SAN DIEGO COMIC CON!! July 23-26 2009

So I decided, instead of flooding you guys with 5-10 journal entries including a recap and all the awesome photos, I'm re-using the journal entry I wrote to mark the show date and event info. If I've forgotten names, links, etc let me know!

And before some of you ask me if this means I'm not posting my trip photos, I have put them on Facebook and made the album public for a few weeks, so that you guys can check it out. It's easier to look through them than if I were to post a bunch of image heavy journals on here

The photo link is: [link]

So, its been about a month since the show and I can honestly tell you guys that it was pretty quiet this year AT the show. For some reason it just didn't feel the same as it has the previous years. A bunch of us noticed it, but that's not to say it wasn't still a good show. It's pretty much my favourite convention.

Anyways this year I'd gone with plans to meet with my editors from Marvel but none of them were there! Apparently only one or two editors were actually at the show lol. It was odd, usually there's more people. I left home Monday the week of the show, slept in Sea-Tac airport, and flew out Tuesday morning to San Diego.

I had a little bit of a rough go of it getting through Seattle. I spent part of the day hanging out with a friend at his work, but we didn't realize it was a fair walking distance from the bus station and that it was on a REALLY steep hill. Pulling two rolling cases up that hill was a bit much... later on I walked all the way downtown to one of the tunnel entrances. As I was walking down the ramps inside the entrance to get down to the buses and trains, a guy walked up behind me and insisted on helping me even though I tried to keep him from taking one of the handles. When we got in the elevator I realized he was totally drunk and he started talking to me, asking me questions and stuff. When we got out, I took my bag back and walked away but he followed me. It got to the point where he was about to accost me and a bus pulled up that had two police officers on board. I twisted my knee running with the cases to the bus. The cops were great, I told them what was going on and they got off right away and went to talk to him. As my bus to the airport pulled up they were calling it in and looked like they were taking him into custody, and they waved me on.

Now, I love my preferred airline, which is Alaska. I've never really had a problem with them, whereas others like United have been full of delays (and in one case a misplaced plane), and US Airways (which lost my luggage). I'm sitting in the airport icing my knee, and someone from Alaska invited me to check in early and spend the night in the membership lounge -- unfortunately I couldn't because it's past security and I couldn't check my checked luggage in the day before my actual flight. But it was okay, I got to hang out with a bunch of the armed guards at the all night Starbucks, and even caught a nap on a booth seat with the approval of the manager Aside from the security guys and the guards, I was pretty much the only person out there lol.

Most of us arrived the Tuesday morning or evening which was great because we got to hang out:

my buddies Sean Dulaney from DW, and Keith Aguilar from PJ.

does the kickass Wyliman comic at Ronin Studios, and you can check out some of the comic at -- I got my hands on volume 1 and it KICKS ASS.

is working on Bad Kids Go To Hell which is awesome. The first two issues have also sold out, so if you haven't gotten them already you're S.O.L. like me... lol...

took most of us to a fantastic Japanese restaurant for dinner. The guys had a blast, and we learned a lot about some of the food too! It really was fantastic and delicious! Okay yes... I really miss the food lol. Wednesday we all went out for the annual Little Italy trip. That's where everyone goes to the Blicks art supply store in the Little Italy district, and then we go across the street for some FANTASTIC Italian food at Filippi's. I also got to meet the awesome for the first time in person! We kept missing each other before

Preview night, I introduced to for the first time. We also sought out and . I knew Ryan finally had his PANCRATIA book out and I wanted to grab one. It is a gorgeous piece of work, I wish I could've bought up one of Cheeks figures too *sigh*. But alas...

Thursday, and I walked around for a bit, seeking out some of our friends in artist alley and such. Got to catch up with and Sandra Hope (who I still haven't gotten to join DA lol...) and of course Scott Williams who I can finally link to here on DA He's and I actually took a short video where I asked him about inking at shows, etc while he's inking an original Finch pinup I've got to put that up on Youtube for you guys to see still. Rich, Sandra, and Scott have been instrumental in everything I've learned the past few years, along with all of the other inkers who've taught me and/or mentored me. And I *finally* met in person. He looked over my work and the one thing he said to me single handedly made the show for me. I just wish I had gotten the chance to ask him for a lesson while I was there but I was so shocked I forgot to ask him! I doubt I'll get the chance to again... 5 years and I haven't been able to go to Orlando and this is the first west coast show I've heard about him going to in a few years.

