After years of buzzing around between sterile airports and crowded flights, I decided to take the 9 hour drive up to Toronto for my appearance at the Comic Con. And you know what? I’m really glad that I traveled this way. Obviously, due to time constraints, this isn’t something that I can do often, but slowing down and having nowhere to be but there, behind the wheel, I felt a calm that I hadn’t in a good while. The first couple hours were literally just me and my thoughts. Nothing else. Then onto some a little audio book action (I was reading and listening to ‘SALEM’S LOT over the course of March for the first time—more on my thoughts in the next newsletter), then, my Spotify on shuffle for the remainder of the haul into the city.
Luckily, getting my way inside ended up being a breeze, and setup was equally so. I ended up snagging an apartment for the weekend with Ryan, Richard, and our friends, Mel and Mog. Whisky was shared, stories were told, and laughs were had. Always a solid group to bunk with while on the road. As far as the convention was concerned, we had a really lovely turnout for our panel, which I’ll probably release in pieces on our Pocket Watch Press Instagram.
My dudes and dudettes, I couldn’t really do justice to the lack of fucks I gave when it came time to watch this movie. I found the trailers really unimpressive, and if I’m honest, borderline tacky. But Friday, Ryan (your beloved artist of RISE & HEAVY) proposed we go see it. Several joints in my pocket, and a few hours later, I wound up having watched one of the most entertaining and heartwarming films I’ve seen in a theater for quite some time. Going into it, I had no idea it was directed by Lord & Miller and written by Drew Goddard of THE MARTIAN & the original DAREDEVIL Netflix show.
I loved it so much that I returned to the theater early last week to give it another go. It held up. The way that they pace out Gosling’s character, Ryland Grace, recovering his memories, while struggling to figure out how to keep the Sun from blacking out, allowed for the film to juxtapose his somewhat cowardice past with the man we were growing to love in the present. Really poignant, character driven storytelling. The themes of the movie really struck, and served as a reminder about the texture of human communication and how it defines our connection between one another.
Boiii, by the time we got back into England,
we. were. toast.
The first day back in England was an easy one. We went to see one of the shittiest movies I’ve seen in a theater for quite some time (Predator Badlands), got a couple drinks, and hit the hay. Then, the action began. Two days at one of the the best international conventions in the world, Thought Bubble. Per usual, you guys rocked. Unbridled enthusiasm and love for the art form; it’s hard to ask for much more than that.
There’s an unfortunate lack of excitement from this leg of the trip, I’m sorry to say. By this point, we were quite exhausted, so very little of that weekend included high octane chicanery. More sleeping than we’d done in nearly a month, really, and several mornings at a somehow majestic Wetherspoons at the Harrogate Winter Gardens.
It's that time of year. We're putting our hats in the ring for the RINGO AWARDS! If you've enjoyed everything we've done over the last year on RISE, we would be so very grateful for your nomination. We've pushed ourselves to take this story to higher heights, and with your faith in us, as well as a nomination, we'll be able to take it even further.
This week, we arrive in glorious fashion to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and I just realized that this is my first time having mentioned it in the newsletter—for that, I apologize! BUT I’ll be with you Calgarians on my 29th birthday to kick off the show April 23rd! Because of you all, this has become one of my favorite conventions every year. Before having ventured out all the way back in 2022, I had never even heard the world Calgary. Worth mentioning: I’m an east coast guy through and through. Usually, there’s a yeehaw-ness that’s not quite my flavor. BUT I CAN’T WAIT TO COME BACK, and luckily it ain’t gonna be too long.
Find me at table P091
I, unfortunately, will not have HEAVY available yet. It should be with me around the time I get home.
I have a panel with a group of incredible industry talents on FRIDAY @2:45pm in Room 209/210.
If you’re gonna be at the show, please join us! I’ll have some free swag to give away to attendees. All-in-all though, this promises to be an incredibly informative showing.
I hoped on the Pocket Watch Press IG to talk about why plots might feel slower than they need to be. Give it a watch and drop a comment on the video to let me know you came over from the newsletter!
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