Hi all,
Still at Wondercon, and would have posted sooner except I couldn’t remember my own password.
As usual, I was certain this show would be full of angst, trial, trauma, and convention crud, but I am happy to report it has turned out to be one of the most pleasant and rewarding conventions in recent memory.
Not only have the fans been uniformly pleasant and fun, but the pros have also been a delight.
Phil Foglio was kind enough to give me some valuable advice on webcomics publishing.
Amanda Conner was slightly bowed by a cold, but ever the trouper, stepped in to complete two charming drawings for the CBLDF Live Art Jam. Sergio Aragonez provided fortifying hugs and kisses, and Gail Simone was dazzingly pretty with her red hair and glowing complexion. Trina Robbins was also sporting a new, short red do. She looked wonderful.
The staff is supreme, organized, attentive and supportive. I can’t think of a single thing that hasn’t gone right, except for a minor snafu with security. They kept stopping guests with exhibitor badges for some reason. Whatever, all was straightened out.
I’ve truly enjoyed everything about this show, including the location, which is in the center of a pleasant shopping district, with great places to eat and hang out.
And since this is a comics oriented show, I am amongst my people, and lo, it was good.
Excellent response to the Creator Rights panel with Mark Evanier and Mike Lovitz. My heart swells with pride. A young lady approached me today saying she has been inspired to pursue IP law.
If I can get home without getting convention crud, this will be the Compleat Convention, both Perfekt and Pleasant in All Glorious Ways.
I brought my work with me, and shut down a half hour early to get to my room, order dinner, and get back to drawing.
I’ll be home Tuesday.
PS: One bit of bad news: analog art supplies were not to be found. I made sure to run to the bank for cash to buy pens, paper, ink, etc. but not a single dealer had the goods. Bummer.
Plenty of people selling software and computer equipment. The shape of things already here, I guess.
It was indeed a very pleasant con. Although I found yesterday, when I took my shoes off at night, that I got a blister with the walking to and fro.
The Creator Rights panel was indeed very good. Your Spotlight thingee was good too. Oh, and I’ll email those pictures to you when I get home (I stopped on the road, because the rain was so bad last night, and I was tired).
Ahh – too bad I had to go away for the Easter weekend else I would’ve been there to hook you up with with a decent art supply store. There is a Utrecht Art supply store at New Montgomery and Howard near Academy of Art – only a few blocks from Moscone Ctr. Oh well. If you make it to Wondercon again (if at Moscone) you know where to go next time.
Uh – correction, Utrect is more like at New Montgomery and Natoma (1 block back) *[-D
Thanks, very nice of you! Unfortunately, I usually buy Japanese supplies, and was hoping some of the manga/anime dealers would have them. Alas, no one did.
Most US stores don’t carry them.
I’m surprised you didn’t find any real media supplies, actually.
I have quite a few.. ..which, alas, lay untouched. Beautiful sheets of tone I had to have, but I have very little experience with it. And while its fun working with ink, its also much pricier then simply using photoshop.
(Not to mention it can be hard to do detailing.)
Still, I have them. Hopefully sometime I’ll have a reason to use them….
(As far as where to buy, kinokuniya bookstores tends to have the supplies, if you’re ever in San Fransisco, San Jose, Las Angelas, Seattle or Portland. I don’t know if other places have them too, though.)
I’ve often seen some real supplies at the (single) con I’ve been to, but its an anime themed con so they know they can make money off it as, lets face it, there ARE people who must have ANYTHING that’s made in japan, to a ridiculous point.
Many anime stores and dealers sell manga art supplies, but I have been to more than a dozen on the internet, and all are sold out of the particular pens I use.
No one has them. I placed an order with Deleter in Japan to buy direct.
Everyone and their brother Fred has been recommending places to buy my Neo Piko black markers, but when say no one has them, I’m not kidding. I bought the last four from Akadot, and have had them on backorder from three sources for months. It’s ridiculous.
And BTW, I routinely buy manga supplies from anime companies, but thanks for posting the info for others.
However, there were many anime and manga companies at the show and none were carrying supplies.