CRYPTICON 2014- AFTERMATH!

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

Well Crypticon 2014 is now just another memory and sadly something that I will not think of fondly as I have in the past of last year's show.
Now I realize that may sound like a downer but there are reasons for my choice of words for a show that I hold high praises for in the past.
Now firstly I should say all the prep work has been highly successful everything of the promise of post cards and prints.
Couldn't have done it without help of others.   Thank you all so much.

Last minute snafu's (postcards not ready on time my end of things and last minute stand in's), Travel time, Check in times, cheap food, stress of making cash off of sales to cover table fees. gas, lodging, after parties and break down of set up heading home.
And there is is so much good things that came out so really it comes down the pros and cons of the show.

AND ON THAT FRONT:

So here we go, drum roll please....

1).  Hot Damn! Getting to do the show again.  Had a blast for last year and did well so really looking to crush it this year with new material.   SWEEEETTAHH!
T-shirts- check.
Postcards- check.
Limited Edition Prints- check.
TRAIN IS LEAVING THE STATION!

2). Company of friends.  Adam Watson, Devon Devereaux, Robert Diaz, Sean Hemak, Jason Pott, Robert Diaz  and of course George Leon. I don't think it would have been possible to keep a real postive attitude towards the cons of the show but I'll get to that soon enough.  

Thank you guys of the PORTLAND CREW.  You're all AWESOME!
A special thanks to George Leon.  Dude really a saving grace at this show for helping listening to me vent about this whole show and situations becuase you were right there in the trenches with me.  Thanks buddy I hope we can have another show together.

3). Guests:  OF EVERYTHING OF THIS SHOW Doug Jones has to be in my opinion the jewel in crown of nice guys.  I never met a actor who gave hugs out so freely or so honestly.  And though he is an actor he seemed genuinly touched by the present of art I gave him for his birthday on Saturday.  This I think will stand out as one my favorite celeberaty momements in my life.

Jeffery Combs I think was was next runner up as far as celebs go.  Perhaps a little more tradional in his interaction with fans go but as actors go but warm and pleasant to shake his hand and say that I enjoyed his acting work for Star Trek (DS9 and Enterprise).

4). SQUARE.   A good 3rd to half of my business sales were through this little beast. Welcome to the 21 Century! 

THE CONS(!) I WILL WARN YOU, THIS IS A MAJOR BITCH FEST!  So if you want to stop, please do so for I am not going to be nice in what I write next.

Ah but here comes the pain like thumbscrews and electro shock treatment to help with my sudden blurting out of turrets syndrome - FUCK!

1). Tables.  Being mad at a table is not the issue.  It did not attack me but what did happen was the lack of knowing where our table was.  That was frustrating.  So we set up camp where we thought we'd make the best spot.  This may have proved to be our un-doing.  But the first day was hard to tell because there were so many looky lu's in house just scooping out what.

2). Window Wall paper of sponsors.  There's nothing quite like working on a piece of original artwork with a sharp instrument like and x-acto knife and having a 8 foot tall pieced together post land on your head.  Fantastic!  Use duct tape to hold these this stuff up man.

3). NUBES!  This might take a little bit longer than most of the issues that I had with the other shows of the past and mind you this deals with not one but two tables right accross from each other that grated on me like fucking tectonic plates.  Watch out, there he goes!
   I do really understand that if you have never set up a table before at any show that your going to make mistakes but this travesty of errors just kept going.
Friday load in had us in a pretty good spot that was on a corner to be seen on different fronts but then a person I will call Dogman came into the light, so to speak.
I know there are people with service dogs that are help the people out with either carrying supplies, know when people are having a seizure or even stress but if that were true why is this guy dressed as a zombie and drinking a beer out on the floor?  If this were truely a service dog go get me some brew boy!
  But Dogman was not alone no he was with family that had  Dad, Mom, even Grandma  drafted into helping selling a book by clogging up the hallway.  Not cool.
  Problem is the term "Service Dog"  because as a person can't ask someone to leave because of their special needs.  Well swilling beer ain't of them in my book!

And the thing was Dogman wasn't even the vendor selling the work at the table he was brother!  How's this show working again?

