Internet comic artists will descend on Rockville this weekend for a convention all their own.

Attendees will participate in panel discussions, attend educational workshops, and showcase their medium at the second Intervention. Intervention — a combination of the words ‘Internet’ and ‘convention’ — is equal parts fandom event and conference.

“A lot of these conventions are really great, but not one of these conventions focus on what we do, which is the independent-style comics,” said Onezumi Hartstein, Intervention founder, of print-centric conventions. “A lot of us are tacked on as an extra thing on a lot of other conventions.”

So Hartstein decided to carve out that niche herself. The web artist, of Highland Park, N.J., started an online comic in 2003. Found at www.onezumi.com, the comic “Stupid and Insane Defenders Against Chaos” is written and drawn by Hartstein. She also provides online tutorials to help other artists along.

And Intervention, staged for the first time in 2010, provides that support to aspiring web artists.

“I always tell people that your success has everything to do with getting past the first two to 3,000 rejections,” Hartstein said. “You just have to keep doing what you’re doing and you have to be the last person standing, so to speak.”

Hartstein makes a point to never withhold trade secrets; those who openly share tricks and techniques work better together with others.

Intervention will feature comic artists, indie musicians and bloggers. All will exhibit and teach.

“When we were guests at other events, one of the most common things that we heard from people was, ‘Oh, this is incredible, but I have no idea what to do,’ or, ‘I could never do that,’” said James Harknell, Hartstein’s husband who is helping to organize the event. “We knew enough people who really had this kind of knowledge and could pass it along.”

Jamie Noguchi, of Rockville, runs a web comic called “Yellow Peril” found at http://ypcomic.com, and will present at Intervention. He will run a workshop about shading and coloring in Photoshop.

“I’m really excited that I get to run some workshops,” Noguchi said. “I like doing tutorials, so it’s a good chance for me to stretch out and try somethign new.”

The comic artist, who started his web comic in February 2010, knows of a few other conventions that focus on web comics. They keep popping up.

“I think it’s becoming sort of a new trend that people are recognizing that web comics are a force to be reckoned with.”

More than 500 people attended last year’s Intervention in Rockville, Harknell said. And both Harknell and Hartstein expect a 25 percent increase in attendees this year. Rockville is home to the event because many convention organizers Hartstein and Harknell live in the area.

The two brainstormed Intervention about five years ago, gathering names of people at other conventions they attended who could help out at Intervention.

Most conventions focused on print comics and find only a small home for the web comics, Hartstein said. Web comics needed a venue of their own.

Finally, Intervention came to life as both a fun and educational weekend. Harknell offers advice to aspiring web comics.

“Communicate with your fans or people that are coming to your comic, and be cognizant of the community,” he said. “What can you help them with and what would you like them to help you with?”

An open exchange of ideas is the thrust behind Intervention. For Hartstein, creating web comics and sharing her experience at conventions helped her speak, write and teach better.

“It can be just a fun hobby,” Hartstein said of creating web comics. “But things like this are going to transcend into every part of your life.”

If you go

Purchase tickets for Intervention at www.interventioncon.com/register. $45 for the full weekend, $20 for Friday, $25 for Saturday, $15 for Sunday. A limited number of tickets are available for purchase at the door. From noon Friday to 4 p.m. Sunday, Hilton Washington, D.C./Rockville, 1750 Rockville Pike, Rockville.

abryant@gazette.net