Hot Mexican Love Comics

APE this weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:34:00 +0000

Buenos Noches Lovers!

This weekend in the City on the Bay is the

And Hot Mexican Love Comics will be there! Be sure to get a booster shot of Love by stopping by our table. Lovers on hand include:

L-Dogg

Senor Ira

The Lady Janice

Beanrobot

We will have our expanding library of books available for purchase including a new sketchbook from cover artist Paul Wee (his first solo book, those are in limited supply folks)

Also available are the convention exclusive HMLC Shot Glasses!

This year featuring "Senor Hot Stuff"

(last year's shot glasses were gobbled up quick, you don't want to be left out this time around Amigos)

And once again, we will be auctioning off a

"Date with Albert (BeanRobot)!"

The auction is free with purchase, but the memories will last a lifetime.

So stop on by table 528 for

Music, Laughter, Sketches,

tips on how to pick up women,

tips on how to pick up men (L-Dogg' s specialty),

and most of all: comics!!!

Still alive

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:38:00 +0000

Fear not faithful Lovers! We have not gone AWOL, we are just busy.

A quick update for all of you who are located in the Bay Area: L-Dogg, Beanrobot, Lady J & myself will be making our annual appearance at the APE Con in two weeks! (Angry Bob will not be joining us. He has yet another anger management weekend to attend. Mandatory, of course).

More details to come soon!

The Hottest Romance EVER!

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:26:00 +0000

Talk about a passion that knows no bounds! Michelle & Jim Bob Duggar (leaders of the brewing Duggar cult) proudly announced the impending arrival of their 19th child! Way to go you two! You certainly know how to keep passion alive.

One would think that after 25 years of marriage and 18 children, the fires may grow a little dim in the furnace, but not for these two. They keep things super hot! I can only imagine the type of hedonistic unions these two join in when behind closed doors. And are there any accompaniments to help them keep the romance in the stratosphere? Literature perhaps? Literature of the Latin-based anthological kind?

If anybody has any information regarding the Duggars having possession of our book, PLEASE let us know (they have not returned my calls or emails). And for more info. on this enormous family, check out this article on the Huffington Post.

So Mazel Tov Duggar family. You are an inspiration to lovers everywhere!

(editor's note: while the staff at Hot Mexican Love Comics thoroughly encourages the art of romance and the act of love-making (both with a partner and by yourself), we also encourage safe-sex and are supporters of the Pro-Choice movement)

SDCC 09 Review: Part Uno

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:24:00 +0000

Hola Amigos ¿Como esta?

As the love courses through our veins, so must we blood-let ourselves to share the passion with you.

Comic-Con is always fun. We had a good year filled with laughs, music and sales (Fiesta!) Sadly, the winner of the "Win a date with BeanRobot" was a no-show. But never fear, although Albert was disappointed, many other lover-wannabees were delighted, knowing that their chance at love is only a smile away.

Part of the fun at the show is making new friends, and even better is re-aquainting ourselves with "former customers". We are tickled that you make room in your heart and time at the convention for us.

Preview Night

First off, a huge thanks and kiss on the cheek goes out to artist, friend and contributor, Robert Goodin, for helping me unload my truck and set up the HMLC table at the con. Be sure to check out his blog at Wood Paneled Basement for all things Goodin. While your at it, click over to his second blog, COVERED, which is one of the best new blogs in years. Featuring all kinds of interpretations of Comic Book Covers from every age. It's a Hit!

As for the show, Senor Ira sat alone for three hours, but did as well as could be expected being that most attendees on Wednesday evening were running around for convention exclusives... which we had. The "Senor Hot Stuff" collectible shot glass was a big hit for us. So big that it guarantees a series of shot glasses! Where can you get one? Only at a convention (it's a convention exclusive... duh?) But we will be at APE Con in San Fran in Oct. More on that later.What will number three in the series look like? Well for that you'll have to check here in about 10 months.

Thursday

No more lonely nights or days here, thanks to the arrival of the cutest Belgian you could ever meet. Rudi-riffic, our Belgian Mexican Lover, came down to help spread the love and work the table with yours truly. This was Rudi's second year helping us out at the big show and it was much appreciated. For all of you who requested one of his authentic Belgian Waffles, we apologize for running out so early. But damn are they tasty! If you've had one you know how addictive they are. They are so good they may become a convention exclusive in the future.

Enough words, feast your eyes on some Pics.

Dearest Monelle, your support of our love is better than any brassiere could ever provide.

(And thanks for the Hot Sauce)

Dr. Mrs. The Monarch is believed to be the winner of the

"Win a Date with BeanRobot" contest.

Some people feel it was a fix. For her, I think it is just a loss.

Sweet Christmas! Powerman knows where the love is!

Comedian and Silk Spectre.

Awesome Costumes, Terrible Movie adaptation.

(Great taste in Comics though)

Orale' Harlow. Keep it real 'til next year Hermano.

Oops, my bad, THIS is a pic of the winner of the "Win a Date with Beanrobot". Perhaps he wasn't macho enough to go out on a date with a real Mexican Lover.

That's enough for now. Stay tuned for review: Part Dos!

