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Ronee', VP of Friends of Lulu, took that picture. That's the picture Ronee' took. It's a good picture, huh?
Ronee had never been to a convention before Staple!, and I'm glad it was a quality convention that, uhhhm, did her.
Here's her REPORT!
Mar. 8th, 2005
Ronee', VP of Friends of Lulu, took that picture. That's the picture Ronee' took. It's a good picture, huh?
Ronee had never been to a convention before Staple!, and I'm glad it was a quality convention that, uhhhm, did her.
Here's her REPORT!
I have been punk-ass depressed for two days. I am hoping a trip to the doctor yeilds compassion, a scrip for Zoloft, and no shit about the Wellbutrin I stopped taking last year. (That shit was making me sick.)
I spleened the worst of it out in a long report about convenion fucknucklery, but I'm waiting 24 hours to post it. I felt better after I wrote it, so maybe posting won't be neccessary. Staying the fuck away from most cons probably will. I wrote a letter to Chris at/of Staple!, we'll see how he responds. I am hoping for the best.
In the meantime--PINA COLADA!
I spleened the worst of it out in a long report about convenion fucknucklery, but I'm waiting 24 hours to post it. I felt better after I wrote it, so maybe posting won't be neccessary. Staying the fuck away from most cons probably will. I wrote a letter to Chris at/of Staple!, we'll see how he responds. I am hoping for the best.
In the meantime--PINA COLADA!
Here is a Cake, and it's Taken
Mar. 8th, 2005 03:57 pmI AM HURTING COMICS.
Seriously!
I went to Staple! in Austin this past weekend. I did like the con muchly, but I had an issue with my table, so here's what I wrote the con organizer:
Dear Chris,
Congrats again on an amazing convention. I can't comment on the after
party, being too damn tired to get there, but the pre-party and the
con itself were great. Scott Hinze moderating the webcomics panel was
inspired. The Elks Lodge was an inspired venue. It fit so well with
alternative and small press tiki ethic, and the people running it were
very cool.
But, honestly, there were things I did not love, and it would be
dishonest of me to not tell you what they were. I waited a good two
days after to form my thoughts and get the frothing over with, and
here they are:
I did not love that I found out the night before I was sharing a
table. It all worked out okay (not good, but okay): Ronee' from
Friends of Lulu was (thank everything) a great fit, and I do believe
we'll be friends, but the niggle remains: I was not told I'd be
sharing a table. My table also should not have been at the back of the
room with the volunteer and non-profits, but nearer to the front.
The way I see it, I lent my name and whatever pull I have, to Staple!
and Staple! was able to use that (with my consent) to attract more
guests, gain good will, sell dealer's tables, and sell tickets. In
return, I was told I could have a table, that a table was all Staple!
could offer in return--which is totally okay, I knew that and accepted
it.
I did recheck every single email I got from Nate and yourself. In not
one can I find even a hint that I was getting a half-table. It was not
fun to have to confront this at Austin Books the night before. I felt
bad about making you uncomfortable, but I don't like surprises like
this, and I don't like having tablemates chosen for me (FoL is lucky
to have Ronee', and you are lucky we hit it off, but for every Ronee'
there's three FoL women I wouldn't want to be in the same room with).
More than all that, I didn't like your answer about why Kurtz had a
full table: "He insisted on paying." That most definitely was the
wrong answer. That implies that I did not step up to the plate for
Staple! in some way, that I only got what I got out of charity, and
indeed, that's where I was--at the back of the room with non-profit
groups.
You never asked me to pay. It's too late now, but I'd have gladly paid
the difference of that table if that's what it took. Was every guest
that was furnished a table only given half?
I understand what it takes to put on a con, and how criticism can feel
like no one appreciated everything you did right. I do indeed, but
that appreciation comes hard when I feel like I was given short
shrift.
I'm sure you know that a con for me, for most professionals, has
opportunity costs: planning, packing, traveling, time away from work,
time spent to ensure I and my books and presentation are
professional-looking and attractive to the people who come through the
door.
Space to sell the fruits of my labors and recoup those costs is
important, and that it's not too much to ask that the space be what I
expect, in an appropriate spot, and presented without the implication
that if I'd only "insisted on paying" like another guest did, my
situation would've been different. Add to this that I covered my own
gas and meals, having the space I expected was even more important!
