triumphant return! It's always fun to look at different artists' interpretations of my characters, and I think you guys will tickled (and possibly shocked) when you see some of the awesome artwork I've received from some of the web's finest cartoonists! I can't wait until Monday. :)
So make sure to stop by on Monday to catch the first strip in my Guest Strip Extravaganza. And make sure to come back on Monday, February 5th for brand new YHT comics by yours truly. I can't wait to get back in the groove. Vacation is getting old, now.
I've been invited to speak about my comic strip to high school students at my local library next week. I'm really excited about it, and I'm hoping this will lead to more public speaking opportunities in the future. I enjoy talking (I bore everybody in my family, including my wife), and I think this will be a great way to spread the word about my comic strip! So wish me luck!
. . . .
Hope you guys have had a good week. My wife and I are going shopping tomorrow, and I'm thinking about picking up either Gears of War or Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for my XBox 360. Anybody have any recommendations?
