Fan Expo 2012
Aug. 26th, 2012 09:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
newnumber6Not a lot of pictures today, but there are some. Mix of reasons for this, one was a lack of costumes that really appealed to me (there were a lot of fine costumes, but many either seemed to be stuff I had no idea what they were, or old standbys I'd seen and photographed a couple times before already, probably by the same people), another was timing (there were a few times where I saw somebody I would have liked to photograph but they were in motion and by the time I could have turned my camera on and snapped a picture, I knew they'd be long gone), and a general social anxiety towards asking people that seemed to befix me today. Which is odd because in other social areas I did... well, okay. There's a difference that I think explains it which I'll get to behind the cut.
The story will be chronological, more or less, maybe with a bit of highlights at the second cut for those who don't want to read the whole thing. There may be a picture of myself behind the cut, so bewarned, venture in at your own risk.
Okay, so woke up at 4am. This is not especially unusual for me (it's the same time I wake up on work days), did some getting ready and showering and such while my brain regained function, and left shortly before 6am... looking more or less like this!
(this photograph was taken retroactively, the next morning at roughly the same time, so I was more or less freshly shaved instead of with a day's extra growth... also had different pants and such, but they're not in the picture so it doesn't really matter... the shirt is of course a symbol of one the evil corporation Blue Sun from Firefly).
I'd be taking the subway, and the Subway (according to the TTC site at least) starts at 6 on Saturday mornings. Got on a couple minutes after six, interchange (including missing the subway that was arriving just as I was going up the stairs because I was behind two slow walkers. At my normal pace I would have made it), then rode to Union Station, where I got out, and once again I was decieved! Cruelly deceived.
Seriously, Fan Expo's page always says that it's located at the Metro Toronto Convention Center (though which building it's in varies), reachable from Union Station via the Skywalk (an enclosed glass walkway that goes over streets and such). And every time I go, I try to reach it from there, only to find that the doors to said location doesn't work. Maybe it's just that they open later in the day, but still, annoying.
On the plus side, the Skywalk was totally empty an a little darkened, which was a little creepy-cool, in the sense that it was easy to imagine myself as wandering the city as the last human survivor of some kind of apocalypse (possibly Zombie related). Anyway, I retraced my steps and went down to street level near the start of the Skywalk, and then wandered over to where I lined up the last time (2010, I think(... nobody there, (because they changed from the North building, to the South building). And of course, no signs that I could see.
While wandering around (seriously, Fan Expo, invest in a few more signs!), I met another guy who was looking for the con, and we teamed up to try and figure out the right place to go, finally meeting a few other people who were waiting to pickup advance tickets (and, as I possibly learned later, possibly in the wrong place - but I'm not sure about that, maybe I just misunderstood what their exact situation was), and they gave us rough directions where to go. Which turned out to be to the lineup for people who'd already had their Deluxe (whole weekend) passes, whereas both of us were purchasing at the gate, but they gave us further directions until we finally found the sign that said "Buy Tickets" and found a short line of people who were there for the same thing as us. This was good, and the line wasn't too big, maybe 30 people or so ahead of us. But then it was about 6:30am, and the box office opened at 10am.
Now, the guy I'd been walking with I actually was talking to a bit on the way to this location and seemed like he was fairly nice, and I was more or less holding my own in the conversation (although I probably should have asked more about him in turn, but I did manage to introduce myself by name before he did), but we had to separate: there were two lines, one for people buying in cash (me), and one for people using debit (him). So I saw down against the concrete wall (the line was in some sort of underground loading dock, which is a bit odd, but okay).
Lines are pretty well the major opportunity for social interaction with other fans, but none was managed on my part. There was a couple to me left who were talking a lot amongst themselves, but it didn't seem right to interrupt (one, I later learned, was reading Alan Tudyk's twitter from her smartphone. I didn't know at the time, but she vocally retweeted something Tudyk had written: "Canadian ketchup is sweeter than in the US. It also apologizes more." So I guess they were, in part, there to see him, but which might have been a chance to say something, but no dice, I'm a shy and timid soul and don't like to intrude.
I did have a book, which at least killed time. We were pushed back by the line management people, and then later, allowed to enter further into the loading dock than we'd initially been waiting, where we could see the ticket boxes, and were allowed to complete our little registration form slips (I had to borrow a pen from someone, the same person who the couple immediately ahead of me borrowed it from) and we were pretty much at the front of the line (again, 25-30 people ahead of me, but I knew I'd get in within minutes).
Behind us? Well, here's what it looked at, sometime between 7:30 and 8:30 (probably roughly 8ish). Again, box office opened at 10.
The line was indubitably longer than that, it just wrapped farther than I can see.
(One of the people in the picture, the girl in blue in profile, is the girl who I borrowed the pen from. The guy I initially found the line with is also somewhere in the line along the metal gate, just left of the guy in red's face.)
Finally, they opened the ticket booth, and there was a mad rush from the front of the gate. A lot of people ran from where we were penned up to the place where we paid. I guess we'd been waiting since about 6:30am, we were getting a little antsy. I walked quickly, but wasn't that crazy. Paid, and, to my surprise, within seconds after that, was inside. Even though our entrance was far from the main entrance, I guess they both went into different parts of the same building. Which means I was probably in at about the same time as those who paid in advance AND waited a long time.
Anyway, the first thing I did was make a beeline for the autograph area, because it's best to get to those early. A few of the stars were already there, but I knew Alan Tudyk was going to be the biggest lineup (of the people I was going to see), so I circled around until I saw him... and lucked out. The line was already fairly long, but I got in before they started giving out tickets (they had a system where instead of letting the lines get too long, after a certain points you got a numbered ticket and they'd let the line shrink and then say "you can only get into the line now if you have tickets under #100" or whatever). It was still maybe a 10/20 minute wait. While there, I took a couple pictures... John Barrowman was right next to Alan Tudyk, and I later got one of Alan himself.
