Creator Interview with Comfort Love and Adam Withers

by Lora Innes

Comics Creators Adam Withers and Comfort Love discuss making comics, digital comics, and the future of comics in this interview.
Play

In this episode, listen to Lora and Chris interview 2-time Harvey Award Nominees, Indy Comics creators Comfort Love and Adam Withers.

Press PLAY to hear them discuss:

- the future of comics…
- and how to survive in the changes…
- why they gave up on their dream to work for Marvel or DC…
- why showing at conventions is essential…
- the surprising secret to selling your indy comic at conventions…
- and why you have no choice but to embrace digital…

AND discover their favorite resource for saving time coloring comics!

The UniquesRainbow in the DarkCG Textures.com

How Do I Pick the Print-On-Demand Publisher That is Right for Me?

Indy Planet

Chris Anderson 1,000 True Fans article

We would love to hear from you!

Which of Comfort & Adam’s tips did you find most useful? How can you implement one of their suggestions to your project today?

Subscribe To Our
'Storytelling Tips' Newsletter!

[ We will never SPAM you and we will never share or sell your information ]

{ 59 comments… read them below or add one }

Joshua Eli Gilley

Hi Chris and Lora! long time listener, first time caller..hehe..

I would like to start by saying thanks to you both. Paper wings has been like a life preserver in a sea of complacency for me. Since art school(illustration program), I have been able to make a decent living working semi-creative graphic design jobs, and I am thankful for that. But I found myself saying things like, “someday, when I get all my debts paid, etc…I will finally do what I love”. This is an ok plan I guess, but I had forgotten the dream.. I needed this cold shower to wake me out of my daze and to realize I can start right now on creating a future for myself!

Perhaps I was too young in art school to get the message, but I felt so lost and unprepared after graduation..that I just sort of stumbled along aimlessly…my goals were too vague. But the info you’re giving here is sooo good, and really has me looking at myself in the proverbial mirror, and assessing what I can actually accomplish.
thankyouthankyouthankyou!

Anyway, great episode as always, and thanks to Comfort and Adam for sharing this good info with all of us! It is very helpful, also a bit sad that modern culture sort of takes advantage of those who love their work…what I mean is…you guys should be able to take more breaks and still make a comfortable living!

Societal rants aside, I have a question for everyone..

I somewhat disagree that everyone will be able to own a tablet someday…with the flagging economy and all, I wonder if it’s possible that we could see a resurgence of printed books?

For the simple reason that(and I heard this somewhere else, forget where), to read a book, a child only needs to understand the language printed within(and with comics you really only need to be able to see to follow along), to read a digital comic, one needs a computer, or tablet,the interface..

I have to say, I do believe in and am on board with embracing the coming digital transition of the industry…and also using it to our advantage. Yet, I have to wonder if there is a chunk of the population that would be left behind? like the people who still have a VHS collections! Haha, hopefully this makes sense, I’m just curious to see if anyone else has wondered about these sorts of things?

Thanks again everyone for being AWESOME!

Reply

Lora Innes

Hi, Joshua! Your experience after art school is one of the biggest reasons we started Paper Wings. There are a lot of things art school preps you for, but as far as I’ve seen, surviving as an artist in the real world is not one of them. Especially giving you the steps to cross that gap between graduation and first real job.

I loved your analogy about the VHS tapes because I think that’s a pretty fair comparison. Not that people don’t love printed books. That’s my frustration with this whole conversation. No one is saying people don’t like printed comics. Those of us who are making comics KNOW they are not profitable. The
print comics industry is a sinking ship. Do we want to survive in this industry? It’s no longer a question of taste at this point. It’s about how on earth we, as independent creators, make a living off our stories. And we better be ready to embrace change and innovate if we want to do that. I didn’t even like or read webcomics when I started making mine–it was just the avenue for my story that made the most sense for its success. I was right.

As for all kids owning tablets, it’s coming. At least at a school level. I’ve heard from a lot of teacher friends that lower income schools are being funded for them by the government. Overall, they’re cheaper than text books.

