MCM Expo 2008 (Part three)
Sunday 26th October 2008
I confess to a little bit of trepidation when I started this day off. I knew I was going to be wandering alone (and that made me instantly lonely for Alyse, Andi, Tracy and John) and coupling that with a not-so-good nights sleep, I was not in a 100% Expo frame of mind...
That all changed when I got to the East India DLR station at 9:30am to find people in costumes every bit as detailed and wonderful as those of the day before and their obvious excitement just got to me. :D By the time I was in the queue for the doors (considerably shorter than Saturday's I must admit) I'd seen more anime characters, most of whom I still don't know but had come to recognise by sight all the same, than I can count. We got inside as quickly as the day before so I was in and spending by 10:15am. *lmao*
I first went to the information desk and asked if tickets were needed for the panels for the day (namely, Heroes, Battlestar Galactica and A.N. Other which has slipped my mind right now). I was informed that they weren't necessary and I was relieved at that!
Next, I made a beeline for the place where the Primeval signing had been the day before - it stood empty but I was grinning like a fool anyway at the memory. Then, as was my plan for the day, I set about trying to root out gifts for all the people back home. With, ahem, more money than I have available spent on gifts for myself and others, I set about getting my own tally of free hugs. *lmao* I have no clue what the count was but I was approaching anyone and everyone with a "free hugs" sign. A really, really nice lady was wandering 'round in a full furry suit, some kind of supercute blue animal, and for the first time in the entire convention so far, she gave a really good, strong hug. I thanked her for it. From there I wandered in and out of the venue, so I'm covered in friggin' handstamps again! I haven't managed to wash off the first ones yet! *lmao* At least the Sunday ones were pretty butterflies! And how girly does THAT sound?! Not a very good Goth, am I? *grinz* I even went and chatted to a security guard and found him to be as thrilled with the costumery around us as I was - he quizzed me about the Expo because he was security for a different event and we just chatted in general for a while before I went on my way.
I went back into the venue for the 'nth' time and I heard random cheering from the main stage where all the panels had been yesterday. Curious, I wandered over to find Warwick Davis and Shane Rangi on stage, chatting once more about Prince Caspian! So I made myself comfortable and sat in - the talk was not on the list so I'd missed most of it, I think. I got loads more photos, though. :P Then, as they announced the Heroes panel were going to be up next, I thought, what the hell. I've only seen the first two episodes fo the first series but I thought I'd sit in and hear what they have to say, find out what all the hype is about and rest my already weary feet in the bargain.
So, the ever-so-hard-working fan-herders - those who get the bums on seats, shall we say - filled the auditorium (they couldn't have done that for Primeval yesterday and gave the poor cast and creators a bit of a boost?!) up to the gills and then some. Our enthusiastic warm up man and emcee got us all cheerings and whooping like good 'uns before bringing the Heroes guys out. I was instantly taken by a certain gentleman by the name of Ken Lally who looked so bloody cool and was just hilarious to boot! Then on came a more serious-faced gentleman named Andre Royo, followed by a pretty young lady named Brea Grant (who was in some ways vaguely reminiscent of Hannah Spearritt, in her looks anyway) and then, the man who got the loudest, screamiest cheer of all, Greg Grunberg. From the outset, it was clear ther others looked to Greg for a bit of leadership, or at least that was how it seemed to me. They talked about everything and anything, both Heroes based and not. and the banter between them was lovely. Then, the questions came thick and fast from fans. A good number of them centred around Greg's character holding a conversation witha turtle/tortoisse OR on what superpowers the panel would like to have. Then, and this will probably seem important to those who saw Greg approach and video the Primeval Panel the day previously - Greg asked US for a favour.
