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UYD's San Diego Con 2006 Report

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 0:03 -0700
by Todd Shogun
Day 1: Wednesday, Preview Night

Lots of people for a Wednesday! Felt more like a Saturday... Got in around 4PM and took the shuttle to the convention center. Picked up our badges then reviewed the programming schedules for awhile...the annual pre-con ritual! Check out the Con Program with a cool Lone Wolf and Cub cover by Frank Miller:

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As we reviewed the schedule, Kari turned to me and suggested we go get our tickets for Clerks 2 at the Pacific Gaslamp Stadium Cinemas for it's Friday night opening asap in case they sell out. Who was I to argue? We headed up 5th street and got tix for the Friday night 9:55PM showing...yes!!! Clerks 2 and the SDCC in the same weekend...what more could you want out of life...??

Went to get dinner at Hard Rock Cafe, dressed in my dark gray UYD Albedo NR 2 sleeveless shirt (super special limited edition). Headed to the convention floor afterwards...man, the people! Then I realized it was jam packed because there was absolutely no programming during preview night...but we'll get a better idea from tomorrow.

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Headed over to Stan's table to deliver the UYD Albedo NR 2 raffle box and tickets for the t-shirt giveaway. Greeted Stan and Sharon, who were both busy as usual greeting fans and pro's alike. It was great. Got my Usagi metal mini's as well as a special surprise: the original artwork for Page 22 of UY #88 (eat your heart out estee!). That's my holy grail of UY pages...the first ever Usagi-Tomoe "moment". I believe this marks the 2nd time Stan has let go of an original page. Needless to say I was in shock...and still am. I had offered to acquire the page from Stan after estee was able to get his, but with no luck. What a way to begin the con!

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Also met up with a couple Usagi Dojo members...both had UY tattoos! I should have taken pics. If I see them again, I will take some. This one guy had a Gennosuke tat on his leg. Another guy, Joe from Chula Vista, had a really awesome Usagi tat on his left shoulder...too awesome! He'll be around all four days so I'll be sure to bring my camera! For now here's a pics of my metal mini's:

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After making preparations with Sharon for the UYD T-shirt giveaway, decided to explore the floor...what a madhouse!! Probably ended up seeing about 15% of it in what little time we had (only 3 hours). I spent the entire time trying to find a protective cover for the art...I didn't find anything suitable, so I shall try again tomorrow...

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 1:54 -0700
by estee
Holy moley, Todd. Congrats, you lucky guy. That's a great page.

Everytime I look at mine on the wall, I just smile. It was totally worth it the expense. Such a beautiful piece.

I'm still so jealous that I haven't yet met Mr. Sakai. All these great things have happened but only through the mail and the electronic super highway.

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 3:07 -0700
by Fanfan
That's my holy grail of UY pages...
:D
[what could i say else ? holy grail is holy grail]
After making preparations with Sharon for the UYD T-shirt giveaway, decided to explore the floor...what a madhouse!! Probably ended up seeing about 15% of it in what little time we had (only 3 hours). I spent the entire time trying to find a protective cover for the art...I didn't find anything suitable, so I shall try again tomorrow...
One day i will go to SDCC !

i hope you will have some time to make another report of the SDCC, it is a pleasure to read you !

Re: UYD's San Diego Con 2006 Report

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 6:19 -0700
by Maka
Todd Shogun wrote:Day 1: Wednesday, Preview Night
Check out the Con Program with a cool Lone Wolf and Cub cover by Frank Miller
Awesome.
. . .dressed in my dark gray UYD Albedo NR 2 sleeveless shirt (super special limited edition).
:!:
Got my Usagi metal mini's as well as a special surprise: the original artwork for Page 22 of UY #88 (eat your heart out estee!). That's my holy grail of UY pages...the first ever Usagi-Tomoe "moment". I believe this marks the 2nd time Stan has let go of an original page. Needless to say I was in shock...and still am. I had offered to acquire the page from Stan after estee was able to get his, but with no luck. What a way to begin the con!
I'm glad Mr. Sakai gave it to you. What a wonderful way to show appreciation for 10 years of connecting fans to UY and Stan Sakai. I'm very happy for you.

Thanks for the update(s). Since I've never been to SDCC, it's fun to see it through your eyes. What a great start.

Peace,

maka

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:33 -0700
by MikeM
I am totally jealous of you guys right now. Very very jealous. ;)

MikeM

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 8:23 -0700
by tayocham
MikeM wrote:I am totally jealous of you guys right now. Very very jealous. ;)

MikeM
Join the club, man.

Great pics, though! 'Specially the Usagi/Tomoe page!

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 9:47 -0700
by Gaffey
Great art!

Keep the Con reports coming 8)

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 13:19 -0700
by Spot the Tokage
tayocham wrote:
MikeM wrote:I am totally jealous of you guys right now. Very very jealous. ;)

MikeM
Join the club, man.

