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What’s up Comic Attackers! It’s time for part two of my New York Comic Con experience from this past Saturday. If you missed the first installment, click here!  Now, if you remember, I had just fought my way through one of the thickest clouds of B.O. known to man and was making my way to check out the various comic exhibits. Not knowing who to hit up first, I just walked around and took a couple of pics of cosplayers, and while doing that I realized that I was being pulled. By the Force? Maybe, because looming over me was a pissed off Darth Kryat and above him it read: Star Wars Legacy: War! That’s right Star Wars Legacy fans, it looks like all of that complaining was for nothing, because the best SW title is coming back! It was at that moment that I turned around, and walking right past me was the legendary Jim Shooter!

At this point I was kicking myself for not bringing anything in my collection for him to sign. Shooter has been a force in the industry for as far back as I can remember, and now he’s with Dark Horse bringing back titles like Doctor Solar, Turok, and Magnus, Robot Fighter! The line for him formed pretty quick and I was distracted by several of Top Cow’s Aphrodite cosplayers walking around giving kids balloons. If you’ve read Artifacts #1 you’ll understand why that’s a bit creepy, and if not then pick it up and you’ll understand. Let’s get back to Shooter, though. One guy noticed my lack of books for Shooter to sign and pointed me in the direction of a stand of freebies from Dark Horse, so I snatched up Doctor Solar #1 and a Turok preview, and waited for my chance to finally talk to Shooter. The line was actually moving pretty fast as some of the fans were also there to see the guy standing next to Shooter, and I’m sorry, I don’t know his name, but ah well. After finally making it up to him I introduced myself and thanked him for doing the interview with Comic Attack a few months back. He said it was his pleasure, and somehow the conversation went to how bad he was at the Nintendo Mario Bros. video game back in the day, and then an exchange about how great the new Turok book is going to be. Another hand shake, it was done and I could check this off of my list of things to accomplish at NYCC!

Now I understand this is Comic Con, and everyone from the big money makers to the new guy trying to get his or her name out there is basically hustlin’ their product, whatever that may be. But if I keep walking past your booth while you’re yelling to get my attention, there’s a good chance that I’m not interested. But one guy really didn’t get the hint even when I tried to lose him near the Green Hornet Black Beauty exhibit. And just as I was about to turn around and not be too nice, I was scooped up by a very attractive woman who instantly became my hero and saved that guy some embarrassment. She must have seen what was going on and decided to help me out, and if that’s not the case then let me believe what I want! You should have seen the face of the guy she asked to take our picture though…priceless. We did talk about phones, IGN, Capcom, and about 20 minutes later I was taking a picture with Chun Li and Cammy from the Street Fighter series in front of a green screen. I ended up with a collectible which looks like that site’s home page, but I’m the feature with two of Capcom’s femme fatales!

Thankfully the guy caught the hint and decided to go bother someone else, and allowed me to continue my day in relative peace. Well, as much peace as you can get in an over crowded convention center that was beginning to have a very distinct odor to it. Which for some reason was also when my hunger kicked in, and at this point I wished either the intern hadn’t been eaten by zombies or I had Multiple Man’s powers. That way I could stand in line over at the Aspen booth and still get something to eat at the same time. Joe Benitez is one of my favorite artists and his new book, Lady Mechanika, just came out from that publisher. I figured I’d kill two birds with one stone and pick up a copy and get his autograph. Sounds easy, right? I mean my day had been going pretty damn good so far, and what could possibly go wrong at NYCC? I was just saved by a beautiful woman, had a good conversation with Jim Shooter, I was meeting great cosplayers, and all of this before 11 am!

Yeah, all of that was about to change the minute I was on my way to the Aspen booth. I’ll warn you now that if you’re a fan of Iceman you may not like what I’m about to say, but I couldn’t really care less. I actually was a fan up until the moment some 14 or 15-year-old kid dressed as Iceman came running through the con floor, and ended up catching my bag and whipped my arm around so I ended up smacking some woman, and my camera hit the floor. So at this point I go off on the jackass and actually called him “Bobby Drake” and then checked on the woman I had just hit. His mom comes over to see what was wrong, and I think she was dressed as Princess Peach so it was a little hard to take her seriously when she tried to get at me. I told her if little “Bobby” isn’t trained well enough on how to act in public she needs to keep him on a leash. I checked on the woman who was hit one last time, and she thanked me for being concerned, then made my way to the Aspen booth. Way too much excitement before noon and I was hungry as hell at this point.

I looked at my watch and it was almost 11, and I was also on a mission for our editor Kristin who is a Venture Bros. fan. So I stopped and asked a staff member where the room for the Venture Bros. signing that starts at 11 was. He looked at me like I had two heads, which was funny considering the company I was in that day. He then proceeded to tell me that it was moved to Sunday. Thanks for the heads up NYCC! It would have been nice to get this information earlier! My day just keeps getting better and better right? Things did shift a bit when I made it to the Aspen booth and found Joe Benitez doing commissions for fans. It’s always great to see an artist put pencil to paper and create. I quickly snatched up one of the last few remaining Lady Mechanika issues, and he took time from the commission to sign my book. I took a picture, but little did I know that was the very last time that camera would work as it crapped out on me. $#!%& in’  Iceman!!

Time to go cool out and get some food…oh guess who is standing right in front of me holding up the line? That damn Iceman!!!

Be sure to check out tomorrow’s NYCC action when my day starts to get a lot better as I check out some Marvel and DC action figures, and I even get to meet Chris Claremont, which was a LOT cooler than when Andy met him!

For now, I leave you with these!

Joe Benitez getting some commission specifics from a fan.

Signed Lady Mechanika #0!

Kyle Reese

Where were you guys when I was being chased? Or when Iceman attacked me?

Green Hornet’s Black Beauty might just be the best thing about the upcoming movie.

Flavor Flav or Larfleez? You decide…boyeeee!

Again I’d like to thank Grady Dixson for hooking me up with some pics after my unfortunate accident.

For all things New York Comic Con click here!

Infinite Speech
infinitespeech@comicattack.net