7: How Arnold saved my ECCC...
Greetings and Salutations!
Welcome to this month’s episode of The Lemon House Monthly, your home for all things weird and wild from the mind of comic book writer and karaoke expert Andrew Leamon.
Let's get down to business…
Happy March, everyone! As I write this, my birthday just passed a couple of days ago. I turned 35. (Yes, I know I’m old.) And so much has happened since I last spoke…
I went to Emerald City Comic Con, I tried Chicago’s #1 burger, and I got some writing done.
So let’s talk about it!
- / POST-ECCC THOUGHTS
- / FACING SOCIAL ANXIETY
- / WRITING PROGRESS
- / THE #1 BURGER IN CHICAGO???
- / PUPDATE
/ POST-ECCC THOUGHTS
Earlier this month, I went to Seattle with friends and fellow comic book writers Alex Breen and Wells Thompson for Emerald City Comic Con. It was my second time, and I continue to fall in love with the city. The con? Great. The vibes? Immaculate. The food? Solid. The views? Gorgeous.
As for the con, I had a great time. I got to catch up with friends and peers, and make new awesome acquaintances.
Shout out to the incredibly sweet (pun intended) Kenny Meyers — one of the faces behind the fantastic Sweet software for comics team — for the wonderful coffee/smoothie chat (and for that very kind shoutout on the Off Panel podcast)!
I brought copies of Camera Man #1 to share with creator friends and any editors I came across. And after a lot of mental prep, I introduced myself to a really nice editor and handed them a copy. I also had the chance to grab lunch and reconnect with Robert Wilson IV, one of the kindest and coolest dudes in comics. And I also had the pleasure of grabbing coffee with an absolutely brilliant writer/editor friend of mine, Joe Corallo.
C2E2 is in a couple of weeks, so I hope to see you there!
/ FACING SOCIAL ANXIETY
So this will be atypical for the newsletter, but I want to share a moment of growth I experienced that weekend that may offer some help for others with similar mental health struggles.
I suffered an anxiety attack in the middle of the show floor. The overwhelm. The spiraling. The negative thoughts. The hyperfixation. The tear ducts filling up. The racing heart. The shortness of breath.
I was trying to talk myself into approaching a publisher to introduce myself and hand them my comic and business card, but the more I thought about it, the worse I felt. I walked by the table a couple of times and I just kept walking. I even bought comics from the table and joked around with some of the lovely folks working at the booth, but in thinking about selling myself, I went into a fight or flight response and kept walking away. To the point of frustration with myself.
In general, I typically have no problem selling people on other comics or products and I have no issue promoting my works online. But the minute I try to “hustle” in person, I would change the subject or exit the conversation. However, and this was a point I kept confronting, my writing career in comics is dependent on being able to build relationships in person. Something I’m not completely comfortable with or confident in my abilities to do well.
I ended up leaving the show early that day and the next morning — without even thinking about it — I approached the table and spoke with the editor. And the conversation went incredibly well!
Looking back on this situation, I’m reminded on an old Arnold Schwarzenegger interview from back when he was a bodybuilder. When you’re working out, it’s not until the end of your repetitions — when your muscles are aching — when you’re *actually* building muscle. I guess Muhammad Ali wouldn’t start counting his sit ups until he started to feel pain for this very reason.
I’m not saying we should all do a super wild number of sit ups everyday or become bodybuilders or anything like that. I just love the sentiment.
Yes, it can be embarrassing to put myself out there and I might mess up sometimes. Of course, there’s going to be pain in trying to go outside my comfort zone. But there can be growth in facing that pain, even if I don’t always overcome it. And facing this painful discomfort and challenging myself is how I become the full-time comic writer I’m working to be. Little by little.
(Disclaimer: If you are experiencing depression, anxiety or any struggles with your mental health, please talk with your primary care physician and a mental health professional.)
/ WRITING PROGRESS
So much progress this month!
The outline for Camera Man #2 was approved, and I just started scripting yesterday. Diving in, I couldn’t stop laughing and getting excited about getting this comic in your hands. It’s going to be a really fun and action-packed comic. I’ll be sharing more information about it in a future installment.
My other focus right now is a hard sci-fi comic. I described this comic to Alex Breen like two years ago, and he really liked it. But then things got in the way. I realized earlier this year that this is the perfect comic to focus on next. And I already have it in a great place. It’s pretty much fully plotted. I will be hiring an artist/collaborator soon, make any changes per my chat with a pro writer/editor friend I hired, and start scripting. I want this to go to a publisher, so I want it in the best possible shape. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
I don’t think I’ve mentioned this in any of the previous installments, but a lot of my process is reading and watching media. So I’ve been reading comics, articles and all sorts of stuff as I’ve been researching and seeking inspiration. Maybe I’ll share those after I finish making this comic.
/ THE #1 BURGER IN CHICAGO???
For my birthday, my partner asked me where I wanted to go for a nice dinner. I almost said my usual favorite burger, but instead I wanted to try the place that has been getting all the hype and praise since I moved to Chicago in 2016. It’s the place that has topped almost every online ranking of Chicago burgers. And since I’m the Burger Man who has been rating every burger in Chicago, I had to try it, right? (Should I trademark Burger Man?)
Long story short, it was fine. It’s one of those places that charge you $28 for a decent burger that wins recognition because it’s expensive, made from a fancy chef, and is covered in onions with an onion sauce. Overrated. My #1 Chicago burger is made from a stoned out person at a greasy, cash-only, hole-in-the-wall place for under $10.
I want to eventually make a recurring segment where I rave about a great burger place. But I recognize almost every person who subs to this newsletter lives nowhere near Chicago, where most of my burgers will be located. Would you still want to read that sort of thing from me? Tag me on Bluesky or Twitter or email me at andrew.b.leamon@gmail.com and let me know.
/ PUPDATE
This month’s pupdate is a very sleepy-eepy one. And not just because I’m writing this at 1:43 am. It’s (still) hibernation season, so this sweet girl is still doing a lot of sleeping. But the fake spring days we’ve been having here lately mean she’s getting lots of sunshine-filled walks and socializing time.
Thank you for reading this month's “The Lemon House Monthly”!
Be sure to follow Andrew on all social platforms as @aleams.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to send him an email at andrew.b.leamon@gmail.com.
See you next month for another exciting episode!