2016 Clallam Bay Comicon Special Guest

Marko Gets a Puppy, 
by Anna Gjenero and
Mary Gjenero Bilich (Ampersand, Inc.)

Our Special Guest is Canadian Leanne Franson, classic LGBT minizine author, and successful children's book illustrator. 

Among her many other works, she  illustrated the book "Marko Gets A Puppy" book, which just won a Moon Gold award in the Pets/animals category at the 2015 Moonbeam Children's book Awards.   



She is best known for "Liliane," a series of minicomics (later collected) that outline the everyday life of a nice Bi girl. 

But let's read it in her own able words:

"Hi!

I’m Leanne Franson, children’s illustrator and creator of Liliane Bi-Dyke! I was mostly active in the heyday of DIY photocopied zines, producing 43 minicomics during the 1990s, mostly semi auto-bio tales of liliane, my bi-dyke heroine. I also contributed to countless other zines and books, some of which were collected by Slab-o-Concrete press in the UK in two trade paperbacks. In 2003 I was invited to share a table at APE in San Fran, and wrote the comics for my third trade paperback, and kept up my production momentum afterwards by producing 3 years of daily comics. The archives are at http://liliane.comicgenesis.com/archives.html

My production dropped off when I became a single mom by choice, but I continued doing a story a month for Rainbow Rumpus, an online magazine for kids with lgbt parents.

My work has appeared in such places as Gay Comics, Dyke Strippers, Anything That Loves, Action Girl, Real Girl, and several collections by Roz Warren.

I am excited to be the guest cartoonist at the 2016 Clallam Bay Comicon, and would love to share with you my propensity for bringing minimal facial features to life! Alison Bechdel once wrote: “I never cease to be amazed by the dizzying range of emotions Leanne Franson can squeeze out of a noseless face with dots for eyes”. Join me in pushing your mastery of dots and lines!

Illustrations: http://leannefranson.com
Comics (not updated but see archives, books and comics):http://liliane.comicgen.com
NEW EMAIL! Please update your address book to:Leanne@leannefranson.com
Nouveau Courriel! SVP mettre vos contacts à jour:Leanne@leannefranson.com

2015 Clallam Bay Comicon

Stickers will again be available. Only a dollar -

Dealers and Panel participants get one for free.

EVERYONE WELCOME. If you make or enjoy any sort of books - including comics - movies, music, poetry, cosplay, Steampunk, gallery art, jewelry, paint cars, bake pies, sing, do stand-up, sculpture, hip-hop, light shows, make frybread, whatever - bring it. Everybody welcome for the 10:00 am Saturday parade starting from the Weel Road Deli (Shell parking lot). 

Note: "We" = Donna Barr. Please everybody hit the bottom of this page for the - ahem - contractual agreements. No way we're mailing out stupid paper contracts for everybody.

First, con reports:

The 2013 Comicon Report

The 2014 Comicon Report

Former year Facebook pages: Construct search as: (Year) Clallam Bay Comicon. IE: 2013 Clallam Bay Comicon, etc.

Now - the 2015 information: 

OFFICIAL 2015 Charity: Western Wildlife Outreach. 

PROFESSIONAL GUESTS link for 2015

FACEBOOK LINK (If you want to keep up with ongoing discussions, ask questions, organize a sales rep or living space or panels, yada yada).

July 11-12: During and after Clallam Bay/Sekiu Fun Days 10:00 am - 5 pm Both Saturday and Sunday. 

ADMISSION for public: free. "We don't need no stinkin' badges." You're all special guests to us. And don't have to prove you're pros or amateurs.

BOOTH FEES: $25 ($27.00 Paypal).  CONTACT for payment instructions. You're just renting space, so share if you want. Shipping Over Canadian Border: Shipit2PA 

EXHIBITORS at the convention for 2015:

1: Donna Barr's A Fine Line Press AND Clallam Bay Comicon Central.

(Table 2 in 2016: Page Birmingham is unable to attend, but her payment will be moved forward for next year.)

2. Roberta Gregory - don't miss the Cat Toons books! Sharing her table will be Magic Realism Writer Bruce Taylor, with his books.

3. Charcoal Brown - Illustrator of "Pirates Dream of Me." Writer and illustrator of "Picnicker." 

4. Crime and the Forces of Evil - Swag Table for the Band.

5. Linda Medley, author of "Castle Waiting."

The newly renovated building - nice job, Lions!

