HI, I haven't posted in a while because of getting ready for SPX. well, I'm back, and here are my photos: Pics From SPX 2003, The Small Press Expo.

I have a suitcase of books to read, and some drawings due for my site update, so when I'm done reading stuff I'll post my comments here.

well, I looked all around and it's gonna be hard to lay in a supply of 110 minute cassettes big enough to dub a copy of my Halloween mixtape for everybody.

I'm examining the playlist to decide where I can cut ten minutes from each side, in order to fit it onto the standard 90 min cassette that everybody still uses.

I guess since folks all got into MP3 and CD burners, the 110-minute cassette, which was designed to better fit most music CDs on a side, is becoming obsolete. Damn. I liked being able to squeeze an extra few songs per side in.
well I'll look at my play list and try to cull it again. (I've already culled down from about 200 candidate songs to get the 42 or so that made it onto the tape, I have lots of stuff that will have to hope it makes it next year already.)

Here's a website that will help you in your research if you want to get into doing your own Halloween tapes. Nightmare City Halloween is an annual radio broadcast, and is celebrating it's 25th year in 2003. At their site they have info on how to get this Year's show over the web, if you're near your computer on Halloween Night. You can also see playlists from previous shows.

Speaking of Halloween Mixtapes, as there are only 70 chopping days left, i have compiled this year's Howl-O-Ween mixtape. here's my play list:

Howl-O-Ween 2003; Curse of the BentWolf
side 1 "Moonlight Becomes You"
Intro from The Count
Danny Hutton.................................................... Monster Shindig
Screaming Lord Sutch.................................. All Black & Hairy
Nekromantix................................................... Trick or Treat
Nu-Trends......................................................... Spooksville
Louis Armstrong ............................................... Spooks
Dan Russo and His Oriole Orchestra.............. ‘Taint No Sin (to Take Off Your Skin and Dance Around in Your Bones)
Bobby “Boris” Pickett...................... The Werewolf Watusi
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion........................... She Said
Gary Warren.................................................. Werewolf
The Woggles............................................... Dracula’s Daughter
Round Robin................................................ I’m The Wolf Man
Todd Rundgren............................................ Wolfman Jack
GasHuffer................................................. Where Wolfmen Lurk
Children of The Night................................. Monster Time
L7......................................................................... Monster
Danny Hutton............................................... The Monster Jerk
The Brickbats............................................ Do The Dead Girl
The Boss Martians................................. Have You Ever Seen...?
Phantom Creeps.......................................... Intro/Dead Sled
The Superfine Dandelion............................. Janie’s Tomb


Side 2 "Fangs for the Memories"
Sheldon Allman........................... Children’s Day at the Morgue
4 Flops.................................................. Trick or Treat
The Martini Bros.......................... Nightmare (Party On Wheels)
Freddy Fortune & the Four-Gone Conclusions.. Dracula’s Deuce
Zane Brothers............................................. Dracula
The Brickbats.............................................. Dr. Acula
The Groovie Ghoulies....................... (She’s My) Vampire Girl
Adam Ant........................................................ Vampires
Children of The Night....................... Dracula’s Undying Love
Dicky Doo & The Don’ts........................ Flip Top Box
The Neanderthals...................................... I Go Ape
Tarantula Ghoul & The Gravediggers............ King Kong
Bert Convy...................................................... Gorilla
Roy Clark................................................... Spooky Movies
Cris Kevin.................................................. Haunted House
Big Bee Kornegay....................... At the House of Frankenstein
Hollywood Flames.............................. Frankenstein’s Den
Bill Cosby, briefly, on Frankenstein Movies
Eddie Thomas.......................................... Frankenstein Rock
Swinging Phillies.............................. Frankenstein’s Party
Eddie Angel & The Omega Men.. Frankie’s Groovy Monster Boots
Buck Owens................................... (It’s A) Monster’s Holiday
Deadbolt..................................................... Scare Me


If you'd like me to dub a copy of this for you, just send a blank 110-minute cassette and a SASE to:
Ben T. Steckler, POB 7273, York, PA, 17404

if you can't find 110-minute cassettes, send me a good 90-minute tape to replace the 110 from my own stash that I'll have to use. And if you have your own monster-mix that you think I'll like, we can trade.

if you want your copy in time for Halloween, get a blank out to me by the first week of October. my master gets retired from dubbing on October 15th.

