Pro Tips For Tabling At Comics Conventions 3

Pro Tips for Tabling at Comics Conventions page 3

Transcript

1. CAPTION: Connect with your visitors. IMAGE: Tall skinny young exhibitor with blond hair swept across eyes, looking down at phone & presumably texting, says, “Feel free to text me if you have any questions” to annoyed-looking older man looking at his comics.
2. CAPTION: Don’t be a know-it-all. IMAGE: Attendee: “Excuse me, where are the panel discussions?” Exhibitor, reading comic book & shrugging: “I dunno.”
3. CAPTION: Bring snacks to keep your energy up. IMAGE: Happy-looking exhibitor, who has been eating chocolate cake with his bare hands & has it smeared around his mouth, extends a cake-covered hand out for a handshake, saying “Oh, hi!” to a woman, who recoils.
4. CAPTION: Give out promotional items. IMAGE: Cocky-looking exhibitor dude to skeptical-looking attendee: “Have a gum wrapper I wrote my web address on! I chewed the gum myself!”
5. CAPTION: Check out other comics. IMAGE: Rude cartoonist (henceforth abbreviated as ‘RC’.): “Man, so much effort went into this cover, but then inside just sucks!” Creator looks shocked, angry.
6. CAPTION: Network with other creators. IMAGE: RC to disapproving-looking exhibitor: “Boy, are [censored name]’s comics over-rated or what?” (gestures over shoulder)
7. CAPTION: Treat yourself to a good meal afterward. IMAGE: Fancy waiter to RC: “Tonight’s special is Flavorful Meat marinated in Vitamin Waer (TM).”
8. CAPTION: Above all – have fun! IMAGE: RC, dragging suitcase, thinks: “Man, everyone I met was frowning – what a bunch of negative jerks!”

Update 2011-02-21: I just noticed I left out a word in the “networking” panel – he’s supposed to be saying the person’s comics are “overrated“, not “over”! I’ll fix it for the print version, at least.

Pro Tips For Tabling At Comics Conventions 2

Pro Tips for Tabling at Comics Conventions page 2

Transcript

1. Exhibitor, a short young woman with blond hair, stands smiling with her hands clasped behind her back while a large man reads one of her comic. He has spiked hair, tattoos, piercings, etc.
2. Man puts down the comic & walks away; exhibitor looks disappointed.
3. & 4. She runs up behind him, clobbers him with a metal pipe, and drags him through a doorway.
5-8. In the hallway she takes money from his wallet, drops some of her comics on him, and runs away, leaving him unconscious on the floor.

Pro Tips For Tabling At Comics Conventions 1

Pro Tips for tabling at Comics Conventions page 1

Transcript

1. CAPTION: Have an eye-catching display. IMAGE: One exhibitor has a large table banner (“How-Doo Comix”). On his table, besides comics, he has candles, and black cones holding up those glass balls with the lightning effect inside. The poles at either end of his table are shooting fire out of their tops; they and the crosspiece between them are wrapped in Christmas lights. At the center of the cross-piece is a “Deer Crossing” sign with crab claws hanging from it. The exhibitor is wearing a crown and looking self-satisfied. Other exhibitors look variously frightened, startled, or dismayed.
2. CAPTION: Don’t be afraid! IMAGE: A scruffy exhibitor overcompensates by standing with arms crossed and staring aggressively with bloodshot eyes at a passerby, who looks puzzled and leans away.
3. CAPTION: Be confident. IMAGE: Smarmy exhibitor, referring to comic held by annoyed-looking woman: “If you think that thing is any good, prepare to be blown away by my comics!
4. CAPTION: Be approachable. IMAGE: Behind a comics table, a sign in the shape of a downward-pointing arrow reads, “I’m down here if you want to buy anything.”
5. CAPTION: Be friendly. IMAGE: Sleazy exhibitor to irritated woman putting comic back on his table: “Wanna come back to my room later?”