Forward...into the past!

Once again, I anticipate my favorite holiday and, in the end, do very little. The trouble with Los Angeles is that either the events are tiny and mundane or HUGE AND LOUD AND DRUNKEN. There used to be parties thrown by people in the effects business that were pretty cool, but I haven't heard of one in years. My favorite event is for the dogs, literally.



My boys went as a Sci-Fi Channel Low-budget Movie Special: ORCA vs RAPTOR! (<--you just wait: that WILL be a Sci-Fi Channel movie in the future...and I'll bet these costumes are better than the CG effects Sci-Fi will use!)

Saturday is the big day of the con: art show closes out; Pawpet Show; Big Dance (the one that goes strong until after dawn Sunday).


Full Flickr Set Here

The Pawpet Show: End Tide
Once again this was a monumental effort resulting in a spectacular show. The guests of honor were suitably impressed by the result as well (which was much appreciated by the people behind the show, that's for sure!). As I've said, seeing one's creation brought to life by skilled puppeteering is the big moment for me. Congratulations to the cast and crew of End Tide!

tioh has a nice set of pictures of the actual show . End Tide was a story about the seas around Hawaii, industrial espionage and guns.  Oh, and exploding seaweed.

This was the most fully produced show yet, featuring an original soundtrack by Fox Amoore. The music was sweeping and beautiful. I highly recommend buying it (from the above link).

Saturday was also a day of many panels: I tried to go to every panel run by the GoH's, Andy Heath and Warrick Brownlow-Pike. They are two of the people behind the rauncy British comedy show, Mongrels. They were able to talk the BBC into letting them bring original puppets to the convention! I have long-admired the design and smooth mechanics of these characters and to see them up close-- let alone handle them-- was quite an experience. More on them in another post...

Saturday night after the Show is the best night of the con.  The con staff-- who is most of the Pawpetshow as well-- can let out a huge sigh of relief and finally relax a little.  People are at their goofiest.  Interesting conversations abound. The next time you check your watch, it's likely to be after 4am...

As before, I enjoyed hanging out and chatting with everyone well into the wee hours of Sunday. I barely managed to get to bed before the sunrise.

Another year, another Comic-Con gone by.


Complete Flickr Set

I have to say that I'm non-plussed about the convention: crowds, lines to stand in to get into another line to get a ticket to stand in yet a third line. And this was just for a SDCC exclusive-- Hall H line-waiters started camping out the previous afternoon!

On the bright side, AGSMA had a fantastic masquerade skit and took Best Presentation in a year of strong presentations. I wasn't in the skit-- I just hung out and helped out backstage. If I come back for SDCC, it would be because I love my AGSMA crew and would be masquerading.

My big problem with the con now isn't just the crowds-- it's also that the media is taking unfair advantage of the crowds and publicity and sending shows there that really don't belong (but who would pass up all the publicity?). Honestly- "How I Met Your Mother"?!? WTF.

As usual it was the panoply of great costuming and lots of stuff to buy. I settled for a couple of books from Stuart Ng books and some Stan Sakai/Usagi collections.

Zombies were big again. They had two nights of Zombie Walks. There was also a big set of displays and food trucks across the street where the con had the "Interactive" area. I like the idea of off-site events like this: spreads the crowds and lets you experience exhibits with fewer crowds. Seeing the Smurfs with a big display right next to The Walking Dead was also pretty cool.