Into the Wilderness…of Alaska
I just spent five glorious days in Alaska! Let me tell you all about it!
On Tuesday I got back from my annual trek to Juneau, Alaska. This trip is one of my favorite things I get to do. “What’s in Alaska?”, you may be wondering.
Every year the folks from Alaska Robotics Gallery in Juneau put on Comics Camp, a getaway for folks working in comics and other creative fields.
My first day in Juneau was spent connecting with old friends and new. I met people for meals and eventually a group of us met up at a local gin distillery, Amalga. As a way to support the artists coming in town, they gave all the campers a deal that they would give us two drinks for a drawing, which was super fun. It was cool seeing all the different drawings that we all came up with! Here’s mine!
That night, we held a variety show at the local library! People gave talks about donuts, bog bodies, the use of stock images (a surprisingly hilarious presentation which had me literally crying with laughter), graphic novels, and more! This was a great way to get introduce ourselves to the community before the big convention the next day.
The next day was convention day! And oh boy was that a blast! I didn’t know what to expect. Would the sales be good? Would people care about the work I created? But all those questions were put to rest immediately. Right at the start, a couple came up to me and they told me I was at the top of their list of artists they wanted to see. That was so surprising and unexpected. It honestly brought tears to my eyes. I’d never experienced that before. And honestly, the whole convention felt like that. Because Juneau is so far out of the way, the community there truly appreciates it when people come to them and offer something to the community. In two hours at this convention, I made more than I made at a convention earlier in the month that spanned two days.
And then there was the main event! We all piled on a bus after the con and headed to camp! And this is when the magic happens. Here’s the general layout of camp. There were about 50 people attending camp. The camp grounds has a main lodge where everyone hangs out, and cabins with bunk beds spread out across the grounds. Each day is divided up into blocks of time. You have mealtimes and workshops. No workshops are mandatory. So if you feel like going on a long hike, playing games, or just taking a long nap, you are free to do what you want! I only attended a couple workshops this year, one on how to pitch to agents and publishers and one on game making.
I spent a lot of time just playing games. We made up our own games. People brought games that they had created. And we played telestrations (aka telephone pictionary) until 2 am!
Interspersed in all of this is time for genuine connection with people who do similar things as you. This is NOT a networking event. This is a place for people to connect, get away from the internet, and take a deep breath. I had conversations about the state of social media, agents and publishing, and storytelling. But also had silly conversations about PBA bowling, the villain status of Magneto, and my impression of Chewbacca.
I could write so much more about this event, but the main take away is that the folks over at Alaska Robotics create one of the most remarkable spaces for comics creators. A space where cartoonists at all levels can come together and put aside comparison. We come together as peers to play games, talk comics, and form genuine friendship. There is not another event that I can think of that cultivates such a kind and safe space. I am truly grateful for my time there and so excited about the friendships I have formed as a result! I cannot wait to return next year, and if you’re a cartoonist/creator I encourage you to apply when the applications come out this winter. You will not regret it!
I’d love to chat more about camp if you have any questions about it, so shoot me an email or message if you do!
That’s all I got!
Until next time,
Raj
PS. I have more pictures, and I’d love to share! Just reach out!