Post by John Helmer on Jun 7, 2010 11:12:38 GMT -5
Wednesday: Preview night.
My first preview night, although I have been going to “the Con” since 1991, this was the first time my good college friend from Northern Arizona University ---Brad and I decided to go to preview night. The costs of an extra night of hotel for an additional 3 hours of the con never seemed interesting. But this year with Michael (Mota) and my brother rooming with us and picking up MotA and Brad at different times, 1 from Mexico and the other from Portland, it fit the picture.
It was good to see MotA, they lost his luggage and we had to fill out a request form in the Continental office. MotA says that’s three years in a row---time to get a new airline. Back to the hotel with four dudes, Paul and I drew the short straw and had to park our stuff for camping on the floor.
We always stay at The Old Town INN and take the trolley. Parking is something that stresses even the most patient of con attendees and after they built the baseball park across the street, free parking in the railroad lots disappeared. Buying our 4 day passes, we headed to the con and looked at the professional line and almost fainted. Luckily, as we approached the Convention Center, a woman dressed in a green polo shouted “professional attendees here”. Wow. We jumped on a new line and in two minutes were handing our printed scan sheet to a con member.
MotA’s badges, funny enough, were denied. His account was deleted due to an issue I cannot talk about, and the man said I’m sorry. But as he began to explain who we could talk to try to sort it out---the labels printed for the badges. So a moment of sheer panic followed by elation.
Moving down the stairs, the con floor was mildly crowded but not as bad I as thought it would be. Brad and I usually spend the majority of our time at the North end scavenging the comic boxes; he is a trade guy and sifts through the 50% off boxes.
I picked up Captain America #103, 105, and 107. Great Kirby stuff. Brad picked up some trades. We moved around with ease as we would find out later that EVERYONE was in the middle section picking up free swag and getting their Con Exclusives. MotA disappeared, off to one of his MANY media panels. We did not see MotA until midnight when the “Bag” incident occurred. A great start to the con and we decided that preview night is something we’ll attend next year.
Wednesday's Pic O' the Day...
Unknowntales looking for a few deals...
My first preview night, although I have been going to “the Con” since 1991, this was the first time my good college friend from Northern Arizona University ---Brad and I decided to go to preview night. The costs of an extra night of hotel for an additional 3 hours of the con never seemed interesting. But this year with Michael (Mota) and my brother rooming with us and picking up MotA and Brad at different times, 1 from Mexico and the other from Portland, it fit the picture.
It was good to see MotA, they lost his luggage and we had to fill out a request form in the Continental office. MotA says that’s three years in a row---time to get a new airline. Back to the hotel with four dudes, Paul and I drew the short straw and had to park our stuff for camping on the floor.
We always stay at The Old Town INN and take the trolley. Parking is something that stresses even the most patient of con attendees and after they built the baseball park across the street, free parking in the railroad lots disappeared. Buying our 4 day passes, we headed to the con and looked at the professional line and almost fainted. Luckily, as we approached the Convention Center, a woman dressed in a green polo shouted “professional attendees here”. Wow. We jumped on a new line and in two minutes were handing our printed scan sheet to a con member.
MotA’s badges, funny enough, were denied. His account was deleted due to an issue I cannot talk about, and the man said I’m sorry. But as he began to explain who we could talk to try to sort it out---the labels printed for the badges. So a moment of sheer panic followed by elation.
Moving down the stairs, the con floor was mildly crowded but not as bad I as thought it would be. Brad and I usually spend the majority of our time at the North end scavenging the comic boxes; he is a trade guy and sifts through the 50% off boxes.
I picked up Captain America #103, 105, and 107. Great Kirby stuff. Brad picked up some trades. We moved around with ease as we would find out later that EVERYONE was in the middle section picking up free swag and getting their Con Exclusives. MotA disappeared, off to one of his MANY media panels. We did not see MotA until midnight when the “Bag” incident occurred. A great start to the con and we decided that preview night is something we’ll attend next year.
Wednesday's Pic O' the Day...
Unknowntales looking for a few deals...