Gracias, España

Although I took seven years of Spanish back in high school, I didn't take any more classes in Spanish after my freshman year of college, so naturally it was all very little help at the Barcelona International Comicon. Fortunately, most of the people at the festival spoke some English. In fact, a lot of Europeans seem to speak several languages, whatever that may say about myself, the American education system, or the geographic proximity of a wide variety of languages there. In any case, the Festival also had translators on hand to help out with some of the interviews and panels. It's kind of fascinating to watch - they would repeat the question to me in English, then as I answered they would write out notes and symbols before repeating my answer back in Spanish to the questioner. I felt by the last interview some of my Spanish was coming back to me, but not nearly enough that I didn't need the help. This is a page one of my translators made for my answer to the question, 'What are you working on next?'

Thanks to David Macho and everyone else who worked so hard for the festival, to Montserrat and José at La Cupula, and to all the other guests and artists I had a chance to meet and talk with, for making it a great experience.