The Last Convention

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:55:00 +0000

... last WEEK that is.

Sorry for the delay in updates, Lovers. After a long five days of spreading the love, it takes almost a week to recoup. (Jeez Louise, we may be super romantic but we are not Super human).

Until I have the proper time alloted for a more detailed update and commentary, the above photo of the Nucleus with the Space Pope, must suffice. Yes, once again the "Pasion Index" was HIGH. Overall, we had a good show and thank all of you, our loyal readers, followers and R.I.T.'s (Romantics-in-Training) for stopping by and continuing to spread our gospel of Latin Love.

may vestri vita exsisto repletus per perturbatio quod comic libri,

Senor Ira

Let the Games Begin!

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:45:00 +0000

Comic-Con is here!

HOT MEXICAN LOVE COMICS

Small Press Area

Table N8

Angry Bob!

L-Dogg!

Senor Ira!

The Lady Janice!

Rudi-riffic!

Beanrobot!!

YOU!!!

Be There.

(Dress Casual, our crimes of Passion are legal)

¡CONVENTION EXCLUSIVE 2009!

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:49:00 +0000

Due to the OVERWHELMING success of

last year's Shot Glass,

we're doing it again!

Only at San Diego Comic-Con 2009 will you be able to purchase the second in what may become a series of collectible shot glasses brought to you by your favorite Banditos de Amor. The Hot Mexican Love Comics shot glass (numero dos) features our very own " Senor Hot Stuff " on one side, and a personal invitation inscribed on the other.

Hailed by both dignitaries and alcoholics as "The most satisfying non-organic object to touch their lips", the Hot Mexican Love Comics Shot Glass is the best way to reminisce your time of unbridled pasion.

As with all of our products, this drinking receptacle was crafted with the sweat of our love, the tears of our romance and an internet manufacturing company. How can you pass that up? Bonus with each purchase: you get to actually touch the flesh (a handshake, a hug or ???) of the HMLC team member working the booth at the time!

HMLC team members scheduled to attend:

-Senor Ira

-L-Dogg

-Angry Bob

-The Lady Janice (handshakes only hombres)

-Rudi-riffic, Our Belgian Casanova

and everybody's favorite, Beanrobot... ALBERT!!

So be sure to make your annual pilgrimage to our sensual little booth and purchase yours before they run out. (And purchase a couple extra to resell on eBay while you're at it.)

See in the Small Press Area table N8

As always, con amor,

Senor Ira

p.s. we will NOT be doing shots at the booth this year (Comic-Con Org. slapped our wrists for doing that last time), but feel free to buy us a drink after convention hours!

Senor Hot Stuff wants YOU!!

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:36:00 +0000

Hola Amigos!

The San Diego Comic-Con 2009 is right around the corner and things sure are HOT here at our HQ.

What type of things you ask? Well you'll just have to check back here for updates regarding our return to the Big Show in San Diego Next Week!

See you then Lovers.

Hot AFRICAN Love!!

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Sat, 02 May 2009 16:34:00 +0000

Here it is, true believers!

Proof that our modern day "Kama Sutra/Personal Improvement Life Guide" knows no boundaries, plays no favorites and transcends cultural, economical & technological ways of life.

The above photo was taken in Tanzania, in the famous Serengeti Nat'l Park! No, these are not people in costume, they are authentic Maasai Tribespeople, whose age-old way of life has just become,

you guessed it... MORE PASSIONATE.

(to learn more about the Maasai, click here)

One may figure that perhaps our multicultural magazine was given to our indigenous friends, due to the fact they are holding the latest issue. But as the astute viewer can tell, by presence of the baby being held on the right and the expectant mother on the left, the Maasai are obviously quite familiar with our book and it's romantic results. Viva Amor!

Now I don't deny being present to take the photo. I mean, let's be serious. It's one thing for the Maasai to own copies of our book. But to think that they not only have a digital camera, computers AND a reliable internet connection in the middle of a region which spans approx. 30,000 square Kilometers and whose names translates into "endless plains"...bah!

This other photo is of yours truly, during the same excursion, at the base of what is the highest peak on the whole continent,

Mount Kilimanjaro!

It had been a dream of mine to see the famous peak with my own eyes. And with the assistance of Hot Mexican Love Comics, another one of my dreams came true. So be sure to run down to your local retailer and pick up the latest issue if you haven't already. And then sit back and let your dreams become reality.

con amor, esperanza y sueños,

Senor Ira

MORE Love around the world

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Sat, 02 May 2009 16:16:00 +0000

Happy May Lovers!

Team Sherak is back from its world travels and happy to show the Love has spread even further. Pictured is my wife in the historic city of Edinburgh, Scotland, with its famous castle high in the background.

Now, although I admit to keeping a copy of the most passionate comic-anthology on the shelves today with me at most times. The photo is being posted to prove one of its other features (aside from enhancing the passion in your life). It was approx. 40 degrees F at the time this photo was taken (note my wife's apparel). And at this point, she was not carrying the book to show off our location, but to keep warm! If you're reading this, you know how much heat this book radiates!