WHERE:

Clallam Bay/Seiku Lion's Club

90 Bogachiel Street

Clallam Bay, Olympic Peninsula, Washington State, United States (Take Highway 112 through Clallam Bay. After the hard left, look for liqour store on the right; Bogachiel Street is the next left). Hall, table space, toilet, kitchen, outside lawn, parking.

I am NOT renting the attached fire hall. If YOU want to for events, studios, or Evil Lair, contact me for Lion's Club hookups. DEADLINE for contacting me for all building, etc: February 11, 2015. GAMES: You want games? Find a Gamesmaster and contact us to be put in the Panel schedule. Bring a large roll of plastic sheeting.

MINIONS: If you want to do something at the show, go ahead. Our official movie is "Despicable Me," My official title is "Gru," and if you get yourself hurt or arrested, we'll just laugh and point.

PANELS and EVENTS Link First come, first gets to have their say!

GUESTS: We have no badge fees to deduct, and the tables are cheap, and in our eyes, everybody is special but equal. We're so "ridiculously fun" - and, as we grow, profitable - that everybody's going to show up anyway, just to say they did. Cheap darn housing, too.

AWARDS: Who are we to judge? If your fans love you and buy stuff, you win. If they don't, start marketing your ass better. Watch and learn.

ACCOMADATIONS AND HOUSING OFFICIAL CONVENTION HOTEL: Winter-Summer Inn Bed and Breakfast 360 963 2264 Sold Out - BUT - We don't have a "party floor." Torsten Adair has taken the suite, and is looking for shares - at $30 a night! Contact him on our Facebook page (above), or contact me to help with connections. Large suite, central fire dome, kitchen, seven beds. 

Andre's Court Motel: nice rooms, local. Limited space. 

Sam's RV Resort has camping, $15 a night. Includes laundromat, near upper shopping area; Phone: 360 963 2402 
MORE places. But you'll need a car for most of them.
And More Places!

FOOD AROUND TOWN

COMICON EATS: We have a NICE kitchen available, so if you want to bring and sell food, take care of your own licensing or whatever. Or, if you're a participant, and just want to cook - we have a 'fridge and ovens and coffee pots. Potlucks and Sharesies welcome.

HOW TO GET HERE: Take a flight to Port Angeles on Kenmore Air, then take the Forks bus to the the Clallam Bay connection at Sappho; Bus details at Clallam Transit. Or take Olympic Bus Lines from Seattle. Best drive from Seattle: come in on 101, go out on 112 for all the views and fun. Coming from Portland, or other points south? Take the WEST side of the Olympic Peninsula, Highway 101, up through Forks; recommended to Twilight fans. Note: some folks may be planning a bus rock road trip, or a caravan. Go to the Facebook Page to start contacting and planning.

BUSSES IN-COUNTY: $3.00 passes for all-day, hop-on, hop-off service in Clallam County. Lots of routes and scheduling. Schedules, etc.

WI-FI is 24/7 at the library, right around the corner, also at various businesses and the Visitors' Center.

FIRE DISPLAYS: If you want to play Burning Man, contact the District Five Fire Department

LAST-MINUTE PRINTING: Already on the peninsula and forgot something? Need a large print order at the last minute? Olympic Printers are the guys.

CHILDREN: watch your own. Parents, please see * below. 

TRASH: Container in Lion's Club kitchen. SEPARATE THE CANS.

FACILITY CARE: No tape of any sort on the wall. Respect the Lion's Club's wall displays. We all chip in to clean up at the end of the show. It don't take long.

Don't set yourself on fire.

*On-Line Contract: If you attend as a dealer or performer, we'll assume you've read this page's information, and will use it to make your life easier - and it CAN change, up to the start of the show, and possibly afterwards, if we need to. No whining if you don't know the schedule; if we get no notification, we'll just replace you on the spot. Life goes on. Parents, please note your obligations as breeding units.

Cartoonists Northwest Talk in Seattle

Art in the Wild

I'll be in Seattle on October 16, to appear at the Cartoonists Northwest meeting in Seattle.

Come find out how to run your own comicon, with no admission fees or badges, low table fees and just one staff person - and how such a model can expand and re-adapt. Come loaded with questions, because if I haven't thought of the answers for new situations, we'll discover them together.

AND - come find out what T. Brian Wagner and I are doing to make the revival of the our Desert Peach musical - as a concert - happen all over again. This time, crowdfunding will make it more fun and memorable than ever - and that's saying something!

