Next week, we leave for New York City and the New York Comic Con. The show will take place October 14th thru the 16th. The layout of the show floor is below, so you can find us easily. Cartoon Books will set up in booth 1245. You can click on the floor plan to make it bigger! Here is a link to the interactive map on the NYCC website, if you’d like to create a show planner for yourself.

As you can see from the close up below, we will be across from DC Comics and Graphitti Designs. We will be sharing booth space again with our best buds, Robyn and Terry Moore (Rachel Rising) of Abstract Studios.

Jeff’s NYCC Signing Schedule*

All signings will take place at the Cartoon Books Booth #1245 *Signing times are subject to change, so check with the Cartoon Books staff daily.

Friday, October 14
Booth Signing-check booth for times

Saturday, October 15
Booth Signing-check booth for times

Jeff’s NYCC PANEL Schedule:

Saturday, October 15
3:45pm-4:45pm Room 1A23:
Celebrating 20 Years of BONE with Jeff Smith! Speakers include: Cassandra Pelham, David Saylor, Dr. Katie Monnin, Jeff Smith and Tom Sniegoski

OCTOBER 22,2011 • DEBUT of the Full Color One Volume SLIPCASE EDITION!

October 22nd! THE DEBUT OF THE SLIPCASED, ONE VOLUME COLOR EDITION OF BONE!

We head to our own backyard for Mid Ohio Con in Columbus, Ohio. The show will be held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Jeff will be signing “exclusively” at the Laughing Ogre booth on Saturday, October 22nd ONLY! The signing will be from 2:00pm-4:00pm! Here are floor plans for Mid Ohio.

BONE and RASL colorist, Steve Hamaker, will be set up at the show all weekend to sell his creation, Fish-n-Chips.

OCTOBER 28, thru November 1st, 2011

October 28th thru November 1st, Jeff and Vijaya will be flying to Italy to attend the Lucca Comics and Games show. Bao (our Italian publisher) will be premiering the Italian language black and white version of the Bone One Volume Edition. Jeff will be signing daily at the Bao publishing’s booth. Below is an illustration Jeff did for Bao’s company mascot.

Jeff will be on a panel on October 29th, called “Ascent and decline of the Indie Comics Scene” with mostly Italian authors. October 30th, he will be on a panel with French author Baru, David Lloyd, Jiro Taniguchi and Craig Thompson.

November 3rd, 2011

November 3, Jeff will attend the Antwerp Book Festival in Belgium. The Antwerp Book Fair is a large trade fair for books, held annually at the beginning of November at Antwerp Expo in Antwerp, Belgium. It is organized by Boek.be. All Flemish and Dutch publishers, and several foreign language distributors present their newest books at the fair.

Hope to see you at any of the conventions, as we continue to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of BONE!

Jeff is working hard on the next issue of RASL. So, I figured I would pass along some fun videos and pictures from the first half of the conventions we’ve been attending.

Here is an interview Jeff did with the Stumptown Trader Review in San Diego.

And here is their Comic Con 2011 Highlight Reel. Jeff  makes a cameo about the 1:55 mark.

Publishers Weekly had some fun pics and information on the kid’s books at the show. You can read that by clicking here!

Baltimore Comic Con was fun as Jeff, Steve and I continued the party with Robyn and Terry Moore. This photo courtesy of the Baltimore Comic Con Facebook page!

Fan Expo Canada was the highlight of the BONE tour for me thus far. The screen capture below is from the video of where I was “punked” by a girl from MTV Live, who was cutting in line to get an autograph. After she told me, and I saw the camera, this moment will go down as the most embarrassing of my life, so far! You can see the whole video here!

We will have more pics and stories soon, and Jeff should be back to blogging next week!

Next up on the 20th Anniversary BONE Tour…New York Comic Con! Hope to see you there!

The BONE 20th Anniversary Tour continues this week as we visit our neighbors to the north.

We want everybody to be able to find us easily at our booth #129, so here is the floorplan of the convention center. You can click on it to make it bigger.

This is a more magnified version of where you can find us. You can also go to FanExpo Canada’s website and download a pdf for yourself here!

Jeff will be doing two (2) signings a day.

The first will occur in the morning at the Cartoon Books booth #129. This signing will not require a ticket, but may get capped quickly if the line is huge. The autograph area signings in the evenings will be ticketed. Tickets for the evening signings are only available at The Cartoon Books Booth. You must receive a ticket from a Cartoon Books staff member (no purchase necessary) and there will only be a limited number of tickets available per day.

