Back at a Comic Con

I haven't been to a comic convention since the last Stumptown, back in 2013. I had planned on going to Rose City too, and volunteering, but I backed out, not happy with their system.

I still have no desire to volunteer at Rose City, but a lot of my concerns about things being too big or too Hollywood were completely unnecessary. Yes, there are many people for whom $40 will get you an autograph or a picture, but the other things are there. When you are in a panel, it may not even be obvious how big the convention is, depending on the panel. The exhibitors are still there, and maybe they are doing better than they would at a smaller show.

I had not pre-purchased a ticket, so had to get one there. That line directs you into the celebrity area, but then you are in Artists Alley, where there were many familiar faces. I did not socialize much, not having a voice still, but it felt good seeing them. I also got Dark Horse swag and saw some amazing Lego creations, along with the costumes I mentioned yesterday. That's some good stuff.

I started with a comic book editing panel, and one of the things they advised was reading as many comic book scripts as you can. In the spotlight on Gail Simone panel, I won a Batgirl script! How perfect is that?

That was going to be a good panel anyway, but if you follow Gail Simone on Twitter (which I recommend) you are familiar with the saga of King Buttermilk. I was excited to see him there, and even more excited to get a picture with him after. 

Bob Schreck offered valuable insight on Getting Your Foot in the Comics Door. It was geared more toward artists, but that was interesting, and he was fun to listen to. I really like comics people for the most part, and just being around was great.

The importance of networking was hard to ignore, and perhaps my silence was a missed opportunity, but I just didn't have it in me that day. However, karaoke appears to be an important part of networking, and that fits into my wheelhouse. For now, continuing to submit to Amazon Studios makes a lot of sense for my strengths, so keep working on Powers and Requiem.

I attended one of the big panels, and that was Peter Mayhew's and Brian Herring's War Stories.

I do love Star Wars, but I think my decision to go had a lot to do with Kenny Baker's recent death. It reminded me that it's been almost 40 years since the first film came out, and the cast aren't getting any younger. I didn't want to miss a chance, and the assistance Mayhew needed getting on stage seemed to reinforce that. Beyond that, though, he was just such a lovely man.

He may not answer exactly the question you ask, or in the way you expect, but I felt he was inherently likable. I enjoyed him, and Brian Herring - one of the BB-8 puppeteers - was a delight. I felt a little bad for him because all of the questions were for Chewbacca, but the moderator did a great job of bringing him in. (Gail Simone's moderator was excellent as well.)

Also worth noting is that there were so many more panels I would have liked to attend but couldn't because of overlap. That is frustrating in one way, but on the other hand, how wonderful to have so many great choices.

I don't know if I will want to cosplay again, but I know I will want to attend again.