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Honey, I'm home!
I just got back from my San Diego - Seattle road trip. I had an absolutely fantastic trip all around. Well, I could have done without the part where my flight home got interrupted because of some storm that hit the NY area... causing me and hundreds of hapless others to miss our connecting flights. At least now, when people share stories of how they got stuck at airports overnight, I have something to contribute. ;)
ComicCon went as well as I could have hoped, both work-wise and fannishly. On the plane I finally got to check the program and was delighted to see that not only was there a 'Bones' panel, but Joss himself would be there as well. My grin must have been wider than my face. But I'll try to tell it in the right order.
Thursday I got to the convention center as early as possible to secure my pro badge which I'd fortunately applied for weeks earlier, after a tip from Cyn. I picked Comic Book Law School 101 first - a good choice. The guy presenting the seminar, Michael Lovitz, was great. It was informative, entertaining, and the audience participated with enthusiasm. Day one covered mainly the distinction between copyright and trademark, and while of course there wasn't nearly enough time to cover that field, it gave a good overview and the desire to read into it more. I'm still regretting the fact that the seminar at my university on law in the arts was scheduled at 8 am, and since my brain doesn't work that early in the day, what I know I learned from books. And I've got to learn more, that's for sure.
I briefly looked into the seminar on networking but didn't hear anything that experience and common sense wouldn't already tell you. So I moved on to the Computer Coloring Workshop. Again, fascinating stuff. Sadly I missed the more practical part the next day, but the introduction at least left me with some general ideas and the decision to buy a graphics tablet the moment I get home.
After that I headed home to the hostel to meet with Cyn. Who is, it turns out, the perfect con companion. After hunting down something to eat, we made it back in time to see the second half of the 'Incredibles' screening. :)
Friday morning I went to Comic Book Law School 102, which covered intellectual property, agreements, transfer of rights, etc. Again there wasn't nearly enough time (and they'd kick us out to the room the moment the time was up, too). I need to get a good book on the subject. flist, was anyone of you in that seminar? Did Mr Lovitz mention that he's about have a comic book on the subject published, or did I hear that wrong?
Anyway, spent some time hunting for a phone card so I could later get in touch with Cyn, who fortunately brought a cell phone. Then I ventured down to the exhibition hall... my original idea was to pitch the Smile Time comic to Titan magazines, but since they didn't have a booth that year and idw publishing did have a con presence, I decided it couldn't hurt to try my luck there, even though it doesn't quite fit their format. I had to skip my Coloring 2 workshop, but I think it was worth the sacrifice, as the editor appeared interested. We'll see what comes out of it, I'll mail some pages over as soon as the jetlag has subsided.
Went down in the entrance hall, got the phone to work and managed to meet up with Cyn, who introduced me to her publishers. It went very well, I think we're all on the same wavelength. I'll be very, very happy to work on their series - they do just the kind of topics I love to draw, in the genre I always wanted to work in... and how often does that happen.
Before we all headed out to dinner, I could not, I mean absolutely not, miss the Bones panel. *grin* I'll keep it short 'cause my report comes two weeks late and you've already read it... Boreanaz was gorgeous, and I was happy they showed the pilot as a whole. Because, even though I'd already seen it, it's always more fun to watch it on a big screen, along with a really appreciative audience. The Q&A was... uh. Cyn decided to skip the whole Questions-part and thus missed someone asking whether James Marsters would be on the show. *cough* Well. Deschanel took it in stride that the panel was all about Angel... and really, there was nothing else to expect, at ComicCon. I wouldn't have had any question regarding the new show either. And if he brings a bunch of Angel fans over to Bones, everybody wins.
Saturday, we were both so pleased with ourselves that we played tourist. We went to the beach, to the zoo, and managed to squeeze the Serenity panel in between. Was it just me, or was Joss' panel the absolute hit of the con? I never saw a longer queue. Well, we all got in in the end, and after seeing the clip they showed, I can't wait for the movie (speaking as someone who's never had the slightest interest in watching Firefly before...).
And that was ComicCon. I'd have liked to stay Sunday as well - didn't even get to browse or buy any comic books - but considering what the traffic was like even on the sunday, maybe it was better to leave early.
Okay. I rented my car, and after a brief moment of panic when confronted with the automatic drive, found out how to drive the thing. I should mention, part of the reason why I rented a car instead of going by bus was that I never felt confident driving. I figured the best way to cure that is shock therapy. And it worked, too... after a few days, I got into it. The first day, though, driving through LA, bumper-to-bumper, eight lanes? Hell. But I made it through, and spent the night at a motel in Ventura where I rollerbladed for an hour, read a few pages of Half Blood Prince, and fell asleep for 11 hours straight.