Many of our loyal readers already know of the magical properties contained within our home-brewed literature. But here is some non-photoshopped proof of why people should keep a copy of Hot Mexican Love Comics with them at all times.

Keep spreading the love amigos,

Senor Ira

Love around the World

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:29:00 +0000

Bonjourno Lovers,

Sorry for the delay in posts. Mind you I am not apologizing for myself, but for the other members of our Comic Nucleus who should be posting to keep the love flowing.

The above photo was taken in the city of Venice, Italy, at St. Mark's Square. And as I am about to embark on another world travel which will bring EVERYBODY'S favorite Latin-themed Comic Anthology to yet another continent, I decided to post some fun photos from last year's adventure, where our Latin-themed Comic made a splash in another country with a Latin-based language.

The photo below was taken by yours truly, it features my good friend and loyal fan of passion, Steve Holand, with a gondola driver who claims that if he held the romance within the pages of our periodical, the pure energy of the book combined with the atmosphere of this most romantic of cities would singe his hands and prevent him from earning a living.

I believed every word. As did Steve, which is why he is wearing gloves while holding the book.

Look for my next update from across the globe next month.

Amor Y Besos,

Senor Ira

Feliz Nuevo Ano!

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 22:18:00 +0000

Buenos Dias Friends & Lovers of all shapes, sizes & sexual proclivities!

Welcome to 2009. Last night the HMLC Nucleus (minus Angry Bob who was temporarily deported north of the border to his Motherland) gathered and celebrated the New Year of many different countries every hour, on the hour, all the while spreading our Latin Cheer! We hope that your celebration was as festive as ours.

Big things are in store this upcoming year and we hope you will all be on board for our journey. What kind of things you ask? Well, first and foremost, we are working on a plan for World Peace, which is a subsidiary project of our "Spread the Love Foundation". Stay tuned for more on that.

There will also be a shift in the editing of the book for our next issue. Larry "L-Dogg" Reynosa will be returning to the frontlines of the publishing/editing side of the book, with Canada's own "Angry Bob" Bowen co-helming the project and adopting the title "Editor-In-Chief". Utilizing his furious disposition, Bob is quoted as saying "J. Jonah Jameson is gonna seem like Mahatma Ghandi compared to me." Remember Bob, this is Hot Mexican LOVE.

Why the shift in control? The reasons are varied, but mostly, to devote time to my upcoming nuptuals. And after three consecutive years of donating our spare time to passion, Albert "Beanrobot" Calleros and myself could use a break. (Albert can also use a date after the rejection he got at the pub last night. NO LADIES, he IS NOT impotent.)

Looking back at the past few years, they've been good. I will miss heralding the book this season. I will also miss the holiday glasses people wear on New Years since 2000. You know the ones, where the lenses are put in the centered, double zero slots. It will be another 900 years 'til society gets to enjoy those again.

I will continue to do some posts here now and again, so stay tuned. May your New Year be a joyous one filled with Amor, Besos Y Pasion (I know mine will be).

And look for "Hot Mexican Love Comics 2009" coming this July.

Viva Romance,

Senor Ira

Feliz Kwanzaa!

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 17:29:00 +0000

Buenos Dias Amigos,

All of here at HMLC Central want to wish you and your Lovers the most Passionate Kwanzaa ever.

Con Amor Y Besos,

Bean Robot

L-Dogg

Angry Bob

the Lady Janice

Senor Ira

Wet APE doesn't disappoint

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:51:00 +0000

Buenos Tardes Lovers

Sorry for the delay in posts, especially since our return from San Francisco. I know you have been lonely and craving a digital shot of love, and we here at HMLC central are happy to be your internet pimps.

As previously mentioned, HMLC has a great relationship with the denizens of the City on the Bay. And it really showed this year as the bulk of our sales came from former customers! It was overwhelming and flattering at the amount of people who came by the table looking for us and the latest issue of our graphic comedy romance. And to all of you, I bid you Muchos Besos & Muchos Gracias.

Leaving Friday Afternoon (Halloween), Lady J & myself stepped into our rented Chevy Cobalt to make tracks for what would be our third consecutive appearance at APE Con. Beanrobot (Albert) rode up with freshman lover, Chris Bennett, and we actually passed one another along the way. Lady J was in the drivers seat for the bulk of the ride and when she saw Mr. Bennett casually pass by on the 5 Freeway, she broke the speed limit (by over 30 mph!) to catch up. Exclaiming "No way am I gonna let those Candy-Asses beat us to San Fran!"

The weather for the weekend was not favorable, but nonetheless we endured. It rained most of Saturday, which we feel inhibited sales, but we still did well. By the end of the day, the rains had stopped, but by then it was also dark. My memories of anecdotes that day are now fuzzy, but I do remember Beanrobot shouting out to what looked like a woman. He yelled "Excuse me Sir!" as Lady J & myself went wide-eyed and began to laugh. Albert then hid his embarrassed face behind a copy of our book.

