Number6's Journal

So, Fan Expo. I will begin at the beginning. One March day in 1978, in a military base in BC, a young baby was born who... wait, that's too early. I'll just start with today. The preparation and journey: ( Read more... )

The Line: ( Read more... )

The Celebrities: Once in, I thought first I'd go for the celebrities. Maybe if I was lucky I'd catch someone early and not have to wait at all. I was half successful. The problem was, my mental map of the area was backwards, so I went to the exact wrong place to look for the celebrities, then did a tour of the edge and finally found them. Actually, the first celebrity I saw was on the-way, Tamoh Pennikett (Helo from BSG). He was giving an interview in one of the booths, and I actually walked basically right beside him before I noticed, but I didn't want to interrupt, and I wanted to find the autograph area, so I moved on. Summer Glau was already there, and here line was about 20 people deep, only a couple minutes in. Knowing my best opportunity when I saw one, I got in line. Had a mildly pleasant line-conversation with another Serenity fan (who was a multi-dayer and had gotten most of her autographs the day before). She mentioned that Dean Stockwell had very little line, which surprised me. Felicia Day and Tamoh Pennikett both showed up for theirs while I waited in line. Felicia walked right past me, though I didn't have my camera ready.

Summer Glau: ( Read more... )

Felicia Day (The Guild, Doctor Horrible's Sing-a-Long-Blog): ( Read more... )

Dean Stockwell (Al from Quantum Leap, Cavil from BSG, numerous genre guest-starring roles):( Read more... )

The others I didn't see, and didn't really plan to unless fate smiled upon me:( Read more... )

A Short Rant on Autograph Fees: ( Read more... )

After I was done with the autographs, I wandered the floor mostly for the next few hours. I did finally get up to meet Adrian Alphona, the main artist on Runaways (while it was awesome). So, let's do it celebrity style:
Adrian Alphona (Runaways): ( Read more... )

Most of the rest of the time I wandered around without much of note happening. I accidentally cut in line for the DC free stuff but then learned the line started way back away, and so I just abandoned it. The free comics and Green Lantern/Flash rings might have been cool, but only if the line was relatively short. I almost bumped into Tommy Tellerico (from Reviews on the Run and Electric playground in years past, though he's on his own stuff), talking to one of the other reviewers. At first I wasn't 100% sure it was him, then I heard him shout "TRON!"

I didn't make any of the panels this year. DC Universe panel started at 11, and the first time I asked what time it was, it was 11:06. The Marvel panels were Shadowland at 2pm, a Daredevil centric event I don't give a damn about, and "Pint of C.B." general questions panel at 3:30, and, well, I got home at about 3:30, so you can guess I didn't make that one. Was just too tired. Didn't get much in the way of swag, either, unfortunately, just the cardboard alien thing (which was an ad, but an inventive one and cool, so I'll count it, even if it did get damaged), and a whoopie cushion advertising G4 for some reason. Well, it was free. Kinda wish I noticed the DC swag earlier, I think I passed by there when there was very little line, I just didn't realize the stuff was free and not for sale stuff.

I met liabrown briefly, as well as her husband, making her (I believe) the only person on my flist to have ever met the elusive newnumber6. Anyway, she just appeared right in front of me and I had some idea of what she looked like so I took a chance and asked if she was she (after seeing her media badge which helped confirm it, since she does reporting for comiXfan).

I took a fair bit of pictures, and got one "Hey, Blue Sun! classic!" comment on my t-shirt. Talked very briefly with a few other people, either answering questions or asking them if I could take a picture. So on a social interaction level, although I didn't make any particular 'connections', I said a fair bit of what I wanted to, to celebrities, and had some small interactions so... I'd call it a win, and I'm not depressed on that score like I was the last two times I went (perhaps because I didn't have my hopes insanely high and went in expecting not to manage to talk to anybody at all). Sure, I didn't meet the geek girl of my dreams, either, but again, not expecting it. I was also able to be randomly nice - saw a person talking to friends pull something out of his pocket and as he did, a $5 bill came out and landed on the floor. None of them seemed to notice it so I pointed it out.

At about 2 was when I decided, Okay, I'm getting kind of tired, I'm just going to head home. I had a coupon for a free burger (when you buy fries and a drink) at Licks, and figured that would do for my meal on the way home. Twas a homeburger, with cheese, Guk sauce (their special sauce), ketchup, relish, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, salsa, hot peppers, and pickles. It was pretty big and very tasty, and I don't know if it was just eating all that much at once after not having eaten since the night before (and so consequently probably eating too fast), or a bunch of other stuff, but I felt all bloaty and uncomfortable on the way home when I wanted to just nap a bit and be refreshed. I did eventually get to nap, but it took a few hours of being tired first.

Behind the final cut... the photos! Not many, and I kinda suck as a photographer (but in my defense, it was my first day ever using the camera, I borrowed it from my brother). Also a bit of discussion about the costumes I saw but didn't photograph. (Photos fixed now. Had to reupload everything to a less sucky image server. Man, when did imagevenue start to SUCK SO MUCH? Seriously, it didn't used to be this bad).
( Read more... )

Continued from last post. First post of this whole series is here, for explanation purposes.

Before, I continue, a few comments on the last part that LJ didn't let me post cause it was too long:
( Read more... )

And on to the new:( Read more... )

Comments always welcome.
Edit: My final set of outlines, carrying up to issue #43 and with some rougher ideas sketched out beyond that, is now posted here.

This is year 3 of my Runaways Alternate Volume 3. See that post for explanations of what this is all about. Previous chunk is here. A bit rushed due to trying to get it out before NaNo month, so excuse typos.
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Here's a good time to break, since LJ won't let me post stuff too long.
Next Post, issues #31 to #36, back to the main plot of the year.

