ECCC 2013: The Cosplayers of Serious Saturday

 

I don't consider myself a "people watcher."  However, with a legion of cosplayers out in-force for this year's Emerald City Comicon (ECCC 2013), it was hard not to notice the folks all dressed up--and with someplace to go.

 

I only saw a couple of steampunk aficionados, but this sci-fi subgenre has gained ground, with it's own Steamcon, now celebrating it's fifth year.

 

 

One of steampunk's log-lines is:  "When past meets future." 

 

Looks like Spider-Man and Poison Ivy have taken the motto to a personal level...

 

 

Although he should be careful not to lower his guard while under Ivy's charms, because Venom is lurking nearby...

 

 

 Here's a "typical" Poison Ivy with gal-pal Harley Quinn...

 

 

 Uh-oh.  Looks like Batman has been two-timing on Harely...

 

 

 Meanwhile, it looks like Loki, (or should I say "Lokiette?"), is conjuring some mischief...

 

 

So if trouble does break out at a comicon, "who you gonna call?"

 

 

 Or, how about the Emerald City Caped Crusaders?

 

 

A couple ladies from the Watchmen were also on hand.  But it looks like they were ready to start trouble, not prevent any...

 

 

 There was a group posing as the Avengers for photo ops, but the only decent picture I got was this one of  Black Widow...

 

 

I'm not sure who this woman was suppose to be.  Maybe a cross between Tank Girl and the Punisher?   

 

 

The superheros at the comicon weren't limited to Planet Earth.  While there were a few Supergirls out and about, none of those photos came out well.  This one of Starfire did...

 

 

 Maybe the glow from her orange skin helped with the lighting issues I was experiencing.  (The skybridge was open to natural light, while the rest of the convention center was illuminated with over-head florescent tubes). 

 

But since I was dressed something like this...

 

 

...I could have said, "I'm a doctor, not a photographer" as an excuse for my lack of photographic skill.  I know I'm mixing metaphors.  And while I didn't see any Leonard McCoys, there were a few other Indiana Jones at . 

 

In fact, one of them parked next to me in the convention's garage.  A third passed me by on the skybridge, ruefully addressing me as  "Doctor."  There was even an "Indiana-ette."  Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera ready during these encounters.

 

I did, however, manage to snap photos of the following "doctors in-residence;" like Doctor Doom...

 

 

 

...an incarnation of the Fourth Doctor of the Doctor Who series...

 

 

 ...and Dr Emmett Brown, no doubt looking for DeLorean. 

 

 

 

I even ran into Indy's dad. 

  

 

Some folks from "...a galaxy far, far away," also made an appearance.  A detachment of the 501st Legion even had a photo booth with a Tantive IV corridor as a backdrop.  Attendees could have their pictures taken (for an additional fee) with all a variety of Star Wars characters.

 

 

Hey! 

 

 

That was the droid I was looking for! 

 

For the past 30 years, anyone attending a sci-fi convention will usually run into a bevy of Slave Leias.  Although, somehow I didn't see a single one at last year's convention.  There was a full court this year, but only a few pictures turned out post-worthy:

 

#1

 

 

 

#2

 

 

 

#3

 

 

 

 Cosplay at the comicon wasn't limited to the realms of sci-fi and superheroes either.  Gandalf was on hand...

 

 

...probably after leaving Bilbo & Co on the edges of Mirkwood. 

 

Liea, whether in various forms of (un)dress, wasn't the only princess in attendance.  There was at least one Xena ...

 

 

...who was probably going to bust-in on that "Panel Room Full" behind her.  

 

I must admit thought, that I'm not always well-versed on all things geeky.  I had to ask a couple of people about the costumes they were wearing.

 

This young-lady told me she was dressed as Zecora in My Little Pony. 

 

 

 

While there were plenty of princesses parading around, I came across only one prince: Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender...

 

 

I didn't see the panned movie, I heard the animated series was quite good. 

 

 Just as I was about leave the comicon collective and try to assimilate into Seattle's traffic, I encountered  Seven of Nine...