Oh Boy! Folks who have been the recipient of one of my Halloween tapes can probably guess that I have a soft spot for the Classic monster movies, especially when they are used as kitschy educational or promotional tools. here's a great site where the Universal Studios fearsome folks help to teacjh kids about science. Miami Museum of Science - The Atoms Family

Here's a quote from "Frankenstein's Electrical laboratory" that take's on a strange meaning when pulled out of context:

"What is young Frankenstein doing wrong? If you guessed "pulling his toy by the power cord" you're right!

We now have a new theater in York which is bringing in more independent films. I'm anxiously hoping that I don't have to wait too long to see American Splendor, the movie version of Harvey Pekar's great comics. It stars two of the greatest lesser-known talents, Paul Giamatti and Hope Davis.

Until the movie comes out, I'll enjoy reading Harvey Pekar’s Official Blog

Today I must Say a big Happy Birthday to my Sister Tamara. Because I'm her little Brother and It's my job to torment her, i will say Nyahh, Nyaah! You're 43! I won't say anymore, because she can probably still beat me up.

While I've been away, I've had some good news, Comics-wise. Positive Reviews have been coming in for Get BenT! #10 and my FLAGWAIVER comic.
In the last week or so, I've had Great reviews in Xerography Debt, TooMuchCoffeeMan, and Razorcake for Get BenT! #10

Razorcake is a great Punk magazine, written for the mature, intelligent punk. They also gave the good nod to FLAGWAIVER

I feel better about my comics now. I have the push i needed to get my stuff together for the next show.

Hello, It's me. woe, woe, woe, and all that Todd Rundgren stuff.
If you're reading this you're probably one of those who give a damn about comic books. Good. If you're not, I'm sorry to paint you with the broad geekbrush. Please bear with me for a moment while I tell everybody about Jeff Mason's On-line Comics Community over at Delphi Forums. It's the Alternative Comics forum, but discussion there goes on about all sorts of comics and other stuff, even kitties This link will even take you to a thread where comics guys talk about their blog. Click there if you don't think you'll get trapped in a loop of infinte regression. Alternative Comics #514.1

It's Saturday, and I'm at the drawing Board, furiously trying to finish my pages for the next issue of SHIOT CROCK. It's an APA so you have to contribute to it to see a copy, but don't fear, I've designed my four pages to be easily adapted into a twelve page mini-comic, which I should have available at the Small Press Expo this year. I should also have the next f-ARTjoke compilation.

Cool News! I've been invited to be a guest at ITHACON this year. If I'm Not Careful, I might become Somebody Famous! That Link hasn't been updated to show anything more than the date and time of the next show. I'll let you know when I see something new.

To show that I'm in a better mood Than last time, Here's another Top Ten list:

Top Ten Things Howard The Duck is Doing Now
10) Taking Tambourine Lessons from Davey Jones
9) Script Consultant for Pauley Shore Films
8) Hangs out in the park whenever He's low on croutons.
7) For Kicks, puts on a Sailor Suit and walks around Disneyland goosing the single Moms.
6) Sits in with the Band at Chuck E. Cheese
5) Hangs out on the Strip, asking Hookers if they want to "get Down"
4) Fishes barbarians out of his Peanut Butter jar.
3) Stalks Members of KISS, trying to recapture past glory.
2) Waiting for a Callback from "The Mighty Ducks"
1) Watches Caroline in the City and says, "Lea Thompson? I Did Her!"

