Hello everyone! It has still been an interesting summer, despite taking time off exhibiting at comic conventions and art festivals to focus on two comic projects of my own. In the middle of illustrating my other two books, I got information about three local fall shows looking for vendors, and got another freelance job opportunity to do illustration work on a comic project. One of those shows will be occurring on a rather busy convention weekend in and around LA, but I still intend to make my presence known in some fashion at all of them.
UPCOMING FALL CONVENTIONS/FESTIVALS:
I took a summer break from Cons to make more progress on two current comic projects (which I will discuss in detail later), but as August rolled around, so did the emails for both new and returning shows. Due to low funds and some organization changes, the three fall shows that I am currently set to be a vendor at will be smaller events in various communities in and around LA County: Electric Park in Monterey Park is first up on Saturday evening, October 5th. I have tabled at this outdoor community fair since 2016, when it was called Monterey Park Artwalk and Geranium Festival. This new show format has been in place since at least 2022, and involves more of an outdoor club feel with house music than flowers. Various vendor booths surround a section of the park, and the promoters try to balance the loud tunes with some silent breaks for attendees to visit and purchase items from exhibitors. In addition, this first weekend in October will also have a first year show in Little Tokyo called LA Artist Alley, which will be taking place on the same day as Electric Park, but from 11 am to 7 pm (I applied for that show, as the tables are free, but got waitlisted, so I will attend later that morning for an hour or so), and of course the big LA event that moved from December to October: LA Comic Con (October 4-6). This year, our organization wasn’t able to get a booth for selected members to sell at for free, so I will attend on either Friday or Sunday with a Pro/Industry badge. There’s another new show at the end of October where I will have a table at: Amazing Grace Comic Con in Long Beach on Saturday the 26th of that month. This show was put together by an creator friend of mine who lives in that area, and has attracted a lot of emerging and established creators for his exhibitors list. As with many other first-time shows, I’m curious to see how it goes, and how many folks from nearby communities stop by. Finally at the beginning of November, is: Indie Author Market, taking place in the patio area of the new La Rochelle french bakery that opened a few months ago near me in North Hollywood. For this one, I’m still waiting on a response from my vendor application, and also a date confirmation. The event promoters have yet to decide on Saturday November 2nd, and Sunday November 3rd. I hope that they either choose Sunday, or end the show at 4 pm on Saturday, as I need to do an Airport pickup at 6 that evening. Should the day and times work out for me, I’ll try to walk my supplies over, since I live just ten minutes away (though it depends on any other equipment we may need to bring).
DAMN TOURISTS AND COSMIC FORCE COMIC PROGRESS:
Ah, what I have been working on this entire summer. Since spring of 2022, my goal was to complete my science fiction “Cosmic Force” series in two final issues. So far, half of that goal was achieved at the end of last year with issue 7 of 8 now finished. For the 8th and final issue, 30 pages have been fully colored, with another 10 pages pencilled and ready for the inking process. I am also still working on the 7th issue of my travel parody series “Damn Tourists,” with the first ten pages colored. Currently, pages 11-20 are being pencilled, and that stage should be complete by the beginning of next week. Due to the differences in page lengths, I am expecting to be finished with “Damn Tourists” before Cosmic Force, hopefully by the end of this year. The 2nd part of the Cosmic Force Finale project could stretch into late winter or early spring of 2025, and I am still planning to launch my first kickstarter to fund it.
NEW FREELANCE COMIC PROJECT: A few months after completing my last Freelance project: The Great US Treasure Hunt, I got a DM from a comic dealer who knew me from a mutual legendary artist, and was interested in hiring me for a well-paid project that included an 8-page story on his life-long love of comic book collecting called: “The Incredible FVF Man.” He discussed some character design details, as I would be illustrating him and his friends from childhood to adulthood, I started on some thumbnail sketches that he approved of, and we will be meeting again soon for the next step: Finalizing dialogue and illustrations on the larger standard comic book art boards. When its complete, it will be a full-color printed story he will distribute for free at his various comic con appearances. A big deciding factor in him choosing me as his artist, were the cartoony designs that I use for my Damn Tourists series. With all of the work I do creating, promoting, and selling my own comic series (three of them), it’s a nice change to have at least two freelance projects under my belt again. I have spoken with several creative attendees at comic conventions who are looking for artist to help bring their stories to life, but there’s usually no follow-through after that first meeting at my table. I’m glad that this time was different…..twice.
It looks like that will just about do it for now. I will be doing these blogs every few months or so, as my schedule is very unbalanced for the moment: Some months I have news, other months nothing. The events and projects I discussed here will keep me busy for awhile, but I’ll try to do one more of these towards the end of the year. See you then!
Allen Carter
Carter Comics