Ahh...The Holiday Inn at midtown Manhattan - or as some out-of-towners call it, New York, New York.
I'm here to cover Super Collector's Mega Show Spectacular - a small convention devoted to comic books that also features toys and guests. Walk with me...
It's just up here on the second floor...
Ah, here we are - admission is ten dollars - not bad, these days, although I remember another convention held at this same hotel with admission at six dollars. It's a good idea to compare admission prices on shows - depending on your destination. Try to find out what the shows feature in advance and check on the web for any videos or photo galleries offering a view of what the convention looks like. I wish I had.
Awfully small here. Too small. It's the size of my aunt's apartment in Brooklyn - one long corridor with windows.
Hmm...a bunch of old comics with pretty high prices - when you've seen comics you don't want in quarter and half-dollar bins in the past, then see them in the present in higher-priced bins in bad shape, it's very disconcerting.
The only guests here are a couple of models from some independant horror films that I'm not familiar with.
The only toys being sold are a bunch of old figures that you might have seen at the toy shop long ago and paid no mind to - and they look kind of grimey...
Ah...bootleg DVDs - most are of shows not expected to turn a profit on official release, but have some fanbase wanting it - remember the Savage Dragon cartoon from the mid-90's? Or Hanna-Barbera's weird take on the Thing? Thing ring/do your thing... twenty dollars and up to relive your memories. All aboard the memory lane train...
Ah, the exit! Well, that's it then.
Cue end titles and "Gong" noise...
:)
"The blog I always wanted to read." - Joseph Adorno, Creator & Author of Comic Book Rehab
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Well, I tried to live here - Comic Con San Diego #Final Issue
Lo and behold, the exit.
It's typical that just as you reach an exit, you remember something that wasn't on your to-do list...
You remember that comic book that you came here to buy and got sidetracked by a bunch of other comics you saw...
You remember that you promised to come back at 5 to see if that curmudgeonly artist that refused to autograph your comics is in a better mood, like his assistant promised...
You remember that one question you forget to ask when you had your turn at the mic during the panel...
You remember that you saw some old toys offered at a better deal than any you've seen online or at your local comic shop...
You remember that you're missing a bag...
You remember that your smartphone is quiet and realize that it was taken out of it's case...
You remember you brought your wife and kids with you - where did they go?...
You remember that you should've taken your friend's advice and not eat anything INSIDE.
You remember that the curmudgeonly artist was supposedly a nice guy but turned out to be a real prick...
You remember that you had actually donated money to said artist when he was having health trouble in the past...
You remember to tear up every single comic you own that that artist ever worked on...
You remember that you should've brought a bigger bag to carry all this 'stuff''...
You remember that you may have spent the money you held back to pay for parking...
You remember that your credit is at risk of going over the limit...
You remember that you got the phone number/Email of that woman dressed as Witchblade...
Most importantly, you remember that you were here and all good things must come to an end...
For now...
Until next year...
Roll end credits...
Stay tuned for my imagined 'Special Globe Trekker Extra'...
It's typical that just as you reach an exit, you remember something that wasn't on your to-do list...
You remember that comic book that you came here to buy and got sidetracked by a bunch of other comics you saw...
You remember that you promised to come back at 5 to see if that curmudgeonly artist that refused to autograph your comics is in a better mood, like his assistant promised...
You remember that one question you forget to ask when you had your turn at the mic during the panel...
You remember that you saw some old toys offered at a better deal than any you've seen online or at your local comic shop...
You remember that you're missing a bag...
You remember that your smartphone is quiet and realize that it was taken out of it's case...
You remember you brought your wife and kids with you - where did they go?...
You remember that you should've taken your friend's advice and not eat anything INSIDE.
You remember that the curmudgeonly artist was supposedly a nice guy but turned out to be a real prick...
You remember that you had actually donated money to said artist when he was having health trouble in the past...
You remember to tear up every single comic you own that that artist ever worked on...
You remember that you should've brought a bigger bag to carry all this 'stuff''...
You remember that you may have spent the money you held back to pay for parking...
You remember that your credit is at risk of going over the limit...
You remember that you got the phone number/Email of that woman dressed as Witchblade...
Most importantly, you remember that you were here and all good things must come to an end...
For now...
Until next year...
Roll end credits...
Stay tuned for my imagined 'Special Globe Trekker Extra'...
Monday, June 20, 2011
I left my brain in San Diego..Comic Con part. 6 of 7/17
Hmm... Well, assuming you haven't overstuffed on comics and toys (there are so many toys here - most are surprising editions of action figures in familiar packaging that will have you scratching your heads, dumbfounded - you know you were in the toy store, but why didn't I see THAT figure in the aisle? Of course, it's always the one you realy want...now buy it for triple the retail, tee,hee)...
