Dan Clowes at Meltdown Comics
David and I went to the Dan Clowes Eightball Event at Meltdown Comics last night. We had been looking forward to it for weeks and we weren't disappointed!
We thought that the event started at 6 (it actually began at 7) so we showed up several hours early expecting a line. Well, we started the line! We had picked up our book Wednesday night and we had that along with a few other Clowes goodies. Eager and excited? Yes!
When we were penpals (1994 and 1995), David sent me two comic books to read. One was Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol and the other was Dan Clowes' Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron. Now you know why I married him.
One interesting non Clowes related tidbit that David overheard while browsing the new Mind Webs Bookstore inside Meltdown was the owner, Bret, being interviewed. He was talking about how he finds a lot of his books at library sales and the like. The interviewer asked Bret who has the best private library. He said, "Harlan Ellison. I haven't seen it but a friend saw it. Udo Kier has a great library as well." Can I put seeing these libraries on my wish list?
Meeting Dan Clowes was extremely cool. He seemed genuinely interested in talking to everyone he met. (At one point, because the line was so long, the Meltdown staff was instructed to try to hurry folks along. This happened just as it was our turn.) Dan couldn't be rushed. He ties with my Mother in how long it takes him to sign his name. It was fabulous. He even did a quickie sketch in our Eightball book. Meticulous. Intense. Extremely Funny. Thoughtful. All words I'd use to describe Clowes.
He graciously signed our books and Death-Ray "action doll." We talked about how San Diego Comic-Con is just too massive and he feels claustrophobic there (who doesn't?) and how different it is now then 20 years ago. It was definitely an enjoyable evening and from Meltdown's record, we can't wait to do it again in three years!
Big thanks to Dan Clowes, Mark Frauenfelder, Fantagraphics and Meltdown Comics for a great night!
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