Late MegaCon Update

Ok, I know MegaCon was over a week ago. I know that everyone will be talking about Image Comics Expo and all of its awesome-sauceness, but I don’t give a hoot about that! I went to MegaCon so I will be talking about that. I would have posted sooner but I have this thing called a day job still and that takes time and energy too.

Pre-MegaCon:

After dropping the dogs off with the in-laws we zoomed over to Orlando to get the booth in artist alley set up. After check in at the hotel we did not make the set up time (boo!!!) but we did run into my buddy Marsha (hooray!!!) in the hotel lobby. After we got set up in our room we went downstairs to hang out with Marsha and guess who was hanging out? Oh just Darwyn Cooke, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Frank Tieri. Stand up guys those three. If you get a chance to read their stuff, especially their indie/creator owned titles, do it. You won’t be sorry. 

MegaCon Day 1:

This day was my “working as Ashley’s agent so she doesn’t get taken advantage of day”. Ashley and I met up at the con super early to set up our booth. Once everything was set up I explored the convention floor to get a lay out of the place. MegaCon had expanded by about three times since last year. It is a good thing they did too, after the final count over 45,000 people walked through the floor. It was all work for Ashley, she got a commission within the first 30 minutes of the convention doors opening. The rest of the Friday was a blur of working the table. That night my hubs and I went to Gerald of the Anime World Order Podcast’s house. All three of the AWO (Gerald, Daryl and Clarrissa) and Paul Chapman of The Greatest Movie Ever Podcast were there. I think an anime called Cobra was on and I was kinda into it because it was very 80s sci-fi feeling. But you don’t care about that or the fact that I crushed Daryl with my mighty hugging muscles.

Day 2:

Despite the fact that MegaCon was bigger than ever Saturday was still shoulder to shoulder packed! Lots of fantastic cosplay was going on and was pleasantly surprised to see many physically fit men cosplaying. That afternoon was the Womanthology panel. Barbara Kesel monitored the panel and I must say I was a bit too wordy but I have a lot to say dammit! The audience was really well read and had a lot of gender issue questions. After the panel my booth in artist alley got slammed! It was so much fun! I had to even cut Ashley off of her commissions at one point. I’m telling you, in two years the cons will be begging her to be a guest.

Day 3:

Work work work. That’s all we did at the artist alley booth. I made a couple of stick figure signs to put out if one of us went on break or to get food and someone demanded to buy one! So I made $2 for a minute’s worth of work. Hell, I might have to look into that….. :P 

Sorry I don’t have any exciting stories. I was so exhausted from working the convention that every night I went to bed early. It was so wonderful to finally meet some of my fellow FL based Womanthology ladies in person, to meet @Ginger_Curls ( http://www.tarabba.com/ ), to hang out with Paul ( http://gmepodcast.com/ )and the AWO  cats (http://www.awopodcast.com/ ) even if it was ever so briefly, and it’s good to know that I might have a career as a stick figure artist if this whole writing thing does not work out. 

Big thanks going out to Beth at MegaCon for giving Womanthology some panel time. <3

MEGACON IS ALMOST HERE!!!!!!!!!

Happy 2012 everyone! I hope that everyone kicked in the New Year with positive vibes, determination, and new goals to aspire to! 

Well, the comic convention season is already kicking off but for us in the South the official comic con season doesn't really start until this February when MegaCon takes over the Orlando convention center. This year will be especially near and dear to my heart because Ashley and I will be in artist alley table 6 Blue. I know Ashley has been working very hard on making prints of both Aspire characters and of more traditional comic characters like Catwoman for this event and her art never disappoints.       

Speaking of Aspire, look here to your right and you will see the cover to issue #5! Keep an eye out for #5 at the begining of Feb. and yes we will have all five issues of Aspire availble at MegaCon. Not going to MegaCon? Don't worry, you can always order it online at Movement Comics.                                                                                                 In other news I will be on one of the panels at MegaCon. As you all know I was one of the contributing writers for Womanthology. On Saturday the 18th of Feb. in room 221 C from 1:40 - 2:30 there will be a Womanthology panel with Q&A at MegaCon and this will be your chance to pick my brain. Other ladies on the Womanthology panel will include: Kate Carelton, Sherri Rose, Tali Adina, Barbara Kesel, Jennifer Mercer, and Heather Royston. 

That's about it for now! 

<3

-Rachel

See Aspire on page 33 of The 904 Magazine!!!!