NOW THIS was not the only nube that we had to deal with at the show even though Dogman and fam were already rubbing us the wrong way.   IN ROLLS SATURDAY- the KING day of frustration for this kid.

As George and I have already had a good breakfast to get the ball rolling here and walking into the show table we now have a neighbor who is setting up shop -like in a major way.  Didn't I see that vendors were to have their load in and set up the day before, like yesterday on Friday night?  That's what I thought.

A artist alley table is 6'x2' and these guy's display who I will call Oddball (NOT THEIR REAL NAMES!)  have a backdrop that is easily 8' wide by 8' tall.  

Whattt?

Then on top of that they have a computer monitor that takes almost another two feet on the side of their table so that make it 8 foot table space.  Does anybody else have that going on?  Fuck no.  "Real estate" like that for a small vendor like Black Box Visual Arts or Custom Comic Shop get real territorial and I felt like we we getting our dicks stepped on!  Isn't there somebody keeping out an eye for this?

BUT TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY  The Oddball (NOT THEIR REAL NAMES!) people don't sit behind their table like normal vendors but force feed every single person walking by standing in front of their table.  

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!

I flipped out.  As I came around the corner there were a number of people talking in front their table at Oddball. When I asked them to move because coupled with Dogman and crew directly across the way everything was bottlenecked.  No person could get through.  

Sit behind or off to the side of the table display and talk to your friends BUT this guy began to debate me about  it. 

 DUDE!  Get a clue man, I'm a vendor your not, fuckin' bounce!  Of course I didn't say that but I did ask them to move and guy wouldn't.  I was ready to pop this guy right in the face but turned around told George I had to go outside and chill for a bit.

  The day came to a close but everything I had just experienced left a terrible taste in my mouth.

Sunday rolled around as George and I had a slow beginning for the morning coming in about a half hour later but we would not be 

deterred from eating.

But when the forces of Dogman and Oddball join all I could do do was laugh (and make snarky comments) in the hopes that the universe heard it.

We'll see.  But blocking the isle with people is a safety hazard, blocking sponsorship with a huge ass display is bad form because with out it no sponsorship, no show.  It hurts everybody.

And as George hit right on the head "Just because you have champagne tastes doesn't mean you can do it on a beer budget."

SO NOW THE QUESTION IS as always would I go back to this show?  HELL NO!  

There is no way i would go back UNLESS I had some kind assurance that this kind vendor behavior world have a "no tolerance" in effect and ENFORCED.  No vendor I have ever known in the last 15 years of doing shows have ever done this before and continued to do it even after being asked (though heatedly) to please step behind the table. And multiplied by 2X ? - UNBELIEVABLE!  Bad bad form guys!  Thanks for leaving a bad taste here.  

AN EMAIL was issued out to the promoter this morning (as of this Thursday morning) to let the people at Crypticon know that this was a terrible ssituation that I would not subject myself to again for any reason what so ever.  The only way to make this right is either a vastly discounted table or a vendor's table in the main room a.k.a The Red Room.

COMMISSIONS & PRICING:

IF anything from the experience has giving me is applying the Devon Devereaux Method of selling product and it did well for me all things considered up above.

I should mention that I do commissions. It usually depends size, complexity of the piece, varnished and framed.  I.E. Gilrandree Commission 11"x14" varnished, one subject, no frame- $175.00  Usually half down and half on completion of project.  Easiest way for payments is through Paypal  using my email address blackboxcomix@yahoo.com.

If you are curious about it please email me at blackboxcomix@yahoo.com

CORPSE COP NEWS:
Even though the new books weren't ready for sale the next show I should be attending The Rose City Show should see two new CORPSE COP BOOKS!    "Arctic Wolf" story and "Inhuman Torch" story should be ready for sale.

But if you wanta play catch up check out this link for the one CC's first adventures here indyplanet.com http://indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4799

DREAMS OF ELYSIUM:

Amonst the urging of both close friends as well as what I have already stated for backing away from comics and focusing  on strictly artwork this Graphic Novel stands apart.  As the pages and format start to take place the scope of book is beginning to really look very cool.  Its sometimes difficult because the story is told strictly through the use of the images, nothing else.
Even the white marker that I have been using could almost be used and orinted in it's own book .  Which it might.