This week I got two books:

New Mutants #5 (quieter issue, enjoyable, but with weird art)
Runaways #14 (sooo disappointing. What happened to you, Runaways? You used to be cool.)

Full reviews as usual at my comic reviews site for anyone interested.

Work was okay. I must have left late or got caught in a time warp or something because the truck was there (very slightly) before me but arrived about the same time as usual. Had to do a bit of extra work (for extra money) helping out with some other stuff too, but that's not a big deal.

And it was the first time since before summer began that I had to wear my jacket to feel comfortable (well, technically, on Monday it probably would have helped... the temperature wasn't the issue, but I didn't check the weather before I left for work and it started pouring during work and I had to walk home for an hour with no umbrella wearing only jeans and a thin white t-shirt). I probably coulda gone without it but it woulda been chilly.

Well, for me it was, at least. Why? Because as I was walking from work to the comic store, and reading my book while walking as I normally do, my attention was caught by something on the sidewalk ahead of me. There was, lying in a tiny puddle of water (it'd been raining) was a $20 bill! Woot! Nobody around who looked like they might have dropped it, so I picked it up and used it to buy my comics.

This week I got two books:

New Mutants #4 (not bad, maybe a tiny bit lacking punch as a conclusion, but solid)
Runaways #13 (Worst of the Immonen arc so far)

Full reviews as usual at my comic reviews site for anyone interested.

Also, since I had the extra cash and was hungry, on the way home, I bought a gyro. A Lamb gyro, because it was the only store I've seen in a while that advertises it as an option on the sign outside (I'm sure more offer it, but if I can't see it outside I wouldn't go in to look). It was pretty good, only problem is the guy considered lettuce (and, oddly, a few french fries) as part of the standard gyro build. Lettuce does not work with a gyro, IMHO, it kind of dilutes the flavour. Fries wasn't bad, it just soaked up tzatziki juice. But anyway, it was still a gyro, just not the best I've had.

Work was okay, but rainy a bit which isn't the funnest to work in.

Continued from last post. First post of this whole series is here, for explanation purposes.

Let's get right to it.
( Read more... )
Edit: Now continued here.

Okay, so here's a continuation of my last WIDW, which was what I'd do with if I was writing Runaways

Vol 3 (in outline form, rather than full script or anything. Read the first post for my general rules of play and explanations for this, and of course for the first batch of issues. We'll start here with the next 12 issues, #12-24 (spread over two posts)
( Read more... )
Continued here.

Finished: Weapons of Choice, by John Birmingham

Thoughts behind the cut. Short version: Enjoyed the premise, execution was a bit dry and uninteresting at parts. Not many plot-specific spoilers ahead beyond general plot outline. ( Read more... ) I'd read the rest of the series but I'm not salivating over it- I'll happily wait until I find it in a used bookstore.
Started and Finished: Sunstorm, by Stephen Baxter and Arthur C. Clarke
Started: Tehanu, the Last Book of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin (Nebula Winner, forgot to mention I got it Wednesday).

Thoughts on Sunstorm. Slightly spoilery for both it and the previous novel in the series, as well as for Stargate, by analogy. Short version: Okay, but a bit meh, and didn't even have the coolness of the first book. Probably would have been better off skipping it. ( Read more... )

Finished: Woken Furies, by Richard Morgan (reread)
Started: Ventus, by Karl Schroeder (reread)

Woken Furies is a reread, so I don't have much to say. Enjoyed it of course, and I probably will reread the series again at some point. I did make a bit of a connection to why the main character interests me, and I should have made it earlier, considering his name. (Some spoilers)( Read more... )

What else is new in my life? Not a whole lot, sadly. My life is pretty stagnant. Wake up, hang around on the internet wasting time that isn't at work, just making it through one day after another. Don't go out much other than work, shopping, and occasional grocery stuff. Don't even especially feel like my old hobbies like icon-making, and most of my discussion forums have disappeared, yet I haven't found anywhere to replace them, probably because most of them are comic related and I'm down to two comics a month now, and not as excited about either as I once was. Meh.

Speaking of, working a bit again, after taking something of a break, on my Runaways Vol 3 outline, thanks to a couple positive comments that energized me a bit. May post the outlines for issues #12 to 24 in the next few weeks, rocketting me right past where the real book is now.

TVwise nothing much is on, just reality shows (so I am watching Big Brother I guess), and downloading old Who's. (And man, Global, how many times do you have to air The Unit in one week... don't you have other shows to air?). Thinking of rewatching another old series, maybe Veronica Mars, to help fill the empty hours. SDCC's on now but no news has particularly excited me. New trailer for Stargate Universe looks interesting enough, but that's about it. But still a couple days left for it.

But overall, meh. I'd say I need a life, but the truth is I probably wouldn't know what to do with it is I had one.

This week I got one book:

Captain Britain and MI13 #15 (sigh... last issue. But it went out pretty well, great issue)
Runaways #12 (okay... I think the magic may have left some, though)

Full reviews as usual at my comic reviews site for anyone interested.

Speaking of Runaways, had a dream with them in it. Them and zombies. Not the ones they fought though, these were actual undead. Although they weren't traditional zombies exactly, they had some variations ( Read more... )

Work was okay. They moved it to earlier in the day now so that I'll be getting comics after instead of before, but the time it'll take to do both works out about the same, and, on those weeks when I don't have comics (I'm only reading 2 books a month now that Captain Britain's gone, so that means at most I need to go every other week on average), I get home a lot earlier. Some other stuff happened that is a bit more mehhy and urge-to-kill risingish, but I don't particularly feel like talking about it, and it's still in a "see where it goes" stage.

Continued from last post.
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Edit: Now continued here.
All my WIDWs are here.