Archive for February, 2008
I’ve done signings in the past, but they’ve always been at comic book stores or comic conventions. Yesterday was my first signing at a book store. But not the fancy kind. Not big hardwood table in the center of a massive Barnes & Noble, with a complimentary cappuccino and a line of fans waiting outside in the cold. Rather, it was a little Waldenbooks in a mall.
Yes, a mall.
But hey, you gotta’ start somewhere, right? In this case, it was the Waldenbooks in Polaris Fashion Place, Columbus’ newest and latest sprawling temple to mass consumerism. To her credit, though, Liz (the store manager) was excited about having me over and they set me up with a table right outside the front doors, so everyone walking into the store would walk by my display first.
In retrospect, the time she picked out (noon till 4) probably wasn’t the best, as mall traffic didn’t really pick up until closer to 1 or 2. The store had ordered 5 copies of my graphic novel (not a huge number, obviously, but also not bad for a $20 book from a bunch of unknowns.) The good news: I sold out of all 5 copies in the 4 hours I was there. The bad news: I had to put up with a lot of weird people:
- 3 different people asked me where the restrooms were. Apparently I looked like a mall information specialist.
- One older gentleman talked my ear off about the many manuscripts he’d written over the years, including one where teenagers dig tunnels under a cemetery to rob the caskets from beneath of jewelry and other valuables. He was a nice enough guy, but he pretty much blocked my table from other passers by.
- A lady asked me where they had the store “with the massge type chairs”.
- Another lady asked me if she could use her debit card at the ATM around the corner.
- Upon seeing my small signs with the list of my upcoming projects (which includes a Zombies! series from IDW,) I had two different guys ask me if I drew Marvel Zombies. And in what’s got to be a blow for the anti-online piracy efforts of Marvel, one of them wasn’t even aware that Marvel printed those books! I kid you not! He said he only read them online and didn’t think Marvel would ever publish any of them “you know, like in a comic format”!
- A lady asked me where the Stride Rite store was. I guess it’s too hard to look at the mall directory and easier to ask the guy behind the table with a sign that reads “Book Signing”.
But worse than any of those annoyances was the Nailpro nail salon across the aisle. The fumes emanating from it were so bad that I had a headache by 12:30, and even the mall patrons who walked by all made faces and looked around for the source of the stench. I shudder to imagine what those fumes are doing to the poor souls that actually have to work in that store day in and day out!
But like I mentioned earlier, I did have interested customers as well. A couple of coworkers purchased books, as well as a couple of complete strangers. One was familiar with Jeff Smith’s work on Bone and was getting more into graphic novels, while another was a senior at Bowling Green who was studying art and was interested in the mechanics of making comics. I enjoyed chatting with both and also the other people who flipped through the book, offered congratulatory sayings, or were just curious.
So overall, not a bad day. I’d still like to do a signing in one of the bigger stores close to the OSU campus, where I think there’s a bigger audience for the book. But Borders and Barnes & Noble have such overwhelming, bureaucratic policies and procedures for in-store signings that it seems to me like they’ve actually set out with the goal of discouraging any such events.
Oh well, their loss. While they’re too stupid to actually leverage the few advantages they have over faceless online retailers (by bringing people into their stores through community features, spotlighting local creators, and other face-to-face events), places like Amazon.com will continue to beat them every single time through deeper discounts, bigger selections, and the convenience of 24/7 shopping from home.
The final Lifelike webcomic story went online this week. You can read part 1 of “Imaginarians” here. Story by yours truly, art by the inimitable Tom Williams.
For those of you in the Columbus area, I will be doing a book signing for my graphic novel LIFELIKE this Saturday, 2/16. It will be from noon until 4 pm, at the Waldenbooks in Polaris Mall: 1500 Polaris Parkway, Columbus, OH 43240 (614.848.3150)
Alan David Doane is polling comics readers on what they believe constitutes good comics retailing. Best response by Sunday night will win a prize pack of comics.
You can take the poll here.
If I were not going to the ballet tonight, you can bet your sweet bippy I’d be going to see Lord of the Yum Yum. There is no way to describe the Lord of the Yum Yum, just go see him.
Here’s his bulletin:
WoWEE people…check out some funs at
2.15: High Five Bar in Columbus OH
part of Rock N Comedy W/ Mark Lucas, Christopher Root, Chris Coen, Sumukh Torgalkar, Featuring Bob Cook and Lord of the Yum Yum
1227 N High St
Columbus, OH 43201
The New York Times has an interesting perspective on the whole Hollywood writers’ strike.
“So after a long and bitter strike, the writers won, right?On points, yes, probably. On principle, certainly. From a practical perspective, maybe not so much.”
It goes on to say:
“It is equally true, however, that the strike was bad for writers in the short term. The delays caused by the strike prompted the studios to ask themselves a fundamental question about the need to finance all manner of pilots for a traditional upfront extravaganza followed by a traditional introduction in the fall. That system, fairly unchanged through the years, has historically been lucrative for writers.Some 70 development deals in which writers were essentially paid lucrative stipends to come up with shows that might not ever be broadcast are now gone, and they will not be coming back any time soon. “
The big question remains: just how much revenue will be generated by “new media” in the upcoming years? While everyone seems to agree that that’s where TV shows (and movies, and music, and…) are headed, nobody yet knows exactly how the business model is going to work.