ALAN'S SOAP BOX THIS WEEK:

Already mentioned it above.

ODDITIES:

Fun stuff.  

More of this info can be found at  www.thevelvetcoffin.co.

OTHER NOTE WORTHY THINGS :

If your wanting to look at some of the older blog for Black Box Comix you can check them out here. Black Box Comix Blog.

There is also Twitter https://twitter.com/blackbox13 to follow and Tumbler The Other Scratchpad

blackbox13.tumblr.com/   as well 

Or if you're interested in purchasing something that catches your eye  check out here on the Big Cartel web site.  Big Cartel.

And of course is always the backlog of comics here at Indyplanet.

And the kid is out of here!

MAKING POSTCARDS (and Crypticon 2014)

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

The New BBVA ICON 2014!  copyrighted 2014
 by Alan Bennett and BBVA 

Well like the title informs you yes that is exactly what I have been doing- making and formatting images of the past that would work well (in my opinion) as postcards and making the strongest images into prints.

Of course the focus has taken my attention away from the comic stuff but that's okay because at every show that I have ever gone to and tabled at the art Always outsells the comics.

That's unfortunate for me because I love comics and the illustrations.   It what got me to follow this path in the first place.
I guess that's why I continue to keep plugging away at Corpse Cop as a comic and Dreams of Elysium as that last great work of sequential Graphic Fiction.

But to support oneself as a working artist you have to transcend the people lack of picking up something new only to watch them put it back down on the table.   And it kinda get to you when you think "Man, I really thought I had a sale there."

Years ago about 5 to be exact and my friend Adam had heard me actually say "Man, if don't sell something today that's it.  I'm done with this."  
As it turned out I did sell and sold big (by that standard of selling anything ) And of course it wasn't even a comic book, it was a piece of artwork.

The caste was set.  But it kept me in the game for a long time.  But I realized (slowly)  that even though the art work was comic book themed it still was a secular piece. 

So here I am making merch that is based on comic book fantasy but no new comics to speak off.

I keep hoping that will change.

CRYPTICON 2014!

In in less than a week I will be at this event and blowing people away with the new material that I have made and brought to the show.  I had a blast with table mate George Leon last year while we sat and watched the parade of horror cruised on by the table. 

BUT that wasn't the only thing that was great about that show but the commissions that came in made up for half of my sales while I was there.  That to me was rockin'! I really look forward to this show.  And all of that mentioned above with cards and prints, t-shirts everything to get this kid making art work and making a living to doing it. 

It is true that I have had cut back on comic production but the ideas still proliferate my brain.
Even a re-launch of Corrax The Seeker is and has been running around in my head.  That ol' crow headed robust about might see another version.  A parallel universe character with his cosmic Ax and all.  But as a singular character.

Could be interesting.


AND ON THAT FRONT:
CORRAX THE SEEKER!

Strange that there had been draw back to the comics and Corvis was technically that last sci fi character I was really working on.  Even though I have a partial script for Future Cop and Corpse Cop always has something going on with me in my comic book universe or somebody else's AND Last Monster ON EaRTH for WERID ATOMIC TALES latest mini being worked on Sci Fi books just weren't really selling that well so what it is about this character I like so much?
The more that I began to think about the comic that I had created and started looking at the problems with the comic I had created that sits front of me on my wall as a proof that I did this.  
And all of all the sci fi characters I had worked on why this guy?  I have several characters that I could have worked on - in particularly Johnny Vega, why Corrax?  'CAUSE HE ROCKS! 

The originally idea was that Corrax was just a side kick for the Vega books.  But as I found Corrax had a strong following and funny enough from women too.  So I followed up with that  but the story began to get bogged down with a highly convoluted back story and all of it streaming from Vega and even further back with the Angry Robot story I had written and drawn up for Guilded Edges back in 1999/2000.  
So I had to gut the original story and see what good parts I could re-tool so I made a quick list while at work.

