After a while, I found out the problem: all the groups of people had reserved their rooms through expedia and hotels.com...and these web sites HAD NOT RELEASED THE MONEY to the Ramada Inn. Which means that these poor kids who were packing themselves five and six and seven in a room to save money were going to have to pay AGAIN for the rooms they had already paid for, or not get rooms. And there was sure no room at the inn, San Diego was packed to the rafters.

When it was our turn, I said, no worries, I reserved through Ramada, here's my confirmation. Thank goodness, said the nice lady. I said some sympathetic things, since it was not her fault what had happened to these people (for whom I also felt sorry) and we talked a little. I was filling out paperwork and i heard her say 'one king bed'.

Wait a minute, I said, I reserved two queens, here's a printout of my reservation (yes, anal-retentive girl had of course brought it).

They gave you one king, said the nice lady.

Is there anything you can do about that? I said, there are three of us, so one king is kind of not going to work.

She smiled at me and said, how about if I upgrade you to a junior suite?

Oh, yes, that will do nicely.

I was also at a publisher’s booth and there was Doug TenNapel, one of my favorite author/artists, selling posters. I got one of a big ol’ toothy kitty, and he signed it and drew me a cowboy robot as well, yay!

The first picture above is an outfit at a steampunk booth.

But the next picture, with the steampunk guns? we saw those and went OOOOH. And then Kasia said, if one of them was a bowel disruptor, I'd buy it. I want me one of those things. (this and everything that follows is from one of our favorite comics, Transmetropolitan, written by Warren Ellis and illustrated by Darick Robertson.)

Oh, yes, I said, but you know what I want? I want Spider Jerusalem's glasses. Wouldn't that be cool? I'd even pay to have them made in my prescription.

Hell yes! said Kasia.

And then a nice lady WEARING THE GLASSES came around the gun display. They don't make these any more, she said, but if you want to borrow them for pictures, you're welcome to. And handed them to us! And then pointed at a nice-looking young man standing watching this.

He's the artist, you know. OMG! It was Darick Robertson himself. So of course we got pics with him, wearing the glasses.

Official Program Description: 10:00-11:00 Fan's Guide to Comic-Con- For the third consecutive year Wesley Strawther, Matthew Jeffrey, and gaming expert Jesse Lopez host a hilarious guide to the San Diego Comic-Con. First timers will find just a little more information than veteran attendees!

Yes, I am a real woman.
Yes, I am at Comic-con.
No, I do not like Twilight.

1:30-2:30 Avatars, Icons, and Antiheroes- The new hero is the anti-hero: twisted fairy tale icons, magicians turned hitmen, and avatars of both Good and Evil are cold-blooded killers and worse in the pages of these writers' imaginations. Moderator Diana Gill (executive editor of Eos Books) leads a discussion on this phenomenon with Kevin J. Anderson (Enemies & Allies), Brom (The Child Thief), Richard Kadrey (Sandman Slim), Vicki Pettersson (City of Souls), S. J. Day (Eve of Chaos), and Holly Black (Ironside).

Now, you'll notice that although a few of these people have written or are writing comics, they are all fantasy novelists. Kevin Anderson is big in not only Star Wars stuff and continuing the Dune series but has several fantasy series; I can't keep Holly Black's stuff on my teen shelves, and Brom is a comic artist who is now writing fiction (Kasia got a free copy of his book, is reading it now. Says it's REAL dark. Duh, I say, having seen Brom's stuff before.)

But I digress. This was a good panel, with much to say about story, heroes and antiheroes and plot value of each. Two things that struck me, in terms of writing plot (for although not a writer myself, I am of course married to one):

1. The bad buy never really believes that HE'S the bad guy. He always had his own (to him good) reasons for doing what he does and to him they make sense. Sure, there are exceptions, but by and large this has to be true.

2. Characters, as well as people in real life, need to leave their comfort zones in search of beauty and danger.

OPG: 2:30-3:30 USA Network's Burn Notice- Moderated by Michael Shanks (Victor). Join Bruce Campbell (Sam), Seth Peterson (Nate), Jay Karnes (Brennen), Ben Shenkman (Tom), Matt Nix (creator and executive producer) and Alfredo Barrios, Jr. (co-executive producer), as they discuss and answer questions about the creative process of evolving an embryonic idea into a finished episode of cable's #1 hit show. Fans will gain an intimate look inside the world of Burn Notice, complete with war stories from the writer's room and filming on location in Miami. Exclusive video content will include tips on how to survive Comic-Con from your favorite burned spy, Michael Westen (played by Jeffrey Donovan), highlights from the previous two seasons, and an exclusive sneak peek at future season 3 episodes, including the half-season finale and beyond.