The schedule will be:

Thursday August 25th.
Show Hours 2pm-9pm
2pm – 4pm Cartoon Books Booth Signing at booth 129
7:30pm – 900pm in the Autograph Area “CC”

Friday August 26th.
Show Hours 10am-8pm
11am – 1pm Cartoon Books Booth Signing at booth 129
2:30 – 3:30pm Creating the Worlds of BONE & RASL Panel Rm 716
5:30 – 700pm in the Autograph Area “CC”

Saturday Show Hours 10am-8pm
11am – 1pm Cartoon Books Booth Signing at booth 129
2:30 – 3:30pm Conversational panel with Mark Askwith Rm 718
5:30 – 700pm in the Autograph Area “CC”

Sunday Show Hours 10am-6pm
11am – 1pm Cartoon Books Booth Signing at booth 129
4:30 – 600pm in the Autograph Area “CC”

And don’t forget, we’re rolling into town with our limited edition BONE 20th Anniversary Box Sets!

The Full Color One Volume Editions with lots of whistles and bells! For details, click here.

Toronto. Here we come!!!

The next stop on the 20th Anniversary BONE tour is this weekend in Baltimore, Maryland!

The schedule on Saturday August 20th:

11:00 am -1:00pm –Jeff and Steve will be signing at the Cartoon Books booth 1304

2:00 – 3:00: ROOM 301-303; A Conversation with Jeff Smith & Stan Sakai – Jeff Smith’s Bone celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year. Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo will soon reach its 200th issue. Now, these two talented creators sit down to discuss their work; from their beginnings to future plans. Join Jeff & Stan for what is sure to be a lively and fun look at the world of comics.!

4:30-6:00–Jeff and Steve will be signing at the Cartoon Books booth 1304

The schedule on Sunday August 21st:

10:00 am -11:00am –Jeff and Steve will be signing at the Cartoon Books booth 1304

11:00-12:00 – Comics Jukebox: All-Ages Comics in the Digital Age – Digital, web, & downloadable comics are a growing trend in the medium, but where do kids comics stand in this arena? Creators John Gallagher and Steve Conley moderate over a panel of experts, including Dan Parent (Archie), Steve Hamaker (Bone, Fish & Chips), Mike Maihack (Cleopatra in Space!), Rich Faber (Roboy Red!) and Todd DeZago (Perhapanauts, Superhero Squad). Those in attendance will get a special card allowing them to download a FREE Exclusive BUZZBOY story from John Gallagher, and one person will win the opportunity to make a cameo appearance in “Leon, Protector of the Playground,” the new all-ages graphic novel by Jamar Nicholas.

1:00-2:00 – Going Digital: Day and Date, and what you need to know – With Marvel announcing their same-day-strategy and DC distributing their entire line starting August 31st to provide you with their acclaimed line of comics the same day digitally as they come out in print, you need to make sure you are prepared. With almost everything you want on demand or deliverable to your door, why should your comics be any different? Marvel and DC, with the help of comiXology have created a digital comics experience that puts the power back in your hands to enjoy your favorite comics on demand. Your comics, when you want them, where you want them. Come join John D. Roberts, Co-founder of comiXology, who will lead our panel as we explore the new digital horizons together.

3:00-5:00–Jeff and Steve will be signing at the Cartoon Books booth 1304

So come out and say Hi to us! You can still get your tickets by clicking here!

The BONE boys! The Fone Bone plush was a big hit a couple of years ago, and this summer his two cousins are with him. Premiering at this year’s Comic-Con is plush Phoney Bone and Smiley Bone.

The 20th Anniversary Box Set that contains a hardcover One Volume Edition of BONE in full color…

…plus a lot sweet goodies, like a miniature reproduction of BONE #1, a DVD, and a Phoney Bone gold coin. I like this set a lot. Can you tell?

I’m flipping through the 20th Anniversary Timeline/Cover Gallery Book. That’s the DVD documentary peeking out of the back there.  On the couch is the mini reproduction of BONE #1

The other big premiere will be RASL Book 3: Romance at the Speed of Light. Wait’ll you see the RASL side of our booth this year. It’s Tesla-riffic!