When I took a picture of Alan I think my flash went off, which got a general request from the volunteer at the head of the line (no flash photography), and I had to sheepishly apologize and spend much of my waiting time trying to figure out how to turn off the auto flash - the camera's borrowed and I'm not too familiar with it. Which led to some further embarrassment because as I was occupied I didn't realize that what I thought was the front of the line was actually the front of the 'buying' line, and once you bough, you go back to the end of the 'waiting for the actual autograph' line (only 6 or 7 people deep, but it didn't exist when I started). I didn't rush Alan or anything, but I was about to step forward before being held back. Paid, got a complimentary photo of Alan (which, you could either get signed or, if you were paying to get something else signed, because you had to pay for each signature, functioned as something of a receipt), and waited for 6-7 more people.
Which leads to... my first celebrity encounter (of the day):
Who I Saw: Alan Tudyk
Why I wanted to see him: Firefly, of course. Done a couple other things I've liked, but mostly, Firefly! Wash!
What I got signed: My Firefly DVD boxed set (already containing signatures from Sean Maher, Summer Glau, and Morena Baccarin)
What it Cost: $40
What our conversation was:
First something along the lines of "It's a pleasure to meet you", and a handshake. I handed over my boxed set and he said something about how I'd already gotten a number of signatures there, and I agreed that I had (he also seemed vaguely interested in the fact that I used a book to keep it stable rather than carry the DVDs around, but unlike the two previous signatures, didn't comment on it). Then, he must have noticed my Blue Sun shirt, because he asked me if they ever got around to explaining it in the show. I said No, I didn't think they did, and he said he thinks they were going to do it in the comics.
I said I heard that, and had been reading them, but I was a little behind, I though, and he said the last one was the one with Book, which I mentioned that that was the last one I read. Anyway, that was about it, I thanked him again, got another handshake, and moved out of line.
What I Wished I'd Said: "Marry me!" (Woot, running jokes from 2 years again that only make sense to or amuse me!)
Re: My shirt
"I just figured that if I was going to wear a T-shirt with a logo of a soulless, evil corporation, at least it could be a FICTIONAL evil corporation."
But more seriously... I actually can't think of anything in particular. I mean, obviously I'd have liked to have had some more extensive conversation, but there was nothing burning on my mind that I wanted to say.
Overall Impressions: Made me feel good about paying $40 for a signature and a minute or so of face time.
After that, I circled back around to find the panel of John Rhys-Davies. Again, lucked out, a fair number of people in line, but I actually got into the line itself. They did the same "pay first, then wait to get the actual autograph" thing (even though the pay person is right NEXT to the celebrity, I guess it's more efficient since you don't waste time while the celebrity is waiting for you to finish paying). This time the pay-taking volunteer said she liked my t-shirt. Or rather, I think that's what she said, since she mimed it and it took me a second to get what she was saying (and to remember I was wearing a t-shirt, so when she mimed her own, plain, t-shirt I didn't make the connection that she might be talking about mine). So yeah I'm pretty sure she was a Firefly fan complimenting my t-shirt (the alternative was that she was saying something about her breasts, which would have been a little bizarre and inappropriate). This time, no free picture, unless it was the picture itself you were getting signed (or maybe taking that was an option but it wasn't clear).
Anyway, while waiting, I overheard a few people talking... apparently JRD had been spending lots of time with the people asking for his signature, was 'too nice', and that at least this time they'd managed to convince him to rush a little more. But that still left a lot of room for conversation... the line was shorter than Alan's, but I think I actually waited a little longer because a couple times he spent a couple minutes talking to one person.
Meanwhile, I took a few blurry pictures (seriously, I don't know what happened, the distance was good and I don't think I was shaking, but they all came out blurryish... maybe I screwed something up when I disabled the flash... this is another reason for the lack of pictures today), both of JRD, and a few people nearby. Amanda Tapping was right next door (and apparently is a sucker for kids... despite the 'No Posed Photos' sign, she posed for some with little kids, and I saw her leaning over her table to 'coochie-coo' a kid in a stroller).
First two blurry photos of Joe Flanigan (Stargate Atlantis):
Two blurry photos of JRD:
And one of Amanda Tapping:
Finally, it was my turn! Second Celebrity Encounter!
Who I Saw: John Rhys-Davies
Why I Wanted to See Him: Because he's a legendary character actor. Sallah... Professor Arturo... Holographic Leonardo Da Vinci... Gimli... The voice of Macbeth, from Gargoyles!
What I got signed: A novelization of the pilot episode of Sliders that had been in my possession since it came out. I'm not normally a bit one for novelizations, but I really liked Sliders (and even wrote a bit of teenish fanfic for it back in the day). In fact, I think the fanfic was part of the reason I bought the novelization... I was hoping for more background on the characters that I could work into my own stories (not to mention using for ideas on how to describe the main characters). Heck, I even wrote a "What I'd Do With" installment about how I would have done Sliders (at least, the first season and on, where it still had the potential, but really started to go to hell).
What it Cost: $30
What our conversation was:
"Come on up, young man..." (him, when it was my turn).
I told him it was an honor to meet him, and he said it was an honor to meet me (a cheap line, but still classy, particularly from him!), a firm handshake, and when I passed him my book, he said, "Oh, a Sliders fan!"
I admitted that yes, I liked a lot of his work but I really loved it when I was young...
"You're young now!"
"Well, when I was a teenager, then..."