It's August and I am still in search of a purpose. My life is really nothing but a quest for distraction.
I sometimes envy people who are capable of having religious faith. I'm sure it brings meaning to life.
Sometimes I think the only emotion I'm capable of is anger, and that is usually more just out of frustration.
I haven't felt the pure passion of righteuous anger in a long time. What I get is more of a peevishness at the stupidity of my fellow man.

I have times when i feel happy, but it's more of just a momentary delight, not a true happiness. I can't get no satisfaction.
Would winning the lottery or landing a good-paying job make me happy? Well, either way, I might clear away debts and worries, and either have money to buy more distraction or less time to fill with distraction.

I used to be passionate about comics. I was the hard-core geek, spending twenty to thirty dollars every week, at a time when that would buy you more than just eight to ten comics. I looked forward to New Comic arrival day, and that was the day each week it was easiest to get out of bed.

The easiest way to end your passion for comics is to try and run a comic shop. I'm even starting to lose my passion for creating my own comics. I hope that this is just because I'm in the Doldrum weeks before I really have to get my nose to the grindstone for the next Big Show.

I need to find a passion.

Happy Sunday Afternoon.
If you've been to my site, you know that I'm a fan of Wordplay, particularly Palindromes.
Someone just brought to my attention the song BOB on Weird Al Yankovic's New Album.
Pretty funny and clever. Now go buy one of Al's Albums since you just listened to his song for free.

Here's another Top Ten:
Top Ten Tricks The Other Heroes Like To Play on DareDevil
10) Make him the Designated Driver
9) Change his porchlight to a red bulb, and give sailors his address
8) Tell Him his Tights are on Inside-out
7) Talk in Sign Language around him
6) Tell him he accidentally voted for Buchanan
5) Hide the Braille editions of Wizard
4) Trade perfumes and colognes on a daily basis, so he can't tell who's who.
3) Hold his nose, feed him onions, tell him they're apples.
2) Put big sets of concentric circles all over the place to confuse his radar sense.
1) Tie-Dye his costumes while he's sleeping.

well, It's a Hot Summer Friday Night, and I'm the loser at home writing in my Blog. Well. I'm home because something is giving me horrible gas, and the urge to run to the bathroom every 30 minutes only to let out one king-sized Fart. Perhaps it is the ghost of some angry artist whom I've offended in my f-ARTjoke comics. wooooooo.

Not that there's any good bands playing or any Movie I currently feel like wasting money to watch if I felt like going out. But, I'm Middle-Aged now, and I don't know how many Friday Nights I Have Left! But then again, when you're unemployed, every night is Friday Night.

Here's another Top Ten.

BenT Reveals The TOP TEN Pet-Peeves of The Fantastic Four's Dog
10) Long Elevator Rides to the bottom of 4-Freedoms Plaza when I have to Wee-Wee.
9) Johnny keeps Torching the Fetching Stick instead of Tossing it.
8) I get Worn Out fetching Galactus' Pipe and Slippers whenever he's in town.
7) I can't embarrass Alicia Masters by Licking My Balls unless I Slurp Real Loud.
6) Reed Richards is always demonstrating that he could lick his balls, too, if he wanted to.
5) I can never catch that damned Tigra, The Were-Woman.
4) I have Scars from Ben Grimm' Belly-Rubs.
3) Sue keeps turning my Water Dish Invisible.
2) The water in Johnny's Toilet often scalds my tongue.
1) I'm Afraid I'll get blamed for that Mess in the Negative Zone.

I was cleaning up my desk today, and i found some interesting stuff written in the back pages of one of the notebooks i keep handy. These were some Top-10 lists I made back when I still had my comic shop open. Granted, i don't have Dave Letterman's Writers, but i thought they were funny enough to share here.
But since Top-10 lists are probably as much a cliche in blogs as they are in zines, I'm only going to use them in small doses. Here's today's:

BenT's Top Ten Rejected Vanity Plates for The Batmobile
10) B WAYNE
9) JOKER B8
8) CRUS8R
7) GTHM SUX
6) BATUSI!
5) STOLEN
4) CAPED 1
3) HI BABE
2) BATS R US
1) F.O.O.M.

