Thanks to Ron Marz, I got to attend the Albany Comic Convention on Nov 1st. This was my first time as an invited guest at a comic book show and I enjoyed it a lot. The excellent folks at That’s Entertainment (especially George and Pete) hooked me up with a ton of Mumbai Macguffin and Sadhu vol 2. – The Silent Ones TPB, so that I had some stuff to sell. Thanks to everyone who bought a copy. I managed to offload almost all the copies I had gone into the show with. Hope you enjoyed those, folks!

The show was small-ish but a ton of fun. I shared tablespace with Nick Taplansky, writer of AWAKENING (Archaia) and Dave Rodriguez, writer of STARKWEATHER: IMMORTAL (Archaia) and SHADOWGIRLS webcomic.

Had a blast with Ron and Matthew Dow Smith (Dr. Who, The Keep). Scored some free copies of Ron’s Samurai TPB vol 2. and Con exclusive cover WITCHBLADE (done by Matthew).

Towards the end of the show, chatted with Dennis Calero and found that we have a common friend. Small world, indeed.

So all in all, a good time. Looking forward to heading back there next spring in April 2010. Here are some pictures from the show.

(Before the Show Started)

(Ron at his table)

Nick T. pimping AWAKENING (photo: Zach Rosenberg)

I have been invited to be a part of the “Religion in Comics” Panel discussion at the “Graven Images: Religion in Comic Books & Graphic Novels” on Sunday, Apr 13th in Boston. You can find the details at the website for Luce Center, Boston University. Here is the flyer (PDF)

Here is the official Press Release text from :

RELIGION IN COMICS PANEL, “GRAVEN IMAGES’” COMING TO BOSTON UNIVERSITY

March 4, 2008 – Boston, MA. As its planners prepare the weekend-long schedule of scholarly presenters, the “Graven Images: Religion in Comic Books & Graphic Novels” conference already has a number of top comic book creators coming to Boston University next month. On Sunday, April 13th, conference attendees will get to take part in a Creator Q&A with Saurav Mohapatra (India Authentic), Steve Ross (Marked!), Archaia Studios Press publisher Mark Smylie (Artesia Besieged), and G. Willow Wilson (Cairo).

The five panelists, representing a wide variety of faiths and works, will join conference co-chair A. David Lewis (The Lone and Level Sands, Some New Kind of Slaughter) in an open discussion of religion, creativity, and the comic book medium. “I’m delighted not only that they’ve all accepted our invitation,” says Lewis, “but that they also represent a wonderful cross-section of spiritualities. They nicely embody the diversity we are eager to explore in the medium with ‘Graven Images.’”

Preceding these panelists, the Center for Cartoon Studies’ co-founder James Sturm (The Golem’s Mighty Swing) will be keynote speaker for the conference on its opening night, Friday, April 11th.

The inaugural conference is enjoying the support of B.U.’s Department of Religion, its Graduate Student Organization (GSO), the New England-Maritimes American Academy of Religion, Caption Box, and the Luce Program in Scripture and Literary Arts. Lewis and fellow co-chair Christine Kraemer expect to release the full conference program in the coming days.

The “Graven Images” icon was designed and donated by J.T. Waldman (Megillat Esther).