Out of the Inkwell

Fatman and Dogboy go to the Con Part One

I haven't been to a comic book convention in years. The first convention I attended was a science fiction show back in high school, but I also traveled to New York City and Philadelphia to see the great Phil Seuling Comic Cons.

Having had a jones lately to attend a show, I jumped at the chance to see this year's New York Comicon, especially since I could do a legitimate story about the area's own comic superstars The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and their 25th anniversary.

My buddy Big Mark aka Dog Boy himself a comics professional came along, also with a business errand in mind. Neither of us knew quite what to expect.

Now I've gone to the Javits Center many times for trade shows, but I had no idea of the veritable onslaught of humanity we were to face this past weekend. Thousands of people in a crowd punctuated by Jokers, Batmen, Wonder Women, Harly Quinns, Wolverines and Supermen.

I headed to the press room to get my pass, while Mark was directed into a snaking line designed to control the flow of people into the show. While I was allowed to got into the professionals' entrance, poor Mark had to tromp through the basement of the center belly to butt for almost an hour before he could get in.

What awaited us was sensory overload coupled with crowds that chocked the aisles. The result was a sort of haze – did I already go up this way? Did I see everything? Did I get all the freebies?




Artist Alley at about 10:45 a.m. In another hour this would be shoulder to shoulder. Going through this area made me realize just how old and disconnected I am with comics. I didn't recognize but a third of the names.



The card gaming area. This was a revelation as I though all interest in these low tech games were essentially over. Not true.



What I loved about Comicon. On one side of the aisle, classic "good girl" art. While on the other side:




Everything Archie! Do you realize that Betty and Veronica were as close as one could get to sexy comic book characters when I was a boy? And yes, Betty was always more appealing than Veronica.




Speaking of pretty women, I had no clue – none – just what product these two accomplished models were hawking. It turns out it was some sort of video game thing. First rule of marketing at a convention: hire really good looking women to hawk your product. Second rule: actually explain what the hell the product is.

More tomorrow!

© 2009 by Gordon Michael Dobbs