So right after we got to Dublin, a comics convention started up. Even the first year, which was held in a small cramped location, had a strangely good lineup of guests for a tiny con, and the 2nd or 3rd year they even had Jim Lee. This is because EVERYONE wants to come to Ireland. :) But things happened and the con disappeared for a while, and now it has returned with gusto. We had a great time, and I’m really looking forard to next year.
It being Ireland, and perhaps it being a convention, things got started late. An hour late, which made my complicated day considerably more complicated, but I had so much fun that nevermind that. :)
First panel was “Meet the Editors”, where Marvel editors Lauren Sankovitch and Jeanine Schaefer teamed up with Vertigo editor Mark Doyle to talk about What It Is Editors Do. They were funny and informative, although most of it wasn’t new information to me. Mark Doyle repeated the oft-heard truth that you need publication credits to get publication credits, but the difference in the comics industry is that making your own comics and self or web or whatever publishing them is fine, which is not so much true in book publications.
I then didn’t go to any more panels on Saturday, I think, because I was too busy fangirling at Kelly Sue Deconnick, who is writing the wonderful new Captain Marvel comic for Marvel, and meeting the creators of Roller Grrls, an upcoming comic I’m pretty excited about, and hanging with friends who were there, talking with artist PJ Holden, and standing in line to formally introduce myself as somebody who wanted to work for the Big Two to the editors.
(And also running in and out of Dublin, because this weekend had All The Things scheduled even before DICE…)
Honestly, probably my favorite moment of the convention was standing in line for Mark Doyle, while a young man with an artist’s portfolio got his review. I couldn’t quite see the guy’s work, but Doyle was very enthusiastic about it, and at one point said, “I mean, you know this is good–” and then with the realization of one who has been in this situation before, said, “You know this is good, right?” much more seriously.
The guy seemed–I mean, I think he did know he was good, but being told repeatedly by editors seemed to overwhelm him a bit. And at one point Doyle asked if the artist would be interested in maybe doing some sample work, and the guy gave him such a “No shit” look that even from the back it made me laugh, and Doyle looked sheepish and amused. It was great. :)
Later in the weekend, when I’d sat down to talk with one of the Marvel people, the same artist went to talk to one of Marvel’s writers. The guy I was talking to asked if I’d excuse him for a minute*, and went to laud the artist’s talents. So that was pretty great, and really, I love seeing that kind of thing so much that even if I’d had an otherwise lousy weekend that would have made it. As it was, I’d had a great weekend and that made it all the better!