He asked how old I was now, I told him (34), and he said, "Well, you're still a young man," and I thought about saying something like I don't feel like it but wondered if that might be rude so just smiled while he started to sign, and then mentioned (possibly again), that he was always a joy to watch in every role I've seen him in, and he said something like "Oh, that's very kind of you" (but in a way that made it believable, rather than just offhandedly), he finished signing, asked me if that was good, and I said it was, thanked him, he offered his hand to shake again, and that was it.
What I Wished I'd Said: "Marry me!" (I am going to run that into the ground!)
"Sliders had so much potential and although I don't think it ever quite lived up to it, but you were always the best thing about it and after you were gone, it took a serious downturn." (I know he was always a little disenchanted with the writing of the show, and I agree and I think I might have gotten a little more time with him if I made that clear, rather than if he saw me as potentially a big fan of a show he had mixed feelings on that he didn't want to talk badly of in front of... if you're interested, here's an interview with him shortly after leaving. Sliding Away. And according to a report of his Fan Expo panel, he still has some of the same complaints and it's something of an "open wound"..
Also: "I heard you had some plot ideas for Sliders you wanted to suggest for the writers, and I have to say, what I read of them were a lot better than many of the ones that were actually used."
And: "Could you please call me a Blistering Idiot?"
And maybe: "You know, before the new series started, I always pictured you as a spectacular candidate to play the Doctor in Doctor Who. And while you may not work anymore in the direction they're taking the younger, you still would be fabulous in some kind of role, you just scream Time Lord to me, maybe a version of the Master or the Meddling Monk."
Overall Impressions: I had less time with him than many others, but I think that's largely because I didn't bring up anything to keep him talking... I really do imagine that if I'd deliberately and more effectively engaged him in converstion, he'd have talked for a fairly long time before realizing he was keeping others waiting. A class act (not that Alan wasn't, of course, of the Firefly stars I met Alan was was probably the most engaging, although I think Sean Maher was a little more... warm. The women were great, but more in the polite but withdrawn. But JRD just exhudes class) all the way.
All in all, while I was there, I think the autographs were handled and organized better than last time, the volunteers were more present and in control and there were a few more signs indicating prices up front (though far too many had the signs right at the front of the line, rather than on the sign at the START of the line... please, Fan Expo, think of the shy geeks with poor eyesight!). Although I didn't take any Photo-Ops, they also handled this far better than last year: There was a separate booth for buying photo-ops, instead of buying it while getting your autograph, and, best of all, there was a list, IN THE PROGRAM (and online, before you got the paper one), of the celebrities, the times, and the COST. I don't think they had that last time I went, and it really does help in the decision making. I only wish they did the same for autographs. (There were a few people I MIGHT have made an extra effort to see if I knew in advance what I'd be paying, but it didn't matter enough to risk asking).
After that, for the remainder of the con, I... wandered.
And took a few pictures. And occasionally sat down. But mostly wandered, almost in a daze... I think I was really suffering from some kind of sensory overload, there was just too much to see, people, stuff, etc, that I didn't really "take in" most of it. I did get a couple people notice my shirt, including, to my surprise, a comic artist at a table I was passing by.
We talked a couple minutes, and I mentioned I'd been talking to Alan Tudyk and he said that they'd be exploring Blue Sun more extensively in the comics.
I didn't take many pictures, as I said earlier, for many reasons, but one of them was social anxiety concerns. I just couldn't find it in myself to ask anybody. And it's not fear, at least not on a consciously perceivable level. It's the damndest thing, sometimes I just find I'm... not able to do anything, and even I don't know until I actually want to and find that my body shifts into autopilot mode and won't let me, and I'm just a passenger in my own skin. I don't know why, and it's not especially consistent (in 2010, although I usually preferred to just take pictures when other people were taking them, I did ask a few people without much problems). Partly I think depression exacerbates it... I've been in a pretty low week all in all and so that probably played a big role.
Anyway, like I said, it's odd that in some areas (talking to the celebrities, and conversations with the two or three people I did talk to), I more or less held my own (not a great conversationalist, but not outrageously bad, either), and in others I totally failed. I think the key difference is that when there's an ongoing conversation, I have a... context to operate within. We're already in a conversation, either in a situation I can grok internally (celebrity in autograph line) or through no direct fault of my own, so all I have to do is respond appropriately, and I can do that, more or less. But when it comes out to initiating, to putting myself out there, I don't feel the context for that, there's no way to do it that makes seems to make sense to me (it makes sense that is logical to the rational side of my brain, but to the crazypants side that's in control it doesn't follow whatever passes for logic). So I can't do it. It's, almost literally, inconceivable (to the crazypants portion that drives me).
I was also in a bit of a daze, preventing me from really noticing picture opportunities till they were gone and thus interefering in general with my picture taking. But a few things and costumes I saw that made some kind of dent in my memory:
They had the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones (or at least a replica), and a lineup of people getting their pictures taken on it. I would have gone for it, but, again, NO SIGNS THAT I COULD SEE, telling me what it would cost or anything else. Seriously Fan Expo, SIGNS! For the shy geeks! (And yeah, I know that in a lot of cases it's the particular exhibitor rather than Fan Expo itself at fault here, but I can't name them so I'm giving a very general blame).
Very few Korra costumes, unfortunately, though there were two Korras, I never got close enough for a picture before they disappeared into a crowd. A great Bleez, a Red Lantern (Rage powered) from the Green Lantern comics. I don't even read the comics, but I recognize the character, and I had to take a picture because... well, if you're willing to carry around huge skeletal wings all day, you deserve to have your picture taken!
