[THE MAKING OF] San Diego Comic-Con 2017

Armed with freshly updated promotional swag

As I roamed the crowded aisles of the San Diego Comic-Con, handing out Blowback bookmarks to the distracted and confused, the electricity in the air was both alluring and intimidating.

The ultimate goal is to be here in our very own booth with our very own book next year, but schedules are tricky (and costs can be intimidating).

Time will tell…

Regardless, it was great to check out all the amazing creators promoting and selling their projects.  Many are already household names, while others are working hard to get their names in the minds of fans for the very first time (and their books in fans’ hands even more so).

Cyborg checks out the crowd as Wonder Woman checks her Twitter feed

And, of course, there are the big studios and stars for panels and presentations, along with the accompanying lines.

If you’ve never been to a con before, this one is quite the production.  The mothership, if you will.

Just walking along, minding my own business, I stumbled into an appearance by Justice League stars, including Ray Fisher, Jason Momoa, and Gal Gadot, who waved to the crowd below from their cozy DC loft space overlooking the floor.

The event also serves as a de facto “family” reunion and meeting place.  If you have friends who share your interests, both personal and professional, you’re more than likely to find them here.

Impromptu reunion

I was inside the convention center for no more than ten minutes when I ran into Charlie Unger (@Ungerfilms), a filmmaker friend and director of the indie movies, Come Together, and the upcoming, My Apocalyptic Thanksgiving.

Charlie was there with his daughter, who had arrived a day earlier to guarantee her entry into the Teen Wolf panel (multi-generational groups are a common sighting, our geek apples not falling far from our geek trees).

From there, I saw several more people I knew or had met previously, while tracking others on social media lurking somewhere nearby.

Comparing wares with Greg Rankin

In addition to those in the aisles, you’re apt to find familiar faces on the other side of the tables as well.

Not too long after bumping into Charlie, I stumbled onto the booth for yet another colleague, Greg Rankin (@VonRankinstein), animation director for DreamWorks’ Dragons: Race to the Edge, and artist extraordinaire.

There, I picked up a deck of his Steampunk Poker cards and talked a little while about his project (including the manufacturing process for his “chips”).

And, or course, what con experience would be complete without a connection to Blowback’s artist, Kev Hopgood?  Along with a parade of other amazing cosplay, that weekend for me included a guy dressed as Iron Man, clad in a version of his Hulkbuster Armor, which was originally designed by Kev himself.

Shadowed by a Tony Stark Turducken

Small world.

(This post first appeared in the News and Notes section of the Blowback Website)