More of this stuff…
- Someone came up to me with a page of original art he'd purchased elsewhere (i.e., not at the convention) and asked me to authenticate it. "People are telling me it's a forgery," he said. "But I know it isn't and if I have you backing me up, I think I can convince them." The fellow was upset that I felt I couldn't back him up. I wasn't sure it was counterfeit but I certainly wasn't certain in the other direction. He grudgingly thanked me for my time, then went off in search of someone else who'd tell him what he wanted to hear.
- We had a good turnout for our panel on how to become a cartoon voice actor. Earl Kress and I co-hosted a discussion of the nuts 'n' bolts of the business with two successful actors — Gregg Berger and Bob Bergen — and two of the top agents. The agents were Cynthia McLean and Mary Ellen Lord, who are with SBV, a firm that represents some of the best, workingest voice performers in the business. The panelists gave some hard, pragmatic info to an appreciative audience. Sorry if you missed it but Gregg was interviewed recently on some of the same topics and you can read his valuable advice here.
- Several people thanked me for my totally accurate weather forecast.
- We had animation producer-writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears on a couple of panels, and audiences were pretty excited to meet the guys who gave the world Scooby Doo, Thundarr the Barbarian, Dynomutt and so many more. That's one of the great things about the Comic-Con: Turning the spotlight on folks whose recognition has not quite matched their achievements.
- I didn't make it to Preview Night but everyone who did told me it was no less crowded than any day of the convention…maybe more crowded. Well, of course: There's no programming or panels that evening to take X thousand people off the main floor. I've learned to accept and live with the packed aisles of the Comic-Con. It's just a fact of life and nothing is gained by moaning about it. Still, it's sad those few hours of the con — the period that used to have a nice, relaxed feel to it — has gone away.
And I think that's it for this go-round. Sorry if I still owe you an e-mail. Lots more catching-up to do…