What I got hampered my sales--I didn't have enough room for all the
books I lugged, I was in the wrong area to be a merchant, and the
Fanboy (and I love those guys, don't get me wrong) video setup in the
corner was intimidating to attendees. (People are afraid of messing up
a shoot or tripping over something, so they avoid.) I was offered the
chance to "spread out" after Fanboy was done (and why weren't they in
the second room all along?), but first, that meant breaking everything
down and putting it back up--a half-hour's job, bye bye still more
sales; and second, it's like, "Oh, now that the -important- people are
gone, you can have the space."
In case you need another point of view, I direct you to Ronee's
ComiXtreme column of February 27:
http://www.comixtreme.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15838&page=1&pp=20
"I am sharing a table with Lea Hernandez, in fact I was asked to mind
her booth while she does a panel, which kind of makes me feel like the
ugly chick at the school dances that got to hold all the other girls
purses."
I didn't see this until I came home on Sunday.
I'd sure like your side of that, but as it stands, not only do I feel
badly for Ronee', but to ask her to come and watch my table--that's
just not cool, Chris. It's a good thing we hit it off, but she came to
the con not even liking me, through no fault of my own! And -I-
certainly felt like an ugly chick, myself.
I do want to come if there is another Staple!, but I must be reassured
that I won't be surprised like this next year. A full table, near the
entrance, with other people -selling stuff--that's as specific as I
hope I need to be. I have to be picky about where I travel to, and
many cons make it easy by letting me down, and then making excuses
instead of making right.
I know you're a good guy, and meant no harm, but that doesn't help
this bad feeling much--I didn't get what you'd led me to expect. I
think you have a great thing going, I am happy for you, I want Texas
to have its very own alternative venue, and I want to continue to be
a part of it and support it, but that will depend on what you have to
say to me.
I remain firm in my hope for an answer that helps me feel better,
instead of another "but he insisted on paying".
Lea
And here was his first answer:
Lea,
Well you've probably got my one email and I replied to your comment on
Ronee's column as well. I promise to give you a long answer to this one
but I'm at my day job right now and just don't have time at the moment.
Just for now in my defense I want to say that no one involved in doing
STAPLE! had ever done anything remotely like it before so we really had no
idea what we were doing. I'm actually quite pleased that no more mistakes
than this were made.
Also, I'd like to say again that I hope we can deal with these issues
privately as opposed to publicly. The purpose of STAPLE! is to promote
comics and indie publishers and anything bad you say about it in public
will hurt the show and indirectly hurt comics and those who struggle to
create them.
I WILL talk to you some more later - please be patient.
Chris
And his second:
Lea,
Well there seems to have been a miscommunication between Nate and I and
all I can do is apologize. I can't go back and fix it and I'm sorry that
you have such a problem with it. The fact remains that I did not give any
more free space to anyone else than I did to you. All I offered to anyone
(including Kurtz) for free was half-tables and both Chris and Shannon told
me they were very happy to get that.
As to Kurtz paying, well that was just the truth. Your specific question
to me as I recall it was "Why does Kurtz get a full table and I get a
half?" (which as you noticed DID make me uncomfortable) and my answer,
which was the only one I still have, that he insisted on paying was
simply the truth of the situation. I'm not the type to whitewash anything
for anybody and I'm sorry you felt I was implying that you weren't doing
your part in not paying for your space. I didn't mean it that way and you
must've misconstrued. It all boils down to the initial miscommunication as
to your alloted table space, which as I've mentioned I truly beleived you
were aware of.
There was more involved in Mr. Kurtz and my negotiations but that is
between he and I and you'll simply have to forgive me if I don't share
that information.
I'd like to take the time to answer the rest of your concerns but like I
said earlier at the moment that's not possible. I will do so though. This
thing has been a learning experience for me and certainly mistakes were
and will continue to be made - but that's life.
Chris "Staple-Head" Nicholas
And his third:
You wouldn't happen to be a Virgo would you?
Just so you all know: I'M A PISCES, AND I'M HURTING COMICS.
Seriously!
