back on the signing tour: Minneapolis & Chicago

I was in Sweden last week, still in a dream, can’t quite process all the travelling done this year—

Saw this welcome site in the Gothenburg airport as I prepared to fly home to rejoin Neil’s Last US Signing Book tour:

Along with these crazy candy bars:

Here was yesterday's mini-office in Neil’s most amazing Hobbit-magic-type study in Cambridge, all glowing wood and antique pieces and gorgeous old books… I want to live in this corner.

I have been organizing all the photos and I think I will have to go two shows at a time- First Minneapolis.

The Fab Lo picked me up at MSP, and we drove out to her old highschool for Neil's event. She's a braver girl than I, it would be very strange for me to return to my highschool stomping grounds, ayyy. Hans, the groundskeeper for Neil's midwestern home, kindly brought out miss Lola, Neil was beyond thrilled to see his girl dog.

My sweet aunt Athena and Uncle Jim came out to the show, it's always so great to hear her Greek accent and hilarious view points- she entertained the crowd around her, to be sure.

this lady made Boss crack up, honestly, we all did when we saw her shirt:

a better view:

here, Lorraine watches from backstage as Neil weaves his story web:

we rolled to Chicago the next morning, stopping at this truck stop, to see the Mystery Machine, you know I love some Scooby Do:

I love Chicago, it has so many memories for me. We stayed in the swanky Waldorf Astoria, and I shot countless photos from Neil's suite:

The venue was a glamourous vintage theater, The Music Box, which, if in my neighborhood, I would visit every week--

They were showing The Wall for their midnight movie!!!

here are some of the pro staff from Unabridged:

Neil presigns in the wonderfully gothic dark:

POPCORN!! they gave it to me, free. I love them. forever.

Soundcheck:

the photos are from my smudgy crap iPhone, because I thought I had lost my camera, so they aren't my proud best, but you can get an idea.

Chicago, that means, Jill Thompson, Madeline Matz, Tara O'Shea and Valya!!

Valya & Mads helped me print out some very sensitive documents (hello American Gods scripts...) and Miss Matz did one of my favorite depictions of Cabal:

I WILL be making something out of her beautiful work, excuse the airport quickness of this post, as i should be putting links to everyone-- i will repair, but here it is:

Jill drew for some of the attendees, why didn't i bring something for her to scribble on??!

two OTHER great things happened: 1. someone (i need this name!) sculpted NG a Cyberman helm!

and 2. this marked the exhaled return of Bluey, Neil's missing-for-four-days suitcase. (Let this be a note to remind me to discuss with Alaska Air...!)

after the signing, we iced the poor hard-working Boss and put him into his bus.

We loved Chicago so much, thank you all and especially to the staff from Unabridged Books & Music Box Theater. Look out for some mail next week from me n' the Boss.

Next up, a special pre-ComicCon announcement re: my good friend & art mogul David Mack. I'm sitting in Boston Logan Airport and will do the post from the plane to LAX.

HINT: a new print from David, illustrating Neil's THE GOLDFISH POOL & OTHER STORIES, from Smoke and Mirrors collection....~stand by~!!!