Election season can be overwhelming, particularly if you live in an area with a tight race. I have helped with several campaigns doing phone banks, door-to-door canvassing, and stationary signature collection. These are four tips that I've come up with based on my interactions with the people I've canvassed.
Vote Early
Obviously this only works in states like Oregon where we have vote by mail. The sooner you vote, the sooner you'll be taken off the lists of people to be contacted. It may take a day or two for it to show up in the system, but once you vote we shouldn't bother you anymore. If you look around a neighborhood that's recently been canvassed you'll see that not all the doors have literature (lit) on them. This is because we have specific people that we're sent to talk to.
Answer the door together/leave a note
This one may seem silly, but it works. Canvassing is almost as much a poll as it is about reminding people to vote, and we can't mark someone's answer unless we actually speak to them ourselves--that is, even if you tell us that your wife is voting the same way as you, we cant mark that answer unless she comes over and tells us herself. Also, the way that the software that we use works, if we talk to one registered voter in a house, we may still be sent there a couple of days later if we didn't get a survey response from the other voters. If you've already voted and really don't want any more lit stuck to your door while our system catches up, then you can try and leave a note. If you want to be extra sure, you can also have all your registered voters sign it so we can mark you as having voted, which should get you off the list even more quickly than voting does.
Realize that we ignore "no solicitors" signs
By law, unless political canvassers are specifically listed as being unwelcome, "no solicitors" signs do not apply to us. This is because we are not asking for money or selling anything; we are asking for a vote. Besides which, while most people don't like door-to-door salespeople, many people with such signs are happy to talk to political canvassers.
Be kind
I know that being bombarded with political ads and phone calls is annoying, but remember: canvassers are people, too. We are often volunteers, and even if we are paid, it still means walking for hours on end through often unpleasant weather. Even if you don't want to talk to us, a polite refusal is still 1000x better than a slammed door. I am not calling you or knocking on your door because I want to annoy you. I do field work because I am passionate about the issues and candidates that I am campaigning for, and because I believe in the critical importance of voting. I believe that to vote is not just a right; it is a duty and a privilege. To me, it is almost as important to me that people vote at all as it is that they vote the way that I want them to. So please, don't be a jerk.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Udon: A Quest! - Part 4
Bluefin Sushi Bar
4138 NE Broadway
As far as I can tell, this is not at all connected to the Blue Fin Sushi that I reviewed in my last post. This location is in the Hollywood district, and there was not a conveyer belt in sight.
Noodles: Well-formed but under kneaded, it fell apart far too easily and wasn't very chewy.
Broth: Good flavor, a little salty.
Chicken: No meat.
Extras: Broccoli, shredded nori, minced green onions.
Conclusion: On the high end of normal price, but it came with tempura. Actually, the restaurant had four different udon dishes, and I ordered the one with tempura. Tasty and fresh in general, but the noodles were disappointing.
4138 NE Broadway
As far as I can tell, this is not at all connected to the Blue Fin Sushi that I reviewed in my last post. This location is in the Hollywood district, and there was not a conveyer belt in sight.
Noodles: Well-formed but under kneaded, it fell apart far too easily and wasn't very chewy.
Broth: Good flavor, a little salty.
Chicken: No meat.
Extras: Broccoli, shredded nori, minced green onions.
Conclusion: On the high end of normal price, but it came with tempura. Actually, the restaurant had four different udon dishes, and I ordered the one with tempura. Tasty and fresh in general, but the noodles were disappointing.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Udon: A Quest! - Part 3
Mio Sushi
3962 Southeast Hawthorne Blvd
I forgot to take notes right away after eating here, so I don't remember most of the details, but I don't want to order it again, so I'll do my best.
Noodles: Unoffensive. I ordered it to go the last time I tried it, so it was overcooked by the time I got home, but I seem to remember that it was ok before.
Chicken: I had to specially order it, and it wasn't very good.
Extras: My memory gets more hazy here. Kamaboko, green onions, and shiitake mushrooms were involved. I ordinarily love mushrooms, but I'm pretty sure these were reconstituted ones.
Conclusion: Eat the sushi there, not the udon. It's not bad, but too expensive for what you get. There are better places.
Blue Fin Sushi
1988 SW Broadway
Blue Fin is one of those conveyor belt sushi places, but everything seems fresh, and the udon is made to order. It's about what I would expect from a place in the PSU area.
Noodles: Fresh, chewy, not slimy (see fresh).
Broth: Maybe a little salty; unoffensive if unimaginable.
Extras: Green onions, a soggy tempura shrimp, and kamaboko whose edges were a positively alarming shade of pink.
Conclusion: Not ideal, and everything but the noodles were of obviously cheap quality, but the low price and the freshness of the noodles mostly make up for it. I should also note that when I took the notes for this review it was the third time I had ordered it there, so it can't be that bad.
Ichidai Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar
5714 SE Powell Blvd
The restaurant is easily overlooked when driving down Powell, but has a nice atmosphere, and there was an encouraging number of people speaking Japanese when I was there.
Noodles: Chewy and well-formed, but a little thinner than usual, so they were slightly translucent.
Chicken: Much better than usual. White meat that didn't taste like it had been cooking forever. I'm not sure if it usually comes with chicken, because I didn't look at the menu before ordering.
Broth: Dark, rich, and slightly sweet. It reminded me a little of the broth that you get from Soup a l'onion.
Extras: Green onions and sliced white onions (which probably is why it tasted like French onion soup).
Conclusion: The noodles weren't quite how I like them, but it was fresh and clearly of high quality ingredients. It was also a little more expensive than usual--about the same price as Mio Sushi--but unlike Mio it came with cucumber sushi on the side. There were two types of udon on the menu, one of which looked like it had more things in it, so next time I think I'll try that.
3962 Southeast Hawthorne Blvd
I forgot to take notes right away after eating here, so I don't remember most of the details, but I don't want to order it again, so I'll do my best.
Noodles: Unoffensive. I ordered it to go the last time I tried it, so it was overcooked by the time I got home, but I seem to remember that it was ok before.
Chicken: I had to specially order it, and it wasn't very good.
Extras: My memory gets more hazy here. Kamaboko, green onions, and shiitake mushrooms were involved. I ordinarily love mushrooms, but I'm pretty sure these were reconstituted ones.
Conclusion: Eat the sushi there, not the udon. It's not bad, but too expensive for what you get. There are better places.
Blue Fin Sushi
1988 SW Broadway
Blue Fin is one of those conveyor belt sushi places, but everything seems fresh, and the udon is made to order. It's about what I would expect from a place in the PSU area.
Noodles: Fresh, chewy, not slimy (see fresh).
Broth: Maybe a little salty; unoffensive if unimaginable.
Extras: Green onions, a soggy tempura shrimp, and kamaboko whose edges were a positively alarming shade of pink.
