The season is truly about giving. In that spirit, I’m going to suggest you check out some creative friends of mine, who — like me — are making a living doing what they love. Please consider buying some stuff from them!

True dat

Agreeable Comics

I’ve collaborated with never-not-busy comics scribe/personality/gadfly Kevin Church on various fun projects over the past few years. The bromance cannot be denied. In fact, at next year’s San Diego Comic-Con we’re going to be table neighbors, allowing for a small overlap of our respective cartooning worlds. Many of his Agreeable Comics have been collected into purchasable books.

Can I say that??

JustJENN

Aw, Jenn. She wears many hats — roller coaster architect, Sanrio ambassador, master baker (she did the incredible cupcakes for Darlene’s and my wedding), überblogger, stationery wizard and comics creator. How she still has time to take the boys to Disneyland every week is beyond me.

Kawaii Coffee!

Steamcrow

Daniel Davis is living the dream… if your dream is filled with steampunk, monsters and comics, that is. The Steamcrow/Monster Commute brand — nay, empire — is a wonder to behold. Daniel and Dawna have raised the bar for us creative types, in everything from website and product design to customer service and comic-con booth displays. It’s no secret that they’re my mentors. Go explore another world brimming with beasts, miscreants, machines and an adorable ectrodactyly Goth girl.

As much an oxymoron as "Cool Jerk"

Crying Macho Man

I’ve seen Jose Cabrera and his Crying Macho Man brand at comic-cons for a couple years, but I lucked out in 2007 when he became my regular SDCC table neighbor to the north. He’s doing what I’m doing: creating comics that make him laugh, putting them online, then collecting them into books. His sense of humor is infectious. Check him out and see for yourself.

My favorite is "Moose Knuckles"

Chris Wisnia

The less that’s said about Chris, the better. Joke. Here are the quick hits: he’s also a SDCC table neighbor (to the south), he’s hilarious, he produces comics (both self-published and via Slave Labor Graphics), and his hair sometimes startles me.

One Con Glory

Sarah Kuhn

She and her husband, Jeff, are Darlene’s and my favorite hostages (we’ve “kidnapped” them a few times on jaunts around L.A., Hollywood, Burbank and Santa Monica). Sarah’s a journalist with the best beat ever — nerd culture — but has decided to stop “working for the man” so she can focus on other writing projects. I have her first novel, One Con Glory, and you should, too. It’s full of win!™

Cupcakes Sandra painted for our wedding

Sandra Corey

There’s more to my art appreciation than comic-con regulars. There’s also my downstairs neighbor, Sandra. She’s also been living the dream (a few years longer than I have), working from home as an artist. Sandra’s work crosses back and forth between natural media and digital. That, plus her talent and friendship, makes me a fan.