Seattle Comicard Convention is an Absolute Winner

Layman and Brubaker: Pull My Finger
Originally uploaded by Heidi Meeley.

Yesterday was the Seattle Comicard Show, and it was most definitely an intimate, casual affair. I felt like we were in on a secret no one else was in on, as there were tons of great deals everywhere and the access to creators was unprecedented. My hubby and I had a most excellent time, and are still quite pleased with ourselves at the end result.

We decided to drive over to Seattle Friday night so we didn’t have to get up too early on Saturday. That was a wise choice, as we had a restful, calm evening. We went to the Hurricane Club for an excellent meal and a couple of beers for me then headed back to the hotel. I fell asleep before 10 p.m. and Jim followed soon after.

The next morning we were up early because of our restful evening. We headed over to McDonalds for our traditional carb loading. I almost had a meltdown because some random asshole parked so close to my car that I couldn’t get it out without hitting there mirror. I stormed into McDonalds, and even though there were police in there breakfasting, proceeded to terrorize the restaurant trying to find the guilty party. Since no one fessed up, I had to very carefully pull out, crying hysterically. I barely missed the mirror, thank God. Randomly swearing, we drove over to the Seattle Center.

Of course, we were the first ones in line. It was 8:30 a.m. and said event didn’t start until 10 a.m. At least we weren’t alone long. Fellow Comic Art Fan Eric came in behind us, and we had a wonderful chat about old school 80’s Metal concerts while waiting. About 9:30, our friends and class “A” retailers John and Randy pulled up. John came over and let us into the con, where we proceeded to catch up. Unfortunately, there was a little “encounter” with Convention Head Steve Miner that left us a bit unsettled, and even a bit alienated. Hopefully it was a one time incident, as we admire and appreciate Mr. Miner very much. I don’t want to get into details, as it wasn’t exactly an international incident. All I will say is this: Steve, we would pay double to get into your con anytime, so our apologies for any confusion.

At 10 am things started rolling, so Jim went over to see Mike McKone, the splendid artist of Fantastic Four. He was incredible, sketching beautiful pieces that astounded all of us. Jim got an awesome Kyle Rayner head sketch, and I got a Ms. Marvel sketch. Mr. McKone was very polite and sweet. I was really impressed. One thing Jim and I didn’t expect was that he had an accent. That just scored even more points in my mind.

Our friend Brian was there, which made the event that much better. Brian is a good guy that Jim met through the Cross Gen boards and continued to talk to at Broken Frontier. He is one of the smartest guys I have ever had the privilege of talking to, and we had a great deal of fun cooking up some ideas for next year that I can’t share just yet.

I had a really nice talk with Quenton from QEW Publishing. His company has great things cooking with Angel Gate. Go check it out if you get a chance. Quenton is the real deal. He is passionate about comics and he is passionate about business, so I look to see much more of him in the future.

Infamous from his inclusion in this week’s Lying In The Gutters, John Layman arrived a bit late with Mr. “I resurrected Bucky” Ed Brubaker. Casual and funny, these two were the life of the party. Because of the size of the con, Jim, our friend Brian, and I actually got to talk to them for a bit. I immediately asked John about his infamy, and he told me that he may show up again in this next week’s column, so I am holding my breath in anticipation. I heard the story about his San Diego con party, but have decided to keep it on the D.L. if nothing else then not to ruin reputations or build legends!

John is a funny, relaxed guy. If you ever see his stuff, go buy it. He is a seasoned writer, and his Xena #1 from D.E. is good reading. He is also working on Scarface with IDW, and that will be another chance to check him out. He also has the coolest project ever coming down the pipeline, so keep your eyes peeled.

Ed Brubaker regaled us with some stories that had us rolling. My hubby had a good talk with him about Daredevil, Foggy, Captain America, and Bucky. We are quite anxious for his Icon book Criminal to come out. That will be Brubaker at his finest. Big recommendation here: If you haven’t been reading Brubaker, start. This guy is the real deal.

Jim also got a couple of sketches done by Jason Metcalf. He had him to Starfire for me and a surprise sketch for a friend of his. Metcalf’s work is incredible. I will post his sketch here soon.

Feeling rich in creator conversation, we also proceeded to shop. I am thrilled to death. I got a copy of Wonder Woman #100 from the first series. It is in great shape, and it is a landmark issue. My wonderful husband bought me issue #80 of the same series, and it features the origin of the Invisible Plane. I am definitely in heaven to get these two issues.

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, so we had to head back home to reality. Jim had to work today, so we left Seattle about 3:15. Happy with the day, but hating to leave we said our goodbyes and headed down the highway.

I wish more people would have attended the con. My worst fear is that this show will go away if not enough of us support it. Please, please, please! If you are ever able, attend the Seattle Comicard Convention. It is a wonderful show, with the best retailers around, and top shelf creators. It is definitely worth the time, so please don’t forget about it! We had a wonderful time, and are willing to share!