Conclusion: Not ideal, and everything but the noodles were of obviously cheap quality, but the low price and the freshness of the noodles mostly make up for it. I should also note that when I took the notes for this review it was the third time I had ordered it there, so it can't be that bad.
Ichidai Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar
5714 SE Powell Blvd
The restaurant is easily overlooked when driving down Powell, but has a nice atmosphere, and there was an encouraging number of people speaking Japanese when I was there.
Noodles: Chewy and well-formed, but a little thinner than usual, so they were slightly translucent.
Chicken: Much better than usual. White meat that didn't taste like it had been cooking forever. I'm not sure if it usually comes with chicken, because I didn't look at the menu before ordering.
Broth: Dark, rich, and slightly sweet. It reminded me a little of the broth that you get from Soup a l'onion.
Extras: Green onions and sliced white onions (which probably is why it tasted like French onion soup).
Conclusion: The noodles weren't quite how I like them, but it was fresh and clearly of high quality ingredients. It was also a little more expensive than usual--about the same price as Mio Sushi--but unlike Mio it came with cucumber sushi on the side. There were two types of udon on the menu, one of which looked like it had more things in it, so next time I think I'll try that.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Udon: A QUEST! - Part 2
Biwa
215 SE 9th ave
I've been to Biwa before. They serve really excellent Japanese food in general, but don't serve sushi or tempura (they do sell sashimi). On their late night menu they have shockingly good burgers made with ground beef tartar.
Noodles: Not slimy, and well-formed. Somehow unsatisfying, though. They didn't have enough heft and chewiness to them, which probably means that they weren't kneaded enough.
Chicken: No chicken.
Broth: Pretty good. Not too salty, decent flavor.
Extras: The frothy kind of tofu, sliced thin, kale (or something like it), soft boiled egg cut in half, kamaboko.
Conclusion: Unoffensive, but boring. I really wish the noodles were better, and that there were chicken. The quest continues.
215 SE 9th ave
I've been to Biwa before. They serve really excellent Japanese food in general, but don't serve sushi or tempura (they do sell sashimi). On their late night menu they have shockingly good burgers made with ground beef tartar.
Noodles: Not slimy, and well-formed. Somehow unsatisfying, though. They didn't have enough heft and chewiness to them, which probably means that they weren't kneaded enough.
Chicken: No chicken.
Broth: Pretty good. Not too salty, decent flavor.
Extras: The frothy kind of tofu, sliced thin, kale (or something like it), soft boiled egg cut in half, kamaboko.
Conclusion: Unoffensive, but boring. I really wish the noodles were better, and that there were chicken. The quest continues.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Udon: A QUEST! - Part 1
I periodically get a craving for udon noodles. The problem is, having grown up on extremely excellent udon, I have very high standards for them. Part of the problem is that what I grew up with was not standard Japanese, so I'm not sure what the goal is for actual Japanese udon. I only know what I like. I have been poking around Portland looking for a place that has good udon, with limited success. Today I decided to start recording my results here so that I can remember where I've been. These are the two places with udon that I have sampled so far:
Koji Osakaya
10100 Southwest Barbur Blvd.
I've been to this place several times, since it's just around the corner from where I live, but it's not that great. I like the people there, but the udon is... meh. I'll probably keep going there for a while, at least until I find a better place and/or I move, but that's just because it's so close.
Noodles: Decently chewy and well-formed when you get them fresh, but I've been there a couple of times when it was not so fresh, and it had started to turn into the slimy worms that you sometimes get.
Chicken: Not good. poor quality and kinda greasy.
Broth: Unremarkable.
Exras: Kamaboko, not much else. It's served with ground red pepper.
Conclusion: I'll probably keep going there for a while, at least until I find a better place and/or I move, but that's just because it's so close.
MoMoYama
4310 Southeast Woodstock Blvd.
Unlike the fairly slick restaurant/bar that is Koji Osakaya, this is a pretty basic operation and appears to be one of those places run by a family of recent immigrants. It is also conveniently located close to Reed. Too bad the udon isn't very good.
Noodles: They weren't the worst noodles I've had (the worst ones I've had were from a restaurant in the resort area of Honolulu), but they were a little overcooked.
Chicken: Pretty much the same as at Koji Osakaya, which is to say, overcooked and greasy.
Broth: Too salty for me, but that might just be the type of broth it was.
Extras: A raw egg was poached lightly in the broth, a couple of pieces of kamaboko, spinach, green onions, and two tempura shrimp on top of everything. They get points for weirdness for the tempura, but the shrimp and green onions were pretty boring.
Conclusion: I don't plan on going back.
Koji Osakaya
10100 Southwest Barbur Blvd.
I've been to this place several times, since it's just around the corner from where I live, but it's not that great. I like the people there, but the udon is... meh. I'll probably keep going there for a while, at least until I find a better place and/or I move, but that's just because it's so close.
Noodles: Decently chewy and well-formed when you get them fresh, but I've been there a couple of times when it was not so fresh, and it had started to turn into the slimy worms that you sometimes get.
Chicken: Not good. poor quality and kinda greasy.
Broth: Unremarkable.
Exras: Kamaboko, not much else. It's served with ground red pepper.
Conclusion: I'll probably keep going there for a while, at least until I find a better place and/or I move, but that's just because it's so close.
MoMoYama
4310 Southeast Woodstock Blvd.
Unlike the fairly slick restaurant/bar that is Koji Osakaya, this is a pretty basic operation and appears to be one of those places run by a family of recent immigrants. It is also conveniently located close to Reed. Too bad the udon isn't very good.
Noodles: They weren't the worst noodles I've had (the worst ones I've had were from a restaurant in the resort area of Honolulu), but they were a little overcooked.
Chicken: Pretty much the same as at Koji Osakaya, which is to say, overcooked and greasy.
Broth: Too salty for me, but that might just be the type of broth it was.
Extras: A raw egg was poached lightly in the broth, a couple of pieces of kamaboko, spinach, green onions, and two tempura shrimp on top of everything. They get points for weirdness for the tempura, but the shrimp and green onions were pretty boring.
Conclusion: I don't plan on going back.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
15 Permissions
Gonsea (Eureka, California)
The Chinese restaurant whose exterior was the inspiration for the story that is at the center of my work.
The White Cat (1990) by Robert D. San Souci
One of my favorite picture books as a child, it showed me a world full of mysterious transformations and drew me in with its illustrations that helped my imagination run wild.
My first grade teacher's porcelain cups
Their image may exist only in my memory now, but they were my first regular experience with porcelain and its marvelous subtlety.
Ishtar Gate (605-562 BCE) in the Pergamon Museum, Berlin
The museum in general and the gate in particular showed me that the way fragments are displayed can make all the difference in making the distant past seem real.
The Snow Queen (1845) by Hans Christian Anderson
The book from which I learned the potency of ice and eye-horror as themes in storytelling.
