I tend to doodle a lot in a classroom setting, even now. These are from a recent seminar I went to for work. It wasn’t the most enlightening experience, but at least I have these and the certificate to show for it.
March 24th, 2010
Is That Really How You Want To Put It?
Just got a promo email for the newly revamped Springcon in May. It’s the much-loved Fallcon on new dates. I sent them an email recently to get signed up for it, as I hadn’t seen any apps online or postcards in the mail. We got our confirmation in short order, and we’re even listed on the website as attending.
Carter Allen
Candle Light Press
www.candlelightpress.com
Will Grant
Candle Light Press
www.candlelightpress.com
John Ira Thomas
Candle Light Press
www.candlelightpress.com
All well and good. Here’s what the email said:
Carter Allen
They Refused to Tell Us
Will Grant
They Refused to Tell Us
John Ira Thomas
They Refused to Tell Us
They refused to tell us? Seriously? We were regular attendees several years ago until a weird hostile vibe convinced us it wasn’t worth it if someone in the organization didn’t want us there. (The incident years ago was an attempt to tell us we hadn’t contacted them about a table–this was after they’d confirmed it via email. When we showed up they said we had no table; fortunately I had a copy of the email with me.) “They didn’t tell us” would at least be cheeky. “They refused to tell us” is petty and weird. I’ve sent an email back to them asking what the deal is.
March 16th, 2010
More Megacon Movies
I like wandering around cons with my video setting on to give folks back home a taste of wandering around.
The next one is a view from our table as the final call is made on Sunday. Lots of folks had packed up already.
And then it’s the final walk from the table to the outside after closing on Sunday. It’s the return to the world.
And to round it out, a long panning shot out the window of the hotel room on Sunday. I’m making a phone call as well.
March 16th, 2010
More Photos From Megacon!
Another view from the table
There goes the yellow one!
A lady Pikachu
They do love their parties at Megacon
Carter and me on the Trolley to dinner
A shot inside the trolley
A common view at the show-the shuttle bus.
I wish I'd gotten a pic of her as David Bowie from Saturday too. Ah well.
Human versions of Transformers!
Spartaaaaa!
Princesses!
Hawaiian versions of The Joker, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. Yesterday there was a Christmas version of them.
Another View From The Table
Sunday, moments before show closing.
Once I got back I had a look around the comics news sites to see what other folks’ impressions were, but it was all about the Emerald City CC. Megacon was deemed to have no news value. Well, you can keep your news value. This is a fun con with a fantastic vibe, and there’s room for all. We’ll be back for Megacon 2011.
Later, more videos.
March 15th, 2010
Megacon Photo Parade
Here we go! Long post.
The outer hall, Friday Morning.
Carter outside the Convention Center. In the same building was a National Cheerleading Championship of some kind.
We were at the end of a row near a wall, so the sound was good for us all con. Here’s a view from our seat.
Me out front.
We stayed at a hotel called the Doubletree Twin Towers…
…which didn’t really hit me until I saw the escape route card on the back of the room’s door.
The night I landed (Thu) the weather was going ape. Tornado warnings, the whole deal. When I turned on the tv this is what I got.
The view from our table Saturday before opening.
Saturday’s crowd was bigger than Friday’s, and Friday’s was huge. Megaon has a fantastic feel to it. All ages, good gender breakdown (there may have even been more women than men) and it’s the first con I have ever been to ever where there was a lot of cultural diversity. The Anime and Manga crowds have everything to do with that. Anime and Manga fans don’t feel like they’re part of some subset; they feel like they’re part of something huge, and it shows.
The weaponers were hawking real versions of those insane megaswords.
I found two Neutros at the con, but I didn’t buy this one. THirty bucks for a Fine copy? Let me state the reality here: I am the only guy buying Neutro. I pay 20 bucks, tops. I am the only guy buying multiple Neutros. You will own this book forever at these rates.
Every little bit I started taking random pics of what was going on in front of the table.
This was an amazing suit, and he even walked with this interesting powerful gait.
And the first of a few movies I took.
More tomorrow!
March 14th, 2010
Megacon Day Three: Go Full Elvis
Well, it’s all over now. Megacon 2010 is in the books. We hopped the shuttle over and sat behind Don Rosa and Jeremy Bulloch. Jeremy told a few stage stories and wowed us. Carter introduced himself, as he had a connection, having done some art for a tv show through Rachel Grant. Varter got to shake Boba Fett’s hand without an autograph fee. Well played.
Stuff I bought today: STAR WARS (Marvel) #21 (a $2 reading copy of a reprint–it has the bunny dude in it), and, um, hey that’s all! Hooyah!