I went to Staple! in Austin this past weekend. I did like the con muchly, but I had an issue with my table, so here's what I wrote the con organizer:
Dear Chris,
Congrats again on an amazing convention. I can't comment on the after
party, being too damn tired to get there, but the pre-party and the
con itself were great. Scott Hinze moderating the webcomics panel was
inspired. The Elks Lodge was an inspired venue. It fit so well with
alternative and small press tiki ethic, and the people running it were
very cool.
But, honestly, there were things I did not love, and it would be
dishonest of me to not tell you what they were. I waited a good two
days after to form my thoughts and get the frothing over with, and
here they are:
I did not love that I found out the night before I was sharing a
table. It all worked out okay (not good, but okay): Ronee' from
Friends of Lulu was (thank everything) a great fit, and I do believe
we'll be friends, but the niggle remains: I was not told I'd be
sharing a table. My table also should not have been at the back of the
room with the volunteer and non-profits, but nearer to the front.
The way I see it, I lent my name and whatever pull I have, to Staple!
and Staple! was able to use that (with my consent) to attract more
guests, gain good will, sell dealer's tables, and sell tickets. In
return, I was told I could have a table, that a table was all Staple!
could offer in return--which is totally okay, I knew that and accepted
it.
I did recheck every single email I got from Nate and yourself. In not
one can I find even a hint that I was getting a half-table. It was not
fun to have to confront this at Austin Books the night before. I felt
bad about making you uncomfortable, but I don't like surprises like
this, and I don't like having tablemates chosen for me (FoL is lucky
to have Ronee', and you are lucky we hit it off, but for every Ronee'
there's three FoL women I wouldn't want to be in the same room with).
More than all that, I didn't like your answer about why Kurtz had a
full table: "He insisted on paying." That most definitely was the
wrong answer. That implies that I did not step up to the plate for
Staple! in some way, that I only got what I got out of charity, and
indeed, that's where I was--at the back of the room with non-profit
groups.
You never asked me to pay. It's too late now, but I'd have gladly paid
the difference of that table if that's what it took. Was every guest
that was furnished a table only given half?
I understand what it takes to put on a con, and how criticism can feel
like no one appreciated everything you did right. I do indeed, but
that appreciation comes hard when I feel like I was given short
shrift.
I'm sure you know that a con for me, for most professionals, has
opportunity costs: planning, packing, traveling, time away from work,
time spent to ensure I and my books and presentation are
professional-looking and attractive to the people who come through the
door.
Space to sell the fruits of my labors and recoup those costs is
important, and that it's not too much to ask that the space be what I
expect, in an appropriate spot, and presented without the implication
that if I'd only "insisted on paying" like another guest did, my
situation would've been different. Add to this that I covered my own
gas and meals, having the space I expected was even more important!
What I got hampered my sales--I didn't have enough room for all the
books I lugged, I was in the wrong area to be a merchant, and the
Fanboy (and I love those guys, don't get me wrong) video setup in the
corner was intimidating to attendees. (People are afraid of messing up
a shoot or tripping over something, so they avoid.) I was offered the
chance to "spread out" after Fanboy was done (and why weren't they in
the second room all along?), but first, that meant breaking everything
down and putting it back up--a half-hour's job, bye bye still more
sales; and second, it's like, "Oh, now that the -important- people are
gone, you can have the space."
In case you need another point of view, I direct you to Ronee's
ComiXtreme column of February 27:
http://www.comixtreme.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15838&page=1&pp=20
"I am sharing a table with Lea Hernandez, in fact I was asked to mind
her booth while she does a panel, which kind of makes me feel like the
ugly chick at the school dances that got to hold all the other girls
purses."
I didn't see this until I came home on Sunday.
I'd sure like your side of that, but as it stands, not only do I feel
badly for Ronee', but to ask her to come and watch my table--that's
just not cool, Chris. It's a good thing we hit it off, but she came to
the con not even liking me, through no fault of my own! And -I-
certainly felt like an ugly chick, myself.
I do want to come if there is another Staple!, but I must be reassured
that I won't be surprised like this next year. A full table, near the
entrance, with other people -selling stuff--that's as specific as I
hope I need to be. I have to be picky about where I travel to, and
many cons make it easy by letting me down, and then making excuses
instead of making right.
