The Way In…
Big queue.
The crowds
The hordes
Geek Wear – Day 1
Geek Wear – Day 2
Jonathan Ross and Batmite. Yes, seriously.
TARDIS!
Robot!
DC Comics stand.
Cosplay Parade.
Cosplay finalists (Bane won).
Autograph 1 – Writer Paul Cornell
Autograph 2 – Artist Frank Quitely
Well, yesterday was a fantastic day, apart from the hour I spent trapped in a lift, so I’m looking forward to today. Here’s the journal again:
??:?? – Wake up ready to enjoy another day at Kapow.
5:50 – What d’you mean, 5:50?! AM?!
7:00 – Wake up ready to enjoy another day at Kapow.
7:55 – Check out of my hotel. I take the stairs.
8:45 – “Wait for the green man! Wait for the green man!” I hear a woman cry. Unfortunately she’s talking about traffic lights.
8:50 – There’s something about security here that seems needlessly intimidating. Darkseid is!
9:20 – Queuing again, this time next to bins.
9:50 – And we’re in! Early this time…
9:55 – So early I can’t do my pre-emptive trawl of the back issues cos no-one’s set up yet.
10:10 – Queuing! This time for the Mark Millar panel – Special guest stars!
10:46 – In the panel and just realising that the guy who ran over my foot with his suitcase may have been one of the guests. I won’t say who.
10:50 – No, it’s okay, it was a photographer who ran over my foot. Phew.
10:54 – Gah, stop half-announcing things! Millar/Quitely, Millar/Gibbons, but no information! It was the same with the DC panel…
12:00 – I wish I had a cattle prod…
12:16 – Vintage Red Dwarf t-shirts always strike me as being a fandom so far and I’m not sure why. I think it may be a lack of timelessness…
12:20 – Okay, do I try to get into the movie premiere or do I get my favourite Superman comic signed? Or try to do both? I don’t know what to do…
12:21 – On the one hand, the premiere could be really cool, especially if it’s something I want to see. And it’ll be 100% geek audience.
12:24 – But it’s always better going to the cinema with people who matter to you, y’know? Friendship trumps 100% geekery.
12:28 – On the other hand, that issue of All Star Superman means something. It’s my favourite issue because of what it says about the character and about how we should relate to other people. Comics at the moment often feel like either OTT spectacle (which is fine, but…) or trademark placeholders for a potential movie. All Star Superman #10 doesn’t feel like that – it’s got soul, if that’s not too corny.
12:35 – So I guess the question becomes about what the central element of conventions is – the big publicity stuff, which is cool to talk about afterwards, or the interaction with the creators, which is quieter and more personal, but which gives you the chance to say thank you for a work that means something to you?
12:40 – If the premiere was the first two episodes of the new Doctor Who, hosted by Matt Smith and Steven Moffat, I’d be queuing there now. But that’s because I love Doctor Who.
12:41 – And every time I talk about loving Superman comics, I talk about All Star Superman #10 and The Hug On The Roodtop. And I guess it sounds weird that I feel like I should say thank you for that.
12:51 – I’ve just talked myself out of the premiere, haven’t I? And I feel a bit strange about that because I think it would have been cool. Just less important.
13:03 – Outside, in the civilian world, someone cosplaying as the Black Cat from Spider-Man is about to cause a car accident…
13:25 – Heart triumphs over spectacle – I’m in the Frank Quitely autograph queue.
15:13 – I now have a signed All Star Superman #10!
15:20 – Someone’s cosplaying as Superted. That was unexpected…
15:31 – Just seen a sign saying that the Mystery Movie was rated 18, which means it wasn’t one of the Big Three summer comic book movies. Still no idea what it could have been though…
16:00 – Lots of people congratulating Bane on winning the cosplay competition. That’s cool.
16:10 – Last queue of the weekend – the cloakroom.
16:20 – And so my first convention ends and it’s been great, apart from Doctor Who‘s conspicuous absence (it’s not comics but nor is Merlin and that was there) and getting stuck in a lift. Thanks to everyone who organised the event, hope 2012 can build on the success.
Finally, a big thank you to my friend Sudge, who bought my ticket but then couldn’t attend himself. Mate, you’d've loved it but don’t worry, we’ll get you into the comic industry some other way…
PS: SAN DIEGO HERE WE COME!!!
