Barbara Chapmen and the World of Pumpernickel at MegaCon, Orlando, FL 2007. Photo by Julie Collins Rousseau

1. Good attitude. This could be the most important piece of weaponry in your arsenal. I have been in editorial offices, and seen gigs go to less skilled people based on attitude alone. People will want to help you out because they like you, so smile, look people in the eyes and let them do most of the talking. People love to believe that they are important, even if they’re not, and the feeling that rapt attention gives them will make you tops. So take a deep breath and relax, even if you’re in front of that dreamy commix pro, no one likes an interruptor.

2. Deodorant. A comic con is an all day event with constant walking, which means the likelihood of sweat (especially considering the shape of some in and around the comics industry) and nothing will give a bad first impression like locker room perfume. Look, we all stink sometime, just don’t let it be that day.

3. Comic portfolio. Make it easily carried, easily viewed, and to the point. Nothing will bring a good portfolio down like one bad piece. If it’s not up to par with everything else in your portfolio, leave it at home. It’s a guarantee that whoever is looking at your portfolio will find that really bad thing you did “a few years ago” and focus all their attention there. It’s much better to have one or two good pieces than 12 good and 1 terrible.

4. A smile. Sounds simple, but in this day and age people seem to have less and less face-to-face contact, and especially in the comics industry where most of us stay in our ink stained caves and hardly get out of our PJs, people don’t work on their social skills. People want to be around people who smile, it’s just a fact.

5. Food. Make sure that you either have money to spend on the overpriced Con food or bring a few granola bars. Pressing the flesh and smile takes a lot of energy, and you don’t want to crater too soon.

6. Business card. The almighty business card has remained unchanged for the past 100 years and there’s a good reason – it works. I promise that the napkin you wrote your number down on will end up in the trash, and most likely full of gum, or boogers.

7. Openness for advice. Don’t be that person who puts their work in front of Joe Editor, or John Artist and after getting good advice on things that can help you next time, begin to argue and debate the validity of the critique. Just shut your pie hole and listen. A defensive attitude betrays insecurity and shuts your brain down for receiving glowing nuggets of wisdom that the much more experienced person in front of you have been kind enough to dish out. You don’t have to follow everything that person says, listen and make up your mind later, or heck, take notes.

8. Mint. Don’t have bad breath…uh, OK. Just don’t.

9. Agenda. Know what you want to accomplish. Have a good idea of who you want critiques from, autographs from and who you want to just look at longingly from afar. Be aware of the guests attending the show and of all the companies and publishers exhibiting. Cons usually give out nifty little Con programs for free. Pick one up and don’t lose it.

10. Good attitude. I put this twice because it’s just really important.

Julie's Bonus Tip: Make sure to have small bills as well, for making change! :)