**Beware...this is a long one!!!**
Thursday
I get done work, get some errands run, and away we go! And by "we" I mean myself, Krystal, Paige, Bethany, and Xiomara, a foreign exchange student from Nicaragua that we are "host family" to.
We get to the convention just in time for Krystal to get to the room and watch Survivor, while I unload and get things set in the room and our booth. Xiomara is awed by the size of the con room. I introduce her to Renee and Michael, and am informed that wrestler Sandman will not be appearing, due to a run in with the law. Something about drunk-driving, no license, and numerous other infractions. Renee says he probably won't be out until Sept. Oh well
Later we stop by the bar and meet Luchador Al and Phil Juliano. I introduce them to Xiomara, and Phil starts talking Spanish to her. I head to our room to drop off the last of our bags then head back to the bar where a bit later, running into BoarderWalker.com's Chris Watkins. Dan Fraga also joins us and I stay until about 12:30 or so. Xiomara seems to becoming the hit of the con, as she is a topic of conversation for a bit. Nothing else to really talk about here, so we'll get right into
Friday
I can't really sleep, so at about 5:30 I decide to head to the motorhome and get it all set up for Space Monkey Mike Wood and Russ McIntosh of Labyrinth Ent.. I then head back to our room for a bit, and then down to set up our booth.
I get a lay of the land, and see that Steve Lieber, Mark Schultz, and a few other guests have cancelled. I'll also find out later that Mike Oeming won't be appearing, as well as my good friend Beau Smith.
I roam around and talk to a few people, mostly to line up guest appearances for the Trivia Challenge panel. Scott Crawford (who was great as Wolverine last year!) said he would love to do it, and would be in his Hawkman costume, and also Mark Waid said it sounded like fun, and arranged a time he would show up. Billy Tucci offers to donate a lithograph print as well!
I check in at the booth to see Mike and his talented writer Kristin Block have arrived. Later Russ gets in, and we start to get into the swing of things. The Imperium Comics booth is being manned by Publisher Chris March and Editor/Writer James Dracoules. We talk business for a bit, and I'm told my mission this weekend is to talk to George Perez about a possible cover. George just then walks by and I stop him to introduce him to the guys...and I ask. He says not until 2005, as he is booked solid, and his tendonitis is another problem (George was wearing a wrist brace, and because of not being able to sketch for charity during the weekend, he presented a check for $3500 to Make-A-Wish!!!). Oh well. James also wants me to take him to the penthouse parties and bar scene. He's never really experienced any of it, and figured I'm the guy to take him.
I actually sell a few copies of Trailer Park of Terror at the Space Monkey/cGB booth, and forward people over to the Imperium one as a follow up. I also run into my good friend and billiards partner Jay and his wife. We're going to challenge Michael Turner to a rematch to avenge last years ugly loss. Then James says to challenge him that if he loses, he does a cover for the TpoT book. Nothing like added pressure! I talk to Turner and he's game for the rematch, but hesitant for the cover proposition. I tell him "You saw me play, so had bad a bet can it be?!?"
The rest of the day is spent shmoozing, getting re-aquainted with old friends, and talking business with others. I also make a $50 purchase of The Lobo Paramilitary Christmas Special,. The complete series of Clone High, and the never aired Justice League live-action TV movie. And we didn't win anything at the CBLDF Quick Sketch. Some great stuff, like Superman cutting the Flash in half, Capt. America talking to a headless Wonder Woman, and a lot of other really sick and twisted artwork being done! The kids are sent out to hand out Kel's ashcans for Nothingface, and have a great time doing it!
As we're leaving the hall, I start talking to Adam English of Ookla the Mok, and he does some great caricature sketches of Paige and Bethany, and also says he would love to stop in for the Trivia Challenge! Paige mentions what a fan she is, and says she knows all the words to most of their songs, but her favorite is "Challenge of the Space Monkeys" (It really is!). He says "What a coincedence! We'll be playing that song and just may need some help!" Now they're both excited for the concert tomorrow!
Oh yeahand Xiomara is asking why people are dressed up like they are! We did warn her!!!
Friday night looms as Krystal is getting ready for the charity Texas Hold-Em Poker Tournament, so Mike and I take the kids swimming then go to McDonalds for some eats. We then head for the Make-A-Wish Casino Night, where I commence to winning, and Mike commences to entertaining (actually, he was the life of the party!), as well as chiseling money from my daughters. Seems he's not a good gambler! (I also give over some of my McNuggets to Renee, who said when we went in she was hungry, but couldn't leave because she was manning the table to get in). And as we were eating, we notice "Steve" from last year, in a great kimono-style outfit, and yell "STEEEEEVE!!!!" He looks at us, drops his head, and goes "Oh no" shaking his head and looking embarrassed. The night has now officially become even more fun!!!
