Photo blatantly stolen from Fox5Vegas.com. Thanks Jaaaay!

I was going to start the title of this post with the usual “Where I’ll Be” prefix, but next weekend is another of those where I’m sort of all over the place, so there you go. Here’s the deal: I’ll be signing comics and shaking hands at two very worthy events in Las Vegas next week, and I’m hoping you can come to one or both.

First up, next Friday, Jan. 21, from 5 to 8 p.m., I’m going to be selling comics at a benefit for Spread the Word Nevada, a non-profit organization that provides books to schools to promote literacy among children. It’ll be at Sunrise Coffee (3130 E. Sunset Road, Suite A, just east of Sunset Park) and organized by my pals from the Avant Arts Collective. Other creative-types on hand include a couple authors behind The Perpetual Engine of Hope, live poetry by Harry Fagel and Kari O’Connor, and a wine-and-cheese bar benefiting the charity. Make sure you bring gently used or new children’s books to donate as well!  I’m also going to be donating 25 percent of comic sales from that night to Spread the Word.

The next day, Saturday, Jan. 22, from noon to 3 p.m., however, is the official release party for The Utopian trade paperback at Alternate Reality Comics (4110 S. Maryland Parkway, #8). My homeboy and cover artist Hernan Valencia is going to join me to sign comics, kiss babies and if you’re nice and get in line, do sketches. I’ve partnered with The Shade Tree shelter for women, children and pets for this event, so please bring one (or as many) of the shelter’s most-needed items from this list. Donors (and customers) will receive raffle tickets to win comics and merchandise from Alternate Reality, as well as signed copies of The Utopian courtesy of me. There will be snacks and stuff, so come down and geek out with us!

If you live out of Las Vegas and haven’t bought your copy of the awesome 120-page Utopian trade paperback, I’ve got a solution for you. Also, if you live in either Portland or Phoenix and want to see my pretty face, well, check it out, I’m coming for you, too.