ComicCon - Day Two

I started the day real early and go to the Browncoat table to help out. I worked there a couple of hours and then headed over to some panels, most notably the one for Battlestar Galactica. I sat though the one beforehand called “Masters of Horror” to get a good seat but it turned out to be a really good panel as it had one of my all time favorite directors, John Landis, who directed Animal House, Blues Brothers and American Werewolf in London. It was really neat to finally see him in person after all these years.

The BSG panel was really fun – all the cast members present were having a blast and couldn’t get over seeing 5,000 people show up to see them. Nothing too much was revealed but it was still and entertaining time.

I go back to the Browncoat table and Ray spouts, “Where were you? Joss was just here for an hour signing autographs!” AHHHHH!!!! I miss an opportunity to meet Joss Whedon – the Roddenberry of the next century. As you can imagine I am NOT happy with myself. It didn’t even occur to me that he would walk through the Exhibit Hall crowds, which by Friday were getting pretty thick. But it’s cool that he donated and signed the new “Serenity” one-sheet poster for the charity raffle and spent some time meeting and greeting. Ah well…. the weekend is still young, although I’m still convinced that was the one and only time I would see him. I least I finally get up with my writer bud Keith DeCandido, who has written the novelization of the film, “Serenity”. Despite his love for the dreaded Yankees, he’s a very cool guy.

I finish the day walking the floor thru the HUGE exhibit hall, getting gobs and gobs of (mostly) useless swag along the way. Afterward we all go back out to dinner again, this time to for Italian. Then we hear that they are going to be showing Serenity Saturday night!!! Now I have seen it 3 times already and thought that, hell, why not again. Later on Ray calls me to meet him for drinks in a local hotel with Keith and others. We’re having fun and drinking loads when into the bar comes…Joss, holding his new copy of Harry Potter he just bought at the local Borders. I take a second to not sound like a total dweeb and I offer him a drink. He declines as looks dead on his feet for reasons that we will find out later. (You can tell that Joss is not only, well, Joss, but a true fan as well – he’s ready the crash but still walks over to a book store at midnight to get a book then they come out). He just wanted to say hello and be friendly. After a few minutes he was off to bed.

At that point I was content – I didn’t get my picture taken with him or get an autograph, but I got to meet him in a way more intimate setting than an overflowing fan table surrounded by hundreds of fans. We close the bar and head home. This was a long but good day – and tomorrow will turn out to be a longer and better one.