or as we like to call it:
San Diego Con 2004
(roll your mouse over the image for a more stylized view.)
This year was my first year back since 1999. The new millenium sure has multipled the number of attendees!
I went on Sunday, the last day, and thought that was pretty crowded, but I heard that the crowds were so bad on Saturday that you could barely see from the Top Cow booth to the other side of the aisle!!!
Needless to say, having heard that, I was glad I was there on Sunday.
My plan was to walk the whole floor before lunch and then focus on the things that caught my eye during the first pass of the floor. Easier said than done!
My friend Brian and I got to the SD Convention Center (which already looks pretty huge from the outside) around 0930hrs and were on the floor at opening.
During our first 30 minutes we saw Mike Mignola at this inconspicuous corner table selling his 10th Anniversary Sketch Book. I bought one and since it was already signed and numbered (I got 282/2000), he wrote my name in it for me. Let me say right here, that this was the first of MANY missed photo ops - sorry.
The next Pro we saw was Neal Adams, one of me fave pencilers since back in the day. I got his autograph and, again, missed another photo op.
So, by the time we walked the whole floor, as planned, it was time for lunch and we were well overdue for a break. I highly recommend the pepperoni pizza, after 5 years it's still the best item on the menu...for $7.50!!!
On our second pass, I was waiting for a call from my friend Jon Sibal (one-time inker for Tombraider, and an upcoming X-title from Marvel). He got a call from an Indie outfit who wanted to meet with him to talk about inking a book for them, but he caught some traffic and was running late. We met up at around 1430hrs and walked the floor for about an hour. We ran into Leinil Francis Yu (a very down to earth guy) and got his autograph (and again no photo) at the DC pavilion. We also ran into Rob Liefeld and Marat Mychels, but since another friend has real issues with Rob this is all I will say about him here.
I broke down and bought a "Return of the Sith" t-shirt, but I also scored a "Sky Captain" t-shirt for FREE at their booth's 'wheel of fortune' game. Woo Hoo!
I also saw Billy Dee Williams signing at a booth and Mark Hamill walked right past us.
The only thing I wish I could have done was run into Marlo Alquiza and Walden Wong, but it was so big that we could have walked right past each other and missed each other. =(
If I decide to go next year:
- I'm going to go on a Sunday again
- Take MORE pictures
- Walk more before the Con in preparation
- Take more money
- Get Marlo's and Walden's cell phone numbers so I can call them on from the floor.
- Take more pictures!
That is, IF I go next year.