Day 1:
Got to the con, picked up my badge no problem. Headed down the the floor. First, a quick word on how CC is structured:
The San Diego convention center is a very large building (and the con is large enough now it spills over to a couple nearby hotels). The ground floor is one huge room - the convention floor. Everything from 3-story-tall models of the Warner Brothers water tower to artists busting their asses to make a living doing sketches at folding tables near the edges.
Most major movie studios, a large number of television stations, video game publishers, large toy manufactuers, and ofc the big comic book companies make up the really extravagant booths toward the center. Generally the booths get smaller and less glitzy as you move further out.
On the second floor, there are the rooms where they hold panels, workshops, things like that. Screenings of independent films and anime are held in a nearby hotel (a Hilton, I think), along with a few other events.
About 140k people attend over the 4 days
Thursday (today) is generally one of the less busy days, but it was still packed. I spent several hours wandering the convention floor, checking out the artwork and avoiding the densely packed masses around the central booths as much as I could. People in really impressive costumes everywhere, really cool art, it's just a neat place to check out.
Mid-afternoon to evening, I checked out 3 panels in a row.
The first panel, I actually only attended to get a good seat for the second and third (all three were being held in the same room. They have about 10-12 rooms where they hold these things, I just got lucky). I actually had no idea who Robert Kirkman was, though he's a pretty big name in comics, from what I understand. Anyway, the panel was a blast, even though I was totally unfamiliar with the guy's work. He was funny, and I came away from it feeling like his stuff is something it might be worth checking out (even though I'm not a big comic person.)
Second panel was the 'British Invasion' - panelists were British writers of comics, TV, Movies, and books. I'd wanted to attend because China Mieville is an author I've enjoyed reading and he was on the panel. I wasn't disappointed, as the conversation was entertaining and surprisingly deep during the Q & A portion.
Last panel was about the 'science' in science fiction. A couple of scientists and a couple of writers for TV and movies basically explained how it is they strike a balance, and what their view is of how to balance realism with story. Interesting stuff, and it gave the definite impression that writers - at least
these writers, were fully aware on some shows when they were breaking the laws of reality, and did it consciously , or as one panelist put it, 'with malicious aforethought'. Also the two astrophysicists on the panel agreed that Armageddon was about the worst movie ever, as far as they were concerned.
Anyway, I somehow lost my pass, so this may be the *only* day I do a write up for. Will be trying to get a replacement tomorrow. Will also try and get a few pictures, cause man there's some pretty crazy stuff.
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Topic: San Diego Comic-Con (Read 2976 times)