Mixed Up (Close To Me (Closer Mix))

IF you were wondering why we’re not going to King Con, well, then you’re deeply troubled. We, too, were troubled by the news of King Con’s indefinite postponement. There seems to be some confusion as to our true feelings on King Con because of an old post. We had fun because King Con was friggin’ weird. Maybe it was too weird? We hope the King Con folks, good people that they are, figure out where they’re taking this and soon. In fact, it would be really nice to have a local show sometime around Valentine’s Day (hint, hint). Though, please, not on Valentines’ Day. And, no, we’re not starting our own show because we’re recluses compared to the people who do these things. It’s a lot of work.

It was the case that King Con conflicted with our ability to attend MIX, the Minneapolis Indie Xpo. Fear not, there is a dynamic duo headed out to Minny to represent the Acres in Mike Dawson and Eamon Espey. They will sketch the hell out of your Troop 142 and Wormdye and they will have all the Acres books, a bunch of original art, many mini-comics and probably some more of Mike’s HeroClix (not ours). For even more Acres-related folks, Max Mose and Andrew Christensen will be in attendance as well. MIX may be a too far a haul for some of you, but you can pick up their comics in the Emporium. Speaking of Max and Andrew, Max has some work up on Paper Darts and Andrew’s interviewed by the lovely and outrageous Jen Vaughn here.

There were two Acres showings in the meanwhile, and we should give you a summary of those. Edie Fake completely killed it at the New York Art Book Fair, selling out of his prints, minis and Gaylord Phoenix in rather large numbers. That place was packed for four days straight, both indoors and outdoors, and stocked with astoundingly beautiful books and people (and some porn). We loved it. We’re considering turning this into a full Secret Acres extravaganza next year. It’s not a true comics show, but you know we can get artsy when we need to. While Edie was holding court at NYABF, Mike Dawson was off at APE. The Alternative Press Expo is usually a pretty soft show for us, but Mike and Troop 142 did very well (despite Mike’s appearance on that terrible Comix Claptrap panel). Mike, however, had rather a hard time of things, as you can read about here and listen to on the Ink Panthers Show! here (WARNING: the “Mattress Professionals” episode of Ink Panthers is a classic).  You don’t have to take our word for it that APE is a softy, since the SF Weekly agrees. We might go back. We probably will not.

The Acres gang has been all over since we last sat down to write. If you’ve been following us on Twitter or Facebook, you’re probably way ahead of the game. Mike and Troop 142 got some love from Fucked in Park Slope, Graphic Eye, Starving for Ink and YALSA, the Young Adult Library Service Assocation who nominated Troop 142 for their Great Graphic Novels for Teens list. We are equally humbled and surprised by that last one. You can watch the aforementioned Edie Fake reading at Brain Frame over here. Superstar Joseph Lambert of worldwide I Will Bite You! fame will be showing up in the next Nobrow anthology. Somehow, Flavorwire put Gabby “Ken Dahl” Schulz’s Monsters on a list of Disturbingly Brilliant Graphic Novels that reads like a list of the greatest of all time. Samuel C. Gaskin, the guy behind 2012, got a music write-up, of all things, from the Valley Advocate and his Hot Topic mini was brought to life for Halloween.

We also have some very big news and we thought we’d tell you first. John Brodowski, the Curio Cabinet guy, has been feverishly deconstructing every action hero in sight. You can check out two of these stories on Small Plates right now. It’s looking like a big, fat go for a super-sized, all new Curio Cabinet to drop right on BCGF, the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Fest. We are planning to have the largest assembly of Secret Acres artists for any show ever at BCGF in December. The seas will part and stuff.

Now go to MIX! You may never get another chance!

Your Pals,

Barry and Leon

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