At APE, we shared a table with Tessa from Tessa’s Braces whom we hadn’t met before…and she was also vegan! She opted to pick the meat and dairy out of her convention sandwich.

The list of vegan comic artists is big enough to warrant planning around. So, for all of you who plan conventions, please listen to Sarah and remember us.

However, if that’s the case, they should call a percentage of each table cost a tax-deductible donation, yah? Maybe that’s not possible, but it’s just a thought.

I would imagine that a convention for conventioneers would be a bit like the event planning class I took last year, which is to say, awful. Although some of the broad points can be helpful, the thrust of the event planning industry has almost nothing to do with grassroots events along the lines of SF, NYC, or Twin Cities Zine Fests.

I just want to also pipe in about table fees… Although I totally agree that a lot of “indy” shows are getting ridiculous (I have personally been priced out of MoCCA, for sure!), I think that its important that exhibitors (myself included) keep in mind that these events take a huge commitment to put on, in both money and time. If you keep the table fees bargain basement, then you have to run an all volunteer operation (which as Sarah mentioned, leads to severe burn out and heavy turn over, both of which I see as very bad things for the fest), and it becomes very hard to afford the basiscs (esp. in expensive cities like SF and NY), much less a rental space that’s a bit nicer, or perhaps is more centrally located, leading to more foot traffic, which leads to more sales for the exhibitors, etc. Just a thought. I think, like Anna said, the main thing is to have venues for all different kinds of creators, from zine fests up thru MoCCA & APE and beyond.

I especially like the part about keeping table prices LOW, I went to MOCCA this summer and could barely afford it even though I was sharing the table with three other people. Now the table prices have gone even HIGHER and it’s no longer an indie-comic convention because the indie comic-makers can’t afford the table price. I’m hoping that around the same time as MOCCA next year there will be a smaller, more affordable convention in NY, truly aimed at the small comic publishers. Y’know, something like Zinefest.

In the UK there is ConRunner, and in the US there is SMOF con.

I really like the idea of panels targeted at exhibitors. Especially “making your hobby into a business.” I feel that it doesn’t take much to open up Excel and document your expenses vs. profits, yet so little of us do it. Almost every self-publisher is losing money, so we might as well get some credits back for it!!!

Again, thanks for the event.