Psst ... !

Today, a new era begins with ...

Join me, won't you?

Not a dream! Not an imaginary story!

And definitely not a What If?!

Things have been waaaay too quiet around here lately, and I think you deserve an explanation. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I left my job to go back to freelance writing (and again, if you know of any jobs or contacts, it would be awesome of you to let me know). I realized, though, that I've only told you half the story.

Not only did I leave the cozy comfort of a regular paycheck for the rough-and-tumble world of self-employment, but I'll also be moving soon. And not like a "moving to the other side of town" kind of moving. More like, "moving to the other side of the COUNTRY" moving. A combination of a university program my wife will be completing along with a hankerin' for some East Coast livin' is taking us to Delaware (just across the state line from Philadelphia) in just a few weeks.

And yes, we've seen the film clip.



As you can imagine, all this has kept things pretty busy here at Casa Romero, which in turn has stalled things a bit at GCP-HQ (didn't know I was incorporated, did you?). But no more! This time I'm giving you a definite date! A date that is coming! Right ... now!

MONDAY, MONDAY, MONNNNNDAAY!

This coming Monday, May 31, will be the beginning of a bold new era for Great Caesar's Post! Polish the china! Change your underpants! Bring in the dogs and put out the children! Above all, prepare yourselves and watch the skies!

ON MONDAY, GREAT CAESAR'S POST WILL RISE AGAIN.
AND NOTHING WILL BE THE SAME.

Hang in there, baby — I've got some big news!

Sorry about the slow posting lately, guys — there have been some big things going on over here, with more on the way, and boy are my arms tired.

What? Um, sorry. I'm a little frazzled.

Aaaaanyway, I usually try to keep the focus on comics here, but since this will impact Great Caesar's Post I thought I should announce it here, too (this will be old news to Facebook pals). A couple of days ago I gave notice at work, with my last day being a few weeks from now.

There are various reasons for it, but I want to say straight out that the parting is completely amicable. No, really. I've loved the company for the past five-plus years I've been here, and leaving was not an easy decision. Still, for a variety of reasons, it's the right time. So beginning in mid-May I'll be going back to freelance writing, which is what I did for three years before taking the job I have now. (As a matter of fact, if you know of any possible freelance gigs out there, please don't be shy about letting me know!)

And just because I know something like this tends to raise certain questions, here's what I said on Facebook earlier:

Believe me, I enjoy the health insurance and regular paycheck. But sometimes there has to be something more; luckily, we've been able to put ourselves in a position where we can give ourselves a chance at that. We've prepared as well as we can, enough that even if things don't go the way we want them to, we still have the maneuverability to change direction if it comes to that. It's also a matter of over-preparation; when does it feel "OK?" When does it not feel like a risk? If we wait for that, we'll never do it. Just be sure we know what it's like out there, and we know what obstacles there'll be — like I said, we've done it before. And that time we weren't prepared AT ALL, and we survived for three years.

I realize this will probably seem foolish to a lot of people —it's a big part of the reason we've been fairly quiet about it. Maybe that makes it seem as if it's coming out of the blue, but it really isn't. When I say we've been planning it for years, it's not hyperbole or a casual figure of speech. We've literally been planning this for years. We've gone over everything that will be changed in our lives, discussed the things that will have to be dropped or modified, and we've come to a place where we feel good about it. It all looks very risky, but we've actually minimized that risk as much as possible.

Besides, we all need a little risk now and then.

I think there might've been a smiley at the end of that last sentence.

So, what does this mean for Great Caesar's Post? More content, and on a more regular basis! That's something I've been wanting to do for a LONG time, so I'm eager to get to it. There will be even more news soon (I KNOW!), so keep your ears on, good buddies, and thanks for your patience during the transition.

It's official: I'm a Geek

Ah ... another day, another — hey! Where's my dollar?!

Anyhoo, if we're Internet bezzies over on the Facebook, you may already know I recently took on the comic book news editor position over at Forces of Geek. I'm pretty excited about it and trying my best while still holding down a day job. Why don't you go over and take a look? The site has also been redesigned and I just posted a short article on a couple of Superman and Wonder Woman analogs gettin' it on in a phone booth. It's big fun, so go check it out.

In the meantime, I'll still be updating here at the ol' Post (if you hear a popping noise, that's just my brains a-sploding). And keep your eyes open for even more Big News coming soon — seriously, it's crazy-time around here!