Reply

Joshua Eli Gilley

Thanks for the added insights Lora! I confess, I am VHS guy. Just holding onto a sliver of hope for the print world I suppose…

It is reassuring, that you, Comfort and Adam are able to do print runs that are financially viable, however!
It seems print will still have a place in our hearts, even as it’s place in the market diminishes rapidly.

Very good points, thanks for the hard truth on the matter, it is very much appreciated! :)

Reply

Phil Allora

Hey there!
This was a great post! So great, that i’ve listened to it a few times already! Inspiring and practical!
The things that I’ve enjoyed thus far in all the podcasts is the positive spirit of motivation and inspiration fused with the playfulness of two friends getting together to rap on the phone about their interests. It takes much hard work to make it all sound so effortless :)
Great to hear creators tell it like it is and at the same time share their intrepid ventures into the unlimited possibilities of the future.
Keep up the tremendous work!
Terrific comments in the post threads as well. Looking forward to reading more!
Best,
Phil

Reply

RobinofLeyLines

“Instead of fighting against them as the enemy, find ways to invite them in as an ally.”

Perfect. I have been grappling with this concept all week and in one beautiful, succinct sentence, Adam provided the answer to my musings. I am putting that on my wall!

Thank you, as always, for the fantastic podcast. Lots to think about, and I’ve already started putting CGtextures to good use!

Reply

Jennifer McMyler

I just finished listening to the interview and I have to comment now before I go to lunch and my words and thoughts leave me. I know I don’t post a lot but wanted to this time. I guess also since I remember talking to the two of you in Lowell,mi =p. But I really thought it was an excellent interview. I am not going into comics but I want to live off my art so I felt it was still really inspiring listening to your troubles and achievements.It was great to hear about cons and really building up your fan base and so much more that was covered in such a short time.

Reply

Comfort and Adam

We think we remember you. You were going to Kendall – yes? And that’s great – living for your art – even with all the difficulty is amazing. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

…also, we’ll be at Kendall next week Thursday to do a talk from 12:30-2:00 in room 103.

Reply

Jennifer McMyler

Nah, I am not from Kendall but that is a great school. I believe I saw you both on the last free comic book day or the year before that one. But I believe I was going to be a big neighborhood garage sale so I cannot spend too much money there XD. But I cannot remember to well and I know I am going off topic =p.

Reply

Ben Hale

Great interview. Their enthusiasm and commitment to the work is inspiring. One point that occurred to me while listening is the amount of dedication to not only the work, but the story and characters. It takes so much time to create each issue along with building your fan base that it must be hard to do something new? I imagine you’d eventually want to move on and try and create new characters or work in a new genre. I’m just curious if any creators struggle with leaving a project behind.

Reply

Lora Innes

Comfort and Adam took this last year to work on Rainbow in the Dark instead of the Uniques. The Uniques is their on going project which they will be doing for years and years and years. But they decided to take these small breaks to work on much shorter stories that they could collect into a single volume. I think stepping away from a work helps give you fresh eyes and bring back a passion for it. Without giving into the temptation just walk away from it forever.

Reply

Ben Hale

That’s probably the best way to go. Also, though I’m sure any passion project can eventually feel like a “job”, you probably feel more ownership and overall attachment to a series you create.

Reply

Comfort and Adam

Lora is right, it was very hard for us to leave The Uniques for what will end up being two years in order to do Rainbow in the Dark. But what Rainbow did was it proved to others that we could do more then just a super hero book.

Also, it made us better creators overall because of the incredible difficulty of writing a 9 issue mini-series vs. a 100+ issue long term story. So when we go back to The Uniques next year, we’re going to be twice the creators we were when we left :nod:

And lastly, yes, it’s so much better to work on your own stuff…or even just something your really believe in. It gives you such a good feeling of accomplishment – makes all the hardship worth it.

Reply

Derrick "Captain Dutz" Utz

Ahoy Comfort and Adams (feels cool to say that line with y’all too!), Thank you so much for coming on and helping us out!!! Chris and Lora thank you for having them! This was awesome!