Another surprise that happened that Saturday was getting a call from "Angry Bob", stating his parole officer was too busy to meet with him and that he could join us in San Fran for the second day of the show. I don't know what time he left L.A., but he appeared at the convention about 15 minutes before closing. Having Bob join is a big help, and also allowed Lady J & myself to leave early on that Sunday for a prior engagement.

Sales were good, not San Diego good, but this is a much smaller show. And we did do better than the previous years at APE. But more importantly, we were thanked MANY times over for "Sharing the Love" Thus guaranteeing our return north for next years convention. We hope to see you all there.

Enjoy these photos of some of YOU, our loyal fans:

Shawn & Chris were the first of our fans to find us and sing the praises of our love.

this couple were a little too into their passionate outfits and insisted on flogging your truly

This is Scott, he showed up with our classic 90's issues to get them signed by Albert & me. Our loyal customers know no bounds!

Matt Groening shared the love and showed support by purchasing the latest issue.

He mentioned he always wanted to do a book of "Art by Simpsons Artists". Too bad we beat him to it.

Things got too hot too handle at times, so the San Francisco Fire Dept. had to stop by.

No citations were issues, only advice on Amor.

Carin, one of our most loyal fans. We love you.

And finally, no, this IS NOT HMLC lover & contributor John Fountain. I think his name was "Bryson" But Albert & I did a double take as he approached. His look, his dress, even his speech pattern emulated the unflappable artist of the water trilogy. We took a video to prove it. Perhaps one day I'll figure out how to upload it.

Adios Amigos!

APE Con San Francisco! This weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:31:00 +0000

Buenos Noches Lovers!

Well, it's been a few months since our last convention, and despite having two re-orders from our distributor (not two issues, but two orders of multiple issues), we have gotten reports of a decline in love nationwide. I have no idea what disease has taken hold of the emotional deprived in this nation (perhaps the upcoming election), but your Bandoliers of Love are gonna start spreading the cure... THIS WEEKEND!

And what better place to do that but San Francisco!

The Alternative Press Expo returns this weekend, Sat & Sun, Nov 1 & 2
at the Concourse Exhibition Center located at 620 7th Street, San Francisco.

San Francisco has always been good to Hot Mexican Love and we're gonna be good right back! (side note: the only reason Tony Bennett left his heart there was to insure a return trip). In attendance shall be myself, my Bonita Senorita, Lady J, and the most macho hombre I know, the co-creator/co-publisher of Hot Mexican Love Comics, Beanrobot himself... Albert!

We will be located at table 561 (see below)

We will be on hand with our entire library (featuring our 2008 edition), signed prints of the 2008 cover and our limited-edition, convention exclusive shot glasses (click here to catch a glimpse at earlier post). Get to our booth early because the shot glasses are sure to run out. We will also be happy to sign copies and perhaps even do a little sketching for our most passionate customers.

Also on hand (at their own tables) will be Contributing Lovers: Louie del Carmen, Rob Goodin, Chris Bennett and Rafael Navarro (be sure to look them up when you get there).

For further info, click here

Hope to see you all there!

p.s. due to an anger management session and an argument with his parole officer,
Angry Bob will NOT be in attendance
(Lo Siento Amigos)

APE is coming

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 06:24:00 +0000

Just a little tease until I have more time to properly inform all of you, our passionate fans and wannabee lovers.

(For those who are completely in the dark, the light will shine in San Francisco)

Sneak Peek at New Hot Mexican Love Sensation!

noreply@blogger.com (Albert) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:07:00 +0000

Author-Artist Tom Welch let the HMLC blog have this world exclusive sneak-peek at his top-secret new project. We call first dibs on the movie rights!

Del Carmen Delivers on Design!

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:28:00 +0000

Buenos Dias Lovers and Fans across the net. The HMLC Nucleus continues to recoup from San Diego and prep for APE in San Francisco, but our contributors keep spreading the love!

Louie del Carmen has been a contributor with the book since its inception back in 1996, and has contributed to everything we have published (except for our 2006 issue). He has two of his own blogs (check out the link on our sidebar), self-publishes his own books, storyboards like a man possessed and is a great kisser (so his wife tells me). So it was no surprise that the Character Design blogspot, chose to interview him recently.

Louie gives a glimpse of everything del Carmen and gives a proper shout-out to HMLC, mentioning that we were around before all these other recent studio anthologies. Huzzah!

To read the interview CLICK HERE.

And gracias to you Louie, your friendship and love continue to be an inspiration.

Comic Con Report, Pt. 2

noreply@blogger.com (larrydigital) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 03:00:00 +0000

You know, Ira brings up a great point in his update below. I have never understood the "I have no money" excuse. If you don't want a book, fine. There's no need to lie. Why not just admit that you hate love and have no interest in re-igniting the passion in your life? That's a perfectly acceptable reason as well and it's much more honest. Look, I know we have high pressure sales tactics and sometimes when we lock in on someone it can be difficult for some people to walk away. So they just come up with the simplest excuse possible (to them) to walk away. All I'm saying is that a simple "No" will suffice.