Attention Austin: Prepare to have your ass kicked

This is kind of a big deal, so listen up!

Austin Books and Comics has announced writer Mark Millar and artist John Romita Jr. will have a signing for their hardcover collection of Kick-Ass at the store from 5 to 6 p.m., Saturday, March 13th. That's a small but no doubt hard-fought-for window giving fans a chance to meet the creators of the popular, blood-soaked comic.

Kick-Ass is the eponymous title for a series about a would-be superhero in the all-too-real world. Inspiring other heroes, making enemies and being on the giving and receiving ends of brutal beat-downs is just the beginning of the story for the young crime-fighter, a story that's now a movie from Lionsgate starring Aaron Johnson and featuring Nicolas Cage and Christopher Mintz-Plasse. The movie will have its world premiere March 12th at SXSW; go see the movie and then get your book signed the next day!

Here are the details on the signing straight from Austin Books:

We're thrilled to have (Millar and Romita, Jr.) here for what will surely be a BIG weekend for Kick-Ass. To make sure as many people get to meet them as possible, we have a few rules in place for this signing.

• Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. are scheduled to be here from 5 to 6 p.m. Be sure to get here early for your best chance to get a signature!

• You're welcome to bring a camera to the event and take pictures, but we've been asked that there be no individualized photos. They slow the line down a lot, and our guests have limited time with us as it is.

• Each person in line is allowed to have one item signed. This is a promotion for the new Kick-Ass movie, so the only book being signed is the Kick-Ass hardcover. If you've already bought the hardcover FROM US and made contact with us before this notice, you may bring that in. We will have copies of the hardcover available for sale that day. If you'd rather not buy a hardcover, there will be free Kick-Ass mini-posters to be signed. No other outside material will be allowed into the store.

• There will be no holding places in line. Anyone new to the line goes to the end of it. This will be enforced!

We know this all sounds a little hardcore, but we want to make sure as many people as possible get their books signed in the limited time we have. By following these rules, you may be ensuring that you get your chance to meet them.

Disclaimer: All details are subject to change.

Austin Books is located at 5002 N. Lamar Blvd.; here's a handy map. See you there!

Staple! Bound

It's that time of year again; the weather is warming up, the sun is shining a little brighter and Staple! — one of the best indie cons in the region — is just over the horizon.

I seem to say this every time, but I have to because it's always true — Staple! gets better every single year. Now on its sixth go-round, the independent media expo will again be an event you should attend if you're anywhere near the Austin area on March 6. Heck, even if you're not you should consider attending since the line-up will include:

• Guy Davis, the current artist on B.P.R.D.

• Andy Runton, who cranks up the cute with Owly

• Chris Schweizer, author of the Crogan's Adventure series of graphic novels, who will also be giving a talk on entertaining and educational cartooning

• Jason Neulander, the Austin-based producer, director, and co-creator of The Intergalactic Nemesis, a radio drama/stage show that has since spawned a "live-action graphic novel" and, finally, a comic book.

That's only the tip of the 85-plus exhibitors iceberg, and without fail every guest, exhibitor, artist, writer and miscellaneous creator has been engaging, friendly and more than willing to spend time with fans. Staple! is always a good time, and I really think it's on the verge of going big-time — go now so you can say you knew-it-when. Besides, it's only $5 to get in — five bucks!

Also, I'll be volunteering again this year, so if you see what you suspect is a sasquatch at the ticket booth, be sure to say hello. And I wouldn't say no to a cookie.

This year I'm especially excited about the performance of the first two episodes of the live-action Intergalactic Nemesis. It's a crazy fusion of media wrapped around a scene-chewing pulp center, featuring three actors, a Foley artist and a keyboardist set against a backdrop showcasing the work of local graphic artist Tim Doyle. The story itself is a period-action-sci-fi-horor-space-opera set in 1933 following the adventures of reporter Molly Sloan and her assistant, Timmy Mendez, as they cross swords with mesmerist Mysterion the Magnificent. And an invasion of sludge-monsters from the planet Zygon. As you might guess, it's pretty fantastic.

More information about The Intergalactic Nemesis in all its forms (issue #2 of the comic is due in stores soon and will also be available at Staple!), as well as future performances can be found at the Web site.

And again, that's just part of what is planned for this year's expo, so I hope to see you there — if you're missing Staple!, you're missing out.

•••

Staple!

