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Artist's Alley is the lifeblood of any good convention, but what do you do if you're one of the actual artists with a table there - how do you have time to shop, and how to budget for it? One of Popverse' favorite creators, Zoe Thorgood, recently shared a unique way she makes sure she has time (and the money!) to be an artist while at an Artist's Alley, while also being a fan as well.

"I try and spend as much time at my table as I can. That’s the funnest part of cons for me, being behind the table and meeting fans. I also love going around Artists’ Alley," says Thorogood in an interview with Tiffany Babb for Publisher's Weekly. "I take mostly card payments at my table, so the cash payments I get, I’m like, 'That’s my spending money. I’m allowed to put this back into the community, and I’m allowed to feel good about that.'"

So the cash payments she gets goes to buy art, comics, and other things from her fellow artists in a con's Artist's Alley. And if there's one thing someone working a booth at a con likes, is being paid it cash instead of credit cards.

Thorogood goes on to share more of her life as a fan at a con, while moonlighting as one of the most popular new comic creators in comics.

"I like all the gimmicky things. I waited for like two hours in line for a Tamagotchi last year," says Thorogood. "Cons are like the one place where I feel there’s no judgment. You walk into a con, and it’s like, 'Okay, I can be myself.' Everybody has shared passion for nerdy things."

Comic conventions: a comprehensive guide to all of the major upcoming comic cons.