It's been about 15 years since I actually worked in the comic book industry so another thing I love about the convention is that it gives me an opportunity to reconnect with old friends. And unlike Albert and Ira, I don't really know too many of the creators personally. Sure, I know who they are and what they do for the book but often times I can't really put too many faces to names. Even the lovely and talented Mr. Ethan Spaulding of Operation: Gutterball fame, the man who illustrated my "Encuentro de la Semana" love letter to luchadores in the latest issue is someone who I've never actually met (we have, however, spoken many times on the phone). Getting the chance to actually talk to some of our creators face to face is always a nice treat. Almost. Angry Bob is shockingly less interesting then you'd think he'd be. Go figure.

And then there's the usual cast of characters. Friends that I see a little more frequently but I was still happy to see them nonetheless, namely HMLC contributors Rob Goodin, Louie Del Carmen and Rafael Navarro, who, as previously mentioned, shared our table. These creators in particular are usually at the various shows pushing their own individual products so they're hustling just the same we are. By the way, be sure you click those links and check out their books too!

Here's another round of pics for your enjoyment....

The Teen Titans' Hawk & Dove were very excited to find our booth. Very excited. Especially Dove there on the left.

And while we're on the subject of thinly veiled phallic symbols.... here's Plastic Man.

Chewbacca? More like COOLbacca.

Hellloooooooo Kitty

These little ladies were at the con promoting the cosplay café, Royal/T in Culver City. According to their flyer, Royal/T is Los Angeles' first meido kissa restaurant which basically means that the service staff there dress as, and I quote, "elegant maids." I'm told that the café primarily caters to otaku, aka obsessive anime fans. Sounds positively pedo-rific to me.

Oh, hey. What's up, Michelangelo?

Wonder Woman and Awesome-X. Booosh!

I've already talked about this someplace else but I want to go ahead and mention it here. I want to give a very special thanks to Señor Ira. He's the taskmaster that's responsible for putting all of this together, which I'm sure can be like herding cats sometimes. From cracking the whip on the creators, to making sure we're registered for the various conventions, to dealing with the tax collecting section of the City's Office of Finance, Ira is the guy that makes the magic happen. Playing the bad guy can be a thankless job but without him, Hot Mexican Love Comics never would've emerged from it's 10 year hiatus. It may seem like some of us need a break from each other by the time an issue is published but we've all had a tremendous amount of fun because of the book and it's all due to Ira. So thank you, Señor.

So what's next for Hot Mexican Love Comics? In the short term, nothing. I think we're all going to just take a break for a moment. There's the West Hollywood Book Fair coming up in September but I think we're going to skip that one (right, Angry Bob?) so can concentrate on November's Alternative Press Expo in San Francisco. As far as new products are concerned, I believe we may have a new sketchbook ready for APE. We shall see.

Until then, stay tuned. Any new updates will definitely be made here. Thanks for stopping by and we hope to see you all again soon.

Excelsior!

San Diego Comic-Con Review: Day Tres Y Quatro

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:52:00 +0000

The heat was ON!

The rise in temperature came in the form of Larry "L-Dogg" Reynosa, co-founder of the book, who joined us Friday night and worked the Con on Saturday. It was a BUSY day, but manageable with Four of us working the table in shifts, as detailed in his post (see below).

It's been three weeks since the con, so my memory is getting a little fuzzy. But hIghlights included the visit by PLAYBOY.com (see previous posts for links and photos) and visits by various friends, co-workers and lovers.

Speaking of which, Saturday afternoon also ushered in the arrival of my darling, "Lady J". Traveling solo via train to meet up at the convention, my fiancee was worried about getting in the way, knowing how crazy Saturday can be. We already had a full complement of people behind the table and space does become an issue. But contrary to her worries, Janice was a great help. She allowed for longer breaks of the nucleus, kept items and funds in order when behind the table, and got lunch and snacks for the crew during very busy times. MOST important, she became the official photographer of scantily clad MEN, the type which L-Dogg would want to photo himself, but his machismo would never allow.

So for one day of the 2008 Convention we had the full nucleus: Beanrobot, Angry Bob, L-Dogg, the Lady Janice and yours truly, your Ambassador of Amor and Editor-In-Chief, Senor Ira. Yes... Saturday was the biggest day of sales for HMLC. FIESTA!

As a treat to our hard-working crew, we celebrated at a fine dining establishment in the Gaslamp district of downtown San Diego. Special shout out to writer/producer Joss Whedon (of Buffy the Vampire/Serenity fame) he was at the table next to us at the restaurant and took the photo attached below. (Okay, he WAS there, and we did want him to take the photo, but our waiter did it instead).

Sunday, the final day. Larry left Saturday after dinner. Bob had left that morning. We were down to three. But it was a special trio. Albert, Janice & myself worked the first convention of the modern era of HMLC together in San Francisco We were veterans by now. And feeling confident after three solid days of sales, we figured we could relax a little this final day. So much so that we even showed up late (we needed to catch up on some sleep).

The day started a little slow and we started to hear more excuses. One passerby made Albert go through his whole pitch before he revealed "I have no money". Albert's response:

"I'm sorry sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Much to Janice' chagrin (who hates that I push myself and the crew hard for sales), Albert & I agreed that once we hit a certain number of sales for the day we would slow way down, but something unexpected happened. A flurry of activity by people who were waiting for last day sales. Some purchased on previous days and wanted issues from other years, some saw us and promised to come back (and they DID!), some were seeking passion and some just stumbled upon us. But they all did come. And they came to buy! ARRIBA!