March 6, 2010
Monarch Event Center
Austin, Texas

Doors open at 11 a.m.
Tickets: $5

Time flies

Hey, I just realized I completely missed my four-year blogging anniversary! Truthfully, I didn't really start gearing up until March 2006, but still — four years. Holy crap.


I know! I'm shocked, too!

Why isn't the earth aflame?

Today marks my 40th of your "Earth years," and I'm pretty hyped about it. A big, meaty meal and The Wolfman are on the horizon, and the coming year (and years following that) promise to be full of Adventure and Interesting Things. I know middle-age is supposed to be some sort of soul-crushing mill stone rather than milestone, but I'm excited about the promise the Big 4-Oh will bring.

It's also possible I've finally snapped.

Either way, I'm glad I was around and more or less paying attention when the intoxicating scent of the Silver/Bronze Age gumbo was a-bubblin', because, brother, if that doesn't make you a comic book fan, nothing will.

I mean, check out what was on the stands in 1970:

Young Love!

All-Star Western!

Mutha-f'n Conan the Barbarian!

Astonishing Tales!

And of course, probably a personal favorite also debuted that year — witness the birth of:

Jack Kirby's Fourth World!

You know what that means? That's right; me and this guy are the same age:



Truly, the voice of a generation.

Pro on the Con: Wizard is coming to Austin

Austin is a comic book town.

There are several very good comic books shops in the area; four come to mind immediately, and at least one of them could make a fair argument for "world-class" status. A handful of comic creators — including Rob Osborne, Paul Benjamin, Matt Sturges and Paul Maybury—make their home here, and that's not even including the indie creators and people I'm sure I've overlooked. Austin is also where you'll find the ever-awesome Staple! expo and the Webcomics Rampage event.

And according to Wizard's announcement yesterday, it's now going to be the site of a full-on comic book convention when the Wizard World — Austin Comic-Con debuts in November. Wizard Entertainment CEO Gareb Shamus was quoted in the press release as saying:

“The fans have spoken and they want us back in Texas. We previously had a great experience here and are thrilled to be back,” Shamus said. “It's a great city with a top-notch convention center and we're really looking forward to seeing our fans at the type of pop-culture festival only we can bring."

That tap-tap-tapping you hear is me doing a happy dance.

I'll confess, I've never been to a Wizard con, but I can't remember hearing anything awful about one. And C'MON, it's a con that's going to be a 15 minute drive from where I live! Maybe — traffic is about as bad as you've heard if you're not already Downtown.

I pretty sure Wizard World will find a warm reception here. As I said, Austin is a comic book kind of town with a lot of experience in dealing with large events *SXSWcoughACLFestcough* showcasing music, movies and everything in-between. I'm sorry the con won't be in the Dallas area anymore (not really), but I'm glad it'll be coming to my home base (yes, really).

In the coming months I'll be putting together a survival guide for people who'll be here for the Austin Comic-Con, so if you think you'll be coming to town let me know what kind of information you'd like to arm yourself with in the comments. (First tip: Book a hotel room early.)

Now if you'll excuse me: tap-tappity-tap-tap-tap ...



Wizard World — Austin Comic-Con
Nov. 12-14, 2010 (Friday-Sunday)
500 E. Cesar Chavez St. Austin, TX 78701

Go to the Austin Comic-Con site for updated ticket, guest and other information.

Today is the King's birthday!

Before we get into it, let me make a confession: I wasn't always a fan of comic book legend Jack Kirby.

Yes, I was a moron.

OK, maybe "moron" is a bit harsh. I can see where Kirby's distinct drawing style and tendency for sudsy, overblown dialogue wouldn't be everyone's thing. It certainly wasn't mine for a while. "What's with these blocky heads?" I'd ask myself. "Why does everyone have square fingers, and why is everyone's mouth open like that?!" I'd complain. "And why won't these people shut up?!?"

Of course I was too young and too shallow a comic book reader to understand Kirby was a trailblazer. I didn't get it when he drew panels that somehow translated the cinematic energy of film into four colors. I completely overlooked the new ways he laid things out, and his use of collage went right over my head. And of course I didn't know enough then to realize this was all new. No one had done it before. Not like Jack Kirby.

Now I devour Kirby stories like a starving man at a Las Vegas buffet. Now I realize that the melodrama Kirby employed was a distinct decision on his part, guiding it beyond what could have been empty bombast to something that has the weight of opera. Really, it's that good.