Bill Waterson, particularly T-Rex Jet (1995)
Which showed me that silly things can be art and art can be silly.
Convex and Concave by M.C. Escher (1955 lithograph)
Which taught me that confusion can be orderly and that an image doesn't need words to tell a story.
Islamic carved window screens
I don't remember where I first saw them, but they suggested some possibilities of pierced surfaces that I had not considered before.
Jurassic Park (1990) by Micheal Crichton
The extensive discussion of chaos theory in the book taught me that chaos is beautiful.
Western Juniper trees, Sierra Nevada Mountains
Which inspired me to make some of my earliest drawings of nature for its own sake, rather than just decoration in the background.
DIA Bag (1984) ceramic, by Marilyn Levine
Which made me realize that my love of things that looked like one thing but were actually another could apply to my art.
The Garden of Earthly Delights (1490-1510) Hieronymus Bosch
The painting that taught me the delights of the grotesque and that discomfiture is a good thing in art.
"Silence in the Library," Doctor Who (2008)
This episode taught me the use of disembodied faces and their power to be both amusing and disquieting.
Two Choson dynasty carved porcelain brush pots (1700-1800), Victoria and Albert Museum
Which were the original inspiration for the porcelain lace that I am making today.
Sabriel (1995) by Garth Nix
A book that reminded me that the combination of beauty, creepiness, and silliness is a recipe for awesome.
The Chinese restaurant whose exterior was the inspiration for the story that is at the center of my work.The White Cat (1990) by Robert D. San Souci
One of my favorite picture books as a child, it showed me a world full of mysterious transformations and drew me in with its illustrations that helped my imagination run wild.My first grade teacher's porcelain cups
Their image may exist only in my memory now, but they were my first regular experience with porcelain and its marvelous subtlety.Ishtar Gate (605-562 BCE) in the Pergamon Museum, Berlin
The museum in general and the gate in particular showed me that the way fragments are displayed can make all the difference in making the distant past seem real.The Snow Queen (1845) by Hans Christian Anderson
The book from which I learned the potency of ice and eye-horror as themes in storytelling.Bill Waterson, particularly T-Rex Jet (1995)
Which showed me that silly things can be art and art can be silly.Convex and Concave by M.C. Escher (1955 lithograph)
Which taught me that confusion can be orderly and that an image doesn't need words to tell a story.Islamic carved window screens
I don't remember where I first saw them, but they suggested some possibilities of pierced surfaces that I had not considered before.Jurassic Park (1990) by Micheal Crichton
The extensive discussion of chaos theory in the book taught me that chaos is beautiful.Western Juniper trees, Sierra Nevada Mountains
Which inspired me to make some of my earliest drawings of nature for its own sake, rather than just decoration in the background.DIA Bag (1984) ceramic, by Marilyn Levine
Which made me realize that my love of things that looked like one thing but were actually another could apply to my art.The Garden of Earthly Delights (1490-1510) Hieronymus Bosch
The painting that taught me the delights of the grotesque and that discomfiture is a good thing in art."Silence in the Library," Doctor Who (2008)
This episode taught me the use of disembodied faces and their power to be both amusing and disquieting.Two Choson dynasty carved porcelain brush pots (1700-1800), Victoria and Albert Museum
Which were the original inspiration for the porcelain lace that I am making today.Sabriel (1995) by Garth Nix
A book that reminded me that the combination of beauty, creepiness, and silliness is a recipe for awesome.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
WonderCon 2011 - pictures
I posted my pictures on Facebook. If by some small chance there is someone reading this blog that doesn't already know me, uh... I don't believe you. You can comment on this post, I guess.
Zombie Bounty Hunter and Zombie Storm Trooper (I think).
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215486_10150157755563850_655503849_6608102_261419_n.jpg
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/206703_10150157755598850_655503849_6608103_3583218_n.jpg
A Green Lantern.
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/216398_10150157755628850_655503849_6608104_7834390_n.jpg
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215242_10150157755658850_655503849_6608105_8168944_n.jpg
The Floor
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/216990_10150157755748850_655503849_6608106_3655639_n.jpg
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds at the Green Lantern panel.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207603_10150157755883850_655503849_6608109_4169730_n.jpg
Wade Williams and Alan Burnett at the Green Lantern: Emerald Knights panel.
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/217770_10150157755983850_655503849_6608110_5685803_n.jpg
Geoff Johns and Eddie Berganza at the same panel.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207787_10150157756048850_655503849_6608111_1518857_n.jpg
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215574_10150157756108850_655503849_6608112_1101154_n.jpg
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/208599_10150157756228850_655503849_6608114_7115767_n.jpg
Virginia Hey
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/208599_10150157756228850_655503849_6608114_7115767_n.jpg
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/208403_10150157756293850_655503849_6608115_937493_n.jpg
Rainn Wilson and James Gunn - The entire panel for Super - standing on the table to pose for pictures before the panel.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/218050_10150157756348850_655503849_6608116_4016375_n.jpg
A Nazgûl.
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215286_10150157756443850_655503849_6608117_4691942_n.jpg
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207199_10150157756543850_655503849_6608119_5168403_n.jpg
Peter Mayhew, the guy who plays Chewbacca.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/216450_10150157756728850_655503849_6608122_5295830_n.jpg
Lou Ferrigno
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/206631_10150157756838850_655503849_6608123_6085081_n.jpg
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/206699_10150157756983850_655503849_6608124_6028031_n.jpg
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207083_1015015775712385
0_655503849_6608125_3194936_n.jpg
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/217114_10150157757233850_655503849_6608127_5897694_n.jpg
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/207803_10150157757823850_655503849_6608129_4398588_n.jpg
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215922_10150157757978850_655503849_6608130_6066752_n.jpg
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/215690_10150157758068850_655503849_6608131_1469047_n.jpg
Creeeepy.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215646_10150157758193850_655503849_6608132_171319_n.jpg
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/208579_10150157758298850_655503849_6608134_7607641_n.jpg
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/216250_10150157758433850_655503849_6608135_5243855_n.jpg
The Floor holds a lot of people. Not as big as Comic-Con, but still the population of a small city. The overall attendance was something like twice that for the whole weekend.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/217062_10150157758538850_655503849_6608136_798335_n.jpg
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/216310_10150157758633850_655503849_6608137_5178983_n.jpg
Sam Huntington and Brandon Routh introduce the Masquerade.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/218066_10150157758843850_655503849_6608139_2309654_n.jpg
I took this picture a moment too late. The costumes all had lights sewn into them. (this is part of the Masquerade).
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215202_10150157759073850_655503849_6608141_7892798_n.jpg
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/208019_10150157759163850_655503849_6608142_1714670_n.jpg
Vampires vs. Vampire Hunters
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/206603_10150157759798850_655503849_6608145_4193081_n.jpg
Toughnut and Roughnut from How to Train Your Dragon.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/206263_10150157760128850_655503849_6608148_4794278_n.jpg
I think this person won best technical skill.
