Happy Holidays fans!
As we head into Christmas and the year 2020, and start to look back at both 2019 and the 2010s, I will start by looking back at how my month of November went: A new look and location for a longtime valley show that translated to my best sales there, ending my convention tour at a “new-to-me” Las Vegas event, capped off by the official completion of Damn Tourists issue five! So let’s start dissecting.
First off, my final two conventions of the year: the re-vamped Valley Comic Con in Santa Clarita November 10th, and the Great American Comic Con in Las Vegas November 16th and 17th. I say “re-vamped” for the Santa Clarita show, as it used to be called San Fernando Valley Comic Con located in Granada Hills since 2013. The new location and venue, moving from a rec room with an adjoining dance studio in a north valley strip mall, to a swanky hotel ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Valencia across from a major shopping mall, did wonders for to refresh the show’s image. Longtime and new vendors to the convention (including yours truly) loved the ballroom venue for the main show floor, which attracted more families compared to the old location (which mostly consisted of older comic collectors who simply aren’t interested in new comics or art). These families (and also a girl scout troop at the show to earn their comic scout badges) had alot more money to spend here as well. I had both the most crowd interactions and sales at this show, than any other SFV show I’ve ever exhibited at. The next show is tentatively scheduled for March, but whether or not the same beautiful Valencia hotel ballroom will be the venue once again is still up in the air.
Moving onto Great American Comic Con at the Las Vegas Convention Center the following weekend. This was my first time exhibiting at this event, which was recommended to me by a fellow Artist and Las Vegas resident (who let me stay with him while we both worked the show). This was a smaller show compared to Sin City’s summer convention: Amazing Las Vegas Comic Con, but looks were definitely deceiving. The crowds were smaller, but they were very interested (and willing to purchase) everything from toys, classic comics, prints, commissions, and especially independent books. I did even better than at the Valley Comic Con sales and customer interaction-wise, making enough (combined with my saved profits from previous shows) to purchase an Artist Alley table at the next Amazing Las Vegas show. And of course, I would love to return to Great American for a second year. Much like my artist buddy mentioned: It’s a small show that has the potential to grow into the late fall/early winter equivalent to Amazing Las Vegas. Speaking of late fall/early winter, it was very refreshing being in LV without it being in the triple digits. Overall, it was a fantastic way to end my 2019 Convention Circuit.
Last, but certainly not least: Damn Tourists issue five is officially completed, with fifteen copies having just been ordered last week! This is an exciting, yet exhausting revelation for me, as my usual eight-month comic process took an unprecedented thirteen months due to a production delay in order to promote and exhibit at my first two flying out-of-state shows in Washington D.C. and Denver. Titled “East Coast California,” our clueless traveling foursome’s fifth vacation takes them across seven states by car from Nevada to the sunshine state of Florida. With the staff of top Florida visitor destinations now fully aware of what these Damn Tourists are capable of (thanks to news footage of the obnoxious mayhem they caused in Vegas), hotel staff, park rangers, and theme park employees each attempt to neutralize the Tourists’ superhumanly-annoying habits, while still gladly taking their money. Will they succeed? Or will all this preparation be for nothing? There’s only one way to find out!
And that will just about do it for the final Carter Comics blog of both 2019 AND the 2010s. While I haven’t been blogging this entire decade, I have been exhibiting at shows for that long. It’s been a nine-year journey with alot of ups and downs, but also with unforgettable experiences such as on-the-spot interviews (audio and video) at my table, freelance comic work, new customers (of course), and most importantly, becoming friends with dozens of other artist alley vendors. It’s crazy to imagine that the great friends that I made just across a convention table, I could have never met at all had I not taken the leap back in July 2010 and split an Anime Expo table three ways with a co-worker and his friend. What should you expect from Carter Comics in the next decade? A possible return to my favorite show “Wondercon” for my seventh year, a sophomore return to San Diego Comic Fest, a new local show in Simi Valley, and an out-of-state convention appearance that will double as a homecoming on the island of Oahu. Thank you all for your support, no matter how long you have followed me. It’s fan reaction online and especially in-person at conventions that keep the wheels of Carter Comics turning. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2020! See you all in the new year!
Regards,
Allen Carter
Carter Comics