The wife and I attended Sunday, and this was by far my best con experience. The stereotype of the typical con attendee is officially deflated; not only did I see families of all age ranges stroll around, but I saw packs of roaming college gals. HeroesCon is the Guitar Hero of conventions. Everyone comes to play.
My wife had not been to this before, and she appreciated the relative tranquility of the event compared to DragonCon. We strolled through the vendor tables first, where we picked up the Ringo "What If" book at the Heroes Initiative table [10].
She was stunned by the bootleg DVDs on sale and wondered how anyone keeps from getting arrested. We found a booth selling GI Joe figures, and she was temporarily mesmerized by them. We also decided she could easily be Lady Jaye at DragonCon. I found a classic Destro figure and the new Torpedo figure [4]. They also had the Star Wars figures based on Ralph McQuarrie's original designs, and she almost bought a few.
We found a booth selling stuffed microbe toys, and we bought African Sleeping Sickness for her sister, the Peace Corps volunteer stationed in Swaziland. [5]
We ate paninis before hitting the artists tables. We used Cth's chart to find board people. First up, the board's Jeremy Dale, from whom we bought a sketchbook that he was nice enough to sign [7]. In retrospect, I should have bought a GI Joe page (he did the issues packaged in two-figure packs). I think my wife would have bought a Scarlet page too.
We swung around to to the other side of the con floor and found Visible Light Comics selling their Beowulf title, and the wife bought one [3]. She would have bought the t-shirt based on a comic panel to wear in her classroom, but it had the word "hell" on it, and that wouldn't fly at her school.
Next we found the board's Kody Chamberlain, and I went gag-ga over Punks. I bought two issues, and he handed us a sketchbook [12] while showing us his original art pages and discussing his technique. Comic technique, you pervs. We then found the Oeming/Soma table, and I finally got to meet Taki. They handed us a teaser image of an upcoming project [11], and you all need to keep your ears out for their as-yet-undisclosed publisher.
I bought four minicomics ([8] 50 cents each!) from Roger Landridge (originally from New Zealand, now living in England). I almost walked right by Jim Rugg's table, but I specifically wanted the Afrodesiac mini (Medusa: Why aren't you turning to stone? Afro: Because I'm already rock hard, baby!), and I believe I bought the last one. I also got an impressive newsprint broadsheet comic he made and a copy of The Plan Janes [6].
Nice guy, but he was catching shit from Evan Dorkin about drinking at the show. And kicking his baby. And spitting on the floor. He then threatened to beat him in a Texas Death Match and rub his broken NW title belt into Rugg's face. He wouldn't let up, and Rugg was too flummoxed to respond. So, my wife -- my delicate flower, my schoolmarm -- gave Dorkin shit, claiming a con rumor said he was charging for signatures and signing with invisible ink. Dorkin was stunned before my wife confessed she was joking. Then we chatted about Kirby comics and gas prices. I got a signed copy of Biff-Bam-Pow [14].
We then found the Oni table right next to the Bryan O'Malley table. I bought the third and fourth volumes of Scott Pilgrim [2], and O'Malley was nice enough to sign my books, complete with a stellar sketch.
I offered to pay for it, and he would have none of it.
After meeting up with my college buddy Mark, we went back to the Oni table, met Randy, and Mark sold me on Black Metal [9]. Randy then asked the wife and I to get to it signed by Rick Spears and give him shit about the upcoming volume two. We did, but we ratted out Randy. Sorry, bud.
As we strolled the very back of the artists alley, we found the creators of Perry Bible Fellowship and Wondermark, the Victorian clip-art strip. I bought the new Wonder Mark collection [13], and Malki asked us to put up a review at Amazon after reading it.
As the con wound down, we hit the vendors for some deals, and I got the Promethea figure set for $5 [1]. I've got to remember to show those comics to the missus after she finished the Wonder Woman books. And then we went home.
We saw costumes through the day, and here's the best of the lot.
This is a guy from my hometown comic store.
Be nice.
Spidey will save the day when he feels like it.
I should also mention my wife's revulsion for animal mascots. Streaky the Super Cat? Beppo the Super Monkey? Krypto? She saw the various toys and was tempted to destroy them with her Swinging Backpack of Intellectual Superiority.
I found an original comic page of Spider-man against sewer-dwelling monkeys wearing gangsta bling, and she almost vomited on it.
She kept asking "why?" and I kept saying "why NOT?"
Nice haul!
And at least this spidey isn't a lardass.
We should have copies of this year's play's taping in a week or two, btw, so expect something in the mail soon.
Sounds like a good time!
Maybe if I don't have any more babies on the way I'll try to do HeroesCon next year.
So next time we're getting a cell # number from you. We tried to find you.
Looks like you had fun.
Taki said a pack of BenBos had just gone by before we saw her. I couldn't find anyone holding a teacup. I did mean to give someone my cell number. That's my fault.Originally Posted by JABSEN
So next time we're getting a cell # number from you. We tried to find you.
Looks like you had fun.
Woot!
Nice! Did you just go up on Sunday? Saturday, the DUB show was going on in another part of the convention. Made for an incredibly entertaining mix of people, fanboys, Borg, Spider-Man, then rappers, hip hop/car fanatics, and lots of curvy ladies in skimpy dresses. Good times.
We had to be in Chapel Hill on Saturday for a seminar on American satire. Yes, really.
Hey, great meeting you two! We had a great show.
We used Cth's chart to find board people. First up, the board's Jeremy Dale, from whom we bought a sketchbook that he was nice enough to sign [7]. In retrospect, I should have bought a GI Joe page (he did the issues packaged in two-figure packs). I think my wife would have bought a Scarlet page too.
- jeremy
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