I think I saw Daimon from Reboot, but I'm not sure. Speaking of Reboot, the creator was there at a table, was gonna talk to him but he seemed busy. Lots of Jokers, Harley Quinns, Poison Ivys, Batgirls and Robins. Minecraft characters. A female Marty McFly. A Jamie Madrox (From X-Factor... possibly the comic character cosplay I liked the most, although it certainly wasn't the best of the costumes). A few Doctors, and plenty of "might be Doctors" (when your costume's just a suit and trenchcoat it's kind of hard to tell sometimes). A few Amy Ponds, although always realized shortly after passing them, so no pictures. (One I realized after she had marks on her arm for the times she saw The Silence).
In celebrities although I didn't take pictures or get autographs, I did get fairly good looks at Nana Visitor and Kate Mulgrew, and Jon Berethal (Shane from Walking Dead) a somewhat distance look at Gillian Anderson, and a very distant look at Norman Reedus (Daryl from Walking Dead). CTV had a panel for Criminal Minds with three of their stars (technically, four of their stars were at the con that day, as the lead of Continuum had a regular role for one year when two of the main cast were let go... they were later rehired and she was let go), and a signing in their special booth, but I never caught a single glimpse of them. I think a lot of fans of the show came just for them, it was pretty crowded in that booth.
Also in Artist's Alley was Adrian Alphona, artist of Runaways... I checked the list of attending artists three times and he wasn't on it any of them. If I knew, I might have contacted him in advance about doing a commission for pickup. He's probably the only artist that I actually want a commission from (well, want and willing to pay for, there are plenty I'd love some but not enough to actually pay).
I think Toronto Batman was there, who's become somewhat famous for YouTube videos and his shouty-voice. It could have been an imposter, but it sounded like him.
I did spot![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
liabrown, who was in costume as a female version of the Flash Rogue "The Top", but I didn't say hello because whenever I saw you you seemed to be engaged in conversation with somebody else or doing something else that I didn't want to interrupt (I first spotted you when you were busy having your photo taken in a DC cover). And perhaps my general low-interactability played into things. Nor did I want to take a covert photo without doing so. But, great costume.
I have a great deal of admiration for cosplayers. I mean, with shyness probably being higher than average among geeks, it already takes a lot of guts to walk around all day in a big costume (and for some in particular take a LOT of courage and comfort with your body!). I could never do it (even aside from thinking of a character I'd want to be and fit as and could manage building a costume for). I can't even manage to ask for a picture with them (despite knowing, logically, that many of them are thrilled to do so).
I didn't go to any panels. Part of this was a lack of interest (I used to go to comic panels, but nowadays... I just couldn't be bothered. Since the reboot I just don't give one single damn about DC, and Marvel, although I don't have any fundamental objections, hasn't been giving me anything I've gotten excited over lately)... but the biggest stumbling block turned out to be the complete losing track of time. I had considered trying to check out the Alan Tudyk Q&A or the Innerspace panel (at the same time, where apparently if you were one of the first 80 you could get invited to a special pre-screening of the first episode of Doctor Who), but both of them were at 2, and when I checked the time at what I thought must have been around 12:30 or so, it turns out it was already 2:15. Oops. I really need to start carrying a watch. Or some kind of smart-phone thing.
They had a small little booth for Continuum, the TV show, and the celebrities were going to be at a panel later on, elsewhere, but at the booth they gave away free t-shirts, either for Liber8 (the terrorist group in the show), or a "Stop Liber8" one. I went for the pro-Liber8 one, because they're obviously the good guys. ;)
But when I realized that it was about 2:15, I decided I'd had enough and would start heading home. I was already in a daze and tired and my back was sore.
So yeah, the last of my (at con) pictures:
Bleez
General crowd look as I was on my was out.
On the way home, I stopped a little place and got a Gyro. And since Gyros should not go without comment, here's a picture:
It tastes way better than it looks
(I also forgot to mention, but I had a gyro from a different place a couple weeks ago).
Although I was exhausted, I didn't actually nap once getting home... I tried (and may have ducked under for a couple minutes, but there was no extensive sleep), and just wouldn't manage it. Went to bed at a normal time and slept normally.
But the next morning (The day I wrote this), after I woke up and did some internetting for a few hours I was a bit sleepy and decided to go to bed again... and wound up sleeping another three hours)
So, the edited highlights (but no photos except swag, for those, look earlier):
Met Alan Tudyk, talked about Blue Sun
Met John Rhys-Davies, class act.
Talked to a few people, but mostly a lonely experience as usual.
Mostly walked around in a daze
Got a free T-shirt and some candy
Went home.
Had a Gyro.
And now, the haul and swag pictures, including autographs:
Alan's name on my boxed set, with the free glossy that I got as receipt.
JRD's signature on my Sliders book. If you can't read, it says, "dear Peter, John Rhys Davis, Max Arturo" (and it makes me smile a little that he wrote the character name).
T-shirt
Other side. Coin is included for scale (or it might have just tumbled out of my pocket and onto the bed).
Candy they were passing out as I left. I grabbed two (and gave one to my roommates)
Was it fun? I don't know. Honestly, 'fun' is one of those words that don't seem to rightly apply to cons. When people ask if I had fun, I don't know how to answer them. Even a 'good time' is a bit tricky, although I can a little more confidently answer yes, since at least I don't regret it. It was an experience, that, even if it wasn't "fun" or especially "good" was at least different enough to the normal monotony of my life that it was worth doing for that alone. And it had some positive effects, and it was fun to mentally prepare for, even though I'll surely be depressed for a while afterwards.
So... yeah. I had a day.
The story will be chronological, more or less, maybe with a bit of highlights at the second cut for those who don't want to read the whole thing. There may be a picture of myself behind the cut, so bewarned, venture in at your own risk.
Okay, so woke up at 4am. This is not especially unusual for me (it's the same time I wake up on work days), did some getting ready and showering and such while my brain regained function, and left shortly before 6am... looking more or less like this!