I will be signing at the Cartoon Books booth (#2109) every day and participating in various panels. Here is my Comic-Con schedule:

Preview Night July 20th:

•  7 pm-9 pm: Jeff Smith signing at the Cartoon Books Booth #2109

Thursday, July 21st:

• 1:30pm-3:30pm Jeff Smith signing at the Cartoon Books Booth #2109

• 5:00pm-6:00pm Panel: Epic Literary Adventure, Room 9 with Jeff Smith, Anders Nilsen, and Brian Ralph

Friday, July 22nd:

• 10:00am-12:00pm Jeff Smith signing at the Cartoon Books Booth #2109

• 12:30pm-1:30pm Jeff and Vijaya Panel: Spotlight on Jeff Smith, Room 5AB,

• 4:00pm-6:00pm Cartoon Books Booth Signing SPECIAL “Quest for the Spark” signing with Jeff Smith, Tom Sniegoski and Steve Hamaker

Saturday, July 23rd:

• 11:00am-12:00pm Panel: Will Eisner–Visionary, Room 9, Moderated by Charles Brownstein, Panel Participants: Jeff Smith, Paul Levitz, Denis Kitchen, Diana Shutz, and ScottMcCloud

• 12:30pm-2:30pm Jeff Smith signing at the Cartoon Books Booth #2109

• 1:30pm-2:30pm Vijaya Panel: Is the Comic Book Doomed? Room 24ABC with Doug Wolk

• 4:00pm-6:00pm Jeff Smith signing at the Cartoon Books Booth #2109

Sunday, July 24th:

• 10:00am-11:00am Panel: Cover Story-The Art of the Cover, Room 25ABC 2:00pm-3:00pm Moderated by Mark Evanier, Panel Participants Jeff Smith, Ernie Chan, Jo Chen, Alan Davis, Dave Gibbons and Ashley Wood

• 4:00pm-5:00pm Jeff Smith signing at the Cartoon Books Booth #2109

Consult your program guide for panel room #s.

If you can’t make it to a show on the 2011 BONE 20th Anniversary Tour, don’t worry, because just like last year, we will have a store sale that includes Jeff’s signature on every book that you purchase. More on that later this week!

The tour dates are set!

We kick off the party in San Diego at the Comics event of the year COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL! July 21st thru July 24th. Where the 20th Anniversary Box Set will make its official debut!

Next is Baltimore Comic Con on August 20th-21st. Steve did the incredible art below for the Comic-Con program guide:

The next week, it’s off to Canada. On August 25th thru August 28th, the beautiful city of Toronto will host the four day FAN EXPO CANADA.

October 13th thru the 16th we will be taking another bite out of the Big Apple at the NEW YORK COMIC CON.

The next weekend, October 22nd and 23rd, I will be at Mid Ohio Con where we’ll debut the BONE One Volume Slipcase Edition. More details will be revealed on that later.

Then it’s off to Italy! The Lucca Comics and Games show is a huge event. Vijaya and I have been there numerous times and its always a blast. The Italian version of the website is here.

Hope to see you at one or more of the stops!

Be sure to pick up RASL #4 on Wednesday April 29th at your local comic book shop, or in our online store!

I just stumbled across this on YouTube last night. It’s an interview I did with  Alyssa Huang last Spring while at the ALA BookExpo. I mentioned it in my blog at the time, but I lost my notes that had the little girl’s name and that she was with Ideas in Writing Kid’s Club. I never saw the finished piece after that. Anyway, here it is, and I am a bad subject. I inadvertently throw my interviewer off just as the showroom starts to shut down. It’s pretty adorable…

Jeff and V sure have been busy. These pics were in my inbox this morning. ENJOY!

Jeff writes:

We arrived in Mumbai the day before yesterday (the giant city that used to be called Bombay, home of Bollywood, the world’s largest film capital), and have been visiting family & friends. Also spent a lot of time in the hotel cafe – - gave a dozen interviews including some of India’s biggest papers like Times of India, The Hindu, Time Out Mumbai, DNA Daily News, and Rolling Stone India. 

Last night I had a book signing downtown @ Crossword Bookstore, at Kemps Corner, Mumbai 7:00pm. Good turn out.

Today I am giving a lecture at the Whistling Woods Film Institute.

First I was given a tour of the animation dept. Very nice. State of the art.

Part of my talk covers comics influences like this Krazy Kat Sunday page by Geo. Herriman.

Afterward, the students came up and asked questions and passed around the books.

It was great fun!

Jeff giving a lecture at Shrishti College of Design, Bangalore

Here is a pic of a store event at Time Out bookstore in Bangalore.