This was GREAT! the panel was interesting (especially Campbell, a favorite of ours) and when someone from the audience said something he particularly liked (how funny he is or that they think he's a honey) he would call them to the front of the stage and give them a buck! it was hilarious, but he is a that kind of guy. One of the biggest cheers was when the producers said that they NEVER use CGI explosions, they always blow stuff up for real. One of the reasons the show is so fun.

Very enjoyable! Diana was in the audience, but of course I never saw her. But she got a ticket for a free BURN NOTICE TSHIRT for me, I do love schwag!

OPDs: 3:00-4:00 Bill Plympton: King of Indie Animation- Animator Bill Plympton (Idiots and Angels) presents Horn Dog, the fourth smash installment in his famed, Oscar-nominated "Dog" series. Bill will screen some of his new animated shorts, including Mexican Standoff and Santa: The Fascist Years and present some early scenes from his work-in-progress feature film Hanky Panky. Bill will also be available for Q&A after the screening, and all attendees will get a free Bill Plympton drawing. Room 5AB

4:30-5:30 The Best and Worst Manga of 2008-2009- What was the best, worst and weirdest manga published in the last year? Sparks will fly as manga critics Deb Aoki (manga.about.com), Kai-Ming Cha (Publishers Weekly), Ed Chavez (marketing director, Vertical Inc.), Gia Manry (Anime Vice), Tom Spurgeon (The Comics Reporter), Jason Thompson (Manga: The Complete Guide), and Eva Volin (chair, Great Graphic Novels for Teens) give the thumbs up and thumbs down in this "Manga State of the Union Address." It's Siskel & Ebert, Overlooked Manga Festival, and a manga celebrity roast all in one! Room 3

5:30-6:30 Graphic Novel Programming in Libraries- Words of wisdom from Librarian Fanboys and Fangirls on ways to make your collection rock the house! It's life in the dork lane when librarian nerds become comic book geeks. How can a fan transcend life-long Universe loyalties to build a balanced collection? How do you fight back when your cataloging department thinks all superhero titles are for teens? Is it really possible to have a graphic novel book club? Get tips on starting graphic novel clubs, running workshops on cartooning, hosting author visits and much more. Moderated by Snow Wildsmith with Robin Brenner, Hillary Chang, Mike Pawuk, Jill Patterson, and Nick Smith. Room 30AB

I did indeed get my free Plympton drawing the next day, and last two panels were really good as well, lots of info and good ideas and lists and stuff.

Comic-con is FUN!!!

So of course, I wanted an early start.

Diana and Kasia did not.

And the place was DESERTED! it was so wonderful. Because Balboa Park was the place Doug and I used to go for weekend getaways when we lived in Riverside in the early '80s. We loved it, and it was wonderful to see it again. Especially in the grey morning with nobody but a few joggers hanging around.

There are a couple of displays in this museum that are kind of gross, although I really liked them.

There are lots of skulls, showing the holes that had been cut or bored into them, and you could see if they healed afterwards (= the person survived) and also the marks that infection caused. VERY cool.

Then I went to the Photography Museum, which is always one of my favorites. Everyone else was in the Model Railroad museum next door, so I pretty much had it to myself. There was a lovely display of work spanning Ansel Adams' career, very nice...and then I looked in the next gallery and WAS AMAZED.

I came back from Balboa Park to see Robert Kirkman (Walking Dead) at 4. Got in line 45 minutes early just in case, love this series.

That was going til 5. Joss Whedon had a panel of people talking about Dollhouse from 4:30 to 5:15, then (and listed as a separate program) he was 'talking about upcoming projects' from 5:15 to 6, which I was kind of interested in. But I knew I'd never get near it, even though it was in Ballroom 20 (only 4000 seats) instead of the deadly Hall H (6500 seats and lines out the wazoo). And we had theater tickets for Cyrano, so I had to be out the door at 6 no matter what.

So I got in to see Kirkman.

OPD:
4:00-5:00 Kirkamania! The Robert Kirkman Panel- Join writer Robert Kirkman (Walking Dead, Invincible) for a lively discussion on his many projects and a look forward into the future with more than a few exclusive announcements! All this plus a surprise appearance by Todd McFarlane (Haunt), as super secret free comics will be given away during a very special Q&A session! Room 7AB

Who did 10 minutes with pictures of all his projects (3 or 4 different series, including the one I was interested in) and then opened the floor for questions.

Which were all incredibly picky and about characters from all his other series, not the one I wanted to hear about. Yes, he was funny and charming, but I got tired of it. So I left at 4:30.