One of my favorite sales of the day came in the form of two young men who were looking a bit lost. I offered to assist. They said they were looking for the booth that was giving away "Threats". Let me inform you, dear reader, in the program for the convention which lists info about booths and locations, our submission mentioned "Our talented staff of lovers and artists will be on hand signing, sketches and giving advice on Amor! Special Bonus, Canada's own "Angry Bob" will be on hand this year dispensing hugs and threats!" When I write blurbs like this, which comes from the heart, I don't know who is gonna read or pay attention. But the fact that these two guys came looking for our angriest lover made me happy. They purchased two issues apiece.

So we had a ton of sales, and easily passed our projected number. We were doing so well, that I quickly upped the goal for the day and stayed on focus. Albert agreed as long as he could take a break. DONE! Unfortunately, the last hour of the convention slowed way down. I was hearing far too many excuses of no cash and became surly. I was on a mission of sales. So when someone would stop to talk about the book without purchase, saying "I'd like to buy but I have no money" my new response was "And I have no more time for you", and would turn my back. I apologize friends and future lovers. That was not very considerate. But I was getting punchy after four straight days of selling, and Janice & Albert kept giggling when I would do that.

Albert was also getting desperate. His new tactic was this: he would draw his new character "Chicano Cat" on a post-it along with a note that said "I love you" (it looked something like this):

Then surreptitiously walk over to someone and whisper "hey" and hand him this note. This actually worked a handful of times and people would buy a copy. Albert, you are an artistic genius.

5:00 pm... quiting time was quickly approaching. People were leaving without buying. we were three sales short of our new goal. Janice sat behind the table as Albert & myself pounced on everybody and anybody who passed by. Success came in two forms. My friend Adriana saw us and made a last minute purchase of our convention exclusive shot glasses. And Albert lured in a lovely young lady with his adoring eyes, did a quick sketch and a sale of two books. HUZZAH!

The convention was now over. Our biggest year yet. A lot of work, a lot of passion and a lot of fun. This entry is long enough. Please enjoy this attached photos.

I think we all know EXACTLY "What's goin' on" in this photo

These young lovers met us at last years convention and wanted to keep their relationship HOT!

Stacy Jo... the basement still has some room for you.

(fill in your own comment here)
(Larry edit: "Please, for the love of God, someone call Child Protection Services immediately")

Lady J is practicing for her proctology exam. Albert is a willing patient.

A visit to the consulate is required to insure the love flows.

Despite not being at the convention center, our visit produces some very passionate results.

Comic Con Report, Pt. 1

noreply@blogger.com (larrydigital) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:23:00 +0000

Ahh, July.

Each year, not only does it supply us with horrible stories of illegal fireworks and mutilated teenagers, it also brings with it the San Diego Comic Convention. Which is great because that means it's time to get off my ass and start hustling the last issue of Hot Mexican Love Comics.

We've had a new book each summer for the last 3 years so usually I head down to San Diego for the whole weekend in order to pimp the book to its fullest but this year, with the addition of Jazzy Jake to the Hot Mexican Love family, I knew that I wouldn't be able to go for the entire weekend. Picking my spot, I figured that I'd be able to be the most help on Saturday since that's usually the busiest day. I wanted to get there bright and early as soon as the doors open on Saturday so I left my place around 9:30pm on Friday night.

It's usually a two hour drive from the San Fernando Valley to San Diego so I wasn't too worried about the trip. I had a recently renewed Sirius radio contract, a fully stocked iPod, a bottle of Dr. Pepper and a large packet of Skittles (mmmm, sugar rush) so I was good to go. Traffic's light around that time so I was making good time until I hit Long Beach where the 405 turned in a single lane due to unforeseen "police activity" (thanks KNX 1070) It only pushed me a hour back turning my two hour drive into a three hour drive which normally wouldn't be a huge deal but I popped the Skittles early into my trip so by the time I hit downtown San Diego, I was crashing fast. It's now 1:30am, I'm tired, cranky and in need of sleep. Or a beer.

I got the hotel address from Albert the day before I left but apparently I forgot where it was. No worries, I'm a resourceful guy, I'll use my navigation system. Brilliant! .....or not. The hotel we were staying at was recently purchased by another local chain so at that particular time, there were two hotels with the same name. Not paying attention to this, I park my car five blocks from where I'm told the hotel was. I sling my bags over my shoulder, grab the awkwardly-sized box of comics I brought with me and start walking. I get to the properly named hotel and call Albert who informs me that I went to the wrong location. The correct hotel, one with the same name mind you, was literally across the street from where I parked. I was just too tired to notice.

Once everything's straightened out I quickly realized that I'm now even more tired, even more cranky and even more in need of sleep. Albert suggests we go to the hotel bar, which sounds like a fantastic idea to me. But by the hotel mess got figured out, it was now well past 2:00am. In other words, it's off to bed.

