[Groop] Tone's Baltimore Comic Con report - #2

[Tone]

	So I left off the first part of my Baltimore Comic Convention
report after looking for Groo merchandise with no luck. Since I was done
with everything I had intended to do I simply returned to Sergio's booth
to see if I could offer some assistance and/or just hang out until his
2:00pm panel.
	I did not actually join his line since I had been through it
before, but instead chose to stand along its side. This gave me a better
view overlooking Sergio's booth and enabled me to interact with some of
the people on line. As before Sergio's line was just about as long as it
had been earlier. He was too busy to notice me return, but I did not
mind because I got to see him in action.

	While I was along side Sergio's line there was a young woman,
who had an old issue of MAD, which I vaguely recognized. I asked her is
that was the first copy of MAD, which Sergio ever appeared in. Her
answer was simply flipping it open to Sergio's MAD look at the space
program. I just gave her a thumb up and said "Nice!" with a smile as a
response. Shortly after she asked me whether she should have Sergio
autograph the cover or the actual pages of Sergio's first MAD
submission. I told her I thought she should have him sign the actual
pages, but knowing Sergio he would most likely probably be willing to do
something on both.

	As the line progressed there was one fan, who presented Sergio
with TWO of the fifty sketch cards! He had them in individual card
plates, and was just showing them to Sergio to see his reaction.
Obviously I immediately recognized them as sketch cards across the table
and asked if they were indeed sketch cards. Sergio said he did not even
have one himself, and the fan said he knew that, which was why he wanted
to show them to Sergio.
	I told the fan I had one myself and he was extremely lucky. He
asked me if I wanted to take a look myself, and I of course said I did.
Like a fool, initially I did not think to take a photo of the sketch
cards he had, and I honestly can not even remember what they looked like
at all. After I handed them back to the guy I did bring up the Groop
with him, and he said he was aware of it. Perhaps he will pop up in the
Groop list some time.
	When I told the fan with the two sketch cards I had a sketch
card myself, Sergio turned to see who it was who had a sketch card. When
he noticed I was there and realized I was the one with a sketch card he
broke out in a big smile... as if he should have suspected as much. I
was quite proud of myself.

	After saying his good byes to the two-sketch-card fan, Sergio
turned back toward me with a big smile once again. He asked me why I was
standing there and suggested I sit down. He made it seem like it was
some sort of Groop privilege. I told him I greatly appreciated his
offer. I was still feeling a bit humble and did not want to take
advantage of his hospitality. I hope I did not offend him though. My
feet certainly could have used a load off them, but I really did not
mind standing. A few times earlier I had noticed Sergio repositioning
the draped bar at the side of his booth a couple inches out, so I
jokingly told him I had to stand there to make sure his bar was in the
right position, but if he needed anything else he should not hesitate to
ask. He shook his head with a big smile as if he was in disbelief of how
nice I and all the Groop members are to him.

	Naturally the line kept going. It only once got down to six
people, but time kept going. I kept my eye on the time because I thought
it was odd Sergio was letting the line continue even with his 2pm panel
fast approaching. As far as I knew Sergio had not had any breaks since
he had gotten there. I had noticed the Hellboy artist cutting off his
line earlier, so I was wondering when Sergio would cut his line off. A
couple of times Sergio looked over and we each would make a quick
amusing remark about how the line would not end.
	At one point though I told Sergio he only had seven people left,
but he misheard me, so I held up seven fingers. He was still confused
and I felt a bit clumsy, but Sergio tried to clarify things with me
himself by asking if there was some time limit or somewhere he had to
be. I laughed out loud and caught my wits about me enough to politely
tell him he had a 2pm panel, which was less than twenty minutes away. He
simply sweetly responded with, "I did not know."
	After properly conveying he had several people left in his line,
he said he should have time to do some more people, but after another
five minutes or so passed with no sign of the line ending he asked me if
I would shut down his line. I then had to disappoint a couple of people
by sending them away. With less than a minute passed he them asked me if
I knew who could watch his booth while he was away. I told him I could
do it if he needed me to, but he looked at me a bit perplexed. He asked,
"But don't you want to go to the panel?" I told him of course I did, but
if he needed me to I would cover things for him. He told me I would not
have to do that, but asked if I would be so kind to find someone
suitable to watch things for him while he was away. At that request I
was on a mission.

	I left my bulky messenger bag safely inside Sergio's booth and
was on my way. I took off without thinking, but once I was a few yards
away I wondered who I would ask. I quickly thought I was clever in
coming up with someone at the Dark Horse booth. I had visited their
booth twice before and they seemed like nice guys. In my logic Sergio
would feel pretty comfortable with someone, who worked at Dark Horse, to
watch all his merchandise.
	When I approached the Dark Horse booth I spoke to two guys. Once
again one of the guys did not even realize Sergio was at the convention,
but the two dudes talked amongst themselves and one of them said he
would do it. I guided him back to Sergio's booth and he immediately
slipped behind the table, sat down, and started talking to Sergio.
Sergio stopped mid-signature and greeted the guy warmly with a hand
shake and even a pat on the back. I thought my table-sitter pick was a
good one, since Sergio was clearly familiar with the guy I brought back.
However, my proud moment quickly collapsed as I heard the guy say "This
guy" in reference to me, and Sergio turned to look at me inquisitively.
	I think that was the first time Sergio looked at me without a
smile. He then said something like, "No. This is my editor." And with
some animated hand gestures and facial expression he added, "He is
like... my boss." I immediately apologized and said I had no idea, then
tried to explain my reasoning. Sergio's editor said it was ok and
understandable. Sergio then attempted to clarify things with me by
saying, "No. I meant like some kid, who works here at the convention."
Again I apologized and said I would once again find someone appropriate.
He once again smiled in appreciation and I was on another mission.
	Finally I returned with someone I got from the guest welcoming
desk at one of the front desks for the Con. Sergio confirmed with the
volunteer/worker about his task, then got up and gestured for me to lead
the way. Apparently not only did Sergio not know he had a panel, but he
did not know where it was. Luckily, even though I had never been inside
the convention halls before, I had eyed where the Sergio panel room was
earlier.
	As we proceeded through the crowd he placed a hand on my
shoulder to ensure we did not get detached. Just while we walked through
the halls numerous people recognized, complimented, and thanked him for
his work. In a similar fashion Sergio would make amusing comments about
what he would see. At one point I asked him why he did not know about
the panel. His response was he goes to so many conventions a year, so he
usually does not remember his schedules, especially since there is
always some nice person or fan, who reminds him of where he needs to be.
I suppose it was a good thing I was in Baltimore then, because it sure
looked like everyone in Sergio's line would have kept letting him do
autographs. :)
	At one point after getting up an escalator he noticed a coffee
bar/food counter and he drifted toward it. I realized he was not heading
in the right direction, and had to correct him. I did notice he was
looking at the concession stand, and offered to get him something. To
that he said there was too long a line, he hated waited in lines, and I
should not wait on such a line because I would miss too much of his
panel. The way he phrased it was quite amusing, but after he stated it
as such a fact he seemed to be back on mission himself. Of course I had
to change his mission's course when he almost walked into the wrong
room, but I quickly managed to get him to the proper room and he quickly
made himself comfortable at his panel table and I took a seat in the
front.

http://www.moon-shine.net/groo/Baltimore-PanelWide.jpg

	Now that I have finally gotten to the panel, I think it might be
good to break my report up into a third segment. These report e-mails of
mine are getting long, and I do not want to feel like I am cutting
things short. I did not take notes during the panel, but I am sure there
are a number of things I will still remember, which will take a bit of
time to share. Hopefully I have not been boring people so far.
_TONE_