On top of all that, it's just plain fun. Monsters, superheroes, romance and things that defy easy definition — Kirby did it all. And for that, I'm grateful. Today would have been Jack Kirby's 92nd birthday, but whenever I read one of his stories I think it's his readers who received the real gift.

In honor of the mind-bending imagination that was the trademark of the man called "King," take a couple of aspirin and head over to Zaius Nation, where you can read an early Kirby story called:



Oh, hell, I can't resist; here's one of my favorite Darkseid panels while I'm at it:


And finally, something from Gavin Jasper over at 4th Letter; I think Jack Kirby would approve.

And have a Lovecrafty day

It's probably come up here a few times (especially during Halloween), but I'm a huge fan of H.P. Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos. So as far as I'm concerned today should be a national holiday because it's ol' Howie's 119th birthday! (He continues to celebrate them, even though he long became a hideous, undying man-beast lolling about under the gibbering sea. What, you didn't know?)

To mark the occasion, I'd recommend a little reading material, namely Cthulhu Tales Vol. 1. This collection of stories single-handedly rekindled my dormant interest in Lovecraft's work, and I've been devouring both the originals and BOOM! Studios' Cthulhu-inspired titles ever since. So why don't you raise a glass of ichor and give a try?

Links! (or, how sausage is made)

It's been busy around the GCP-HQ today, so I'm being a weenie and taking the easy way out by giving you links to other peoples' content. (Seriously, though, it would be a shame to miss out on any of these, so make with the clicky-clicky.)

First up, something from the local paper about a graphic novel born out of a national tragedy. Struck by the disaster that was the response (or, some might argue, lack of response) to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, author Josh Neufeld volunteered to help with the clean-up in the storms' aftermath, keeping a blog of his experiences and conversations with the people of New Orleans. Eventually Neufeld merged the vignettes of seven survivors into the comic book stories that would make up "A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge."

The Austin-American Statesman has a Q&A with Neufeld available online here, as well as some samples of art from the book. (If you're in town, you might also want to catch Neufeld's reading and signing tomorrow.)


Speaking of local news, if you do happen to find yourself in Austin you should also pencil in some time to spend with Paul Benjamin, Alan J. Porter and Jack Mitchell, who will be at Austin Books from 4:30 to 7 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday, Aug. 19) to sign the latest issues of their BOOM! Studios titles. Porter will be signing copies of The World of Cars: The Rookie, Mitchell will be there with Poe, and Benjamin (who you might know from all the awesome Marvel Adventure stuff he's been cranking out, as well as his own Pantheon High) will be lovingly adding a personal touch to Monster's Inc: Laugh Factory.

The staff at Austin Books are always great, the place has recently been renovated to make the best use of all its cavernous space, and Paul Benjamin is a hell of a nice guy. I can't vouch for the other two but I'm assuming they're not jerks, so give it a whirl!


Speaking of jerks, Chris Sims of the mighty Invincible Super-Blog seems intent on pulling off some sort of nerdly hat-trick and recently finished up his second Web comic AND launched a new podcast.

Besides making it nearly impossible for anyone to ever complain about not having time to post ever again (ahem), he's raising the bar by churning out material that — dammit — is good. If you haven't already, I'd recommend heading for the Action Age and checking out the complete Woman of A.C.T.I.O.N. #1, a slightly more straight-forward than usual story from Sims (with art and letters by Chris Piers and colors by Steve Downer) about a British secret agent who finds herself up against her old enemy, Doktor Heinrich von Killswitch, and his casino of death. You can also download it if you'd like to hold it close to your computers' bosom (what?).

Somewhere in between writing a daily comic book blog and producing his own comics, Sims also went ahead and broke the laws of physics, somehow finding the time to join Eugene Ahn and unleash the podcast War Rocket Ajax on a grateful nation. The first episode is already up, with Matt Fraction — MATT FRACTION — as their first guest, so go give it a listen.

Aw, crap ... I twittered.

Yeah, I finally gave in, so I can now be found on Twitter if you're so inclined. Don't expect constant updates (at least not until my obsessive gene kicks in), but if you're using Twitter it'd be swell to pal around.

The return of Staple! and other items of interest (plus a question!)

I don't go to a lot of comic book conventions, but Staple! is one I try hard not to miss.

Staple! is an expo for independently produced comics and other self-published literature, art and any other creative endeavor that fits the vibe of a hip mini-con, here in Austin, Texas. I have an unnatural love for Staple!, and though I've said it before, it really does get bigger and better with each year.