So the main points for the RE LAUNCH of CORRAX THE SEEKER- PLANETFALL.
1). As one friend asked when she got the book "What's he seeking?" He is seeking revenge.  Pretty straight forward for any character.
2). Revenge upon all A.I.'s across the galaxy for the destruction of his home world.
3). There are no Galactic Rangers to step in nor The HUB or JOHNNY VEGA.  NONE of that exists in this parallel version.
4). Is CORPSE COP involved?  Possibly.
5). Is DOKTOR PLUTARIUS involved in this parallel?  Maybe.
6). Is any of the previous history of the original Corrax from the Vega Universe going to spill over into this story?   NO.  I don't want the boggy version of that history coming over.  Keep it simple and straight forward.
7). Does he still have the Cosmic Ax?  Yes, but again this is a parallel version.

So there you go a stream lined idea for a relaunch of Corrax with a heavy purpose.

COMMISSIONS: 

I haven't had many since the beginning of February but ready to get back at it again.

I should mention that I do commissions. It usually depends size, complexity of the piece, varnished and framed.  I.E. Gilrandree Commission 11"x14" varnished, one subject, no frame- $175.00  Usually half down and half on completion of project.  Easiest way for payments is through Paypal  using my email address blackboxcomix@yahoo.com.

If you are curious about it please email me at blackboxcomix@yahoo.com

CORPSE COP NEWS:

Now like I said above, I have had to stand back from the comics but this does not mean I am done with CC by any stretch of my means.
There are still at least three different Corpse Cop stories that I want to do before I'm done with him.

"Inhuman Torch" is complete with the art being formatted into a comic currently.  The lettering and the content editing still need to be done for this book.  Hopefully it will be completed before to long. 

"Arctic Wolf"  still needs to be released nation wide but there is only a minor tweeks that need to take place there.

But if you wanta play catch up check out this link for the one CC's first adventures here indyplanet.com http://indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4799

DREAMS OF ELYSIUM:

  The scale of this piece is looking good and the grand feel of this book is even better.  But I do have a sneaking suppision that the ending of this work could change.  After looking at the adventure I realized that there was a drastic change in the story line concerning Craig Lancher.
  But I am sure that I will figure out the right way to dispose of main characters that will satisfy readers and collectors. The work is making the book much larger but the Graphic Novel will be worth it.  Just looking at the marker comps for the book makes me almost wanta make a graphic novel with just the comps.

ALAN'S SOAP BOX THIS WEEK:

Nothing to bitch about but that can always change at the drop of a hat!

ODDITIES:

Fun stuff.  

More of this info can be found at  www.thevelvetcoffin.co.

OTHER NOTE WORTHY THINGS :

If your wanting to look at some of the older blog for Black Box Comix you can check them out here. Black Box Comix Blog.

There is also Twitter https://twitter.com/blackbox13 to follow and Tumbler The Other Scratchpad

blackbox13.tumblr.com/   as well 

Or if you're interested in purchasing something that catches your eye  check out here on the Big Cartel web site.  Big Cartel.

And of course is always the backlog of comics here at Indyplanet.

And the kid is out of here!

A little more of the Dream

An image thumbnail-  partial- for the Dreams of Elysium graphic novel.

IN THE FUTURE- CRYPTICON 2014

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

Add caption

Well like the title says Crypticon is not that far away.  About a month away and things are beginning to move forward as with movement of prints and post cards made from the images of the scratchboard. 

My main man George Leon of Custom Comic Shop  and I will be sharing another table this year.  So I am planing on having at least one new Corpse Cop comic out and some prints.  May 23-  25th  at Seatac.  George and I had a blast there last year and I would hope that it would happen again this year and maybe even better.
Here is to the possibility of more commissions and selling of prints.

AND ON THAT FRONT :

Where's the next art show?

The show that was to have happened over two months ago at this place called" My Brother's Crawfish" has been pushed back again by the owners of Crawfish.  Their reasoning behind this move was a remodel of the business or better yet renovation.  

But of course I didn't find out about this a day before the show was to start.  

This is nothing new for the Kid as Artwork is an aesthetic not a necessity for a business to thrive.  As I found out recently with dealing with Know Lounge off of North East Alberta.  The reason why I hadn't been contacted by anyone from there after the One Man Show of last year (and at the urging of my friend Joey Maas) that the owners of that establishment had decided to was to much of a headache to coordinate with other artists and set up times and the like.   Also art work was stolen.  That doesn't belly well for any place.

