Category Archives: Comics

As the Montréal book fair (and Expozine for my fanzine friends) looms close, here comes one of the fans from hell… You do not want that fan at your signing table!

Hoping to get a celebrity’s autograph, he hedges his bets with some artists whom he doesn’t know beforehand. He hopes to get a famed author in the field. Often, he cannot trust that someone from his own country can possibly be good.

(And, yes, it is a real rejection letter that is on the character’s mind…)

I remember a Comic Festival long ago where the organisators rolled the red carpet for the American guests of honor, while all the local artists were relegated at a 3rd story corridor. (A dark corridor, at that).

This endless quest for celebrities pervades every aspect of society.  Journals or magazines, broadcasts, all need a scattering of big-names to pique the interest of a readership. The same goes for television variety programs striving to reach a larger audience.  Most of my writer friends lament that their opus don’t even get a coverage from the medias, and it always seems that only three or four stars get all the reviews.  

And for each of us. I have my own celeb’s quest. But I discovered and appreciated most of my favorites authors long before finding out about their fame. 

There are insecurities dwelling inside each of us, and getting acknowledged by others kind of validates our work. For a “groupie”, getting the attention of a celebrity, even for a few moments, is the next best thing to fame and fortune.

So, if you meet a fan looking for stars, be understanding while reaching your inner groupie but point out all those in the sky.