A Trip To C2E2 (Scroll For Pics)

This previous weekend was C2E2, or the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo. I had been to a con recently, a year ago maybe, but it wasn't a major convention like this one. The ride there had me thinking other con experiences, and that this one would be somewhat like the first visit to a convention I'd ever had. Mostly this idea was rooted in C2E2's history, more specifically that there is none. It was hard to tell this was only the first year for the con, but that isn't to say there weren't things they couldn't have improved, but I don't necessarily care about any of that.

What I care about are the books.

- • -

The comic shop I work at isn't huge, but it is great. We're limited by our location, but we make due with what we have; it's a cliché, but that statement is more about utilizing the resources you can than it is about compromising. One of the worst limitations we have to deal with is the location of new material. When the new books are announced/released the internet can sometimes tell us, but it doesn't always. There is still a certain amount of searching that has to take place, and even then there are no guarantees.

Going to C2E2 was always about fun. There is constant motion when you're there, you're going going going, and your eyes occasionally get overloaded with things to see. Riding to Chicago, I decided this trip would be a search. A search for books that aren't known to everyone, for writers and artists that don't have the benefit of a giant company and its public relations minions. There is always something to find, and this year my convention was a successful outing when regarded like this. Also, fun.

There are definitely going to be reviews of things I bought there (as well as interviews with creators, hopefully on here and on the Alter Ego Comic Cast), and other content as well.

- • -

I got the opportunity to meet Lucy Knisley, who did an interview right here at Hideous Energy, and also supplied the blog with its first title card. She was awesome, and did two amazing sketches for me. I was pretty nervous about meeting her, because I've followed her blog for a while now, and am a HUGE fan of her art. So yeah, when I went up to meet her my words sort of dried up, but that wasn't the worst part. My face got red, like an instant sunburn, and my forehead started sweating like I was using a blowtorch as a fan. Hopefully she wasn't too creeped out by me. Maybe if I ever meet her again I can be a little less awkward and weird. Here are the sketches she did for me.

Artist Katie Cook was one of my discoveries. I had heard of her, but never looked at too much of her art before. She was offering mini-water color sketches at her booth, and you could basically say almost anything to her and she would draw it. Reference photos helped though, and I happened to have a couple. She also had some already finished, such as the "Mouse Guard" picture I got. Here are the sketches.

Thanks to Lucy and Katie, and all the rest of the writers/artists I met and talked to over the weekend. More to come later.