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/217158_10150157760238850_655503849_6608149_1027792_n.jpg
Slightly creepy ensemble.
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/208171_10150157760543850_655503849_6608152_4236669_n.jpg
The Vampires vs. Vampire Hunters group again. They won best in show.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207669_10150157760833850_655503849_6608153_957689_n.jpg
Another part of the group.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207823_10150157760918850_655503849_6608154_4805013_n.jpg
TARDIS.
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/205049_10150157760983850_655503849_6608155_2408504_n.jpg
Waiting in line for the Doctor Who panel. I was pretty close to the head of the line.
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/206402_10150157761038850_655503849_6608156_7363808_n.jpg
Amy and the Doctor.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/206498_10150157761123850_655503849_6608157_3417331_n.jpg
To illustrate how close to the stage I was for the Doctor Who panel.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/206330_10150157761203850_655503849_6608158_5932755_n.jpg
The Doctor Who panel! Toby Haynes, Mark Sheppard and Neil Gaiman!
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/207987_10150157761333850_655503849_6608160_5546285_n.jpg
Mark Sheppard and Neil Gaiman.
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/216824_10150157761433850_655503849_6608161_3400850_n.jpg
And again.
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/216028_10150157761498850_655503849_6608162_3609558_n.jpg
Stephen Lang and Jason O'Mara, part of the Terra Nova panel.
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/216794_10150157761783850_655503849_6608165_2062415_n.jpg
The Thundercats panel. I was in the front row!
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207452_10150157762063850_655503849_6608170_5223785_n.jpg
The line for the ATM. There was only ONE ATM for the WHOLE BUILDING.
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/217271_10150157762183850_655503849_6608171_6888110_n.jpg
Zombie Bounty Hunter and Zombie Storm Trooper (I think).
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215486_10150157755563850_655503849_6608102_261419_n.jpg
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/206703_10150157755598850_655503849_6608103_3583218_n.jpg
A Green Lantern.
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/216398_10150157755628850_655503849_6608104_7834390_n.jpg
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215242_10150157755658850_655503849_6608105_8168944_n.jpg
The Floor
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/216990_10150157755748850_655503849_6608106_3655639_n.jpg
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds at the Green Lantern panel.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207603_10150157755883850_655503849_6608109_4169730_n.jpg
Wade Williams and Alan Burnett at the Green Lantern: Emerald Knights panel.
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/217770_10150157755983850_655503849_6608110_5685803_n.jpg
Geoff Johns and Eddie Berganza at the same panel.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207787_10150157756048850_655503849_6608111_1518857_n.jpg
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215574_10150157756108850_655503849_6608112_1101154_n.jpg
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/208599_10150157756228850_655503849_6608114_7115767_n.jpg
Virginia Hey
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/208599_10150157756228850_655503849_6608114_7115767_n.jpg
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/208403_10150157756293850_655503849_6608115_937493_n.jpg
Rainn Wilson and James Gunn - The entire panel for Super - standing on the table to pose for pictures before the panel.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/218050_10150157756348850_655503849_6608116_4016375_n.jpg
A Nazgûl.
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215286_10150157756443850_655503849_6608117_4691942_n.jpg
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207199_10150157756543850_655503849_6608119_5168403_n.jpg
Peter Mayhew, the guy who plays Chewbacca.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/216450_10150157756728850_655503849_6608122_5295830_n.jpg
Lou Ferrigno
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/206631_10150157756838850_655503849_6608123_6085081_n.jpg
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/206699_10150157756983850_655503849_6608124_6028031_n.jpg
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207083_1015015775712385
0_655503849_6608125_3194936_n.jpghttp://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/217114_10150157757233850_655503849_6608127_5897694_n.jpg
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/207803_10150157757823850_655503849_6608129_4398588_n.jpg
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215922_10150157757978850_655503849_6608130_6066752_n.jpg
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/215690_10150157758068850_655503849_6608131_1469047_n.jpg
Creeeepy.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215646_10150157758193850_655503849_6608132_171319_n.jpg
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/208579_10150157758298
850_655503849_6608134_7607641_n.jpghttp://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/216250_10150157758433850_655503849_6608135_5243855_n.jpg
The Floor holds a lot of people. Not as big as Comic-Con, but still the population of a small city. The overall attendance was something like twice that for the whole weekend.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/217062_10150157758538850_655503849_6608136_798335_n.jpg
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/216310_10150157758633850_655503849_6608137_5178983_n.jpg
Sam Huntington and Brandon Routh introduce the Masquerade.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/218066_10150157758843850_655503849_6608139_2309654_n.jpg
I took this picture a moment too late. The costumes all had lights sewn into them. (this is part of the Masquerade).
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215202_10150157759073850_655503849_6608141_7892798_n.jpg
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/208019_10150157759163850_655503849_6608142_1714670_n.jpg
Vampires vs. Vampire Hunters
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/206603_10150157759798850_655503849_6608145_4193081_n.jpg
Toughnut and Roughnut from How to Train Your Dragon.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/206263_10150157760128850_655503849_6608148_4794278_n.jpg
I think this person won best technical skill.
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/217158_10150157760238850_655503849_6608149_1027792_n.jpg
Slightly creepy ensemble.
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/208171_10150157760543850_655503849_6608152_4236669_n.jpg
The Vampires vs. Vampire Hunters group again. They won best in show.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207669_10150157760833850_655503849_6608153_957689_n.jpg
Another part of the group.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207823_10150157760918850_655503849_6608154_4805013_n.jpg
TARDIS.
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/205049_10150157760983850_655503849_6608155_2408504_n.jpg
Waiting in line for the Doctor Who panel. I was pretty close to the head of the line.
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/206402_10150157761038850_655503849_6608156_7363808_n.jpg
Amy and the Doctor.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/206498_10150157761123850_655503849_6608157_3417331_n.jpg
To illustrate how close to the stage I was for the Doctor Who panel.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/206330_10150157761203850_655503849_6608158_5932755_n.jpg
The Doctor Who panel! Toby Haynes, Mark Sheppard and Neil Gaiman!
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/207987_10150157761333850_655503849_6608160_5546285_n.jpg
Mark Sheppard and Neil Gaiman.
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.n
et/hphotos-ak-ash4/216824_10150157761433850_655503849_6608161_3400850_n.jpgAnd again.
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/216028_10150157761498850_655503849_6608162_3609558_n.jpg
Stephen Lang and Jason O'Mara, part of the Terra Nova panel.
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/216794_10150157761783850_655503849_6608165_2062415_n.jpg
The Thundercats panel. I was in the front row!
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207452_10150157762063850_655503849_6608170_5223785_n.jpg
The line for the ATM. There was only ONE ATM for the WHOLE BUILDING.