This year is the fifth for the expo, and the organizers have some pretty exciting guests lined up. At the top of the bill is Stan Sakai, legendary creator of Usagi Yojimbo (and this year's Staplegator logo). If I can keep from going into a fanboy coma, I'm really looking forward to meeting him. He'll also be joined by Chris Onstad (of Achewood fame) and Jeffrey Brown (Incredible Change-Bots and other great comics) — not to mention a host of other guests and vendors. You can get the latest information on guests and programming at the Web site.

If you're anywhere near the Austin area, I recommend carving out a couple of hours to take in what's ultimately a very cool meeting of the comic book-minded.

---

Speaking of very cool, the Staple! podcasts are being taken care of by the guys over at Dial-A-Stranger, which is itself one of my favorite regular podcasts. The concept is simple; people e-mail or call in with queries on ... well, anything ... and then hosts Mercedes and Zach randomly call someone from a list of other people who have volunteered to take a question.

It sounds simple and it is, but the interaction between the hosts and the person on the other end of the line is frequently hilarious and often poignant.

It's also well worth a listen.

---

So, Scans-Daily was shut down, huh? I only went to the site a few times — usually when someone else's blog linked to it — so I can't pretend to know too much about it. But I do know that a lot of the people who populated S_D tended to skirt the definition of Fair Use and made a lot of noise, both about how creators didn't know how to use their own characters and about how the posters had some sort of right to do whatever they wanted with someone else's work.

Let me say right off that I'm a big free speech and fair use guy. But that doesn't mean that anything created by anyone else is mine to use as I will. It's illegal and it's disprespectful to the creator. And to not only post almost complete (and in some cases, entirely complete) issues online AND THEN crow about it ... well, that just isn't very smart and you deserved to get shut down. No amount of hand-wringing, cries of man-hate (I didn't even realize S_D was supposed to be a "female space" until recently) or claims of comic book evangelism will change that.

Lisa Fortuner and Andrew Weiss have very good points to make about the whole thing, so go check it out. For myself, I'm sorry people will miss their sense of community, but I'm not sorry to see Scans_Daily go. I tend to avoid message boards and the like because they always seem to end up making me depressed and angry; we'll see how long the mods can keep some of the more interesting new boards to pop up in S_D's place from spinning out of control.

---

You may have noticed (or not — what am I, a mind-reader?) that there were some strange goings-on here at the blog yesterday. Blogger has been giving me more and more trouble lately, so I ask you, Internet: Is it time to switch to Wordpress? Tell me, Internet, tell me!!

Hey Austin, I'm talking to you

Like a lot of people who end up writing comic book blogs, I was lucky enough to work in a comic shop a few years ago. Even luckier, I worked with some great people who made the fact I was surrounded by comics all day the icing on the cake.

Two of those folks, Eric and Roy, have finally made their dream come true by opening their own shop here in Austin. Tribe Comics and Games has only been open a couple of weeks and, like most new businesses, could use your support. If you live in Austin, swing by the shop and give them a try — the guys know their comics (and RPGs and board games) and they truly appreciate their customers, so you know you'll be in good hands.

And hey, the holidays are coming up, so what better time to do a little comic book shopping? Because, y'know, some of us like getting comics for Christmas.

Just sayin'.

So if you find yourself in the Austin area, show Tribe Comics and Games some love. Tell them Max sent ya!

Well, I did spend all afternoon making knuckle sandwiches ...

Attention fighters:

With the blessing of Bahlactus, the battle resumes in one week in a new ring — will you be there?

Sucka?

Contest: Who needs the Olympics? We have a winner!

After crunching some numbers, getting in touch with our spirit animal and conferring with the Shadowy Council of Shadowy Men, a winner of the Batman: The Movie contest has been revealed:


Congratulations, T. Rakei! Send me an e-mail with your mailing information (the address is in my profile) and I'll send Batman: The Movie winging your way. And thanks to everyone who participated — you guys are swell. Even Robin thinks so!

... and boy, are my arms tired

Aaaaannnd ... we're back!

Well, "back" might be stretching it. While the vacation is over and I'm back at HQ, things are still a little fuzzy around the edges; I'm trying to gear things back up to something like the normal rhythm around here, so keep hope alive.

As long as I'm doing some housekeeping, let's go ahead and say the deadline for that Batman: The Movie contest is, oh, midnight tonight. If you haven't already entered, do it now! And if you have, thanks for playing — and good luck!