I really appreciate your information and how much detail you went into, it means a lot to hear more pro’s get to the nitty-gritty with us. There was a point that really hit home with me that you mentioned Adam. Being realistic. This is something that I think all of us and so many others need to hear and an idea that I try to balance all of the time. I hope that I fall into the middle ground you spoke of between a cocky artist and a self-depricating one. over the last two years (this year very much) I have been getting pulled away from that ladder position by many forces, some beyond myself.

I used to think that I did not and would not have the talent to really perform and produce with any real quality. Of coarse others thought that I was pretty great but I “knew” in myself my own limitations and what I lacked. I was awesome to those that did not know the standards so when I went face to face with the industry i was crushed by my surroundings. over the last few years I have had to wake myself up to an adult love of the art form because the shiny golden mask that wrapped the world of comics that I held as a child became jade stone and then cracked; to say the least, I was jaded. I really thought I was just surrounded by colored paper. It hurt but thats why they call them growing pains. As I got over those and learn to appreciate what really is an amazing industry for what it is, I became a whole new kind of fan.

I hope and pray that I continue to step back and keep myself in check as I progress into this field of creativity. Being realistic for me is knowing that I have the right amount of quality, content ,opportunity and timing. Being realistic also means that I need to be honest with myself if one of those is not met properly. I need to make sure that I create a quality product for an audience that actually wants it. Its just a hobby otherwise. Thank you all for reminding me to keep this at the forefront.

To respond to my friend Scott Wiser! Here are a few things that have helped me balance family and personal projects. I have been married for just over 8 years and have a 6 year old son (Ian) and 2 1/2 year old daughter (Teryn).

1. Learn to sleep less or at least better when you do – I don’t go to bed until at least midnight when heavy into a project even on work nights.

2. BE SERIOUS ABOUT MAKING MONEY! – and actually take action steps to prove it. One of the first things that you will get hit with when times get hard is resentment. This will be 10 times worse if your spouse and family think you are just playing around. Don’t just talk about success, make it. Your grander goals must end in profit or you need to save the work for the weekends. Take profitable side jobs if the creative aspect of your personal project is not making money yet. This will mean a lot to them and it will remind you to take it seriously.

3. Be sure they are on the same page or at least let them know what page you are on (Especially the same metaphorical chapter!) – Keep them informed if not involved with the work. If this excites them then that will help excite you. This will also help them to not feel left behind. They are your family, bring them along for the ride! My wife is VERY smart and she helps me create strategies and corrects my thinking when we have these conversations so I know they are important.

4. Learn to work faster and more efficiently – As Chris and Lora have said, a ready workspace and mind gets you to goal faster.

5. Make sure they are part of the grander goal – then they will always be a priority along with then end of the project. Both must carry GREAT importance.

I wish you all the best and I know you are capable of that.

Fair well after another long post. Man, I gonna get blocked for this stuff!

Thanks again!!

Captain Dutz!

Reply

Scott Wiser

Awww, thanks Cap’n for the thoughtful message. I also apply these points you made to family/work balance, which is not as much the issue. In fact, I’m currently giving up most personal project time for awhile to help my wife who is currently on bed rest (mostly I just play with my son and do the chores…and look for a job). This is preferable to the hours I spent away from them doing overtime.

The thing I’m working to figure out is how to get my work to the point that I can make a comfortable living to take care of my family – and I definitely want to reach my full potential as an artist. Paperwings is helping my figure all of this out. And I just know it’s possible, I feel it.

Oh, and on point one…I get my best work done in the morning and tend to drag when working late at nights, so I wake up early and use that time for art. Thanks so much again, Derrick. You rock.

Reply

Derrick "Captain Dutz" Utz

Your are very welcome my friend and I am honored to be of service. I wish you the best in balancing your tasks now that I know more about them. You are a great hubby and father and your family is lucky. You are on the right track because this is what is important now! Please pass our best wishes to your wife as she gets better.

As for your work, I can try to give broad suggestions because I do not know very much about animation. I think all of us here would be better to know more about that though. I have some marketing experience and will email soon to start a conversation on any ideas that I have that could be of use.