Next day, I drove up Highway 1 to San Luis Obispo, where I met some guy on the steps of the hostel. Luckily, he knew the city in and out, so I got to know the lesser-known attractions, like Chewing Gum Alley ;o):
That's me with my guide for the day, Stephen.
We went mountain hiking together, only the locals call it 'boldering': You climb straight up the mountain from bolder to bolder, trying not to fall into the poison oak underneath. Heh. We had a great time, and I got in some nice pics of the town.
Very nice hostel, too. In fact, all the HI-hostels I tried on this trip can be highly recommended. The one in San Diego was maybe a tiny bit dingy, but rather comfortable and inviting, particularly for a big city hostel, and just a few blocks from the convention center.
Anyways, the next day I went up to Monterrey, where I didn't have all that much time. I managed to get in an hour of blading, though, and to check out the Aquarium the next morning. It's one of the best I've seen. The installations are beautiful, particularly the Jellyfish one. Very thoughtfully designed.
Monterrey:
On the way to Monterrey I stopped at Hearst Castle - former residence and playground of William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper czar (and, afaik, the person who introduced the first comic strip in his paper about a hundred years ago). He was a lover of antiques and classic architecture, and when he finally got to build the castle of his dreams on a mountain overlooking the ocean, without financial restrictions... well, he might have gone a little overboard. But honestly, I thought it was beautiful. I suppose I should find it kitschy, but it was... overloaded, but still tasteful, really. Maybe because there were no cheap imitations in there; everything was genuine. You be the judge:
Stayed in the Marin Headlands Hostel just north of San Francisco for a night. I forgot to take pictures there. It was quite weird... you went over the Golden Gate Bridge, took a right turn, took a left turn, through a tunnel - and it was like being in another universe. Grassy hills, tiny villages, all just miles north of a huge city.
Well, I hitchhiked south over the bridge again, then rollerbladed to Fisherman's Wharf and through some of downtown. I didn't really like the city... it was huge and touristy, but I guess I should have given it more time than just a few hours. But I was more interested in scenery than towns. On my way back, rollerblading through the tunnel, I got stopped by a cop (honestly, I didn't see the sign that said No Pedestrians.) He offered me a ride back to the hostel, for which I was immensely grateful. For the hostel was in the middle of nowhere, and I'd not taken into account the complete lack of streetlights in the area. Then, it was further up the coast to a little hostel north of Klamath.
more coastal scenery...
I ended up staying in Klamath for three days, because the hostel was as cozy and clean as they get, and the surrounding Redwood forests were ideal for whole days of hiking. The picture is of the common room (blurry, unfortunatley, but look how cozy :o).
The Hidden Beach
Jedediah Smith Redwood National Forest. That river, the water was crystal clear. And not even cold. Wonderful for swimming.
Then, I had to ditch my plans to drive up the coast of Oregon and Washington because with these winding coastal highways there was no way to make it to Seattle in time. So I took the I-5 instead, which is about three times as fast but not nearly as pretty.
But, got to Portland where, really, I spent all my time at a huge bookstore whose name escapes me now... it covered a whole block, three stories high. Yes, after over a year of searching, I am finally the proud owner of a comprehensive, 600 page japanese grammar book. Also aquired a few handy books on anatomy and facial expressions, and Scott McClouds new comic on the comic industry (which I haven't had a chance to read yet). Oh yeah, and Portland has a nice rose garden with 2000 kinds of roses.
But really, that book store...
On to Seattle, where there's lots to do. Went to Pike's Market, then took the ferry to Bainbridge island, which is quite picturesque. And the return trip is only six bucks!
Skyline as seen from the ferry. (blurry again, my camera can't handle dark lighting conditions)
The following day I took a guided tour of the Seattle Underground. The tour was utterly fascinating, gave great insights into Seattle's colourful history and I could go about it for a while, except my hands are getting lame from all the typing. Just some pics of the underground, which used to be the first floor until the town fathers lifted the street levels... but that's a long story (it's all about the toilets ;o)...
And, finally: roughing it at Camp Newark.
Actually, staying at the airport for a whole day wasn't as horrible as I'd expected. I managed to get in a solid ten hours of sleep (apparently I can sleep in a crowded, brightly lit airport, with speakers blaring every two minutes... but put one snorer in my room...)
I was deeply envied my earplugs and sleeping bag. Yup, I know why I carry that thing everywhere I go when I travel. Then, I spent most of the day making face studies - the only time during the whole trip I sat down to draw - and playing mentos poker with my fellow inmates. It was fun... kind of. Still, after a day I was more than ready to go!