 

 

...and so "Serious Saturday" came to a close.  I attended a couple more panel-discussions the following day and saved the bulk of my shopping for "Spending Spree Sunday."

 

So stay tuned!

Serious Saturday, Part 3: Professional Tools for Self-Publishers

(Image:  Red Team, ECCC Edition, by Garth Ennis and Craig Cermak)

 

In addition to Kickstarter, which was prominently featured in yesterday's post, there are other avenues to self-publishing available to comic creators.  Professional Tools for Self-Publishers workshop, hosted by editor Rachel Edidin, business director George Rohac of Oni Press and attorney Katie A. Lane; discussed some of the methods for "...bridging the gap between D.I.Y. and traditional publishing models" (ECCC 2013 Program Guide).

 

Nearly everyone's perception of the publishing timeline, looks something like this:

 

Idea >-----------------------------------------------------------------> Published Book

 

The reality is, there's no uninterrupted, "straight line" to getting published. 

 

Here are some questions to ask as you venture down this path:

 

What kind of project is it? 

This help identify the resources you need.

 

How big is the project?

The answer affects what you need.

 

What jobs are you good at and can do on your own?

 

What jobs will you need help with?  Writers and artists will often need the professional help of others, such as a--

 

--project manager

--business manager

--print buyer/broker

--editor

--designer (for both book and website)

--distributor

--and an attorney, just to name a few.

 

Writing and/or editing assistance may be available through Editorial Freelancers Association.

 

What is your timeline?  When do you want, or need the book to be published?

This is where treating your work as a profession, rather than a hobby, comes in. 

 

How do you plan to raise money? 

Kickstarter isn't the only funding site available.  Add 15-20% more to the funds you calculated as your budget for unexpected expenses.

 

How will you publish your book?

Various self-publishing companies are available, but research them first!  (Once again, see yesterday's post).

 

How will you promote your book?

Most writers are uncomfortable at self-promoting, but it's necessary to get the word out about your work.

 

How will you distribute your work?  Stacked on comic store shelves?  Posted on the web?

 

Once you tackle all these questions, you should have a straight shot at getting your book published.

 

Serious Saturday, Part 2: Self-Publishing with Kickstarter

(Image:  Freelancers by Reilly Brown)

 

We've often heard that "it takes money to make money."  This bit of capitalistic mantra isn't limited your 401K, but also applies to creative pursuits as well.  In the past, artists sought out patrons to finance their work.  Today, such patrons can be found on-line through various crowdfunding sites, which can help self-published comics--well--get published.

 

One such site, or at least the one I've heard of the most is Kickstarter.  It was through this site that Chris Furniss financed his comic The 31 Days of Zero Suit Samus.

 

Here are some of his thoughts on developing a successful Kickstarter Campaign:

 

First, make a video to pique the interest of potential backers, but keep it under four minutes.

 

Include exclusive awards for backers that won't be available for normal purchase and make uniquely-named backer award levels.  The most popular award level appears to be $35 donations.

 

Keep your goals modest and don't stretch them.  (In the military, this is called "mission creep" for ever-expanding goals).

 

There are Kickstarter Talking Sites that can help with any questions and/or issues you might have.

 

What can you do to ensure your project is successful?

 

Follow these basic tenets--

 

--Be prepared.

--Be thorough.

--Be transparent.

--Be timely.

--Be respectful.

 

"The 5 Bs" in detail:

 

Be Prepared

 

First ask, what is your goal?

Then develop a business proposal.

 

Be Thorough

 

Take lots of notes (do your research)

Price-out your backer rewards.

Overestimate the backer reward fulfillment (the "fudge factor," because there's always unexpected expenses).

Present as much information as possible in order to sell your idea. 

That is--Be Enticing (make that "The 6 Bs")--

 

--Utilize spellcheck.  Inattention to a detail such as proper spelling can turn off potential backers.

--Make a video, as mentioned above.

--Make something someone wants to buy.  Or as they say in marketing--find a need.  What to people need, or want?