I am glad that you and Chris can use mornings so well! Not much exists for me before I have to wake my son for school. I am pretty useless until mid-morning and 3 cups of JAVA!

HA, you are awesome!

Reply

Comfort and Adam

Good deal man. Sounds like you’re really thinking about this stuff and clearly that’s a good thing. We hope all the best for you on this new road. And if we’re ever at a con together come on by and we’ll chat :)

Reply

Derrick "Captain Dutz" Utz

will do! It would be a blast to sit and geek out while talking shop too!

Thank you all for what you create and for communicating with us on the blog!

Reply

Comfort and Adam

Hey guys!

Thanks a ton for all the kind words. Sorry it took us so long to respond, we spent the whole day on Rainbow #6 which is killing us – so wish us strength!

Anyway…

Scott: Blowing minds is always what we aim for here in the land of Comfort and Adam ;) But seriously man, really glad you dug what we had to say and hope it helps.

Trevor: Indeed, honestly is the best policy when talkin’ about this life we live.

Matt: Good, glad to hear it. And we suppose you could print the ongoing television style comic book of say Batman or Spiderman. But at this point, maybe a 99 cent digital would be better then a $2.99 print…followed closely by trades every few weeks.

Lee: Thanks Lee, and again – good work! We’re looking forward to watching you continue to improve :nod:

Jake: We hear ya man. Totally a hamster-wheel, but one you’ve gotta run until you can comfortably support a massive run with a big chunk of change. And yes, there is no sense in pretending. We think that people would actually be a lot better off if we were all more honest about what this business is really like. And good points – we’re on the same page there with the fan art, etc. Overall, thanks – makes our freaking day to know you liked the episode as much as you did.

Scott W and Chris: We would be onboard for that. Just don’t know how to make it work for us at this point in our lives. Time kills us just as much as money does frankly. Who knows, maybe someday though…we’ll keep you all posted :)

Sam: Thanks, glad you liked the episode. As for cons though, Lora is right, that’s largely how we make our money. At this point we do anywhere from $1,500 on the low end to $4,500 on the high. Only a small handful of shows will invite us thus far – because for most people who run cons, we still don’t count yet. But yes indeed, you can make money – not a super ton because costs can be high – but we are paying bills proof of that.

Jake: Sounds like you’re on your way man. Just gotta find those cons that will make ya the money. You’re the dude that lives in Texas yes? Maybe try Dragon Con.

Sam: Yes, commissions are a HUGE money maker. Also prints and book sales. Actually, each make about a third of the total gross for us at a con. Although books have the largest overhead – followed by prints – followed by sketches (a.k.a. commissions) which are the cost a piece of paper and some pencil led. The key with all of this is to make your work the freaking best it can be so people can’t pass it up! As for what to change – if you’re just starting out – $10, make the AWESOME, and go up in price from there. If you’re work is good enough people will pay more money. And you’ll get faster the more you do it, trust us!

Sam (again ;) : Yes, we do Emerald City and Anime Expo. SDCC is nice, but don’t do that show to display and sell your stuff – total waste of time and money. Better to just go, enjoy the show, and bring your portfolio.

*phew* all for now. It’s about 2:22am here and we’re feeling like it may be time to hit the hay. Laters!

-Comfort (and Adam too, even though he was playing Arkham Asylum at the time this was written :D

Reply

Sam Kirkman

Even MORE proof of your awesomeness! Thank you so much for answering our questions! Man I hope to meet you guys some day. Totally agree about SDCC. Great to go, not to show. get some rest and thank again!

Reply

Jake Ekiss

Yep, I’m the guy in Texas. Dragon is on my list for next year too. I’ve got a few art buddies/mentors in Atl. so the show should be pretty welcoming for me. And thanks to you guys for being on the show.

Reply

Derrick "Captain Dutz" Utz

Hey Jake!

I am out of Texas too! maybe we can figure out a time to meet when another con or event rolls around!!

Reply

Jake Ekiss

Indeed. Whereabouts in Texas are you? I’m in the far North Dallas area.