I'm calling this one 'buncha people who just missed their connecting flights'. Or, as my fellow traveller John suggested: The Disconnected.
And that's it! I think I've droned on long enough. Hope you haven't tuned out by now *grin*
I'm leaving this public for now... probably gonna lock it later.
ComicCon went as well as I could have hoped, both work-wise and fannishly. On the plane I finally got to check the program and was delighted to see that not only was there a 'Bones' panel, but Joss himself would be there as well. My grin must have been wider than my face. But I'll try to tell it in the right order.
Thursday I got to the convention center as early as possible to secure my pro badge which I'd fortunately applied for weeks earlier, after a tip from Cyn. I picked Comic Book Law School 101 first - a good choice. The guy presenting the seminar, Michael Lovitz, was great. It was informative, entertaining, and the audience participated with enthusiasm. Day one covered mainly the distinction between copyright and trademark, and while of course there wasn't nearly enough time to cover that field, it gave a good overview and the desire to read into it more. I'm still regretting the fact that the seminar at my university on law in the arts was scheduled at 8 am, and since my brain doesn't work that early in the day, what I know I learned from books. And I've got to learn more, that's for sure.
I briefly looked into the seminar on networking but didn't hear anything that experience and common sense wouldn't already tell you. So I moved on to the Computer Coloring Workshop. Again, fascinating stuff. Sadly I missed the more practical part the next day, but the introduction at least left me with some general ideas and the decision to buy a graphics tablet the moment I get home.
After that I headed home to the hostel to meet with Cyn. Who is, it turns out, the perfect con companion. After hunting down something to eat, we made it back in time to see the second half of the 'Incredibles' screening. :)
Friday morning I went to Comic Book Law School 102, which covered intellectual property, agreements, transfer of rights, etc. Again there wasn't nearly enough time (and they'd kick us out to the room the moment the time was up, too). I need to get a good book on the subject. flist, was anyone of you in that seminar? Did Mr Lovitz mention that he's about have a comic book on the subject published, or did I hear that wrong?
Anyway, spent some time hunting for a phone card so I could later get in touch with Cyn, who fortunately brought a cell phone. Then I ventured down to the exhibition hall... my original idea was to pitch the Smile Time comic to Titan magazines, but since they didn't have a booth that year and idw publishing did have a con presence, I decided it couldn't hurt to try my luck there, even though it doesn't quite fit their format. I had to skip my Coloring 2 workshop, but I think it was worth the sacrifice, as the editor appeared interested. We'll see what comes out of it, I'll mail some pages over as soon as the jetlag has subsided.
Went down in the entrance hall, got the phone to work and managed to meet up with Cyn, who introduced me to her publishers. It went very well, I think we're all on the same wavelength. I'll be very, very happy to work on their series - they do just the kind of topics I love to draw, in the genre I always wanted to work in... and how often does that happen.
Before we all headed out to dinner, I could not, I mean absolutely not, miss the Bones panel. *grin* I'll keep it short 'cause my report comes two weeks late and you've already read it... Boreanaz was gorgeous, and I was happy they showed the pilot as a whole. Because, even though I'd already seen it, it's always more fun to watch it on a big screen, along with a really appreciative audience. The Q&A was... uh. Cyn decided to skip the whole Questions-part and thus missed someone asking whether James Marsters would be on the show. *cough* Well. Deschanel took it in stride that the panel was all about Angel... and really, there was nothing else to expect, at ComicCon. I wouldn't have had any question regarding the new show either. And if he brings a bunch of Angel fans over to Bones, everybody wins.
Saturday, we were both so pleased with ourselves that we played tourist. We went to the beach, to the zoo, and managed to squeeze the Serenity panel in between. Was it just me, or was Joss' panel the absolute hit of the con? I never saw a longer queue. Well, we all got in in the end, and after seeing the clip they showed, I can't wait for the movie (speaking as someone who's never had the slightest interest in watching Firefly before...).
And that was ComicCon. I'd have liked to stay Sunday as well - didn't even get to browse or buy any comic books - but considering what the traffic was like even on the sunday, maybe it was better to leave early.
Okay. I rented my car, and after a brief moment of panic when confronted with the automatic drive, found out how to drive the thing. I should mention, part of the reason why I rented a car instead of going by bus was that I never felt confident driving. I figured the best way to cure that is shock therapy. And it worked, too... after a few days, I got into it. The first day, though, driving through LA, bumper-to-bumper, eight lanes? Hell. But I made it through, and spent the night at a motel in Ventura where I rollerbladed for an hour, read a few pages of Half Blood Prince, and fell asleep for 11 hours straight.
