My Comic Con Adventure & Announcement

It's the world's biggest geek fest, jam-packed with your favorite movie and TV stars, whom you can meet while wearing your Superman cape and no one will call security.  This year's Comic Con was my favorite so far, despite the fact I spent very little time on the floor.  My Comic Con was meetings, a dinner party--where I sat next to a member of the FCC, and after too much wine gave her an earful on how despite all the new channels, there was still very little opportunity for US, the little guy--a panel; lunch with Jamie Kennedy and producer Dave Sheridan (Horrible Bosses and others) a club party, and a breakfast meeting. 

I arrived on Thursday and went straight to lunch with my good friend, TV writer Stacey McClain, who was launching a cool new web series, Sistaah Friend.  Please click on the link to find out more. Even though it was Thursday, the streets were already crowded, and the restaurants were, too.  It reminded me of The French Quarter--but with costumes.

Picking up my credential was an oddyssey unto itself, but I won't bore you with that.  Afterwards, I checked into my hotel to start getting ready for dinner.  Before getting dressed, I took a photo of my credential and posted it on my fan page.  Several of you responded immediately, which brought a smile to my face and made me feel like I wasn't alone.  Thanks for that.

At dinner I met two old friends, a couple, who are network execs, one at CBS and the other NBC.  They told me their daughter was upset she couldn't make my panel the next day.  I hadn't seen their daughter in a long time, but she's now 12, and Never Slow Dance With A Zombie is her FAVORITE BOOK.

 

As you can imagine, I was on top of the world throughout dinner.  Also at dinner were several execs from Machinima--the home of exciting YouTube channels for gamers.  I plan to really get into Machinima and the subject of web channels in a future post, because I believe web channels are the next step in the evolution of authors like myself.

The highlight of my Comic Con experience was the panel I was a part of.  The Black Panel (which had two white people on it, so there goes the neighborhood) hosted by Michael Davis and featuring NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neil and actor-comedian Jamie Kennedy.  While it was called The Black Panel, it had a mixed SRO crowd that was wrapped around the convention center when I arrived.  Let me ask you a question; look at the photo below and tell me where else can a black man in a mask sit in a crowd without every eyeball in the room being on him?  You gotta love Comic Con.

Shaq was there to talk about his new comic book line with New Kingdom Entertainment.  Jamie talked about his new production company that has optioned Boyfriend From Hell and the entire Falling Angels Saga for a network TV series.  I was so happy to be sitting next to two such talented individuals, one of whom is in business with me.  How cool is that?  I am even more excited about my TV deal. I can't tell you anymore about the series just yet. There will be several big announcements coming.  But here is a Variety article about Jamie's new company that briefly mentions our deal.

When the panel was over I discovered something about Comic Con I never knew.  There are tunnels in the bowels of San Diego linking the convention center with all of the hotels in the area.  This way celebs--like us--can travel without being stopped by our adoring fans.  Anyway, after the panel, we were rushed into a tunnel where we took a cargo elevator to the basement. 

Downstairs was cavernous and looked like a government bunker from an old Sci-Fi movie.  There were several golf carts waiting--mostly for Shaq--but they drove all of us through the tunnels.  When we finally stopped there were three big black SUVs waiting.  Oh man, I'm traveling like the president.  And you know, the whole time I'm down there I'm getting all sorts of ideas for a zombie story. Oh, yeah! A short time later we arrived at the Hilton, which is a pretty good distance away from the convention center.  Neat.  They took us upstairs to a ballroom where Shaq and Jamie talked to the press.  Me--I just looked cute in my new hat.

That's it for now.  I'll do a bit of a wrap-up tomorrow where I'll talk about my TV interview, my fans who won dinner with me, and Girl Squad.  Until then.  Peace.