At the begining of Nov. I did an interview with The 904 Magazine. They did a multi-page spread about people who have day jobs that moonlight their passions. I talked about, what else, comics!!!! I’m just glad that the interviewer was able to get something out of my hour of rambling. 

While I’m on here, don’t forget that issue #4 of Aspire will be available next Wednesday ( Dec 7th ). You can pick it up at the Jacksonville, FL local comic shops, at the Movement Magazine website, or email me at AspireComic@gmail.com

Daytona Comic Con

This Sunday, tomorrow, I'll be a guest at the Daytona Comic Con. Hooray! Going from fan, to merchant booth, to artist alley, now guest, is super exciting to say the least.  I will have copies of Aspire AND a preview of the Womanthology sketchbook.

Just a little F.Y.I. for you gals and guys.

-Rachel

Lots of interviews and mentions.

These last few months have been BUSY. I can't stay and blog long, gotta get these comics written, but here are some links to interviews and features about Aspire or me (Rachel). Ashley's mentioned in some too. ;)

Girls Read Comics Too

Robot 6: Talking Comics with Tim

StarBurst Magazine: Adventures on Alternate Earths <---column on indie comics. Aspire, Ashley, and I are mentioned about the third from the bottom paragraph. Read the whole article though, you might find some other indie creators you like as much as you like Ashley and me.

Brain Food

Womanthology

Robot 6 interview

ROBOT 6 INTERVIEWED ME (RACHEL)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go check it out as Tim and I talk about Aspire, Womanthology, and Swamp Thing.

Sorry for the delay BUT.....

Hey everyone. Sorry for the delay in the updates but Ashley and I have been super busy. Heroes Con in NC really opened out eyes and hearts to all the possibilities for future projects.
Everything with Aspire has been going great. In the last 3 weeks Aspire has become available at Strange Adventures in Canada and have traveled to readers in the UK. Hooray we're international!
Aspire #3 is scheduled to come out on July 27th so faithful readers keep an eye out both at shops and online.

If you have read Aspire and enjoyed it please share it with friends and family. Also share the link to this blog and the Facebook fan page.

Hugs to all of you have have supported Aspire!

Heroes Con Update

It's been a little over a week since Heroes Con in North Carolina and wow what a crazy experience. Ashley and I were given space at the Teenage Satan booth in the Indie Island section of Heroes. Friday we ended up  working the table most of the time and it was so great to see everyone so excited about Aspire. People like  Stephanie Gladden (Bongo Comics, Power Puff Girls + tons of other stuff!) and Jen Van Meter (Hopeless Savages) stopped by the table and picked up copies of Aspire! As someone who grew up watching the Power Puff Girls and who 10 years ago when reading one of the first Hopeless Savages comics decided I wanted to be a comic book writer, well I had some fan girl geek outs. Luckily I was able to keep my cool.....mostly.
Ashley also had minor fan girl geek outs when she realized she was talking to Billy Tucci on Friday (and again Saturday night) and when she realized the Teenage Satan booth was across from Beck Cloonan.  It was definitely a weekend of meeting people we've looked up to but it wasn't all playing around.
Besides working the table and talking up Aspire to everyone who stopped by we went to some panels. No time for the "fun" panels like the Green Lantern or Fables Q & A. No sir-y bob ma'am! SCAD had panels on how to improve skill of: writing, inking, coloring, cover design plus much more! Then there were the informative panels on: family friendly comics, historical comics, horror comics and again much much more. We highly suggest anyone and everyone that is interested in getting into the comic book industry to go to panels of these type when you're at any kind of comic con. They will help you go into the industry with eyes open.
Overall Ashley and I had a fantastic time at Heroes and will be there for now on every year.

Big thank yous:

Thank you Marsha Cooke for giving us the table space at Heroes and the chance to spread the word about Aspire outside of Florida. You are my own personal Wonder Woman sparkle lady.

Thank you to Darwyn Cooke and Steve Niles for taking the time to talk to us about the reality of the industry and for general hanging out.

Thank you to Shelton Drum for hosting Heroes and we look forward to attending the epic 30th year next year!

Fan Art and Heroes Con

This last week I received some fan art by an enthusiastic reader, Fred Neck. I cannot say how surreal and awesome it is to have someone doing fan art of a character I created. Four years ago I never would have dreamed that happening. Now when I go out for a pint I’m answering questions for people who LOVE Destiny in Aspire enough to make fan art of her! Keep it up guys and gals!

