As I prepare for my imminent departure on the Funny Aminals/Dark Corners Book Tour tomorrow it struck me tonight that ten whole years have passed since I first started making real inroads into this crazy comics “industry”.
It was ten years ago that the first and only issue of Magic Inkwell Comic Strip Theatre was published in print and I was in the midst of my first experiments with online comics. Tonight at midnight I turn 37 and tomorrow I embark on a book tour to celebrate the release of two wonderful anthologies (one of which I had the honor of being a part of). I’ll be selling copies of the Magic Inkwell Reader, which collects the work I did when I was 26/27 years old (as well as copies of the Secrets & Lies Anthology which I edited and published a year and a half ago).
A lot can happen in ten years. To be honest, I feel like I’ve lived several lifetimes over the course of that time. I have nothing really profound to say about all this because I’m having a hard time putting into words what it is exactly that I’m feeling… it’s almost a mix of nostalgia, melancholy and bittersweet joy I suppose.
Ten years later I’m still working on comics and enjoying every minute of it, but my life has changed dramatically (and many times over) since then. All the hope and promise I felt at 27 has pretty much been fulfilled or is on the way to being fulfilled now that I’m 37, but maybe not exactly in the way I’d envisioned it back then. Even though there has been some disillusionment along the way, I don’t feel bitter, angry, disappointed or discouraged but rather stronger and better for it. I’m definitely not the same man I was at 27 that I am now at 37, but I wouldn’t necessarily say that I’d change anything or that I’d have it any other way.
I’m enjoying this time in my life very much and feel lucky to be able to celebrate my birthday by going on the road this weekend to sell my comics and promote my work along with some of my wonderful and talented friends. So enough of this sentimentality and here’s a rundown of my scheduled stops this weekend. Hopefully I’ll get to see some of you at one these events:
Friday, October 16th:
Desert Island
540 Metropolitan Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
7-9PM
Saturday, October 17th:
Hub Comics
Union Square
19 Bow Street
Somerville, MA 02143
7-9pm
Sunday, October 18th (not sure if I’m going to make this one or not, but I’m planning on it):
Ada Books
717 Westminster Street
Providence RI, 02903
2-4pm
My internet access will be spotty at best over the next few days but I’ll be checking in as best I can. I’ll DEFINITELY be doing the whole twitter thing throughout the weekend and taking many photo evidences which I’ll upload when I get back so as to share all my adventures this weekend with all of you. Thanks so much for all the birthday well wishes I’ve already gotten and hopefully some of us will get to celebrate together tomorrow night and/or Friday night in NYC.
One thing I would like to do on Friday night (after the book signing and dinner) is maybe hit the Brooklyn Bowl and check out Eclectic Method’s regular Friday MIDNIGHT METHOD show. That would be rad.
Oh, and in case you feel like getting me a birthday present… 
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