Growing up, folks made fun of me for being a Latino nerd.  This weekend, they paid me money for it.

Javier Hernandez (El Muerto, The Human Fly) and Ricardo Padilla were kind enough to invite me to Los Angeles’ first Latino Comics Expo – a comic convention whose purpose is to “Highligh the creativity of comic book creators whose work reflects the influence and celebration of the Latino culture”.

I’m no stranger to conventions.  I’ve worked microscopic gigs at local libraries, and I’ve been a guest at the biggest comic book convention in the entire world.  I’ve seen ’em all.  Believe me when I say that this show was THE VERY BEST I’ve ever been to.

The creator line-up, the fans, the venue (The Museum of Latin American Art)–all top friggin’ notch.  The very top.  Above all of the other notches..

It was busy as all get out, but I managed to snap some photos anyway:

Hannah and I slapped Blackest Terror & “Art Life, Best Life” stickers onto the side of the El Burger Luchador food truck.  Because we are hoodlums.

Autograph by fuggin’ Mario Hernandez (Love and Rockets)!

Mexican Coke at the Latino Comics Expo. Because OBVIOUSLY.

Jim Lujan’s SHADY PEOPLE cartoons on DVD!

Human Fly sketch by Rafael Navarro!

Autograph from Javier Hernandez!

La Mano Del Destino t-shirt by my boy & J. Gonzo

Michael Aushenker’s THE NINE LIVES OF EL GATO, CRIME MANGLER!

I don’t even care that I look like a mongoloid in this photo, ’cause I’m  SITTING ON A PANEL WITH JAVIER HERNANDEZ.  It should be illegal to be this happy.

Speaking of — Javi and I signed up to collaborate on a book a couple of hours ago.  Signing my name next to that guy’s on a contract was one of the highlights of my comic makin’ career.

Solid gold weekend, y’all.