--Be friendly and thank everyone who mentions your project.

 

(Note:  Many projects fail because they're not enticing enough).

 

Be Transparent

 

It's okay to make money off your project. 

Update only when you have something meaningful to say.  Don't be a spammer.

 

Be Timely

 

It's okay to be late.  Just be honest and explain why your project is running behind schedule.

 

Be Respectful

 

Listen to feedback.

 

Some other issues to keep in mind:

 

Make use of free resources.

 

Outsource as much as possible--don't do everything yourself.

 

In regards to printing--

 

--Ask for recommendations and get at least 3 estimates.

--Use local resources, which will be easier for you to monitor and interact with.

--Thoroughly examine all prints and proofs.

--Pack in some surprises (like buttons, or stickers) for your customers.

 

Survey Tips

 

How do your backers like your finished product?  According to Chris, the customer survey is the weakest aspect of Kickstarter.  Send folks a friendly reminder to provide some feedback.

 

Follow-up Notes

 

Provide friendly customer service.  Don't hassle anyone claiming their product was damaged, or misplaced.  Accept all returns and ship out new items as necessary.

 

Merchandise (the surprises and awards mentioned above) can be developed, or obtained through companies like Fangamer.

Serious Saturday, Part 1: Small Press Comics Forum

(Image:  AT Fionna & Cake by Colleen Coover) 

 

Okay, so I spent the first day of this year's Emerald City Comicon giving in to my fandom.  For Day Two, (Saturday, 2 March 2013), it was time to get serious and attend some how-to sessions. 

 

One of the first seminars I attended was the Small Press Comics Forum, hosted by Travis Hanson, Tyler & Wendy Chin-Tanner, "Reece" Friesen; along with Shawn Cruz, Sean Hollenhors and tatoo artist AnnMare Grove, from Corrosive Comics.  (I think someone was absent from the panel, but I can't remember who).

 

The panel discussed their triumphs and tribulations of developing, or working with, small comic companies:

 

First, treat your project as a profession and not merely a hobby.  Consider your work as a business.  So keep "business hours."  Or, as I've heard in all the writer's workshops I attended:  Write every day.  And if you're uploading your work on line, then you need to post on a regular schedule, otherwise, your fans will loose interest.

 

Seperate yourself from your work.  People will criticize your material, but that doesn't mean they're criticizing you.  Be open to advice and talk to people who are doing what you're doing.  But keep in mind someone may be merely expressing their opinion.  Research the critiquer to determine their level of expertise, then decide if you want to follow any of their suggestions.

 

How do you get started?

 

Well, to copy the Nike motto:  Just do it.

 

But of course, research anything before you start.

 

Build a website, or at least a web presence.  Some templates are free. Wordpress offers a Comics Press download that can be utilized with their web format.

 

Putting stuff on line will attract fans.  You can still earn an income doing this, because fans still want books and are willing to pay for printed products. 

 

Speaking of printed material, comic book stores cater to the major publishers.  So if you wish to see your comics on the shelves, then its best to develop a (professional) relationship with the store owner.  Since comics are a visual medium, writers tend to have a harder time breaking into the industry than artists.

 

Finally, one of the panelists, (I forget who), stressed that you should have six weeks of material archived before you set up.  This gives you flexibility enough to maintain your regular postings, while dealing with "Life-getting-in-the-way" issues.

Breakout from Bongolaan Chapter 5 Posted

 

I posted this announcement a few days ago on every site I'm active on--that is, every site except for this blog:

 

After attending the Emerald City Comicon (ECCC) last weekend, I was inspired to resume work on my current webcomic, Breakout from Bongolaan. Chapter 5 has now been posted (pages 124-146).

The Soundtrack Interlude I chose for this chapter was Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day. This was the closest song I could think of with a despairing "footsteps theme."

I plan on posting Chapter 6 next week after doing some final editing.

