I did it. I survived Day 2 of the International Comic Con. Even after partying in San Diego on Friday night and surviving a subsequent cougar attack, we still woke up early to make it back to the convention center for more Con and more people. Let that be the last time I refer to Comic Con as “Con.”
There once was a time in my life where “meeting new people” was a hobby. I thought I wanted to be that one person who knew everyone. I wanted to network purely for the social aspect of it, since this was long before I had any concerns about “networking” for professional development. That time has passed, however, and though I do thoroughly enjoy meeting new people, I have matured into one of those wannabe yuppies who dislikes crowded places. I can take Coachella with its open air, but I can’t stand H&M with its packed floorspace and the accompanying packed-and-milling bodies. Comic Con was somethin’ else entirely. There was so much visual stimuli in that place I had to take a couple breaks to stare at blank walls, and I am seriously considering a huge Ursula costume with tazers disguised as Flotsam and Jetsam so that next year people will give me space. (If I go again, that is.)
Art.
Running around Comic Con with professional artists is a great way to get a crash course on who’s who in the modern day art world. We spent a lot of time in Small Press, where I was surrounded by people my age who are 10,000 times more productive, talented, and successful than I am. I ended up getting two prints, one by Martin Hsu and one by Kei Acedera. Both of the artists happen to be Asians and both of the prints happen to feature dragons. Bongo says this pair of purchases makes me a “cliche Asian girl,” but to that I say “But these dragons are so cute!” (The Hsu print also has a black dog in it. You know how I am about black dogs.)
Here’s the preliminary sketch of the Kei Acedera print:
Editor’s Note: Buying art directly from the artist gives you the unique opportunity to watch them sketch something amazing in two seconds as they personalize their signature for you. See Kelsey Mann pump out a profile.
I also ran into my aunt, an art professor in SoCal, who was there to congratulate a friend who won an Eisner Award. (Fletcher Hanks’ I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets! for Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books) That I had discovered what an Eisner was only the day before my aunt and I ran into each other was just good timing.
Costumes.
Costumes were awesome, though I actually expected more. We didn’t stick around for the Masquerade, but here are a couple of shots of fabulous ‘fits I was able to see in person:
My only regret is not taking a photo with some hard-bodied Spartans wearing what were just basic cotton briefs with the elastic bands cut off. Would have made quite the spicy Facebook photo.
Celebs.
I took a photo with Diedrich Bader! (The “Fucking A!” neighbor from Office Space, Oswald from The Drew Carey Show)
I was anti-line up for anything, so any celebrities I saw I was happy to admire from a distance. Below, pictures of people that I think are hot (in one way or another):
Classy conference goers take photos of screens, in case you didn’t notice.
The voice actor career progress report.
Project put on hold as I regain my energy. Also, though I’ve mastered the Wookie and the EVE, I need to step back and take a few notes from a master’s execution of Kermit:
The Maykazine 
13 thoughts on “Comic Conned.”