i would like to do the hole artist ali thing some day whats a good convention in Massachusetts to start with

Afraid I can't comment on Massachusetts specifically because I'm in a totally different time zone, but I would recommend starting with a smaller convention rather than a huge one. Smaller conventions, often held in hotels, are usually cheaper, less travel, and way less hassle, but they're great for getting your convention-legs. They can also connect you to local peer groups and readerships! Plus, you'll get to practice pitching your work in a more relaxed environment, so that when you do hit the larger shows, you'll have gotten your sales skills honed.

This is a great question as I am hoping to get into the whole convention scene too. I plan on tableing a very small local comic convention in the city I live in later this year, but I honestly have no idea what to expect! I have come across a great tumblr site that has a lot of resources for convention artists though: How to Be a Con Artist

Later this month I'm going to a much larger convention a few hours away from me, but only as an attendee. I wasn't sure what people's thoughts were on bringing business cards for my comic to handout to people in case I get to talking to someone and they wanted to see my stuff (this will probably never happen because I'm a giant introvert though ) I will obviously be there to talk to other artists about their stuff, but I wouldn't mind trying to network too. I'm still on the fence about getting cards though, this will only be the second convention I've attended and I don't know convention etiquette very well...

I was in this exact position a few years ago, so I'll say right now- get cards. Seriously, get them. If your comic comes up in conversation it is SO much easier to whip out a business card than it is to awkwardly try to explain your comic and find a scrap piece of paper to scribble the URL onto. You don't have to wander the artist alley with the express purpose of giving them out- just talk to people and have conversations, and if it comes up you have something to give them.

When Castoff was 6 months old or so I went to a con and ended up getting in conversations with a few guests, and I have never regretted not having business cards more in my life. I had to do the "Uh do you have a piece of paper, I can write down the url" bit and was super embarrassed afterwards. It all turned out okay, but having cards makes you and your comic look prepared, and gives people a good impression. You don't want to force them onto people, but they're an important resource to have.

Thank you so much for your reply Starfish! I'm going to get to work on some business cards asap now

This reminds me I need to reorder cards... it's an ideal time to do it as I don't have a con coming up for awhile, so there's no time constraints. I tend to remember about them 1 week before a show when it's too late and then I have to scramble to produce a small batch locally-- and then I almost always run out. Better to just have a lot of them on hand. Don't worry about whether you'll come up with a better design later; the point of a card is not to be perfect, just to be able to offer people a tangible reminder of having met you (and a link/email/etc to stay in contact if they want).

In response to the first question.... the best first con will vary wildly depending on where you are! Ideally you'll want it to be:

-CLOSE! Ideally, you won't need to stay in a hotel for it but can get to the con venue in less than an hour every day. Transportation and accommodation costs are one of the biggest expenses when it comes to conventions, especially once plane tickets enter the mix.
-CHEAP! If the con badge + table (some conventions charge separately for these) doesn't run you more than $100, that's great. The more expensive a table is, the more stressful it will be for you if you have to try to make that cost back.
-FRIENDS! Do you know people who are attending the show, or do you have friends who are willing to go with you and help out (or at the very least who can be convinced to attend and occasionally come by your table so you can run to the bathroom or something).

The show doesn't necessarily have to meet all three of the above factors; these aren't rules or anything, just things to think about that will increase your chances of having a good time at your first show. And that's what's important, really-- don't worry too much about sales for your first show, just try to have fun and keep track of what things are selling and what things aren't so you know what you need to make more of for next time. Experiment with your display, your product lineup, and the things you say to people who come by.

My first show was not local, but it WAS cheap ($25 for the table and badge) and I was traveling with my school's anime club, who had planned the whole trip and booked the hotel etc with the club's funds. That meant it was a very low-pressure environment for a first show; I'd paid hardly anything to attend, and while I was the only club member who'd decided to get a table rather than just attend, I had a lot of friends around to chat with.

I don't know where you're located or a lot about the Massachussets comic scene, but you could start by googling 'massachussets comic conventions' and checking out the results that are closest to you. Often the very small cons (the ones likeliest to be cheap) are not well-advertised, so it might be good to also google for 'zine fair', 'craft show', and other types of shows besides straight up comic cons-- these can also be viable first-time shows and give you good experience in selling and setting up a table, and tend to be cheaper. I've had a lot of fun at literary festivals and zine-focused indie shows.

Good luck!

Smart words up there.

I have a huge "try to suck people into SpiderForest" bias here, but I love it when other webcomic artists come say hi to me at my table. If you have a webcomic and you give me a card, I will absolutely look you up and probably follow you on Twitter/Tumblr/Instagram if it's listed, so social media is good to put on your card (depending where you're active). You can also take their card and follow them and maybe tell them it was good to see them at Whatsidoozy Comic Con and you really enjoy their work afterwards.

Also, this is kinda expensive so I understand if you don't want to do it, but a few people have given me mini comics of their work to look at and keep, and that's really cool too.