Life In Four Colors #29: Special Edition
Celebrating Indy/Indie Week At Main Street Comics and Games
Wednesday December 30th 2009. The day that Diamond tried to drown small comic retail shop owners and fans alike as if they were they unwanted kittens found under the front porch. A day that despite the fact that millions of comic fans would have holiday money to spend on their favorite past time and collectable passion, Diamond decided NOT to ship any new comics. But while Diamond was getting their hands scratched up while holding these same defenseless kittens under the water in the kitchen sink, Diamond by their own actions gave birth to a new nation wide event.
Indy/Indie Week!!! (however you want to spell it). The beginning of what hopefully will become an annual celebration of independently produced comics each and every year from this year forth on the last Wednesday of the year. An event that encourages the creators of these books to come out in force and make a stand.
Look...Diamond may not think that you the comic book buying public is important enough to provide a guaranteed shipment of new comics 52 weeks a year...but we the independent comic creators of your local community and across this great nation of ours refuse to let comic fans and retail stores be held under water by this monopoly of comic book distribution.
We have united and threw their over taxed tea overboard and together promise that if you travel into your local comic shop on this day, you will not walk away empty handed. You will be treated with fairness, even as you are introduced to books that you may never have heard of before. Created by people you have never heard of before.
But care for you much more than the 800 pound gorilla in the room choking the life out of the five biggest comic companies in the nation.
And these same creators will deliver the best independent books out there to you, personally. Taking time out of their busy life. In the middle of a work week. To drive hours and miles to the nearest comic shop to ensure that you have a chance to pick up 22 pages (or more) of imaginative escapism and enjoyment.
That's exactly what happened this past Wednesday at Main Street Comics and Games in Springfield Ohio. Thanks to some quick thinking between store owner (Scott Riley) and myself (and I'm talking real quick...like two whole days of planning) we made sure that every customer that came through the door on December 30th did not go home disappointed. Every back issue in the store was on sale....most back stock was on sale a buck a book! We had special sets of collected limited series available. One of our customers made up several trays of brownies and cookies to give away all day. There were free copies of Scrap #1 supplied by Studio Akumakaze and free copies of the Jack the Rabbit ashcan edition....all day long. Necessary Cool's own Jef Price (an independent comic creator himself) was on hand passing out free Green Lantern and Justice League posters and Scott was passing out free copies of Stranger's Kiss by Warren Ellis (to age appropriate) customers while supplies lasted.
Victor Dandridge and Mike Watson of Freestyle Komics were not able to attend but we had copies of Hot Shot #0-3 for sale and we sold out of issue #2.
The store actually did better last Wednesday than it does on most other Wednesday afternoons when we do get new comic shipments, not that we want to do this on a weekly basis or anything...but once a year is cool!
Scott greeting several customers as they came in from the cold. Blackest Night #6 was the only new mainstream comic available last Wednesday and it sold quite well. There were other customers that took advantage of the sales being offered that day and literally bought hundreds and hundreds of back issues for a dollar a piece!
Two of our regular customers Charles Lane (sitting down) and Eric Barnes.
In the true spirit of independence there were over a dozen of local independent writers and artists coming through the store from 2:00 in the afternoon to7:00 in the evening. There was of course Scott Riley (artist on Tales From the Longbox: Collective Soul and Night of the Living Ronnie, Business as Usual as well as an inker on Neo Classic Comics #1.) Scott also signed on to be the inker for a brand new book written by one of the writers in attendance during the event. For his first paying gig!
Other creators that dropped by included BJay Johnson from Studio Akumakaze, writer of Natural Selection, Scrap, Seven Sisters, and Requiem of Mortality all produced by Studio Akumakaze. BJay was busy signing copies of Scrap #1 from the moment he stepped through the door.
Chris Metzger (cover artist for the Book of Nohiem, and artist of N.I.B....both written by that Gladman guy) was also hanging out early in the afternoon right after getting off from work. Chris is currently working on a project for Dustin Carson as well as a couple for Ron Fortier and two projects...for the Gladman guy. He may even be....naw I won't say anything just yet.
The featured guests of the day were Chad Strohl who just happened to bring along his good friend Dustin Carson.
Dustin (left) and Chad (right) seen here talking to Gary Church (artist/writer/ founder of Twilight Star Studios) and BJay Johnson (off camera).
Copies of Dustin's No Gods sold well all day, as it always does. He also had a couple of people pick Trailer Park of Terror books that also included stories that he had written.
Chad was selling and signing copies of his book Did Somebody Call For A Hero and he was also pimping the New Comic Day art in full force. Dustin and Chad have also worked together on the horror story Mouthful of Spiders.
Look for Gary's work (A Matter of Life and Death and G-Code in Tales From the Field produced by Twilight Star. Gary is also the concept artist for Cowboy Coon.)
Chris Metzger, Chad Strohl and Dustin Carson. Both Chris and Chad headed straight to the shop immediately after work to make the event. Chris works only five minutes away. Chad (and Dustin) had about a 90 minute drive. They drove home in the snow...but nothing was going to keep them from hanging out with their friends and fans at the shop. We appreciate it guys!!!
A momentary lull in foot traffic.
Nothing like cookies, brownies, and comics to keep the kids happy! Scott is talking to Jef Price from www.necessarycool.com Jef is the co-founder of the site and he writes as well as draws the Flatworld serial feature for Twilight Star's anthology book "Tales From the Field" The first issue of which is due out February 2010.
Here are a couple of the guys from Twilight Star hanging out right here. Gary Church and "Big" Frank Raynor. Some of you may know Frank from his interviews for the Underground Video Network www.undergroundvideonetwork.com and as co-host of the RaynMan Power Hour and Geek Street but he's also a comic writer. His story "Dead Money" will be featured in Visions of the Macabre #1 produced by Studio Akumakaze and another of his stories "Business as Usual" will appear in Tales From the Field #1.
Tim Hagans...creator and writer for Cowboy Coon which Gary does artwork for did stop by the shop as well but I was already gone by the time that he did...so there's no photos of him. My bad.
These guys wasn't really there (but I'm sure that they wanted to be) but there was a discussion with Frank, BJay, Chad and myself about them appearing as musical guests on a future episode of Geek Street. Seriously. (don't believe me...keep watching)
Another loyal customer at the store, Joe Ireland, getting his No Gods fix!
Jef, Chad, Dustin, and BJay
I think everybody had a pretty good time. Scott and I want to thank all the creators who hung out with us and our costumers. And speaking of costumers...thanks to all of you for coming out to the store and not letting Diamond ruin your love for comics!
Let's do it again next year!
Bill Gladman - Bill is a writer and illustrator and currently working on several different projects including the first issue of an ongoing comic book series (Prodigy), an illustrated fantasy novel (The Book of Noheim), and the first of four illustrated science fiction/fantasy novels (Jack the Rabbit, Living Legend of the Purple Plains) as well as a light-hearted on going mini-comic (Three Wise Men). Bill also pens a column for Comic Related and will be doing a mix of regional convention coverage.
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