My SD con report

[FFB]

Unfortunately, I did not get pictures of the convention because Liz took the camera on Saturday and Sunday, and I only took a few shots on Friday and at the forum dinner.

 

So here goes the con report.

 

On Friday morning, Liz and I missed our 7:40 a.m. flight and had to go standby on the 10:26 a.m. flight to SD. While walking up to the check in counter, I see Michael (Povertyrow) milling about and said hello. Turns out his seat was right behind ours on the plane, so we gabbed on the flight down and passed comics back and forth. Fun plane ride.

 

But, because I didn't actually get to the con until well after lunch, I missed my lunch meeting with George Pantela. Sorry George!!! Lunch is on me next time.

 

Went to Hertz to pick up the rental car and then drove to the Wyndham to get our room. Then walked over to the con at about 2:30 p.m. and picked up a registration badge for Liz. Had a bit of an issue with the "pre-paid" exhibitor badge that I purchased from a forumite because he hadn't paid his table bill yet, so I almost wound up with no badge even though I already paid for it.

 

Made a bee-line for the CGC booth because that is where forumites always seem to congregate. Saw Steve Borock and said hello, then (IIRC) called jimm94 to find out where he and Jeff were. We all met up (along with Deathlok, whom I met for the first time) and walked around a bit until it was time for the Zaid panel.

 

Went to the Zaid panel and thought it turned out well. Great panelists and a nice discussion, although the lawyers dominated it in terms of talk time. Mark, there is a law somewhere that says you're not allowed to ask a question with more than eight subparts. It is also bad form to answer your own question that you're in the middle of posing to someone else on the panel.

 

Just some good natured ribbing -- it was a really good panel and one of the highlights of the con for me.

 

I tend to agree with whoever the poster was (Aman?) who suggested that there were too many topics for a limited amount of time. As it was, we just scratched the surface on the restoration/pressing issue. What discussion there was, was very good though. It was great to have Mark Wilson there to give some actual facts about the process. Like Jeff said in his con report, these are important issues and there should be a panel on these topics at every major convention. Bigtime kudos to Mark for organizing the panel.

 

During the panel, I looked around a bit and saw who I thought must have been greggy. I made a face at him like a graemlin and he made a face back like a graemlin. Then I made another graemlin face and he did the same, and so on and so on for about ten minutes. Then he mouthed the words "later, dorkette!!!!" and jabbed his finger at me like this and our "conversation" was over.

 

After the panel, I met Jeff Delaney in person for the first time and also spoke to Mark Wilson for a little bit. Then it was time to go drinking and to dinner, so greggy, jim, jeff, Liz and I took a cab to Fat City Grill for dinner, where we met Deathlok and jagull. As it turned out, Joseph (Comicwiz) was eating dinner at the same restaurant, and I got to have a nice chat with Joseph for a while. After dinner, we met up with Borock, Zaid, and George P. at the Hyatt for some drinks. Borock gave me the rest of a bottle of wine he had taken with him from the restaurant, which told me how hammered he must have been -- it was a nice bottle. Had a great talk with George P. about GPAnalysis and plans for the future.

 

Just to break out of the chronology a bit -- speaking of GPAnalysis, I had a nice conversation with Ted Van Lieuw and Andy Coleman today about how the use of technology at conventions has evolved over the years. In 1993 when I went to my first (and until this year, only) SD con, I think I was the only person I saw in the entire room who had a cell phone. Granted, the phone was as big as a house, so I don't think I could have missed anyone else carrying them. Now, cell phones are everywhere.

 

Likewise, I used GPAnalysis to help conclude a sale this weekend. Fuelman had his laptop handy when I needed to look up a value, and within a minute I was able to get the GPA data on the book I needed. Five years from now, I believe that GPA at conventions will be like cell phones are now -- ubiquitous. We'll sit around and laugh about how "back in the old days" we used to look up OSPG guide values and try to piece together a multiple to charge for a slabbed, high-grade book.

 

So back to the chronology. We closed down the bar on Friday night, and all went their separate ways for the evening.