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/217271_10150157762183850_655503849_6608171_6888110_n.jpg
WonderCon 2011 - Sunday
I got up at 7:00 on a Sunday so I could get to WonderCon at 9:00, 2 1/2 hours before the Doctor Who panel.
- There are a lot of Chinese people in San Francisco. Weird, and unexpected, I know. Particularly in Chinatown.
- Some of the more memorable costumes I've seen outside of the Masquerade: [I wrote this list on the bus]
- The alien from Alien, including a several-feet-long tail.
- The Predator from Predator.
- Slave girl Leia - and she pulled it off.
- A few Zatanna. They looked kinda uncomfortable.
- Various Death Star officers.
- Strangely, I think I only saw one Doctor. [I saw at least half a dozen Doctors on Sunday, and several more people just wearing fezzes. Fezzes are cool.]
- A few Dr. Horrible.
- Many steampunk people, of varying degrees of quality.
In line for and waiting for the Doctor Who panel:
- There was guy in line behind me wearing a t-shirt with: Blue Lantern Corps symbol + The Flash's symbol = The Flash in the Blue Lantern Corps's symbol (whose power comes from and creates Hope).
1. I am pleased that there is a t-shirt for this.
2. I am pleased with myself for recognizing this.
- THIRD ROW! Getting here 2.5 hours before the panel was so worth it. That wasn't even that early.
- Not only am I in the third row, I'm directly in front of the moderator's podium.
- So many Doctor Who fans in one place. [That was probably the best part of WonderCon, actually. Being in a huge crowd of nerds. We are, in general, a nice crowd.]
The panel had Neil Gaiman and Mark Sheppard! Weee! And Toby Haynes, who directed the last two episodes of the last series and the first three of this coming series. Neil Gaiman wrote the fourth episode of this series, and Mark Sheppard is appearing in the first two-parter.
- "Nixon is scary." - Mark Sheppard. He compared Nixon to other Steven Moffat monsters.
- Neil Gaiman taunts the audience with a flashdrive that contains his episode.
- Mark Sheppard fanboy moment - seeing 9/10's TARDIS (which is appearing in this series, for some reason)
- "Vancouver is a double for everywhere." - MS.
- TH says that his next job is directing Sherlock, and MS begs for a part in the show.
- NG is appearing as himself in an episode of The Simpsons this fall.
I'm sorry. I could have written more, but I was watching and taking pictures instead. They played a clip from NG's episode, which includes Time Lord sign, and a scene with MS, in which he acts disrespectful towards Nixon while talking to him on the phone. I am very much looking forward to seeing how he interacts with the rest of the cast.
Terra Nova panel:
A new show in which people from a dystopic future (the year 2149), go on a one-way trip to 85 million ybp (via a supercollider-caused time crack. Whatever) . It's described as a "postmodern scifi western." I didn't think much of the show before the panel, but I might watch some of it now. Which, of course, is the point of having a panel for it.
- It stars Jason O'Mara (who was in the US version of Life on Mars) and Stephen Lang (who played the bad guy in Avatar).
- "I only do shows that include time travel as part of the premise." - JO
- Oh whoa! JO is Irish? [I immediately liked him more. Am I shallow or what? At least I'm pretty sure he's Irish. I don't know what else that accent could be]
- The show will include a twist on time paradoxes.
- JO takes pictures of the audience at various points in the panel.
- This is another very expensive show.
- It took 12 weeks to build the Terra Nova set in Australia.
- The show will include feathered dinosaurs, which were made using motion capture suits on human actors.
- Sonic weapons.
Thundercats panel:
Some of the people with whom I chatted before the Doctor Who panel helped me acquire a seat in the front row! Thundercats, if you don't know, was a cartoon from the 80s. It now has a cult status, particularly among people who grew up watching it (which doesn't include me, but hey, io9.com recommended going to it, and I was in the front row). A re-imagining of the show is currently in development. The animation is beautiful - lots of detail and generally good-quality animation.
On the Floor:
- Wow, I did not know that the Firefly soundtrack is out of print.
- I noted to Zach Weiner (author of SMBC comics) that lefties rule. He concurred.
- An explanation as to why DC won WonderCon so resoundingly: Marvel is lame. I talked to a vendor, and he said that this is the first time in a while that Marvel has even had a booth here, so obviously they didn't have a panel for any of their three movies coming out this year. DC wins. They gave me free stuff and had lots of panels.
I didn't stay long enough for the people to kick us out of the building, but vendors had started to break down their booths. Thankfully the hostel let me keep my car in the parking lot even though I had checked out, so I didn't have to find parking downtown. Yay. And I only got lost about three times trying to get out of San Francisco. Yay for cellphones and the internet, and Mothers who use cellphones and the internet.
- There are a lot of Chinese people in San Francisco. Weird, and unexpected, I know. Particularly in Chinatown.
- Some of the more memorable costumes I've seen outside of the Masquerade: [I wrote this list on the bus]
- The alien from Alien, including a several-feet-long tail.
- The Predator from Predator.
- Slave girl Leia - and she pulled it off.
- A few Zatanna. They looked kinda uncomfortable.
- Various Death Star officers.
- Strangely, I think I only saw one Doctor. [I saw at least half a dozen Doctors on Sunday, and several more people just wearing fezzes. Fezzes are cool.]
- A few Dr. Horrible.
- Many steampunk people, of varying degrees of quality.
In line for and waiting for the Doctor Who panel:
- There was guy in line behind me wearing a t-shirt with: Blue Lantern Corps symbol + The Flash's symbol = The Flash in the Blue Lantern Corps's symbol (whose power comes from and creates Hope).
1. I am pleased that there is a t-shirt for this.
2. I am pleased with myself for recognizing this.
- THIRD ROW! Getting here 2.5 hours before the panel was so worth it. That wasn't even that early.
- Not only am I in the third row, I'm directly in front of the moderator's podium.
- So many Doctor Who fans in one place. [That was probably the best part of WonderCon, actually. Being in a huge crowd of nerds. We are, in general, a nice crowd.]
The panel had Neil Gaiman and Mark Sheppard! Weee! And Toby Haynes, who directed the last two episodes of the last series and the first three of this coming series. Neil Gaiman wrote the fourth episode of this series, and Mark Sheppard is appearing in the first two-parter.
- "Nixon is scary." - Mark Sheppard. He compared Nixon to other Steven Moffat monsters.
- Neil Gaiman taunts the audience with a flashdrive that contains his episode.
- Mark Sheppard fanboy moment - seeing 9/10's TARDIS (which is appearing in this series, for some reason)
- "Vancouver is a double for everywhere." - MS.
- TH says that his next job is directing Sherlock, and MS begs for a part in the show.
- NG is appearing as himself in an episode of The Simpsons this fall.