He explained that he and a number of other cators and actresses have collaborated and created a band which plays to raise money for charity - each member has their own charity and the money raised is split between them equally. Greg's is a charity and website called Talk About It which supports people with epilepsy, and he revealed that his eldest child has the condition. He asserted that its a condition that almost everyone knows about but never gets talked about and so doesn't get public recognition. The stigma attached to it, he explained to us, made people afraid of sufferers. The favour he wanted us to do for him was to shout "Talk about it" for him to video - and it WILL be on the website. So, now we know what he was having Adrian, Hannah, Andrew, Lucy and Tim doing when he visited them during their signing on Saturday! *grinz* I worked that out all by myself! *bounces and grinz*
With our small contribution to Talk About It done, there were, I think, a few more questions about the general filming and process of creating Heroes and then, and this was brillaint!, Greg encouraged Ken and Andre to do a catwalk. Ken did some sexy poses along the length of tehe stage, always lookin' cool in his shades, while Greg did a great running commentary. Then, Andre did the same and stripped off his jacket to much whooping and cheering from the assemblage! I'm certain there were lots of Heroes references in his commentary which I just didn't understand.
When the had left the stage, to a great deal of well-deserved applause, we were all told to leave. I wandered out, a little lost as to what I could do so I just meandered around, hugging and photographing those around me. I met up with a trio in suits obviously form an anime, judging by the reactions of a young lady standing beside me. She was squealing that they looked just like they did in the manga and..., well, they were offering free hugs so I went for it! *lmao* The dude (or dudette?) in the wolf suit gave me a really good hug, then the one in the second anime animal costume, some kind of reptile this time, if I remember rightly, gave me a hug and a little growl in my ear which set me off laughing! The third guy, dressed, I think, as a wooden puppet of some kind (and boy will I get hung, drawn and quartered if I'm wrong, eh?!) gave me a big strong hug and he growled too. At that, we both set off laughing. Thanks for that, guys!
I spotted Warwick Davis and a few others at an autograph signing but, damnit, I failed to summon the courage to approach him and apologise for yesterday's fluffing of an opportunity to speak. Still, I got some more photos. :P Bored, I made my way around, videoing and hugging and getting tireder by the minute. I learned I was too late to get tickets for the CosPlay Masquerade, yet again. At 3pm I almost left and went back to the hotel. I went down to the entrance and decided that I'd paid to stay both days, so i'd stay both days. i went back in and was taught the game "Warcraft" at one of the stands near the main stage - I tried my hardest to get it, but I just didn't. Still, i got a free figure out of it, an advance release of a new creature to play as. Not that I will be doing, methinks.
I kept on wandering and came across a really sweet guy - he wasn't in costume but he had a free hugs sign. Someone hugged him and I heard him mention his hug-count of 101. I grinned to myself, turned around, spread my arms and said, "102?" Got a lovely hug for that and we started chatting. He'd been in the CosPlay the day before, and done really well in it too, by all accounts, but I didn't recognise the character name. We chatted a little more then we went our separate ways with a smile and a wave. Oh, and I found Son Goku (Dragonball, the only anime I'm really familiar with) who gave me a wonderful Kamehameha pose - cheers hunny! :D I'm just sad that I didn't get to see anyone dressed and Kuririn, my fave Dragonball character. *wrinkles nose* They'd get free hugs for sure! *lmao*
Another pair Free Huggers were wandering around (I nailed those guys at least three times throughout the day! *lmao*) and one had a white shirt on which he wanted signing by folks who hugged him. Naturally, I signed! /and double hugged. After the second hug, the boys recognised me. :P
I was so knackered, though, by 4:15 that I sat and watched the trailers on one of the large TV's but was in danger of falling asleep. It was then that I decided enough was enough and I went back to my hotel - leaving the Expo at 4:30pm. Hope i didn't miss anything vital...
On my way out, though, I had to laugh. A guy had dressed in the full outfit of the guy from Saw and as I stood at watched, he approached two girls is such a creepy manner of walking, that I got the shivers. The girls, bless 'em, were engrossed in looking at something on a mobile phone and didn't see him until he was stood right next to them. One of them looked up and jumped a mile - then promptly both gave him a huge hug! Thats not something you see every day, a guy getting a hug for scaring the bejessus out of someone. I was laughing and asked Mr Saw (I have no clue what his name is in the movies but he is CREEPY!) for a hug, which he obligingly gave me, and then I got a photo of him in that spooky pose! I know that that person's wearing for Halloween this year! lmao
And thus ended my day... my entire weekend away.
Massive (free) hugz and thanks to:
Greg Grunberg,
Ken Lally,
Brea Grant,
Andre Royo,
Warwick Davis,
Shane Rangi,
And, once more, all those fantastic free huggers that just made me feel so happy!
