Finally I get some time to write about my experience at the Comic Salon Erlangen.
It was not the first time for me to participate in a booth at a comiconvention (plenty of experience in Italy and my second time in Germany) but I still was thrilled because of the role I would cover. My other German booth experience was back in 2013 when my German was good but not as sophisticated as now and, I was registered as an artist so no real need to talk but more drawing and look friendly weird.
This time in Erlangen, my first time in Erlangen, I had a staff badge for the booth held by Comic Festival München. My role would be make people aware of the festival in Munich, present comics from features artists, entertain random passersby and hand out the limited edition stickers and coasters made for the current event. Nothing too complicated, just need to master the content to present and the language you use for presenting.
There were so many foreign visitors who did not speak German that I found it so funny to talk in English that often. I am so happy! I did not expect to talk in English unless it's foreign artists, but so many visitors from neighbouring ans non neighbouring countries! Thank you all for visiting Germany for the comics events!
I even had a second task: to go around in the self publishing and small publishing booths area and invite the artists to join for Munich. Most non German artists do not know about the German rising comic community, and less they know about conventions in the country. Erlangen is probably the most important one for comics.
Some times you are shy to try something new so if none that you know is joining that event because of their other scheduled events, you may not come. So it was very important to get to know everyone in person and let everyone feel at home. I am sure some of you are reading this. Just drop me a message any time, I am there for you. I might not be able to post officially on the blog as soon and often as I wish, but I try to respond to private messages any time I have 5 minutes. I will get back at you. So please contact me!
Our adventure started in Munich when me, Michi and Carsten (save the names, they will be around a lot in the Munich comic scene too) tried to make everything fit in the small car we had.
Not so wild: meet up time was 7.00 am. Luckily Munich and Erlangen are close to each other: about 2 hours ride.
The ride itself has been so pleasant. We spoke about everything we were expecting from the event, the artists we wanted to meet and have sign for us, comics we want to buy... And we sang along some songs from our teenage days, with a music cassette. That was so unexpected! But also refreshing.
