New mini-mini-minicomic and MeCAF show on May 22nd

Yesterday, I spent part of the afternoon at Million Year Picnic, a comic book shop in Harvard Square, drawing jam comics with people. (Part of Free Comic Book day events)

I should probably try and promote events before they happen, so: May 22nd, I will be at the Maine Comics Arts Festival in Portland, Maine. http://mainecomicsfestival.com/

Here is my bio for the site --

Aya Rothwell currently lives in Arlington, MA. Aya was recently attacked by a Canada Goose when she foolishly walked too close to its nest. (She apologized and ran away.) Aya's minicomics include "The Wolf and the Sun" "Mark and the Aliens". She also has stories published in the "Inbound" and "Show and Tell" anthologies. www.AyaRothwell.com


And below, the cover for a recent mini-mini-comic I made...

MAA Comics exhibition and Boston Zine Fair/Blastfest III

Some photos from the opening of the Marblehead Arts Association comics exhibit on March 7th.
* The show runs from March 6-28 at the MAA’s location at 8 Hooper Street, Marblehead, Massachusetts.

Below: cover illustration and pages from my new comic.




An animation I made, "Ghosts by the Road", was also screened as part of a looping reel of animations during the reception. (See it at YouTube or Newgrounds)








Later we ate at Gulu Gulu's in Salem. And posed with signs.


Also, some photos from Saturday's Blastfest III or the Boston Zine Fair or whatever the event wants to call itself.




This was an interesting event. Lots of music, which was nice, but depending on the style of music or decibel level (and the show does live up to it's name) it was hard to talk or hear people. Still, I liked the peanut butter jelly sandwiches.

Kresge show photos

Photos from a one-day show at Kresge (as part of an event at MIT).


Pictured: illustration for cover of "Mark and the Gillys" comic and excerpt (left), as well as a series of watercolor studies I did (right).



That person above (bending over to look) came back later, and continued to stare at the presented works. Finally, I made some sort of comment to him about how he seemed to be intensely peering at the pictures and comic.

"Yes," he said. "They're so weird."

Maybe I should have told him that I painted them.




(Below: posing at the show)

"Mark" and Criminal Records

Above: a page from Lindsay's script I was writing feedback/doodling on.

Anyway, onto what I actually meant -- "Mark and the Aliens" is now available at Hub Comics in Boston and Criminal Records in Atlanta! (click to read the comic.)

Below: cellphone snapshots from Criminal Records' displays.



Note the copies of "Inbound" to the upper left corner of "Mark". You can't read "Inbound" online, but you can buy it here, or at Criminal or Hub. Criminal Hub Comics. Million Year Criminals Picnic at Hub. What's with the names of comic book stores.

Speaking of which, I like how “The Flash”, “Lords of Avalon”, “Reign in Hell” “The Remnant” “Runaways” and “Ant-Man” surround “Mark and the Aliens”. It's a slight change from the familiar indie neighbors, like “Geraniums and Bacon”, “Sordid City Blues” “Lummox” “Distracula” “Paradigm Shift” and other fellow self-published books.

And having mentioned that, I should note that Criminal Records staff took down "Inbound" and "Mark" before I left, to put prices on them. So I don't know where the books are actually shelved. Criminal Records has a full-fledged indie section, so I have a feeling that's where the books will be.

....If "Mark" gets shelved next to "The Flash" and "Ant-Man," I'd like to be there when a customer starts browsing superhero comics and picks up "Mark".


Also, minor updates to my website - some JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments) illustrations compiled, and an updated “About Me” page.