Emerald City Comicon Report: Saturday- Getting It Started!

By 8 a.m. Saturday morning Jim and I were down at the complimentary breakfast for some serious carb loading. Oatmeal and yogurt intake complete, we were ready to head out. By chance, we ran into Jonnie Allan in the elevator. Ascertaining that we were headed over to the con, he road with us and even paid for our parking. How nice is that? We later found out he is the genius behind Stykman. Not only is he very nice, but he has a great comic that drew quite a bit of interest. If you get a chance, check it out.

After a bit of wandering from the paid parking to the front of the building, we were ready to start things. Jim paced a bit, getting the lay of the land while I chilled in the booth. Our favorite retailers Randy and John were just kitty corner from us, so we were absolutely thrilled. If you ever go to a Seattle or Portland based con, they are the gentlemen to buy from. The booth is called "Randy's Reader Comics", and their prices are fair while supplying quality.

At 10 a.m., fans started filtering in. It was a bit disconcerting to be on the other side of the table. At first, I felt like a total fraud. People would come by and want to know what comic I created, and my answer was "I didn't. I am here promoting my blog and trying to raise some money for ACTOR". Sometimes the person would think it was cool; other times I got a blank look. Maybe blogs aren't as well known as I thought??

In attempting to get over my insecurity, I decided to just go with the flow. I saw Pamela and had a brief chat. She told us where Kirk was, as he was at the tables with Mercury Studios. Armed with that information, and thrilled that Pamela was there, I felt much better.

Not long after, the incomparable Laura from Bloggity-Blog-Blog-Blog came by with her lookalike sister Lisa. Both are super friendly, and a great deal of fun. I had my picture taken with her famous troll Torvald. What a wonderful idea! After a bit of conversation, the ladies were on their way, and I stayed at the booth, starting to enjoy the day.

By lunchtime, I was starving, so I left Jim to man the booth while I went in search of dietary food. Luckily, they had a beef teriyaki, so I was in business. While I snacked on my lunch, I was able to talk to several people. Many were intrigued at the thought of me having a booth exclusively devoted to my blog. I know it seems a bit egocentric, but I really feel the need to make an awareness of those of us out there doing our thing. I think we are a great community of diverse tastes, and I love having my own space to express myself.

The rest of the day passed rapidly. Laura and Lisa came by again and I was envious of the incredible sketches they got. Heh heh. My hubby tried to tempt Laura into buying Aquaman art, but she was strong and resisted the urge. As she and Lisa went on their way to continue the fun, I talked intermittently to my booth neighbor Joe. He is as sweet and funny as it comes, so it was a total pleasure. He and Shon were pretty busy all day with fans, and it was compelling to watch.

The night ended with a group of us going to dinner. We went to Red Robin on the pier and had a really enjoyable meal. The conversation and companionship were unparalleled. Mike, Brian, Joe, Shon, Pamela, and Kirk: you made my weekend! After dinner, it was back to the lounge for some beer and conversation. It was so much fun that I never wanted it to end. Alas, it was the night of the "Spring Ahead" time change, so it had to eventually. As Jim and I rolled to bed, I was content as could be. Sunday would be a good day.

Tomorrow: Sunday Comes Too Soon!