Armageddon october 2007 - NOW IN MELBOURNE

[Azzamckazza]

[Paul Bedford]

[Scarlette]

[Gerkinman]

[Vent]

[Scarlette]

[Laocorn]

[Paul Bedford]

[Gerkinman]

[Scarlette]

[Vent]

[Laocorn]

[mark selan]

Why am I sad?

We have two customers who have braved these forums to make the comment that they were disappointed by the reaction they received from the artists they met. And whilst i didn't attend Armeggedon this year, pretty much at every Artist Alley i've walked down is flanked by sour-faced artists who seem to have no interest in selling their books. Books they've obviously spent hours and hours on, spent not only time but imagination and creativity. I've been greeted with grunts by creators barely raising their eyes from there sketchbooks.

And what is the reaction?

Derision.
"Are you one of those people who ask 'why should i buy your book?'"
Seriously? If you can't answer that question, then you are not that creative.

Whining.
Its not our fault, its the conventions. I wish there was a con just for us.
Please! This isn't the first time there has ever been a convention in Australia. If you thought Supanova and Armeggedon was about comics then you are not trying to hard. If you want to make sales, you have to tailor your comics to your audience. If you don't want to do that, you can't complain.

Arrogance
But I'm an Artist, with a capital A.
So you went to a commercial venture, spent $100 to secure a spot to sell but yet you do not want to actually sell the book because its beneath you. That's cool, that type of artist does become famous and recognised but usually after they die heralded by other beret wearing art snobs who will click their chardonnay glasses at your works' auction (though they won't buy it). All great artists sell themselves. There isn't an art fairy that waves a wand and makes you famous or provides creditability.

Whining part 2
Well see it from our point of view, you've never done it.
LAAAMMMEEE. Lame. Lame. Customer is always right, and if they are wrong make them feel like they are right. Seriously, if you complained at a restaurant and the manager said "wake a mile in my shoes buddy otherwise shut up" you'd be stunned. Essentially excuses are for tryhards.

Stupidity
Doujicon is for manga, I do real comics.
You'll enter a world of heavenly bliss when you realise that manga is comics. Comics is manga. Manga is a word, like comics that describe sequential art. Whilst I have reservations about Doujicon's organisation (HEY Everybody we have a THEME!) essentially it can be whatever you make it. If individual creators spread the word to the right communities and turned up selling indie minis and zines, it would tip the favour away from "Manga". Look at what happened at Comicon, movie studios moved in made it a film event. Did Paramount complain "ooow its called Comic-con! we can't take our movie there!" No, they did they work and it paid off. Will creators here do the work? To spread the word? Volunteer? Hopefully, but then they'd have to find something to complain about.

The world's biggest comic convention is Comiket, and it is predominantly made up of self publishers. The creators in Japan don't complain about the name (actually they might - i like the idea that there are superhero comic creators in Japan cursing manga).

Yes some people who wander Artist Alley not looking for any social interaction, who will scuttle away at the closet resemblance of communication. But you can tell, and you can leave them alone or just say hello anyway - they weren't ever going to buy from you anyway. There is a majority of people who wouldn't mind hearing "hello" or "How's it going?" "Having fun?". That is not heavy handed but it will be a lot better than they grumpiness i usually see in Artist Alley.

I usually do pretty good at cons (In terms of Supanova, 70 - 250 a weekend) with the only exception being at the first Doujicon where i hadn't slept for 30 hours and was terrible hung over and told numerous browsers to fuck off. I only sold 30ish books. So im not surprised I didn't do well.

So Vent, Andrew sorry you had a crappy time at AA, next time you go to a con, come by my table (if I'm there) and I'll give you some freebies.

[Laocorn]

"Armageddon"

Mark just covered all the bases, if my coffee cup wasn't empty i'd raise it.

[Vent]

thank you someone who finally understands what the fuck i'm talking about.

And don't worry, i'm a vendor as well as a buyer most of the time, so i won't take your freebie. I'll tip you instead ;D

This, dear readers, gives me faith that there is still someone here not totally bratty, arrogant and clueless to the degree that it's a breath of fresh air.

Thank you dear neighbour, i raise my nonexistant glass to you.