ECCC 2013: Fanboy Friday, The Finale

One of Felicia Day's partners & pal is Wil Wheaton, known by Star Trek: The Next Generation (STTNG) as Wesley Crusher.  A few of the lady attendees I talked to at ECCC '13 admitted to having a crush on the young Crusher.  I can't really blame them, since I had a crush on his mom, Dr. Beverly Crusher.

Anyway, Wil is heavily involved in internet entertainment, especially his boardgame series TableTop. 

Wil's latest subject, at the time of this post, was the role-playing game (RPG) Dragon Age RPG by Green Ronin Publishing.

I love their corporate motto:  Be Your Own Master.

Some of the military organizations I was assigned to while I was on active duty, didn't even have as cool a phrase as that.

A week before the comicon, I watched Episode 19-Part 1 and Episode 19-Part 2.  Both run about 35 minutes and takes the viewer on an adventure run by, none other than Chris Pramas, the founder and one of the co-owners of Green Ronin.  (Talk about being your own master!).

One the opening day of ECCC, as I wandered away from Felicia Day's fan line and through the gaming area, I stumbled across Green Ronin's booth.  I recognized Chris right away and since he didn't seem to be besieged by other fans (yet), I struck-up a conversation with him.

I complimented him on the adventure he ran for TableTop and he told me he only had a week to prepare before flying down to Wil's gaming lair in LA.  If I thought of it at the time, I would have responded with my best Vader voice:  Impressive. Most impressive.  (I don't know about you folks, but I always think of cooler things--or maybe even dorkier things--to say long after any encounter). 

Then the conversation took a surprising turn.  Chris said he recognized me as a fellow member of the Northwest Historical Gaming Society (NHMGS) and that he has been a regular attendee of our annual Enfilade! convention.

Um...NHMGS?  Enfilade!?  Oh boy.

I apologized for not recognizing him during all these years (twelve, to be exact) and he was very understanding about this.  While Enfilade! may not draw the same multitudes as the Emerald City Comicon does, it's still a sizable gaming convention.  So it will probably take me another dozen years to become better acquainted with all the gamers who make the yearly pilgrimage.

I can't remember what the segway was, but I started talking about my gaming movies and graphic novels.  Before I got up a full head of steam, Chris said something to the effect that he was fan of, or at least was aware of, my work.

Really?  A fan!?

Wow.  By this time I was both honored and embarrassed.  Maybe the title of this post should be:  How to Ignore Your Fans in One Easy Lesson.

Once again, Chris was very understanding in all this and even signed the copy of Night's Watch that I bought.

With that, it was time for me to call it a night.  I had a long commute--plus I figured I embarrassed myself enough for one day.

I still have two more days-worth of comicon festivities to post, primarily of the panel discussions I attended, along with some "cosplay capers." 

So stay tuned!

ECCC 2013: The Cosplayers of Fanboy Friday

 

During the Q&A portion the "Warrior Queen Goddess of All Nerds" interview, Felicia Day went gaga over a fan's Codex costume.  The real Codex declared the fan's costume better than the original. 

 

I didn't see the Codex clone at the time because I was sitting way in the back of the Main Hall. Later that night I found myself standing in line, with nothing new to read and waiting to get Felicia Day's autograph.  (To understand the irony of this, see yesterday's post).

 

The first cosplayer I encountered was the Codex fan Felicia Day complimented during her interview. 

 

 

I'm no fashionista (fashionister?), so I won't say this young lady's costume was better than Felicia's. But it certainly was well-made and adorably classy. 

 

My spidey-sense started to tingle and I turned just in time to see this guy:

 

 

I told him his outfit put my own Spider-Man costume to shame.  He thanked me and said the costume "cost enough."  (Maybe he's still trying to pay it off).  I encountered a few more Spider-Men during the convention, but this guy's costume was, by far, the best.

 

Spider-Man wasn't the only full face-masked character.  May I present Mr. and Mrs. Deadpool

 

 

There seemed to be an entire squad of Deadpools prowling around the Showroom Floor throughout the convention.  Most of the time, it was too crowded for me to snap a picture.. 

 

Not all the masked cosplayers dressed as good guys.  Here's one such villian, the Dark Knight's nemisis,  Bane (the movie version).

