I got five hours of sleep last night, yet managed to navigate the show fairly well.

Basically, my brain was on the same power-saving strategy my smart phone was using, and aside from weary feet, I managed quite well.

I had various panels scheduled, but after seeing the line for the JMS workshop, gave up.  Instead, I walked the margins of the sales floor, starting with The Block in 3E (where the cool kids hang out), then crowd surfing over to 3A where many small booths and retailers were located.  I ended the day in the last aisle of the book publishers, and made an amazing discovery!  (Scroll down to find out!)  My crazy comics quest this year: issues of Angel Love.  Not a copy to be found.  But I did pick up some cheap, low grade comics, and looked at lots of comics art.  (Juiciest piece?  A multipanel page of John Byrne and Murphy Anderson, starting with Krypton on the left and ending with ??? on the right… looked like four interlocking covers, but drawn on a single comics art board.  Way out of my league, but oh my…)

Here are the photos I took today.  These are from my cell, so don’t expect anything too fancy.

SAMSUNG
One of many Iron Man figures, over at… Yes Anime.
SAMSUNG
Felix the Cat has a big booth over in aisle 900, and I loved the expression of this figurine! (And I know the Beatrix is a Felix fan, and it’s always a good idea to keep the boss happy.)
SAMSUNG
The view north.  Taken from the grand staircase.
SAMSUNG
The view from the third floor, just outside the main entrance to the sales floor. (And right next to the show offices entrance, and an intriguing spiral staircase which leads to the catwalk above the Crystal Palace.)
SAMSUNG
There is a retailer which sells just Lego minifigs. (Actually, the online store sells all sorts of Lego parts.) On display were AFOL Doctor Who daleks and TARDISes, and at least one TARDIS had a sound chip attached!
I’m sure the plans are online for the mini-daleks. Dunno if there’s a critter inside.
SAMSUNG
I discovered the First Second booth late in the day, and Maris Wicks was busy signing “store stock” of her book, Primates, written by Jim Ottaviani! So, continuing with my collection, here is her self portrait!
We had a nice chat about comics, and I was teased that Mr. O has a secret book in the works, but is also working on a Turing biography with Leland Purvis!
If you want to read her work, check out the first issue of the recent Batman: Black and White series, where she wrote a comedy of errors involving Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy.

And I stopped by the Andrews McMeel booth, where Brooke McEldowney was signing copies of the fifth and sixth 9 Chickweed Lane collections.  (Go.  Read.)  While at the booth, I chatted with David Stanford, who overseas the Comics Sherpa service on GoComics.  Another nice chat, about the various books AM is publishing, especially the AMP! books for kids!

Oh!  Almost forgot!  The surprise!

Sam_HeughanSo… I continued along publisher’s row, and discovered, on the corner, a spartan display with a logo reading “Outlander”.  Wait… could it be…  there were small buildings, and some teleplays… and Starz will be airing the show in early 2014!  More men in kilts on television!  Speaking in Scottish brogue!  So I got to talking with the booth rep, who hadn’t read the series, but knew a bit about the show.  I warned her that there would be backlash when Jamie Fraser is cast, as every reader has their own image in their head.  But I’m sure Sam Heughan will do just fine!

I did suggest that, in the future, they call up the local Scottish Society and hire a booth bohunk to wear a kilt and stop whatever traffic wanders by the booth!  No… not a kilt… a belted plaid!

I did rush downstairs to the panel room, but it was standing room only, and I wasn’t able to get in.

I tried to retire to the Press Room for a bit of relaxation, but it was closed at 7 PM!  (Yet panels and programming were still going on!  WTF!)  So I found the new FedEx Office office, which is much improved from the old closets (which have been demolished).  Off to pick up my bag, and head home for a decent night’s sleep.

Comments are closed.