I am waving my geek card to the world. If you follow this blog than it’s probably no surprise to you, given the way we track Thor’s travels.
Speaking of Thor, he’s landed at his latest destination and has a few quick check-ins. I hear he’ll be giving us a more in-depth report on Friday. Pique your interest? Then thunder on over to Melinda VanLone’s blog:
A Godly Visitor (Monday)
Thor is a Lush (Thursday)
Have you missed me? Sorry I’ve been MIA for so long. Summertime has been all about family, with little time for anything else. It doesn’t mean I haven’t thought of you all, and missed you. Anywho…
What qualifies an individual for a geek card? Is it the knowledge they possess or the activities they indulge in? Whether it was wired in my DNA or something I learned, I’ve been a bona fide geek from as far back as I can remember.
I can trace it beyond a bright, sunny day when my father ushered me to the car to catch the first showing of Star Wars at our local theater, instead of attending Sunday school. The day is still clear as a bell in my memory. Getting the popcorn at the concession, then grabbing our seat. I was so excited it made a lasting impression. A month later an oddly shaped package awaited me on our doorstep when I returned home from school. My skin tingled as I tore open the box and prepared to play The Imperial March for the first time on my record player. Many years later it would become the presentation music of the bride and groom at my wedding. Yes. I did mention geek.
But before there was Star Wars, there was Star Trek. I wasn’t yet five-years-old when the swing set in my backyard doubled as the U.S.S. Enterprise. With the addition of my black boots I magically transformed into her captain. I guess you could say I had an active imagination―something I am happy to have passed on to my children.
As a geek, and a lover of all things geeky, fanciful, and sci-fi, my husband and I have been attending the San Diego Comic-Con for years―long before we were married or before it became the crazy hype it is today. This year our kids managed to finagle a pass as well. With kids in tow, our usual four-day, panel-filled adventure turned into a two-day shopping trip amongst the myriad of crowded booths, having decided this would be more manageable with the younger ones. We still worked in a panel or two (or four)―somehow.
What to expect at Comic-Con
If you’ve never been to Comic-Con before, it is something to behold. The show floor is flooded, wall-to-wall, with booth after booth of marvels. Everything from comic books, cool collectibles and toys, art, costuming, gaming companies with working demos, publishers pimping author signings, and the television and movie industry promoting their hottest shows along with cast signings and special giveaways. Beyond the floor, you can look forward to finding celebrity signings, off-site gaming, zombie parades, special movie screenings, and so much more. And that’s before you get into the endless selection of panels and workshops taking place daily.
Speaking of panels, hoping the kids would enjoy some quiet time with their iPads, we gave it a try their first day―Saturday. We started with a voice over panel, something we thought they might enjoy―the familiar sounds of cartoon characters they know and love. A few minutes in my youngest was crying. It wasn’t looking good. What’s a parent to do? In our case, hubs took the kids while I stayed for the following panel with the cast of Grimm. Then we switched so hubs could catch another panel of interest and I could meet up with the fabulous Karen Rought, The Midnight Novelist and copy editor at Hypable.com. I love meeting my internet friends in person. She was a gem, putting up with my fussy children.
=The Cast of NBC’s GRIMM=
Do you watch Grimm? What did you think of the season finale? Are you looking forward to a “Bad-boy” kind of Grimm? It may give the rest of the cast a chance to shine.
You’re probably wondering if I made my way to the Marvel panel to check out Thor: The Dark World. Honest to God, I wish I could say, “YES!”. The problem: it was held on Saturday in Hall H. That alone would have required us to be in line at an ungodly hour, but we had the kids changing our schedule. We were in a different line called badge pick up―Sigh. What did we miss? From time to time, unscheduled appearances take place in and around Comic-Con. This would be one of those occasions…
That’s right…Tom Hiddleston in full Loki regalia.