Of course, I'll have books and even the remaining Stinz pins. Yes, I still have them! And sketches and stories and whatever anybody else wants. If you haven't met the fun, happy, highly professional people of Cartoonists Northwest, it's about time you did - and this is a great opportunity!

(Thanks to Seattle friends for making this event possible. You're the best!)

2013 Clallam Bay Comicon Report

Oh, you missed it? Not next year, huh? In the meantime, get ready for the 2014 Comicon (links on this page).

The Gang at the Clallam Bay Inn..

Dara Korra'ti started the show by - really -  moving the con to the Clallam Bay Inn, for the fish-n-chips by Cara she'd been hungering for all year.

Fish-n-chips - NOM.

The owner gave us Cara again, who did not disappoint! The addition of another beer on tap, a crisp clean Manny's, was a lovely surprise.

Dara goes old-fashioned on the con newsletter - because she wants to

Dara decided to produce the convention newsletter with a stamp kit. She got the B's in CBCBC (Clallam Bay Comic Book Con) backwards, and we insist this will now be the official printing from now on.

Opening Ceremonies - on the be

Dara ALSO set up the wi-fi so we could all use credit cards! And threatened to bring in a music festival next year. YES, everybody has to pay their $25 vending fees - UP FRONT - from now on. But Dara will probably be doing enough for the con to always get her vendor's access gratis. Come on - how many sales would we have missed without her help?

After dinner, we reparked the cars (those of us who didn't decide to stroll) to the park, and crossed the bridge to hold the Opening Ceremonies on the beach. Yes, I live down there, on the point.

Roberta Gregory (Marcus and lady in the back) at the room party.

Then we had a room party over at the Bay Motel (and we didn't clean fish in the room). Yes, indeedy, the comicon had everything the usual conventions had. I think it was Roberta who said, "Room party! This is a room party!" And we all started laughing. We are simple people - and easily amused.


Saturday morning, and the Fun Days Grand Parade!

Hup! Hup! Hup

Niall Townley, the Fire Piper, leads the way on stilts, playing flaming bagpipes, awwwing an amazed audience - who all pointed out the tiny glittery baby shoes protecting his stilt feet. Niall won the Fun Days Grand Prize Blue Ribbon ("I dinna know where you been, my laddie, but I seen you won 1st prize"). They even gave us comiconers a 3rd prize ribbon - which of course had us falling over ourselves laughing. Thank you, Clallam Bay, for treating him and his fellow cosplayers so nicely. He says he can't wait for next year! Yay! And yes, please, more cosplay - we can't get too much of you fancy people.

Donna Barr in her Ka-Blam tshirt.

And here we are in the Lion's club hall, Saturday morning! We pause here to thank Ka-Blam for so much of their printing help. And yes, I get $10 printing fees every time I wear their shirt to a convention. Me so happy. Oh, and the other advantage we get for running our own con is we get vendor's space #1. Well, we do.

Woof!

The hall was lovely - clean, spacious, with a nice kitchen and bathroom. Dogs allowed, thank you, if I have anything to do with it. Or your pet monkey or cat, if they're as well-behaved as Cedar and his buddy, here. YES, we cleaned it up very carefully when we left (although I think I left my jar of kelp pickles in their 'fridge). 

Those of you with Lion's Clubs in small towns - they may not have a hall, but they can find you space. And since most people in Lion's Clubs joined in the '50's, they're fading. We decided it would be perfect to hook up comicons with Lion's Clubs in every rural area in America. Yes, they thought we were a bit weird at first - I think we scared them - but they're converts now. I was told they'd expand for us - going to go to a meeting and nail that down, if I can - and spread the word. Hey - fun, charity and a positive outlook - isn't it what comicons AND Lion's Clubs are about? They're a perfect match. I was calling this method of conventionioneering the Dragon Model - maybe I should call it the Lion Model. I'm a Leo, too, after all.

The official Clallam Bay Comicon charity.

Speaking of charity - here's our official convention charity - the lovely Hannah Larrachea and her Cooking for the Cure, a senior class project for the American Cancer Society! The numbers were thinner than we'd hoped - and townsfolks were scared by a door, evidently thinking they'd HAVE to buy. So, because Hannah didn't sell as she'd expected, the vendors and participants all threw $5 apiece into the jar, bought the whole spread, and put up the sign, "Free cookies and cakes!"  Share the wealth. How sweet.