I know I’ve said this a bajillion times already but I’m saying it again: the artist of Aspire, Ashley Lanni, and I will be at Heroes Con in NC this week. Marsha Cooke has been kind enough to give us time at her table on Friday and Saturday so anyone who isn’t from FL who wants to check out Aspire here’s your chance to pick it up without bothering with a shipping fee. Look for us at the Teenage Satan booth on Friday from 12-1:30 and Saturday from 4-5:30!!!

NEW FAN SPACE

Filled with so much love for Aspire that you might explode? ME TOO! So here's more fan space for all things Aspire:
Destiny now has a twitter at @AspireComic
Facebook now has an Aspire fan page for you to "Like"
All fan mail can go to AspireComic@gmail.com

More exciting news; we got our first piece of fan art which we will be posting soon. If you have any fan art send it on over via the new email!

Aspire #2

 Well everyone it's been 2 crazy months of talking all of you  into buying the first issue of Aspire and guess what? All of you loved it so much that you shared it with others and we had to do THREE SEPARATE PRINTINGS of #1!!!! Thank you thank you thank you! I wish I could take you all out for ice cream but I have bills to pay so maybe another time! ;)

Last weekend if you went to the Cult Fiction Convention or the Comic Con Plus in Jacksonville, FL you had the chance to pick up issue #2 of Aspire early! Everyone who didn't don't worry, I'm writing this blog post on a Tuesday evening which means tomorrow is Wednesday = new comics. I'm asking everyone do me a big favor right now; if you like Aspire enough to continuously get it please put it on your pull list (or go ahead and get a pull list if you don't already) at your local comic shop! It will help the shops know how many books to order from me and it will let me know how many to print! If you do not live the Jacksonville area you can order from Movement Comics or have your local comic shop contact me directly at radeph@gmail.com to talk about getting Aspire into your area shops.

Quick side note: Ashely and I will be attending Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC in a little over a week. Marsha Cooke, one of the creators of Teenage Satan, has agreed to give us booth time at her personal booth for various times throughout the weekend. We do not have times set in stone yet but as soon as they are figured out I will post on here. We will be traveling with another Jacksonville artist EdBot5000 and the publisher of Movement Magazine Max Michaels (who also does beautiful dark art photography). It will be a party in my Kia on the drive up!

Double Duty for Aspire!!!

This evening was full of OMG for news regarding Aspire. As many of you know this Sunday is Jacksonville, FL's quarterly mini comic con Jax Comic Con Plus and both Ashley and I will have a booth there. We'll be selling copies of Aspire issues 1 AND 2! You read right, issue #2 will be out. The official release date is May 25th but we're doing a special release this weekend at Comic Con Plus AND at the Cult Fiction Convention in downtown Jacksonville. Again, you read that right. Movement Magazine ( a part of Movement Comics) will have a table at the first annual Cult Fiction Convention. I'm seriously thinking about running up to Pam Grier, Foxy Brown herself, and giving her copies of Aspire.

This is only the beginning of the comic booking adventures of Ashely and Rachel. In two weeks we'll be at Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC. The talented Marsha Cooke (Teenage Satan, which will rock your socks off) has agreed to give us time at her booth throughout the weekend. 

Like I said, this evening was full of OMG. See you this weekend?

Jax Comic Con Plus!!!

Hey everyone, Rachel here, AGAIN. I need to make a trip across town and kick Ashley in her bum to make a post. Kicking Ashley in the bum is not the point of this post though.

Today is Wednesday. As everyone into comic books knows today is the day that new comics come out. While at my local comic shop that has my pull list is at I was informed that I will be having a table at Jacksonville's quarterly mini comic con Comic Con Plus !!!!! Turns out the great guys at Alter Egos Comics/ Comics Dojo believe in Aspire enough to get Ashley and myself our own table! What a couple of sweethearts! If we're lucky we might get some Ashley Lanni original art at the table too.

 If you live in Orange Park, FL do stop by Alter Egos/Comic Dojo and buy some comic books, HeroClix or statues will you? And don't forget to show up at Comic Con Plus on May 22nd in Jacksonville, FL!


Alter Egos/Comics Dojo  
400 Madison Ave
Orange Park, FL

Comic Con Plus on May 22nd from 10am - 4pm
@ the Holiday Inn on I-95 and Baymeadows Rd. in Jacksonville, FL