For the next two days I will be in London attending my first comic convention, Kapow Comic Con. This is my journal…
8:10 – Where the heck is this place?
8:15 – My map’s broken.
8:20 – Haha! Found it! And sweet zombie Santa on a pogo stick, that’s a bit of a queue…
8:35 – Now actually in the queue after purchasing a Tesco sausage and egg sandwich for breakfast.
8:40 – First cosplayers! Joker, Penguin, Riddler and Harley Quinn. Harley has a giant mallet.
8:55 – Ted Kord Blue Beetle cosplayer! Respect!
9:10 – Okay, now we’re late. And also a bit cold.
9:17 – And we’re in!
9:18 – http://www.hireatardis.com. Awesome.
9:20 – And we’re in another queue…
9:22 – I should add some context: I’m queuing for the Jonathan Ross Fans v Pros Gameshow. And respect to the staff, they’re doing a good job.
9:25 – I think queuing is going to be a bit of a theme of this weekend. Note to my SDCC 2012 homies: make sure you’ve got comfy shoes.
9:26 – Actually, I was talking to a guy from Holland in the queue outside. “You queue well here,” he said, “This could be chaos, but… No problem.”
11:06 – Can’t believe I’ve just watched Jonathan Ross sitting next to Batmite.
11:07 – Also Bane on a mobile phone.
11:47 – New queue! This time for the DC Comics panel. This is my team, so I queue willingly and without complaint.
11:49 – My feet hurt.
11:57 – You know, I’m resigning myself to the idea that I’m not going to be able to get anything signed. None of the times are working out. Kinda disappointed really, especially as I’m taking a bit of a risk…
12:01 – No, I won’t say what that risk is. I don’t want to potentially affect the outcome on the quantum level.
12:03 – Maybe this is a convention dilemma: Risk something you’d like against something you’d love… or, conversely, something you’d hate.
12:19 – I’ve just seen the top of Paul Cornell’s head.
13:30 – Nice enough DC panel, but they’re keeping too much under wraps (for San Diego?)…
13:45 – Change of plan, I’m going to get my first edition of Doctor Who: Human Nature signed by Paul Cornell. It’s the best DW book of the lot, I’m going for it!
14:15 – Got my book signed! Made my day
14:20 – Okay, lunch.
14:25 – I think these guys on the front door may be ex-CIA. Not quite in keeping with the chilled out nerd vibe of the rest of the con.
15:07 – Okay, time to start queuing again, this time for the Mystery Panel. Hoping this pays off.
15:10 – I’ve got cravings. I really want a seat and an ice cream. I can’t see either.
15:13 – Also maybe a shower.
15:27 – If I hand in my mobile and camera when I go to the Marvel Movies panel later and I don’t get them back, does that mean Stan Lee owes me an iPhone?
15:29 – I don’t care if you’re dressed all eccentric and inappropriately for the weather conditions, if you’ve jumped this queue I’ll…
15:53 – It’s getting hot and claustrophobic. The queuing system is starting to collapse. This way lies anarchy!!!
16:02 – Okay, mystery panel. Noel Clarke (Mickey from Doctor Who and, I think, one of the writers from SFX magazine are up front. Don’t know what that points to – some kind of project launch? Is that really all that much of a surprise?
16:08 – Ahh, so Noel is the surprise. That’s okay, that’s cool. I thought he’d been confirmed as a guest anyway, so I’m not sure the ‘surprise’ element worked, but whatever.
16:50 – Good panel. Noel speaks sense.
17:29 – Anarchy! The queuing honour system is collapsing and I’m not going to see the Thor panel, despite technically being to early. That’s annoying, but respect to the people who’ve been queuing three hours, I guess…
17:30 – This also means I won’t get a iPhone out of Stan Lee..
18:00 – Wait, the Thor cast are going to be at the IGN games stand. Haha! Who needs the film clips?!
18:02 – Thor cast are gonna be late.
18:19 – Thor cast are gonna be later.
18:40 – Thor cast are gonna be later.
18:43 – Thor‘s costume designer is here. I can’t leave, it would be like betraying all the people who’ve been padding for 45 minutes…
18:45 – Thor cast are here!
18:51 – Okay, nearly 19:00, gonna call it a day and grab something to eat. For tomorrow is the Mystery Movie Premiere and a trawl through the back issue boxes…
