Pittsburgh Comicon

[Infamous as Elle!]

Can he please please please come to Pittsburgh Comicon on September 11-13th 2009?

It's going to be in a brand new, bigger convention center and there are lots of cool people showing up there besides myself.

Great place to showcase the graphic novels!  We have David Prowse even....and candy! 

(Sheesh, I am suckin' with the proper dates for stuff....big time.)

[Paranoid Wizard]

Maybe, if enough people jump on board with this idea, Jim might see it, and be interested. It's worth a try, so I'll throw in my vote for him appearing at this con!

[Infamous as Elle!]

Actually, I was thinking of asking Renee, who runs the con, if she'd send out an invite to him.

I think he'd have a really good time.  It's a pretty relaxed convention.  People sit around and chat with each other, there are hardly ever lines but enough of a flow of people to make it totally worth it.

The biggest line I've seen is for Broadsword Comics, Jim Balent's booth.  If JB (hmm, initials very similar) thinks signing ten or eleven books from one person is bad, poor Balent will stand there for like eight hours straight and sign entire boxes of comics that people bring.  One person brought in a wheely cart full of comics.  Jim must have had hand cramps at the end but I admire him for standing there for that many hours without sitting down.

[Paranoid Wizard]

You should definitely try to get her to send an invite to him.

Smaller cons like that are the best. The more personal a con can feel, the more likely it is that people will want to go. Of course, this leads to a more crowded con, years down the road,  but that's the nature of the beast.

Oh man, I feel bad for that guy. I would hate to stand for so long, and sign so many things. Okay, maybe not the latter, really. It seems like that would be the best thing for an author/artist, to have someone bring in that many things, even all at once. Knowing that someone had collected that much, and wanted it all signed, seems like it would mean a lot. So, rewarding, probably worth the hand cramps. (Don't like thinking of those, though.)

[Infamous as Elle!]

I couldn't move my hands for several days after I did drawings of kids in Hogwart's uniforms for the midnight release of Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix.  I wasn't paid nearly enough for that and worse, they didn't stop the line so there was a line of parents and kids literally to the back wall of the building the size of a Super Walmart (I was at the very front by the door).  Even more daunting was the fact that some of these "families" suddenly had eight to ten kids each, who all wanted drawings.

The midnight release was supposed to end at 1am but I ended up staying there until 4 in the morning.  Four hours straight of drawing non-stop.

However, Pittsburgh isn't as small as people think.  The Expo is actually pretty darned big but I think it feels so much more intimate because of all the independent people.  We all hang out and goof off while drawing, writing and signing things.

I miss it and can't wait to get back.  My drawings did really well there.  Especially the ones of my cats.

[Paynesgrey]

I think Pittsburgh Comicon had some Farscape cast members last year if memory serves.  Gigi Edgley and Wayne Pygram, wasn't it?  I live a half hour away, but got my dates screwed up and missed the call to Gigi Worship.

*snuffle*

[Infamous as Elle!]

Yes, I believe so.  The last time I went to Pittsburgh, Ernie Hudson was there from Ghostbusters.....lot's of Star Wars folks, wrestlers.  Neil Gaiman was supposed to come a few years ago but ended up having to cancel at the last moment.  Frank Miller has been to it though and a few other big names but I'm having trouble braining right now.

[Torvaldr]

This would actually be a con I can get to. I am only 2 hours away! I definitely put in a vote to have Jim attend, and I will do anything I can to help! Just ask! Really! Honest! I will even show up in full armor and serve as his personal bodyguard! Anyone messes with or annoys him and Ogre will SPLAT!!!!!

[Torvaldr]

More I can see if the Local SCA would be able to put on a Demo. Heavy combat, bardic (singing, storytelling), an arts and sciences display, classes. I have done these several times so it would not be too hard to arrange as long as the Con is willing.

And definitely a costume contest. There has to be a costume contest.

[Torvaldr]

Well I shot off a message to the Con to see if they are interested in inviting Jim and any of the other offers I have just made. Keep your fingers crossed. If you have not written to them to ask, please do so!

[Torvaldr]

Okay I have just heard back from Pittsburg ComiCon and they would love to have Jim as a guest. But they do not know how to contact him. Priscellie? Mickey? Can anyone help on this level?

[Torvaldr]

Got the info and passed it on to the Con. Keep your fingers crossed!

[Infamous as Elle!]

Torv!  You ROCK!!!!

There is definitely a costume contest every year.  I remember when Mike Oemig was there for Powers and Hammer of The Gods, a whole troupe showed up in Viking armor.  It was pretty badass.

I think Jim would enjoy it immensely and it'll be a shiny new facility for us all to wander around at!

[Infamous as Elle!]

Oh and maybe Renee would even change the convention guest food over to Burger King for JB.

This is the one thing I really love about that convention.  Constantly people with carts walking around with sodas for guests and then around lunch time, someone goes out to a local fast food place and buys burgers and chicken sandwiches.  You never go hungry or thirsty there.

[Paynesgrey]

Got the info and passed it on to the Con. Keep your fingers crossed!

That would be a ComicCon I'd blow some vacation days for.  Hopefully, his schedule and inclinations will make it so.  I'd better pretend not to be from around here though...we want to give him more reasons to come here, not less.

Baltimore.  I'm from Baltimore.  Yeah, Baltimore.  That's the ticket.