The Daily Cross Hatch » Microcon, Part 2

Microcon, Part 2

Tyler Page manned a table for two in absence of his talented illustrator wife, Cori Doerrfeld.

I went to visit the Eisner-nominated Page specifically looking for the third issue of his self-published comic Nothing Better. Turns out he quit printing after #2! Tyler has made the whole series available online and has recently won a Xeric Grant to print up the first volume. The main characters from Nothing Better are two female roommates who just began college at a religious institution. I’m so excited for the first volume to print. I have a guilty lust for the plot like I do with most high school television drama. The girls’ problems in issues 1-2 were simple but engaging. Now I need to make sure they come out okay as two adult females merely challenged by the constraints of a religious environment, not formed as jello to its mold. There was also an amusing dorky fellow who loved animation and I want to know if he’ll get anymore dates.

Cori Doerrfeld was unavailable to sit at Microcon, so her husband Page set up for her. She is a remarkable illustrator and writes wonderfully sweet, cohesive stories. The prints available on her side of the table were fruity-colored and happy. They made me wistful for my youth, footie pajamas and bananas without innuendo. Recently, her first children’s book was published. I think it is genius that she goes to cons with self-published full-color mini-kids books to sell. For the comic fans, she also attempted to write a short series of comic books and ended up with adorable monkey comics. Hers was perhaps the most colorful display at Microcon, so if anyone’s distributing prizes, I’ve cast my vote for loveliest.

What’s fun for me at conventions is running into the Internet. Suddenly my whole livejournal friends list seems to show up and awkwardly approach me before identifying themselves by avatar. Charles Raymond here is one such geek. He and I have mailed mini trades in the past, so I had to check out his swag before the recognition hit. He and his wife are incredibly nice. Don’t they look nice? I had no idea they’d look like that! They’re working on a project right now that she’s written and he’ll illustrate as part of their creative cooperative, Geek Show Inc. Confidentially, Webernet, it sounds like “houseofduck” needs to pick up the slack on this long-awaited graphic novel.

Big Time Attic is perhaps best known for everything you can see sitting on the table in this photograph. They design, animate, illustrate, cartoon and contribute. Probably they also juggle, keep bees and have claim to at least four legs of the next Olympic torch race.

Photographed is Kevin Cannon who is a fantastic minicomic creator as well as cog in the BTA machine. His little square pictures break my heart and make me laugh. It’s all in the timing. Kevin is able to write his stories at a very intelligent pace that moves with the reader. He also writes hilarious faux autobio stories. Typically he sells a few minis from the BTA table, gems at only $2 per. I’d go so far as to call it Microcon’s best deal.

I always want to know this: What do the Super Folk do when there’s a con goin’ on?

Burgers and a cool refreshing drink for Batman!

The public demands less ink and more heat vision next time Supes signs a check.