Sunday was a completely different story. I was in that line―at that ungodly hour. My kids have recently become HUGE Doctor Who fans. They can’t get enough of him. My daughter now runs around the house with a sonic screwdriver, has a poster of the 11th Doctor on her ceiling above her bed, listens to the soundtrack on her iPad and gets upset if anyone watches an episode without her―which my son is constantly doing (sorry Thor). For him, for The Doctor, they were willing to wait in line for hours, including two preceding panels.
What did we see?
When we last saw Sam and Dean Winchester on Supernatural angles were falling from the sky. What can we expect when the new season returns? In their words…”A-free-for-all.”
There was an antsy seven-year-old sitting next to me, asking me questions and bumping my side (you get the picture), but I taped the entire panel regardless. After all, can you get enough Winchester eye-candy? You can catch my collage of photos and highlight panel video for the scoop.
I’ll be attending the Supernatural Convention in November. I ran into tech issues with my good camera this time. Let’s hope I have better video for you next time. 🙂
The cast of Breaking Bad followed Supernatural, and Wow! What astonishing footage they shared. I’ve always loved Bryan Cranston, and he was a total goof on stage. He got down right personal with that mask of his, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say the mask was a little taken back after all the attention.
I watched the first season the other night while messing with my video software and YouTube and I can say this show will grab you and never let you go―until the very end―and its clearly not for children. Anyone care to share their own reviews?
Sonic screwdrivers rose in the air, a spattering glow of green and blue in the dark room, when the time came for the 50th anniversary celebration of Doctor Who to commence with the long-awaited panel. The crowd clapped, stomped, and drummed the beat of The Master in anticipation. All our patience was rewarded with multiple videos, a fantastic moderator and a quality cast and crew. Again, that seven-year-old was wiggly beside me. This time overflowing with excitement over her favorite Doctor. She snapped pictures with my camera throughout the entire session.
The Doctor Who experience from our/my point of view…
The kids emerged even larger fans than when they entered―if that’s even possible. Any true Whovian knows that Doctor Who returns to the airways in November with the enormous Christmas special featuring the current Doctor (11th), Matt Smith, and the 10th Doctor, David Tennant. Billie Piper will also return to her role as Rose Tyler. In the words of my son, “It’s going to be epic!”
If you need convincing to tune in to any and all Doctor Who episodes, check-in with Amber West. She’ll convince you.
Do you consider yourself a geek? I’m proud of my geek status. How about you? Do you wear your geekism proudly? How about Cons? Have you ever attended one? Would you spend the night in line to see a panel the next day?
~oOo~
Thanks for stopping by! I truly appreciate your support.Until next time, au revoir.
Misha Collins is so funny! If I liked crowds more, I’d be jealous of you, but I’m glad I get to enjoy Comic Con from your perspective. Especially sexy videos of Mr. Hiddleston and the cast of Supernatural. I keep meaning to start watching Dr. Who again, but still haven’t finished the first season. Not sure I want to get attached to numerous doctors since I like the first one. 🙂
I’m right with you in your geekdom world, though people tend to call me ‘eccentric.’ Or just weird. Usually just weird. 🙂
I’m not a huge lover of crowds. It takes come getting used to, but it’s a necessary evil if you want to participate in many things. Misha is really fun. The past few years he has taken to running along the line waiting outside Hall H early in the morning in his running shorts. This year they were baby blue. Unfortunately, I wasn’t close enough or quick enough to get a picture. Felicia was hilarious!
I know what you man about the Doctors. I think Christopher made a great doctor and I wasn’t ready to make the transition when the time came. That’s why I stepped back and took some time off. I’m glad I went back and gave it another try, though. I really enjoyed David in the part and I’ve come to truly appreciate Matt. He had to grow on me, but Monkey adores him the most.
My tastes are also eccentric. Still a geek to the core.
What a fantastic blog, I’m so jealous! I would love to have seen Tom Hiddleston appear like that. We are right up to date here with the Doctor Who series and it is excellent, although David Tennant was my favourite doctor, I was sorry when he left. I don’t know if you get ‘Torchlight’ over in the US, it’s like a spin off of Doctor Who and it’s great. John Barrowman is brilliant in it, I wish he could have been a doctor -sigh!