 

On Saturday, I slept in and then met up with a college friend for lunch. After lunch, we walked around the con for a while and then I sold some books to Ted V. and to the guys at Southern California Comics. Both deals were painless and both sets of dealers are people I'd do business with any day. Spent some time looking around and talking to the people at the CGC booth. Then it was time to get ready for the forum dinner.

 

The forum dinner was a great time as always. When I got there, I immediately met Mark Dratewka (Kramerica), one of my favorite sellers out there. Great guy and had a blast chatting with him throughout the night. I also got to meet Mr. Larson and family, which was just surreal. I kept shaking my head to think that Mr. Larson was once a little kid like we all used to be little kids, and who used to read his comics and trade them with his pals, and now those books are some of the best existing books in the world. Just mindblowing. It was really neat to see CGC and some forumites pick up the dinner tab for the Larson family. The best part of all was the moment when Steve said, "Mr. Larson, we're going to give one of your comics back to you" and handed Mr. Larson one of his original comic books. I am not sure what Mr. Larson made of all of this attention or even whether he completely understood the extent to which people were excited to meet him, but it sure seemed like he was enjoying the experience.

 

 

 

Following dinner, Peter (RareHighGrade) came up and introduced himself to me. It was great to meet you, RHG, as I have drooled over your books more than a few times and it's always good to see who the people are who own some of these amazing books I see posted here. Not because I am going to have you tailed home and rob you of your books or anything. Seriously though, we had a good long talk about Ian completing his quest, collecting early golden age and platinum age books, and other non-comic-related topics. All throughout the discussion I was trying to piece together a strategy for how to steal his housekeys and have a copy set made before he realized they were missing, but I came up with nothing.

 

After the forum dinner was over, a group of us (Jeff, Jim, Paris Fred, Zaid, Liz, Mark Wilson, Mark Dratewka, and I) headed downstairs. I closed up the bar at the Hyatt for the second night in a row. I am still feeling it now. I swear, today I had the worst hangover I've had in I don't know how long. But it was all worth it!

 

I spent today just hanging out with Jim and Jeff, dropped off a few more FFs for sale with Southern California Comics, and also some time chatting with Povertyrow (one of the most fun people in the world to stand aside as you are digging through longboxes) and with Ted V. and Andy C. It is always a treat to cap off a con weekend by being able to spend some time talking to fellow hobbyists you enjoy speaking to but don't get to see that often.

 

And that was my con weekend. Looking forward to doing it all again next year!

[chromium]

Great, I love con-reports

[tth2]

Good report as always, Scott!

[Nefaria]

Good Golly Aunt Molly, Damn Excellent Report. Makes me want to plan a trip next year.

[Red Hook]

Super report Scott. Thanks! Those are great photos.

[Sharkey]

Muy excellente report, Scott! And thanks for not drunk-dailing me Saturday night

 

Were there any books there that particularly caught your eye, or were you only in a selling mood?

 

And last but not least, what wine did Borock give you??

[Ian_Levine]

We all met up along with Deathlok, whom I met for the first time

 

Did he have horns ?

Does he REALLY exist

[Forbush-Man]

[AlexH]

We all met up along with Deathlok, whom I met for the first time

 

Did he have horns ?

 

Are you asking if Deathlok is horny? Not that there isn't anything wrong with that.

[skybolt]

Great report Scott. It's a good summary of what to expect if you've never attended a con like myself.

[Sharkey]

Great report Scott. It's a good summary of what to expect if you've never attended a con like myself.

 

There's supposed to be one in Rosemont next month.

[Foolkiller]

Great Report FFB, thanks...

[skybolt]

Great report Scott. It's a good summary of what to expect if you've never attended a con like myself.

 

There's supposed to be one in Rosemont next month.

 

I know. I gotta get off my behind and attend one of these things.

[Ze-man]

Thnx for the great report Scott,( and bad Liz bad.. taking FFB's camera like that.)

I always look foward to reading the slew of reports after each Con.

