Ahhhhh…. It’s that time of year again: Comic-Con in San Diego (aka Uber Geek Christmas). I don’t think you can find any other single place in the world where so many people, who are fans of so many different things, are gathered under one roof in almost perfect harmony. Granted, you get the really fat people, the really smelly people and that one stupid fucking asshole who stands directly in front of a 1200 foot line of people dressed in black robes holding wands and says, “Oh, this is the line for the Harry Potter panel?”
I have a booth again this year, although this time I think it’s just so I can get into the convention hall early. We’re not really selling anything this year, more doing some shameless self promotion and trying to network with people slightly more influential than ourselves.
Personally, I really wish I had a new film to promote. This is my second year to host a booth and not have something brand spanking new, other than our Podcast. Hopefully next year will be different. I always find it weird when hundreds of people run up to me to see what the new film is. I’m not a famous filmmaker by any means, but the amount of people who enjoy my work can be a little intimidating at times.
I’ll never forget the first Fangoria Weekend of Horrors I went to a few years ago and this guy came running up to me screaming, “Dude, dude, dude, you’re David Quitmeyer!”, and I took two steps back and looked at him. I didn’t know if he was going to hug me or shoot me. Thank God all I got was a handshake and a new friend rather than a chest full of lead pellets.
While I detest the seas of people, especially the greedy bastards who grab handfuls of SWAG, I do enjoy the panels, seeing the creative personalities I admire and occasionally brushing shoulders with a celebrity. I don’t know what it is about Comic-Con, but I never want it to end and I never want to leave the convention center at night. I like wondering around the halls, observing all of the other people crashed out on benches and thumbing through their event guides.
I will have to say, since I’m not selling anything, this is the one year I’m not racing at the last minute to print out fliers or edit a trailer. After coming to Comic-Con for 7 years, four of them as a vendor, I have to say I am finally learning the ropes.
If you find your way to Comic-Con, please stop by the Steel Web Studios Booth at #H-07 and say “Hi”. It’s always nice to know somebody else is reading this other than the demons in my head.
