We're back home from Comic-Con, out of the craziness of SoCA traffic and congestion--and that's not including what's on the streets, just inside the convention center. When you cram as many people into one building as we have in our entire, considerably larger county, it's really too crowded for comfort.
During the con, I had little to no internet access. For reasons that completely escape me (except for the biggest reason--people pay it), expensive hotels, like the Embassy Suites we stayed in during the con, charge for internet access that the lowliest cheap motels provide for free. Not only did the Suites want $12 a day, but whenever I tried to pay it, I got kicked back to the page asking me for payment, so I could never get on there. To make matters worse, we stayed in Yuma on Tuesday night, and when we checked out I left my laptop's charger cord in the Hampton Inn (which graciously provides free internet and which found and kept the cord until we passed through again yesterday--thanks, HI!).
So I was unable to provide any Comic-Con liveblogging. I'll try to sum up here, reliving it to the extent that I dare. This will be mostly linkless--if you need to look anything up I'm sure you know how to do so.
Wednesday afternoon we arrived in San Diego. At three we were able to pick up our pro badges. After that we walked around downtown for a while, then back to the hotel to wait until we could get into the convention center at 5:30.
Having had plenty of walking for one day (and knowing there was more to come), I suggested we take the handy Comic-Con shuttle back to the con. For the sake of those who don't know the geography, the Embassy Suites is kitty-corner from the Hyatt, which is on the other side of the Marriott from the convention center. We stepped out of the hotel and a shuttle pulled up almost immediately, so we hopped on.
45 minutes later, in front of the Hyatt, we got off and walked the rest of the way. Had we just walked it in the first place, we would have been there in 15 minutes tops. But the traffic was so horrendous that the bus was just going nowhere. Not an auspicious beginning.
By the time we got into the hall, it was almost time to leave for dinner. We spent 15-20 minutes on the floor, mostly at the Mysterious Galaxy booth, then took off.
We didn't mind not being on the floor that night, which is known as Preview Night, when the exhibit hall is open from 5:30-9:00. Preview Night is only for 4-day pass holders, and mostly what they do is surge from booth to booth looking for free swag. My advice: kill it. 4 days is plenty for anyone. Preview Night is a pain, it keeps exhibitors from having a decent dinner on the night before a busy show really begins, and the naked greed on display is unseemly and dangerous. Last year someone broke a toe in those crowds--a more serious accident is probably inevitable if it keeps up.
We went to dinner with friends and business acquaintances at a Brazilian place, which serves meat. Wayyyy too much meat. Advice from a buddy who's an old Brazil hand: learn to say no. Good advice, but I think better advice is to keep away from the place altogether in the future.
Thursday morning, I believe is the day we had breakfast with Mimi Cruz of Night Flight Comics in Salt Lake City--one of America's best comics retailers who runs some of our best comic stores. Then it was into the fray. I was passing the Hyperion booth when a friend working there stopped me and said, "You need a towel." She handed me a promotional towel for the new Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy book by Eoin Colfer, which I tucked into my briefcase.
My first panel was that afternoon, and I began it by standing a copy of the Desperadoes Omnibus up in front of me (and also in front of a pitcher of ice water). Within about a minute of that, while panelists were being introduced, the book tipped over into the pitcher, which tipped over as well, flooding my lap with cold water. It woke me up... I tried to save the moment by reaching into the briefcase and bringing up the towel, which I showed the audience (the words DON'T PANIC are emblazoned across the front), saying, "At least I brought my own towel." By the time the panel was over I was mostly dry, but I don't remember much of the panel besides that event. After it there was a signing. After that I went back onto the crowded floor for a signing at the Shadowline/Image table, for Zombie Cop.
Around 5:30 I met Maryelizabeth, Jaime Levine of Hachette and author Jacqueline Carey and we sat on the steps behind the convention center, watching the boats and the costumed people and just enjoying the relative peace and quiet.
Dinner was with Francesco Francavilla (artist on my upcoming miniseries Garrison) and his wife, the lovely Lisa, at an out-of-the-way restaurant called Zanzibar, which was one of the con's better discoveries. There was an IDW party that night, but by the time we got out of dinner it was close to 10--bedtime for ranch folks.
Friday started with an Obama comics signing at IDW, at which I finally met the series artist Tom Morgan, who is a thoroughly engaging guy. Joe Hill signed after me, and I was chatting with him while the staff was resetting when I was called and alerted that I was late for my next signing, with Steve Niles, at the Mysterious Galaxy booth. I hurried over there and Steve and I signed a bunch of books. From there it was straight to lunch with Shannon Eric Denton, my Graveslinger co-author and Garrison editor, and other friends. IAMTW's Scribe Awards panel was that afternoon (I had not submitted anything). Congratulations to Greg Cox, James Rollins, Bob Greenberger, Steven Savile, James Swallow, Tracey West, and Keith DeCandido, who all won awards.
That night, there were tons of parties. The lamest (2nd year in a row, sorry WS) was the WildStorm karaoke bash, held in a pitch-black dungeon. The only light comes from the screens illuminating the painfully bad singers. I know some people enjoy karaoke--but some probably like having cavities filled, too. Not me. And judging from conversations I had before and after, not lots of other people, too.
After a mercifully brief stop there, I went to dinner with an editor while Maryelizabeth attended the Del Rey party, which was fun last year. By the time my very nice dinner at Croce's was over, she had moved on to the Hyperion party for the aforementioned Eoin Colfer, and I joined her there, but not for long.
Saturday morning was the sadly underattended IAMTW breakfast, but those of us who were there had fun making fun of those who weren't. Later that day came a high point of strangeness. I was supposed to have lunch with artist Scott Hampton. But the evening before, a situation had come up surrounding a Robert Englund (Freddy Kruger, etc) signing at Pocket Books for his forthcoming autobiography, and I had volunteered to help. So a few minutes before noon I got the call, apologized to Scott, and went off the be hired muscle for Robert Englund. I helped escort him from his hotel, then through the hall, then stood at the table next to him with my arms crossed, glaring at anyone who might dare try to ask him to sign anything other than the 8X10 he was there to sign. He turned out to be a delightful guy, with a much more diverse career than I had known (including classic surf film Big Wednesday), and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting him. There'll be a picture to come, when I get it.
That afternoon was the WildStorm panel, at which Garrison was being semi-introduced. I got to speak for about 20 seconds (which, since I was already losing my voice, was probably plenty) as Garrison art was shown on a screen. That night was dinner with yet another editor, and an early-ish bedtime.
Sunday, my only obligation was another Zombie Cop signing at Shadowline, then I left the premises for lunch with a publisher and an artist. After I got back, I made the rounds saying my goodbyes, and the con wrapped up at 5.
I'm sure there was more to talk about, but it's all a blur already. I enjoyed meeting some new people and seeing some old friends, although there's never really time to catch up properly there. I did a little shopping, though not much. Yesterday I did a lot of driving.
Thankfully, it'll be a year before it all starts up again.