(this photograph was taken retroactively, the next morning at roughly the same time, so I was more or less freshly shaved instead of with a day's extra growth... also had different pants and such, but they're not in the picture so it doesn't really matter... the shirt is of course a symbol of one the evil corporation Blue Sun from Firefly).
I'd be taking the subway, and the Subway (according to the TTC site at least) starts at 6 on Saturday mornings. Got on a couple minutes after six, interchange (including missing the subway that was arriving just as I was going up the stairs because I was behind two slow walkers. At my normal pace I would have made it), then rode to Union Station, where I got out, and once again I was decieved! Cruelly deceived.
Seriously, Fan Expo's page always says that it's located at the Metro Toronto Convention Center (though which building it's in varies), reachable from Union Station via the Skywalk (an enclosed glass walkway that goes over streets and such). And every time I go, I try to reach it from there, only to find that the doors to said location doesn't work. Maybe it's just that they open later in the day, but still, annoying.
On the plus side, the Skywalk was totally empty an a little darkened, which was a little creepy-cool, in the sense that it was easy to imagine myself as wandering the city as the last human survivor of some kind of apocalypse (possibly Zombie related). Anyway, I retraced my steps and went down to street level near the start of the Skywalk, and then wandered over to where I lined up the last time (2010, I think(... nobody there, (because they changed from the North building, to the South building). And of course, no signs that I could see.
While wandering around (seriously, Fan Expo, invest in a few more signs!), I met another guy who was looking for the con, and we teamed up to try and figure out the right place to go, finally meeting a few other people who were waiting to pickup advance tickets (and, as I possibly learned later, possibly in the wrong place - but I'm not sure about that, maybe I just misunderstood what their exact situation was), and they gave us rough directions where to go. Which turned out to be to the lineup for people who'd already had their Deluxe (whole weekend) passes, whereas both of us were purchasing at the gate, but they gave us further directions until we finally found the sign that said "Buy Tickets" and found a short line of people who were there for the same thing as us. This was good, and the line wasn't too big, maybe 30 people or so ahead of us. But then it was about 6:30am, and the box office opened at 10am.
Now, the guy I'd been walking with I actually was talking to a bit on the way to this location and seemed like he was fairly nice, and I was more or less holding my own in the conversation (although I probably should have asked more about him in turn, but I did manage to introduce myself by name before he did), but we had to separate: there were two lines, one for people buying in cash (me), and one for people using debit (him). So I saw down against the concrete wall (the line was in some sort of underground loading dock, which is a bit odd, but okay).
Lines are pretty well the major opportunity for social interaction with other fans, but none was managed on my part. There was a couple to me left who were talking a lot amongst themselves, but it didn't seem right to interrupt (one, I later learned, was reading Alan Tudyk's twitter from her smartphone. I didn't know at the time, but she vocally retweeted something Tudyk had written: "Canadian ketchup is sweeter than in the US. It also apologizes more." So I guess they were, in part, there to see him, but which might have been a chance to say something, but no dice, I'm a shy and timid soul and don't like to intrude.
I did have a book, which at least killed time. We were pushed back by the line management people, and then later, allowed to enter further into the loading dock than we'd initially been waiting, where we could see the ticket boxes, and were allowed to complete our little registration form slips (I had to borrow a pen from someone, the same person who the couple immediately ahead of me borrowed it from) and we were pretty much at the front of the line (again, 25-30 people ahead of me, but I knew I'd get in within minutes).
Behind us? Well, here's what it looked at, sometime between 7:30 and 8:30 (probably roughly 8ish). Again, box office opened at 10.
The line was indubitably longer than that, it just wrapped farther than I can see.
(One of the people in the picture, the girl in blue in profile, is the girl who I borrowed the pen from. The guy I initially found the line with is also somewhere in the line along the metal gate, just left of the guy in red's face.)
Finally, they opened the ticket booth, and there was a mad rush from the front of the gate. A lot of people ran from where we were penned up to the place where we paid. I guess we'd been waiting since about 6:30am, we were getting a little antsy. I walked quickly, but wasn't that crazy. Paid, and, to my surprise, within seconds after that, was inside. Even though our entrance was far from the main entrance, I guess they both went into different parts of the same building. Which means I was probably in at about the same time as those who paid in advance AND waited a long time.
Anyway, the first thing I did was make a beeline for the autograph area, because it's best to get to those early. A few of the stars were already there, but I knew Alan Tudyk was going to be the biggest lineup (of the people I was going to see), so I circled around until I saw him... and lucked out. The line was already fairly long, but I got in before they started giving out tickets (they had a system where instead of letting the lines get too long, after a certain points you got a numbered ticket and they'd let the line shrink and then say "you can only get into the line now if you have tickets under #100" or whatever). It was still maybe a 10/20 minute wait. While there, I took a couple pictures... John Barrowman was right next to Alan Tudyk, and I later got one of Alan himself.
When I took a picture of Alan I think my flash went off, which got a general request from the volunteer at the head of the line (no flash photography), and I had to sheepishly apologize and spend much of my waiting time trying to figure out how to turn off the auto flash - the camera's borrowed and I'm not too familiar with it. Which led to some further embarrassment because as I was occupied I didn't realize that what I thought was the front of the line was actually the front of the 'buying' line, and once you bough, you go back to the end of the 'waiting for the actual autograph' line (only 6 or 7 people deep, but it didn't exist when I started). I didn't rush Alan or anything, but I was about to step forward before being held back. Paid, got a complimentary photo of Alan (which, you could either get signed or, if you were paying to get something else signed, because you had to pay for each signature, functioned as something of a receipt), and waited for 6-7 more people.
