Comic-Con 2010 - Part One
This is somewhere in the neighborhood of my 30th San Diego Comic-Con in a row. I seriously need a break, never more than today.
You see for years in my never-ending quest to cut costs I have been searching in vain for what I referred to as my own great white whale; a condo for six people within walking distance to the convention center and at roughly, if not less, the same costs of two hotel rooms. With the cost of everything (not just exhibiting, but everything in every aspect of business in life) spiraling upwards and sales spiraling downwards, getting cheaper digs this year became an imperative.
Like Ahab I scoured the internet looking high and low for my elusive prey. Seems like I was late to the condo idea and lots of people were booking condos during Comic-Con. With a noted deficiency of hotel rooms in the downtown area and with most eating establishments trending to the high-priced expense account crowd staying in a condo where you could cook your own meals seemed to be the thing to do. Most places were either too expensive or booked.
But, hunt I did until I found one just off the beaten path. A cool looking place with a nice lofty feel. It was configured so that people who know each other as well as my crew does would feel not just comfortable, but downright at home staying here. When we arrived yesterday I thought I had found it, but just as finding Moby Dick would wind up sinking the Pequad so does finding my own elusive prey seemingly threaten my journey and my own crew's well-being.
Our condo is a ground floor unit, populating the upstairs unit is a family of early-rising thoroughbreds who race around their apartment at 6:00 AM. Things hit a height of absurdity for us when we heard the sound of someone going "Nononononono NOOOO.... " followed by a large "WHAM!" Not sure what that was all about, but we all called no joy on trying to sleep by 6:30, made coffee and proceeded to, well, make the best of it.
We swore thought that come 11:30 tonight, we would have our revenge.
Six days and a wake-up. Set-up starts today. More later assuming I don't kill anyone.
We are one day in to a six seven day marathon and I have already
You see for years in my never-ending quest to cut costs I have been searching in vain for what I referred to as my own great white whale; a condo for six people within walking distance to the convention center and at roughly, if not less, the same costs of two hotel rooms. With the cost of everything (not just exhibiting, but everything in every aspect of business in life) spiraling upwards and sales spiraling downwards, getting cheaper digs this year became an imperative.
Like Ahab I scoured the internet looking high and low for my elusive prey. Seems like I was late to the condo idea and lots of people were booking condos during Comic-Con. With a noted deficiency of hotel rooms in the downtown area and with most eating establishments trending to the high-priced expense account crowd staying in a condo where you could cook your own meals seemed to be the thing to do. Most places were either too expensive or booked.
But, hunt I did until I found one just off the beaten path. A cool looking place with a nice lofty feel. It was configured so that people who know each other as well as my crew does would feel not just comfortable, but downright at home staying here. When we arrived yesterday I thought I had found it, but just as finding Moby Dick would wind up sinking the Pequad so does finding my own elusive prey seemingly threaten my journey and my own crew's well-being.
Our condo is a ground floor unit, populating the upstairs unit is a family of early-rising thoroughbreds who race around their apartment at 6:00 AM. Things hit a height of absurdity for us when we heard the sound of someone going "Nononononono NOOOO.... " followed by a large "WHAM!" Not sure what that was all about, but we all called no joy on trying to sleep by 6:30, made coffee and proceeded to, well, make the best of it.
We swore thought that come 11:30 tonight, we would have our revenge.
Six days and a wake-up. Set-up starts today. More later assuming I don't kill anyone.
We are one day in to a six seven day marathon and I have already
Comments
I was lost at that giant con that I skipped registration and just stood in awe of it for awhile. 14 yrs Old, no friends, in a strange city at the biggest comic con in the world. Well, my world. Feeling lost and overwhelmed I did what II hope any smart kid would do in my shoes. I walked right up to the volounteer desk and garnered myself the true conkids badge. My unlimited access to craft service, a place to crash and as many VIPS as I could fetch water for.The Badge of Gopher Power.
That was a awesome year for me. If you were there then you probably heard that some ass wang had tried to run off Detective Comics#27 Batman. Signed first print, mint condition.
My fellow gopher and I are the two who caught the guy. Just as he was trying to go out one service fire exits off the main floor.
Man as soon as I heard the announcement over the PA I was shocked that someone had actually nabbed it. I mean that thing was the holy grail of American comics as far as I was concerned. I didnt even read batman either.
Just as they gave his description, "Grey hooded sweatshirt green backpack" He walked right past me. I didnt notice or do anything till he was halfway out the door and I saw the hood and green backpack.
LOL I was a runty 14yr old but I freaking leapt on the kid. I say kid now but he was as good as a man to me back then.Must have been about 19 or so. My buddy just freaking stood there while I wrapped myself around the guys legs so he couldnt get any further. But he did jump up and down and yell and wave his arms alot. Which had the con cops on him fast as shit.
You funny thing about that, I still never got to see the comic, or even hold it. I did have a few nice bruise from him beating me with the backpack though. They had that thing in a double paned vacuum , sealed 1/4 inch Plexiglas protector.
So while I cant say that I have even seen detective comics#27 up close and personal. I think I am probably the only man alive who has been beat with a $147,000.00 comic book. at least I think thats what the auction went for at the time.
While typing this I looked up it's current value and even a complete and only slightly mangled copy is about to auction for 400,000.00 Sounds like the one I rescued auctioned for over 1 million a few years ago.
You know what, after checking current comic collectibles value I feel like sending my mom a fuck you card, and I love my mom.
In 1989, after about 7 moves in 2 years and twice as many schools. My mom screwed the pooch. Thinking they were just comics and not important, and that I had read them all anyhow she left behind two of my boxes when packing. I unfortunatley was visiting a relative.
Those two boxes were my golden boxes. Original art from everyone you can imagine. Perez, Burne, Miller, Carl Infantino, Mike Grell and a new guy who had just started out on the scene named Neil Gaiman. Strangely enough all my friends thought I was delusional about my claims of genius in regards to Sandman and Constantine.
That lasted about 1 year. Suddenly every hot chick my friends knew were suddenly reading comic books and I still had all my originals from that publisher. I swear this girl screwed me just for the chance to read my original first season of Sandman. Which was fine by me, ahh what good memories, teenage sex and comic books. She layed there naked on my bed reading her little heart out, and I rested my head on her cute lil ass and read Crisis of the Infinite earths.
Holy nostalgic filibustering Danman!
I gotta go to sleeep.
Hopefully my way back machine moment will impart some of the joy of those times to you.
Good luck with your sales.