geekfiesta, day two

day two of the NYCC is always the best - and worst - day. the former because most of the action happens this day. the latter manifests itself early - you get there two hours before the gates open and you're still stuck behind a couple of hundred foul-smelling geeks. ok, maybe half of them. seriously. dude, look at and smell yourself before flaming me.

note: most of the pics here (the better ones) belong to my friend time bandit (a.k.a. tintin). he has been most generous in letting me bunk in his jersey apartment so we can mount a simultaneous two-pronged assault on the Javits Center. sorry, playing Rainbow 6: Las Vegas and Gears of War on his Xbox makes me a little gung-ho with the terminology. anyway, check out his NYCC pics at his Flckr page.

our plan was to storm the joint - him going to grab tickets for any celeb autograph signings and me going to check the major booths for signing schedules. Marvel was pretty good with theirs - they had their schedule worked out since day one - but DC was notorious for keeping it close to the vest, releasing it only on a daily basis. tsk, way to irritate fans like me, Dan DiDio (Mr. DiDio actually had to defend DC yesterday from an agitated geek who expressed his disgust with 52 and Countdown in the DC Nation panel).

most of my time was to be spent getting/standing/sitting/waiting in line for signatures while the bandit roamed the floor and get his paparazzi jollies. either way, our feet would definitely be sore at the end of the day.

my first target of the day was writer/inker Andy Lanning (without his tag team partner Dan Abnett), who was signing that time with Gabriele Dell'Otto, Tom Raney, Scott Hanna, and the legendary Chris Claremont. i already had my Claremont books signed last year so no need to bug the old man, who i must say looked fantastic 'cause he seems to have lost weight. of course, hearing the man blow his nose kind of makes him less legendary than i would like to view him, but i digress.

i was standing behind a Batman character, but my god - Bruce Wayne has gone to seed! check out these shots:

ok, let me spare you my crappy sneaky photos and let me just give my pal's shot of him (he's banging Robin, to boot! isn't that weird?? or maybe not), so you can see him in his full glory (pun intended).

just in case Buttman comes back and sues me for character defamation, need i remind him of this sign:

there's that little technicality that i am not in any way connected with Marvel Entertainment, per se, but hey, you wear the costume, you become a target. tough noogies.

i immediately had some pangs of regret considering i didn't bring a couple of books which would have netted me a Dell'Otto and a Hanna. oh well. Mr. Lanning was affable enough to chat with me for a few minutes. nice Brit (and i don't mean Spears).

while i was standing behind Buttman, my friend brought his 3 Justice books and managed to get a ticket, autographs and a pic with Alex Ross. THE ALEX ROSS!!


my second regret of the day. no Kingdom Come, no Marvels in my bag. i wonder why. what the heck is wrong with me?

well, ok, what the hell is wrong with him? that's Piotr Rasputini, the ravioli maker/eater from Russia.

there was a Louis Letterier/Tim Roth (to promote The Incredible Hulk) signing at 2 PM, but that was another ticketed event. you had to be here at around 5 AM to get in line. Ed Norton wasn't there; i guess he didn't get a ticket either.

which Hulk do you prefer? your answer will tell us how gay you are.

for a so-called disposable assassin, Scud doesn't seem like one.


a passable Emma Frost and a chola Jean Grey (no wonder Cyclops left the hag).


hey, Princess Leia and ... is that you, Porkins? (hehe ... Porkins)


but you know what the Bible says about anatomy yeah? if that part dishonors you ...


here's one for our pal Jego, who practically drooled on his keyboard once he saw the new Hellboy II trailer. i heard they had to buy him a new keyboard.






even better, time bandit got reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaally close (i heard they called security).


eat your heart out, Jego.

look, the Perlster was also there!



one more time ... eat your heart out, Jego!

since i was the one holding the camera, i loudly announced (as i was taking this pic): "ok, here's Master Chief and Master Bates!" i was told people around us laughed.

Heath Ledger LIVES!!!!!!!


speaking of the Joker, here's his alleged creator, although said statement is subject to dispute.

here's Messrs. Olivier Coipel, Serge LaPointe, and Yanick Paquette (they seem to be lumping birds of the same feather together). i finally had a copy of the House of M trade for Coipel to sign (last year was a pathetic freebie sketches version). Marc Guggenheim and the eternally-beloved (and instantly recognizable) Dan Slott were also on this session.

why are they shoving this down our throats?


Surfer USA

i sent off my pal time bandit to get in line for the Garth Ennis signing at the Midtown Comics booth because i need to see the Green Lantern team of Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis and Ethan Van Sciver at the DC booth. did i ever mention that i have a man-crush on Geoff Johns? yes, i think i did.

when my turn came to get his signature, i was tongue-tied and didn't have anything witty to say. aaaaaaargh.


dazed and confused, i went to see my friend who was holding my place for the Ennis signing. the line hasn't moved and it was snaking around the area around 60 people long. good thing i was in time and would be meeting another one of the greats in a few minutes (give or take a couple of hours).




that pic above was the closest i would ever get to meeting Garth Ennis.

because.

i.

forgot.

to.

ask.

for.

a.

damn.

ticket.



it was already my turn, and i asked the DIC (dude in charge) if i could still go, even without a ticket, and he politely said no.

he.

said.

no.



aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh.


my Preacher. my Punisher. will be left unsigned.


aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh.


my disappointments revolve around tickets. yesterday, i was horrified to discover i lost my monthly subway pass. then i didn't stick around to get an Alex Ross ticket (well, i didn't bring my stuff anyway for him to sign). now i forgot to ask for a free ticket for the Irish rogue.


but little did i know, my redemption would come in the form of a Scottish badass.

look at this. doesn't he look like a badass?

Morrison has been a hero to fanboys and counterculturists everywhere with his works. he swings both ways, writing edgy fare like The Invisibles and Big Dave, and weaving epic superhero tales in All Star Superman and JLA.

so it is a little disappointing that for a specific price tag, you can have something like this:


that's for a private audience with the man. i am not shelling out $200, not if you can catch him in the DC booth.

cost of NY Comicon Weekend ticket: $45
remaining value of lost subway ticket: $65
overpriced hotdog for lunch: $5
surviving the line cut for the Grant Morrison autographing session: priceless.

at least for yesterday, today and tomorrow:


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hancock haul: Batt, Andy Lanning, Olivier Coipel, Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Ethan Van Sciver, Gail Simone, Grant Morrison, and Long Island boy and NYU alum Joe Kelly.