Fanboy Faux Pas – Down with the Brown

I have this friend.  He is a big time indy comics fan.  He’s done a lot for the local indy comic scene.  He even writes his own mini-comics.  His name is Brandon Huigens.  Brandon loves Jeffrey Brown.  When I started to build inventory for the store I picked up a few of Jeffrey Brown’s books.  I read them and realized that Brandon and Jeffrey had a lot in common.  The both wrote deeply personal autobiographical comic books.   They both had a simplistic drawing style which was able to convey real emotion.  They both write about their relationships with women.  This can be a slippery slope.  Jeffrey has become an indy comic book success with a dozen or so books published.  His books are raw.  Emotionally.  Artisticly.  Thematically.  He lays it all out there for the world to see. 

A few years, I stopped by the Top Shelf booth at San Diego Comic-con to see who was signing.  Unlike other booths that are big, showy displays, Top Shelf keeps it simple.  Books piled on tables with their creators on the other the side of the table signing their books and talking to their fans.  In a lot of ways, their booth is more personal and intimate like the books they publish.  I stopped by to see Jeffrey. 

My librarian friend Rawdy Librarian was there to witness the dabauchery that my “I like your work” fanboy talk turned into.  I started out telling him that “I like your work” and that I was amazed how vulnerable he allowed himself to be in his books.  I explained that it felt like reading his personal diary. Then I said the thing that made Rowdy Librarian think “Ohhhhh no he didn’t”.  I said, “I don’t think that you will ever get a date again in your life. Anyone who dates you will feel like their personal moments will end up in a comic book.” 

I didn’t say it to be mean.  It’s just my reflection of his deeply personal work on display to the public.  I don’t think it is any different than Howard Stern talking about his home life, marriage, and divorce.  I think that it might have gone over better that way.  Instead, he had the “Ohhhh no he didn’t” look on his face.  I continued to talk with him for a little bit and walked away. 

Jeffrey, I’m sorry.

Visit Jeffrey Brown at the Top Shelf Productions booth (#1721).   He will be signing his entire line of graphic novels including his latest, Funny Misshapen Body.

Shawn Demumbrum
SpazDog Comics
www.spazdogcomics.com

Email: shawn@spazdogcomics.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SpazDog
WebComics Articles: http://www.examiner.com/x-10892-Web-Comics-Examiner