I'm back. I really haven't had much to say in the last couple weeks. What little I've had to say could be handled by my regular posts at the Comics Journal Messboard, and over at Slushfactory. If you're looking for any revelations about turning 40, I have none. Birthdays stopped being really important to me after I turned 25 and my auto insurance went down. All turning 40 has done is make me feel creepy when I realized that a certain pornstar I've been admiring on-line has the same Birthdate as me, but twenty years later.
I did get The Simpsons Season One DVD set from my Brother and his family. That provided a couple days of distraction from the blog. Pet-Sitting for a couple weeks also kept me away from the computer. And I re-discovered my PSOne. SIMCity 2000. spent a couple days building and destroying a city I called Bucken Fjord. I need to get my Demolition Racer disk back from my friend Eric. But I probably won't touch the playstation again for another month or so.

The Philly Zine Fest turned out to be what I expected for a first time show. I made about $50 over my expenses (which were cheap. Zine fests are so much easier on the wallet for the exhibitors than Comic conventions. But then you can expect to have lower sales. But a couple Zine fairs I go to have pleasantly surprised me there.) Most of the about 40 tables were DIY Zine Distro folk, with the usual assortment of Cometbus and Burn Collector, etc. Mary Knott and Beppi of
Pretty Beaver comics were the only other comics folk exhibiting. I did see Dave Kiersh in the crowd, but he didn't table. Robert Helms, of Guinea Pig Zero made a presentation. I was probably the only other person in the room who'd been in zines long enough to remember "Factsheet 5" when he made a reference to that old review zine.
I notice that there's a turnover in zine folk about every three years. Few people stick with it for longer. Only the really dedicated or those with deep pockets who can withstand the few-and-far-between moments of slight monetary reward.
No. I can't think of anybody who stays in zines for the financial reward. You gotta find other ways of making it reward you. Intellectually, spiritually, or perhaps they just distract you or give you an occasional smile.
The one change I'd like to see for next year at Philly is the bands. I think it's a good attraction, and having them in the same room as the exhibitors doesn't take the crowd away. But if they must be in the same room, they should keep the volume down. I had to run to the local drugstore and buy earplugs. Nobody could hold a conversation at their tables, except during the interludes. And the bands were a bit too avant-garde musically. The BR-5 were loud, boring and unintelligible. The Dirt weren't loud, but they were spacey, and rambling. Like The Flying Lizards without a rhythm section. I think a combination of the loud music and the heat in the venue caused too many folk to go sit outside, where they could converse (and smoke). This took them out of the picture as potential zine customers. Meanwhile, those of us with a table felt obligated to sit inside and withstand the loud torture, just in case somebody came to the table.

Enough ranting about that. There are a couple things I'd like to mention in the recent news.

While I'm glad that the question of Udai and Qusai's whereabouts has been finally answered quite bloodily, I'm a little disappointed thatwe couldn't take them alive. I'm not upset that they were killed. They definitely deserved to be killed, but it would have been more effective to have them killed by representatives of the Iraqui people, after a well-publicized trial for their crimes. I'm sure that now certain elements will only use them as martyrs, since they were killed by the "Infidel Imperialist Occupiers"

It's a shame that Celia Cruz, the "Queen of Salsa", has passed away. Every Network, Cable, Radio, and Print news source had ample coverage of her death. But where the hell were they during her career, while she was still alive?
Why am I, a white, middle-class, American male, only now hearing about her? Granted, I'm no fan of Salsa Music, but I'm also no fan of Rap, Hip-Hop, Pop Divas, Heavy Metal, Country, or Christian Rock, yet I have plenty of knowledge of artists in those genres, because the Mainstream Media seem to consider it newsworthy whenever one of these artists has a hangnail. Paying attention to an artist after her death, calling her "The Queen of Salsa" in two minutes of news, is little recompense for ignoring an entire musical genre otherwise. Maybe the brief bump up in record sales will help her heirs pay for her burial expenses. Yahoo!

