San Diego Comic Con
OK, so it's been a while since posting, but I went down to check out the Comic-Con in San Diego this year. I've only been once, I think like 10 years ago, which was a whole different world. For those who don't know - ComicCon is the U.S.'s biggest convention to "celebrate comics and other pop culture art forms," but it's basically a gaggle of fans of sci-fi/horror/superhero/action genres in all media - comics, books, movies, TV, some games and internet. Plus this was a reason to go visit my sis in San Diego (who may not be there this time next year, but you didn't hear it from me), and catch some hot hot weather. [Bonnie and I had gone to O.C. the prior weekend, to visit her family and share the news of our impending nuptials. That was a great time, spending more time with her dad, seeing her mom's new place, and meeting the Aunties and some of the extended fam - looking fwd to seeing you next year!].
Anyway, I got in on Thursday, took a day off to walk around town Friday (dang, it was hot, but a welcome, brief change of pace from NorCal weather), Bonnie got in Friday, we went to the Con on Saturday, went to the beach on Sunday, and came home Sunday night. So, details of the Con :
Huge crowds! Lots of peeps in costumes (at least 1/3 of all antendees). Missed on meeting Ed & Nina at the appointed time in the morning, but I ran into them randomly in the crowd - what are the odds against that?? Most of the hi-profile presentations I was keen on seeing were way WAY beyond capacity (Simpsons, Futurama, Marvel, Disney, Family Guy, Heroes), so I geared my day toward the smaller panels, which were still hit-or-miss to get in for. Kinda sad in some ways, that people line up to hear 'celebrities' - actors, directors, producers blather on, and sit for hours just to see a minute of a movie that's coming out next year anyway! Meanwhile, talented artists, writers, designers, indie filmmakers, scholars, etc. speak to much smaller crowds (at WonderCon they spoke to nearly empty rooms!). Anyway, my schedule played out :
Morning film school (panel on 'Working With Actors'); 'Reality-based Graphic Novels'; laughing at the line of folks waiting to see the 'Heroes' panel & knowing they'd never get in; 'Voice Actors' panel; (Bonnie left to hit the Marriot pool); panel on 'Class of 3000', with Andre Benjamin!; 'State of the Animation Industry'; 'Visuals and Storytelling' about collaborators in words and drawings; 'Ray Harryhausen and Ray Bradbury' (hilite of the day, by far); and some trolling the exhibitors floor. I didn't get very much at all, just some DVDs from Bill Plympton (inspiring to meet him and hear him talk about the independents in the biz). The Hall was crazy, too - most of the hi-profile Studios had crowds blocking the aisles (I got tired of hearing security scream about fire hazards). Paramount was there, with the 'Bee Movie' trailer playing on their screens, but their push was for Beowulf and Indiana Jones 4 (2008). We got out of there to catch dinner in OldTown, before the harrieness of the Masquerade got started.
Overall, a fun time not only for the spectacle of it, but to see the scope of our biz and craft, and the range of really talented and inspiring artistes. Saturday night, late, I went to see a co-worker's goth-punk band, The Tell-Tale Heartbreakers, who had come out all the way from San Jose. The show was tied into the Con - it was a promotional for the indie zombie flick, "", and the band, "Hola Ghost", who got real punk cred. That band was great, too - they had a singer/guitarist, and bassist, and drum machine.
Sunday we went to Imperial Beach, where they were having a sand-castle contest & street faire (wanted a different scene than the usual Mission or Pacific or Ocean). We didn't stay long enough to see the results of the contest, but there were a lot of good castles and dragons... We spent some time at Sun Island sunning our buns, then made our way back to pack up and head to the airport. The weekend was all good all 'round!
Next up : more band info (we updated our mySpace, check it out!); kinda quiet end to the summer - we're having a Labor Day BBQ but I think our travels are done for a while.
Anyway, I got in on Thursday, took a day off to walk around town Friday (dang, it was hot, but a welcome, brief change of pace from NorCal weather), Bonnie got in Friday, we went to the Con on Saturday, went to the beach on Sunday, and came home Sunday night. So, details of the Con :
Huge crowds! Lots of peeps in costumes (at least 1/3 of all antendees). Missed on meeting Ed & Nina at the appointed time in the morning, but I ran into them randomly in the crowd - what are the odds against that?? Most of the hi-profile presentations I was keen on seeing were way WAY beyond capacity (Simpsons, Futurama, Marvel, Disney, Family Guy, Heroes), so I geared my day toward the smaller panels, which were still hit-or-miss to get in for. Kinda sad in some ways, that people line up to hear 'celebrities' - actors, directors, producers blather on, and sit for hours just to see a minute of a movie that's coming out next year anyway! Meanwhile, talented artists, writers, designers, indie filmmakers, scholars, etc. speak to much smaller crowds (at WonderCon they spoke to nearly empty rooms!). Anyway, my schedule played out :
Morning film school (panel on 'Working With Actors'); 'Reality-based Graphic Novels'; laughing at the line of folks waiting to see the 'Heroes' panel & knowing they'd never get in; 'Voice Actors' panel; (Bonnie left to hit the Marriot pool); panel on 'Class of 3000', with Andre Benjamin!; 'State of the Animation Industry'; 'Visuals and Storytelling' about collaborators in words and drawings; 'Ray Harryhausen and Ray Bradbury' (hilite of the day, by far); and some trolling the exhibitors floor. I didn't get very much at all, just some DVDs from Bill Plympton (inspiring to meet him and hear him talk about the independents in the biz). The Hall was crazy, too - most of the hi-profile Studios had crowds blocking the aisles (I got tired of hearing security scream about fire hazards). Paramount was there, with the 'Bee Movie' trailer playing on their screens, but their push was for Beowulf and Indiana Jones 4 (2008). We got out of there to catch dinner in OldTown, before the harrieness of the Masquerade got started.
Overall, a fun time not only for the spectacle of it, but to see the scope of our biz and craft, and the range of really talented and inspiring artistes. Saturday night, late, I went to see a co-worker's goth-punk band, The Tell-Tale Heartbreakers, who had come out all the way from San Jose. The show was tied into the Con - it was a promotional for the indie zombie flick, "", and the band, "Hola Ghost", who got real punk cred. That band was great, too - they had a singer/guitarist, and bassist, and drum machine.
Sunday we went to Imperial Beach, where they were having a sand-castle contest & street faire (wanted a different scene than the usual Mission or Pacific or Ocean). We didn't stay long enough to see the results of the contest, but there were a lot of good castles and dragons... We spent some time at Sun Island sunning our buns, then made our way back to pack up and head to the airport. The weekend was all good all 'round!
Next up : more band info (we updated our mySpace, check it out!); kinda quiet end to the summer - we're having a Labor Day BBQ but I think our travels are done for a while.
posted by pegasusgiraffe at 3:51 PM
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