Steve Jackson Games takes on the town kids.

Marcus Evanstar, of Steve Jackson Games, had plenty of space out on the porch to help a few local kids play. It's a gorgeous sunny day, and most people are either putting themselves into water or trying to pull salmon out of it. And it's hard for our people to get out here. But the Photosynthesis folks (their festival is next weekend in Neah Bay) bring their audience here. This is only our second year, and I'm very happy with our future potential - and yes, the person who posted about this on Facebook - it WAS "ridiculously fun." And evidently uplifting to tired spirits.

Dara Korra'ti in concert. Photo: Roberta Gregory (c) 2013

Dara Korra'ti presented a wonderful concert I never got even a moment to attend! (Chief Peon does have its drawbacks). :( But Roberta Gregory grabbed a moment, and sent me this wonderful picture of the lovely and talented Dara in performance. Anyone else who has photos that make people look wonderful, we'd love to add them to this report.

Mike is happy now.

Remember I said the Lion's Club was scared of us at first? Not when the guys running in and out to get Lion's Club barbecue supplies get a convention tshirt and a cupcake! Nice people, nice show, and we're doing it again next year. 

Best Burgers in town. And the food's good, too (German joke).

A post-con party ended up at the By-The Bay restaurant in Sekiu. They were handling the monster overflow from the Breakwater restaurant's hot-water breakdown, and then our remnants walk in and take half the tables. The town only has '50's diner food, but maybe next year.... Vietnamese? (The Three Sisters of Clallam Art Gallery is working on that, with the help of Thu Tran, who runs the haircut and nails parlor and who keeps feasting the whole town. Next year - spring rolls and Thai Tea?)

Sparkly!

The fireworks photo is actually from Neah Bay, the week before, for the Fourth of July celebrations. But - it's the same sort of fireworks Fun Days gets on the beach, and probably a lot of the same kids. Plus the spectacular official fireworks, paid for by Unique Junque ("the quarter store," calling themselves Sweater Central for the Comicon, just in case anybody got chilly). 

Now... how do we keep the fireworks, but don't overload the town, already bludgeoned, trying to deal with people staying for Fun Days? Simple - change the paradigm! Everybody get up here Saturday for the parade, fireworks and fun - then we sell and trade and panel Sunday and Monday. We always figure out how to get that extra Friday - why not that extra Monday? Anything you know about a convention, how to run one, and how to attend - throw it right out the window. We'll always have no stinking badges, and $25 vendor fees. See you in 2014!

Roberta and me - Dead Dog time!

And now - the end-of-end-of-con report. We had a Dead Dog party, but as they kept happening, we renamed them the Zombie Dog parties. And yes, most of them were on the beach.

Even more con report and seriously lovely photos at Dara's blog. 

Vendor Rachel Partain posted these photos of the beautiful area in her Facebook Album.

Thanks to Denny Eicchorn, who sent me this report in email: 

"Saturday, July 13th, 2013, meant one thing, and one thing only: the Second Annual Clallam Bay ComiCon! We drove to scenic Clallam Bay and unloaded our comic books in the Lions Club building, and soon found ourself marching through Clallam Bay with Donna Barr and other ComiCon attendees in some weird annual parade, right behind a kilted red-haired bagpipe player on stilts (whose bagpipes emitted flames spasmodically, fueled by a small bottle of propane), as the sunglasses-wearing citizens of that fine town cheered and applauded at our passage. We only sold $3 worth of goods at the ComiCon, but will carry the memories of that parade for a long, long time."

Yes, sales are better for some people than others, but if nothing else, you can deduct a hella vacation - and always say you were in at the start. Besides, you're probably dying of the heat during the summer, and we have a cool ocean breeze. Come hide and party!

2013 Clallam Bay Comicon

You kids KNOW you shouldn't smoke, right?

2013 Clallam Bay Comicon CON REPORT Link

During Clallam Bay/Sekiu Fun Days in 2013. 

The newly renovated building - nice job, Lions!

WHERE: Clallam Bay/Sekiu Lion's Club

Here's the Building, outside and in:

WHEN: We're officially listed as 13-14, but if you can get here on the 12th, we won't turn you away or not let you sell stuff. Breakdown is Sunday by noon.

Yes, we can move the tables. No, we can't move their art.