I know you're a good guy, and meant no harm, but that doesn't help
this bad feeling much--I didn't get what you'd led me to expect. I
think you have a great thing going, I am happy for you, I want Texas
to have its very own alternative venue, and I want to continue to be
a part of it and support it, but that will depend on what you have to
say to me.
I remain firm in my hope for an answer that helps me feel better,
instead of another "but he insisted on paying".
Lea
And here was his first answer:
Lea,
Well you've probably got my one email and I replied to your comment on
Ronee's column as well. I promise to give you a long answer to this one
but I'm at my day job right now and just don't have time at the moment.
Just for now in my defense I want to say that no one involved in doing
STAPLE! had ever done anything remotely like it before so we really had no
idea what we were doing. I'm actually quite pleased that no more mistakes
than this were made.
Also, I'd like to say again that I hope we can deal with these issues
privately as opposed to publicly. The purpose of STAPLE! is to promote
comics and indie publishers and anything bad you say about it in public
will hurt the show and indirectly hurt comics and those who struggle to
create them.
I WILL talk to you some more later - please be patient.
Chris
And his second:
Lea,
Well there seems to have been a miscommunication between Nate and I and
all I can do is apologize. I can't go back and fix it and I'm sorry that
you have such a problem with it. The fact remains that I did not give any
more free space to anyone else than I did to you. All I offered to anyone
(including Kurtz) for free was half-tables and both Chris and Shannon told
me they were very happy to get that.
As to Kurtz paying, well that was just the truth. Your specific question
to me as I recall it was "Why does Kurtz get a full table and I get a
half?" (which as you noticed DID make me uncomfortable) and my answer,
which was the only one I still have, that he insisted on paying was
simply the truth of the situation. I'm not the type to whitewash anything
for anybody and I'm sorry you felt I was implying that you weren't doing
your part in not paying for your space. I didn't mean it that way and you
must've misconstrued. It all boils down to the initial miscommunication as
to your alloted table space, which as I've mentioned I truly beleived you
were aware of.
There was more involved in Mr. Kurtz and my negotiations but that is
between he and I and you'll simply have to forgive me if I don't share
that information.
I'd like to take the time to answer the rest of your concerns but like I
said earlier at the moment that's not possible. I will do so though. This
thing has been a learning experience for me and certainly mistakes were
and will continue to be made - but that's life.
Chris "Staple-Head" Nicholas
And his third:
You wouldn't happen to be a Virgo would you?
Just so you all know: I'M A PISCES, AND I'M HURTING COMICS.
It's Like Stupid Christmas
Mar. 8th, 2005 09:42 pmI have now received my fourth letter from Chris at Staple!
Ther others were presented without comment, but this one is begging for some Jon Stewart so that you can understand my reactions as I made them.
Before you start to read, put down your food and drink. Put a towel under your butt. Otherwise, you will choke, gag or pee on your office chair. Perhaps just lie on the floor on your side, so as not to aspirate your vomit.
'Cause damn.
Dear Lea,
OK here goes.
I'm going to try to answer everything point by point so this may take
awhile. Ordinarily if someone doesn't like the way I do something I'd say
"Well do it yourself then" but since I like you so much...
?
I'm going to take the time, and while there's some things I may disagree with you about you
do bring up some valid critisms.
"That's a good letter."
> Congrats again on an amazing convention.
Thanks - no one is more amazed than me that it went as well as it did.
snip>
> I did not love that I found out the night before I was sharing a
> table.
As I said before, that was a miscommunication on my and Nate's part and I
want to apologize again. That was totally our fault and I'm sorry. I feel
like this led to most of the other things that were problems for you and I
wish we'd been more careful and clear about what we were offering.
"That's a good letter."
> My table also should not have been at the back of the
> room with the volunteer and non-profits, but nearer to the front.
Well, that was a decision I had to make about where to put the people
who'd paid and who hadn't. I had to fill the floor with paid tables...
...in order to cover the cost of the venue and the only other space was on the
stage which happened to be at the back of the room. No way to move it to
the front and nowhere to put it if we could. I also felt that having the
more famous people in the back would force the crowd to pass by the less
established folks' tables...
...and hopefully stop to look. If you were in the front they could pay their $5, come in, get your autograph or whatever and leave without seeing anything else.
