{"id":3326,"date":"2016-02-03T18:59:29","date_gmt":"2016-02-04T00:59:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/arseniclullabies.com\/wordpress\/?p=3326"},"modified":"2016-02-04T05:13:28","modified_gmt":"2016-02-04T11:13:28","slug":"time-to-choose-conventions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/arseniclullabies.com\/wordpress\/?p=3326","title":{"rendered":"Time to choose conventions…"},"content":{"rendered":"

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“The time has come” the Walrus said ” to talk of many things”<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I’ll soon have a list of conventions to find me at this year.\u00a0 So let’s talk Wizard World.\u00a0 There’s been no bigger critic of these shows since I stopped going about 5 years ago.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Actually, first let’s talk about my job and how it is different from most. \u00a0If you’re an electrician or an I.T. provider , for example, the more your skills increase, the more things you get certified in, the more value you have. \u00a0When this happens your salary and\/or benefits increase. Same thing with my job in my industry, the more value you have, the higher your pay and benefits. The DIFFERENCE is in a normal job this happens after a conversation with ONE person. \u00a0You get a raise automatically, or you get a review from your boss and you ask for more. \u00a0 In my job there is no one “boss” or even a boss and a head of payroll. \u00a0You have to have that conversation , about how your value has increased with dozens of entities, basically everyone you have dealt with in the past that you are still dealing with. \u00a0If your value has changed there isn’t really a certification to show, you just have to point out that change over and over and over.<\/span><\/p>\n

Speaking of conversations about change, I had a conversation with someone last week and the point was made, that me continuing to criticize a show ( Wizard World) that I haven’t gone to in 5 years isn’t fair, nor is it “calling it like I see it” because I have not seen it.\u00a0 New people are handling things and I should give them a chance. \u00a0 I gave this some thought, It is true.\u00a0 Companies do learn, people come and go, things do change.\u00a0 Any criticism I have is outdated. Further more they are willing to dole out\u00a0some perks\u00a0to show they are serious about having me at their shows, and that they understand which rung of the ladder I am currently on.\u00a0 This rung is obvious to most shows.\u00a0 It is dawning on me lately that a few shows ( one’s that I have gone to since I was a piker) are still getting me there for the effort it took to get me there when I was a piker. \u00a0Just to review, since I started I have been nominated for the highest awards, been published nationally and internationally, did a 6 year sting on Mad Magazine and had work appear on Comedy central. My artwork sells for more now, my illustrations and writing are more valuable to companies, my commissions (if you can get one) are more…all this is more than justified by my track record, fan base, and frankly the quality of what I do is better as my skills have improved.\u00a0 So why the in the BLUE HELL am I not demanding more from recognition of this from EVERY convention?!\u00a0 This would be like an all-star first baseman working for league minimum and paying for his own uniforms.\u00a0 I’ve had cartoons appear on Comedy Central for f*cks sake! \u00a0There’s a point where loyalty ends and flat out not standing up for yourself begins.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is a stark line between the \u00a0shows I do. \u00a0Shows I started doing recently that treat me as fitting my hard earned place in the industry NOW, and shows I’ve always gone to that don’t do much of anything because they are used to my place in the industry back THEN. \u00a0WHY THE HELL AM I GOING TO THOSE SHOWS?! For all intents and purposes ,They are telling me to “go get your shine box”<\/span><\/p>\n

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