Monday, July 22, 2013

Getting All Up in ComicCon, First Time Styles Edition

Can you believe with all my Star Trekking and comic-booking and nerd love fangirling that I've never attended ComicCon in San Diego until this year?

A good friend who attends on industry passes invited me along this year, and I jumped at the chance to go to geek mecca.

Also, I heard a little show called Sherlock would panel this year.










Oh girl, it was ON.

We packed up and made the 6 hour trek down from the Bay to pit stop in Los Angeles for a few days prior, down Interstate 5. Usually the flats are a wasteland, we were lucky it was an unusually GORGEOUS drive. We're cool like that.













A few days of shopping and dranks and shoring up sleep in LA, and we headed to the Con.

We arrived.













It was MADNESS.













(This is like, 1/8 of the floor.)

And we had a great time. I could go on and on about the displays (BBC America's Doctor Who fashions over the years was stellar), or the cool orgs tabling (Kirby Museum! Comic Book Legal Defense Fund!) or the nice artists we chatted with (Brom!) but what I was really struck by was not only the sheer massive volume of geekery on display and in conversation, but at how absolutely wonderful we geeks are. It's not merely a back-patting, it's the truth. In an enormous mass of excited and sometimes bulkily-attired people, every time I was bumped I received an "excuse me" or "sorry." On several occasions we were witness to expensive electronics being found and turned in immediately. Everyone was stoked to be with their people, and I must say I was so impressed with the camaraderie and friendliness and willingness to talk about nerd love in a rational (and may I say, Vulcan-like, even!) manner that was displayed over my 4 days in geek heaven.

Ah, and alas, the Sherlock panel was not to be on my agenda as it looks like any panel of extreme note (this one had Stephen Moffat, Mark Gatiss, and Sue Vertue) required overnight campouts in line. And when it comes to that kind of fangirling, saudade does. not. play. Also of note: Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch sent their regards via video, but they did not attend -- something I was a bit surprised by given not only Sherlock, but their current roles in that bastion of geekery, The Hobbit, AND Cumberbatch's roles in both the recent Star Trek and as Julian Assange in the upcoming The Fifth Estate.

So, yeah...I was a bit taken aback at the underrepresentation of Sherlock at the Con, given there was a significant panel, A-list star profiles/projects, and a growing American fanbase (my own recent Cumberbatching may have influenced this as well, but STILL, c'maaaaan). Even the BBC America booth only had what looked like a hastily put-together and half-assed t-shirt (which, ok, yes, I attempted to buy but it was sold out in my size. What?! I am that person.)

Anyway, I'm still a bit high from the nerd love holiday I just experienced. Lovely, lovely time, and I am definitely planning on attending again next year.

Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, November 10, 2011

I've been cooling on Neil Gaiman lately, for ridiculous reasons unrelated to his writing that I will not go into here. Lovely bloke at each reading I've been to of his, but...oh, let's not talk about that when he's just an itty piece of my post, m'kay?

I know the departure of David "phwoar, come to my man-harem" Tennant as Doctor Who was eons ago, but as a yank I am really just getting to know Matt Smith as the new Doctor. Was very sad about the latest regeneration, but as all Doctors do, he is growing on me. Amy and Rory, however? I was on board from the beginning.

Those things said, "The Doctor's Wife" (spoilers at the link, sweetie) -- written by Gaiman -- was possibly the best episode ever. Really, truly.













I wanted to see the universe, so I stole a Timelord and ran away. You were the only one mad enough.

Positively brilliant. And I mean, brilliant. Deliciously romantic and terribly clever.

So, am back in the saddle again boys, on both counts.

Labels: , , , , , ,