"Pweh?"
Which brings me to a point I want to make and be very clear about the
purpose of STAPLE! and I hope you wont take this the wrong way.
It was great to have successful folks there like you and Shannon and Scott, not to forget Viper and Antarctic. You're all awesome and an inspiration and a great draw for the crowds,
"Shucks."
but STAPLE!, the way I envision it, it not so much a showcase for the already established folks
as the ones who are just starting out,
maybe struggling,
...maybe staying up late nights STAPLING stuff together in their living room by hand and trying to get it out there.
"His troooooth...iiiis...maaaaaarching oohhhhhhn!"
That's really who STAPLE! is all about and who I wanted to help by putting this together. Having you guys there really aids that purpose and brings in the RIGHT people, not just anybody
(if I just wanted warm bodies in the door I could've had celebrities - I had offers but turned them down), but people who know what they're looking for and were there buying a lot of stuff. I'm sorry to hear if your sales weren't what you'd hoped. Everyone else that I heard from was completely delighted with how they did at the show.
"So HA!"
> The way I see it, I lent my name and whatever pull I have, to Staple!
> and Staple! was able to use that (with my consent) to attract more
> guests, gain good will, sell dealer's tables, and sell tickets.
Yes and I appreciate that very much and am sorry if I gave the impression that I did not. I think your presence helped us quite a bit and I'm STILL glad you came and STILL hope you will join us again.
"That's a good letter."
Although I must point out that I checked most of your websites at least occasionally, if not regularly,
and don't ever recall you mentioning that you would be at the show.
If you did I must've missed it. It's one thing for me to say you are going to be there, which I did quite a bit, but a completely different thing for YOU to do so when you have the ability to reach folks that I may not.
> return, I was told I could have a table, that a table was all Staple!
> could offer in return--which is totally okay, I knew that and accepted
> it.
I also appreciate that and feel bad that you didn't get what you thought you were getting.
"That's a good letter."
> this, and I don't like having tablemates chosen for me (FoL is lucky
> to have Ronee', and you are lucky we hit it off, but for every Ronee'
> there's three FoL women I wouldn't want to be in the same room with).
Well, I suppose if you known you'd have a tablemate (stemming again) you could've picked who it would be or we could've cleared this whole mess up ahead of time. I did all the table assigments myself. Only about 3 people asked if they could be placed next to another specific person and I was able to accomodate them.
"Do I really have a troublemaker's face?"
Everyone else got what they got.
My logic for putting you with FOL was that since you'd been 2004 LOTY and gushed so about it on your website that you'd be happy to sit with them. It never entered my mind that it would be possible that you wouldn't like someone from FOL and I'm kinda suprised to hear you say so.
"You are Gushy McGushyPants!"
I am really glad that you on Ronee hit it off the way you did. I like
bringing people together like that.
> More than all that, I didn't like your answer about why Kurtz had a
> full table
I hope I've already esplained this. Once again I think it stems from the initial misunderstanding.
"Myeah, okay."
snip>
> I understand what it takes to put on a con, and how criticism can feel
> like no one appreciated everything you did right.
This has been a bit of a buzz-kill I must say...
...but I'll chalk it up to a learning experience.
> that appreciation comes hard when I feel like I was given short
> shrift.
I'm sorry you feel that way and I hope that me taking the time to answer all these concerns will help to assuage that.
"That's a good letter."
> I'm sure you know that a con for me, for most professionals, has
> opportunity costs: planning, packing, traveling, time away from work,
> time spent to ensure I and my books and presentation are
> professional-looking and attractive to the people who come through the
> door.
Of course everyone has costs associated with cons. That's why I can't
afford to go to most of them and therefore decided to have one here.
If it will help put it in perspective you might consider Rafael Navarro's situation, who came all the way from California to be here,
under his own steam and paid all his own way,
food,
lodging,
travel
and his table.
I did manage to find you a nice place to stay with a nice family
"Well, Yeah!"
and you are the ONLY person that I did that for, so I hope you appreciate it.