After cashing out, we put our tickets in for the prizes, with the bulk of mine going into the Yu-Gi-Oh and Dragonball Z gift baskets, and a few in for a dragon sculpture for Krys. She's putting hers into almost everything.
We (Mike, Kristin, Krystal, James, Xiomara, the kids, Jay and his wife, and Russ) all grab a table for the prize drawings then, with Steve sitting on the stage aside of us. The guy at the next table has a ton of tickets, and Krystal was talking to him while we taunted Steve. When the drawing starts, the guy with the tickets starts winninga lot! We proceed to yell "STEEEEEVE!!!" to him now, and chant about him being the "New Steve" and fully embarrassing the guy. Heck, even the announcer started busting on him, and calling him Steve! We did okay, winning a box of Simpson's cards, an Ultimate Marvel Girl statue, the dragon sculpture, and the Dragonball Z basket. Mike had a girl feel sorry for him and gave him a part of the prize she won, that he wanted. Kristin also had "New Steve" give her one of his prizes that she wanted. All in all a fun night, with some good and generous people!!!
Krystal, Xiomara, and the kids head to the room, while the rest of us go to the bar. We meet up with Al and Phil, and commence to drinking! In between our regular banter, Mike mentions that John Romita Jr. is in the bar, and would love to talk to himbut he doesn't want to come off like a drooling fanboy. A minute later, JR Jr. walks by and I stop him. I introduce ourselves, and make small, quick casual small-talk with him. After he leaves, I tell Mike and James it's as simple as that! Shmoozing is a great talent of mine! After a bit, I start walking over to how Jay is making out playing pool when Jimmy Palmiotti calls me over. He, Amanda Conner, Joe Jusko (and his wife) and JR Jr. are all talking. Amanda offers me some chocolates and Jimmy asks if I've met JR Jr. yet. I tell him I introduced myself earlier, and we all start talking about weight loss (JR says he couldn't believe I was 225, and that last year I had been 255), and then the dirty jokes start flying. In between all this Krystal arrived and sat talking to Amanda, then Mike and James started wondering where I had went, and came over to the table as well. Jimmy starts telling this joke in his own Brooklyn way, starting with "So the Pope is f@*# Dianna Ross" when JR drops to the floor, in the fetal position, laughing hysterically! Jimmy continues to try and tell the joke, while JR is literally floored by it all. Believe me, you had to be there!!! Just seeing Jimmy doing the motions, the accent, and allit was funny!!! We all break away after everything settles down, and we head to the penthouse. We talk shop for a bit, and have some great fun. We're told we have to leave the one room, but the Poker Room is still open, so we go there. As we go in, Krys leans on the wall, and all we hear is Michael George saying saying "Will Glenn's wife please stop leaning on the light switch!" in a slightly irritated tone. Then I accidently hit the other switch, and turn off all the lights for a second. We decide to leave before we cause anymore problems!
Mike, Russ, Krys and I head to the motorhome. As we're out in the lot talking a bit loud, Krys notices a guy a VW microbus who was sleeping in it, and we awoke. We quieted down, and watch the Lobo movie and an episode of Clone High. Not really much else I can remember, not because of drinking, but because of what happens next
About 2:30 AM, as Krystal and I head back to our room, we're just about to get to the elevator when the alarms start going off, and an automated voice is saying not to use the elevators and evacuate the building. Fearing that kids will not know what's going on, we race up the steps to the 6th floor. When We get to our room, I notice that no alarms are sounding in our section of the building. We call to the front desk, but nobody answers. So we decide that I will go back down and try and find out what's up. As get down the steps (remember, 6 flights!) I see people streaming out the exits to the parking lot, and the alarms are still going off. I go to the motorhome to get Mike's cell phone, so I can see if the alarms have started going off in our section. The fire-trucks start arriving, and Krys is watching it all from our room. She says nothing going off there yet, but I'm not being allowed back into the building now. I mingle with people in the parking lot, watch Tucci showing his 3 year old the fire trucks, and make jokes with Franco Aureliani and Art Baltazar. Finally, close to 4 AM, people start going back in. I get to our room, and collapse. Saturday is looking to be a looooong day now!
