SDCC 2008: Day Zero

So we've had the first day of the con. And I survived. That is all.

No, wait, there's more. Bob and I slept in today,because we know this will be the last day we get to do that for a while. We bought some supplies at Ralph's, went to Mission Beach for lunch, and picked up our friend Sandi at the airport. And then, before we knew it. It was Con Time.

Wednesday night is Preview Night here at the old show. It starts at 6:00 and ends at 9:00. Preview Night is now one of the thickest nights of the show. Other days have panels running that draw people upstairs. Why you'd rather look at Eliza Dushku than me, I can't understand, but there you have it.

So it's a lot of seeing people for the first time this weekend. It's a lot of quick meetings, just a "Hi, we have to get together later" stuff. Even so, I did manage to find Andy Cosby from Boom Studios, who I met last year and talk to him for a bit. You may have heard that they've announced that they will be doing Muppets and Pixar comics. That's just phenomenal.

One of the highlights of the still-young show was seeing my artwork plastered on the IDW booth. Somewhere on this page is a picture of the good-lookin' booth, with my ugly mug in front of it. I got to meet Chris Ryall for the first time since we started working together and realizing who we each are. Wait, did I mention that IDW will be doing the Love and Capes trade, and that's why I know him? Let me mention it again if I hadn't.

Sales at the booth were pretty good. It's the first day of the show, and everyopne's still getting a feel for where everything is. I had several people come up and buy specific issues because they started reading last year and were now hooked. Someone even came up and raved about the book and, when I asked him if he needed anything, he said "No, I've already got them all." That's the best non-sale I ever made.

I saw Charlotte Fullerton, Dwayne McDuffie, Eugene Son and his entire lovely family, which was a nice surprise. I didn't know they were all coming even for Day Zero, and given that they were kind enough to house me during the Meetings last year, I have an especially warm place in my heart for them. And they're just nive people, too.

When the show wrapped, Bill Williams, Randy Lander (of my favorite comics podcast, Comic Pants, and the Rogues Gallery shop in Austin) and Brad went out to dinner. Randy and I exchange e-mails, but we finally got to have a protracted in-person conversation which was great. At dinner, we were accosted by The Defuser and Mrs. The Defuser, another two of my favorite people.

Then Chip Moser from Boom, as well as Matt and Ian, whose last names I didn't catch, joined us. They're all stellar specimens of humanity. Intellegent, witty, and if I may say, handsome each and every one. Not that any of them check blogs for mentions of their names. No, such gods among men would never do such a thing.

At midnight, I came back to the room, feeling like it was 2am. I have to get up in six hours or so to start this all over again. The show is fun, and even based on today's brief encounters, could spiral into more stuff. That's what keeps me going.

Well, that and coffee, of which there will be much tomorrow.