A MIGHTY CONFLUENCE OF GEEKDOM: THE 2009 NY COMICON PHOTO SAFARI-DAY 3

After the crushing tumult of the previous day things calmed down considerably, but there was still fun to be had and geekish good will permeated the atmosphere. My obligations were minimal, so I took the time to relax, meet and greet, do a wee bit of shopping and bullshit a little before enduring a two-hour book-signing line, but more on that later...

DAY THREE: THE (RELATIVE) CALM AFTER THE STORM

I spent much of the early portion of the day in Artists Alley, occupying a vacant seat next to Amanda and thankfully giving my flat, aching feet a well-earned rest. As the throng milled about I chatted with A.C. as she drew sketches for the fans, and we both yakked it up with a number of pros who stopped by to say "hi."

A.C. chats with fantastically-talented Frenchman Stephane Roux, the guy who did that awesome BIRDS OF PREY cover featuring Black Alice that I bought last year. (See below) The guy's not only an excellent illustrator, he's also a total sweetheart with a great sense of humor and I have not one bad thing to say about him. A class act all the way!

The colored and printed version of the BIRDS OF PREY cover I bought through Stephane Roux's representative last year.

Yer Bunche and Stephane Roux.

A.C. gets her ass kicked by Power Girl, the first issue of whose ongoing series Amanda is working on at the moment.

This Power Girl was first encountered last year and when she turned up this time I asked for her info so I could mention her by name on this here blog. She's Elizabeth Amber Delaney, a fun, knowledgeable and funny she-geek (just like my old pal A.C.) whose excellent Herofashions blog site is well worth checking out, and it offers a lot more than just chronicles of her excursions into crafting quality superhero-wear. She's a riot and I hope to see her again next year, rocking what my extremely reliable source tells me may be a slightly modified Power Girl outfit from the new ongoing series...

Power Girl fades off into the convention throng.

This charming Englishman is Tim Pilcher, a U.K.-based editor and writer who penned the well-researched and fascinating EROTIC COMICS: A GRAPHIC HISTORY FROM TIJUANA BIBLES TO UNDERGROUND COMIX (out now) and EROTIC COMICS 2: A GRAPHIC HISTORY FROM THE LIBERATED '70S TO THE INTERNET (due out in March from Abrams Books).

I thought I knew a lot about erotic comics, but Pilcher leaves me light years behind as thoroughly and entertainingly evidenced in his two volumes, both of which I give my highest recommendation. If you like it naughty, sexy or even just plain downright filthy — and if you read this blog, it's a safe bet you do — then you owe it to yourself to pick these books up and leave them on the living room table, right where your grandma can read them and hopefully tell you a thing or two about such literature that's not found in either volume.

And speaking of naughty...

Amanda draws a commission sketch of Archie comics' leading ladies Betty and Veronica...

...only this time depicted topless and merrily displaying nipple rings. As A.C. so eloquently put it, "It's like I'm nine again!"

A.C. chats with a rabid fangirl (I use "fangirl" in a good way).

L-R: Yer Bunche (former comics negro), Floyd Hughes (British ongoing comics negro), Keith Williams and James Hoston (Yankee ongoing comics Negroes). After this photo was shot, we were all taken out and lynched.

The DC Comics arena.

Roughly one sixth of the line for the Joss Whedon DOLLHOUSE screening: I love a lot of Joss Whedon's stuff too, but I'll be damned if I'd stand on line for an hour or two for a screening of a TV show that I could watch in the comfort of my own home, naked if I chose to, just a few days later. Well, maybe if star Eliza Dushku gave me a Frenchy...

Funny in hindsight, but this was the first time I ever thought of Wolverine's outfit from a fetishwear point of view.

A WATCHMEN assortment.

It just ain't a comics convention without an appearance from the Mighty Thor, Norse god of thunder!

In a clever nod considering the upcoming WATCHMEN flick, this con-goer represents as The Question, the Steve Ditko-created inspiration for Rorschach. Oddly, this was the first time I've ever seen anyone attempt this character, probably due to the completely blank face, and I think this guy rocked it rather well.

Behold the knee-trembling evil of...The Monarch!

For all you G.I. JOE hardcores: a paironess of The Baroness.

Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett, caught strolling "by the sea."

Sally, from THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

A fetching distaff Dr. Horrible, decked out in the character's togs once he gained admission into The Evil League of Evil.

Superman's back! And now he's your uncle!

For those of you idiots dumb and un-American enough to actually believe Captain America is dead: Bucky, aka the "new" Captain America.

Is it just me, or is this Iceman kinda scary?

The Green Lantern and the first Sue Storm I've ever seen at a show. Now if only she'd have rocked it Kirby-Style...

The Central City contingent.

Hands down, this guy was the best of the several Dr. Horribles who represented. He takes the prize for a well-done and accurate costume, accented by his uncanny resemblance to Neil Patrick Harris.

Old School Marvel in da house! Doctor Strange walks among us mundanes, and his presence only pissed me off because the guy hasn't had his own book in ages and was utterly wasted in WORLD WAR HULK. Word of advice to Marvel Comics: bring back Brian K. Vaughn!!!

The ultimate superheroic douchebag and Dr. Horrible's arch-nemesis, Captain Hammer.

Dark Horse Comics' X, alongside the very best of the weekend's several Black Canaries.

The line for the Dave Gibbons WATCHING THE WATCHMEN signing. I was about sixteenth on line and stood there for two hours (I got there early and was still sixteenth in line) so I could get my pal Adrian's copy of ABSOLUTE WATCHMEN signed, along with two items of my own (WATCHING THE WATCHMEN and THRILL-POWER OVERLOAD, the latter of which was the one I really wanted signed). What sucked about this was that the line had to be woven so that it was four people deep in a futile effort not to infringe on the space of the booth around the corner, but at least the fans were nice and very enthusiastic. However, I was saddened that the handlers would only let Dave the assembled get only WATCHING THE WATCHMEN and one other item signed; I totally understood due to the crowd being beyond what the exhibitors were prepared for — and I frankly was gobsmacked at the fact that the exhibitors were surprised by the size of the crowd, apparently not having taken into account that Gibbons is the co-creator of THE SINGLE MOST POPULAR AND CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED GRAPHIC NOVEL OF ALL TIME, a fact that would guarantee lines the length of the exodus from Egypt if properly promoted, and to say nothing of the hype and anticipation for the WATCHMEN movie drumming up considerable potential business — but it's all good. I got Adrian's book signed and got mine signed as well, and since I know Dave from having edited roughly about the first thirty pages of his graphic novel THE ORIGINALS before I got the boot from Vertigo I can get him to sign THRILL-POWER OVERLOAD when next I hit the Bristol Con in England. Too bad the fucking thing's heavy to lug around, but if I have to mule it over to the U.K. then so be it.

Two hardcore fans await their turn.

Dave Gibbons signs for the faithful.

Late on Sunday afternoon: Wonderland shuts down.

Sunday night at Union Hall in Brooklyn: exhausted, overwhelmed and in sore need of a beer and a shot.

Well, dear Vaulties, that's it. Another Javits Center show come and gone, leaving huge smiles and empty wallets in its wake, and I assure you I'll be there for another round of outright geekery in 2010. I hope you'll join me!