Saturday
I awake at 8:30 so I can go wake up Russ and Mike, who then come to my room to shower (the water heater is broken in the RV). We then go to Giant Eagle so I can cash my paycheck, and get some donuts. As we're there, Mike picks up some sushi, and we proceed to see how far we can go with the cashier. She asks "Are you all together?" and I say "I'm actually with him (pointing to Mike) but only to get him (Russ) jealous." This lady now has no idea what to say in response!!! We joke around a bit more, then head back to the convention.
I go back up to our room to shower and change. I get in the elevator to go down to the hall, and a good-looking, well-tanned man with wrap around sunglasses, cut-off shorts and sleeveless t-shirt, is leaning half asleep in it. I ask him if he's tired due to the Parking Lot Party. He says he was out cold last night and hadn't heard anything about it. I tell him what was up, and he asks if they fine people for that, like the do in Australia. I then realize he's Lani Tupu from Farscape (Capt. Crais) and say "Hey, you're that guys from Farscape!?!" he says "That's what they tell me!" and we proceed to talk comics and art the rest of the way. I must say the guys is really nice, and a talented artist! More on him Saturday
I get with Mark Waid, Scott Crawford, Ookla the Mok, and Tucci, about the Trivia Challenge, now only 2 hours away! Billy says he won't be able make it, but gives me a litho of SHI done by Brian Rood. He signs it, then has Brian sign it as well. Luchador Al has given me a great piece or original art by Phil, of a guy with a gun saying "Backoff Fanboy! These cheese-fries are mine!" and Russ give me a stack of stuff from Labyrinth Entertainment. We also get a few small-press books to throw in as well from Black Market Comics (Thanks guys!!!) Nothing else but running around and the setting up for the big panel!
The 2nd Annual Trivia Challenge
WE GET OVER 70 PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will say we may have been a bit off, but mostly because of my lack of sleep due to the 3 AM Parking Lot Party, and the crowd is really understanding of that! All in all tho' it went very well, and I think we improved on things from last years. I'm already brain-storming on how to make it better yet for next year! Mike was great on the stick, and our guests were terrific!
Hawkman was our first guest, right at the top of the show. Luckily I had James give me some Hawkman questions, since his continuity may have changed as we were doing the panel, and it went great! The a bit later, Mark Waid came in and basically took over for half and hour or so! He first brought up two people who thought they knew comics, and proceeded to ask his own questions. After that segment, he then challenged someone from the audience, using the questions I made (titled "Waiding Into The Deep End: Questions only Mark Waid would know the answers to!"). As we were going to begin, Rand and Adam from Ookla the Mok showe up, and we let them ask the questions. Adam acted like a fanboy, saying he couldn't believe he was on stage with "the" Mark Waid, and I told him he could go over and shake his hand. :D Mark lost graciously, and we even managed to stump him on two or three!!! All in all it was a great time, and my singing wasn't really bad. It was awful!!! Because of the drinking and late night, I had "Bobby Brady Syndrome" and missed a few notes, but the audience laughed, and it turned out to be a good, fun segment!!!
AND WE HAD OVER 70 PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!
**Beware: Pimping and plugs ahead!!!***
Afterwards, I walked the floor a bit, thanking those who stopped by the panel, and getting rave reviews from audience members. I then head to the Artists Alley section to talk to Chris Yambar, when I see Louis Small Jr. (Of Codename: Knockout and Vampirella fame). I always make it a point to talk to Louis, as he is one of the nicest and talented people in the biz, and he usually has great looking girls with him too! We talk and he says "I want to do a cover for you." He says again how he would really like to do a cover, since he saw the solicitation for the Amanda and Jimmy alternate (IN PREVIEWS NOW!!!) and will do one for whatever we're paying our regular cover artist, Nelson DeCastro (Shadow Reavers, Superman)! WOW!!! I say I'll introduce him to James and Chris later at the penthouse party, but he says he's going to a strip club instead, so we make arrangements for Sunday on the floor. So I'm bummed because I can't get George Perez, but I have Louis Small asking to do one! Pretty cool!!!!
I later stop by where JR Jr. is signing, and ask if he'll do a sketch of the Pope f#@%ing Diana Ross. He proceeds to lose it again, laughing hysterically! He then looks at me and says "What's even funnier is I forget the punchline!" I later tell Jimmy he has to tell it again to John!
Then Tom Savini comes by the booth, so I give him copies of the Trailer Park of Terror comic, and he poses for a pic with me and the books (Heythe Publicity Director is supposed to get photo-ops!). Tom is one of Paige's favorite people, and later that weekend, she took one of Kel's ashcans to him, just so she could talk to him!!!
