<DIV>Hey all...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Well, I got in last night from San Diego (bleah... 5 hours on a plane plus what ended up being something like seven hours in a car >.< ), and the memories are kind of fuzzy, given that I don't think I was fully awake even once during my time there (travelling TOO the con, I left at 2 AM, so...). I *did* buy some Sergio Art, as Kaytee mentioned (well, more to the point, I reserved it until I get another paycheck or two... Sergio art runs rather dear...).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>My clearest memory of the con is insane crowds... wall-to-wall people (in a building something like half a mile long...), and considerable noise. You'd think that a convention dedicated to one of the world's quietest pastimes (reading) wouldn't be quite so loud...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I got to meet Sergio and Stan- my memories of Sergio are a little fuzzy, given that I was going into fanboy-shock, but he seems like a
really great guy (even dealing with the mobs that usually surrounded his table), and also Scott Shaw!, who had the table next to Sergio's... I have been a fan of Scott's for years, without ever actually having had a name to connect to the work- "Captain Carrot and his Zoo Crew" was one of my favourite comics as a child, but is ludicrously difficult to get ahold of now; so it's kinda nice to have a name to attach to the fond memories. I was thrilled to finally get ahold of the first Usagi Yojimbo trade (something I've been trying to do for something close to five years...), and have been thoroughly enjoying them. Quick Draw was just as funny as I had anticipated (I'm hoping there was a Groopie with a digital video camera in the audience who can share it with everyone- I actually had to leave a little early, since I was volunteering).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Hmm... lesse. It was something of a thrill to meet many of my favourite
artists- Sergio and Scott, of course... Aaron Williams, the creator of Nodwick and PS238 (<A href="http://www.nodwick.com">www.nodwick.com</A> and <A href="http://www.ps238.com">www.ps238.com</A> respectively), Stan Sakai (newly minted as one of my favourites... I'm rather annoyed that it took me this long to find Usagi Yojimbo; Stan needs more fans), and Fred Gallagher ("Piro" of Megatokyo... fame, I guess (<A href="http://www.megatokyo.com">www.megatokyo.com</A>)... I was amazed at how busy his booth was. Maybe my taste isn't as bad as I thought :P)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Most of the rest of the con for me was spent wandering around staring at the exhibition floor or schlepping boxes as a volunteer. My first San Diego International ComicCon was quite the experience... although... did the Groopies/ers there wind up getting together? If they did, Gary forgot to tell me >.<. Oh... meeting some of my fellow Groopies/ers (Gary and Kaytee)
was pretty cool. I saw one other who was introduced as a member of the Groop to Sergio, but I didn't hear his name, unfortunately.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Oh... and I only saw Mark (or his clone) from a distance at the Quick Draw... I sat at the back so as not to bother anyone when I slipped out to go prowl the Art Auction against shoplifters as a volunteer.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Con amnesia, from</DIV> <DIV>David Reinhardt (yes, that's my real name, not "No Way"- I used my junkmail account to sign up for the Groop, not being entirely sure what I was getting into.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>P.S.- Gary, I'm still interested in the Groop cards.</DIV><p> 
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