San Diego Comic-Con: July 13-17

When the Guanay Cormorants return to town, migrating back from Guanay with a fresh batch of West Nile Virus, I know that summer has arrived. And with summer comes the San Diego Comic Con, a festival of delights for all who attend. Won't you join us this year? We'll be there in full force with our Dumbrella comrades (minus one John Allison, who is allergic to fun, but plus one elusive Sam Brown) at Table 1434. It's a good table. We expect to kick some ass.

Anyway, some of your favorite Dumbrella artists (yours truly included) will be participating in panels at San Diego this year (I am trying to figure out a way to sneak Jeff into mine, possibly under a trenchcoat). Here's the details:

FRIDAY, JULY 15
6:00 - 7:00pm WEB COMICS 101 : Getting Started.
What should you write about? Should you collaborate? Should you build your own website?
Bill Barnes (Unshelved) leads fellow web cartoonists Jonathan Rosenberg (Goats), Dave Kellett (Sheldon), Kristofer Straub (Checkerboard Nightmare), Ted Slampyak (Jazz Age), and Stephen Notley (Bob the Angry Flower) in a discussion of how they found their unique voices and surmounted the technical and logistical challenges of publishing comics on the web. Room 4

SATURDAY, JULY 16
4:00 - 5:00pm WEB COMICS 102 : Building an Audience.
You're doing great work but no one is reading it. What can you do?
Bill Barnes (Unshelved) leads fellow web cartoonists Scott Kurtz (PVP), James Kochalka (American Elf), R Stevens (Diesel Sweeties), Dave Kellett (Sheldon), and Kristofer Straub (Checkerboard Nightmare) in a discussion of what did and didn't work for them in attracting a following for their webcomics. Room 4

SUNDAY, JULY 17
1:30 - 3:00pm WEB COMICS 103 : Making Money.
You may be widely read and much adored, but when will your webcomic start paying the bills?
Bill Barnes (Unshelved) leads fellow web cartoonists Scott Kurtz (PVP), Steve Troop (Melonpool), Raina Telgemeier (Smile), and Andy Bell (The Creatures in my Head) in a discussion of how they have succeeded - and failed - to make money from their webcomics. Room 4

So come see us if you can; this is the best party of the year and you don't want to miss it. All the webcomics booths are together in one area this year, so there's no excuse for not finding us. Here's a map I stole from somewhere for your mapping convenience: I'm working hard this week to try and get enough comics done so there will be no interruption in your daily entertainment; failing that, I'll try to find some interesting ways to distract you.

Look! Over there!