Assuming you're traveling light (still?), why not take in a show - by 'show', I mean a conference panel with your favorite writers,artists and celebrities. The famous and not-very-famous all get treated like rock stars at these panels simply because the act of showing up helps authenticate the experience even further. Be prepared for incredibly vague Q & A sessions - Nobody's ever in the mood to give much in the way of spoilers, though you are free to ask questions. I imagine the fan with the most outrageous costume raising his/her hand might get preference, but the increased attendance has made these things seem more like town hall meetings for health care and rent controlled apartments.
I mentioned comic book artists behaving like rock stars, earlier. Well, with REAL rock stars promoting their own ghost-written comics, REAL hollywood celebs offering coy teaser trailers of upcoming films and the usual car and bikini models signing photos to lumbering gentlemen with enormous backpacks...there's a fair amont of conflict...a sense that there's another rooster in the henhouse, and perhaps the comic books are getting shortchanged, but the nature of the beast suggests that any exposure is good exposure - a sign of existence, of 'being there'. There used to be large conventions for collectors of dime novels - when's the last time anyone's heard of one?
I'll be back with the conclusion - or an announcement of an extension...;)
Assuming you're traveling light (still?), why not take in a show - by 'show', I mean a conference panel with your favorite writers,artists and celebrities. The famous and not-very-famous all get treated like rock stars at these panels simply because the act of showing up helps authenticate the experience even further. Be prepared for incredibly vague Q & A sessions - Nobody's ever in the mood to give much in the way of spoilers, though you are free to ask questions. I imagine the fan with the most outrageous costume raising his/her hand might get preference, but the increased attendance has made these things seem more like town hall meetings for health care and rent controlled apartments.
I mentioned comic book artists behaving like rock stars, earlier. Well, with REAL rock stars promoting their own ghost-written comics, REAL hollywood celebs offering coy teaser trailers of upcoming films and the usual car and bikini models signing photos to lumbering gentlemen with enormous backpacks...there's a fair amont of conflict...a sense that there's another rooster in the henhouse, and perhaps the comic books are getting shortchanged, but the nature of the beast suggests that any exposure is good exposure - a sign of existence, of 'being there'. There used to be large conventions for collectors of dime novels - when's the last time anyone's heard of one?
I'll be back with the conclusion - or an announcement of an extension...;)
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
San Diego In my Head "Comic Con Globe Trekker Exclusive" ?
Part 4 1/2 of ten in 12...
phew!
Searching for a bathroom, waiting on line, then using it - a long more time spent doing that than waiting for this next blog entry, I tells ya'...
Ah...autographs. Very touchy. Now, let's not be naive - we have a lot of could-have-beens, neverweres, almostwases, has-beens, and maybe-in-a-parallel-dimensions sandwiching the really popular guests, but if you';ve got as many comics/kitsch as everyone here does, you've probably weighed the option of paying signing fees for their chicken scratch - even if the value of the comic may appreciate/deprectiate depending on who you're talking to.
Also. remember how some celebrities tend to act as though they've disowned the work that made them famous? Well, THEY'RE ALL HERE - and they'll be happy to charge you for autographed photos, so be of good cheer. A word of caution: some celebrities tend to shy away from autographing racy pictures, so leave the centerfolds at home. If they have a website, check for any hints regarding autograph rules and conditions so as to avoid carrying any dead weight.
As for comic book artists, well, the same rules apply, actually. Be forewarned about any artists who claimed in the past to loathe fandom and yet show up anyway - they're soaking up what little energy from their celebrity that they can get in their waning years and get very picky about who they sign autographs for - unless your wallet is wide open or you're a member of the staff/their fan entourage. Yes, it's that sad. No names, of course. wink,wink...;)
These remarks give me the urge to hide for a while...I'll be back. Be good.
phew!
Searching for a bathroom, waiting on line, then using it - a long more time spent doing that than waiting for this next blog entry, I tells ya'...
Ah...autographs. Very touchy. Now, let's not be naive - we have a lot of could-have-beens, neverweres, almostwases, has-beens, and maybe-in-a-parallel-dimensions sandwiching the really popular guests, but if you';ve got as many comics/kitsch as everyone here does, you've probably weighed the option of paying signing fees for their chicken scratch - even if the value of the comic may appreciate/deprectiate depending on who you're talking to.
Also. remember how some celebrities tend to act as though they've disowned the work that made them famous? Well, THEY'RE ALL HERE - and they'll be happy to charge you for autographed photos, so be of good cheer. A word of caution: some celebrities tend to shy away from autographing racy pictures, so leave the centerfolds at home. If they have a website, check for any hints regarding autograph rules and conditions so as to avoid carrying any dead weight.
As for comic book artists, well, the same rules apply, actually. Be forewarned about any artists who claimed in the past to loathe fandom and yet show up anyway - they're soaking up what little energy from their celebrity that they can get in their waning years and get very picky about who they sign autographs for - unless your wallet is wide open or you're a member of the staff/their fan entourage. Yes, it's that sad. No names, of course. wink,wink...;)
These remarks give me the urge to hide for a while...I'll be back. Be good.