Next day, I drove up Highway 1 to San Luis Obispo, where I met some guy on the steps of the hostel. Luckily, he knew the city in and out, so I got to know the lesser-known attractions, like Chewing Gum Alley ;o):
We went mountain hiking together, only the locals call it 'boldering': You climb straight up the mountain from bolder to bolder, trying not to fall into the poison oak underneath. Heh. We had a great time, and I got in some nice pics of the town.
Very nice hostel, too. In fact, all the HI-hostels I tried on this trip can be highly recommended. The one in San Diego was maybe a tiny bit dingy, but rather comfortable and inviting, particularly for a big city hostel, and just a few blocks from the convention center.
Anyways, the next day I went up to Monterrey, where I didn't have all that much time. I managed to get in an hour of blading, though, and to check out the Aquarium the next morning. It's one of the best I've seen. The installations are beautiful, particularly the Jellyfish one. Very thoughtfully designed.
On the way to Monterrey I stopped at Hearst Castle - former residence and playground of William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper czar (and, afaik, the person who introduced the first comic strip in his paper about a hundred years ago). He was a lover of antiques and classic architecture, and when he finally got to build the castle of his dreams on a mountain overlooking the ocean, without financial restrictions... well, he might have gone a little overboard. But honestly, I thought it was beautiful. I suppose I should find it kitschy, but it was... overloaded, but still tasteful, really. Maybe because there were no cheap imitations in there; everything was genuine. You be the judge:
Stayed in the Marin Headlands Hostel just north of San Francisco for a night. I forgot to take pictures there. It was quite weird... you went over the Golden Gate Bridge, took a right turn, took a left turn, through a tunnel - and it was like being in another universe. Grassy hills, tiny villages, all just miles north of a huge city.
Well, I hitchhiked south over the bridge again, then rollerbladed to Fisherman's Wharf and through some of downtown. I didn't really like the city... it was huge and touristy, but I guess I should have given it more time than just a few hours. But I was more interested in scenery than towns. On my way back, rollerblading through the tunnel, I got stopped by a cop (honestly, I didn't see the sign that said No Pedestrians.) He offered me a ride back to the hostel, for which I was immensely grateful. For the hostel was in the middle of nowhere, and I'd not taken into account the complete lack of streetlights in the area. Then, it was further up the coast to a little hostel north of Klamath.
I ended up staying in Klamath for three days, because the hostel was as cozy and clean as they get, and the surrounding Redwood forests were ideal for whole days of hiking. The picture is of the common room (blurry, unfortunatley, but look how cozy :o).
The Hidden Beach
Then, I had to ditch my plans to drive up the coast of Oregon and Washington because with these winding coastal highways there was no way to make it to Seattle in time. So I took the I-5 instead, which is about three times as fast but not nearly as pretty.
But, got to Portland where, really, I spent all my time at a huge bookstore whose name escapes me now... it covered a whole block, three stories high. Yes, after over a year of searching, I am finally the proud owner of a comprehensive, 600 page japanese grammar book. Also aquired a few handy books on anatomy and facial expressions, and Scott McClouds new comic on the comic industry (which I haven't had a chance to read yet). Oh yeah, and Portland has a nice rose garden with 2000 kinds of roses.
But really, that book store...
On to Seattle, where there's lots to do. Went to Pike's Market, then took the ferry to Bainbridge island, which is quite picturesque. And the return trip is only six bucks!
The following day I took a guided tour of the Seattle Underground. The tour was utterly fascinating, gave great insights into Seattle's colourful history and I could go about it for a while, except my hands are getting lame from all the typing. Just some pics of the underground, which used to be the first floor until the town fathers lifted the street levels... but that's a long story (it's all about the toilets ;o)...
Actually, staying at the airport for a whole day wasn't as horrible as I'd expected. I managed to get in a solid ten hours of sleep (apparently I can sleep in a crowded, brightly lit airport, with speakers blaring every two minutes... but put one snorer in my room...)
I was deeply envied my earplugs and sleeping bag. Yup, I know why I carry that thing everywhere I go when I travel. Then, I spent most of the day making face studies - the only time during the whole trip I sat down to draw - and playing mentos poker with my fellow inmates. It was fun... kind of. Still, after a day I was more than ready to go!
And that's it! I think I've droned on long enough. Hope you haven't tuned out by now *grin*
I'm leaving this public for now... probably gonna lock it later.