Reply

Derrick "Captain Dutz" Utz

Dude! Im in far west Fort Worth! We both be in da metroplex bro! Now thats just cool! Next time a big one rolls around well figure out somthing!

Reply

Jake Ekiss

Well, I can guarantee me and the studio will be out at the next Dallas Comic Con. Definitely look for me there. Not sure what we’ve got going in between, but I’ll keep my head up. If you’re on Twitter hit me up (@jakeekiss). I’m pretty active there right now.

Reply

Scott Story

Great interview! Adam and Comfort seem to really have it together, and some of their ideas blew my mind. Excellent!

Reply

Trevor

Good job telling it like it is, Adam and Comfort.

Reply

Matt

Very cool interview. As everyone has said before me, you guys covered so much! There’s definitely plenty food for thought here. I’ll be dwelling on the concept of Television model versus Print model for a while.

Reply

Lee Wiley

Wow, thank you all so much, Chris, Lora, Comfort, and Adam. This has been an inspiring and highly informational podcast. I think all I can say is that I’m going to take so much of what you said and work on applying it.

Reply

Jake Ekiss

Favorite. Episode. Yet.

And I’m not a fellow given to hyperbole (except when I am, and you’ll know, it’ll involve metaphors involving planetary bodies). Very good interview covering a LOT of excellent points. I’m glad somebody mentioned the print on demand as hamster-on-wheel analogy. As somebody who’s been doing print on demand for about 3-4 years now, that’s pretty much exactly how it feels.

I’m also very glad that Adam and Comfort were realistic about the monetary gains (or lack thereof). While I can safely say that I’ve continued to make more money year over year (again, this year I’ve made probably double from conventions what I made the previous, and going to less shows), it is by no means a career that is the fast track to fortune. As they say, it takes ten years to be an “overnight success”.

As per meeting folks at cons, oh man, that’s just so dead on the money. The more “on” I am at a show, the more engaged I am with people that walk by my table, the more fans I seem to have and the more money I seem to make. I like that they mentioned the fan art as well, and that dovetails with stuff I’ve mentioned here and found to be true. The fan art you do will be the touchstone to bring people in, and the characters you draw will prime the sort of audience you acquire. You want to do a space opera comic? You should probably do some Star Wars fan art for shows. Superhero? Better be some Batman in there. Fantasy? Well, Game of Thrones is pretty hot, and you can never go wrong with LotR.

So many solid points addressed, I love it. Seriously, my favorite episode so far!

Reply

oats

Glad you liked it, Jake! Great points. And re: the money: This is probably the #1 reason Lora and I are so huge on digital, productivity & monetization. If ever there was a time when comic creators were able to do this AND have a family WITH insurance, it’s now. And we’re on a mission to find a repeatable business model for that.

Reply

Jake Ekiss

And that’s the primary reason I’m trying to be so active here. A personal goal for me is to have insurance and be able to comfortably support me and my wife should the need arise. I’m all for that particular quest.

Reply

Scott Wiser

Ahh…trapper keepers…and the art…those were the days. I’ve also thought about this, “there has to be another way” with animation as well. There are SO many animators on the market and it’s tricky to know how to stand out. But with resources like this I’m starting to get a clearer vision of what I must do.

On another point, the idea of being so busy and financially strapped that kids are out of the question…this is no longer an option for many of us. We should totally rally together and discuss how to make family+art=success on both fronts. By my experience, more quality family time can equal better art when I schedule it all in “balance”. Any thoughts from other familial wingers?

Reply

oats

Scott – re: kids: See my comment to Jake (above) and I’m with you on the whole family thing. We just have to find a way to make it work. Some might say that making a comfortable living as an independent comics artist is simply not possible. I just don’t think it’s true.

I just think we have to be SUPER-smart about using everything we have at our disposal from storytelling to business, technology, SEO, multiple streams of revenue, etc… And I think if we do all of those things right, it’s completely possible to make a comfortable living as an independent comics professional.

I could be wrong, but I’ll accept that I am AFTER we’ve tried everything in a wisely-balanced business model and failed consistently and in multiple genres/ markets.

