 "Photo: Trevor Hale")
 "Photo: Trevor Hale")
At first glance, it's hard to tell which one drew the bigger crowd: the dozens of people huddled around the Hasbro booth waiting for their chance to score an exclusive Star Wars action figure or the dozens trying to catch a glimpse of cleavage while Miss November 1998 signed 8x10 glossies for $20 apiece. Meanwhile, Coheed and Cambria frontman Claudio Sanchez wandered the aisles completely unnoticed.
It's business as usual at the San Diego Convention Center where 130,000 people are in town for the one-and-only Comic-Con.
Every year the masses descend on the city and run loose with hopes of trying to score that one issue of Fantastic Four from 1983 that will finally complete their collection, or lining up early enough to catch a glimpse of Rosario Dawson from 45 feet away. What used to be a show primarily based around comics has become more of a launching pad for movies as Hollywood has bullied its way two hours south to find support for anything and everything on the big and small screen.
It's turned into a convergence of cultures where nothing is sacred. This becomes apparent as you wander the floor looking from booth to booth. That's when you notice that Playmate Tiffany Taylor's booth is sandwiched between two others selling vintage G.I. Joe action figures, while the next aisle is the temporary home of an artist selling Zombie Jesus T-shirts. Two aisles over the Suicide Girls booth is set up next to one selling Magic the Gathering custom jewelry.
Whatever Comic-Con started out as, it's a long way away now.
Six years ago, Glen Danzig was tucked away in a little corner booth selling his art, trying to remain anonymous. He wasn't wearing a nametag and when a fan looking for an autograph approached him, he denied who he was. Now he has embraced the Con for a chance to sell anything he can, but has a constant security guard present. It's hard to tell whether or not they're trying to fly under the radar or make themselves known, but I'd bet on the latter since all of them are wearing Samhain or Black Aria T-shirts.
And a mere three aisles away is Sparkplug Press, a small publisher selling "Henry and Glen 4Ever," a mini comic about Danzig and Henry Rollins as life partners.
"I'm just waiting for him to see one and come by to punch me in the face," said creator Tom Neely.
Still, there are actual comic related things that happen-they've just been downgraded to the smaller areas to make room for the bigwig producers, directors and the movie stars with the exclusive trailers and T-shirts.
Kevin Smith, director of "Clerks" and part-time comic book writer, announced he would be writing a three-issue Batman miniseries starting in November. It was announced that only a few short months after Garth Ennis finishes his epic run on Punisher Max, he'd be starting a six-issue weekly series with artist Steve Dillon.
The convention has been almost completely saturated by the media, but there's still fun to be had. Just walking the length of the floor can kill a few hours and there are more photo opportunities than one could have thought possible.
Princess Leia in a gold bikini is popular, but gets less so each year. You'd be hard pressed to find one each day, whereas in years past it's been Leia overload. Slave girl Leia has since been replaced by costumes for the next generation, ranging from obscure anime characters to Batman villain Poison Ivy, but Heath Ledger's Joker costume was by far the most popular.
Steering clear of the LucasArts, Hasbro and countless movie studio booths that clog the center of the floor with people bending over backwards for anything offered for free greatly increases the chances of finding something worthwhile.
The small press booths and no name artist/writer combinations are all off to the side, making them easily available for any number of questions from fans. Usually they carry in tow limited editions of something or other, from comics to sketchbooks to prints. All reasonably priced and well worth it.
The spirit of Comic-Con still lives on in the small areas that are getting smaller by the year. But that doesn't mean you won't enjoy your time or find what you're looking for. All you need to do is find Miss November's booth and go from there.
t.hale@chronicle.utah.edu
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