Shit to know:

- I’ll physically be at the BOOM! Studios booth (#559) all weekend long.  Here’s a press release confirming that: BOOM! Studios announces Phoenix Comicon plans.

See?  Totally not making that up.  Swing on by and pick up some copies of Freelancers.

- I have my own booth, too.  It’s #2222, and it’ll be run by Hannah Nance Partlow, the illustrator/letterer of Smell Ya Later.  That’s where you can snag copies of my non-BOOM! work–stuff like The Legend of Oz: The Wicked West #6-#8, the American History Z graphic novel,  Zombies Vs. Cheerleaders, Blackest Terror, Thor: Unkillable Thunder Christ, Electric Youth, Girl Scouts in Space, original pages, stickers, buttons, t-shirts, etc.

Feel free to bring anything you pick up here over to BOOM! at #559, and ask me to sign it.  I’m super into that.  No additional charge, obviously.

Shit to buy:

- Big Dog Ink is going to have a limited edition variant cover of The Legend of Oz: The Wicked West #8 available at Booth #640/642.  Art by Mike Debalfo and Nei Ruffino.  It’s gorgeous.  Pick one up, swing by BOOM! (#559), and I’ll sign it.

- I’ll have copies of American History Z on-hand at #2222, as well as new Blackest Terror stickers by Danny Martin, and “retailer incentive” variant covers of Freelancers and Zombies vs. Cheerleaders.

Shit to do:

- SATURDAY, 6PM-7PM IN ROOM 132. I’m presenting at the Bleeding Cool Fan Awards (no, not my plumage).  Everyone who shows up gets a a free, limited edition Adventure Time comic for showin’ up.  Vote here:  http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/05/06/phoenix-comicon-2013-bleeding-cool-fan-awards/

- SATURDAY, 7:30PM-8:30PM.  ROOM 124A.  Come to the “Esquiville” panel.  It’s moderated by Dan Burgos (from Comic book Therapy), and there’s literally going to be…like…one person there besides you.  Here’s the description: “Eric Esquivel (Boom Studios’ FREELANCERS) drops some science on what it takes to be a full-time comic book author. The answer includes a lot of ramen noodles, certifiable manic depression, and an unhealthy desire for the approval of strangers.“

- Go meet C.B. Zane at the BDI Booth (#620/642).  He’s on pencil duty for The In Crowd #1-#4, and he’s rad as all get out.

I’m gonna die. Look at how beautiful that thing is.

It’s only available at Phoenix Comicon. They WILL sell out. BDI will be at booth 640/642. Get in line now.

I just received word from Rich Johnston that I’m going to be one of the presenters at the Bleeding Cool FAN AWARDS at Phoenix Comicon!

They’ll be held on Friday, at 6pm, in room 132.

The awards are sponsored by BOOM! Studios, who will be handing out an exclusive Adventure Time comic book at the event.

Vote here:  http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/05/06/phoenix-comicon-2013-bleeding-cool-fan-awards/

BLACKEST TERRA is a character created wholly by the BLACKEST TERROR fanbase. She’s a gender-swapped incarnation of the ultraviolent champion of social justice previously seen in BLACKEST TERROR #1, THOR: UNKILLABLE THUNDER CHRIST #1, and the strip BLACKEST TERROR VS. CHICK-FIL-A.

Blackest Terra was first drawn by Mariah Wall. This awesome image comes from Christopher Eric Petersen (Grindhouse)

Blackest Terror #1 is available here: http://www.comixology.com/Moonstones-Modern-Myths-Blackest-Terror/comics-series/6862

We are the Blackest Terror that exists in the hearts of evil-doers.  We are Unkillable Thunder Christs who refuse to yield to a world which rewards weakness.  We are Freelancers, masters of our own destiny who refuse to work for anyone’s dream but our own.  And there are more of us than you might think.

Welcome Home

Hannah Nance Partlow and I have started doin’ a comic strip in The Tucson Weekly.  There’s a new one EVERY WEDNESDAY.

http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/smell-ya-later/Category?oid=3733336

1.) I was invited.

2.) Boom Studios sat me in between Paul Jenkins (Wolverine Origins, The Amazing Spider-Man, Batman: The Dark Knight) and Steven Grant (Punisher: Circle of Blood, Avengers, 2 Guns) for the duration of the convention.  LIKE WE WERE THE SAME SPECIES, or something.

3.) I landed two paying gigs while at the show (my first with each company.  Details soon), ensuring that I won’t be homeless for another year.  Thank Rao.

4.) The entirety of the Boom Studios crew (writers, artists, editors, operations folks, marketing, and so on) crammed into a Tardis-like 2” by 2”, non-air-conditioned room at some creepy Korean karaoke bar and sang and danced in unision for three hours straight.

Best song:  R-Kelly’s “Gotham City”.

5.) Devon and Bryce Carlson free-style rapped. It was gangster.

6.) The Calgary Expo talent liaison folks knew I was vegan, and brought me vegan pizza, vegan sushi, fresh fruit, and Canadian root beer all throughout the day.  Every day.  On purpose.  For free.

7.) Fans were excited to see me, and brought stuff for me to sign—which isn’t super uncommon (and I’m incredibly grateful for that)—but these people live IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY than I do, so that was pretty cool.

One dude begrudgingly brought me his teenage daughters’ copies of Freelancers, and asked me to personalize them.

8.) Paul Jenkins, Zack Sterling (Adventure Time) and I hung out in the airport, swapping story pitches that producers—thus far—have been too lame to give us millions of dollars for.

Paul looked me in the eye after I finished my first spiel and said “Hey…That’s really good”, thus affirming my entire existence on Earth.

9.) Calgary asked Paul Jenkins, Michael Alan Nelson (28 Days Later, Day Men, Supergirl) and I to speak on a “How To Break Into Comics” panel.

I’m typing that again.  Just to make sure you read it.

Calgary asked Paul Jenkins, Michael Alan Nelson and I to speak on a “How To Break Into Comics” panel.

I have spent my ENTIRE LIFE trying to get into comics.  I lay awake at night, terrified that someday somebody is going to pull the rug out from under me and I’ll have to go back to working a soul-obliterating retail gig…and a bunch of people who live on the other side of the continent asked me to give advice regarding how to break in.

I guess I can calm down just a little bit?

10.) I felt like I belonged.

That might not sound like much, but this weekend is probably the second time that has ever happened to me (the first being the last night of Emerald City, at dinner with Dean Trippe and Hannah Partlow).

I eat like a weirdo, I don’t love the way people say I ought to, I don’t speak the same language as 99% of the people who I share a last name with, my biological family and I aren’t on the greatest terms, I don’t drink or smoke…there are a lot of barriers between me and the average Joe.

Boom makes me feel like I’ve found the place where I was always meant to be.  I’ll never be able to thank them enough for that.

We are Boom.  And you are too.

Dig that creepy cover by the even creepier Daniel Bradford (Disappointing Monsters).

IN CROWD #2 (OF 4)

Hey, Kids! Comics!

I illustrated a li’l Captain Marvel, Hannah Nance Partlow, Artist and Letterer inked & colored it, and Calamity Jon Morris published it on his slick “Cornered” blog. Dig it!

http://corneredblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/eric-m-esquivel-and-hannah-nance.html