Reply

Scott Wiser

That’s the attitude. I also think it’s possible. There’s nothing that brings me joy like my family – so I’ll definately be searching for a way along with you.

Reply

Sam Kirkman

It’s nice to know we’re not alone in this boat. I’ve got to listen to it again, by did they mention how they make the con circuit pay. At best I see it as a break even venurture. And that is for shows close enough to drive to. I imagine at some point the organizers have them as gests. And being as giving as they are they must get involved in programming at the cons they attend. I’m with Jake, gotta be one of my favorite episodes yet!

Reply

Lora

No, conventions are profitable for Comfort & Adam. VERY. It’s a big part of how they make a living. And they travel all over the place. They stay in cheaper hotels, not the ones hooked onto the convention center, and they are always, always drawing when you see them–working on commissions. They do more commissions than anyone I know! And they sell quite a lot of prints. Their book of prints is insane! Any character you can imagine is in there.

Reply

Jake Ekiss

Sam, as Lora says, I’d be surprised if conventions weren’t their main money makers. One of the reasons I connected with this podcast so much is that the convention experience they describe mirrors mine almost perfectly. Most of my art revenue comes from shows, and as it grows I’m looking to do more out of state conventions as I’m almost to the point where I could start turning profit there. For cons within my state, I haven’t lost money in a couple of years, and my profit margins vary only with the size of the show.

Reply

Sam Kirkman

So commissions are the real money makers during shows. Is it mostly drawing the big properties? I mean, I’ve never tried, but drawing the big property characters hasn’t ever appealed to me. And do the big two ever give you guys trouble for it? jyst wondering too, how long do you spend on a show commission and what would be reasonable to charge? I’ve still got to get over my public drawing phobia. I’ve got a bashful blotter. :o }

Reply

Albone

Sam, commissions of popular (trademarked) characters is legal. Selling prints of trademarked characters isn’t…buuuuuut, the big companies don’t normally enforce this, at least never to my knowledge. That being said, I sell prints of popular characters at my table as well as commissions.

Reply

Jake Ekiss

As Albone says, commissions/prints won’t typically get you in trouble, though technically the companies can put the kibosh on you if they so chose. That said, the companies virtually never enforce this as for them it’s actually free advertising. If you do their characters well enough, it’s even free talent scouting. I would say, depending on the convention, my sales run 50/50 between prints and commissions(con sketches). I also occasionally get some original art sales, so I tend to bring a painting or two, and several original inks of my prints to sell.

I would recommend, do some fan art, but do it of the stuff you’re actually a fan of. Any comic convention will have the full spread of geeks, so if you’d rather draw Dr Who, Star Trek or Zelda than Wolverine, you absolutely should. It will often make the difference between a sale and a miss whether you are actually knowledgeable of the characters you draw. Nerds love to geek out over common ground. Give that common ground to them and your sales record will be better.

As for time spent, that largely depends on what you’re charging and how polished you make your convention pieces. There is no hard or fast rule on this. I’ve seen seasoned pros do free finished sketches and I’ve seen rank armatures charge $100+ for throw away pencil sketches. Personally I do inked sketches (grayscaled on my preference) for $30 per at a show and generally take around 45 mins to an hour on them. In some cases I feel like I give a little more than I should, and in some I feel like I overcharged, but you’re going to have that feeling no matter what you set your prices at. I also give the option for people to do “take home” commissions for a higher price. These would be pieces that I bring back to the studio after the show and mail out later.

As for drawing in public, cut your teeth on some live-art events if you can find them in your area. I’ve been to a number of events for charity and they’ll get you used to the process in an environment where money isn’t the goal. I might also recommend the local drink and draw or Dr. Sketchy’s if you’ve got those. They tend to be a bit more “scenes”, but if you want to get used to drawing in front of others (in that case, other artists) it’ll help.

