Just got back from the 2008 APE (Alternative Press Expo) last night and I had a pretty good time, I might add.
I was an exhibitor at the first two APE’s in San Jose when Dan Vado of Slave Labor Graphics was still manning the helm and I hadn’t been back since as I was doing crazy stuff like finishing a college degree while working a whole bunch of jobs while simultaneously being a husband, dad, pet owner and home owner… you can see where I’m going with this.
Now I’m back drawin’ and creatin’ and had both Slices and the first issue of Tortilla with me at a table at APE.
Saw a few of the old cartoonists from the “old days” and we all stood there wondering where all of our time went. It was great to see Megan Kelso again at the Last Gasp mixer on Friday night and again at the show. We both reminisced and laughed a lot about being a part of the second, “Golden Age” of underground cartoonist in San Francisco (the first being the late 1960’s and early 1970’s) back in the very late 1980’s early 1990’s.
My homie, Keith Knight who was also part of that 80’s/90’s SF era cartoonist cadre was also there and is always a great guy by kicking me in the ass to sell myself more.
Lloyd Dangle was there and I have always enjoyed his work and Lloyd himself. I’ve watched his work grow and spread throughout the land as well.
Yakked it up with both Mario and Jaime Hernandez there. Great artists and guys. Saw Javier Hernandez (El Muerto) and he and I had a blast catching up as we met a million years ago at the first APE and would subsequently run into each other at other comix/zine fests throughout the land.
It was a great pleasure to see Dan Clowes again as well. Dan and I used to correspond way back when he was only a few issues into his comic book, Eightball when he still lived in Chicago. Now, Dan is chugging along well with many high-end projects under his belt as well as a couple of Hollywood movies to boot (Ghost World and Art School Confidential).
Met some new folks as well. Edgar, Enrique, Eric and a whole crew of extremely talented, up-and-coming artist at the table next to me. Great guys with excellent work.
Big Up’s to my buddy and stupendous cartoonist/artist Larry Rippee. I’m trying to get him to through his hat back into the ring. I know he has projects going but soon he’ll be back. Oh, and thanks for the ride too, Larry!
Well, I had fun and now I have the first cold/flu I’ve had in years (had too much fun, I suppose).
I’m going back to bed.