The next morning, we seemed to get off to an slow start. Four of us were working the six foot table which meant that we were a little cramped. This was Angry Bob's first full convention with us and I've got to say, he did a great job. He worked the West Hollywood Book Fair with us last September but the San Diego Comic Con is an entirely different animal. It's the biggest comic convention in the country and over the last few years, it's grown to encompass far more than just comics and it's packed with so many people. The aisles are just packed with people so the convention is a pain in the ass just to attend, to work it is even worse.

Truth be told, every single year I dread the convention. Because like I said, it's a pain in the ass. We're usually stuck there at our table, pushing the comic and we rarely get the opportunity to actually see the rest of the convention of meet up with friends who we know are at the convention as well. But this year, Angry Bob changed all that. Having a fourth person there really freed us up to work in rotations, something we never really had the chance to do. I think all of us got the opportunity to stretched our legs and walk around for a bit. Which was really cool.

The show itself was cool. Like I mentioned, it started out slow to us but after a while we realized that it only seemed that way. Before we knew it, we were on pace to sell more issues than we'd ever had before. But none of seemed difficult. We were all so.... relaxed. Man, the difference an extra body makes. That is the power of Angry Bob.

We met some really interesting people too. I got interviewed by a Spanish language newspaper from San Diego that wanted to talk to me about racism in comics. I tried to rope Albert into the conversation but I think he exited stage left as soon as he realized that it was semi-serious. I don't blame him, I was planning to do the exact same thing to him. I'm interested to see how the article came out but I'm not exactly holding my breath. Last year, we got interviewed by four different outlets, including NPR, and none of those ever surfaced. To my knowledge, at least.

As always, my favorite feature of the convention are the costumes. Every year, a large number of convention goers show up dressed as their favorite comics/film/animated character, sometimes with fantastic results, while attempts go horribly awry. In either case, I figure one reason these people dress up is a little shameless self-promotion so if they're going to whore themselves out anyway, why not get them to promote our book at the same time? It's a win-win!

Here are a few of my favorite pics this year....

Angry Bob with a personal convention favorite, the authentically Mexican star of Futurama, Bender B. Rodriguez.

The White Queen didn't need her psychic powers to see what was on Albert's mind. His thoughts were written all over his pants.

Playboy.com's Melany Denyse. Click here to see a shot on Playboy.com of the hard-working HMLC crew with Ms. Denyse. Warning: Don't click that link while at work, kids!

Our latest celebrity endorsement! Diedrich Bader, formerly of The Drew Carey Show, and the voice of Batman in the upcoming Batman: The Brave and the Bold animated series shows off his HMLC fanhood.

This guy asked if we wanted his wings on or off for the photo. Oh, on, definitely on.

I have plenty of more shots available so I'll have more pics up over the next couple of days. I just wanted to upload these relatively quickly or else I'd never get around to posting them.... which is what happened to the pictures from last year's San Diego Con. Much like our many interviews last summer, those shots never saw the light of day either.

Hot Mexican Whodunnit?

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:38:00 +0000

Buenos Tardes Readers, the Hot Mexican Love crew needs your help! This past weekend, at the HMLC 2008 Fiesta, there was an accident involving alcohol and hard-wood floors. No blood was spilled, but there was another type of fluid with quite a pungent aroma spread out across the living room leading to the bathroom. And it was up to Beanrobot to clean up the mess. (Oliver the dog tried to help, but the result of that would have been even more of a mess).

Now even though there were a large number of people in attendance, there were no eye-witnesses. A familiar story was one of people laughing and cavorting one moment, and the next they were stopped cold by an absolutely disgusting smell, followed by a glance to the center of the living room floor which was no longer dry.

The most detailed account we have was from one fire-haired attendee standing adjacent to the living room. She said "I noticed a friendly-looking guy sitting in a chair, turned away to a conversation and then heard a sound similar to a bucket of water being tossed out. When I turned back around, the friendly-looking guy appeared as if he was heading to the bathroom and there was vomit all over the floor."

When further questions were asked about who it was, the reply was "I don't know his name, but he's really friendly. He was wearing a dark shirt. He's a friend of Albert"

EVERYBODY is a friend of Albert!

Mind you this was in no way an accusation of somebody making a party foul (the person was not caught in the act of regurgitation), but it is the best lead we have. This event did not in any way spoil the party, but the mystery of who it was DID become a hot topic. If you were in attendance of our alcohol-filled celebration, and you have any leads or info. that can help solve our 2008 mystery, please contact us here in the comments section. Pertinent information will be rewarded...

...with love.

San Diego Comic-Con Review: Day Dos

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:32:00 +0000

Hola Amigos, and welcome to the review of Day Two. Albert made it down to San Diego early Friday morning and he brought the HEAT with him. This was another busy day at the con, and with three Hot Mexican Lovers at the table (Angry Bob, Albert and myself) to sketch, sign and swoon, it seemed like there was no time for breaks. EVERYBODY wanted a a taste of our homegrown passion.