And I thought, why don't I check out the line for Whedon at 5:15? maybe I can get in after all.

It was long, but only a quarter as long as the Burn Notice line. I was hopeful. The line was along a series of glass windows that the sun was beating into, and I had no water, and the line was not moving, and there was nowhere to sit. Annoying.

Then I got the phone call from my hubs (yes, I actually used my cell phone and left it on during the conference, I was not only having to stay in touch with Kasia and Diana, we were trying to hook up with other people) who told me that the Old Globe box office had called...and Cyrano was cancelled. Oh my god. Just what I needed right then. So I called the Old Globe and said WTF? They apologized and cited technical difficulties and refunded my money. I said some choice words. Called Diana and Kasia who opted for a real dinner and back to the motel.

By this time, it was 5:15 and the line had not moved. I said screw this and left, but immediately ran into one of the security supervisors who told me that the Dollhouse panel was running way over. So I went back into line (the people around me were very nice) and waited some more. HALF AN HOUR LATER the supervisor finally admitted that the room was closed and we just weren't getting in.

Dammit. Hot, tired of standing, thirsty, and kind of disappointed even though I KNEW there was almost no chance I'd get in. It was ten minutes to six, so I grabbed some water and went to two things that I had wanted to do but knew I couldn't because of the play.

OPD: 6:00-7:00 Pop Perversity: Parody in Comics and Art- Isabel Samaras (On Tender Hooks), Ron English (Popaganda), and R. Sikoryak (Masterpiece Comics)- parodists from the worlds of art and comics-show how their sharp, sly images blur the boundaries between the popular and the profound, the propagandistic and the profane. Parody is a familiar part of our culture, but when done right it can still shock and awe, revealing deep truths while it makes us cackle. Moderated by Colin Berry (On Tender Hooks).

This was HILARIOUS, these three artists were all very different and very good. I bought Robert Sikoryak's book, Masterpiece Comics (I was familiar with some of them and love them) which juxtaposes famous literary works with well-known comic strip figures. Like Charlie Brown waking up as a cockroach, and it's Metamorphosis. The Inferno told as Bazooka Joe bubblegum comics. Genesis with Blondie and Dagwood and Mr. Dithers as (of course) God. Loved it.

Grabbed an apple for dinner ($2.75 oh my god!!!) and went to wait in line for

OPD: 7:30-9:30 The Cartoonist: Jeff Smith, Bone and the Changing Face of Comics- The Cartoonist, a new feature-length documentary, tells the inspiring story of Jeff Smith's creation of the epic comic book Bone, hailed by critics as one of the greatest graphic novels of all time. Fellow cartoonists Scott McCloud, Colleen Doran, Harvey Pekar, Paul Pope and Terry Moore, as well as friends, associates, experts, and Jeff himself, share their stories of this worldwide phenomenon that began in small comics hobby shops and is now found in bookstores, schools, libraries, and the homes of millions of adults and children in 25 countries. In addition to discussing Jeff's early years, influences and philosophies, the film provides a look at a unique industry and artform that continues to evolve as its audience expands. Ken Mills and Mike Meyer, producers of the documentary, will be present to introduce the film and answer questions.

This was GREAT. And why was Jeff Smith himself not there for the premiere of the movie about him? because he was getting an Eisner award at the time. hmph. The man needs to get his priorities straight.

A wonderful film about making your dream come true. Smith has drawn versions of the Bone characters since he was a little kid, and in 1991 he started really creating and self-producing the comics. Which he finished 13 years later. Now one can buy (and I have) the Complete Bone, at 1300 pages an amazing testament to Smith's creativity and stamina. And it's one of the best comics ever, if you haven't read it come on by and borrow it.

Then two trolleys and a bus back to the motel, where Kasia and Diana had leftovers for the poor starving fangirl.

Sidebar: Meeting people at Comic-con: almost impossible unless you schedule it ahead of time. Yes, I saw my friend Michael twice, once while I was walking to the bus this night and he happened to see me from the Taco Bell there; the other, he was in an autograph line on Saturday and we were just about to leave. Kasia saw her friend Derrick twice in passing, same thing. We also kept trying to meet up with Mark London Williams, and even though we had each others' cell numbers, it just didn't happen. We managed to spend ten minutes together on Thursday and that was it. So yes, you can run into people you know, but don't expect to have actual conversations with them unless you plan it ahead of time.

So back to the motel, and after my incredibly satisfying 10:30 pm dinner of pizza and doughnuts (I'm not joking) we talked about Saturday.