Marjorie and her pals came back around for a Starscream/Skyfire illo from Carter. They were dressed as human Transformers, which is pretty cool. We also discussed Oingo Boingo, conforming my theory that nostalgia will never latch onto the 90s and that the young will latch onto the 80s until a better decade happens musically. I dunno who was more amazed at the other knowing Oingo Boingo.
The day move pretty fast, really. Lots of one-day ticket people today, lots of bargain hunters. More sketched from Carter, a few books sold. We’re busy drawing conclusions about our approach, more on that later.
Afterwards we were the last two people in line for the hotel shuttle and couldn’t get on. Bah. We hoofed up the trolley line and sat warming in the sun until transportation arrived. We printed out boarding passes, arranged a shuttle for Carter (no way am I taking the 430 am shuttle for 8am flight. Cab for me.)
We then hoofed over to Universal Orlando Citywalk and took in an incredible amount of meat at the Latin Grill. We ate bacon-wrapped shrimp. If I ever go full Elvis, that’s my poison.
Pictures and more conclusions when I get home. If you’ve friended me on Facebook, some pics are already there.
March 14th, 2010
Megacon Day Two: Cheerleaders Everywhere
At MiniMegacon our con neighbors were surfing folks and divorce mediators. This time, cheerleaders. Little bitty kids on up to some some still pretty little kids. Watching the two masses of Megacon attendees and cheerleaders mix together after closing was pretty great to watch, each camp eyeing the other and wondering what kind of freaks were they looking at.
Anyways, the day started out well. Up and at em early, met the shuttle at the perfect time and arrived to find the front area outside the hall full as possible of eager folks waiting to get in. Today the hall was nice and cool, which wasn’t good news for the scantily-dressed among us. There were plenty of wearing almost nothing fellows today, in a nice bit of fairness. There was a fellow dressed as a 300 Spartan, and he was just built like that. When you can carry off a cape and Aquaman underpants, you are the costume.
Sales went well. Carter’s getting a lot of sketch jobs and some folks who met us at MiniMegacon came back for more (Hi Marjorie!). We rearranged some table items to show the interiors of SYPHILITIC COWBOYS and SPROCKET and it drew folks in. Note to Jer: Pretty Pretty Adventure Kitty reeled in several interested parties–a girl in a Pikachu suit thinks it “sounds like the best movie ever!”
Best costume today was a teenage girl dressed like David Bowie. Way to make the Olds feel good!
I am moving away from making crude Mr Way sketches and am now working on sketching Captain Cat shaking his fist at you from a distance. It’s coming along.
I overheard this while walking around (and buying two more dvd): “That’s Artist Alley. They’re not really selling anything.”
In a slow bit I decide that I need a criminal character named Gateway Doug.
In another slow bit Carter suggests we call the Lost In The Wash #3 Ashcan Edition the “Lint-Trap Edition”. Will?
A fellow came up to the table studying his Megacon guidebook. He stops at the table, looks down, looks up, looks down, looks up. “Carter?” “Nope, I say. John.” Looks down. Looks up. “Are you in here?” He hands me the guide and he’s been going through Artists Alley alphabetically and getting his program signed. I find it and sign my name. After he goes I realize I have once again failed to claim I am George Perez.
Random dialogue I wrote: “I don’t have the skill to randomly doubt people’s fighting abilities.”
I am writing some lovely first-draft football prose, swear.
Afterwards we hop the trolley to a Cuban restaurant and have a fantastic meal–I have a sandwich with a patty made from three meats served on a roll with mini-cut french fries on the sandwich. Yum!
I have also discovered Cuban coffee. Tiny cup, max power! I like it a lot. Fancy coffee seems a waste of time to me more than ever. If it was any good, you’d only need a tiny Cuban cup of it.
We lose another hour tonight and the hotel is practically jumping up and down in unison with all the congoers and cheerleaders in it. But our bellies are full and our eyeballs crammed with a late 3D showing of ALICE IN WONDERLAND. It was my first 3D flick, and I have to say it just looks like a moving ViewMaster reel to me. For awesome moments it’s great, but in most cases it’s just distracting and not helpful.
That said, seeing Olivia Wilde in a Tron suit on a virtual couch in 3D is why this technology was invented.
One more day of con, then home on Monday. It’s been a really great con so far–none of the existentialism and self-loathing we consistently felt after a full day at Wizard World Chicago. I think Megacon’s a keeper.
March 12th, 2010
Megacon Day One: Lara Croft’s Dirty Jokes
Today started with Carter and I woozily assembling the wits left floating from yesterday. Carter’s plane was extra late thanks to the weather mayhem and I was felled by of all things a mosquito bite. Fortunately it was a weak one and a trip to Walgreens took care of that.