Which leads to... my first celebrity encounter (of the day):
Who I Saw: Alan Tudyk
Why I wanted to see him: Firefly, of course. Done a couple other things I've liked, but mostly, Firefly! Wash!
What I got signed: My Firefly DVD boxed set (already containing signatures from Sean Maher, Summer Glau, and Morena Baccarin)
What it Cost: $40
What our conversation was:
First something along the lines of "It's a pleasure to meet you", and a handshake. I handed over my boxed set and he said something about how I'd already gotten a number of signatures there, and I agreed that I had (he also seemed vaguely interested in the fact that I used a book to keep it stable rather than carry the DVDs around, but unlike the two previous signatures, didn't comment on it). Then, he must have noticed my Blue Sun shirt, because he asked me if they ever got around to explaining it in the show. I said No, I didn't think they did, and he said he thinks they were going to do it in the comics.
I said I heard that, and had been reading them, but I was a little behind, I though, and he said the last one was the one with Book, which I mentioned that that was the last one I read. Anyway, that was about it, I thanked him again, got another handshake, and moved out of line.
What I Wished I'd Said: "Marry me!" (Woot, running jokes from 2 years again that only make sense to or amuse me!)
Re: My shirt
"I just figured that if I was going to wear a T-shirt with a logo of a soulless, evil corporation, at least it could be a FICTIONAL evil corporation."
But more seriously... I actually can't think of anything in particular. I mean, obviously I'd have liked to have had some more extensive conversation, but there was nothing burning on my mind that I wanted to say.
Overall Impressions: Made me feel good about paying $40 for a signature and a minute or so of face time.
After that, I circled back around to find the panel of John Rhys-Davies. Again, lucked out, a fair number of people in line, but I actually got into the line itself. They did the same "pay first, then wait to get the actual autograph" thing (even though the pay person is right NEXT to the celebrity, I guess it's more efficient since you don't waste time while the celebrity is waiting for you to finish paying). This time the pay-taking volunteer said she liked my t-shirt. Or rather, I think that's what she said, since she mimed it and it took me a second to get what she was saying (and to remember I was wearing a t-shirt, so when she mimed her own, plain, t-shirt I didn't make the connection that she might be talking about mine). So yeah I'm pretty sure she was a Firefly fan complimenting my t-shirt (the alternative was that she was saying something about her breasts, which would have been a little bizarre and inappropriate). This time, no free picture, unless it was the picture itself you were getting signed (or maybe taking that was an option but it wasn't clear).
Anyway, while waiting, I overheard a few people talking... apparently JRD had been spending lots of time with the people asking for his signature, was 'too nice', and that at least this time they'd managed to convince him to rush a little more. But that still left a lot of room for conversation... the line was shorter than Alan's, but I think I actually waited a little longer because a couple times he spent a couple minutes talking to one person.
Meanwhile, I took a few blurry pictures (seriously, I don't know what happened, the distance was good and I don't think I was shaking, but they all came out blurryish... maybe I screwed something up when I disabled the flash... this is another reason for the lack of pictures today), both of JRD, and a few people nearby. Amanda Tapping was right next door (and apparently is a sucker for kids... despite the 'No Posed Photos' sign, she posed for some with little kids, and I saw her leaning over her table to 'coochie-coo' a kid in a stroller).
First two blurry photos of Joe Flanigan (Stargate Atlantis):
Two blurry photos of JRD:
And one of Amanda Tapping:
Finally, it was my turn! Second Celebrity Encounter!
Who I Saw: John Rhys-Davies
Why I Wanted to See Him: Because he's a legendary character actor. Sallah... Professor Arturo... Holographic Leonardo Da Vinci... Gimli... The voice of Macbeth, from Gargoyles!
What I got signed: A novelization of the pilot episode of Sliders that had been in my possession since it came out. I'm not normally a bit one for novelizations, but I really liked Sliders (and even wrote a bit of teenish fanfic for it back in the day). In fact, I think the fanfic was part of the reason I bought the novelization... I was hoping for more background on the characters that I could work into my own stories (not to mention using for ideas on how to describe the main characters). Heck, I even wrote a "What I'd Do With" installment about how I would have done Sliders (at least, the first season and on, where it still had the potential, but really started to go to hell).
What it Cost: $30
What our conversation was:
"Come on up, young man..." (him, when it was my turn).
I told him it was an honor to meet him, and he said it was an honor to meet me (a cheap line, but still classy, particularly from him!), a firm handshake, and when I passed him my book, he said, "Oh, a Sliders fan!"
I admitted that yes, I liked a lot of his work but I really loved it when I was young...
"You're young now!"
"Well, when I was a teenager, then..."
He asked how old I was now, I told him (34), and he said, "Well, you're still a young man," and I thought about saying something like I don't feel like it but wondered if that might be rude so just smiled while he started to sign, and then mentioned (possibly again), that he was always a joy to watch in every role I've seen him in, and he said something like "Oh, that's very kind of you" (but in a way that made it believable, rather than just offhandedly), he finished signing, asked me if that was good, and I said it was, thanked him, he offered his hand to shake again, and that was it.
What I Wished I'd Said: "Marry me!" (I am going to run that into the ground!)
"Sliders had so much potential and although I don't think it ever quite lived up to it, but you were always the best thing about it and after you were gone, it took a serious downturn." (I know he was always a little disenchanted with the writing of the show, and I agree and I think I might have gotten a little more time with him if I made that clear, rather than if he saw me as potentially a big fan of a show he had mixed feelings on that he didn't want to talk badly of in front of... if you're interested, here's an interview with him shortly after leaving. Sliding Away. And according to a report of his Fan Expo panel, he still has some of the same complaints and it's something of an "open wound"..
Also: "I heard you had some plot ideas for Sliders you wanted to suggest for the writers, and I have to say, what I read of them were a lot better than many of the ones that were actually used."
