C2E2 madness!

I attended my first large comic con, the C2E2 held yearly in Chicago. The day got off to a rocky start as the train into Chicago was running 45 minutes late. After arriving at McCormick Place where C2E2 was being hosted, it was a bit disorientating with all of the Cosplayers and other guests buzzing around that it took us a second to figure out where to pick up the badges. Only took a couple minutes, but when Georgia and I turned around our son was missing. X is 12 years old, so not a baby, but still this gets the heart pumping. As we look around and try to get through to his phone (the cell signal was poor in the convention hall), Georgia’s phone start ringing, not from X but another friend who was attending C2E2 letting us know that they had X—What!!!

After getting our badges, going through the security line, we entered the chaos of C2E2. It was sensory overload trying to take in everything—The cosplayers, the toy/comic vendors, the artists, writers, and the hordes of other guest. But after grabbing a beer, saying hello to friends that we knew had tables in the ‘Artist Alley’, we settled in, found order in the chaos and spent too much money (see below all of the cool stuff). Fun times, keep reading below and go to some of the creators sites and check out their comics, art, books. I am already making plans to go next year, and who knows Rabbit Hole of Research may have a table.  

Okay, that’s it for now, but you can always email or follow me online for real time tracking and to see what craft beers I’m drinking (find me on Untappd @jomega22). As always thank you for your continued support and email or follow me online if you want to say hi! Keep reading to see what I’ve been keeping myself entertained with!

What am I reading and Listening to:  

Comics: C2E2 2022

I got to see a lot of friends and creators that I have made over the years, and I met a number of new artist and writers. Not pictured here are my friends at Guerrilla Publishing (Julio, Ben and Adam, Adam has a new podcast-keep reading below), and Don Nguyen who I got a Snake Plissken full body commission (I’ll put it in my newsletter once I have the finished piece). Also, stopped by Matt Skillern’s table (I did a write up on him a few months ago about his work).  Hopefully, I didn’t miss anyone, but here is some of the cool stuff i got. Click the links and check out/buy their art and comics.

  D.R. ‘Solo’ Perry Carter’s Cartoons Jim Terry (I meet Jim some years ago at NWI comic-con, and I love his art and his books! And he is a cool dude to chat with.) Chris Schweizer   This is a variant cover of By the Horns (Scout Comics)—Markisan Naso and Jason Muhr (First met these two some years ago when they released Voracious, a comic about a time traveling restauranteur where dinosaurs are on the menu! Go check it out!)  Landis Blair- Illustrator/author  

Joshua Werner (Love the pulps and cannot wait to read ‘The Winchester Mystery House’)

******** Fiction:

Acts of Violet by Margarita Montimore

So, one of the books that really grabbed me the past few years was Oona out of Order. Anyone and everyone that is looking for a book to read, I recommend it (What you never read it, what are you waiting for?). Needless to say, I was looking forward to Acts of Violet, and I’m about 1/2 way through and it’s living up to my expectations! Back copy except: “Nearly a decade ago, iconic magician Violet Volk performed her greatest trick yet: vanishing mid-act. While Violet sought out the spotlight, her sister Sasha, had to be the responsible one. But Sasha can never seem to escape her sister’s tumultuous orbit. Then there’s Cameron Frank, determined to finally get his big break hosting a podcast devoted to all things Violet—though keeping his job hinges on an exclusive interview with Sasha, the last person who wants to talk to him. As the ten-year anniversary approaches, the podcast picks up steam, and Cameron’s pursuit of Sasha becomes increasingly intrusive. Meanwhile, Sasha begins to experience an unsettling series of sleepwalking episodes and coincidences, which all lead back to Violet. Pushed to her emotional limits, Sasha must finally confront the most painful truths about her sister, and herself, even at the risk of losing everything.  Alternating between Sasha’s narration and Cameron’s podcast transcripts, interspersed with documents that offer a tantalizing peek at Violet herself, Acts of Violet is an utterly original, propulsive story of fame, deception, and forgiveness that will make you believe in magic.” Go add it to your TBR-list!

C2E2 2022 Authors:   Both Blake Crouch with his new book Upgrade (one of my favorite Speculative authors) and Daniel Kraus with a newish Romero collaboration Zombie novel were at C2E2. Go check out these reads. *********

Indie-Fiction:

Sour Roots by

Shawn Burgess

My fellow writer/friend Shawn Burgess has a new prequel novella coming out. You don’t need to have read his debut novel, “The Tear Collector”, to enjoy this story (but you’ll probably pick it up to enjoy more of his writing and the horror).  I had the pleasure of reading a beta-copy, and I think fans of Jonathan Maberry’s ‘Ghost Road Blues, will enjoy Shawn’s fast paced horror prequel to ‘The Tear Collector’. And to my surprise Shawn sent me a signed copy and a pack of Grief Hallow trading cards!!!  Go check it out Here. Back copy excerpt: “Roger and Gertrude Davis enjoy an idyllic existence in the small Appalachian town of Harper Pass. With vast land holdings, a successful business, and love for the family they've built, they've avoided the suffering The Great Depression has wrought on the area until it all comes crashing down on a sweltering summer day in 1932. With the twin daughters they dote on gone missing and ominous signs of foul play evident, a suspect quickly emerges. But not everything is always what it seems. Amidst the murder, madness, and mayhem, they soon learn there's blood to pay when the past comes calling.”

******* Music/Podcasts: No new Music to report, but I have been listening some new Podcasts: Pencil Vomit Adam Farster and Bill Halliar

I got Adam’s C2E2 exclusive Dark Echo comics and a Pencil Vomit sticker!
 

The first comic con I ever attended was the NWI comic con (I think it was the second year of the con). I met so many great creators at this con over the years that I have featured in my newsletter, but Adam was one of the first creators that I became friends with. Around the time of this NWI con, I was querying “Will You Still Love Me If I Become Someone Else?” and planting the seeds to start a newsletter/podcast which explored the science in fiction (would become Rabbit Hole of Research), and I was tuned into any creator that was in the speculative, Sci-fi realm, and this is how I met Adam. Adam was about to launch his Kickstarter for Humalien (Which was the first Kickstarter I ever backed, and it was successful). One of the cool things and shows how supportive creatives are to each other, as Adam was talking about his own project, when he found out that I had my own creative goals, he encouraged me to push forward and stay the course, no matter the ups and downs.  So, it was awesome when I heard that Adam was starting a podcast, and with another local creator, I’ve gotten to Become friends with, Bill Halliar—These two have great chemistry and you cannot help but be inspired and ready to go create. Go give it a listen. Also, go check out Adam’s and Bill’s art and stuff! Podcast Description:

“What do art nerds talk about when they talk about art? Pencil Vomit! Join Artist/Educator Adam Faster and Artist/Bibliovore Bill Halliar (and the occasional surprise guest!) as they sift through the shavings looking for stimulation, motivation, and inspiration. It might just make you want to Art too! Or some b******t like that.”

*********

Okay, that’s where I’m at. I’ll try to update y’all every month on books, comics, and music (podcasts) that I’ve been digging! I’ll try to add some indie author reads! Email me and let me know what you’ve been into and what I should check out!  Or follow me online for more realtime updates: Jotham’s Social Links

Find your next favorite book or author with these newsletter giveaways or virtual book-fairs:

Book Fair Sales Events

 

Thanks for supporting these fellow authors by checking these Giveaways and book fairs out. Click here to follow Jotham across the internet!

Image by atomicnumber14