The rest of the day was spent trying to get a few signatures, and talking to more people, and even selling a few more Trailer Park of Terror books. Krys wins a Tommy Castillo drawn Spawn, which is really cool! If we win two tomorrow, we can keep our average alive!!! And the kids kept handing out Kel's ashcans! We wrap it up by going to the Ookla the Mok concert. Adam had asked me earlier in the day to make sure the kids were coming, and I said they would be there. They enjoyed show, and before they're last song, they asked for the "2 biggest Ookla fans to come up on stage!" Paige and Beth went up, and said they're favorite song was "Challenge of the Space Monkeys." They were given monkey puppets, and asked to act out the song as Ookla played it. It was terrific and they enjoyed it totally!!! Thanks Rand and Adam!!!!!!!!!!
Oh yeahthey're new drummer is extremely talented! And he's blind! An amazing guy!!!
We had decided to all go out to dinner, and after the Ookla the Mok concert, we find out we'll be going out with Jason Yungbluth (Deep Fried, and who I met last year) and Pete Stathis (Slave Labor Graphics) as well. We go to Don Pablos, and talk the business, and I get the first mentions of "I was told I need to meet Glenn Barbis" that would later come up again, with some other people. Another case of flattering, but pretty cool in a way.
After dinner, Russ and I go to the Charity Auction, while Mike goes swimming with the girls (meaning my wife and daughters, and Xiomara). I get there only to find out that just minutes before, they had been asking for me, as they wanted me to come up and talk about the donations we made.
**(I donated some signed books, including a Divine Right Holochrome Ed. only available in England, signed by 15 creators, including Jim Lee, Travis Charest, J. Scott, Campbell, Art Adams, Adam Hughes, and others, and the Imperium donation of a signed B&W print of the Amanda and Jimmy cover, a signed color print of the #1 Nelson cover, and all 4 issues of Trailer Park of Terror)**
All totaled I think our stuff brought about $80! Not too bad I thought!
Kel's special framed 1 of 1 print then comes up, and Al starts bidding. Russ bids against him, and I tell him he can't bid, as he doesn't have a number/paddle. He then grabs Al's and bids again, totally confusing Michael George! Al gets the print for $70 after another person enters the bidding.
After this, things getinteresting!
Saturday Night
We make our way to the bar, as Krystal and Xiomara take the kids swimming, and will later be going to the CBLDF Mardi Gras Party (where Beth won second place in the limbo contest, and Paige won a signed Rowena print!). Jay and I ready ourselves for our match against Michael Turner and his partner A.J. (who was calling me "Mike" last year, and is still doing it, but only for laughs this year!). I buy a few rounds for different people, and Turner finally arrives. Jay and I start off slow, but rally a bit in the end. It was a long game, with me getting stuck in the pocket with no shot at our last ball (Mike and A.J. were on the 8). I scratch intentionally so Mike has to come all the way back. Everyone gives me some static, but it was stategy I say! (yeah, it was a shitty thing to do, and normally I wouldn't have, but it was just a fun game and not for money or anything). Being the slick player Mike is, he brings the cue ball back and nudges the 8, while parking it against it and our 7, giving Jay nothing to do but break them up. He does, and we lose game number one. During game number 2, Mike asks me about my run-ins with John Byrne, and I tell him, and he then tells me of his. A pretty funny one that I won't put out for public consumption, but it made me laugh!!! Dan Fraga hangs out for a bit as Jay and I lose game two, but we put in a valiant effort! Krys comes in telling me about the Mardi Gras Party (seems Tucci embarrassed himself by overturning a table in some eating contest). Seems they finally are making it fun again!!! The kids are with and Paige is impressed to be "in a real bar!" They then head up to bed with Xiomara, and Krys stays for some drinks. Lani Tupu then comes in, and I introduce him to Kyrs, who is a BIIIG Farscape (and Capt. Crais) fan. We chat a bit, I buy him a drink, and when we talk of how I met him in the elevator, he says he hopes the next time he's in one, it's with Krys! Uhmdid he just hit on her?!? Anyway, we chat a bit, drink a bit, and then it's off to the penthouse!
