MoCCA Day Two and some conclusions
Sunday started out hot. Dog hot. And it stayed there. Getting into the venue was a new adventure today, as the assumption among the Armory staff was that nobody was to be let in until the show opened. Several groups of exhibitors cajoled and begged at all the doors until we were granted access at around 930 to put our displays back up and get ready for the day. There's something about having to explain yourself to a dude in a black-on-black suit with a white tie that makes you feel like you have a very small part in a very violent movie.
But we were prepared for it this time. Lots of water, frequent shift changes, and happy faces made the day work. Sales were much better today--emphasizing that SYPHILITIC COWBOYS #1, an 8x11 20-page full color album of mayhem, was only three dollars moved quite a few of them.
We talked with an interesting array of folks looking for stuff off the beaten path for this room. Even when you have an all indy experience, there are people still looking for more back paths to explore.
Afterwards we took in a great Mexican feast (enchiladas in pumpkin seed sauce and a sangria. Mmmm.) over in the East Village and thence to The Back Room. Our friend Todd is a friend of the proprietor and we got to look the place over a bit. It's a fantastic preservation/renovation of a real speakeasy (Lansky's) and sports old kinetiscopes and huge classic erotica paintings. The drinks were solid and delicious (served in tea cups, natch) and everyone was fantastic. After that, a quick revisit of the Slipper Room to say hi to Matt and the gang and off to bed by midnight, for we had the early flight.
In all, we always enjoy coming to New York, and we'll be back next year. I dropped off the CLP reservation form for a table next year at the exhibitors' table (hoping that come next year I won't have to begin the 2010 MoCCA experience by having to prove that I really did turn it in). I hope MoCCA sits back and takes a hard look at what went wrong this year; the protestations that this is run by volunteers doesn't really hold if you've been to the last few MoCCAs. They've been run just fine in the past; but a new venue means new problems and I get that.
Last year's fire drill was uncomfortable, but helpful volunteers were holding open the doors to provide a constant blast of conditioned air from inside to keep us from falling over. I didn't see the 08 show as problematic at any level. This one had more problems for exhibitors than fans (though standing in line out there Saturday morning can't have been fun), so the general weight of consensus on the 09 show may side with this being the better show than the 08. But the room was good and full most of the time, we sold some books, met some folks, and we go back to Iowa content.
Extra note to Iowans. Your Iowa Hawkeye gear has picked up new cultural significance in New York; don't sweat it. New York just found out how big our hearts are.
--John
(more pictures soon)
But we were prepared for it this time. Lots of water, frequent shift changes, and happy faces made the day work. Sales were much better today--emphasizing that SYPHILITIC COWBOYS #1, an 8x11 20-page full color album of mayhem, was only three dollars moved quite a few of them.
We talked with an interesting array of folks looking for stuff off the beaten path for this room. Even when you have an all indy experience, there are people still looking for more back paths to explore.
Afterwards we took in a great Mexican feast (enchiladas in pumpkin seed sauce and a sangria. Mmmm.) over in the East Village and thence to The Back Room. Our friend Todd is a friend of the proprietor and we got to look the place over a bit. It's a fantastic preservation/renovation of a real speakeasy (Lansky's) and sports old kinetiscopes and huge classic erotica paintings. The drinks were solid and delicious (served in tea cups, natch) and everyone was fantastic. After that, a quick revisit of the Slipper Room to say hi to Matt and the gang and off to bed by midnight, for we had the early flight.
In all, we always enjoy coming to New York, and we'll be back next year. I dropped off the CLP reservation form for a table next year at the exhibitors' table (hoping that come next year I won't have to begin the 2010 MoCCA experience by having to prove that I really did turn it in). I hope MoCCA sits back and takes a hard look at what went wrong this year; the protestations that this is run by volunteers doesn't really hold if you've been to the last few MoCCAs. They've been run just fine in the past; but a new venue means new problems and I get that.
Last year's fire drill was uncomfortable, but helpful volunteers were holding open the doors to provide a constant blast of conditioned air from inside to keep us from falling over. I didn't see the 08 show as problematic at any level. This one had more problems for exhibitors than fans (though standing in line out there Saturday morning can't have been fun), so the general weight of consensus on the 09 show may side with this being the better show than the 08. But the room was good and full most of the time, we sold some books, met some folks, and we go back to Iowa content.
Extra note to Iowans. Your Iowa Hawkeye gear has picked up new cultural significance in New York; don't sweat it. New York just found out how big our hearts are.
--John
(more pictures soon)
posted by John Ira Thomas at
10:28 AM
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