I’m jealous that you have the big 50th party coming up over there. I’m trying to talk the hubs into going for our anniversary. It’s in the right month. 🙂 Seeing Tom Hiddleston would have made my day! Sigh.
I loved Tennant as well. I was disappointed when he left. I felt the same way when Eccleston left, but then I ended up falling in love with Tennant, so I hung in and gave Smith time to grow on me. He has. I still prefer Tennant, but my daughter is all about Matt Smith. It’s cute. I LOVE Captain Jack Harkness! I thought it was great the way they weaved the Doctor Who and Torchwood storylines together. Here in the states I’ve only found access to the original series and I managed to catch Torchwood: Miracle Day when it aired. There hasn’t been anything since on Jack. 🙁 Sarah Jane and K=9 both got their own spin off as well. I also heard talk about mini episodes staring the Ponds.
Wow that’s a lot of people! I’ve never been to Comic Con but someday I swear I will. I went to DragonCon which is a mini version of it. I did panels, workshops, signings, all of it. It was awesome, but a lot less crowded. Still, nothing like the Mecca for Geekdom.
Excuse me, I have to chase after Thor…he’s gotten himself into trouble on the Metro.
I’ve never been to any of the smaller cons. I’ve heard of DragonCon, maybe I’ll make to one some day. If you loved that experience, you really must make it to Comic-Con some time. Maybe start with the New York one. 🙂
I hope Thor didn’t get into too much trouble. 😉
Wow, that’s a lot to take in, even for a geek. Since I’m not a geek, well at least a science fiction geek, so that little venture holds no interest to me.
Looks like you had a blast though. Glad the kiddos got to enjoy too.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
What’s are you saying, Patricia? no superheroes for you? What will Thor say? 😉
It’s alright that it doesn’t hold interest for you. That’s one less body I must compete with down there. Thank Odin! Hehehehe. Thanks for supporting this post, regardless.
Sam and Dean – you lucky thing, you, seeing those boys in person. Tom/Loki’s appearance cracked me up. He’s having so much fun up there.
I know, right? And don’t forget Misha. They are such a riot up on stage. Jensen and Misha especially. The whole group had me laughing through the entire session. I can’t wait to see them again in November. If you ever get the chance to see them in person you should grab it. You won’t be disappointed. Ohmigosh, Tom! Could you see him trying not to laugh? Too funny.
It sounds like you had a great time! If I ever get to go, I’m going to invite myself to join you and your family, since you know what you’re doing. I’ll probably be like the 7-yr-old, asking questions and bumping you and waiting for my favorite Doctor to arrive. 😀
I’m such a geek, though, that I would never be able to see all the events that I wanted–too many of them.
No, there’s never enough time or enough of you for everything we want to do. I totally get that. Happens to me every year…and you are always welcome to tag along should you ever make it to Comic-Con. 😀 A few years ago I discovered the writer panels, opening a whole new door in my geekdom world. I’m sure you would love those too.
Yay! Thanks for letting me tag along. I’d love to go–the challenge is making that happen…someday…
Great blog, Debra! We missed you at RWA, but now I know it was for a great reason 🙂
BTW, I LOVE your tagline. That’s new, right?
Thanks, Tracey. I missed being there this year. I admit being disappointed when I discovered RWA was set for the same date as our annual Comic-Con trip.
It is a new tagline. It has taken me a long time and I’ve given it a lot of thought before finding the one that seemed to fit.
I have always considered myself a geek and been told so (still am), but I think you may have me beat! 🙂
Oh, I don’t know, Scott. You might find a whole new level to your inner-geek should you ever attend such an event.
I did attend GenCon once and it was fantastic. Maybe you are right.
I bet I am. There is plenty of gaming if that’s your thing. But it doesn’t have to be a Comic-Con, you could get involved and lost in any Con. My kid is trying to get me to take him to VidCon and MineCon. I’m trying to talk him into Wonder-Con in place of Comic-Con next year so that I get my experience back. LOL.