My final rant is about all the media now changing the pronunciation of "Niger". All of a sudden, it's "Nee-zhur" instead of "Neye-jur". I suppose that this fall I will go to the fair to see the Wheat Teisures now, instead of the White Tigers.
This latest round of white-bread journalists trying to ethnically correct themselves seems to me like a typical Nigerk reaction.

Peace.

Hi. I've been away for awhile, partly because of the holidays, partly because these are the weeks that I dog and cat sit for several friends and family members, and partly because I've been working on a new mini-comic which will be available at the Philly Zine Fest this Sunday.

It's another Jack Chick Parody, but this time I've added a twist. It also parodies the old Tootsie Pop commercial, with the little boy, Mr. Turtle, and Mr. Owl.

While doing my research at the Toosie Roll site, I submitted my own results from when i was a kid. Once, on a long car ride, i counted 178 licks on a chocolate Tootsie Pop, until I reached the Tootsie Roll center. Today in my mail, I got a cool frameable certificate documenting my achievement. I like a candy company that embraces its fun side.

Another reason I've been away, is I've been making a mixtape to document my feelings about turning forty tomorrow.
Dr. Bernheisel, if you're still alive, you told me when i was only 17 that I'd have a massive Heart Attack before I turned 40.
Well, I've got less than 12 hours to go then, but If I live that long, and you feel your ears burning, it's me. I'll be screaming a massive "FUCK YOU!" in your honor, on the 40th anniversary of the moment you spanked my ass.

You were the reason i turned punk, and re-embraced Art. Why should I conform, get a well-paying job, get married and raise kids, if you're telling me I won't live to see them graduate? Thank you for stealing my desire to succeed in life.

And, for your info, Doctor, I'm a whole lot healthier now than I was at 30. Except for a full head of grey hair, I think and feel like I'm in my late 20s. My soon-to-be ten-yr-old niece, Kelly, told me the other day that she thought I was only 25.
She'll get a better birthday present from me this year.

Had I not lost my job back in April, I would be spending my 40th with a hooker in Reno. Now, I guess I'll be spending it with my Sister's cats, and drawing comics. Unless there are any hookers reading this that want to come to York for the day.

So What does the "T" in BenT stand for, anyway?

I get that from a lot of people. Most of them think it stands for Thomas, or Timothy. Some Trekkers thought it stood for "Tiberius". Nope It's pretty simple, even if it's not a highly common name. TYRONE.

I got it all growing up, from being called "Tyrone Shoelaces" as a kid, to the guys in my Frat who made me the honorary token Black Guy because they thought Tyrone was a ghetto name. Geezus what a bunch of passive-aggressive racists they were. Perhaps today they're shining shoes or waiting tables somewhere. i doubt it, though. I know that one of the guys who was the worst offender there got snapped up by the Republican National Committe right out of school.

Actually I was named for Tyrone Power, who was one of my Mother's favorite actors.

I read something in a volume of Uncle John's Bathroom Reader just the other day that sheds a new, ironic light upon Power being my namesake.
It seems Tyrone Power died of a Massive Coronary following a swordfight scene during the filming of "Solomon" in 1958.
They were using 15-lb swords, and Power, while an accomplished swordsman, was getting older, and started to struggle during the many retakes made necessary by his opponent's lack of skill with a sword. He felt weak, and asked for a break. He had a heart attack in his trailer, and died en route to the hospital.
Who was the other actor, the one who couldn't handle his sword well? George Sanders.

That Doesn't sound Ironic? Do you know my Dad's full name? George Sanders Steckler.