Your Greggy conversation was hillarious, and your report of the Panel discussion was about as I imagined it.... So much time, so few topics.. wait a minute, strike that reverse it. I am sure we will hear more about what was discussed soon enough.

 

Living vicariously through your report gives anybody who was not able to attend, the bug to go dig around a bunch of long box's. And makes me all the more bummed about not being able to go to Chicago next month.

 

Sooooo.. what did ya buy? And is the whole Con, Wi Fi friendly?.. or just designated areas?

 

Ze-

[OldGuy]

Thanks for taking the time to write that up Scott. Great report.

[deathlok]

We all met up along with Deathlok, whom I met for the first time

 

Did he have horns ?

 

Are you asking if Deathlok is horny? Not that there isn't anything wrong with that.

[rjpb]

Excellent report Scott - I really wish I could have gone - it's been a long time since I attended SD - maybe next year when my cash flow isn't so unidirectional.

[comicwiz]

Great report Scott!

 

It was a real pleasure meeting up with you and your lovely wife-to-be Liz. And I agree that the dinner was a great one -- kudos to deathlok, bullet and the CGC crew for putting it together.

[Jeffreykli]

Here's my brief report:

 

I went down to San Diego for the first time in 16 years. Needless to say, the convention has changed dramatically. A lot less comic dealers, although still a pretty good number of books. Definitely a place to drool over some of the best books available in the market.

 

My back issue goals were to fill in some Marvel bronze runs: the Deathlok run in Astonishing Tales, the Iron Fist Marvel Premiere run, Iron Fist, and Son of Satan. Random stuff, but annoying runs that I hadn't finished. I'm happy to report that I finished all of those runs.

 

I also had some cash to blow on a big book purchase, and while there were plenty of really nice books, there wasn't anything that I absolutely had to have. With an upcoming wedding in November, I didn't mind coming back with most of my comic money. Seriously considered low grade Suspense #8 versus a Human Torch #12, but couldn't pull the trigger on either book.

 

The artist highlight of the con was meeting Stan Sakai again. He set up with a little booth, and was doing quick pen sketches...for free! I'll scan the sketch he did for me later tonight and post it. Definitely a great guy.

 

But, the biggest highlight of all was meeting forumites that I hadn't met before, and hanging out with those that I had. Jimm94 and I planned the trip together, and met up with FFB pretty often. I also harassed Paris_Fred and Goldust on the floors with their purchases, met Fuelman briefly at the So Cal booth, and talked with Mark Zaid (Esquirecomics) a couple of times. As FFB said, went to dinner with Greggy, Deathlok, and Jagull (as well as FFB, Liz, and Jimm94). Met Comicwiz at the restaurant as well.

 

At the forum dinner, Povertyrow was showing off some of his great con purchases, and really enjoyed talking with Kramerica and Mark Wilson. Got drunk with the usual suspects at the Forum dinner as well: Borock, Paris_Fred, Goldust, FFB, Jimm94, Liz, Esquirecomics, and others.

 

All in all, a great but extremely tiring weekend of comics. What could be better?

[Kramerica]

I'm really glad I was able to make it to the forum dinner. Everyone was super, super cool and I had a great time chatting with everyone that night. Much like Scott, my hangover on Sunday was pretty rough. The worst part was after leaving the bar at 2:30 or so I ended up walking about 2 miles (after walking about 4 at the con) to escape the crowds to get a taxi. Downtown was a MESS with hundreds of people vying to get cabs. Finally at about 3:30 I was able to hail a cab and get home to where I was staying. I really tried to work up the motivation for another day battling the crowds Sunday but ended up just taking it easy. I couldn't believe the bar manager at the Hyatt that night. After closing he was trying to get everyone to leave and got fed up so he announced to the crowd that he had called the cops and informed them that "there were plenty of drunk in publics" for them to come get. I don't know if he really did but what an [embarrasing lack of self control]. Great customer service! I had an incredible time though that night and needless to say I won't be missing any more Forum dinners! All of you guys & gals are truly a blast to hang with and I'll be attending the Wondercon as well for another chance to talk funny books with y'all.