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Comic-Con Roundup

Last Thursday, I took the train down to San Diego for Comicon International. I am glad that I decided to take the train, as there was a overturned truck on the 5 Fwy near Camp Pendleton. (See my OC Metblogs post for pictures and more.) I hopped on email and Twitter to get the word out to some people I know were heading down that day to warn them, then enjoyed the rest of the stress free trip down.

I had not been to Comicon in about 6 years. Since that time, really since we moved, I have really curtailed my collecting of “stuff” so I really didn’t have anything I “had to get.” I planned to walk the floor for most the morning, checking out the goods, and then go to a few panels in the afternoon, then catch the evening train home.

Throughout the floor was the normal comics, artists, television shows and memorabilia that I remember from years past. Here are some of my highlights of the day:

While walking around as the doors opened, I saw Jim Valentino hanging out at the Image Comics booth. While I was working for FedEx Jim was one of my customers that I would deliver to every day. I got his attention and said HI, but at first he didn’t recognize me since it had been years and now I have a beard. Once I explained where I knew him from he remembered and I let him get back to what he was doing. I still have some of the ShadowHawk and other stuff he gave me years back.

While walking the aisles I ran into William Katt from The Greatest American Hero and took this picture:

The coolest thing was that right after that, he came over and introduced himself “Bill Katt, nice to meet you. What is your name?” Whether he had his PR on or that is how he is, he impressed me. Robert Culp and Connie Sellica (rawr) were also in the booth promoting a comback movie, I believe.

I also got a a another twinge of retro-crush when I saw Jane Wiedlen and Erin Gray at the same autograph table. As a pre-teenager I had a crush on both.

Later on I sat in on the Dumbrella panel. It was very informal, but informative. Richard Stevens of Diesel Sweeties acted as moderator with Andrew von Bell Jon Rosenberg, Meredith, Sam Brown on the panel, fielding questions from the audience. At the end we were treated with a song from MC Frontalot. He made all of the artists bee his backup dancers. Hilarious.

Next up was the “Star Trek Without a Blueprint: How Books and Comics Keep Expanding the Boundaries of the Star Trek Universe” panel. I finally met up with Wil Wheaton, who was one of those whom I warned about the traffic on the way down, and showed him and fellow NYC Metblogs author Kathleen the pictures that I had taken of the accident from the train. The panel was cool, and though I don’t read much Star Trek, it was neat to see the way the writers work together across the same theme and their processes. It was also fun to watch Wil get flustered with a simple Samurai reference. Afterwards, I met Kathleen’s husband Atom, who also writes for NYC Metblogs, among other things.

As we were exiting the panel, the ThinkGeek crew stopped Wil to give him some goodies, and were a delight to meet. They rock! Being a patron of theirs for years it was nice to say thanks in person and show them my Flux Capacitor tattoo.

Kathleen, Atom and I shared previous Comic-Con experiences as we walked back to the convention center floor. (Mainly how the there are a lot more girls at comic-con now) and a few “get off my lawn” moments also. We all had schedules to keep and some of us were only there for the day so we could not spend more time geeking out. Kathleen and Atom went their way Wil and I worked our way across the convention floor so I could get his Con-only publication Sunken Treasures. Like I said earlier, There was nothing I “had to get” but I was planning on a new Penny Arcade t-shirt and some Diesel Sweeties Pixel Socks. which I did end up getting. (One can’t go to a convention without buying something. It is against the law or something.) I came back with various hand-outs, and the find of the day was a book that Wil recommended named Super Spy by Matt Kindt. It came with high praise, and I am in the middle of it and love it. We chatted for a few about cryptology and espionage while the author drew a picture in the front and signed both of our books. Wil and I continued on dodging the traffic and sharing stories until he got to the booth he was signing at.

I bid WIl farewell and went to my last quest, which was the Dexter panel. Unfortunately it was at capacity and there was a line outside. I would have liked to have seen it, but such is life.

The only thing I am really bummed about missing was the TR2N trailer. What’s up with hiding it during Race to Witch Mountain panel? I was looking all over the floor and convention program for anything TRON to go with my forearm tattoos. Nothing. Then I find out after I leave it was on the actual day I was there. Sad.

In the days since there have been some wonderful emails sent between all that I met and saw at Comic-Con. I have also been reading other peoples experiences. Comic-Con is different for everyone. Some it is business, some pleasure, some both. For me it was fun!

note: Many of the links above are to pictures from my SDCC Flickr set. Check it out!