I can't believe they tried to charge me the Gringo-Tax in my Hometown.
I went for a walk today, and decided to head into the town to get some lunch at our Central Market House, and sit outside in the courtyard at Cherry Lane, where they usually have lunchtime entertainment on Summer Market days.
It was a trio doing celtic folk songs, all in their late 40s to early 50s, two white guys with grey beards and a white woman.
The way they gave a little monologue with a bad joke to introduce each number, i couldn't help but picture Will Ferrel and Ana Gasteyer doing their SNL routine. Thanks to that routine, I'll never be able to take folksingers seriously again.
As i was finishing my salad, and they introduced their fourth song in a row as "here's a little number about an Irish sailor, leaving the port of Liverpool", I wondered, "Are there any folk songs that aren't about Irish People?" I left after finishing my salad, because I probably would have started heckling them.

So, I visited one of the galleries nearby, dropped off a couple of my minis to the girl working there. (mini-comics. what an ice-breaker.) On the way home, I have to pass thru a little ghetto area, then thru a couple parks, a working class single-family home area, and then into my neighborhood, which is bigger workingclass, and smaller middle-class single family homes. I needed a drink, because it was a hot day, so I stopped at a little Bodega in the ghetto area. I got a Sprite Remix (i like this tropical flavor, I just wish they had a diet version) it was clearly marked $1.00, and our tax here is 6%.
The woman working the register, who was having a heated argument in Spanish in the back, came out and rang me up, and tried to charge me $1.09. I gave her the benefit of the doubt, figuring that her argument might have had her distracted, and said that I thought it should come to $1.06, she said yes $1.06 that's right, but she didn't clear the "$1.09" off the register. I gave her $1.06 and left, but it got me to thinking. This was the second time this week that somebody in a convenience store, somebody "of color" too, tried to overcharge me for items.

The other time was Sunday Night, at some gas station/convenience store in Central PA on the way home from New York. That guy was either Arab or Pakistani, and he rang me up for about 15 cents too much.

I'd like to think that this is just a set of coincidences, and that foreign-born operators of small groceries and convenience stores are not in the habit of ripping-off their customers. It does, however, reinforce the stereotype I see of them in the works of so many Black comedians.

It's one thing to mark up your products a bit more than they'd cost at a supermarket. There's nothing wrong with charging for a convenience, and if I pick up the item at that price and bring it to the counter, I agree that it's a fair price. But when your employees ring in items at a higher price than marked, that is a rip-off.

If this is the way they are with their regular customers in the hood , I can understand why they get targeted for robberies and looting so often.

They should just be glad that folks like me who object to the "Gringo Tax" aren't in the habit of rioting and looting.

I took a long walk into town on this hot June day, spent about three hours, and my legs are killing me.
I'm thinking of starting a public service campaign, and making up a mini-comic about a Superhero called [b]Walking Man[/b].

Walking man would encourage responsible adults to improve their health, and better their city just by turning off the TV and going for a regular walk around their neighborhood on a nice afternoon or evening. I think neighborhoods would become friendlier places, and crime would be discouraged just by the simple presence of responsible adults on the street.

I wouldn't be asking folks to start neighborhood narc patrols, busybodies with cellphones trying to clean up the neighborhood. No. I think just by getting out, they can quell the mischief that leads to worse crimes.

Now, one thing I'd like to see get taken care of with this project is the pruning of trees, and the mowing of overgrown lawns. My walk is often interrupted, when I have to move from the sidewalk into the street because of a low-hanging branch, or a lawn where the grass is a foot or more tall, and it looks tick-infested.

My idea would be to have Walking Man address this problem in the comic, and what I'd do is attach the comic with a twisty tie to any tree branch that I have to stoop or step into the street to avoid.

What Do You think of that?

well, I waited until today to go see The Hulk, Because i wanted to see it at a matinee with my pal Eric.

All my fears about the CGI Hulk looking fake were not confirmed. It was a fun movie, and I give it 3.5 stars.
It would get the whole 4th star if only Jennifer Connelly would have got nekkid. But she looked good here. She has one of those faces that looks chubby easily, and with her usual bustiness, she often looks too big for my tastes. (I like smaller breasted women) In this film she looks slender, and her face is narrower.