HOUSING: http://www.sekiu.com/ Get your ass in gear - it fills up FAST! And also Neah Bay: GETTING to Neah Bay and back, if you'd prefer not to drive every day - contact Olympic Peninsula Errand Service, for Janet or Adam: (360) 640-4583 NOTE: Neah Bay is a First Nations town, and dry. And you don't want to drive THAT road after enjoying some wind-down juice.

With Fun Days you get an old-fashioned small-town parade, a KILLER pot-luck if you come in early on Friday, a barbecue, and a bajillion fireworks Saturday, some of them even legal. We're the comicon with the BEACHES, bitches.

EVERYONE WELCOME. If you do comics, poetry, gallery art, jewelry, paint cars, bake pies, sing, do stand-up, sculpture, hip-hop, light shows, whatever - bring it. Cosplay wanted for the parade. AND HORSES!

BOOTH FEES: $25 ($27.00 Paypal). Contact for booth space: donnabarr01@gmail.com

ADMISSION for public: free. "We don't need no stinkin' badges." You're all special guests to us. And don't have to prove you're pros or amateurs.

AWARDS: Who are we to judge? If your fans love you, they love you.

PROVIDED: space, electricity (We ALMOST had wi-fi; maybe next year). Wi-fi is 24/7 at the library, right around the corner. LOTS of table space! Bring extra chairs if you can. There will be a free table for flyers, charities, and the comicon donation jar.

SPACE: Your choice of inside tables, outside covered porch, outside gazebo, or parking lot in front of the Fire Hall.

PANELS: Decide when you want to be here, based on the link calendar (following), and we'll stick you in. First come, first served, and NO, we don't care what you do. You're a grownup. If you want to negotiate with other panels for times, just let us know at donnabarr01 at gmail dot com. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AgPl00Loyip2dElJR29IdUMyTHZMMHVsVnYzdklyM1E#gid=6

GAMES: Marcus Evenstar is our official gamesmaster. Ask him. If you haven't got Facebook, we'll hook you up at donnabarr01 at gmail dot com. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcus.evenstar

Gaming Porch!

CATERING: We have a NICE kitchen available, so if you want to bring and sell food, take care of your own licensing or whatever. Kids with cookies and charities very welcome.

HOW TO GET HERE: Take a flight to Port Angeles, then take the Forks bus to the the Clallam Bay connection at Sappho.  Yes, Sappho. Or take Olympic Bus Lines from Seattle. http://www.olympicbuslines.com/

BEST, safest, most scenic route if driving: Highway 101 around Lake Crescent, then Highway 113-112 to Clallam Bay (slightly longer, but recommended).

AUDIO-VISUAL: If you want to run film media, the library has an After Hours @ The Library Program and is open Friday and Saturday. We haven't set anything up connected with the Comicon, but contact them to set up your non-profit event anyway - and take donations for the library:  http://www.nols.org

FIRE DISPLAYS: If you want to play Burning Man, contact the District Five Fire Department: http://clallamfire5.org/

FOOD AROUND TOWN: http://donnabarr.blogspot.com/2012/08/what-to-eat-at-clallam-bay-comicon.html

LAST-MINUTE PRINTING: Already on the peninsula and forgot something? Need a large print order at the last minute? These are the guys: http://www.olympicprinters.com/contact.html 

T-SHIRTS: Don't want to drag a million t-shirts along, especially if you have a new design? Get 'em done in Port Angeles and pick 'em up there: https://www.sickktees.com/
 

CHILDREN: watch your own.

TRASH: Keep inside at night! Or the dogs will get it.

FACILITY CARE: No tape of any sort on the wall. Respect the Lion's Club's wall displays.

 
Don't set yourself on fire.

EXHIBITORS:

1: Clallam Bay Comicon Central (Official convention t-shirts!)

2.  Donna Barr, A Fine Line Press

3.  A. S. Koi, Catalyst Studios

4.  Roberta Gregory

5.  Your Mom Comics

6. Dennis P Eichhorn

(Free table: Your damaged books with flyers in 'em - "The first one's free!" And any other giveaway goodies you want to share space with the fire department and the block watch.)

Barr Wars and Somebody.

Chris Dunn posted the original Barr Wars pages. Kinda hinkey scanning, but it's all there. Somebody says this thing is still going on, for all those years. I dunno. I just googled "Barr Wars."

If nothing else it's got some very early appearances of some of my characters. Not my best work, but a hell of a lot of fun.