I'm sorry. I could have written more, but I was watching and taking pictures instead. They played a clip from NG's episode, which includes Time Lord sign, and a scene with MS, in which he acts disrespectful towards Nixon while talking to him on the phone. I am very much looking forward to seeing how he interacts with the rest of the cast.
Terra Nova panel:
A new show in which people from a dystopic future (the year 2149), go on a one-way trip to 85 million ybp (via a supercollider-caused time crack. Whatever) . It's described as a "postmodern scifi western." I didn't think much of the show before the panel, but I might watch some of it now. Which, of course, is the point of having a panel for it.
- It stars Jason O'Mara (who was in the US version of Life on Mars) and Stephen Lang (who played the bad guy in Avatar).
- "I only do shows that include time travel as part of the premise." - JO
- Oh whoa! JO is Irish? [I immediately liked him more. Am I shallow or what? At least I'm pretty sure he's Irish. I don't know what else that accent could be]
- The show will include a twist on time paradoxes.
- JO takes pictures of the audience at various points in the panel.
- This is another very expensive show.
- It took 12 weeks to build the Terra Nova set in Australia.
- The show will include feathered dinosaurs, which were made using motion capture suits on human actors.
- Sonic weapons.
Thundercats panel:
Some of the people with whom I chatted before the Doctor Who panel helped me acquire a seat in the front row! Thundercats, if you don't know, was a cartoon from the 80s. It now has a cult status, particularly among people who grew up watching it (which doesn't include me, but hey, io9.com recommended going to it, and I was in the front row). A re-imagining of the show is currently in development. The animation is beautiful - lots of detail and generally good-quality animation.
On the Floor:
- Wow, I did not know that the Firefly soundtrack is out of print.
- I noted to Zach Weiner (author of SMBC comics) that lefties rule. He concurred.
- An explanation as to why DC won WonderCon so resoundingly: Marvel is lame. I talked to a vendor, and he said that this is the first time in a while that Marvel has even had a booth here, so obviously they didn't have a panel for any of their three movies coming out this year. DC wins. They gave me free stuff and had lots of panels.
I didn't stay long enough for the people to kick us out of the building, but vendors had started to break down their booths. Thankfully the hostel let me keep my car in the parking lot even though I had checked out, so I didn't have to find parking downtown. Yay. And I only got lost about three times trying to get out of San Francisco. Yay for cellphones and the internet, and Mothers who use cellphones and the internet.
WonderCon 2011 - Saturday, Part II
On Saturday I wore my costume, because the Masquerade was in the evening so I figured more people would be dressed up (if you didn't know, I wore clothing from the game Oblivion). Unusually for me, several people recognized what I was wearing! Not a whole lot, but they were generally enthusiastic (one person gave me a high five). A few other people liked the costume, but didn't know what it was from. I think it was a very good idea for me to include the Amulet of Kings. I know that you can never wear it yourself in the game, but it was still the most identifiable part of the costume.
So here are my notes for the day:
On the Floor:
- Virginia Hey has her own line of perfume. Which is weird. She talked to me and didn't demand payment for taking her picture, which is nice.
- I'm in one of the smaller rooms, and again sufficiently (but not terribly) early so that I again have a fabulous seat. In the second row. In the middle. I'm less than 15 feet from he closest seat on the panel. And I didn't have to wait in line at all. I just walked in.
DC Universe Panel:
- Yay, the Green Lantern Footage again! (abridged, but still awesome)
- Hey, I've actually heard of one of these people - Paul Levitz. Why have I heard of him? [oh. I think it was because he was one of the people who had a Spotlight panel on him this year, and I remembered his name from the program.]
- I need to get Brightest Day [the current DC main narrative]. I may have to wait 6 months or whatever for the trade volume, though.
- Part of the amusement of this panel is how much difficulty the panelists are having in talking about upcoming issues of the book without giving away too many spoilers.
- Some of the best questions have come from a couple of preteen kids.
Super Panel:
Super is a small superhero movie staring Rainn Wilson (and various other people like Nathan Fillion and Liv Tyler). Like Kick-Ass, it centers around a normal guy who decides to become a superhero. It's very different, though.
- There is no moderator, so Rainn Wilson and James Gunn (the writer/director/etc) are interviewing each other.
- The movie cost a couple of million to make - the actors did it for scale.
- "Our movie was made on the craft services budget of Iron Man." - James Gunn
- The Crimson Bolt's catchphrase is "Shut up, crime!" (his weapon of choice is a large wrench)
- The film is much darker and more dramatic than Kick-Ass. The violence is more realistic, so much so that the film is unrated.
- RW says that he didn't improve much for the movie, and notes that most of the time when actors are asked to improve on set it's because the script sucks - e.g., My Super Ex-Girlfriend.
- Q: Who would win in a fight between Dwight (on the Office) vs. Frank (The Crimson Bolt) vs. a bear (not a Rainn Wilson character)?
A: The Bear, no question.
On the Floor:
- I just passed the guy who plays Josh the werewolf on the US version of Being Human. He was walking down the hallway between the small panel rooms.
- Aww... the Anthropology of Firefly panel was canceled, but too late to be removed from the schedule.
LGBT in Comics Panel (instead)
The panel consisted of various writers who have included LGBT characters in their comics (in case you didn't know, LGBT stands for Lesbian Gay Bisexual or Transgender). These included a few mainstream people and a few independent people.
- Consensus among the panelists - DC is more open to LGBT than Marvel.
- "Gay men are only interested in Wonder Woman." - Direct quote from a retailer that one of the panelists spoke to.
On the Floor:
- I just saw a guy dressed as Dresden. He was wearing a hat, but I guess that makes him more recognizable. [Harry Dresden never wears a hat. Despite this fact, on every cover of every book he has been depicted wearing one. Dresden even specifically refuses to wear a hat on more than one occasion. Snark from the author.]
Before the Masquerade:
- I am going to be spoiled for Comic-Con. I'm in the fourth row again. Not quite so close to the middle this time, but I think that's a good thing in this case, since it means I can more easily see the screen, and detail might be an issue with the costumes.
To entertain the masses while they were setting up backstage, they played the trailers for several movies on the screens:
- Huh. Super 8 could be cool. Or it could just be another JJ Abrams monster movie with Spielberg familyness.
- My God, Thor is so pretty. [It's probably going to be terrible. Sigh. Oh well. And yes, that is me trying to not get my hopes up while still grinning in anticipation at all the shiny gold and silver and explosions]
Dylan Dog intro:
The Masquerade was sponsored by the movie Dyland Dog: Dead of Night, so naturally the main actors, Brandon Routh and Sam Huntington were there to introduce their movie and the main event. This confirmed that it was indeed Sam Huntington that I passed in the hallway, and not some random guy who looked like him. (You know, it only occurred to me later that those actors have a similar role to those they had in Superman Returns, in which they played Superman and Jimmy Olson, lead and sidekick. Anyhoo...)
- They played a couple of clips from the movie. It looks kindof silly, but it's hard to tell how good it is from just the trailer and the clips. The actors claimed that it is "fun and cool and awesome."
- Brandon Routh is pretty off camera, too.
Masquerade:
The Masquerade is a costume competition that they do every year at WonderCon and Comic-Con. There are group costumes and individual costumes, and they are awarded prizes in various categories. The costumes can be worn by the designers/makers or not, but they all have to be done by non-professionals (whatever that means. Some of the costumes were pretty damn professional). There is no way in hell I would ever compete in this. I could describe all 32 costume sets, but I'm not going to. I will describe the top winners, though:
Best Novice: A group of Jedi fighting a Sith. I think part of the reason why they got this prize was their presentation, which was pretty good. They did a whole fight scene.
Most Humorous: A group of characters from Tangled. (queue girls screaming when Flynn walks on stage).
Best Workmanship: Jack the Ripper vs. Steampunk Batman. Just what it sounds like. And it was good steampunk, not lame steampunk, unlike one of the other entries. Hers was called "Lady Metalica" (one of the presenters rolled her eyes visibly at that name). Her presentation involved pistolwhipping. Steampunk Batman had a Victorian lamp post and everything.
Best Original Design: Another Medusa (there were a few), but this wan was silver and sparkly. Very sparkly.
Best Recreation: An alien in full body armor and weaponry with moving parts. His face even had an articulated jaw. I didn't recognize what he was recreating, though.
Judge's Choice: A group of children dressed as Batman characters. Cat Girl was particularly weird.
Best In Show: Vampires vs. Vampire Hunters. Characters included Blade, Edward Cullen, and Count von Count. There were also several other characters from video games, but sadly I didn't recognize them. I even saw one of the vampires the next day and asked who they all were, and still didn't recognize any of the names. Even so, the presentation was pretty damn funny and the costumes were very impressive.
While the judges were making their decisions they played the winners of a Star Wars fan film competition from the night before. They were all really really good, ranging from stop motion to animation to CGI to live action. The CGI one gave a back story to why Han Solo had a price on his head. One of the animated ones turned the bounty hunters waiting around in the Star Destroyer in The Empire Strikes Back into them waiting around to get into a night club. Dancing Robots were involved. The Best In Show went to a live action film staring four kids and a teenager (as the badguy), and included relatively good visual effects. Luke was played by an unbelievably adorable little kid who looked about five.
The Masquerade ended shortly before 11, and I took the bus home again. I only had one one dollar bill, so but a guy waiting at the bus stop gave me one of his. The bus driver was the same as the night before, a very chatty woman who had helped me find the best place to get off and gave me a piece of candy. She recognized me.
When I got to bed there was only one person snoring, and I was sufficiently tired that I didn't have to break out the seran wrap to smother them. Yay.
So here are my notes for the day:
On the Floor:
- Virginia Hey has her own line of perfume. Which is weird. She talked to me and didn't demand payment for taking her picture, which is nice.
- I'm in one of the smaller rooms, and again sufficiently (but not terribly) early so that I again have a fabulous seat. In the second row. In the middle. I'm less than 15 feet from he closest seat on the panel. And I didn't have to wait in line at all. I just walked in.
DC Universe Panel:
- Yay, the Green Lantern Footage again! (abridged, but still awesome)
- Hey, I've actually heard of one of these people - Paul Levitz. Why have I heard of him? [oh. I think it was because he was one of the people who had a Spotlight panel on him this year, and I remembered his name from the program.]
- I need to get Brightest Day [the current DC main narrative]. I may have to wait 6 months or whatever for the trade volume, though.
- Part of the amusement of this panel is how much difficulty the panelists are having in talking about upcoming issues of the book without giving away too many spoilers.
- Some of the best questions have come from a couple of preteen kids.
Super Panel:
Super is a small superhero movie staring Rainn Wilson (and various other people like Nathan Fillion and Liv Tyler). Like Kick-Ass, it centers around a normal guy who decides to become a superhero. It's very different, though.
- There is no moderator, so Rainn Wilson and James Gunn (the writer/director/etc) are interviewing each other.
- The movie cost a couple of million to make - the actors did it for scale.
- "Our movie was made on the craft services budget of Iron Man." - James Gunn
- The Crimson Bolt's catchphrase is "Shut up, crime!" (his weapon of choice is a large wrench)
- The film is much darker and more dramatic than Kick-Ass. The violence is more realistic, so much so that the film is unrated.
- RW says that he didn't improve much for the movie, and notes that most of the time when actors are asked to improve on set it's because the script sucks - e.g., My Super Ex-Girlfriend.
- Q: Who would win in a fight between Dwight (on the Office) vs. Frank (The Crimson Bolt) vs. a bear (not a Rainn Wilson character)?
A: The Bear, no question.
On the Floor:
- I just passed the guy who plays Josh the werewolf on the US version of Being Human. He was walking down the hallway between the small panel rooms.
- Aww... the Anthropology of Firefly panel was canceled, but too late to be removed from the schedule.
LGBT in Comics Panel (instead)
The panel consisted of various writers who have included LGBT characters in their comics (in case you didn't know, LGBT stands for Lesbian Gay Bisexual or Transgender). These included a few mainstream people and a few independent people.
- Consensus among the panelists - DC is more open to LGBT than Marvel.
- "Gay men are only interested in Wonder Woman." - Direct quote from a retailer that one of the panelists spoke to.
On the Floor:
- I just saw a guy dressed as Dresden. He was wearing a hat, but I guess that makes him more recognizable. [Harry Dresden never wears a hat. Despite this fact, on every cover of every book he has been depicted wearing one. Dresden even specifically refuses to wear a hat on more than one occasion. Snark from the author.]
Before the Masquerade:
- I am going to be spoiled for Comic-Con. I'm in the fourth row again. Not quite so close to the middle this time, but I think that's a good thing in this case, since it means I can more easily see the screen, and detail might be an issue with the costumes.
To entertain the masses while they were setting up backstage, they played the trailers for several movies on the screens:
- Huh. Super 8 could be cool. Or it could just be another JJ Abrams monster movie with Spielberg familyness.
- My God, Thor is so pretty. [It's probably going to be terrible. Sigh. Oh well. And yes, that is me trying to not get my hopes up while still grinning in anticipation at all the shiny gold and silver and explosions]
Dylan Dog intro:
The Masquerade was sponsored by the movie Dyland Dog: Dead of Night, so naturally the main actors, Brandon Routh and Sam Huntington were there to introduce their movie and the main event. This confirmed that it was indeed Sam Huntington that I passed in the hallway, and not some random guy who looked like him. (You know, it only occurred to me later that those actors have a similar role to those they had in Superman Returns, in which they played Superman and Jimmy Olson, lead and sidekick. Anyhoo...)
