This is our show.

I don't mean to take away from any of the other shows we go to. ALA is a strong show for us, and Comic-Con is a blast. But Unshelved is, in the end, a comic strip about a public library. And there's no place in the world thicker with public librarians right now than Boston. We were mobbed. I thought I understand being mobbed before, but several times I looked up today and saw crowds of twenty or thirty fans deep, all wanting shirts, jackets, bags, hats, books, and of course limited-edition badge ribbons. Our exhibit hall neighbors were impressed and maybe a little scared.

Long story short, in two and a half hours we made as much money as the entire five days of Comic Con 2005. Which isn't to say we won't go to Comic Con - we will. But it's a whole different universe.

Many thanks to fans Sharon Smith and Maurice Coleman. Sharon carted a bunch of our boxes to the conference center yesterday, and Maurice was invaluable in keeping the throngs at bay this evening.

Afterwards, Gene and I went out with what is becoming our library conference graphic novel regulars - the folks from DC, Dark Horse, and Abstract Studio - plus a few non-graphic novel friends. Our dinner can be summarized in two words: Shrimp Bag.