 

 

Some cosplayers didn't need masks, but a healthy head of hair.  Take Princess Leia's 'do, for instance:

 

 

Yes, that was the girl's real hair. 

 

On the otherhand, some hairstyles (and skin tone) required just "a touch" of color:

 

 

 

I had no idea who this young lady was dressed as, since she wasn't packin' a weapon, so I had to ask.  I guess it would be unbecoming for Princess Bubblegum to blast her opponents.

 

Speaking of blasters, Han Solo doesn't care for "hokey religions and ancient weapons..." Or in this case, should I say "Hanetted Solo?" 

 

 

Believe it or not, dressing up as the Corellian scoundrel-turned-hero is popular among the Star Wars lady fans. 

 

Before going our seperate ways, I told her:  Remember, you shot first. 

 

And without missing a beat, she responded:  I DID!

 

Ah...spoken like a true Star Wars fan. 

 

I snapped over 150 pictures during 3-day festivities at ECCC.  Most of them were of cosplayers and probably half of them are usable.  I'll add more photos of cosplayers in my upcoming ECCC posts. 

 

In the meantime, here's GeekWire's 100 Badass Costumes of ECCC 2013 for you to enjoy.

ECCC 2013: Fanboy Friday, The Opening Scene

(Image from:  Marvel.com)

 

Yesterday, I wrote that my original intent was to attend panel discussions on the craft of writing comics at this year's Emerald City Comicon (ECCC 2013). 

 

Well, that went out the window when I managed to get through the ticket/badge exchange line with just enough time to make the "Felicia Day--Warrior Queen Goddess of All Nerds" interview, being held in the Main Hall. 

 

So instead of toiling away, scribbling notes, I decided today I'd play "fanboy."

 

By the time got to the Main Hall, the ginormous room was 75% occupied and was filling fast.  At the distance I sat, Felicia and her hostess, IMDb's Melanie McFarland, appeared no bigger than my thumb.  Setting my camera for maximum magnification, I managed to snap a couple grainy photos.

 

 

Fortunately, the whole convention was being recorded by FlipOn.tv, so there were a couple of big screens in the Main Hall for those of us sitting in steerage.

 

 

During the interview and Q&A session, Felicia discussed her career as an actress and  how her interest in gaming melded with her web video productions, especially The Guild.  This webseries is currently in hiatus while Felicia & CO focus on other things.  These projects usually fall under her Geek & Sundry company.  Her "info and how-to" segment is known as The Flog, (short for "Felicia's Video Log"), which is updated each Monday.

 

One of the benefits of sitting towards the back of the Main Hall, was that I was close to the exit when the interview was over.  As I left, I assumed this was as close as I'll get to the "Warrior Queen Goddess of All Nerds." 

 

However, as I meandered through the gaming area, I stumbled across the Gaming Celebrities Autograph Section.  Since I had both volumes of The Guild graphic novels, I figured now was the best time to get them autographed, rather then lug them around for another day or two.

 

The line for Felicia's booth didn't seem too long, especially since she dropped her autograph price from $35 to $25 and included a free photo op.  (Yes folks, you have to pay for celebrity autographs because this is how conventions recoup their money for getting celebrities to attend). 

 

Normally, I bring something to read when I expect to be standing in line.  (I already read the graphic novels--twice).  Oh the irony of ironies!  Here I was at a comic book convention with nothing new to read.  So to pass the time, I chatted with my fellow line-mates and took pictures of nearby cosplayers. 

 

During the hour I stood in line, I developed a vague idea what I'd chat with Miss Day about.  I wanted to compliment her work, because thanks to her Flog, I discovered other interesting webseries that I've enjoyed.

 

But when it came to my turn to get Felicia's autograph, my vague ideas dissolved.  Or to put it another way, I had a "Ralphie meets Santa moment."

 

 

So what did I talk to her about? 

 

The weather.

 

Could there possibly be any other way to spell "B-O-R-I-N-G" than discussing the weather?

