How I Spent My Summer Vacation!
I'm really going to do my best to make sure that I don't forget anyone ... but here goes. ComicCon International was a hoot, crazy, busy-as-hell, but certainly a hoot! I didn't find it that overwhelming, and though my computer battery did sort of crap out on me while I was doing a favor for the Pulse, I still had a blast!
So, here goes with all of the recapping.
Wednesday night, I arrived in lovely San Diego. Upon reaching the convention center, I was greeted by Sullen Grey’s Drew Rausch and Jocelyn Gajeway. D,J, and I hung out for a while right before the maelstorm that was Preview Night took shape. I managed to get bombarded by the full effect of San Diego in just a mere three short hours. Hell, the line at the Hasbro booth for exclusive action figures was OUT OF CONTROL! So, while the rabid fans were lining up for that ultra-super-slick My Little Pony Superhero Pony, I was talking to Thom Zahler, and managed to get myself a Nova Toon Tumbler.
On Thursday, Jacob Chabot, Gregg Schigiel, and Tim Smith 3 drew me some awesome Nova sketches. I also briefly spoke with my Paperfilm buddies, Christos N. Gage, Justin Grey, and Jimmy Palmiotti who were busy doing their thing at the DC and Marvel booths. I had a lovely chat with Tony Lee and Joel Meadows about Marvel UK and the awesome Tripwire magazine. The uber-talented Charlie Adlard and I spoke to MINX-guru Shelly Bond about Legos. (I also got heckled at the Marvel panel, as I noted before.) Later, Park Cooper (of Half Dead fame) joined me for dinner and drinks with Image Comics publisher, Erik Larsen. Jim Demonakos stopped by to say 'hello.' And later that same night, in the middle of the Hyatt, I had a lovely chat with Plain J.A.N.E.S. author, Cecil Castellucci, chatted up Shon C. Bury about his work on Power Pack, and talked to the soon to be New York-bound, Caleb Monroe. Oh, and there was quite a good bit of drinking involved.
The daylight hours of Friday were a little more low key. I did speak with Imaginist, Dan Evans the Third and learned a few of the secrets behind the hit television show, Burn Notice. I also ran into Frederick, Maryland native Micah Gunnel. Ryan McLelland, of Latino Review and Newsarama fame, sat in front of me during the Valiant panel and I gave him a granola bar. After the panel, I spoke with Andrew Pepoy who reminded me of a project that we need to finish. The Operative, Hannibal Tabu joined me for the end of Friday's show - and it was great to finally meet the man in person. Things started to really pick up on Friday night, when I went to an invitation only party and saw The Beat , Steve Saunders of All The Rage, Sunday Slugfest’s Keith Dallas, current artistic partner in crime, Steve Ellis, Molly Crabapple, Bill Walko, Paul Levitz, and Ramon Perez. The evening ended with a quick 'hello' to Joe Gentile of Moonstone Books.
Saturday morning started over drinks with Lee Nordling and Man of Comics, Scott O. Brown. I caught up with Chris Batista and met Aleister D D Gilgrim. The rest of the day I think was pretty much a blur ... which is fine, really, though if my legs are any indication, I was involved in a whole lot of walking. Oh, I also had a chance to speak with the awesome Joseph Illidge of Archaia Studios and Sean O Reilly of Arcana Studios.
Sunday, I spent less than an hour at the convention center, but I did manage to have an incredible chat with Shooting Wars' Dan Goldman - who is really making some kick ass comics these days.
So, that's the show in a nutshell - it was awesome, exciting, and overwhelming all at the same time. 140,000 people is quite a lot of people - and sometimes - the show was crowded as hell, but for the most part, I found the whole thing to be a great place to visit old friends and make some new ones.