;)
Dodo.
I confess to a little bit of trepidation when I started this day off. I knew I was going to be wandering alone (and that made me instantly lonely for Alyse, Andi, Tracy and John) and coupling that with a not-so-good nights sleep, I was not in a 100% Expo frame of mind...
That all changed when I got to the East India DLR station at 9:30am to find people in costumes every bit as detailed and wonderful as those of the day before and their obvious excitement just got to me. :D By the time I was in the queue for the doors (considerably shorter than Saturday's I must admit) I'd seen more anime characters, most of whom I still don't know but had come to recognise by sight all the same, than I can count. We got inside as quickly as the day before so I was in and spending by 10:15am. *lmao*
I first went to the information desk and asked if tickets were needed for the panels for the day (namely, Heroes, Battlestar Galactica and A.N. Other which has slipped my mind right now). I was informed that they weren't necessary and I was relieved at that!
Next, I made a beeline for the place where the Primeval signing had been the day before - it stood empty but I was grinning like a fool anyway at the memory. Then, as was my plan for the day, I set about trying to root out gifts for all the people back home. With, ahem, more money than I have available spent on gifts for myself and others, I set about getting my own tally of free hugs. *lmao* I have no clue what the count was but I was approaching anyone and everyone with a "free hugs" sign. A really, really nice lady was wandering 'round in a full furry suit, some kind of supercute blue animal, and for the first time in the entire convention so far, she gave a really good, strong hug. I thanked her for it. From there I wandered in and out of the venue, so I'm covered in friggin' handstamps again! I haven't managed to wash off the first ones yet! *lmao* At least the Sunday ones were pretty butterflies! And how girly does THAT sound?! Not a very good Goth, am I? *grinz* I even went and chatted to a security guard and found him to be as thrilled with the costumery around us as I was - he quizzed me about the Expo because he was security for a different event and we just chatted in general for a while before I went on my way.
I went back into the venue for the 'nth' time and I heard random cheering from the main stage where all the panels had been yesterday. Curious, I wandered over to find Warwick Davis and Shane Rangi on stage, chatting once more about Prince Caspian! So I made myself comfortable and sat in - the talk was not on the list so I'd missed most of it, I think. I got loads more photos, though. :P Then, as they announced the Heroes panel were going to be up next, I thought, what the hell. I've only seen the first two episodes fo the first series but I thought I'd sit in and hear what they have to say, find out what all the hype is about and rest my already weary feet in the bargain.
So, the ever-so-hard-working fan-herders - those who get the bums on seats, shall we say - filled the auditorium (they couldn't have done that for Primeval yesterday and gave the poor cast and creators a bit of a boost?!) up to the gills and then some. Our enthusiastic warm up man and emcee got us all cheerings and whooping like good 'uns before bringing the Heroes guys out. I was instantly taken by a certain gentleman by the name of Ken Lally who looked so bloody cool and was just hilarious to boot! Then on came a more serious-faced gentleman named Andre Royo, followed by a pretty young lady named Brea Grant (who was in some ways vaguely reminiscent of Hannah Spearritt, in her looks anyway) and then, the man who got the loudest, screamiest cheer of all, Greg Grunberg. From the outset, it was clear ther others looked to Greg for a bit of leadership, or at least that was how it seemed to me. They talked about everything and anything, both Heroes based and not. and the banter between them was lovely. Then, the questions came thick and fast from fans. A good number of them centred around Greg's character holding a conversation witha turtle/tortoisse OR on what superpowers the panel would like to have. Then, and this will probably seem important to those who saw Greg approach and video the Primeval Panel the day previously - Greg asked US for a favour.
He explained that he and a number of other cators and actresses have collaborated and created a band which plays to raise money for charity - each member has their own charity and the money raised is split between them equally. Greg's is a charity and website called Talk About It which supports people with epilepsy, and he revealed that his eldest child has the condition. He asserted that its a condition that almost everyone knows about but never gets talked about and so doesn't get public recognition. The stigma attached to it, he explained to us, made people afraid of sufferers. The favour he wanted us to do for him was to shout "Talk about it" for him to video - and it WILL be on the website. So, now we know what he was having Adrian, Hannah, Andrew, Lucy and Tim doing when he visited them during their signing on Saturday! *grinz* I worked that out all by myself! *bounces and grinz*
With our small contribution to Talk About It done, there were, I think, a few more questions about the general filming and process of creating Heroes and then, and this was brillaint!, Greg encouraged Ken and Andre to do a catwalk. Ken did some sexy poses along the length of tehe stage, always lookin' cool in his shades, while Greg did a great running commentary. Then, Andre did the same and stripped off his jacket to much whooping and cheering from the assemblage! I'm certain there were lots of Heroes references in his commentary which I just didn't understand.
