| Comic Con SLIIICE! |
[Jul. 30th, 2008|03:57 pm] |
I'm back from the circus that is truly the greatest show on earth: San Diego Comic-Con International! It was my eleventh year attending, and I already can't wait till next year.
OVERVIEW:
Our ragtag Comics Bakery table in small press did pretty well considering all the amazing sites, sounds, and promotional bags competing for attention. CCI is definitely a multi-media show, but comics can still thrive and be a major part of it if we believe in ourselves. We just have to work harder to convince all these pop culture/genre/media-loving people that printed stories can be just as exciting in their own special way. What's cool about the mainstreaming of Comic-Con is that it means an even more diverse group of people are showing up to check out what all the hype is about.
Not all of these people can be convinced to become instant comic fans, but if they can be exposed to the right book that matches their own specific tastes, they might at least open up to the occasional graphic novel, specific series or even a random mini-comic or art book. There is no better place for outreach than the San Diego Comic-Con. Many people were hunting down copies of the Watchmen trade paperback after seeing the movie trailer before Dark Knight, which specifically called attention to it being one the most acclaimed graphic novels of all time. Some people may debate the labeling of "graphic novels" versus "comics," but the sudden drive to actually read Watchmen (rather than just collect back issues) seems like a step in the right direction for the industry. Especially if Watchmen still holds up as a masterwork of the sequential art medium (it's been over 10 years since I actually read it).
Much to my own personal delight, I met lots of people newly exposed to the world of DIY arts who seemed thrilled by all the mini-comics, self-published books, home-made toys, and silk-screened t-shirts to be found in the small press section. It's sort of like being the second or third stage at a big rock festival. We know our band isn't the main attraction, but we offer an alternative for people who enjoy discovering something that the cool kids haven't already played out.
And if you are as big a nerd for all things pop culture as I am, then you don't mind rubbing elbows with all your favorite shows, movies and videogames. You just wish you could take it all in without having to abandon your booth duties!
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:
The hardest part of Comic-Con is trying not to spread myself too thin. Not easy when I'm:
-Dividing my time between 3 separate booths (luckily all 3 were not too far from each other!)
-Helping shoot 3-6 video interviews for Nick Mag.
-Hoping to hang out with friends I rarely see except at shows.
-Hoping to hang out with friends from home.
-Meeting up with various peers, west coast co-workers, creators of popular TV shows and trying not to say something stupid.
-Encouraging skeptic con-goers to read comics with my name on them.
-Hoping to break even on table/travel costs.
-Wanting to just be a fan and stand in line for cool-sounding panels!
- Eat right, not stress out, and not end up in the hospital again (there was an early scare after the drive down from San Francisco, but everything turned out okay).
All that said, it actually felt like I got a good sampling of everything I wanted or hoped to do. Of course I wish I'd spent more time at the Flight table, hung out with more people, and seen the MS3K reunion, but I'm grateful for the great time I had overall.
HIGHLIGHTS:
-John singing his traditional San Diego croon.
-Getting to watch the Avatar finale on a big screen with lots of screaming fans and meeting, goofing around, and taking photos with the Avatar cosplayers afterwards.
-Making a video with Justin Ridge and having Kevin Coppa suddenly pull out his Zuko puppet, and watching the two of them start improving together.
-Fillipi's Pizza Grotto.
-Sharing a booth with awesome people like John Green and Marion Vitus, who help make the 5 days fly by.
-Attending a spotlight panel with Raina and Steve for animation legend Floyd Norman. Hearing him talk about working for Walt Disney and Steve Jobs.
-The smile on a kid's face when I confirm that there will, in fact, be another volume of Flight.
-Pulled pork and coconut rice at Buster's Hawaiian restaurant.
-My brother-in-law (a non comics fan) read Watchmen cover to cover while in line for a TV-related panel, and thought it was "good."
-Attending the Fraggle Rock panel, and singing the friendship song with Zack and Alison and a crowd of fellow Muppet-nerds.
-Getting to see the original Muppeteer, Karen Prell, perform as Red Fraggle for the first time in like 20 years.
-Kids fan-girling my wife. Excitement over a possible book collection of her webcomic.
-Realizing the Comics Bakery is between Art Balthazar and Lark Pien in terms of both table placement and content.
-Hot tub two nights in a row.
-Raina explaining to Thien Pham what a key party is.
-Kids coming up to the stage to show off their artwork at the Kids Draw! panel.
-Hanging out with a large group off friends Sunday night.
-Multiple meals (and ice cream) at Seaport Village. Twister Fries forever!
-Sunday night, walking back to the hotel, and Bannister (a first-time attendee) admitting how addictive the con can be.
-Coming back home with Raina, getting late-night Greek food in Astoria, and feeling good about our lives.
Lots more photos HERE! |
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| Comments: |
Ooh, good. Glad to hear you got into the panel after all. I didn't end up getting inside but at least it turned out well for everyone.
That sucks you didn't get in! I had lost hope but once the Prison Break panel let out a lot of space opened up!
I was actually okay with it since I managed to attend a party I was supposed to go to that night for its entirety, so it was no big loss after all. The footage I saw from the panel so far looked hysterical though, like with the Mike & Bryan cartoons XD
How sad is it that I'm only REALLY kicking myself for no having gone to SDCC after hearing about the Fraggle Rock panel? Man. MAN.
I think what's great about Comic Con is that there are always surprising panels for people with interest in stuff old and new. Like I had no idea Ernie Hudson and Dan Akroyd would be there pimping the Ghostbusters game!
Didn't that one get cancelled? DRAT!
Great pictures!
Also, unless you camped out there was no way you could get into the MST3K panel. *SIGH*
dude! did i tell you i had dinner saturday night with cory edwards- the writer/director of the new fraggle rock movie? it was awesome, and he is too.
great post title/subject. :)
Cool con wrap up! The photos make me both sad I missed it, and happy I wasn't there when I saw some photos of the lines...a few years of non-attendance made me forget how crazy it can be.
Great writeup!
Comic Con is like Christmas for adult geeks... the whole calendar revolves around looking forward to the next one, and trying to behave so Geek Santa will leave lots of cool panels under our Sails Pavilion.
Awww...This looks so awesome! Made me miss you lovely people! :)
You forgot that out of everyone you know, only you, me and Ali are Honorary Fraggles.
Great little wrap up! Disappointed i couldn't make it again this year! Next for sure! The photo of the comics bakery at the Seaport Village looks like a musical!
"San Dieeeeego...it's a hell of a town!"
Awe, what a sweet report! After all the stress of getting to the con, waking up super early everyday, and dealing with so many people everywhere, it's very easy to forget all the good and fun things about Comic-Con! Thanks for reminding me.
11 trips to the SDCC is crazy!
despite my love for comics I still have yet to go. Next year will for sure be my first time, either as a seller or just a viewer! (your report and pictures have convinced me I have to go).
That appa costume is amazing and I love the mustache on Haru!
But I've been holding up the comic book love while you've been gone. I even got my first full graphic design project!
OH HAY THAR, ZUKO!ANTHONY.
*sigh* I soooooooo wish I could've gone to the con. Ah, well. There's always next year.
I am so jealous of you seeing a live Fraggle!
Soooo Jealous.
i haven't been since 2002 (the first con i ever tabled). i WILL go next year. there's no excuse.
whoa! awesome Avatar cosplayers! i love that photo of the sad "Need Ticket" guy.
o_O There was a Fraggle Rock panel? Man, if I didn't miss a lot! Awesome photos and entry! I miss SDCC and all the people, already :[ I can't WAIT for next year to hurry up and arrive! | |
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