One last thing on conventions, as I haven’t seen it mentioned yet, look into the Square app and device for your smart phone. It’s fee and it’s basically a small credit card reader that plugs into your smart phone or ipad. I’ve been trying it out and it’s made a HUGE impact in my sales. Once you have a mobile credit option you suddenly have an impulse buy option at your con table. For me and several others I know it increased our average sales by nearly 30%. Definitely something to check out.

Reply

Lora

Creating a one-of-a-kind original sketch is legal.

Technically, producing prints of copyrighted characters is not. That begin said, from what I’ve seen and heard, the big companies turn a blind eye to it.

I *do* know of someone who was asked to stop selling sketchbooks with copyrighted characters in them. The books were a bit too professional looking and someone from a big company saw it at SDCC and politely told my friend not to sell those anymore.

Reply

Sam Kirkman

Thank you Jake and Lora. I have learned so much from this one podcast and thread. I really need to approach Cons with a completely new attitude. Here I was just hoping to break even and be happy with that. So many ideas and options now. Hey Lee! You hearing this buddy? Were gonna have to Gear up for a great Wondercon next March! Anaheim here we come!

Reply

Jake Ekiss

Sam, if you’re relatively new to the convention scene I would say to moderate your expectations with regard to sales. I make money on pretty much all my local shows now, but that’s in large part due to becoming a fixture. I’ve been doing shows for 4-5 years now and I have a few people that I know will drop by each show who typically pick up the new stuff I have. That said, always form the best game plan you can to make money. My studio mates and I always to a post convention wrap up (over diner after the last day of the show) and we go over what worked and didn’t work with that particular show. We analyze what parts of our setup worked, what parts of our sales approach got the best response, etc. Turning an immediate critical eye to your convention experiences will teach you VERY quickly. Compare your setup/technique to other folks who are doing well at their tables. Make sure you’re critically identifying what it is that may make an adjacent table more or less successful. Are you helping to funnel traffic to your table visually? Are your display stands for books too tall and thus blocking people from seeing you (the Great Art Wall of China)? Things like that.

Last but not least, make friends with nearby tables. Get in there and make some connections with other folks in the trenches. If you find artists at a similar level you can all pool information and universally raise the bar for your convention presence.

Reply

Melony C.

Every time I try to either listen to the podcast or download it I’m getting an error, file not found. Will check back later.

Reply

Lora

I’m having problems loading the site at the moment too. Perhaps it’s our server…

Reply

Sam Kirkman

What an incredible interview!!!! Guy’s, this is right on the pulse of what we are doing! SO relevant. I need to listen to it again to digest and assimilate. Adam and Comfort, you got a new fan! Thank you so much for this Chris & Lora!

Reply

Lora

I thought having Comfort and Adam on the show was perfect for the PW community. What they’re doing is the perfect next step to shoot for for a lot of you guys! So glad you found their tips and resources valuable. I have a publisher, but I learn something new from them every time we talk!

Reply

Sam Kirkman

I would love to meet them. Do they ever do west coast events?

Reply

Lora

I know that I know they do San Diego comic con.

Reply

Albone

And I think they’re doing Emerald City Comiccon in Seattle.

Reply

Scott Wiser

We’re expecting you to do great things with this information, Manure Man!

Reply

Sam Kirkman

Oh the dread of imphamy, my cover is blown, my secret identity revealed! LOOK! Up in the sky! It’s a turd! It’s a plane! It’s Manure Man! Stop me if this has been done before.

Reply

Scott Wiser

It’s a hit already, I can tell.

Reply

Scott Wiser

Your sidekick could be Kitty Litter…or Seed boy – he could have some fun super powers !

Reply

Sam Kirkman

I LOVE IT! To much inspiration. :0)

Reply

Lora

Kitty Litter. LOL!

Reply

Derrick "Captain Dutz" Utz

poo poo power! (wow, slipping down a nasty hill with this one!)

Reply

Derrick "Captain Dutz" Utz

ok, ok, ok,

I must have missed that one!

Man, sounds funny!

Reply

Sam Kirkman

PULL MY MIGHTY FINGER! So sorry, I don’t know what came over me. That’s it, That’s all I promise…

Reply

Leave a Comment

Previous post:

Next post: