Big Wow! report

First, I should mention that this is apparently the last Big Wow convention. It's been acquired by a group that includes comic writer Stan Lee and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, and is being renamed the Silicon Vally Comic Con. Here's hoping they don't screw things up too much. More after the cut.

I posted earlier about meeting Stan Sakai (again). That was pretty much the first thing I did when I walked in to the dealer's room, because I wanted to get to him before the lines got too long...and because it was easily the most important thing I had to do. If you haven't read that post, go do it now. We'll wait.

So, the rest of the day couldn't compare...but it was still a blast. I actually got to talk to Don Rosa! (He's one of the very best Disney comics creators, even though he retired some time back.) He was as nice as could be, and we chatted briefly about the new Fantagraphics series reprinting his Donald and Scrooge work, with his full cooperation. I also met Tim Truman, who's worked in comics for many years; he graciously signed my Grimjack collection.

I also spent some time in Artist's Alley, and found some people there who were doing some really nice work. I'll try linking to them as time goes on, but even if you leave out the big names, there was some real talent on display. And there were even several authors there, including at least one indie. I didn't buy anything from them, because my backpack was already bursting, but I did grab business cards and whatnots, and I'll follow up later. It got me thinking that maybe I could do the same thing there next year...but I suspect that the new con people will want to make this BIG, and some small people may be squeezed out. We'll see.

Speaking of full backpacks, I suppose it's time to show off my haul:

That Don Rosa print on the right is signed, as is Hawken and the Usagi collection. I'm very happy. The toys are Uncle Scrooge (at the very top), Toothless, the Fourth and Tenth Doctors in variant outfits, Spyke (from Munchkin), Godzilla and Howard the Duck. I'd put this team up against the Avengers any day.

And I should mention the cosplay. Big Wow was really pushing that angle, and a lot of people showed up in costumes. I loved the young brothers who were the Eleventh Doctor (with bow tie and fez) and a red Dalek, the Aladdin with a stuffed Abu on his shoulder, and the Mary Marvel with the stuffed Hoppy the Marvel Bunny on her shoulder. But my favorite was the 70s Soul Power/Disco Justice League, with Wonder Woman rocking an awesome afro and Superman wearing glitter platform shoes and the "S" logo as a medallion on a thick chain. I told them that they were a comic, I'd buy it, and I meant it. (Alas, my photo didn't really come out well.)

Finally, it looks like the Doctor(s) is/are talking to me again after that whole timey-wimey mess with Willow...