NYCC Day 1

To tell the story of Day 1, I kind of have to go back and talk a little about Day 0, or Travel Day. This year is particularly special. This year, my sons are in New York with me. We took an afternoon flight, ate Schlotzsky's on the plane, and froze our butts off while wating for my mother to come pick us up.

Yes, kids, it's Winter in New York.

But that said, when we got to my mother's house in Dobbs Ferry, they were excited to see something we don't see much in Central Texas: Snow. Granted it was three day old crusty snow, but it was still S-N-O-W. And more importantly to my younger, he spotted deer tracks in the snow. He couldn't have been happier.

Day 1:

We slept well, ate a good breakfast, and then I started off to the City. For those not familiar with the greater NYC area, Dobbs Ferry is a pretty short train ride from Grand Central Terminal, and then I figured that I'd experience the teeth of a NYC winter myself.

I walked to the Javitz Center. And actually, it was... nice. My backpack head yet to start digging into my shoulders from lugging around my laptop, my coat was warm, my hat stayed on, and I met an amateur photographer/comic dealer from New Jersey on the way. Nice conversation.

Speaking of the Javitz, the check-in line was amazingly long this year. I don't know if the registration booth was smaller than last year or not, but my God.... the line stretched nearly all the way across the hall. I did meet Todd Nauck of Wildguard, Teen Titans Go!, Young Justice, and oh yeah, that certain issue of Spiderman recently with a certain sitting president on the cover fame, and Marvel artist, Anthony Williams. The line, fortunately, moved quickly. Once I got my pass, I started up and got my bearings. The DC Booth was where it was last year. Artist Alley was in the same corner, and then I set off to find my friends the Timony Brothers.

They have a nice booth with the writer and artist of HIGH MOON: David Gallaher and Steve Ellis. Both are gracious and excellent gentleman, and HIGH MOON has been a great read on ZUDA. And today was, more or less, a hang-out-with-the-ZUDA-guys day. So, I met a lot of good joes. Anyways, I guess I ramble at nearly midnight and when I've pounded a con and a whole lotta pavement, but back to the story....

The first GEEK OUT moment of NYCC 09:

I was standing in the DC Booth watching a promo for something or other, I really can't remember which, and I turned around and standing right next to me was... Bruce Timm. Now being an obnoxiously big fan of Batman: The Animated Series and working with Sandy (who is a character designer for an animation studio) getting a picture with him became a moral imperative. I owe a big thanks to the DC Staffer that took the snap, and pics WILL be coming once I get back home and download them off the camera.

I also showed Flight Captain Hurricane around the con, mainly to ZUD-ites, and was buoyed by their well wishes. The ZUDA editors also saw them, and the head editor put it in his bag, and I don't have it back yet. Well, at least they know it's in their inbox.

Past that, I met old friends during show, and sat in on only two panels: ZUDA and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. I will hit more panels tomorrow.