I'm riding the trolleys, I said. It's really easy, and you can drive right to the station. And it's cheaper than trying to park downtown.

OPD:
11:00-12:00 Dark Horse: We Love Comics, Too!- Join director of public relations Jeremy Atkins and senior managing editor Scott Allie, along with a cast of top creators, for an exclusive preview of all that Dark Horse has to offer in the coming year. This is the big one! Dark Horse breaks the mold with a format you've never seen! With breaking news on all of your favorite Dark Horse titles, major announcements and surprise guests, be the first to know about heroes, horror, and more! Room 2

It was okay. There was some interesting stuff, like director John Landis sitting across the aisle, about eight feet from me. Not part of the presentation, he was just there because he was friends with the president of the company. The panel talked about what's happening with Buffy and Serenity comics, and the fact that they're making a Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service movie (love that series!). And a whole lot of stuff I wasn't so interested in. But overall? not so much of a much. I blew out of there at 11:40 and went over to see the end of the Terry Moore talk, and of course he was funny and charming and I loved his southern accent. In fact I liked him so much that I went to his booth and paid full price for his new book!

Go that way! I said, grabbing the camera, I want a picture of that guy!

So we went that way, in a just mindblowing crush of people, and at one point she said, look over there. There was a crowd of people five deep around a booth and flashes going off everywhere. I saw that Leonard Nimoy was signing! but the crowds were awful, and I still hoped to catch up to Samurai Postcard man, so we went on. Never saw him again, ah well.

So at 4 pm, Kasia and I met in the line to see the cartoonist Seth.

OPD:
5:00-6:00 Graphic Novels: Sense of History- There's a wonderful world of history awaiting you in numerous graphic novels available now. Whether it be real life stories adapting historical events to the comics form or fiction taking place in a specific time, these practitioners of the historical graphic novel are all presenting work at the top of their form. Moderator Randy Duncan (co-chair of the Comics Arts Conference) talks to Rick Geary (Treasury of XX Century Murder: Famous Players), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo), Jason Lutes (Berlin), Chris Schweizer (Crogan's Vengeance), and Eric Shanower (Age of Bronze) about their individual takes on history.

This was an amazing panel. I have read most of these guys' stuff, and like it all a lot. They had a good discussion about history, research, and story and how they do and do not go together, and what works and what doesn't. Very nice. Didn't like the moderator much, he seemed to be a last-minute replacement and kept saying that he had just read the books (obviously didn't really know these guys work well). But still an interesting panel.

So Kasia showed up part way into this panel. Afterwards she told me why she was late. I wanted to go see the Mythbusters at 7:15 in one of the big rooms. She thought she'd get in line for us early. And the security guards wouldn't let her start the line! they kept telling her to go inside, but she didn't want to because I would never have found her. So she gave up and joined me.

And sure enough, when we got out the mythbusters line was REALLY LONG. We talked about getting in it, but it was after 6 and dinner and an evening with the girls just seemed like the better choice. So we found Diana (thank you, cell phone!) and all took the trolley back to the car. We picked up food from Burger King (I love BK and NEVER get it at home) and came back and had a very nice evening, hanging out, talking, eating and packing.

OPD:
12:00-1:00 Spotlight on Bill Willingham- Both a master storyteller and an incredible artist, Bill Willingham has created a huge following for his bestselling books. His credits range from the DCU's Justice Society of America, Salvation Run and Robin to the already classic Vertigo titles Fables and Jack of Fables and the new House of Mystery.

And when we got there, there were abougt 8 people sitting up front. Willingham said he had nothing to say by himself, so he brought in the WHOLE FABLES PANEL who had done hte program the day before to just continue on with telling about what they were doing and answer questions. These were writers and artists from the series: Vertigo group editor Shelly Bond plus Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Matthew Sturges, Steve Leialoha, Lee Loughridge, Shawn McManus, Andrew Pepoy, Chris Roberson, Chrissie Zullo, and Todd Klein. Room 6DE And it was great. Funny, interesting, wonderful. Especially since we had not made it to the Fables panel the day before.

And has everyone seen the ONE PAGE FABLES STORY??? oh my god, what an intro...

And that was it. We decided to skip the Browncoats Fan Club, and left a little after 1 pm.

I loved this whole experience WAY more than I expected to, honestly; I thought it would be another case of, been to that convention, don't need to go any more. But as much as I travel, and as much fun as I have, this was different. I spent a whole weekend with MY OWN KIND, and DAMN it was wonderful. I've already made my motel reservations for next year; if you want to come and laugh and hang out and have the best time ever...you know how to contact me.

Jo the Nerd, signing off.