At least they realized this but didn't bother to tell anybody about it - including my friend Joey.

 My only contact with the Crawfish people is through texting.  Hopefully there will more communication before the hanging time which still needs to be clarified who does what and what pieces they want there.  Still waiting on that.

But the artwork will go up.  And if I am lucky I'll be able to finish off a new piece that might work -like "The Last Kiss of Richard Parker".  That's the idea anyway

I should mention that I do commissions. It usually depends size, complexity of the piece, varnished and framed.  I.E. Gilrandree Commission 11"x14" varnished, one subject, no frame- $175.00  Usually half down and half on completion of project.  Easiest way for payments is through Paypal  using my email address blackboxcomix@yahoo.com.

If you are curious about it please email me at here.

CORPSE COP NEWS:

Well it looks like" Arctic Wolf" Will be the only new comic at the table this year round.   Inhuman Torch is pretty close But I think that I would be rushing the job. And I don't wanta do that.
Besides that I was having some issues with the computer and the start up scratch disk.
Now having resolved that issue things begin to move forward.

But if you wanta play catch up check out this link for the one CC's first adventures here.

DREAMS OF ELYSIUM:

Now this has been on again off again project but there is always something moving forward with this story.
In this case a format change is being looked at in a panoramic setting while still focusing on a strong sense character at the center.  One of the biggest deals is that a lot of talented artists never really get the chance to show just how talented they are because their always under the gun with an editor and a company deadline.
After explaining my idea of the graphic novel to my girlfriend (who also happens to be a graphic designer) had suggested that as opposed to traditional page layouts (which I always been doing) swich the format. 
The book would have a much more panoramic look and view of not only the main characters but the surrounding area.  Much like a scope movie presentation.  

I loved the idea because it sets the book differently than traditional comics and graphic novels out there.  

Of course when I told her that I wanted to do it in scratchboard she thought I was crazy.  Of course this also makes the process very long but the over all look will be fantastic!

Perhaps I am, I really want this book to stand out from all the other work I have done over the years.

  

ALAN'S SOAP BOX THIS WEEK:

Now one thing I have noticed is that a lot of artists and creators at shows always seem to follow the same route, same theme.
What I mean by that is usually if something works for one of the creators others will follow suit.
This is not necessarily a bad thing But it does set a presidence for bad habits to happen.
In this case, prints.
Most if not all artists in either Artist's Alley or Where the Indipendants are, always end up trying to sell 11"x17" prints of their characters all the time.
Makes good sense right?  Your reinvesting your capital in one of your own properties.
The biggest issue that I have seen is that a lot (not all) vendors end up selling a lot prints with a backing board and all for the same cost- usually $10.00 bucks each.
I don't agree with this model. My biggest gripe really is the sizing issue for people who are looking to buy products.

Case in point; when I started making mini comics (kinda based upon the idea of the ashcan books I had seen years ago by Image) thought that this would be a great calling card for a introduction to the comic masses.   Artwork is the same.  I have made a moderate amount of money of the 5"x7" scratchboard originals but would like to be able to offer the the same size or just a little smaller as as a postcard.

The 11"x17" I have found to be to bulky and large for a potential customer to carry around comfortably.  So I am looking at shrinking down the size of the images for prints with the largest being 11"x14" and and a mainstay of 8 1/2"x11".

In this way the size and cost (I believe) will work better for the customer to purchase other items at the table and feel like they got a lot for their money) in this cast quantity of merch in a bag.
At least that's the idea anyway.

ODDITIES:

Fun stuff.  

More of this info can be found at here. 

OTHER NOTE WORTHY THINGS :

If your wanting to look at some of the older blog for Black Box Comix you can check them out here. Black Box Comix Blog.

There is also Twitter to follow and Tumbler, The Other Scratchpad

   as well 

Or if you're interested in purchasing something that catches your eye  check out here on the Big Cartel web site.  Big Cartel.

And of course is always the backlog of comics here at Indyplanet.

And the kid is out of here