A big reward for appearing at the convention three years in a row, is that we are finally starting to build a reputation and have repeat customers. People remember us from prior years and want to reconnect, share a story of passion and insure another year of romance in their own life with purchase of our book. We are so confident in our product that this year we gave a money back guarantee to the attendees. If the passion in their own life did not increase by a minimum of 16% (after purchase) they could come back to the table for a full refund. I am happy to say there was absolutely no refunds needed. In fact, one customer from last year actually sought us out to thank us for an unforgettable evening after the con last year... after purchase of our book. NO, Albert did not have a rendez-vous with mentioned individual, he met someone on his own and shot off some skyrockets. KA-POW! (true story).

We'd like to thank these repeat customers, our growing fleet of romantics, for their support, purchases and love. I am ashamed to admit that I do not remember the name of the woman in the photo below, but I will give her kudos. She read about the convention exclusive shot glasses online and bee-lined her way to our booth for purchase Friday morning. If this is you, dear fan, please leave us a comment and your name so we can sing it with joy and echo your name in the annals of HML history.

Enough with the gab, here are some fun photos of fans and heroes with our book:

Psylocke from the X-Men

Mara Jade, Slave Leia & Senator Amidala from the Star Wars Universe. The hottest broads in the galaxy holding the hottest book at the convention.

Cobra Cmdr. & The Baroness have no reason to fight while they hold pages of passion.

The HMLC crew love the Venture Bros. & the Monarch

Above is our favorite type of fan: he finds us, buys the entire HMLC library and smiles.

ARRIBA AMIGO!

MEE-OOWWW! The Black Cat. 'nuff said.

Our final photo for the post is especially for Albert. A picture can speak a thousand words. This one left us speechless. Until our founder gently whispered " call me... "

San Diego Comic-Con Review: Day Uno

noreply@blogger.com (Senor Ira) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 05:54:00 +0000

Is this photo any way to start a post for one of the most exciting events of the year? When it concerns "Angry Bob" it is. This is the room that Angry Bob and myself shared our first night in San Diego. Comfort Inn my ass. The short of it is this, we reserved the room last minute, and despite reserving it for two people, we got a tiny room with a full size bed (smaller than a queen size). FAR TOO SMALL for two such passionate men as myself and Canada's own Angry Bob. Luckily, I brought my inflate-a-bed for just such an emergency. But the room was so small, we had to rearrange it by removing the chair and nightstand and rotating the bed 90 degrees. Strike One. The photo was taken in the tiny foyer next to the toilet. Just about all the floor space is covered by the two beds here.

Due to time constraints, we passed on preview night and showed up to start the fires on Thursday morning. Thinking we had enough time, we ate a good breafast at the hotel and thought we could park at the convention center... we were wrong. We sat in a line of traffic for a nearby parking structure for an hour. Bob drove as I kept running out to the car to unload what I could. This second strike for the trip was not a good way to start a long working weekend.

So we finally got parked, unloaded and set up as the doors were open to fans. Bob & I braced ourselves for the throngs of people to coming rushing in toward us... and we watched them run right by. They were all rushing to get freebies and convention exclusives. No worries though, it was just opening hour.

For Day One it was just Bob and myself working the table. This was Bob's first time working with us outside of L.A. He was slow to start, but by lunch he was charming ALL THE LADIES, as well as dispensing his patented Canadian threats to non-passionate riff-raff. His anger helped fuel his selling frenzy for the ultimate goal of beating the number of sales from Thursday last year. Oblivious to the passing of time, Bob only saw red. Then, as his "Wolverine-like Beserker Rage" subsided at the end of the first day, he glanced at our sales ledger and produced a toothy grin while bearing witness to his achievement. We beat last year by almost 50%! In all honesty, Bob was a great help and I was lucky to have him at the table to help sell the book and sketch characters for fans.

After the final sale was made, Bob & I went to our next hotel, the Westin San Diego, whose "Heavenly Beds" were true to form. Unfortunately, as I plopped down on mine, a leg broke off. We dealt with the hotel engineering staff for an hour before finally going down to the hotel restaurant for a meal... just as it closed. We ate at the bar, which was fine cause it had the same menu. Wow, I know it sounds like a harsh first day, but it all turned out good. I am at a loss to think of any good anecdotes right now, except for the one of the Latin woman who asked me if I knew what she was. I looked deep into her eyes and replied "Beautiful."

Needless to say, another fan and another sale was made.

Enjoy this handful of photos mi amigos.

This here is the "Coupon Kid" a walking, talking, free advertising space which we took full advantage of.

Lobster Johnson stopped by to display his new favorite periodical.

These two cuties are part of the ever-expanding fan base of Hot Mexican Love Comics.

We hook 'em while they are young to insure a lifetime of passion. Actually, they are Hazel & Charlotte, products of true Hot Mexican Love, being that their padre, Anthony Vukojevich, has been a contributor to the book since 1996.

ARRIBA!

We dug this kick-ass Rorschach costume. He dug our passion.

The Boys of Hot Mexican Love on Playboy.com

noreply@blogger.com (Albert) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 06:57:00 +0000

The hottest guys in Mexican Comics show off their stuff on the official Playboy site!

Nuff said!

See the passion here!