As we get there, we're stopped by a security guard (where was he last night???) and told that Jay, his wife, and Brandon (someone we met earlier, who listened intently and understandingly while I ranted about Wizard, after saying he was going to start working for them next month) could not enter unless they had badges. I go to the room to get Paige, Beth's, and Xiomara's badges. As long as they flash them quick, they should be able to get in. As we're in the elevator, Josh Blaylok gets on and asks if we were going to get badges (seems he forgot his too!). We all joke that "We don't need no steenking badges!" He gets off on the 3rd floor, and we the sixth , get the badges, and get back on the elevator. It stops at the 5th, and Angel Medina (of Spawn) gets on. We notice he is carrying his badge, and we joke about it (As I introduce "Paige" "Beth" and "Xiomara"). He says "But my name really is Angel!" The elevator stops again on the 3rd, and I joke that we're picking up Josh. The Josh gets on! More jokes about badges and all, with Josh saying "It's amazing what we'll do for unlimited free alcohol!" :D
We get to the party it's raging pretty good! We sit at a table that includes Krystal, Space Monkey, Imperium James, Brandon, Kristin and her boyfriend Steve (a really great guy!) , Jay and his wife, and a few other small press guys we all met. One guy has a digital camera and proceeds top get some incriminating photos of Mike and James! All night I was in tears laughing so hard, and losing my voice as well. It was also in this that we coined the soon to be on a t-shirt "Mike Wood??? Mike DID!!!" I cannot wait to get the pics!!!! Between the vodka, whiskey, and beer, it was a really fun night that went on forever it seemed!
At one point, James says to me "You really do know everyone, don't you?!?" and tells me he will pay my flight to San Diego this year, so I can introduce him, pimp Imperium, and see about getting into some parties. Russ then tells me of his calling Josh Blaylok a dick, and I just shake my head. By this time, Russ is bombed!
One notable I must mention was a guy called Nigel, who was doing a Capt Jack Sparrow riff that in the party atmosphere, was absolutely great, and to some extenet to the women, creepy! I thought the guy was hilarious, and realized he was the one sleeping in the VW microbus! We talked until the wee-hours of the morning with Jimmy Palmiotti, Joe Jusko, The Blue Meanie, Johnny Valiant, and a few other notables! As they were closing the penthouse, a balloon volleyball game started, and I remember seeing the Blue Meanie on the floor, with another wrestler pinning him! It was then that Kristin decided to take the party to her room. More picture taking ensued (The one of Mike and James on the bed together should look reeeeal interesting!) and Krys and I headed out sometime after 3 AM. Needless to say I was blitzed! Sunday was not looking to be a good day now!
Sunday
I awake at 8 and go get Russ and Mike up. Russ isn't getting up, and Nigel is still crashed in his VW. Mike comes up to shower, and I start taking our stuff out to the car, since we'll be checking out by noon. After my second trip, I see Russ stumbling in. and run into Nigel as well. He drifts in and out of his Capt' Jack shtick, which was strange in the daylight/non-drinking world, but all in all I hope to meet him again sometime, and I thought he was a nice guy!
Sunday was more or less a "get stuff signed" day, as that's all I pretty much did. When I got to get my JR Jr. stuff signed, I asked again for a Pope and Diana Ross sketch, to which he again started laughing hysterically. He said he wouldn't do that, the asked who I wanted him to draw. I said whatever he wanted to do was fine, and he said he would do Daredevil. I asked him to put a Pope hat on him (to remember it all), but again he said he couldn't But he did sign in "JR JR 2004 "POPE"" which was pretty cool!!! And that was the only sketch I would get the whole weekend as well. I chatted with Bob Almond and Mark McKenna for about half an hour, and talked to Howard Porter, David Mack, and Alex Horley as well.
Also of note was a few more people approaching me saying they were told to meet me, one being Joseph Michael Linsner's assistant, Eva Hopkins. She said she really had asked around about me, after someone telling her to meet me, and she was impressed that everyone knew of my reputation for promoting small press, knowing people, and being "an ambassador" to the comics industry! Again, extremely flattering! I'm not sure what all this was about this weekend, but I hope I helped out those who asked for advice, and who I talked to about the industry, changes that need to be made, and what is good about comics!
We then said our good-bye's to everyone, packed up, went to dinner with Mike, Kristin and Steve, and had a nice, safe trip home. The kids had a wonderful time! Xiomara enjoyed seeing something new and different (and I can't wait to see what all she videotaped!). And Krys and I just flat-out had a blast!!!
It was another great Pitt-Con And even tho' I was busy thru most of it, and didn't get much in the sketchbook, I did get to meet some great new people, hang out with terrific friends, and cut loose for a bit as can only be done at Pitt-Con!!!!
Thanks to Renee and Michael Georgeand all my friends, old and new, for making it a great weekend!!!
And a special THANKS! to Mike Wood, for again being a great host for the Trivia Challenge, splitting a booth with me, putting up with my kids, and for being a great friend!!!
I'm already counting the days until Pitt-Con '05!!!! Here's hoping it's an All-Figma Event next year!!!
**I'm already saving for the "Get Kel From Alaska To Pitt" Fundraiser!!!!**
