Shia LaBeouf Surprises Comics Convention With His Self-Published Books

Who was that bearded, long-haired comic publisher peddling his wares at the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) over the weekend? And why did he seem to have a serious aversion for the ‘Transformers’ displays?

I’m kidding. I’m sure Shia LaBeouf happily signed any ‘Transformers’ memorabilia fans brought to his table, but that’s not why the former “Mutt” Williams reserved a spot at C2E2 (photo courtesy of RebelScum.com). Instead, he was sitting on Artist’s Alley promoting the three self-published comic books he created on his Mac. They’re being published under the banner The Campaign Book, and you can learn more about the label on its official Web site.

“Why ‘The Campaign Book?’ Because I love the things I love and I want to champion them,” LaBeouf writes on the site’s About Us page. “I tend toward outliers and I’m obsessed with the history of visual culture writ large and small.”

The Chicago Tribune says LaBeouf spent the day at C2E2 with his girlfriend, Karolyn Pho, who told the paper, “He's a huge comics guy. I'm here for moral support. We literally bought plane tickets last night and arranged this booth yesterday on a whim."

When asked if he’d always harbored dreams of being a comic artist, LaBeouf answered, “I didn't think I wanted to, but I love this, man. I'm so used to working in a room with 50 people looking at me. Doing these books are like singing in the shower."