Hey gang. I know, I know.

It’s been too long since we’ve popped in on this here “blog” portion of the site, and for that, I apologize.

But hey, once you see why, I’m sure you’ll understand.

See, we’ve been getting ready. Ready for this month. Ready for July 2009.

What makes July so big? Check out our schedule.

July 16th - Super Art Fight 4.

Nick and I, along with the entire Super Art Fight crew, once again invade the Ottobar for what can be only described as a live event like no other. For all related event details, including how you can buy tickets, click here.

July 17th-19th - Otakon 2009.

Otakon is what truly birthed Nick and I onto this webcomics scene. We had our first table at the Artist’s Alley for Otakon in 2006, and we’re happy to say we’ll be back again for our 4th consecutive show.  We’ll have all sorts of merch, which we’ll be detailing as the show gets closer, once it’s in hand, and I can take copious pictures.

July 31st-August 2nd - Connecticon 2009.

Ah, Connecticon. You treat us so well.  Currently our farthest trek away from home convention-wise, Connecticon has been kind enough to invite us as a guest for 3 years running, and this time, it’s not just about the comics, it’s about some fighting…some Super Art Fighting. That’s right, in addition to bringing CTCon the best in webcomics that Charm City provides, we’ll be blowing minds with a full on Super Art Fight event. More information on that as the show gets closer.

You excited? You ready to rock? You should be, ’cause we are.  The Summer con season is always what makes Nick and I thrive, and we intend to deliver in 2009 like never before.

And hey, maybe I’ll bring back some of those convention reports we were so well known for…

The excitement is palpable here at AFHS HQ, as we are counting down the minutes and hours until the our busiest weekend of the summer kicks off.

It all starts tomorrow night with Super Art Fight 4, live at the Ottobar in Downtown Baltimore.

Doors open at 8pm, show kicks off at 9pm, with me (Marty, your dear writer) serving as emcee along with Ross Nover, and Nick (your trusty artist) appearing in the main event of the card.  Click here for full details.

Then, on Friday, the 3-day extravaganza known as Otakon 2009 kicks off.  We’ll be in Artist Alley all weekend at table V04.

See these comics above? That’s AFHS issues #1 and 2!  Issue #1 will be available for $3, and the DOUBLE-SIZED issue #2 will be just $5.

See those sweet prints?  All 3 of them will be available at our table, for just $5 each.

In addition, thanks to our new working relationship with Artscream, we will have Alfredo t-shirts (just $20) and for you Dead of Summer die-hards, ZOMBelieve Mugs for just $10! Unfortunately, we’re getting them in hand VERY last minute tomorrow, so I do not have any pics of them. Yet.

However, for those of you who want up to the minute updates on our Otakon experience, follow us on Twitter!  Here’s my Twitter, and here’s Nick’s.

Want to hear our take on the comics world?  This weekend you’re in luck: on Saturday morning, from 11:30am-12:30pm in Panel Room #2, we, along with moderator Darren Gendron, will be discussing the art of Colaboration In Comics.

All and all, it’s going to be one heck of a weekend, and I’ll do my best to give you a full update come Monday morning.

Unfortunately, due to all of this prep, we’re missing tomorrow’s comic, but we’ll be back atcha on Tuesday with some brand new Art Fight High School action!

Let me tell you something. The older you get, the harder it is to recover from cons.

And given the size of our past show, Otakon, it should come as no surprise that we spent most of Sunday and Monday recovering.  Add the fact that we threw Super Art Fight 4 in front of it, and you’d think we were freaking crazy.

Luckily, so are a lot of you.

First, Super Art Fight 4 was, I think it’s safe to say, a resounding success.  Both we the performers and you the audience seemed to have the time of our lives, and we can’t wait to do it again for Super Art Fight 5.

As for Otakon…well, Day One was full of snags, issues with registration, and generally poor table layout hurt the beginning of what it usually the biggest and the best show for us, but that’s been covered elsewhere by people far more articulate than I.

What’s important?  The people who in times of need, show you that all you need are good friends. I’m happy to say that we have some of the greatest friends in webcomics, and in the interest of kindness, I’ll link a slue of them. Check them all out, seriously.

• First, our brother from another mother, Ross Nover of The System.
• Who can forget his great table buddies, our best buds in Connecticut, Kevin & Blondie of Caf Fiends?
• Darren Gendron -  A Man with many a plan, and someone who I was proud to share a panel with. See his stuff at Dernwerks.
• Jim, Nelly, Jackson and the whole crew at Morlock Enterprises. Yes, I know, not a webcomic, but great folks as is.
• Brian was holding it down from Amu’s World, and while she didn’t have a table, it was good to see Jamie of Sudden Valley.
• Like surfing comics? Great! Go see Chris “Kilika” Malone over at Blue & Blond for the best.
• While it always seems like I get pulled away during conversation, it was a pleasure to see Steve Naperski of Dueling Analogs.
• Like he needs another link, but Ananth of Applegeeks and Johnny Wander is a cool ass dude, and it was a pleasure to geek out about print quality with him.
• While they’re wrapping up Fragile Gravity, it was great to see Chris & Barb, who might have something new under wraps…
• Crazy man Brian Wilson and relatively sane man Garth Graham are always great to see, and this past weekend was no exception.
• Shout out to some new friends: Kelsey Wailes, who was tabling for the first time, and apparently did VERY well, and our new friends at Outlawed, who kinda got screwed by the man, but did the best they could for the weekend. Onward and upward, gang!

I’m sure there are others who I am forgetting, but seriously folks, this is an amazing community to be a part of, and I thank the fates every day that Nick and I get to be a part of it.

Up next - CONNECTICON, where we do it all again, even farther away from home! SEE YOU THERE!