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Creativity starves insanity
If the late night advertisements were any indication, the convention would be more flash than substance. It didn't feel like either. It felt as flat as it has been for the past few. Pre-paying the ticket saved only $1.50, and the ticket was taken, no token. Again, the location had no carpet, something that makes standing around more hard felt.
Paul Jenkins had bailed, so there was really no reason to hang around the autographing area, in any case, there was no need for that given the stands all around the venue had people hocking $20 autographed head shots.
Three tables of role players held the most bizarre action, guys trying to stir up excitement by the mere roll of dice. WarHammer 3000 and Lord of the Rings in miniature form. Great as little desktop decorations, hard to get into with the action.
Pepsi and XBOX had promo girls who for some reason weren't able to find jeans/skirts that fit them right, down below the hips and giving out freebies from their cracks. A free keychain never goes without fingers hooping.
Local writer, Christian Read, walked around with determination and a wad of tape stuck on the right sole. Maybe it was a covert statement. John Cassaday looked like Ultimate Thor from The Ultimates. Kenny Baker popped out his eyeballs for every time there was a supposed punch line or to cue the audience for laughter. Bill Hunt covered for Ben Hawker from WETA and rattled a rather excellent tale of making it in the world of make-up effects. Sean Schemmel drew the biggest audience and they kept on coming right up until a Kamehameha.
A group of people were lining up near the Anime Theatre section alongside one of those barriers seen in banks. There was nothing on either side or end of the line, they just got together and stood around in a line for the sake of it. People came and went and after a couple of hours the line just fizzled away.
As is the harsh reality of conventions, no Bill and Ted comics were to be found, so not wanting to leave without a comicbook at least, grabbed a Tales From Under the Bed showbag. The Blue Monkey Design stand was the most peachy keen of the whole day. Jen Hook mentioned the worst part of the convention experience was having to be nice to everyone. She didn't look like faltering.
The X2 posters given away weren't really all that, more like placemats. They had a few seats, but not ones worth leaning back on, very pliable. The best thing from the day would have to be picking up a copy of STU.
Soon Van - Tuesday, 8 April 2003 - 11:19
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