When the had left the stage, to a great deal of well-deserved applause, we were all told to leave. I wandered out, a little lost as to what I could do so I just meandered around, hugging and photographing those around me. I met up with a trio in suits obviously form an anime, judging by the reactions of a young lady standing beside me. She was squealing that they looked just like they did in the manga and..., well, they were offering free hugs so I went for it! *lmao* The dude (or dudette?) in the wolf suit gave me a really good hug, then the one in the second anime animal costume, some kind of reptile this time, if I remember rightly, gave me a hug and a little growl in my ear which set me off laughing! The third guy, dressed, I think, as a wooden puppet of some kind (and boy will I get hung, drawn and quartered if I'm wrong, eh?!) gave me a big strong hug and he growled too. At that, we both set off laughing. Thanks for that, guys!
I spotted Warwick Davis and a few others at an autograph signing but, damnit, I failed to summon the courage to approach him and apologise for yesterday's fluffing of an opportunity to speak. Still, I got some more photos. :P Bored, I made my way around, videoing and hugging and getting tireder by the minute. I learned I was too late to get tickets for the CosPlay Masquerade, yet again. At 3pm I almost left and went back to the hotel. I went down to the entrance and decided that I'd paid to stay both days, so i'd stay both days. i went back in and was taught the game "Warcraft" at one of the stands near the main stage - I tried my hardest to get it, but I just didn't. Still, i got a free figure out of it, an advance release of a new creature to play as. Not that I will be doing, methinks.
I kept on wandering and came across a really sweet guy - he wasn't in costume but he had a free hugs sign. Someone hugged him and I heard him mention his hug-count of 101. I grinned to myself, turned around, spread my arms and said, "102?" Got a lovely hug for that and we started chatting. He'd been in the CosPlay the day before, and done really well in it too, by all accounts, but I didn't recognise the character name. We chatted a little more then we went our separate ways with a smile and a wave. Oh, and I found Son Goku (Dragonball, the only anime I'm really familiar with) who gave me a wonderful Kamehameha pose - cheers hunny! :D I'm just sad that I didn't get to see anyone dressed and Kuririn, my fave Dragonball character. *wrinkles nose* They'd get free hugs for sure! *lmao*
Another pair Free Huggers were wandering around (I nailed those guys at least three times throughout the day! *lmao*) and one had a white shirt on which he wanted signing by folks who hugged him. Naturally, I signed! /and double hugged. After the second hug, the boys recognised me. :P
I was so knackered, though, by 4:15 that I sat and watched the trailers on one of the large TV's but was in danger of falling asleep. It was then that I decided enough was enough and I went back to my hotel - leaving the Expo at 4:30pm. Hope i didn't miss anything vital...
On my way out, though, I had to laugh. A guy had dressed in the full outfit of the guy from Saw and as I stood at watched, he approached two girls is such a creepy manner of walking, that I got the shivers. The girls, bless 'em, were engrossed in looking at something on a mobile phone and didn't see him until he was stood right next to them. One of them looked up and jumped a mile - then promptly both gave him a huge hug! Thats not something you see every day, a guy getting a hug for scaring the bejessus out of someone. I was laughing and asked Mr Saw (I have no clue what his name is in the movies but he is CREEPY!) for a hug, which he obligingly gave me, and then I got a photo of him in that spooky pose! I know that that person's wearing for Halloween this year! lmao
And thus ended my day... my entire weekend away.
Massive (free) hugz and thanks to:
Greg Grunberg,
Ken Lally,
Brea Grant,
Andre Royo,
Warwick Davis,
Shane Rangi,
And, once more, all those fantastic free huggers that just made me feel so happy!
;)
Dodo.