Thursday and Friday mornings a lot of us were tired due to being woken up at 7:30am Thursday morning, and 4am and 7am Friday morning. I have to say, I do the SDCC hotel suite to help buddies and fellow artists save money. It's a privilege to stay with someone, not a right. This year marks the first time in 4 years I've ever had to remove someone. It's also the reason why I have always had zero tolerance for alcohol or substance abuse of any kind. If and when you drink, you need to be responsible.

Thursday night was an absolute blast. First, there were too many of us to take a taxi to the bar. So a huge tour van driver took us, blasting rock music with the windows down as we rode through downtown San Diego to the Drink and Draw. And with most of us SINGING at the top of our lungs!!!

Past years we've seen maybe 20-45 artists in one night at the Drink and Draw. This year it was organized by and and the others of the LA and San Diego Drink and Draw Social Club chapters. And man it was bigger than ever! It was at Hennessey's Tavern in the Gaslamp Quarter of downtown. And that bar has THREE ROOMS. We ruled them all. The back room was supposed to be reserved but the bar owner forgot or something so random people spread out and the rooms just started to fill. There were artists EVERYWHERE. The guys also had a couple of girls from "Gallery Girls" come in and pose on top of one of the tables in the back room. The front room had karaoke (and boy were some of y'all belting it out!) and the third room to the side of the front room had a whole long table of artists sketching and hanging out. Photos in the album of course I can't wait until next year! I also can't believe that I didn't recognize hanging out with the dynamo I totally missed the chance to meet Sean lol. Though I did finally get to meet this year as he was able to make it to the show.

I missed the DC panel both Thursday and Friday because I was exhausted. Friday I finally, FINALLY, figured out where the professionals lounge was. This is my 5th year as a pro, and the previous 4 years I couldn't find it. It was like a myth or legend to most of us lol. and I found it though... after asking for directions from a CCI worker So we got to take the weight off our feet, drink some yummy lemonade, and met some of the most interesting people from the film and media industry I've ever had the opportunity to. We sat and talked to Barbara Johnson, who worked on the set of General Hospital for 25 years. While we were hanging out, an actor walked up who I didn't recognize until he took off his hat and sunglasses. He'd been on CSI and a couple other shows I watch (I wish I could remember where I put his card...). And I happened to talk to the Science Advisor from Battlestar Galactica and Eureka (Eureka is one of my FAVE shows....) who is an Investigation Scientist with Nasa. A couple of the writers from both shows were there for a bit too. It was great to be able to relax and talk to people without the noise of the crowds and stuff, but Ray and I never did get around to drawing which is what we'd planned to do in the lounge

Saturday I didn't make it to the show at all -- I'd found out I would have to take a 40 hour Greyhound bus ride (I'll talk about that in another journal) to the next leg of my trip instead of a plane. Due to the injuries to my knee, I require a compression stocking to prevent blood clots. Unfortunately the ones I had are missing and I couldn't find them before I left for San Diego, so I had to go and try to find some in or around San Diego. Several hours later and we weren't able to find them.... I eventually gave up and came back to the hotel.

Saturday night, my roomies and I took off to T.G.I. Friday's in Gaslamp with a couple of my fans and their friends (they had come by the hotel suite to get some art). Great food, some sketching, and a whole lotta laughter. I was amazed, these guys are awesome. The way we all came together when most of us hadn't met before or some of them didn't even know the others at all when we all got to San Diego. It just blew me away.

Sunday was pretty uneventful, except it was really noticeable as some of the guys left to go home... And of course the depressed feeling when the show ends that day... It just seemed to fly by too. Poof it was gone! Gone till next year *sigh*

Monday I checked out and went to the Greyhound station... and that's a whole new chapter!

I MISS YOU GUYS!!!