
New York Comicon: Friday the 24th
I wish I could draw a little Family Circus type map to show my steps all around the con!
I did not see one of the guests of honor on Friday, except Steranko at his table. CS labeled Kevin Smith as "
Satan's bitch" in my program. He thinks Kevin is very damaging to comics. And I don't like that rape-as-a-plot-point Black Cat.
10 AM After a windy and cold walk from Penn Station to the Javits center, CS, the owner of the Comic Lair, and I made it to the retailers breakfast. Good thing we snacked on the train, because there was no breakfast. And the action figures were going to be mailed. Met up with Wade, from
Comic Madness. CS discussed his virus week of olympic vomiting.
11 AM I ate some fruit and yogurt, then we investigated a car, airbrushed with the entire history of comics. It had "The Yellow Kid" and superheroes, The Simpsons, cereal box cartoons, comic strips, Disney. We spent about 20 minutes pointing out characters to each other, then it was off to the exhibit hall.
12 PM - 4 PM I am so glad the industry recognizes librarians, and our purchasing and advisory power for graphic novels, trades, manga, anime. Except for the woman from Diamond, who almost smacked my hand away when I was picking up 3 prepress books on the table. "Those are for the public!" CS and I were irritated by that. She should be trying to get these copies into my hands- I make the decisions for our fiction collection. I think she was just mad there was another redhead (and a cuter one) at the con.
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Top moment* The 2nd booth we went to was a British publisher who took over AP. They had groovy black and white bowling shirts. I saw OF BITTER SOULS on the table and exclaimed "I love that book!". Turns out Chuck Satterlee, the author, was there at the table. He signed a copy, took a picture with me. CS told me that he would "make me a character in the next one and kill me off"-- but I'll bet he says that to all the girls!
We walked the maze of publishers tables and picked up free posters, postcards, pins. Several people liked my Batgirl Tshirt. Told the guys at Vamperella "so you just look at boobs all day, and that's your job, huh?". Green Lantern T's were the most popular character I saw. Talked with the Italian Narwain publishers about Jenna. We saw Louie, from
Geek Boy Press. He had a big portfolio - they had sold out of artist tables so he was there mostly as a fanboy.
Big smurfs, ugly dolls, Boba Fett, Leia, Catwoman, and some anime costumes were out, but not as many as I suspect on Saturday. Saw a redhead guy who was wearing the same lime green color as me and we discussed that. Too
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Top moment* Passing then talking to rab, a fellow comic blogger. He was there to see Joe Simon.
5 PM Because of being with a retailer and the goodies that went with that, I wasn't able to go to the panels like I normally would. But I made a special point to go the Vertigo panel, because Brian K. Vaughan was there. I had to leave at 5:45, quite a bummer because Azzarello, Wood, Haspiel were all on the panel, and the Vertigo editors were showing cover panels of upcoming releases and if the author/artist was there, he would comment. Azzarello on Loveless: "there will be more people fucking people". I was intrigued to try a few titles I've passed over-- Testament, DMZ, Loveless. I was already anticipating American Virgin and Bite Club: Vampire Crimes Unit.
BKV:
The Pride of Baghdad " I began writing this when the war broke out in Iraq, and I guess I was naive enough to think it would be over...It's about 4 lions who escaped from the Baghdad zoo when the war started."
Y The Last Man "Issue 48 begins the last story arc before issue 60, a big double issue I already have planned out. Lots of things tied up, more nudity." The editor interjected that she just went to lunch with Brian, and if he wanted to continue Y, they would love to do it.
He was just one of so many on the panel, and I couldn't stay for questions because I had to catch the bus to the party.

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Top moment*
6 PM Going to the invite-only Diamond Select showroom. They bussed us to an office tower, where we got catered food like sushi, bruschetta and wine. Better than that, was the showroom of action figures, many of which are not released yet. I took some pictures with CS of the new Star Trek Captains chair prototype-- I overhead it will sell for about $1500. There were Buffy figures, superheroes, Bugs Bunny, Cereal box comics! I have tried not to get into collecting figures (NOT figurines as I said to one of the Diamond sales guys-- he quickly corrected me and said ACTION FIGURES)
7 PM I coat checked my coat back at Javits, so when we left the party we had to beg a cab to take us to Javits. The cabbie said he won't drive republicans in his cab. Spent the last hour on my tired feet at a last run at the exhibits. Met the awesome artist of The Book of Lost Souls, Colleen Doran. I'm so awed by artists who talk to 3 different people and sketch something I couldn't do in a week of concentrating in about 10 minutes. We discussed how women are tougher on anthologies like Sexy Chix--but her Neil Gaiman anthology is fine 'because he's hot'.

Overall, I had a great time at the con. There was too much to do in one day. There were many more writers and artists I wanted to meet. I didn't try to buy any comics because I was loaded down with manga samples and stuff, for me and for the library. I did like that this con wasn't as pornified-- no porn star tables. I guess Vamperella and Heavy Metal takes care of the female action.
Anything I missed about the con you want to know? I take questions!