This is my fourth APE, and I usually really look forward to it since it is one of the things that got me back in to comics. The enthusiasm and energy of the people there can be infectious, and helps remind me why comics can be such an interesting medium.

The show keeps getting bigger every year, although this year I was a little disappointed not to see some people (sure, James Kochalka has a kid and now he can't cross the country for the show? How am I supposed to buy The Cute Manifesto, through the mail??? Where was Scott McCloud? Just because Terry Moore isn't a guest of honor he won't attend? Do we really believe Scott Mills's car broke down?).

This was the second year the show was held at the Concourse and it seemed to work out well again. There seemed to be even more tables, filling up both raised spaces on the sides in addition to the main level. Most importantly, the bar was still open and you could still walk around the show with your drink. In fact, the only real problem I noticed with the facility was the lack of an ATM on site. It seems like it would be an easy way to make some money and to help the creators out when they keep hearing "sorry, I spent all my money already" as an excuse. Of course, if you do need to make a trip out to an ATM you can also stop by the Trader Joe's nearby and pick up something to munch on so you don't consume too much from the bar on an empty stomach and make a fool of yourself in front of all the autobio people who could immortalize your stupidity. (Actually, everyone in the crowd seemed quite nice and considerate navigating the sometimes-crowded aisles. And all the people working there seemed to still be enjoying themselves, even on Sunday.)

All the publishers you would expect to be there were there, and they seem to be settling into regular spots on the floor plan. Slave Labor's booth looked kind of empty since they had an open browsing area without the usual tables for some of their books and shirts and there was no Jhonen Vasquez to draw in the hundreds of Goth kids. In fact, I didn't see any significant lines at any of the tables this year, which was a first. No offense to this years guests of honor, but I don't think there were any real indy superstars to draw those lines this year, because it seemed like there were certainly enough people in attendance. (There were enough people to buy up all the copies of Optic Nerve #9 that D&Q brought on Saturday, at least!)

This year's programming didn't seem particularly well-attended. I didn't see anything of interest myself, and the few times I peaked in it seemed like there was plenty of available seating. I hope somebody comes up with some more exciting programming ideas for next year, since there are a lot of talented people in attendance it seems like something more exciting could be going on there.

Don't get me wrong, though; the lack of lines and "superstars" is not really that bad of a thing since the whole point of APE is to explore new and exciting things. Of course, with over 200 tables of exhibit space it can be difficult to figure out what is worth your time and effort. So I would like to offer a few suggestions to all of the people who have worked so hard to make something to sell at the show to help me realize I should give them my money. Of course, if I already have heard of your stuff and am a big fan I'll find you, but for most of the people exhibiting you need to have a few other tricks.

1. Initiate conversation. Not everyone will realize just how great your work of art is as they are walking by. Make eye contact and say "Hello" and most people will stop and take a look at your table just to not seem rude. It is a dirty trick, but it seems effective. Especially if someone is slowing down to look at something - draw them in all the way. Leland Purvis caught me looking at his nice new Vox collection just by saying "Take a look, I can see you're curious." Lots of people put out some candy or free stickers to try to draw people in, which I imagine also works for some people, but I find that the direct communication is a lot more effective. (I only wish he had told me about his upcoming Niels Bohr project. That sounds fantastic!)
2. Explain what you have for sale. Is it an ongoing series? Is it a complete story? Where is a good place to start? Is it an autobiography? Slice of life? Action? Humor? You should have a one or two sentence pitch to deliver so I can have some context as I flip through/examine what you have. Some people were good at this, some people were not so good and sometimes I don't want to bother asking.
3. Offer a discount or package deal. The True Porn people were selling the collection for $10 instead of $15. This makes me want to buy it, because if I wait to get it from my regular shop I'll have to pay more. And this benefits you because I am likely to forget or decide to get something else if I need to wait until I go back to my regular store. Similarly, having a low-price item I can buy can be a great thing. I can't afford to spend $10 or $20 at each booth but you can get me to part with $2 or $3 much more easily. And if I take it home the first night and really like it I may be back for more the next day.
4. Have something for me to take to remember who you are. Sure, I may have started with a lot of money but with so many interesting things to buy it can't last forever, and I may not have remembered to save enough for your book by the time I finally take a look. So make sure you have a card or flyer or something with your name and website (if you don't have a website, go make one right now) and the name of your book (or whatever it is you sell) that I can take home. This will make it infinitely more likely that I actually will remember to order your stuff or keep track of what you are doing later. And it makes it much easier for me to back out if I'm not really interested.