Nick Nolte plays a wonderful Psycho. I was worried about them changing the back story with Bruce banner's Dad, but they found a way to blend in the abusive dad of the Peter David Hulks, with the Bill Bixby David banner, and throw in a doseof Crusher Creel to boot. The presence in the story of David Banner also gave Thunderbolt Ross more of a Motivation.

I also loved the attention to detail, like the puddles in front of the crumpled Glenn Talbot's face, continuing to ripple even after the Hulk has bounded into the distance, showing that his leaps are still shaking the ground.

One Quibble: As someone who's studied Aerospace, I don't think that an F-15 could have flown that well with the Hulk clinging to the canopy. I think he would have induced quite a bit of drag. And Those were some pretty resilient soldiers, the way they survived all those helicopter crashes, and were able to crawl out alive from a tank that's just been thrown across the horizon. Maybe in an R-rated version, the Hulk would have killed a few soldiers...and Betty Ross might have got naked.

Well, I'm back from the MoCCA Comics show in New York. I made about $50 less than I was hoping to, but I still made a profit on the trip, and I'm happy with my sales. I sold the same number of my "ceci n'est pas un peep" t-shirts as I did last year, I probably could have sold a couple more, if i had XLs available. This year, I actually made more money from the sales of my mini-comics than from my T-shirts. That is a good sign.

I wore the prototype of my "f-ARTjoke" t-shirt, and a lot of people liked it. I gave them all a card with the URL to my Cafe Press shop, where I hope some of them will order one. (My weblinks are over there in the right margin) One of my goals for this show was to let folks know that I now have a web presence. Well, i got rid of almost all the cards I'd printed announcing it.

I saw a lot of my comics and web friends, Tony Consiglio, Alex Robinson, Mike Dawson, Chris Radtke, Jeff Mason, Zack Soto, Bob Corby, Matt Feazell, Suzanne Baumann, Robyn Chapman and Kelli Nelson (The Preview of their new anthology, TRUE PORN looks Great!), Danny Hellman, Sam Henderson, Craig Bostick, Jack Turnbull, Dan Moynihan, Scott Roberts, Nick Bertozzi, Ellen Lindner, Scott Mills, Andrew Zaben, Tim Kelly, Jenny Gonzales, and many more.

I got to chat with Dave Kiersh, and passed along Delaine Derry's recent kudos. I met for the first time several folks whom I'd only known thru message board conversations, like Matt Singer, Ed Matthews, Pete the Retailer, and Saint Tweedy. I passed along review copies of my new material to several folk, including Rich Watson and Tom Spurgeon.
I gave sample copies of my Jack Chick parodies to Kristen from LAST GASP!. I'd love to get those picked up for distro.

It was a good show, and even though my sales were a little lower than I'd hoped, that extra money was what I would have just turned around and spent on some of the nicer new collections debuting at the show, like the new Kramer's Ergot, or the Quimby the Mouse book from Chris Ware, or Adhouse Book's Telstar. Those will be available at a show my future, I hope.

After the show, we drove over to Fairfield, New Jersey, and had dinner at the restaurant my cousin Brett now manages.
It's called 94th Bomb Group, and sits right at the edge of the Runway of the Fairfield Airport. The place is done up like a WW2-era French Country farmhouse, and decorated in a war-time theme, with exhibits dedicated to the real 94th Bomb group, and the Memphis Belle. My meal of marinated Pot Roast with chive dumplings was superb, and the portions are generous. The restaurant is at 195 Passaic Ave in Fairfield, just a hop down I-80, west of NYC. for info, call (973) 882-5660. Sunday Night, by the way, they have an Over-30 Singles night in the Lounge there, and I'm happy to say that I caught several nice looking women checking me out as I walked thru.

Now, today is a Sunny Day, and I have an Air Conditioner to install, and then I'd like to get outside for awhile, so I'm going to stop blogging now.