We took a cab to the Convention Center since the Shuttle didn’t leave early enough for us to be set up before go-time. Set up was easy and I did what I always do, wander around before the doors open and tempting myself mightily. I found a couple great Mego-style recreations of old Dracula and Frankenstein figures for Lonnie and a few movies for myself (including a new Frank Henenlotter one!) before scooting back to the table to sequester myself.
It was a fine busy day. Lots and lots of cosplay types wandering about, superheroes, all kinds of folks. Maybe half of the folks we saw had some kind of costume. It’s a great vibe and people seem happy. I wandered around some more and bought some more, alas.
Books are moving, and our spot at the very end of the row makes for a relatively quiet space. Our table neighbors are manga artists from Toronto at their first comic con. They usually go to Anime cons and things aren’t as good, sales-wise. Since this is the most Anime thing I’ve been to ever, I can’t imagine the contrast.
Late in the day a nice young lady dressed as Lara Croft came to the table and told us a couple dirty jokes to pass the time. Thanks Lara!
(Here’s a pic of her I swiped from Facebook–Hi Maygin!)
March 11th, 2010
Megacon Day Zero: Tornado near Yeehaw Junction
Safely perched on my bed, I find there are tornadoes threatening Yeehaw Junction. I debate whether it’s the Yuengling lager I had after a long air-travel related fast and decide it’s merely that John Thomas is in Florida.
That is what Jeremy would say.
The trip actually went very well, despite multiple opportunities for mischief. The shuttle to Eastern Iowa Airport was delayed, apparently to pick up a lady from Iowa City who speaks exactly like Toby from AMERICAN SPLENDOR. Exactly. I scoot throught security despite almost walking past the initial security lady in a haze. I’ve been up since 315am; stuff gets missed.
They decide I am not going for special treatment for this faux pas and I go right on through. The shrinkwrapped bricks of comics in my luggage thankfully do not look like dope on the X-Ray machine and I am deemed safe to travel. Lots of coughing and hacking on the plane. Iowa’s warming up and some allergens still want their say in things.
Land at DFW and wonder at Best Buy and Sephora vending machines there. So if you suddenly want an iPhone or dingo kidney facial scrub, you are totally fine. Short layover, a ride on a fakey bullet train that does 10mph tops, and I’m travelling pretty well.
The steward on the Dallas Orlando flight is my new passive-aggressive hero. I was already seated when he went on the speaker during boarding to say “Attention passengers, you will find that if you do not block the aisle during boarding that we will leave at something approaching the stated takeoff time. Thank you!” Way up front an elderly couple suddenly decide their old people argument about nothing isn’t worth the shame and sit down.
I’ve only had and Ensure and one of those sweet V-8 drinks they make now, so my gut is demanding traction. I give it ginger ale and watch THE HUMAN VAPOR and ALL THE KING’S MEN (Broderick Crawford!) on my media player instead.
Arriving in Orlando, I take in the Orlando International Airport. It’s a big improvement on the Sanford/Orlando Airport from the 09 miniMegacon, but the cab ride is still forty some bucks. Grrr. Must arrange shuttle for trip back. Made Carter aware of this. He’ll be in around 9.
Heavy weather greets me: tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, people fleeing manufactured housing. Dashing young meteorologists on the teevee remind me it ain’t Iowa anymore, despite the similar weather. I wander over to the massive TGI Fridays (I know, shut up) because it’s closest and have a solid meal and a fairly solid beer.
There’s a shuttle to the con from here, but I find that it only begins after opening, which is inconvenient for those of us required to be there before opening. But there’s always the trollies.
Anyways, lots of exciting local tv on, plus lots of pizza menus to read. This town doesn’t miss a trick. When I first entered the hotel room (The place is called the Twin Towers! And it’s two identical towers!) I stepped on five menus from various places. When I checked in they gave me two hot fresh cookies! Orlando is a convention town like no other. Everyone knew about Megacon, period.
So, early night, as the earnest young men in ties I just can’t pull off tell me that it’s just not smart to go out. I hear and obey, meteorological fashion plates!
March 7th, 2010
Megacon Is Coming…
Carter and I will be in Artist Alley for the entirety of Megacon. We’ll have another of our exclusive postcards for the first 200 or so folks to turn up at the table. We’re looking forward to seeing some folks from our appearance at Mini-Megacon. The full-size version ought to be something else.
Carter’s going to have a new issue of NIKKI HARRIS: CYBERMATION WITCH, so be sure to drop by for that. DIRTY HANDS, the Prairie Dawg solo story will not be ready for this con, alas, but if you’re headed to MoCCA Art Fest or C2E2 next month, best bring a few bucks to snag a copy then.