The con has been amazing. I've met and talked to so many amazing people. Frazier Irving, Camilla D'errico, and lots of others. amazing is a word to me that can't be overused. It has been used to describe Spiderman for a million years and still remains effective. These are the kind of people I want to be. The kind that are just talented enough and hard working enough that they get just enough recognition to subsist upon doing nothing but creating art. Show me how to live.
I tried to go to one panel today and that was the only disappointment. It was a panel where David Finch was going to, in front of all of us, describe and execute the process of creating a layout and foundations of a page of comic art from a page of comic script in real time. I was finally going to see a professional do it and would have learned so much. If only... If only the professionals of comicon.. no that's not fair. Here, let me just re-enact it for you.
Me: Hey, this is the David Finch Panel right?
Comicon Professional: Yes, the other panel is still going on.
Richard: Oh, so is there a line yet?
Comicon Professional: Yes, they are lining up there (points to a few people lined up against a wall opposite the door.
Me: Cool, thanks!
Richard and Greg walk over to stand against the wall at the end of the line where roughly 20 people are waiting to see the David Finch creating a page of comic art panel. We proceed to have conversation with the people in front of us about art and how they are working on stuff themselves comics-wise. Some time passes and we realize it is now about five minutes past when David Finch's panel was supposed to start. Suddenly, a lady approaches!
Lady: I'm sorry, the current panel is running a bit longer than they intended, they're still in the middle of a Q&A session but they'll be finishing shortly.
Me: Oh well it's no problem!
Me (thought bubble): As long as I'm about to watch David Finch draw for an hour, who gives a dick what this panel is doing?
Richard: Man, I hope that they hurry up though.
So we wait. And we continue to wait. And then some more waiting takes place. It is now about 5:25 and the panel was scheduled to start at 5. All of a sudden, the doors open and David Finch comes running out of the panel room down the hallway toward the mezzanine to disappear around the corner.
Richard: Wasn't that David Finch?
Guy behind us: That looked like David Finch didn't it?
Richard: Yeah that's what I'm saying, that was David Finch! Maybe he forgot something in his car?
Me: Well, maybe. I'm sure he'll be back.
Two ladies then come out of the room.
Richard: Was that David Finch? Where was he going?
Lady One: I'm very sorry. David Finch thought his panel was supposed to start at 4 and so since he was already here, he went ahead an joined Arthur Suydam and they sort of did a co-panel together.
Random Guy: So then what were we waiting in line for just now?
Lady One: David Finch's Panel. But it's over now, I'm very sorry. He went ahead and did his with-
Random Guy: Well look just so you know it would have been nice if someone had told us that is what was going on. We've all been waiting here for an hour (I had only been there about 40 minutes.) for this panel and they told us that the last one was still going on so it would have been nice to know that the one we were actually waiting for was going on in fact now. Just sayin'.
Indeed sir. Just sayin' for the benefit of us all. This time, I couldn't use my magic to save the day. David Finch did not materialize again to us in any way shape or form. Truly, the blackest hour of comicon. All the poor lady had to offer was apologies because, after all, she was not the one who told us to wait in line for a panel that had already started. She had no way of knowing but.. whatever! I had to console Richard because as an artist, he was most upset. He cried on the couch for nearly an hour. Not really but yeah, he did, like a little girl. Anyways, my point is... well there isn't one. It was simply an example of the kind of frustration that a comicon can provide. I'm really not even that upset because the rest of the time spent was so great.
Tomorrow I will go to the Doctor Who Panel. Then I will go home. I have a medium size box of stuff. Stuff I bought for me and stuff I bought for other people and stuff other people bought for other people through me. I can't wait to go home and share it all.
thats really shitty about dave finch. i heard that poor scheduling was rampant at san diego this year. we need to go to philly or seattle next year.
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