Some people there already know this stuff - there were lots of interesting advances in table technology this year. A few folks, including Keith Knight had CDs for sale that you could listen to, and a few people had videos running. There were some interesting crafts, including some bizarre hats and ties and finger puppets and stuffed creatures from TokkiSom. Yes, ties, like neckties. And squeaky stuffed poo-creatures. Very strange, but very cute in some way.

True Story, Swear to God stars Tom and Lily were there and were as nice as ever. Tom's art for the new issue looks amazing, and they had a little booklet featuring some of Lily's writings translated into English. I am always surprised when people recognize me even though I only see them once a year and that is only for a few minutes of conversation. (Their picture is over here.

Raina Telgemeier was there and still has the most impressive 50-cent comics you will ever find. I wish she would get on with it and make a really long book already so I could give her more money, although she was up to a $2 comic this year so I guess it is getting closer. Jim Massey's Death takes a Holiday #1 was available (for a discount! See, some people know how to play the game!) and was very funny, although I could have done without the Indy strips. Thien Pham's Air was an excellent read on the Muni back home after the show - how can you go wrong with a love story about air hockey? Thien and Lark Pien also had a little pocket SF city guide, which was a neat idea, but I didn't feel like I could justify buying a guide for a city I have lived in for a while now. I got to introduce a friend into the incredible world of mathematically sound comics by Jason Shiga (and as much as I am in eternal awe of The Last Supper I can't wait to see what comes next for him after the less-format-conscious Double Happiness. I didn't really see any must-have T-shirts from anyone, which was ok because the nice folks from The Foreheads were making custom shirts, reminding me that I can't come up with anything that great, either. Cold Cut Distribution was present with one of my favorites, the scratch and dent comics sale. It was 45 cents per pound of comics, and I feel like I had my most successful year with this, finding Why Did Pete Duel Kill Himself?, 30 Days of Night, a Love and Rockets trade, a Joe Matt trade, and a few other miscellaneous issues I wouldn't have picked up otherwise. Of course, if I had been interested in learning what Poison Elves were, I think I might have been the happiest person at the show. I would have been closer to being the happiest person at the show if Craig Bostick's veggie paintings were available in some less expensive format. Who wouldn't want to share their kitchen with Angry Potato and Saucy Tomato?

I did finally get to meet Jeffrey Brown after discovering his work last summer. He was friendly and didn't mind signing a pile of books, taking the time to do some little sketches in each one, which was very nice. And he even posed for the picture my girlfriend required I take:

I also spoke briefly to Paul Hornschmeier, whose Mother, Come Home I hadn't been able to find. I finally picked it up along with a couple of other books, including the new Forlorn Funnies that premiered. He also had a book that he was offering a deal on "because it is so heavy and I don't want to carry it back," he said. All great stuff!

I also picked up a couple of Drawn and Quarterly books that I hadn't been able to get because places kept selling out of them. Joe Sacco may be my favorite comic creator, so I was excited to finally get The Fixer. I hadn't been that excited by the cover that I saw online, but it works much better in person, giving the impression of a book that had barely gotten smuggled out of somewhere. I also got Louis Riel, which I had been waiting to take a look at in the collected form. It was irresistible! I think I may just be a sucker for the textured covers that both these books have, but it helps make them into incredible works of art. D&Q makes incredibly well-designed books.

Apparently there was also a "traditional" comic show next door, featuring all the things you didn't miss about other comic shows, like lots of back issues. I didn't go over there, so I can't really say anything about it, but I am curious how well they did.

Overall, I was quite happy with what I was able to get, although I think I didn't find enough new stuff I had never heard of before the show. I also hope that the show makes some efforts to keep things interesting next year, especially with the programming, to keep it from getting stale since a lot of the people and items for sale are the same year to year.