> Fanboy (and I love those guys, don't get me wrong) video setup in the
> corner was intimidating to attendees. (People are afraid of messing up
> a shoot or tripping over something, so they avoid.) I was offered the
> chance to "spread out" after Fanboy was done (and why weren't they in
> the second room all along?), but first, that meant breaking everything
> down and putting it back up--a half-hour's job, bye bye still more
> sales; and second, it's like, "Oh, now that the -important- people are
> gone, you can have the space."
First just let me clarify, that was NOT the Fanboy Radio guys doing the video shoot. I think they may've helped out with an interview or two (weren't you one of the intervewees?).
"Oh, SNAP!"
Gary Bartos, one of the STAPLE! organizers had the idea pretty last minute
and got it set up as quickly as he could. All in all I think it was a cool idea and they did a pretty good job
of it considering (they also shot the panels), but when I went up that morning and saw how they had set it up I wasn't too happy about it myself.
"That's a good letter."
I had a feeling that it might impose on you guys somewhat and it looks like I was right. I apologize and assure you that if we do something like that next year it wont go down like that again.
"That's a good letter."
> In case you need another point of view, I direct you to Ronee's
> ComiXtreme column of February 27:
OK. I'm not sure I understand why you have a problem with this or if you still do. And I don't necessarily feel like I owe you an explanation
- you asked for help and I found it, what difference does it make where it came from
-but here it is anyway. As Ronee has explained when she made the "ugly chick" comment she was JOKING. She didn't feel bad about it at all. In fact she was happy to help. I had gone a little out of my way to make sure FOL was included at the show and given free space. She had offered up her assistance to me and since you'd asked for someone to watch you stuff, I was short on volunteers,
and I knew she'd already be sitting there, I asked her if she wouldn't mind watching your stuff during your panel and said I'd understand if she did mind and would find someone else. She enthusiastically said yes. She was NOT offended, and if she was not I really don't think that it's right or approriate that you should be offended on her behalf.
> I do want to come if there is another Staple!, but I must be reassured
> that I won't be surprised like this next year.
And we want you here. I promise - no suprises and no miscommunications.
"That's a good letter."
> A full table, near the
> entrance, with other people -selling stuff--that's as specific as I
> hope I need to be.
We will certainly set that up. Unfortunately I can't guarantee that anything will be free in the future.
"Mokay."
> I have to be picky about where I travel to, and
> many cons make it easy by letting me down, and then making excuses
> instead of making right.
I appreciate that and hope that we can satisfy you.
"That's a good letter."
> I know you're a good guy, and meant no harm,
Thanks. If I did anything wrong I blame my lack of experience and lack of time.
"That's a good letter."
I put this whole thing together, having never before done anything remotely this complex or challenging or even similar in nature, on top of working full time and putting out my own comic.
I had a lot of help from folks like Nate, Manton, Gary, John and others. but the lion's share of work and decisions were mine.
> I didn't get what you'd led me to expect.
One last time I'm sorry for not being clear. As I said in Ronee's thread, both Nate and I are writers and should have communicated better. There's no excuse for that and I hope you'll accept my apology.
"That's a good letter."
snip>
> but that will depend on what you have to say to me.
> I remain firm in my hope for an answer that helps me feel better,
I do hope you feel better now. Please let me know if you'd like any further clarifications, but please give me a few days.
"That's a good letter."
I still haven't slept much since last Thursday before the show and the Austin Sketch Group art show opening is tonight. I wouldn't go except I want to and feel a little obligated.
Dave, the guy who draws our comic (did you get a chance to read those?)
had chipped in for the food and then had to go out of town so I have to go eat his share.
Ther others were presented without comment, but this one is begging for some Jon Stewart so that you can understand my reactions as I made them.
Before you start to read, put down your food and drink. Put a towel under your butt. Otherwise, you will choke, gag or pee on your office chair. Perhaps just lie on the floor on your side, so as not to aspirate your vomit.
'Cause damn.
Dear Lea,
OK here goes.
I'm going to try to answer everything point by point so this may take
awhile. Ordinarily if someone doesn't like the way I do something I'd say
"Well do it yourself then" but since I like you so much...
?I'm going to take the time, and while there's some things I may disagree with you about you
do bring up some valid critisms.
"That's a good letter."> Congrats again on an amazing convention.
Thanks - no one is more amazed than me that it went as well as it did.
snip>
> I did not love that I found out the night before I was sharing a
> table.
