Cancelling ECCC Appearance

The Lovely Anna and I have made the difficult decision NOT to attend Emerald City Comic Con next weekend due to the fallout associated with the COVID-19 issue. I’m not concerned about catching COVID-19 and frankly I think the panic over it is overblown, but I am concerned about potentially contributing to its spread to people who are at risk for serious issues if they do contract it. I’m also concerned that the panic associated with it might cause us issues getting OUT of Seattle at the end of the show, and with a special needs dependent at home we cannot risk that. All signs point to this getting worse not better in the next week.

ReedPop has extended a refund offer to Artist’s Alley creators for their table fees should they elect not to attend. I wrote them to say I’d prefer they keep my table fee. They took my money in good faith that I would attend and none of this is their fault. I cannot imagine the financial hit ReedPop is going to take over this, and I wanted to try and help a little. They completely refused to keep the fee, or even to apply it to a future show. ReedPop is getting a lot of heat for not cancelling the event entirely, but in offering refunds for fan tickets and for creator’s rents, and in taking extra steps and precautions with respect to sanitation, they are giving people the choice to attend or not. I think that’s the best way to handle it as long as the CDC or the City or State governments do not feel the need to require the cancellation of such an event, which so far they do not.

I don’t do the “comic con circuit”, but I know many creators who rely on the income they get from these shows to pay their bills. Everyone associated with the show, from those putting it on to those who sell their wares there, will be hurt financially from this. Refunded table fees aside, everyone has expenses already tied up in the show they cannot get back. For many creators it will be a real hardship whether they elect to cancel being there or if they show up to what will surely be a much diminished crowd of people. If you are a fan attending ECCC, please support the artists that are there as much as you can, and if you elect not to attend, support the ones both there and those who cancelled via their online retail shops if they have one.

To that end, next week I will be offering a “virtual comic con” in the Studio Store. For the week, anything for sale in the Studio Store will have free domestic shipping, and I will be offering the same commissions I do at comic cons for the same prices. That includes live-style caricatures, MAD sketch covers and other convention-type commissions, again at the same prices I charge at conventions and with free domestic shipping.

Look for that next week Tuesday-Friday.

My sincerest apologies to anyone who is attending ECCC and finding my table empty. I will see you there next year!