Phil Meadows and I attended the Minnesota Comic Book Association’s MicroCon 2004 on Sunday, and it was an awesome experience.

I was up until 3:00AM the night before getting the Metro Med web site built enough that we could advertise it on the fliers. It was six hours long. The chairs were a tad uncomfortable (nice chairs, I’m just a chubby guy who doesn’t fit in them quite right). And we only sold a few issues of our comic and a couple other items.

Despite all that, it was a great convention that left me stoked. And here’s why:

Phil and I printed out a photo-quality print of our Metro Med contest entry pinup and had it on display in a plastic easel, and we promoted it on part of a flier that we were handing out. The response was inspiring and astounding.

Visitors wanted to buy the book. They asked if we had copies available now so they could buy it. They said it was an ingenious idea. They loved the print and praised Phil’s art. They said they’d go vote for us in the Small Press Idol because they want to read the book. They wished us the best in making it happen. They listened to more details about the book and liked what they heard. One friendly young woman even took a few fliers and said she was going to drop off photocopies of it at some comic shops in Chicago!

I’ve never had an experience like this. It’s such a change from the friendly and polite interest we’ve gotten in our two previous works. (Nothing against the quality or subject of our previous stories, just that you say “anthology” and people glaze over.)

This experience convinced me that I’m on to something, and Phil and I are going to push ahead on making this happen as a series, somehow. I’d be all for self-publishing if not for the fact that this comic really needs color. But once our first 8-pager is done we’ll shop it around to a few companies, plus we’ll talk it over with Dimestore. One way or another, baby, we’re going to turn this mother out.

The Minnesota Comic Book Association deserves a big salute for the fine guest services. (The lunch at MicroCon was a healthy and delicious homemade wrap sandwich. Much appreciated!) Their evil henchmen are the best, and we’d like to thank Nick of MNCBA for fitting us in. That’s no small feat; MicroCon has grown so much that they don’t have enough room for all of the professionals who can attend! It’s one packed con. I wouldn’t be surprised if they look to expand it the way they did FallCon. But MNCBA gave chairs to both Phil and myself and we are very grateful.

We missed Erik Burnham. We’ll be sure to get in early for FallCon’s attendees list so that Phil, Erik and I can sit together and promote Job Wanted and Shooting Star (and maybe even Mystic Visions Anthology if we win and get published in it).