As I said before, that was a miscommunication on my and Nate's part and I
want to apologize again. That was totally our fault and I'm sorry. I feel
like this led to most of the other things that were problems for you and I
wish we'd been more careful and clear about what we were offering.
"That's a good letter."> My table also should not have been at the back of the
> room with the volunteer and non-profits, but nearer to the front.
Well, that was a decision I had to make about where to put the people
who'd paid and who hadn't. I had to fill the floor with paid tables...
...in order to cover the cost of the venue and the only other space was on the
stage which happened to be at the back of the room. No way to move it to
the front and nowhere to put it if we could. I also felt that having the
more famous people in the back would force the crowd to pass by the less
established folks' tables...
...and hopefully stop to look. If you were in the front they could pay their $5, come in, get your autograph or whatever and leave without seeing anything else.
"Pweh?"Which brings me to a point I want to make and be very clear about the
purpose of STAPLE! and I hope you wont take this the wrong way.
It was great to have successful folks there like you and Shannon and Scott, not to forget Viper and Antarctic. You're all awesome and an inspiration and a great draw for the crowds,
"Shucks."but STAPLE!, the way I envision it, it not so much a showcase for the already established folks
as the ones who are just starting out,
maybe struggling,
...maybe staying up late nights STAPLING stuff together in their living room by hand and trying to get it out there.
"His troooooth...iiiis...maaaaaarching oohhhhhhn!"
That's really who STAPLE! is all about and who I wanted to help by putting this together. Having you guys there really aids that purpose and brings in the RIGHT people, not just anybody
(if I just wanted warm bodies in the door I could've had celebrities - I had offers but turned them down), but people who know what they're looking for and were there buying a lot of stuff. I'm sorry to hear if your sales weren't what you'd hoped. Everyone else that I heard from was completely delighted with how they did at the show.
"So HA!"> The way I see it, I lent my name and whatever pull I have, to Staple!
> and Staple! was able to use that (with my consent) to attract more
> guests, gain good will, sell dealer's tables, and sell tickets.
Yes and I appreciate that very much and am sorry if I gave the impression that I did not. I think your presence helped us quite a bit and I'm STILL glad you came and STILL hope you will join us again.
"That's a good letter."Although I must point out that I checked most of your websites at least occasionally, if not regularly,
and don't ever recall you mentioning that you would be at the show.
If you did I must've missed it. It's one thing for me to say you are going to be there, which I did quite a bit, but a completely different thing for YOU to do so when you have the ability to reach folks that I may not.
> return, I was told I could have a table, that a table was all Staple!
> could offer in return--which is totally okay, I knew that and accepted
> it.
I also appreciate that and feel bad that you didn't get what you thought you were getting.
"That's a good letter."> this, and I don't like having tablemates chosen for me (FoL is lucky
> to have Ronee', and you are lucky we hit it off, but for every Ronee'
> there's three FoL women I wouldn't want to be in the same room with).
Well, I suppose if you known you'd have a tablemate (stemming again) you could've picked who it would be or we could've cleared this whole mess up ahead of time. I did all the table assigments myself. Only about 3 people asked if they could be placed next to another specific person and I was able to accomodate them.
"Do I really have a troublemaker's face?"Everyone else got what they got.
My logic for putting you with FOL was that since you'd been 2004 LOTY and gushed so about it on your website that you'd be happy to sit with them. It never entered my mind that it would be possible that you wouldn't like someone from FOL and I'm kinda suprised to hear you say so.
"You are Gushy McGushyPants!"I am really glad that you on Ronee hit it off the way you did. I like
bringing people together like that.
> More than all that, I didn't like your answer about why Kurtz had a
> full table
I hope I've already esplained this. Once again I think it stems from the initial misunderstanding.
"Myeah, okay."snip>
> I understand what it takes to put on a con, and how criticism can feel
> like no one appreciated everything you did right.
This has been a bit of a buzz-kill I must say...
...but I'll chalk it up to a learning experience.
> that appreciation comes hard when I feel like I was given short
> shrift.
I'm sorry you feel that way and I hope that me taking the time to answer all these concerns will help to assuage that.