 

The conversation went like this--

 

Me:  Are you enjoying your stay in Seattle?

 

Felicia:  Oh, I love Seattle!  But I can't live here, because I like a lot of sunlight.  That's why I live in LA.

 

Me:  I actually love it here because my home town in Upstate NY gets nearly as many cloudy days as Seattle does.  So the weather here reminds me of home.

 

And then it was time for the photo op...

 

 

 

While I may have bored the poor girl with my comparison of the prevailing weather conditions in New York State's Southern Tier Region with the Pacific Northwest, she was sweet enough to write a couple of endearments in both my graphic novels.  (I later learned that one was suppose to pay the posted fee for each item).

 

Besides, at least I didn't bring something like this for her to autograph...

 

(Image highjacked from Felicia Day's Facebook Page)

 

...which according to Facebook post, was the wierdest thing she's ever had to sign. 

 

I certainly wouldn't want such noteriety, so talking about the weather may not have been such a bad thing afterall.

Emerald City Comicon 2013: Getting There, 1/2 The Fun

Because of my rotating work schedule, I'm usually on duty most Saturdays and/or Sundays.  It's only after several weeks that I get an entire weekend off.  Such was the case this past weekend, which allowed me to attend all three days of the Emerald City Comicon (ECCC).

Since I started my own webcomic, Breakout from Bongolaan, over a year ago, I planned on attending some of the panel discussions dealing with such topics as comic  writing, creation and promotion, etc.  In short, I was going to act like I was at a writers conference.

But as von Moltke said, "no plan survives contact with the enemy."

The first pre-con crisis was getting tickets.  I waited until my duty schedule was confirmed before buying them.  When I logged on to the ECCC website, at 4:30 PM on a Sunday, I discovered to my horror, that the 3-day passes were sold out!

Once I stopped hyperventilating, I read the fine print and learned it was the on-line tickets that were gone.  Hard copy tickets were still available at various comic book stores.  The nearest one to me was Atomic Comics. 

One frantic phone call later, I was relieved to hear they were open until 6 PM.  So it was a hell-for-leather drive to the store before they either closed or sold the last ticket.  Fortunately, I arrived on time and purchased a 3-day pass for me and a Sunday pass for my fiance.

The next hurdle didn't pop up until the morning of day one.  The ECCC website provided excellent directions to the Washington State Convention Center.  However, in my zeal, I didn't read them properly.  I drove up from the Tacoma area, which is south of Seattle, so I scribbled down instructions under the "I-5 South" heading. 

I left early enough, because after living in this area for over a dozen years, I expect traffic on I-5 to look like this:

Especially on any given Friday.  It wasn't until reached the exit that I realized "South" actually meant southbound--as in driving down from the north.  Zipping my way through the Emerald City's busy streets, I looped back around to the point where I could follow the "I-5 South" instructions.

This brought me right to the Convention Center's parking garage--which was full.  So I drove to the next parking garage--and that was full.  And so was the next, and the one after that.  Four blocks later, I came across one that had some spaces available in the lower catacombs.

From there I trudged up hill, back to the convention center, only to stand in a line that looked something like this:

Alright, I'm exaggerating a little (okay, a lot).  The line though, was enormous and snaked throughout the convention lobby.  So consider this my "artistic interpretation" of how we felt waiting to exchange our tickets for badges.  Yes we needed stinkin' badges because the convention areas were often segmented and some sort of proof would be needed that we were all paying customers.

Seriously, the ECCC staff and volunteers did a great job at crowd control without having to resort to this:

Although one volunteer shouted "Make Room! Make Room!" repeatedly to keep the line moving. 

Needless to say, no one in this crowd needed a Wikipedia app to get the joke. 

Despite the best efforts of the ECCC staff to hustle the herd through the ticket-badge exchange, it still took over an hour to get into the inner sanctum of the convention. 

After deciphering part of the floor plan, provided in the program guide, I managed to arrive only a few minutes late for the first event I attended.

To find out what this was--stay tuned for the (possibly exciting) next blog post!