My plan for the second day was to spend it in the exhibition hall getting information. Watching the Graphic Novel panel on Friday, I was impressed by Eric Shanower, and I knew I wanted to talk with him. All of the panelists were clearly dedicated to their art. It was just that he mentioned sometimes helping people who wanted to get into graphic novels, pointing them to websites with comic scripts and other useful information. I was also impressed by his passion for his stories. At one point, he said he would get his stories out in whatever format was needed, as the medium transformed. He’s working on a very long series, the Age of Bronze (http://age-of-bronze.com/), which is the story of the Trojan War. That’s immense dedication, ’cause that’s not gonna be a short story. Anyway, he sounded really potentially helpful, so my main goal for the day was to make sure to speak with him, among others.
The Exhibition hall at the Moscone Center is huge. Bigger than the city block I live on. Immense. Truly immense. There was not enough time to go through it methodically, checking at every booth of artists or small presses, asking my questions everywhere, seeing if anyone could help me. I needed another strategy, so I would pick a goal or two for each day, and then let myself be lead, here or there, hoping that I would collect the information I needed along the way. It was a little like pinging through a pinball machine, like one of the little, silver balls. One person would lead to another would lead to a chance encounter along the way.
Before I could even get into the Exhibition hall, I ran into a costuming friend, and I took the leap to tell her about my screenwriting and the reason for my attendance at WonderCon. I didn’t have to tell her, but as we were preparing to part, I felt that I wanted to tell her, and ask for any advice or direction she could give me, and that if I let her go without saying anything, I’d regret it. So in I plunged. She’s known me many years, but she didn’t know I was a writer, because I have kept that largely to myself. (Why I kept it mostly secret is a story for another day.) I was glad I told her, because she told me about the beau of another costuming friend who might have good information. She went off, and I went into that grand hall of possibilities, on the quest for information, now with at least 2 goals: talk with Eric Shanower and the guy my friend had mentioned.
I was wandering down an aisle, when I was shyly beckoned over to a table where I discovered some high school students from San Diego had started the High Tech High Graphic Novel Project, to publish their work, and they had 3 issues for sale. I bought all 3 for $10, which seemed like a great investment, in the kids themselves, in the idea of dreams coming true, and in supporting other aspiring writers. They seemed eager for feedback, and when I read the issues and have a moment, I hope to give whatever input I can. I’m not yet knowledgeable about graphic novels, but I hope I can offer them something useful.
There was more, much more, to this glorious day at WonderCon, but it will have to wait for the next post. Does our heroine get to meet the illustrious Eric Shanower? Can she track down the beau of a costuming acquaintance? And will he have any helpful info? Follow the continuing saga…
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