"That's a good letter."> I'm sure you know that a con for me, for most professionals, has
> opportunity costs: planning, packing, traveling, time away from work,
> time spent to ensure I and my books and presentation are
> professional-looking and attractive to the people who come through the
> door.
Of course everyone has costs associated with cons. That's why I can't
afford to go to most of them and therefore decided to have one here.
If it will help put it in perspective you might consider Rafael Navarro's situation, who came all the way from California to be here,
under his own steam and paid all his own way,
food,
lodging,
travel
and his table.
I did manage to find you a nice place to stay with a nice family
"Well, Yeah!" and you are the ONLY person that I did that for, so I hope you appreciate it.
> Fanboy (and I love those guys, don't get me wrong) video setup in the
> corner was intimidating to attendees. (People are afraid of messing up
> a shoot or tripping over something, so they avoid.) I was offered the
> chance to "spread out" after Fanboy was done (and why weren't they in
> the second room all along?), but first, that meant breaking everything
> down and putting it back up--a half-hour's job, bye bye still more
> sales; and second, it's like, "Oh, now that the -important- people are
> gone, you can have the space."
First just let me clarify, that was NOT the Fanboy Radio guys doing the video shoot. I think they may've helped out with an interview or two (weren't you one of the intervewees?).
"Oh, SNAP!"Gary Bartos, one of the STAPLE! organizers had the idea pretty last minute
and got it set up as quickly as he could. All in all I think it was a cool idea and they did a pretty good job
of it considering (they also shot the panels), but when I went up that morning and saw how they had set it up I wasn't too happy about it myself.
"That's a good letter."I had a feeling that it might impose on you guys somewhat and it looks like I was right. I apologize and assure you that if we do something like that next year it wont go down like that again.
"That's a good letter."> In case you need another point of view, I direct you to Ronee's
> ComiXtreme column of February 27:
OK. I'm not sure I understand why you have a problem with this or if you still do. And I don't necessarily feel like I owe you an explanation
- you asked for help and I found it, what difference does it make where it came from
-but here it is anyway. As Ronee has explained when she made the "ugly chick" comment she was JOKING. She didn't feel bad about it at all. In fact she was happy to help. I had gone a little out of my way to make sure FOL was included at the show and given free space. She had offered up her assistance to me and since you'd asked for someone to watch you stuff, I was short on volunteers,
and I knew she'd already be sitting there, I asked her if she wouldn't mind watching your stuff during your panel and said I'd understand if she did mind and would find someone else. She enthusiastically said yes. She was NOT offended, and if she was not I really don't think that it's right or approriate that you should be offended on her behalf.
> I do want to come if there is another Staple!, but I must be reassured
> that I won't be surprised like this next year.
And we want you here. I promise - no suprises and no miscommunications.
"That's a good letter."> A full table, near the
> entrance, with other people -selling stuff--that's as specific as I
> hope I need to be.
We will certainly set that up. Unfortunately I can't guarantee that anything will be free in the future.
"Mokay."> I have to be picky about where I travel to, and
> many cons make it easy by letting me down, and then making excuses
> instead of making right.
I appreciate that and hope that we can satisfy you.
"That's a good letter."> I know you're a good guy, and meant no harm,
Thanks. If I did anything wrong I blame my lack of experience and lack of time.
"That's a good letter."I put this whole thing together, having never before done anything remotely this complex or challenging or even similar in nature, on top of working full time and putting out my own comic.
I had a lot of help from folks like Nate, Manton, Gary, John and others. but the lion's share of work and decisions were mine.
> I didn't get what you'd led me to expect.
One last time I'm sorry for not being clear. As I said in Ronee's thread, both Nate and I are writers and should have communicated better. There's no excuse for that and I hope you'll accept my apology.
"That's a good letter."snip>
> but that will depend on what you have to say to me.
> I remain firm in my hope for an answer that helps me feel better,
I do hope you feel better now. Please let me know if you'd like any further clarifications, but please give me a few days.
"That's a good letter."I still haven't slept much since last Thursday before the show and the Austin Sketch Group art show opening is tonight. I wouldn't go except I want to and feel a little obligated.
Dave, the guy who draws our comic (did you get a chance to read those?)
had chipped in for the food and then had to go out of town so I have to go eat his share.