B's Secret Invasion Part I

Hey! I'm back! You're all free to resume your lives. I know that when I leave town time stops, and for that I apologize. So where have I been? Well as I'm sure you've realized by now, I have some interests that some might deem "nerdy." Though I resent being called a nerd because I'm not good at math and despite what everyone at work thinks, I don't know anything about computers other than how to use them. Anyway, this weekend I went to San Diego for the annual Comic-Con. Five days, 125,000 people. It's like Woodstock, but for comics (and video games and tv shows and movies and toys and porno).

A lot of people wear costumes. More power to them, I say. In fact I spent most of the convention as my favorite character, Dr. Blueface.


Scott and I flew into San Diego Wednesday morning. I've never been there before. Except for those other two times, but that doesn't count, it was over twenty years ago.

First stop after landing was of course to pick up an Icey Coffee (my first and only in a two week period). California McDonalds are cuh-razy!

Thanks to my connections as Bob Marriott's personal assistant, I was able to get us a last minute room at the Marriott on Coronado Island. Pretty good view from the balcony.

Had plenty of time to kill so we made our way down to the Hotel Del Coronado. This historic old bird is one of the few surviving examples of the Wooden Victorian Beach Resort architectural genre.

It's also one of the last examples of the Poison Hotel design movement.

"Oooh, look at me, I'm California. I know so much more about hazards that all the other states."

The hotel is haunted by the ghost of Kate Morgan. I'm pretty sure I got a picture of her.

Did some beach walkin'. Sand. Sand is great. At this point I was thinking of blowing off the convention, buying a swimsuit (I'd forgotten mine) and just playing in the sand all day.

There she is. The Big Soggy.

This guy thought he was soooo great, diggin' that hole.

But then I showed him how a real man does it.


I hit the Marriott's poolside bar around 2pm and really went to town. There was a cute bikini girl there with my same haircut. I said "Looks like we go to the same barber!" and she laughed so hard that she accidentally made out with me. It was awesome.

Finally, the convention center. The line was a nightmare. Also this guy was wearing the same shirt as me.

We met up with our friends Sean and Jason who had some passes we could use. Thank goodness we didn't need to wait in that line. Wednesday night was preview night, which is a little more exclusive. Instead of the full 125,000 there was maybe only 70,000.

Walking in for the first time was truly awesome. I was filled with awe and wonderment and the vastness of the convention hall and the sensory overload of the delights before me.

Also Stormtroopers.

The thing I love about regiments of Stormtroopers is that there is always at least one or two really fat ones. I guess the Empire has let it's fitness standards lapse since they've been mired in a seemingly endless war with an insurgency.

Here's that big Iron Man thing.

And the regular Iron Man, which was pretty nifty in person.

Preview Night was fun. I managed to meet a few of my favorite artists and even got sketches from some of them.

Here's David Mack, the sexiest man alive. He was so nice.

After it ended we ventured out into the real world to meet up with a couple other friends, James and Brandon. Brandon was exhibiting at the convention.

Here's what San Diego looks like, through my eyes.

I wonder if John ever gets jealous of his more successful brother Sak.

We went to a Thai place that had traditional Thai decor, save for a Beatles Abbey Road poster. I ordered the fish, not realizing it was going to be a fish.

The Thai Iced Tea was good though.

And that's Wednesday.