Great pics, though! 'Specially the Usagi/Tomoe page!
You're not the only one. :wink:

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 0:15 -0700
by Todd Shogun
Day 2: Thursday, opening day

Shuttled over to the Convention Center in my sleeveless black UYD Albedo NR 2 t-shirt amongst various aliens and bounty hunters:

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The con floor wasn't as crowded as it was yesterday, but still had quite a few people roaming it's maze-like exhibit hall.
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Ventured over to Stan's booth for photos and to drop off some more raffle tickets...Stan was busy working on Usagi drawings for this various fans!

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The following are photos of the various sites encountered on the opening day of Comic Con:

Babes and Knights abound multiple fantasy exhibits

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You got Sith'd!

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Dance Dance Revolution strutted it's stuff for PS2 with two new versions of it's highly addictive game. This one seemed to be popular with the Anime crowd...

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Bugs Bunny was in attendance at the WB exhibit....
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Plus I got to meet a really cool robot thing with a skull face... way cool

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Hot wheels always has a cool fantasy car on display. This one really turned heads....

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Storm troopers from the 501st were on hand as always....

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I got to meet Voltron, Defender of the Universe!

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The Nintendo DS exhibit had tons of gaming stations. A one VikingBabe found herself captured in it's tractor beam of gaming bliss!

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The con floor was littered with bloodthirsty creeps and acid-salivating xenomorphs!
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Awesome Star Wars model kits...

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Lots of industry representation,including our very own Dark Horse Comics! Also here were Lego, with a full size Batman lego statue, and my personal fave, View Askew's Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash!

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DC Comics booth was jam-packed, with lots of focus on the Man of Steel...

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Heavy Metal was in full force, while across the way Fantagraphics was celebrating it's 30th Anniversary!

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After hitting the floor, we decided to take in a few panels from my To-Do list. The Sony and WB panels were cool. Lots of previews of some upcoming animated CGI movies. The big disappointment for me was the upcoming TMNT CGI movie. Actually, I was quite impressed by the teaser (here: http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/teenag ... jaturtles/), as most everyone in the audience was...but then they showed clips from the movie. While good, it was way too cartoony for the TMNT...I felt like I was watching the Incredibles or something! Oh well... you can't win em all...
Right after I was bummed by the TMNT preview, I went straight to room 8 for the Sergio and Mark show...and discussion about the upcoming Groo CGI Movie! According to ME, it should be out in about 2-3 years. A long wait, and it all depends on whether or not it will even make it to production, but they are working hard on it! Sergio also discussed his upcoming Groo meets Conan crossover! No word on Catnippon however... Here's some pics from the Groo panel...sorry they are so blurry. I was way in the back and my battery was dying! I fact it died right after this last pic!

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After the Groo panel was over, I went and picked up the new double-bladed Darth Maul lightsaber. Sweet! Then it was off to dinner at Filipi's in Little Italy, then a trek back to the Con for the Star Wars Fan Film Awards! They previewed "Fanboys", a great new upcoming film about a group of hardcore Star Wars fans plotting to steel a copy of Episode 1 before it's release. It looked really good. The fan films were also tremendous, especially the Return of Pink Five!

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More tomorrow!!!

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:21 -0700
by Fanfan
More tomorrow!!!
thanks Todd ! i am completely addict to your report ! it is a real pleasure to read you and see your photos !

Stan's stand is really cool !
the Star Wars Fan Film Awards!
i would like to see one of those film, i saw many years ago a fan movie who was was an adaptation of Hamlet...

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:26 -0700
by Mayhem
I was looking around the Stan/Sergio talk for you Todd and didn't spot you! Anyhow, seeing as I have no way to transfer my pics off my camera until I get back, expect my pics to get posted then. Including a good shot of the panel during that talk :)

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:17 -0700
by steven hubbell
A great review and some excellent photographs from the convention. It is like I can almost feel the crowds pressing in.

Any chance of getting some close-up shots of the merchandise and momentos displayed at Stan's booth? I am trying to window-shop, so to speak, through your pictures, but there always seems to be something curious or intrigueing just out of focus or cut off on the side which just can't be seen very well.

(from last year - what is the item priced 13- in the bottom right?)
http://www.usagiyojimbo.com/conventions ... nbooth.jpg

Thanks, have fun, and keep up the great con reports.....
Abayo....

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:23 -0700
by Gaffey
steven hubbell wrote:Any chance of getting some close-up shots of the merchandise and momentos displayed at Stan's booth? I am trying to window-shop, so to speak, through your pictures, but there always seems to be something curious or intrigueing just out of focus or cut off on the side which just can't be seen very well.

:lol: I do that too. Last year there were some cool pieces of art that have never shown up on the net. The $13 item looks like the 2006 calendar to me.

What is it?

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:24 -0700
by go
Is it the 2006 Usagi calendar?

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 13:11 -0700
by steven hubbell
D'oh! :oops:
That must be it!
The colors are so washed out by the flash that it just looked differant. :oops: