Sunday, August 28, 2005

Adventures in Toronto: Day Three

Gettin' the fatigue. Getting the con fatigue. Basically, it has you walking around the con floor, having seen everythng you wanted two times over. I start wondering why the heck I came all the way out here for three days of connin', when the Blue Jays get to be a bigger temptation.

It finally happened...the cover of my sketchbook got detached. Had the thing since 2000, so I guess it was inevitable. Was it a hardbound book? No, it was a big spiral book, begging to be frayed. I got less than ten pages left. No matter what, this is it. After this con, I'm getting a new book. Today, I ran my total to four for the con, getting Guardian (the Seven Soliders version) from Cameron Stewart, and Rag Doll from Dale Eaglesham. I've known Gail Simone years before she started writing professionally, and I got most of her books...and this was the first time I've gotten a sketch from one of her collaborative partners. For the record, Mrs. Eaglasham squealed when I brang up the triple-jointed antihero from Villians United, she likes him that much. I only sheled out $5 for a head shot, and Guardian was a freebie. I can't think of anybody else I'd want something from. The folks at the ACTOR booth want $60 for sketches, but I'm running low on presidents and prime ministers.

I ended up overpaying for a few books, hit another DC Comics panel (and kept nodding off...once again, con fatigue), and I kept playing the new Land of the Dead video game. It's too addictive...basically, it's you fighting zombies with whatever you can get your mitts on. There's nothing like blowing off a guys head...or taking out a leg, and having your prey lurch towards you. The only other games were Pokemon-based, and not all that great.

Speaking of anime...the costumes were out in force. I think the high point was seeing Haru Glory from Rave Master go head-up against Zolo of One Piece. Nearby? A guy dressed as Yusop, long nose and all. That ain't right. Lots of InuYashas, lots of Mirkous and a few Kagomes, a few as Kilala...and so many more. It didn't stop with anime...I saw a spectacled girl tarted up as the Dashing Prince from the PS2 hit Katamari Damacy. Right now, I'm thinking of folks I have not seen. like Alphose Elirc (big-time armor), Armstrong (do you need muscles and sparkles?), Lil Slugger (are roller skates not allowed indoors?), just to name a few. It's way too geeky for me. Or maybe I'm just bitter that I don't have the right body type. Naaaaaaaah, they're dorks.

Other stuff? I went to Union Station, and got my first taste of Daily Queen. Remember, there's stuff like Wal-Mart that's on every other block, but have no presence in NYC. Had a big hot dog, soda (which the call "pop" over here), and a Blizzard. It was okay...not as great as I figured, but it hit the spot. I wanted to go to the Exhibition afterwards, but it was raining...and with the stuff being outdoors, that was scuttled. Instead, Stephen took me to a Mexican restaurant. After that, we hit the Silver Snail comic book shop. Yes, that is the name. Don't ask. I looked around, but I have this tendancy to want stuff that I can never find. It was a good place...reminded me of Midtown Comics back in the city. Stephen got Kermit the Frog dressed as Indiana Jones. The green fella even has a gun. Okay, then.

One more day. I'll be all right in the end, but I just want to not feel like I'm sleepwalking. I'll just remind myself that in two weeks, I'll be wandering Penn Pavilion, wandering the unmapped labrryith of dealers, unable to find somebody to get a sketch from, knowing that the so-called National will be in two months, and that the first name I read was the voice actor who does Ash on Pokemon. And I'll know that Toronto was totally worth it.

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