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<TITLE>Re: [Groop] WonderCon Report - Better late than never</TITLE>
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<FONT FACE="Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12.0px'>Great report Arturo. I love reading these things.<BR>
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on 4/30/10 11:17 AM, Arturo R. at mentecato@izrm.net wrote:<BR>
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<FONT COLOR="#000098">> I hope this doesn't show up twice. I had sent it a couple of days ago<BR>
> but got a message back that it was being held for moderation.<BR>
> <BR>
> Hi all! I've been the epitome of a lurker for a while now, but I'm<BR>
> coming out of the shadows to give a con report.<BR>
> <BR>
> My family and I were only able to go to the con on Sunday only. From<BR>
> what I've read this was actually a good day to go because the crowds<BR>
> were bigger Friday and Saturday. We got there and my younger brother<BR>
> and I made a beeline to Sergio's table. When we got there he was just<BR>
> getting up, probably to stretch his legs and walk around a bit.<BR>
> <BR>
> We hung out around the area while he came back. That's when I noticed<BR>
> that Mark was also around! This was the first time I've seen him<BR>
> outside of panels. For some reason I've never had a chance to talk to<BR>
> him in person. As soon as Mark finished talking to Stan Freberg I<BR>
> pounced on him. "Mr. Evanier", I said, exending my hand. He said:<BR>
> "Mark will do", or something to that effect. I shook his hand and told<BR>
> him I was a big fan, and how I enjoyed reading his blog (no white<BR>
> lie). I had brought my copy of Kirby: King of Comics and I asked him<BR>
> to sign it. I was nervous but also very excited to finally meet him.<BR>
> <BR>
> Afterward we went back to talk to Sergio, who was back to his table. I<BR>
> greeted him and he said: "Nice shirt!" I was wearing the MotorCon<BR>
> shirt and I told him how Gary had gotten it for me. Me and my brother<BR>
> talked to him for a bit and I asked him to sign my sketchbook and he<BR>
> doodled a little Chakaal on it. I also asked him to sign my silver<BR>
> Groop Membership Card for me. I've had it for a while, but it had<BR>
> never occurred to me to have him sign it. At his point he had a line<BR>
> forming so I told him I would let him talk to his other fans and we<BR>
> would be back.<BR>
> <BR>
> We went around the con for a bit and came back later. This is the<BR>
> first time I've seen Sergio and not commissioned any big artwork from<BR>
> him. Unfortunately, my funds have been limited (got my hours cut at<BR>
> work, plus I now have a baby at home), but did ask him to make me new<BR>
> comic dividers for Hogs of Horder and The Simpsons. These are the<BR>
> plastic pieces like these:<BR>
> <a href="http://www.opentip.com/Office-Products/Ultrapro-Comic-Dividers-p-1129240.html">http://www.opentip.com/Office-Products/Ultrapro-Comic-Dividers-p-1129240.html</a><BR>
> I had an idea last year to ask him to draw a little something for each<BR>
> "section" of my Groo collection (Pacific, Epic, Image, etc). I'll take<BR>
> pictures of them and post them one of these days. I really like the<BR>
> way they turned out. Unfortunately the ones he did for me this year<BR>
> got smeared. :( I have to remember to ask him to try different markers<BR>
> when I ask him to redo them.<BR>
> <BR>
> Finally, the third most exciting part of the con (after seeing Sergio<BR>
> and Mark)..<BR>
> <BR>
> We were walking around and as we're passing one of the many booths<BR>
> this guy points at my shirt and gives me the thumbs up. I give him<BR>
> thumbs up back and squint my eyes because I start to recognize the<BR>
> fella.. is it.. could it be.. yes! It's world renowned #1 Groo fan<BR>
> Gary G! He must have realized I had to be a Groop member because he<BR>
> came out of the booth. I told him, "Gary, right?" and he says,<BR>
> "Yeah!". I told him who I was and he remembered me! (Or rather, the<BR>
> things he has gotten for me). It was really cool to meet Gary, he is a<BR>
> super nice guy. I asked him what he was doing there, since I didn't<BR>
> remember reading about him going to WonderCon. He said it was a<BR>
> surprise, and it was definitely a surprise to me. :) We talked some<BR>
> more and I asked if I we could take a picture. My regular camera is on<BR>
> the fritz, so the pic is cellphone quality. :/<BR>
> <BR>
> And that's my con report.<BR>
> <BR>
> Wow, this message was long. I feel Tone-like. (I kid Tone! I love<BR>
> reading your posts). At least the Gary/Arturo posting ratio is now<BR>
> better than 582/0. :)<BR>
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