I think of San Diego Comic-Con the same way I think of moving from childhood into adulthood. If you haven’t yet attended Comic-Con, it seems so exciting, colorful and full of promise. If you have the least interest in entertainment or pop culture, chances are good that attending Comic-Con at least once is something that’s on your bucket list. However, once you do, you’ll likely discover what those of us who attend most years already know—it ain’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Oh sure, like reaching adulthood, attending Comic-Con isn’t without its pleasures and positive experiences. There’s a lot to love about it. But for all its flash—all of the movie and TV show first looks, author signings, great costumes, endless swag and everything else that descends on San Diego like a pasty, bloated Toho monstrosity—the best thing most people who attend Comic-Con seem to be able to say about it is that it only happens once a year.
Still, let’s celebrate the things worth loving, shall we? Especially since I’ll be there for nearly all of the show and I don’t want to scare any of you out of going.
Yes, I’ll be at San Diego Comic-Con from Thursday through Sunday, promoting Fraggle Rock, Legends of The Dark Crystal and Return to Labyrinth, catching up with industry friends and trying to find at least one open bar each evening I’m there (if any of you have any tips, please let me know!). Most of the time, I’ll be either wandering the floor or in the Archaia booth (#2635), but I do have a few other events I’ll be participating in.
Legends of The Dark Crystal Signing & Poster Giveaway
Thursday, July 22 5-7 p.m.
Small Press Booth #O08
On Thursday, July 22nd, I’ll be taking over the Return to Labyrinth booth with the rest of the Legends of The Dark Crystal crew to sign and give out free posters with writer Barbara Kesel and artist Heidi Arnhold. The posters are fairly limited and once they’re gone, they’re gone, so be sure to stop by and get yours! Of course, if you have Legends of The Dark Crystal and would like us to sign it as well, we’ll be happy to.
ARCHAIA: The Jim Henson Company panel
Sunday, July 25 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Room #25ABC
If you’re a Jim Henson fan and a comic book lover, you’re absolutely not going to want to miss this panel. I’ll be discussing Fraggle Rock and the exciting new projects Archaia and The Jim Henson Company will be releasing in 2011, including the new Dark Crystal and Labyrinth comics, with the other talented people making these books happen. Other panelists include Archaia Editor-in-Chief Stephen Christy, Editor Paul Morrissey, Consulting Editor Joe LeFavi, Fraggle Rock comic creators Heather White, Heidi Arnhold and Sam Humphries, and legendary illustrator and conceptual artist Brian Froud.
In addition, we’ll be giving away free Fraggle Rock posters at the Archaia booth and selling the Fraggle Rock Vol. 1 trade hardcover for the first time anywhere. Plus, we’ll be hosting nonstop Fraggle Rock signings throughout all five days of the convention, so if you do pick up a poster or the trade hardcover, come back throughout the show to have it signed by the different teams of creators who worked on the book!
Yes, it should be a fine weekend for all of you lucky enough to score passes this year and a hotel room that doesn’t require traveling by air to get to the convention center each morning. I really do hope that you get to see all that you want, and that I get to see all of you. But if it doesn’t work out that day and all we’re left with on Monday morning are several sizable bar tabs and a newfound case of PTSD…well, at least San Diego Comic-Con only happens once a year.