My Trip to San Diego Comic Con

SDCC 10 recap

Wow- only 3 weeks later, but hey- it was a large con!  I was also hoping to get some pictures online-- but maybe after the weekend.

Sorry I didn't get a post before I left, but for those not in the know- I went to San Diego Comic Con this year with my girlfriend Jenn. I had been to the 2007 Comic-con, but this time I had come along toting business cards and a portfolio, (woot!) So- what were the highlights and how did I make out? Here's a handy dandy list:

1) Alex Sinclair

By far, the highlight was having my portfolio reviewed by Alex Sinclair . Jenn and I were wandering the (artists) alleys, and when we happened upon his table when he happened to be unnaccosted by other customers. I immediately reached out, shook his hand and told him that I use the colors from the book "hush" as a reference when I'm coloring my own pages. And, (similar to when I ran into steve oliff)- he offered to look at my colors. That immediately qualifies as awesome in my book.
To sum up his advice- he recommended I try adding a second layer of cuts to my work when I use cuts, and he also reinforced the notion of the core shadow (which- funny thing, is the same thing steve oliff said.... ).
We came away buying one of his prints, at first I wanted a Batman one, but Jenn wanted the triumverate because it had Wonderwoman, and in retrospect I'm glad we went with her selection.


2) TRON LEGACY
Disney did something way freakin awesome to promote the movie, and if it hadn't been for our ambling search for nonconvention food, we'd never have found it.
On saturday, Jenn and I decided we wanted non-convention food for lunch, so we hit the avenues and then ended up looking up fast food places. We got some directions to a nearby subway and started crossing over blocks on our way there. Well, we came around one corner and I saw a relatively blank facade to an abandoned building and the word "flynns" in neon hanging over it. Jenn probably wondered if I had a sudden sex change at the way I squeeled. There was a little line outside, so Jenn and I resolved to get some food first and check it out.

Basically, the building they had used had previously been a bar (as near as I can gather). In the front portion of the building they had an arcade that was seperated into 2 halves, one in which you could play old 80's coin-op arcade games (dig-dug, pacman, and i think i saw a Space Harrier) - and on the other half you could test out the new tron video game that will accompany the movie (it plays awesome!).
If you didn't pay attention though, you would end up thinking that was it and walk out the front door, or be mystified if the doormen wouldn't let you out the front. In the back there was a "hidden" door that led you into a second room with a diorama of the scanner equipment they used in the movie. Frankly- it looked like there was something they were trying to do, and it didn't work, so the room was kind of bleh.
But Fortunately the last room made up for that, because in it they made a reconstruction of "the end of the line club", a set in the movie. It was basically a bar with a raised lounge in the center and an illuminated floor. Three of the bars walls were covered by huge jumbotrons, and then there where additional wall fixtures to complete the look. THe walls and the floor were the main sources of lights in the room, and made for a surreal and very awesome experience. Every 5 minutes or so, they would show the trailer for the film on the wall displays.

3) Portfolio Reviews
I got really lucky when I hit the portfolio review aisle in that I signed up for 3 reviews, and ended up with 2 (missed out on one from disney).
Radical Publishing
Radical publishing has an artstyle that is vastly different from mine, but the editor I spoke to seemed interested enough in my artwork to give me her e-mail and I'll have to make good on sending her more samples.
Committed Comics
Committed Comics had two very fun dudes working the table, and they recommended I try some sample pages from their website.

4)Small Press
I found myself showing my portfolio off a lot in the small press area of the center, and that was a surprise to me. But after a little bit of yammerin about what was on the table, it was almost impossible not to share what I had tucked under my arm.
Of the small press books I bought, my proudest procurements were "The cartoon introduction to Economics" and "The American Constitution." Jenn and I having the treat of talking with the artist on the second book who had also been a guest on the Rachel Maddow show (another personal fave of mine).

5)Panels
I pretty much only do the "how-to" panels when I go to the cons, and the best of these was "how to break into comics." Ironically- it was being put on by the director of www.comicsexperience.com , so I first thought I was being sucked into an infomercial. But the panel and the advice from the others was very helpful.

(funny side story- the panel quickly delved into the lifestyle of a freelancer, and one of them asked "out of everyone here, how many of you can say you were up at 3am last sunday working?"- I actually had to think for a moment because i had been up working on 3am several days the week prior. Anyway- out of a room of probably 60 or 70 people, I was the only one that raised my hand)

The worst panel was the "writing for comics"- but mostly because they focussed more on lifestyle of the writer and it's demands than they shared anything useful about creating stories, so that's personal opinion there.

I was amazed at the turnout for the "hi-fi" coloring for comics panel. (www.hifidesign.com/) the room was full- maybe 300 or 400 people.  Looks like there are a lot of us wannabe colorists out there.  I'm not a big fan of the Hi-Fi book (their advice for flatters is way off), but I was very impressed with how much of a great team Kristy and Brian Millar are, and i've even caved and bought their "more advanced" book: www.amazon.com/Master-Digital-…

I also came away from the Con having a better idea of what I want to do with my portfolio, and with the next big con in october in Long Beach, I need to get crackin.