Huh. I feel as if I should be leaving you with more, but it's like I'm under the unblinking gaze of ...

THE DEAD EYES
OF JIMMY OLSEN

Hey, check out my briefs

Between trips out of town and the resulting backlog at work, posting here at GCP has been even spottier than usual — but that doesn't mean I haven't been around! Here are some of the things that have been in the back of my mind recently:

No, I haven't seen it yet. I know, I know — but it hasn't been because of a lack of desire, that's for sure (especially after I saw Church's and Sims' spoiler-free reviews). I tried to see it yesterday, but tickets had already sold out for the next two showings so I'm planning to try again this afternoon. But you know what's the worst part, worse than the anticipation or trying to avoid the inevitable spoilers? Here it is: My mom has already seen The Dark Knight.

My mom.

---

Speaking of lame, what's up with Christian Bale? It's never right to assault anybody, but your mother and sister?! I'm hoping — probably foolishly — that the allegations somehow turn out to be false, but we'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, my selfish fanboy soul hopes this doesn't end up reflecting badly on the movie. Stupid Christian Bale.

Edit to Add: Thankfully, the whole thing doesn't seem to be as bad as the media reports first made it sound. Bale denies the allegations, the cops don't seem too stressed about it, and even his mother and sister seem to be downplaying the so-called incident. It's also important to note the definition of "assault" is different in England and in this case basically seems to mean he angrily hollered at people. Under that definition, I'd be considered a repeat offender. All in all, it seems to be no big deal — just the sort of thing that happens within families every Thanksgiving. It actually bothers me more that Fox seems to be the only ones following up on this story.

---

Speaking of movies, after seeing the trailer for the Watchmen movie, I'm getting more and more (cautiously) optimistic about the final product. I'm still a little worried about what's going to go into the movie and what's going to have to come out, but as long as the core concepts are included I think it'll turn out alright. So far it looks pretty good, and while Nite Owl is a little more buff than I expected, Dr. Manhattan is damn near perfect.

Also, this picture of the original Minutemen is pretty fantastic:

That's kind of what you would expect costumes in the 40s to look like, right? Sorta homemade and goofy looking. I appreciate that someone is paying attention to little details like that, instead of just going for wall-to-wall "WaTChmEn RUleZ!!"

---

So, I haven't read any Spider-Man books regularly for a while now (the clones did it to me), but I might have to pick this one up when it comes out in August just for the Adi Granov cover alone:

Positive reviews keep floating around, so this may be what gets me to finally give the post-Brand New Day Spidey a chance. Or not. We'll have to wait to see if Amazing Spider-Man Family #1 is any good or just a bunch of crap wrapped in a really beautiful cover.

---

As I mentioned at the beginning of this ramble, I've been out of town a lot lately and I'll be traveling again late next week (helloooo, Veracruz! Home of some of the best coffee ever as well as soul-crushing humidity).

Of course, that's also the same time the mighty Bahlactus will be hosting the first round of his latest Friday Night Fights bout, so I'm either going to be really, really early with my entry or I'm going to be experimenting with the scheduling function on Blogger. Either way, prepare for potential weirdness! I've been a longtime FNF participant and I've always appreciated how much work Bahlactus obviously puts into it, so I'm not about to miss one now — especially since the Big B hints that this might be the final fight.

If that's the case, I hope you'll join me in a proper salute.

The con that ate Austin

If you happen to be anywhere near the Austin area next weekend and you have any love for comics or the small press, I'm guessing Staple! has already been added to your to-do list. If not — what's the matter with you?

Staple! is a great little expo that gets bigger every year, and features the talent of both local and national creators. This year's big names are Eric Powell (who provided the art for the 2008 version of the Staplegator) and Brian Wood, and favorites like David Malki, Danielle Corsetto and Scott Kurtz are scheduled to be there, too (check out the link for more details).

One of the things I always like about Staple! is how laid-back the whole thing tends to be; the creators are always very cool and willing to just kind of hang out with attendees, and there's usually a good mix of participants to check out. Austin's a good comic book and media town, and it's not uncommon to run into folks like Paul Benjamin, Harry Knowles and Rivkah. All in all, it's a lot of fun for a $5 ticket. Seriously, if you think about it that's just ridiculous.

I plan on being there this year, so let me know if you might be going — it'd be cool to meet up!

And really, doesn't that Eric Powell poster kick 10 kinds of ass?