LandonFranklin

Well this seems like a good time to do a brief year in review. It was a good year. We did some new shows, Anime Central, Wizard World Cleveland, and Heroescon among others. A big thank you to our local comic shop, Bill's Books and More for allowing us to set up there on free comic day, as well as the various other times when they have had sales. It is always a good time working on commissions, eating pizza, and chatting up the staff throughout the day. I bid a fond farewell to Otakon in Baltimore, there will never be anything quite like the feeling of that convention in that city. It was my second anime con that I ever attended, and it was almost overwhelming in it's size. I'm sure they will do an amazing job in DC, but Baltimore will always hold a special place for me. To my artist friends, it was great seeing all of you! That  really is one of the best parts of doing shows. And thanks to everyone that came by our booth! That is what keeps us going. So goodbye 2016, and on to the next one!

Anime Central will be happening May 20-22, and my excitement is off the chart! I've never been to the Chicago area, ever. So this is providing a great reason to check it out and sell some comics to an audience we have never reached, previously. Brandon's been wanting to do this one for a while. Last year we didn't quite make it in, but thankfully this year it worked out! We should have some new books, as well as a few new prints ready for the con. If anyone one is going to be out there, stop by the booth and say hi. We always love meeting fans!

And two weeks after that is Tricon! It's an absolutely fantastic comic convention ran by true comic enthusiasts! It looks like volume one of Traitor's Grace should be ready by then. I finished my side of the artwork early in March, and Robert Nugent is killing it on the color side of things. My goal was to get an issue out every two months, and I pretty much did it. Between that and the twice weekly web comic, and full time job, I was pretty exhausted. Right now I've been taking a little break and just focusing on Zokusho. I plan on trying to use this time to get the final Shadowviel  issue finished to close out volume one, and get some sleep, before I jump into my next series for Broken Icon.

It's not too far away, Jan 15-17. There is something special to us about Ohayocon. It was my first anime convention, or convention in general I ever attended, back in 2011. It was the first convention I ever sold at, back in 2013. Although looking back now I don't really think we were really quite ready  then for what we were getting into, but you have to start someplace, and they were gracious enough to allow that.  I'm incredibly thankful for that opportunity, and that they have continued to do so the past four years.  Hopefully my skills have increased at least a little bit since then, and that I have learned a thing or two about selling at a convention. But the one thing that has not changed is the excitement waking up in the early hours Friday morning and loading up the car and heading to Columbus. From the smell of convention center, The hotel (usually the Drury), The food court ( will miss Noble Romans pizza, not because it was that good, just that it was a tradition), running into all my artist and con friends (usually taking a long walk and getting Chicago style deep dish pizza at Fabians), and everything else that is familiar about it, Ohayocon is like an old friend I get to see once a year. And guess what, it's not too far away

Okay that makes it sound like waaaay too many. This saturday Mar 21st Brandon and I will be at Animarathon in beautiful Bowling Green Ohio! Okay I've never been there but I can imagine it will be quite nice. We will be hanging out, selling books , and doing our normal shenanigans. Then a tiny week later Mar 28th I will at Gem City Comicon in lovely Dayton Ohio with the Broken Icon Comics crew promoting the upcoming Traitor's Grace miniseries as well as doing commissions and whatever dirty jobs needs done! Then two weeks after that on April 11, Tricon in Hunington West Virginia! Brandon will be there as well as Broken Icon Comics. So in one area Brandon will be holding down the fort promoting Zokusho and Bullet Forged Samurai  and I will be at Broken Icons booth promoting their books and doing commissions and all that good stuff! So if anybody happens to be in the area and wants to see just how dorky we actually are, just come by and talk about Outlaw Star, Trigun or Cowboy Bebop and we will tie you to the booth and keep you there the duration of the con. Sucks to be you!

Well it's almost a month until Ohayocon 2015, where we will travel to the Columbus convention center and sell some comics! We should have a new version a Zokusho volume one, with over one hundred pages of new or changed artwork, as well as a sketchbook and Crossiers that will further explain the world of Zokusho. Brandon and I have been wanting to do this for a while and we finally set forth on this quest eight months ago. It was along journey, but I believe worth it. It should make it a lot easier for someone to pick up the volume and not have to wonder why is this or what is that, because it is explained. I should hopefully have Shadowviel issue two as well. It's off to the printers and it should most likely arrive a week before the con. So what else do I like so much about Ohayocon? Well it's always nice after a long day of selling to just wonder around the convention center and check out the different cosplayers, go to the comic shop, or hit up one of the video rooms and chill out. I should also add I love staying at the drury, not just for their fantastic rooms, but also their complimentary breakfast in the morning, where I get my wild cherry pepsi!

And on to other news...I have begun working on a project for Broken Icon Comics titled Traitor's Grace. It's a six issue mini series that should end up being around ninety six pages or so by the end of it. If I am allowed I will post some preview artwork of some upcoming pages. This doesn't mean the end of Zokusho, just a slow down. I plan to keep on doing my best to keep Zokusho alive. I've put five years of work into it and it's something that I do enjoy working on. Which is the reason I keep working on it! And on that note....I need to get some pages done! Off to the artboard!!