- They played a couple of clips from the movie. It looks kindof silly, but it's hard to tell how good it is from just the trailer and the clips. The actors claimed that it is "fun and cool and awesome."
- Brandon Routh is pretty off camera, too.
Masquerade:
The Masquerade is a costume competition that they do every year at WonderCon and Comic-Con. There are group costumes and individual costumes, and they are awarded prizes in various categories. The costumes can be worn by the designers/makers or not, but they all have to be done by non-professionals (whatever that means. Some of the costumes were pretty damn professional). There is no way in hell I would ever compete in this. I could describe all 32 costume sets, but I'm not going to. I will describe the top winners, though:
Best Novice: A group of Jedi fighting a Sith. I think part of the reason why they got this prize was their presentation, which was pretty good. They did a whole fight scene.
Most Humorous: A group of characters from Tangled. (queue girls screaming when Flynn walks on stage).
Best Workmanship: Jack the Ripper vs. Steampunk Batman. Just what it sounds like. And it was good steampunk, not lame steampunk, unlike one of the other entries. Hers was called "Lady Metalica" (one of the presenters rolled her eyes visibly at that name). Her presentation involved pistolwhipping. Steampunk Batman had a Victorian lamp post and everything.
Best Original Design: Another Medusa (there were a few), but this wan was silver and sparkly. Very sparkly.
Best Recreation: An alien in full body armor and weaponry with moving parts. His face even had an articulated jaw. I didn't recognize what he was recreating, though.
Judge's Choice: A group of children dressed as Batman characters. Cat Girl was particularly weird.
Best In Show: Vampires vs. Vampire Hunters. Characters included Blade, Edward Cullen, and Count von Count. There were also several other characters from video games, but sadly I didn't recognize them. I even saw one of the vampires the next day and asked who they all were, and still didn't recognize any of the names. Even so, the presentation was pretty damn funny and the costumes were very impressive.
While the judges were making their decisions they played the winners of a Star Wars fan film competition from the night before. They were all really really good, ranging from stop motion to animation to CGI to live action. The CGI one gave a back story to why Han Solo had a price on his head. One of the animated ones turned the bounty hunters waiting around in the Star Destroyer in The Empire Strikes Back into them waiting around to get into a night club. Dancing Robots were involved. The Best In Show went to a live action film staring four kids and a teenager (as the badguy), and included relatively good visual effects. Luke was played by an unbelievably adorable little kid who looked about five.
The Masquerade ended shortly before 11, and I took the bus home again. I only had one one dollar bill, so but a guy waiting at the bus stop gave me one of his. The bus driver was the same as the night before, a very chatty woman who had helped me find the best place to get off and gave me a piece of candy. She recognized me.
When I got to bed there was only one person snoring, and I was sufficiently tired that I didn't have to break out the seran wrap to smother them. Yay.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
WonderCon 2011 - Saturday
I'm only going to write as much as I can get in within the time it takes to burn my CDs for tomorrow's drive back to Eureka, so I didn't even bother to bring my notebook with me to the common room while I'm writing this. I'm really tired. For the obvious reasons - getting up at 7:15, wandering around WonderCon all day, and getting back here at ~11:30 pm - but also because I only got about five hours of sleep last night. Why? Because there were not one, not two, but three people in the room snoring so loudly that even wearing earplugs and covering my ears with my hands, I could still hear them. I considered crying, or smothering the people. I even decided that plastic wrap would be an effective means of making them stop.
I debated between going to the panel for Super or the one for Cowboys & Aliens, but decided on Super, because it had Rainn Wilson, while Cowboys & Aliens only had the director/producer Jon Favreau. Before that was a panel on upcoming things in DC comics. After that I spent most of the day wandering around the floor, taking breaks to read Sandman. It's been a Neil Gaiman weekend for me. By the way, despite what io9.com says, I will be surprised if he actually comes to the Doctor Who panel tomorrow. I can still hope, though.
In the afternoon I tried to go to a panel about the anthropology of Firefly, but it had been canceled, too late to change it on the program. So instead I went to panel on LGBT characters in comics. Which, incidentally, had one or two people in common with the DC panel I went to this morning.
I wandered a little more, then got in line for the Masquerade. Many of the costumes were pretty damn impressive. I can't imagine how much work must have gone into them. I know how much time and effort went into my costume, and mine is relatively simple.
I'll write a more complete account of the day tomorrow or more likely Monday. What else...? I have concluded that, in the ongoing war between DC and Marvel, DC has come out as the decided victor of the Battle of WonderCon 2011. This is in spite of the fact that Marvel has 3 movies coming out this year (Thor, Captain America and X-Men), DC only has one (Green Lantern). Thor is even coming out before Green Lantern. I guess they're just better at hype. It helps that DC has had some really cool stuff come out in the comic books for the last couple of years.
Ok, I'm not done burning my CDs, but too bad. I'm about to fall asleep in this chair, and it's not even very comfy.
I'll end with this:
In Brightest Day, in Blackest Night,
No evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship evil's might
Beware my power... Green Lantern's might!
Wonder Twins Power activate!
Wait. That's not right....
I debated between going to the panel for Super or the one for Cowboys & Aliens, but decided on Super, because it had Rainn Wilson, while Cowboys & Aliens only had the director/producer Jon Favreau. Before that was a panel on upcoming things in DC comics. After that I spent most of the day wandering around the floor, taking breaks to read Sandman. It's been a Neil Gaiman weekend for me. By the way, despite what io9.com says, I will be surprised if he actually comes to the Doctor Who panel tomorrow. I can still hope, though.
In the afternoon I tried to go to a panel about the anthropology of Firefly, but it had been canceled, too late to change it on the program. So instead I went to panel on LGBT characters in comics. Which, incidentally, had one or two people in common with the DC panel I went to this morning.
I wandered a little more, then got in line for the Masquerade. Many of the costumes were pretty damn impressive. I can't imagine how much work must have gone into them. I know how much time and effort went into my costume, and mine is relatively simple.
I'll write a more complete account of the day tomorrow or more likely Monday. What else...? I have concluded that, in the ongoing war between DC and Marvel, DC has come out as the decided victor of the Battle of WonderCon 2011. This is in spite of the fact that Marvel has 3 movies coming out this year (Thor, Captain America and X-Men), DC only has one (Green Lantern). Thor is even coming out before Green Lantern. I guess they're just better at hype. It helps that DC has had some really cool stuff come out in the comic books for the last couple of years.
Ok, I'm not done burning my CDs, but too bad. I'm about to fall asleep in this chair, and it's not even very comfy.
I'll end with this:
In Brightest Day, in Blackest Night,
No evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship evil's might
Beware my power... Green Lantern's might!
Wonder Twins Power activate!
Wait. That's not right....
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