Interesting times ahead. But I’m glad my livelihood doesn’t depend on it.
Ok, this one’s for the Columbus folks: it’s that time again. How cool would it be if one of the PANEL guys designed this year’s Comfest logo!
One-color logo (no grayscales)
“June 27, 28, 29 2008 “
“Community Festival”
“Goodale Park”
Hopewell Sign
Suggested: A “Peace” theme or slogan
Bring Design to Goodale Park Shelterhouse on
Thursday, March 6th at 7:30 PM (NEW DATE!)
I was driving past Broad & High yesterday and I think I saw a protest of the Scientology Reading Room. There were about 3 dozen people, and signs I could read were “Religion should be free,” “Scientology kills” and “Google Lisa McPherson.”
At least one person in the crowd was wearing a V for Vendetta/Guy Fawkes mask.
Anyone know anything about this?
Over on his blog at Comic Book Galaxy, Alan David Doane has some kind words to say about my graphic novel, including all the artists who collaborated with me on the book:
“…they all bring their best work to Naraghi’s scripts, resulting in a book that is visually diverse but beautiful to look at, and held together by the strength of Naraghi’s writing.”
Good luck on this one! (And remember, if you have the comic this page is from, no guessing!)
(click image to Super9Motelersize)
(previous weeks: 9/12/2005, 9/19/2005, 9/26/2005, 10/3/2005, 10/10/2005, 10/17/2005, 10/24/2005, 10/31/2005, 11/1/2005, 11/2/2005, 11/3/2005, 11/4/2005, 11/5/2005, 11/6/2005, 11/7/2005, 11/14/2005, 11/21/2005, 11/28/2005, 12/5/2005, 12/12/2005, 12/19/2005, 12/26/2005, 1/2/2006, 1/9/2006, 1/16/2006, 1/23/2006, 1/30/2006, 2/06/2006, 2/13/2006, 2/20/2006, 2/27/2006, 3/6/2006, 3/13/2006, 3/20/2006, 3/27/2006, 4/3/2006, 4/4/2006, 4/5/2006, 4/6/2006, 4/7/2006, 4/8/2006, 4/9/2006, 4/10/2006, 4/17/2006, 4/23/2006, 5/1/2006, 5/8/2006, 5/15/2006, 5/22/2006, 5/29/2006, 6/5/2006, 6/12/2006, 6/19/2006, 6/26/2006, 7/3/2006, 7/10/2006, 7/17/2006, 7/24/2006, 7/31/2006, 8/7/2006, 8/13/2006, 8/21/2006, 8/28/2006, 9/4/2006, 9/11/2006, 9/18/2006, 9/25/2006, 10/2/2006, 10/9/2006, 10/16/2006, 10/23/2006, 10/30/2006, 11/6/2006, 11/13/2006, 11/20/2006, 11/27/2006, 12/4/2006, 12/11/2006, 12/18/2006, 12/25/2006, 1/1/2007, 1/8/2007, 1/15/2007, 1/22/2007, 1/29/2007, 2/5/2007, 2/12/2007, 2/19/2007, 2/26/2007, 3/5/2007, 3/12/2007, 3/19/2007, 3/26/2007, 4/2/2007, 4/5/2007, 4/9/2007, 4/16/2007, 4/23/2007, 4/30/2007, 5/7/2007, 5/14/2007, 5/21/2007, 5/28/2007, 6/4/2007, 6/11/2007, 6/18/2007, 6/25/2007, 7/2/2007, 7/9/2007, 7/16/2007, 7/23/2007, 7/30/2007, 8/6/2007, 8/13/2007, 8/20/2007, 8/27/2007, 9/3/2007, 9/10/2007, 9/17/2007, 9/24/2007, 10/1/2007, 10/8/2007, 10/15/2007, 10/22/2007, 10/29/2007, 11/5/2007, 11/12/2007, 11/19/2007, 11/26/2007, 12/3/2007, 12/10/2007, 12/17/2007, 12/24/2007, 12/31/2007, 1/7/2008, 1/14/2008, 1/21/2008, 1/28/2008, 2/4/2008)
Got this press release via the editor at the Short North Gazette:
“COLUMBUS, OHIO: Flowers. Chocolates. Bonbons. For its February meeting, The Aldus Society will present a special Valentine’s Day treat with a program devoted to the origins and evolution of the Graphic Novel. This presentation will be by Dr. Jared Gardner, Associate Professor of English and Film at The Ohio State University’s College of Humanities.This presentation will be Thursday, February 14, 2008, at 7:30 p.m. at the Thurber Center, 91 Jefferson Avenue, Columbus, OH. This event is free and open to the public. Socializing begins at 7:00 p.m. For more information call 614-864-9794.
The Aldus Society is a Columbus Society that meets monthly (except during the Summer months) that welcomes all lovers of Books and the Printed Arts.
More info about the Aldus Society, from their website:
“Columbus has been singled out as one of the top ten markets in the nation for the sales of books. Now book lovers in Columbus have an organization whose members share their fascination with the printed word…The Aldus Society is open to all individuals who appreciate the many facets of text and image through various media, but principally the book, past, present and future. Aldus provides educational and entertaining programming for its membership, be it the history of printing and publishing, book illustration, book design, book bindings, paper making, typography, calligraphy, book collecting, or libraries.”