Event Review: Comic-Con: San Diego
by Hollie Stevens
09.17.07
It has taken some time for me to write about this because I needed a break to relax after the chaos that consumed my mind and body for four days, eight hours a day. So much went on so I’ve decided to break it down by what I can remember (or haven’t tried to block from my mind) by each day.
For those of you who have never heard of this event, it is the largest comic book convention in the world with an attendance averaging 100,000. Not only is it comics, but it also includes artists, video game company’s, toy companies, major television networks, celebrity signings, and the little guys selling t-shirts, or other items such as the booth that I was working at, Girls and Corpses Magazine. I am a contributing writer and a convention vet with this magazine. I’ve worked all of the conventions with these guys: Alternative Press Expo, Adult Entertainment Expo, Haunt-X and Fangoria. This was my first time at Comic-con and no matter what I was told about the event, it couldn’t even describe what I was about to witness. I must say these nerds popped my cherry like I was being double fisted by two midgets. And with saying all of this, here’s the breakdown of my week.
Day 1 - July 25th: Preparation
I arrived at the San Diego airport around 5pm. I made sure that I erased all of the voicemail messages that had filled my cell phone’s mailbox for weeks to prepare myself for all of the chaotic calls that I would eventually get. My close friend porn star Dick Chibbles came to pick me up. I was planning on staying at his and his wife’s place during the whole event. I received a call from Robert Rhine (deaditor and chief or G&C) who was begging me to show up at the convention that day but I turned him down. I really just wanted to chill with my friends and so we settled on hooking up for dinner after he was finished working. We ended up not having dinner. Instead Dick talked me into smoking pot, eating delicious macaroni and cheese and watching some ghost hunter program on the sci fi channel. I soon made an attempt to sleep on the small couch that I was assigned to. Had a horrible time falling asleep but, eventually it happened?
Day 2 - July 26th: The Big Day
I wake up to some song from Dirty Dancing. I roll over and look at the T.V. that kept me up most of the night and sure enough, Dirty dancing was on. It was so early and I was so out of it that I ended up watching some of it. The last time I saw it I was around 6 or so and I didn’t even remember much of it then. I just remember my brother having to watch it because all of his lady friends (a.k.a chick’s he was trying to score with) loved that movie. So, I go for the coffee start getting ready for the big day with “Time of My Life” stuck in my head. Dick and I then hopped in the car and headed towards Roberts hotel to pick him and Frank Forte (an amazing comic book artist) and headed towards the convention center.
This place was huge and there was a sea of people (and fantasy characters) there waiting in line. I wouldn’t even want to know how long they’d been waiting. We went past the crowd and into the convention making our way towards our booth. I was amazed with what I saw. The corporate booths were incredible. Lego’s had gigantic statues (made out of Lego’s of course) of Batman and some Star wars Character (I don’t really follow Star wars) and the Hot wheels booth had the original bat mobile. Then we make our way to our sweet little booth with our magazines, corpses, t-shirt and molded vagina soap. I see the familiar faces of the others who split the booth with us. Frank Forte’s booth was next to us. Jim Smith (co creator of Ren and Stimpy) in the corner next to Frank. The fort was set and we were ready for war, and warcraft fans.
The turnout? Not to shabby for a Thursday. The crowd was somewhat steady but slow enough to get really boring. I offered to get coffee the starbucks in the convention center. There I was, in line for 20 minutes with people dressed up as strange characters all around me, patiently waiting for their coffee. During this time, I man walked up to me and asked for my picture. Once he was finished he told me he liked my costume. I was going to tell this man that it was not a costume but by looking at his khaki shorts and light polo shirt, I could tell that he hadn’t gotten out of mom’s basement much so I just went with it.
A few minutes after that I ran into my friend Marugan the Mystic and we met back at my booth to have him entertain me with his carnie tricks. When all was over our team went out for dinner, and then walked over to a store to sit and wait for Robert and Frank to finish trying on clothes. I assumed after that we would hit some party but everyone decided to call it a night for the big day tomorrow. My cell phone was about to die so I shut it off; trying not to waste what little battery power I had left. Then, after the sound of snoring and trains, I eventually fell asleep.
