Apologies for the AWOL nature of the strip the past several days, loyal BOTpeeps! Some of you may know I’ve been swamped due to exhibiting at Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo this past weekend. While I love an excuse to get out of the BOTcave and talk to fans and sell my wares, it’s a huge undertaking due to all the prep work that goes into these things, especially since I was hell-bent on debuting three new items at the show. The good news is, although I was up for 48 hours straight at one point, I got everything done on time and even made some changes to the BOTbooth that I’ve been wanting to do for a while now. The bad news is, I’m completely depleted, and having to go into work today and be functional and alert isn’t helping. Thank the gods for coffee.

So a little about the show: I had an awesome time! Thanks to all the readers who came out and said hi and/or bought some of the new BOTmerch! You all made this a fun, successful convention, and, like I’ve mentioned before – I couldn’t do this without you. Conventions are such black holes of time, expense and energy, that if I didn’t have you supporting me with your presence and purchases, I just flat-out wouldn’t be able to do them.

As for the new merch, I’ll go into more detail when it’s available in the upcoming, new and improved BOTshop! But for now, I’ll just say the new printing of the JEFBOT VOL 1. books (softcover and hardcover!) got here in time, the new Musashi & Yuki print made its debut (eliciting an “awwww” from many a passerby) and a sneak peak at some JEFbot-themed jewelry (kinda) which I’ll officially reveal soon.

With all that said, I’m still debating whether or not I’ll be back next year. Being in downtown L.A. makes the logistics of getting my booth there much easier than the cons I’ve done in Seattle, Phoenix and San Diego, but honestly, I do much, much better at those shows than Comikaze. Add to that the price of my booth going up next year since they’re adding another day and I’m just not sure if it’ll be worth the cost for me, although I’m unhappy about not seeing the BOTreaders I’ve grown to know over the past two years of this con. I’ve also been thinking about adding a show in Denver, CO next year, and that might replace Comikaze for me. Still debating.

Anyway, big thanks to everybody who came by the BOTbooth and the readers who came by the BOTsite while I was away. Oh, and some additional thanks to my buddy Joe for helping me set up and attend the booth this weekend! I swear having a helper makes things sooo much easier; I don’t know if I’ll be able to do another con without one, seriously. And special thanks to Mombot and my sister Lor (with friend, Steph) for coming to the show. If you were there and saw a little Japanese lady with a BOTshirt on accompanied by a couple ladies, that was probably them. Heheh.

If I don’t pass out at my computer tonight, I should have a new JEFbot strip up tomorrow! But forgive me if it gets posted later in the day.