And: "Could you please call me a Blistering Idiot?"
And maybe: "You know, before the new series started, I always pictured you as a spectacular candidate to play the Doctor in Doctor Who. And while you may not work anymore in the direction they're taking the younger, you still would be fabulous in some kind of role, you just scream Time Lord to me, maybe a version of the Master or the Meddling Monk."
Overall Impressions: I had less time with him than many others, but I think that's largely because I didn't bring up anything to keep him talking... I really do imagine that if I'd deliberately and more effectively engaged him in converstion, he'd have talked for a fairly long time before realizing he was keeping others waiting. A class act (not that Alan wasn't, of course, of the Firefly stars I met Alan was was probably the most engaging, although I think Sean Maher was a little more... warm. The women were great, but more in the polite but withdrawn. But JRD just exhudes class) all the way.
All in all, while I was there, I think the autographs were handled and organized better than last time, the volunteers were more present and in control and there were a few more signs indicating prices up front (though far too many had the signs right at the front of the line, rather than on the sign at the START of the line... please, Fan Expo, think of the shy geeks with poor eyesight!). Although I didn't take any Photo-Ops, they also handled this far better than last year: There was a separate booth for buying photo-ops, instead of buying it while getting your autograph, and, best of all, there was a list, IN THE PROGRAM (and online, before you got the paper one), of the celebrities, the times, and the COST. I don't think they had that last time I went, and it really does help in the decision making. I only wish they did the same for autographs. (There were a few people I MIGHT have made an extra effort to see if I knew in advance what I'd be paying, but it didn't matter enough to risk asking).
After that, for the remainder of the con, I... wandered.
And took a few pictures. And occasionally sat down. But mostly wandered, almost in a daze... I think I was really suffering from some kind of sensory overload, there was just too much to see, people, stuff, etc, that I didn't really "take in" most of it. I did get a couple people notice my shirt, including, to my surprise, a comic artist at a table I was passing by.
We talked a couple minutes, and I mentioned I'd been talking to Alan Tudyk and he said that they'd be exploring Blue Sun more extensively in the comics.
I didn't take many pictures, as I said earlier, for many reasons, but one of them was social anxiety concerns. I just couldn't find it in myself to ask anybody. And it's not fear, at least not on a consciously perceivable level. It's the damndest thing, sometimes I just find I'm... not able to do anything, and even I don't know until I actually want to and find that my body shifts into autopilot mode and won't let me, and I'm just a passenger in my own skin. I don't know why, and it's not especially consistent (in 2010, although I usually preferred to just take pictures when other people were taking them, I did ask a few people without much problems). Partly I think depression exacerbates it... I've been in a pretty low week all in all and so that probably played a big role.
Anyway, like I said, it's odd that in some areas (talking to the celebrities, and conversations with the two or three people I did talk to), I more or less held my own (not a great conversationalist, but not outrageously bad, either), and in others I totally failed. I think the key difference is that when there's an ongoing conversation, I have a... context to operate within. We're already in a conversation, either in a situation I can grok internally (celebrity in autograph line) or through no direct fault of my own, so all I have to do is respond appropriately, and I can do that, more or less. But when it comes out to initiating, to putting myself out there, I don't feel the context for that, there's no way to do it that makes seems to make sense to me (it makes sense that is logical to the rational side of my brain, but to the crazypants side that's in control it doesn't follow whatever passes for logic). So I can't do it. It's, almost literally, inconceivable (to the crazypants portion that drives me).
I was also in a bit of a daze, preventing me from really noticing picture opportunities till they were gone and thus interefering in general with my picture taking. But a few things and costumes I saw that made some kind of dent in my memory:
They had the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones (or at least a replica), and a lineup of people getting their pictures taken on it. I would have gone for it, but, again, NO SIGNS THAT I COULD SEE, telling me what it would cost or anything else. Seriously Fan Expo, SIGNS! For the shy geeks! (And yeah, I know that in a lot of cases it's the particular exhibitor rather than Fan Expo itself at fault here, but I can't name them so I'm giving a very general blame).
Very few Korra costumes, unfortunately, though there were two Korras, I never got close enough for a picture before they disappeared into a crowd. A great Bleez, a Red Lantern (Rage powered) from the Green Lantern comics. I don't even read the comics, but I recognize the character, and I had to take a picture because... well, if you're willing to carry around huge skeletal wings all day, you deserve to have your picture taken!
I think I saw Daimon from Reboot, but I'm not sure. Speaking of Reboot, the creator was there at a table, was gonna talk to him but he seemed busy. Lots of Jokers, Harley Quinns, Poison Ivys, Batgirls and Robins. Minecraft characters. A female Marty McFly. A Jamie Madrox (From X-Factor... possibly the comic character cosplay I liked the most, although it certainly wasn't the best of the costumes). A few Doctors, and plenty of "might be Doctors" (when your costume's just a suit and trenchcoat it's kind of hard to tell sometimes). A few Amy Ponds, although always realized shortly after passing them, so no pictures. (One I realized after she had marks on her arm for the times she saw The Silence).
In celebrities although I didn't take pictures or get autographs, I did get fairly good looks at Nana Visitor and Kate Mulgrew, and Jon Berethal (Shane from Walking Dead) a somewhat distance look at Gillian Anderson, and a very distant look at Norman Reedus (Daryl from Walking Dead). CTV had a panel for Criminal Minds with three of their stars (technically, four of their stars were at the con that day, as the lead of Continuum had a regular role for one year when two of the main cast were let go... they were later rehired and she was let go), and a signing in their special booth, but I never caught a single glimpse of them. I think a lot of fans of the show came just for them, it was pretty crowded in that booth.
