#cala2015

Comic Arts Los Angeles is, as it says on the official webpage, “A convention of independent comic artists.  Free and open to the public.”  I found out about it on Tumblr, and figured if it was free and in the area and over the weekend, I may as well drop in and take a look.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t exactly a weekend when I had a lot of free time.  Among other things, next week is the final exam for the college class I’m teaching, and the week after that is finals week for the secondary school where I teach, and I’m way behind on grading for both jobs.  Still, I figured I could at least find some time when I could stop by.

I’d hoped to be able to spend a few hours there, maybe make it for @gingerhaze’s signing (especially as I’d recently bought one of her books, Nimona... it was on sale a couple of months ago for just $9.99, so I figured, hey, I’d been interested in it anyway; may as well take advantage of the deal). As it turned out, though, I didn’t get done with everything I had to do first until about 3:30 on Sunday, which means I wouldn’t be able to get to CALA till 4:30 or so... and the convention ended at 5:00.  So I’d only be there for the last half hour, and I wasn’t even sure whether most of the exhibitors would still be there.  Plus, I hadn’t had a chance to stop by an ATM and had very little cash on me and didn’t think most of the exhibitors would take credit cards... and even if they did, having just had to drop a thousand dollars on a down payment for a new car, I couldn’t afford to spend much.  So I wasn’t really sure at that point whether it would even be worth it to go.

But I did, and it was.  Sure, it would have been better to go earlier where I could take more time, maybe go to some of the panels, but I’m still glad I went.  Like I said, I couldn’t afford to spend much, but I did buy a few inexpensive books that especially appealed to me, and talked to the artists behind them.  Specifically, I bought:

Two Silly Kingdom books by @ktshy (and her brother, but he wasn’t there at the convention), who as it turns out used to be a storyboard artist on my niece’s favorite show, Wild Kratts.

“Dare House”, by @coleott... who didn’t take credit cards, but the comic was only $3, and I did have enough cash on me for that.

“Lacunæ & Aftermath”, by @evandahm, creator of a couple of webcomics I’d heard of and had been sort of meaning to check out but hadn’t gotten around to (Rice Boy and Vattu), but after glancing through the books I’m definitely going to have to make some time to read them.  (Unfortunately, those books cost a bit more than I was comfortable spending with my current finances; “Lacunæ & Aftermath” was only five dollars, so I figured I could afford that.)

So, all in all, even if I was only there for the last half hour and wasn’t able to go to any panels or signings, I’m still glad I went.  Heck... maybe next year I’ll apply to be an exhibitor.  By then I should finally have the d24 page in a presentable shape and have publicized it a bit, so I’ll have something to show... and maybe I’ll have some other projects going by then too.

SURPRISE!! A shiny New Thing, as (vaguely) promised.

blueludebar sketchzine 2015 | b&w | 28 pages

LOS ANGELES - see you all at COMIC ARTS LOS ANGELES this weekend (12/05-06) at Think Tank Gallery in downtown Los Angeles. 

I’ll be tabling all weekend (table 16B) with my books and comics, including my most newest titles THERE IS NO RIGHT WAY TO MEDITATE: AND OTHER LESSONS (Adams Media) and IKEBANA (Retrofit). 

Excited to share that I will also be doing a panel on self-care for cartoonists at 2PM on Sunday. 

Check out CALA website for full list of programming and exhibitors. Don’t forget to invite all your friends to FB event page! 

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Come to the 2nd annual Comic Arts LA (CALA), a festival celebrating independent comic artists in Downtown Los Angeles.

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

Featuring special guests NOELLE STEVENSON (NIMONA, LUMBERJANES) and JAIME HERNANDEZ (LOVE AND ROCKETS)!

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5th and SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6th 10-5pm @ Think Tank Gallery 939 Maple Ave, Suite #200 Los Angeles, CA 90015

Also in attendance: Lisa Hanawalt, Gemma Correll, Hope Larson, Sam Alden, Jeremy Sorese, Farel Darlymple, Retrofit Comics, Yumi Sakugawa, Mari Naomi, Hellen Jo, Vanessa Davis, Becky & Frank, Tom Neely, Wuvable Oaf, Youth in Decline, and many many more!