Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics.misc
From: [r--pp--d] at [qualcomm.com] (Ron "Asbestos" Dippold)
Subject: Re: San Diego Comic Con - Random Thoughts 2
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1993 00:14:37 GMT

(Yes, feel free to copy to COMICS-L, no need to ask this time).

Random ramblings again, more Beanworld, Miracleman, Hepcats info in here...

Another day at the con!  A day for focusing this time, as compared to
the skimming of last time.

One nasty thing about weekends - all the parents can take their ten
year olds, who again never watch where they're going.  A method that
worked well for me today is not to give when they run into you.  Wham!
Maybe they'll pay a bit more attention.

The Artists Arena is really impressive this year.  The Comic Con laid
out a big portion of space for professionals to sign and talk.  This
is good.  The bad side is that it makes it hard to find a specific
person - I had a hell of a time finding Martin Wagner.

With the amount of booths, people, and all other factors, I'm
surprised there isn't more shoplifting.  There was more than one time
when I could have easily wandered away with something if I'd felt like
it.  That would be wrong, of course, but there were a few who didn't
feel that way.  I saw one preteen get hauled away for trying it.

Found a Magebook 1, and the book starting at issue 12, but nothing in
between.   Waah!  The non-DC/Marvel/Image stuff was harder to find
this year, I thought.  Eclipse Comics had a big backissue pile, which
was a bright spot - I got a complete set of Beanworlds (Okay, 1-7 were
in trade paperback form, much cheaper), including the Scout, Giant
Minicomics, and Total Eclipse appearances, plus most of ZO!T, including
the ZOT! in Dimension 10 1/2 doohickey.  I wish more companies would
do this.

Got to talk a bit more to Larry Marder today, spotted the photocopy
rough for Beanworld 21 peeking out, and got to glance through it.  I
wasn't hugely impressed with Beanworld #20 (as compared to the other
Beanworlds, that is, it's way above almost anything else), but this
looks GOOD!  It's mostly a flashback to when Proffy first discovered
the four realities, but there's other stuff going on - the cuties are
fully mobile now and can speak pretty well now (awwwwww), I won't give
any more away.  This should be hitting stores in November or so.
Larry said that Beanworld 20 (0) is not in the stores right now, but
hopefully will be there in the next week or so - the issues at the con
are hot off the presses just in time for the convention.  Hi from
Larry to all the Gunk'L'Dunk people, and look for a message from him.
I grabbed a Beanworld Apocrypha and BW Zero ashcan, plus of course the
Beanworld action figure, and a Beanwold pog.  Gave Larry my own "Mr.
Spook" hypothesis, which he says is real close, but "nobody's going to
figure it out."

Pog?  Yes!  These things are basically cardboard milk bottle tops,
think of them as a small round trading card.  They are a mania in
Hawaii and all the companies are trying to get a similar craze going
on the mainland - there were lots of booths giving them out, and one
that pretty much specialized in them.  Eclipse was giving out "Spawn
Spogs."

The Beanworld thing transfers to Miracleman 24 as well - it hasn't
gotten to stores yet, so Don't Panic!  I'm itching to discuss it, but
will hold off until then.  And 25 shouldn't take so long.

On to Martin Wagner - The Collegiate Hepcat paperbacks and hardbacks
are out, I bought the paperback there.  If you haven't got yours yet,
it should be very soon.  The Cerebus backup apparently did them a
whole bunch of good. The next issue of Hepcats is apparently on its
way as well, although he didn't have a photocopy there. They had the
first issue of their newsletter there, I'll post here pretty soon with
the subscription info.  Hi from Martin to all the Usenetters.

Jeff Smith's table was busy again all day with Bone signing - a
positive sign!  Bone #10 should be here next month.

I was amazed at how openly bootleg stuff was being sold, especially
video tapes.  One guy had "Heavy Metal" prominently displayed on his
table along with other tapes with photocopied covers.

They had a painting auction going on while I was there - the pros
would paint something on stage, and then they'd auction it off.  I'm
not sure who the money was going to, but there was a lot of it!  An
oil painting of Batman went for $1100 (admittedly, it was pretty
damned impressive, but...)

Talked to Marc Hempel, look for Gregory IV coming this fall - a bit
different this time, he's out of the asylum.  Hempel is also going to
be the Sandman artist from #57 on up.  You wouldn't think it to look
at Gregory, but if you've seen his other work, he's pretty impressive.
He had a Sandman drawing there, and I thought it looked quite good.

I swear that a quarter of the pros there must have had pictures of
(Sandman's) Death, were drawing pictures of Death, had sculptures of
Death, or were drawing something that looked suspiciously like Death.

The Milestone guys were even busier today than they were the last time
I saw them - I'm sure it didn't hurt to be in the big DC display, but
there were a lot of folks lined up specifically to talk to them and
get stuff signed.  Too long a line for me to stand in, but it's nice
to see.

Disappointments: I was totally unable to find Epicurus the Sage part
2, or Stanley and His Monster 4 (Foglio was there, as in the first
report, but he only had Palliard Press stuff with him).  I never saw
Rob Liefeld or Todd McFarlane.... (hah, just kidding, that's not a
disappointment). 

Summary: I spent WAY too much money.  My feet hurt.  My "to read" pile
is intimidating.  The crowds were a pain (though better than last
year).  Drinks cost way too much.  It was great!  I already registered
for next year, and if you're anywhere within 500 miles of San Diego
(more if you can get a sucker, er, buddy to drive as well), you really
ought to be here next year.


-- 
If 'if' statements had no 'then' clauses,