
Well, the year may be over, but the fun hasn't stopped. Calgary 2012 ignited the city's arts community and the flame is still alight. One of the legacy projects that has emerged from the program is an innovative local crowdsourcing site - that's right, something like Kickstarter or Indiegogo - for Calgary arts projects. It's a website that allows people (anybody, no matter where they live) to donate to fundraising campaigns for artists and arts organizations. Take a look for yourself to get a taste of some very cool-sounding in-progress arts projects gathering momentum in Calgary: the site's called InvestYYC.com.
So why am I telling you about this? Well, I think more people should know about it! But, yes, there is another reason, too. I couldn't resist posting a very small project of my own. Don't get me wrong - I have lots of ideas for big, ambitious projects, too. But the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo is less than a month away. So my campaign is just to raise the money to print two little blue comic books.
Please take a look here to see more about Alec's Year Books. Or read on:

Since Alec was born just over four years ago, I’ve created about 40 strips each year. And each year’s worth of comics has been collected into a little blue book. A story that captures moments from the first few years of my son’s life - funny, sad, and sweet - has started to emerge. The strips are written from a parent’s perspective, but can be enjoyed by parents and non-parents alike.
"Alec's 1st Year Book" and "Alec's 2nd Year Book" debuted at the 2012 Calgary Comics & Entertainment Expo. The Calgary Expo, which takes place at the Stampede’s BMO Centre every April, is the main event for Calgary’s comics scene, and is fast becoming one of the hottest comics events in the country. Bringing together creators, publishers, retailers, superstar media guests, and (most of all) fans from all over the world, the Expo is the ideal place for Calgary comics creators to showcase their work and meet their audience. In fact, artists come from all over Canada to secure a coveted spot at the Expo.
As one of Calgary’s few “indie comics” creators, I’m excited to represent our city at this year’s fast-approaching Expo. This year's event would be the perfect place to launch the next installments of my current series: “Alec's 3rd & 4th Year Books.” After all, this is what I want people to see: it's the project that’s closest to my heart.
So - head over to InvestYYC.com and search for "Alec's Year Book" (or just follow this direct link). You'll find more details, such as: THE PERKS OF MAKING A DONATION! Yes, there are rewards for all donors! And even the smallest amount will make a difference towards the printing costs for these little books (my total fundraising goal is just $550).
But you need to act fast - the campaign ends on April 25th, the day before the Expo. And I've already taken up far too much of your time with this long post. But come back soon - more updates (and teaser pictures) to follow, like this one: