Review Big Apple Con June 2008

[Amicitia]

Oh god, I think I'm dead. The day I'm running around New York in multiple layers of black, it *had* to suddenly be 90+ degrees. And so humid that the sidewalk was wet.

SO, no review right now. BUT, I did catch up to the VAs, and Veronica thinks I look like her niece (if her niece wore a ninja mask?) and Wayne broke my nunchuck (but then he fixed it).

And now I'm GOING TO BED.

[Amicitia]

Ugh, today the heat index is supposed to hit 100. Anyway, a quick review before I head out.

I donned my ninja costume and headed out with my first-time-con-going brother. We were at the doors before 10:00 and got bumped to the front of the line for having prepaid two-day tickets. Yay!

We went up the escalator and poked around the vendor tables, where everyone was still setting up. And we were lost and confused. Then we realized that to see the actual panels, you had to go out of the side-wing, into the main hotel, and up to the eighteenth floor. Which we did.

There wasn't much in the way of costumes, until I saw a squadron of Stormtroopers coming in. They turned out to be guests, part of the NY Jedi, who were taking turns all day with the SCA and some group called Dagorhir, doing weapons demonstrations. I attempted some boffing and died several times.

Then we went to our first panel, "Crises and Civil Wars: Comics and Politics". It was recorded to be on the radio later. It was quite interesting. They mentioned that the original Michelangelo drew comic strips. Hmm...

After that we went to "History of Armor and Knighthood". Apparently there really was a sword folded over 900 times!

Next we went to "Women of Comics", which was moderately interesting.

Um... I think I'm getting out of order now, so let's talk about autographs. We found Captain Lou Albano (The Super Mario Show), and I FORCED my brother to talk to him, and he got an autographed photo. And I found the TMNT VAs, and they were very nice. We talked a little, and I showed them some pictures from Anime Fest and Boston. I asked them to sign my Anime Boston program (Big Apple Con program is not autograph-friendly) and I got three nice autographs and one cryptic one. I think it says "ZEN". But who knows. Pictures later. And then Wayne and Pete played with my nunchucks.

People kept asking me whether the nunchucks were real, which they are definitely not. Also there were many obligatory invisible person jokes.

Right. So then we went to listen to Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, among many many other things). He told amusing anecdotes, including a story about the time he punched William Shatner in the face.

Finally we went to see the Pirates vs. Ninjas film, and then we headed out. I'm going to skip the part about dinner with my ninja friends, and the long bus ride home, and just say that we got in the door at midnight.

Except for two details: it is still a lot of fun to ride the New York subway dressed as a ninja, and we got proselytized by some Mormons.

*deep breath*

Once more into the breach!

[Amicitia]

Well, I may be talking to myself in here, but...

This is the short version of today:

Mikey broke my nunchuck with extreme prejudice and nearly killed the VAs. I'm taking out a restraining order against Miki. Crittles was very well-behaved and may have a fruit cup.

This is the long version of today.

We braved Sunday traffic to get back to the hotel, and went more or less directly to the panel "Comics & Education". It was a really interesting talk on the appalling aliteracy problem in this country, and how kids who don't read, will read comic books. I was moved to buy the speaker's book, and he autographed it for negative one dollar. I'm confused.

My brother stayed for the panel on "How to Become and Survive as a Professional Artist", but I know I will never manage this feat, so I went out to see what was happening in the gaming room. Which wasn't much. So I went back and loitered for the end of the panel.

THEN I tried the gaming again, and got roped into a game of Paranoia. I was caught with highly treasonous Communist propaganda, and sent for immediate brainscrubbing, which provided an excellent excuse to duck out and head to the VA panel. When I got there, Mikey was sitting in the front row, as though the Benevolent Forces of the Universe had placed her there and said "STAY." (You wanna know what I think? I think that sometimes Mikey is going about her own business, and suddenly she'll find herself somewhere completely different, where something interesting, and quite possibly TMNT-related is going on. There's just no other explanations for the things that happen to her.)

Anyway. I recognized her by her face and she recognized me by my inscrutable ninja mask, and it was all very delightful. Then the VAs showed up and we listened quite attentively.

After the panel I took my hopeless brother to the subway and sent him home, and then caught up to Mikey & Co. back on the dealer's side. At this point she kindly demonstrated that the defect is not in my nunchucks, but in me, and I got a better autograph from Zen. Then there was a general exodus in the direction of dinner. As we were walking, some unseen person (another ninja???) shouted "Turtle power!". And I laughed a lot.

We got to Planet Hollywood, and I de-costumed, and we ate food, and then on the way out some guy said "What happened to that ninja who was with you?" So apparently, even when I'm not in disguise, I'm in disguise.

Then some cheesecake happened, and shenanigans ensued in Port Authority, and we went our separate ways.

And I did get my ice cream. 

[Amicitia]

Okay, all you silent readers. Picture time!



Wayne and Pete play with my nunchucks. Apparently Pete took a picture of me, to prove to his family that he had fans.



Captain Zorikh and Malcolm McDowell.



There weren't a lot of costumes, but I did find Spiderman and the Alien.



This rather disturbing object was in my friends' apartment. Someone scalped Ninjara's cousin!



Zen signed this picture. (I've erased my name from all the autograph pictures.) Mikey and I tried to guess the episode, but were too tired. Anyone know?



Remember that book I bought about comics and education? The author signed the flyleaf for me.



The new and improved back page of my Anime Boston program.