What I Got At The Con!

Things I Got For Free

Discover Dark Horse 2007 (Dark Horse): There were free stacks of these all around the Dark Horse booth, they offer a nice assortment of Dark Horse's regular comics line, as well as some of their Manga offerings. Really strong freebie item.

Komikwerks: Volumes 1 & 2 (Komikwerks): Also got these as freebies from the Komikwerks booth, but the content is not that great. Dialogue like "Dude, they're going to kill ya'" really hurts my eyes and ears. You need to either go for straight English, ie: "Dude, they're going to kill you," or straight slang talk, ie: "Dude, they're gonna' kill ya'," the odd mix makes for a muddled composition. Combine that with some less than stellar web reprints and it was a struggle to find anything readable. I actually enjoyed the creator bios (just who the hell are these people?) more than any of the pieces in the anthologies.

Full Force Manga! (Square Cnix): No idea where this company is from, but looks like a free Manga sampler that some random bloke shoved into my hand.

Lost At Sea (Oni Press): Already read this book when it came out, but got this at the Oni panel free for answering a trivia question correctly.

Black Metal (Oni Press): Also got this for free (as one of four books) for answering the Oni trivia question.

Scott Pilgrim (Oni Press): Free for answering the trivia question correctly. Never really saw the big deal with Scott Pilgrim, but here's my shot to give it one final chance.

Sidescrollers (Oni Press): Free for answering the trivia question correctly. What was the question you say? Who designed the Oni Press logo? Answer: Dave Gibbons.

The Archaia Studios Press (ASP) Booty

Awakening #1 (ASP): Straight from the ASP booth, signed by Nick Taplansky & Alex Eckman-Lawn.

Killing Pickman #1 (ASP): Nick talked me into picking up his pal Jason Becker's book as well.

Mouse Guard: Winter 1152 #1 (ASP): Signed by David Petersen straight from the ASP booth.

Starkweather: Immortal #0 (ASP): Had a couple nice chats with writer David Rodriguez over the course of the Con and picked up his book, which came with a free panel of original art!

The Killer: Volume 1 Hardcover (ASP): Collecting the first 4 issues, with a pull quote on the dust jacket right here from 13 Minutes!

Revere: Revolution in Silver (ASP): Read about this book online and really excited to read it. Looks exceptionally well done, with an interesting high premise - Paul Revere (who was a Silversmith in real life) fighting werewolves as the British invade!

Artesia: Volume 1 Hardcover, Artesia Afield: Volume 2 Hardcover, Artesia Afire: Volume 3 Hardcover (ASP): I decided to pick these up in order to complete my personal little quest to own every single book that ASP has put out to date. Editor Joe Illidge hooked me up here with a $75 value for only $50. Thanks, Joe! Can't wait to read the entire run.

All The Other Cool Purchases

Madame Mirage: San Diego Comic Con Edition #1 (Top Cow): Decided to take a chance on this Paul Dini Con Exclusive.

THB: Comics From Mars #1 (AdHouse): Anything new by Paul Pope is cool, especially his early creation THB. Pope also announced during the DC Spotlight panel (much to Editor Will Dennis' chagrin) that AdHouse would be putting out a collection of all the THB material. Was great to get this latest issue signed directly from him.

East Coast Rising: Volume 1 (TokyoPop): Manga has never generally been my thing, but I'll try anything that Becky Cloonan works on.

Super Spy (Top Shelf): Picked up the new hardcover by Matt Kindt, who did a beautiful sketch along with his signature.

Rose & Isabel: Volume 1 & 2 (Ted Mathot): Apparently these are self-published by Mathot through Metrolitho in Canada(?). Never heard of this guy or this project, but the book designs and covers are stunning; this is the essence of the Con experience, try a bunch of things you've never been exposed to!

Narcoleptic Sunday (Oni Press): Artist Jeremy "Battle Hymn" Haun tries his hand at writing this time around and the result looks great.

Escape From "Special" (Fantagraphics): The production quality on this book looks great, also came with a free signed book plate.

I Killed Adolf Hitler (Fantagraphics): Eisner Award Winner Jason's latest work, rejoice!

Southland Tales (Graphitti Designs): Picked this signed copy at the CBLDF booth, a take on a T.S. Eliot work, with art by Brett Weldele.

Stop Forgetting To Remember (Crown Books): Also from the CBLDF booth (charitable donations rock!), signed by Peter Kuper.

Marquis: Danse Macabre Hardcover (Oni Press): Guy Davis. Signed. Hardcover. Usually $40. Got it for $20. Any questions?

Elephantmen: Wounded Animals Volume 1 Hardcover (Image): Picked this up while waiting in line for the Paul Pope signing, signed by Richard Starkings and Moritat.

The Shy Creatures (Feiwel & Friends): David Mack's new childrens book, had him sign it to my daughter with a little sketch. Aww, cute.

Bookhunter (Sparkplug): Picked this new Shiga book up from buddy Tim Goodyear at the Sparkplug Comics booth.

The Blot (I Will Destroy You): Tom Neely work that I also picked up from Tim at the Sparkplug booth.

Isaac The Pirate: To Exotic Lands & Isaac The Pirate: The Capital (NBM/ComicsLit): Got both volumes for half off at the NBM booth, art reminiscent of Lewis Trondheim and/or Joann Sfar.

Flower & Fade (NBM/ComicsLit): Also found this for half off at the NBM booth.

Minis (Rebecca Cloonan): Apparently self-published by Becky Cloonan through Brio Print(?), looks to be short stories from 2000-2002 before she really broke in, personal works that she's a little embarassed about, but has nonetheless shared. Can't wait!

The Naked Artist: Comic Book Legends (Moonstone): A collection of essays by Bryan Talbot that are supposedly real stories from the convention circuit, this should be a riot!

Northwest Passage: Volume 1 Hardcover (Oni Press): Scott Chantler's opus collected complete with detailed annotations.