Day 3 - July 27th: The Big Weekend
Woke up all right, changed into my clown costume, grabbed a muffin and a coffee and headed to the convention. It was the same situation as yesterday. Huge lines, cops directing the heard of superheroes and gangs of those guys on bikes willing to pedal you and your loved one around the town in there little bike carriage because some people are to lazy to walk and willing to pay $10 to go 2 blocks (I swear that’s how much it was). There was quite a crowd this day so everything went by pretty quick. However there was drama.
My friends at Ramco where going to have a huge screening party at the Star Bar that night and for some reason, the owner decided to dick us at the last minute and decided that he didn’t want the screening at his bar. This is after all of the hype and promotion; even certain radio stations were announcing it. Needless to say we were pissed and in need of a new venue. Didn’t end up finding one but after hanging out with Dick and Daisy in their hot tub. We decided that we were still going to party. So the clown rally began and the drinking was glorious. It was a fun night. Marugan grossed out a bunch of people around us with his condom in the nose and out the mouth trick. The cops stopped us for photos and we collected quite a posse. We ended up crashing pretty late.
Day 4 - July 28th: The Day That Everyone Warned Me About
Woke up very early, very hangover, and threw the clown clothes back and drove back to the convention. I felt so drained. Not in the mood to talk to people, let alone act interested in them long enough for them to want to buy my stuff. Later through the day, I was given a Valium, and a little bit to eat and things were back to normal. Didn’t really matter though, for some reason it was a bit slower this day than Friday. Nobody could quite understand it. I had a strange old man approach me and told me a story about how he had a picture of Satan getting his heart ripped out by a hot lady and it reminded him of when is wife died back in 74’ and that he’s been miserable ever since. Then he showed me his superman jean jacket and proudly told me that he’s never seen anyone else with it. I just smile and nod. That’s the only thing I’ve learned in a situation like that. Finally the show was at an end. I was happy but still felt like crap but I changed my clothes in the smelly women’s restroom and got ready for my Saturday night date with Ken Foree (be sure to check him out in the next Halloween folks). He picked me up and I felt like shit. I did change out of those clown clothes into something a little more formal but I didn’t even try with the hair and make up.
Ken didn’t really tell me which parties we were going to and what kind they were but the fist one was the Entertainment Weekly, Sci-Fi Channel party. It was private and we weren’t on the list. Ken pretty much had to give this woman at the door his complete acting resume for her to finally let us in. “You two can walk the red carpet,” she says. Oh crap, this is cool, but at the same time I feel like shit. Hundreds of flashes are going off and I feel like ass and pretty sure I look like it to. Needless to say I was surprised. Free food and open bar made me forget about my confusion 10 minutes ago. It was a great party, but we decided to leave after gulping down several more free drinks. Next stop, Troma Films party. Dead. We gathered the few that were there and headed to some Webmaster party. Score! Free booze and ran into a bunch of people I know! We hung out till they kicked us out and I ended up crashing in some gigantic house in La Jolla where Ken and a few other people were staying. We all crashed around 5.
Day 5 - July 29th: Time to LEAVE!!
It was the first time that I was somewhat able to sleep in. However, Ken had to be signing at his booth at 11a.m. So we headed back to the convention center. Robert gave me Sunday off, so I sat with Ken for a bit till we came up with a plan to get out of San Diego. I called up Dick and bribed him with lunch in exchange for my entire luggage that I left at his place. So, we had lunch and raced to the train station. Our destination was Los Angeles. I guess Sundays are a very busy day for the train, but with Comic-con on top of it, there was ridiculous overcrowding. Ken and I had to stand most of the time or sit on the stairs. My feet hurt so bad from constantly wearing heels that I decided to walk around the train barefoot (classy I know but, at this point, I didn’t care).
Once we reached Anaheim we were finally able to sit down. We were so exhausted. At this point the only thing that was going through my mind was getting off this shit train, go chill at my friends apartment, take a nice long bath and watch Aqua teen Hunger Force on the Tivo. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. My friend was in town with his band from Brooklyn (team Robespierre) and they were playing that night. It was the only time I’d be able to see him and check out his band. So I took a quick shower and left. As soon as their set was finished, I ended up crashing on a friend’s futon that gave me a ride to the show. But I didn’t care. It was the first time I was able to sleep in.
No more fantasy, back to reality. Sheer bliss.