Also in Artist's Alley was Adrian Alphona, artist of Runaways... I checked the list of attending artists three times and he wasn't on it any of them. If I knew, I might have contacted him in advance about doing a commission for pickup. He's probably the only artist that I actually want a commission from (well, want and willing to pay for, there are plenty I'd love some but not enough to actually pay).
I think Toronto Batman was there, who's become somewhat famous for YouTube videos and his shouty-voice. It could have been an imposter, but it sounded like him.
I did spot
liabrown, who was in costume as a female version of the Flash Rogue "The Top", but I didn't say hello because whenever I saw you you seemed to be engaged in conversation with somebody else or doing something else that I didn't want to interrupt (I first spotted you when you were busy having your photo taken in a DC cover). And perhaps my general low-interactability played into things. Nor did I want to take a covert photo without doing so. But, great costume.I have a great deal of admiration for cosplayers. I mean, with shyness probably being higher than average among geeks, it already takes a lot of guts to walk around all day in a big costume (and for some in particular take a LOT of courage and comfort with your body!). I could never do it (even aside from thinking of a character I'd want to be and fit as and could manage building a costume for). I can't even manage to ask for a picture with them (despite knowing, logically, that many of them are thrilled to do so).
I didn't go to any panels. Part of this was a lack of interest (I used to go to comic panels, but nowadays... I just couldn't be bothered. Since the reboot I just don't give one single damn about DC, and Marvel, although I don't have any fundamental objections, hasn't been giving me anything I've gotten excited over lately)... but the biggest stumbling block turned out to be the complete losing track of time. I had considered trying to check out the Alan Tudyk Q&A or the Innerspace panel (at the same time, where apparently if you were one of the first 80 you could get invited to a special pre-screening of the first episode of Doctor Who), but both of them were at 2, and when I checked the time at what I thought must have been around 12:30 or so, it turns out it was already 2:15. Oops. I really need to start carrying a watch. Or some kind of smart-phone thing.
They had a small little booth for Continuum, the TV show, and the celebrities were going to be at a panel later on, elsewhere, but at the booth they gave away free t-shirts, either for Liber8 (the terrorist group in the show), or a "Stop Liber8" one. I went for the pro-Liber8 one, because they're obviously the good guys. ;)
But when I realized that it was about 2:15, I decided I'd had enough and would start heading home. I was already in a daze and tired and my back was sore.
So yeah, the last of my (at con) pictures:
Bleez
General crowd look as I was on my was out.
On the way home, I stopped a little place and got a Gyro. And since Gyros should not go without comment, here's a picture:
It tastes way better than it looks
(I also forgot to mention, but I had a gyro from a different place a couple weeks ago).
Although I was exhausted, I didn't actually nap once getting home... I tried (and may have ducked under for a couple minutes, but there was no extensive sleep), and just wouldn't manage it. Went to bed at a normal time and slept normally.
But the next morning (The day I wrote this), after I woke up and did some internetting for a few hours I was a bit sleepy and decided to go to bed again... and wound up sleeping another three hours)
So, the edited highlights (but no photos except swag, for those, look earlier):
Met Alan Tudyk, talked about Blue Sun
Met John Rhys-Davies, class act.
Talked to a few people, but mostly a lonely experience as usual.
Mostly walked around in a daze
Got a free T-shirt and some candy
Went home.
Had a Gyro.
And now, the haul and swag pictures, including autographs:
Alan's name on my boxed set, with the free glossy that I got as receipt.
JRD's signature on my Sliders book. If you can't read, it says, "dear Peter, John Rhys Davis, Max Arturo" (and it makes me smile a little that he wrote the character name).
T-shirt
Other side. Coin is included for scale (or it might have just tumbled out of my pocket and onto the bed).
Candy they were passing out as I left. I grabbed two (and gave one to my roommates)
Was it fun? I don't know. Honestly, 'fun' is one of those words that don't seem to rightly apply to cons. When people ask if I had fun, I don't know how to answer them. Even a 'good time' is a bit tricky, although I can a little more confidently answer yes, since at least I don't regret it. It was an experience, that, even if it wasn't "fun" or especially "good" was at least different enough to the normal monotony of my life that it was worth doing for that alone. And it had some positive effects, and it was fun to mentally prepare for, even though I'll surely be depressed for a while afterwards.
So... yeah. I had a day.
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no subject
Date: 2012-08-27 02:18 am (UTC)It's nice to see that John Rhys-Davies only charged $30 for his autograph. I would have thought he charged more. $40 for Alan's is on par; I've paid similarly for the cast members I have met. Maybe they all sat down one day and agreed to charge the same price.
I agree about signage. Some cons do it well, others not so much. The expo here posts prices and schedules on the booth above and behind the guest, so that's nice, but line-ups are always dodgy.
I agree that "having fun" at the con is kind of impossible. There's so many people and there's too many things to see. You have fun after the fact, once you've had time to absorb it all.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-30 06:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-28 05:36 am (UTC)As always, Fan Expo managed to fix some problems and make new ones. The lines were a real pain at times, although in different places. And at one point we were outside the building, trying to leave, and literally could not move.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-30 06:38 pm (UTC)I didn't have any problems though, except for a small one in figuring out the actual ROUTE to get out.
Yeah, I saw the ghostly picture, was kind of cool, really, (although it might have been cooler if you could make parts of your head semi-transparent too... but then, the only way to do that would be green stripes of paint which wouldn't fit with the rest of the character)
(And I know I don't NEED to worry, but I probably will anyway!)
no subject
Date: 2012-08-31 06:04 am (UTC)Yeah, I don't think I'd be up for painting my head :> Green fabric could have done it, but I don't have more of the green fabric unfortunately....it's ridiculously difficult to find spandex in most colours.