I've mentioned before that I'll be attending this year's Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC from 7 - 9 June. To make this a successful con, there are many things I have to work on prior to attending.
Pitches: I have a few projects that are currently being developed and in various stages of building the pitch. One of these, "A Heart for al Qaeda," is getting close to completion, and my goal is to have all the pages and cover completed by Heroes Con. That means I have to work with artist Sedat Oezgen to get the last few pages done as well as prep the colorist and letterer that pages are heading their way and I need a fast turn on them.
Sales Items: I'll be selling copies of my Marvel New Avengers, Wolverine, and Astonishing Tales work, as well as my independent copies of Devolution, Redo, and ClosetWorld. Prior to the convention, I need to inventory what I've got, make sure I have pricing stickers, and get cash on hand for when someone hands you a $20 bill and needs $18 back.
Banner: Now that Hangar 19 exists as a studio for my work, I need to get a professional-looking banner to attract attention and identify who I am. I decided to go with Post Up Stand as the reviews on their work were excellent. They've been very responsive, patient, and willing to work with my limited technical background. It goes to print tomorrow and should be sent to me soon after that, and I'm really excited based on the proof sent to me.
Fans: I want to encourage as many as I can to attend, and since there is a Facebook chat group for those of us who were extras in the movie Iron Man 3 (filmed in NC), I plan to invite the extras to come by the con and swing by my booth. I've also got to prep other materials, i.e., business cards, a placard with my name, etc.
Convention Pros: These conventions are a great time to link up with friends from the industry. I always make sure to poll around and see who's going. I'll get the chance to see Mitch Gerads (artist - The Activity), Nathan Edmondson (writer - The Activity), and several of my Comics Experience (CE) participants, who I've grown close to as we hone our craft on the CE forum. I'll also be sharing the table with author Kevin Maurer, using the time to further refine our comics story "A Heart for al Qaeda." And there are certain artists I'm hoping to work with, and it'll be a good opportunity to meet them and form a relationship with them that hopefully will lead to collaboration some day.
Publishers: If the right editors and publishers are at the con, it can be an opportunity to meet with them and pitch current or future projects. If nothing else, it's good to meet them, establish a connection, and follow up after the con for possible projects.
Play Time: No matter what, I have to get some time to wander away from the table and enjoy the con as a fan myself. This is the joy of going to a comic convention - walking, talking, and buying cool stuff with like-minded comics fans.
I'm looking forward to Heroes Con, and I hope I get everything ready in time. If you can make it, swing by and find me, and we can talk comics, the industry, life, whatever you want.