ON THE LOOSE AT NY COMICON 2010-Day 1

"I love the smell of comics in the morning! Smells like...victory!"

Ah, the first day of the NY Comicon, a time when I channel my inner Col. Kilgore and think of inhaling the musty stench of old comics rather than napalm. That first day is usually somewhat quiet thanks to it taking place on a Friday, when most folks are at work, but this time around things got crowded on early Maybe due to the high unemployment rate...

The main floor. 11AM and all is quiet...but not for long!

I arrived at the Javits Center around 11AM and headed straight for Artists Alley, where I agreed to watch the booth area of old friends Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti. That turned out to work to my advantage, because the location allowed for the traffic to pass by as I set up Amanda's display of prints for sale, and among that traffic were friends both old and recent.

British publisher Tim Pilcher confers with documentarian Ian Fischer, sussing out when they can meet so Tim can get filmed for Ian's documentary on superheroes and what they mean to us as a culture. (I got interviewed for it some months back and Ian and I have been pals ever since.)

Artists Alley early in the day, soon to be overrun with eager fans.

Amanda's con-issued signage, mis-spelling her name for the umpteenth time.

Situation corrected with the aid of blue, gold and black markers.

Yer Bunche and David "Demonrock" Sharpe, a brother from my years in the Marvel Bullpen (1990-1998). Dave is a unique and genuine human being, one of my very favorite living beings on the planet, and it was a tonic to see him again for the first time in almost a decade.

The Sharpe family. (L-R) Emily, David, Connor, and Bonnie. The last time I saw the kids (1998), Emily was a toddler and Connor was a babe in arms.

I intend to be photographed with my head poking through the hole in this, making agonized faces as Jimmy Palmiotti pretends to pooch me from behind. Stay tuned!

A bitchin' racing simulator.

The main entrance to the dealer's area, an indoor cornucopia of geeky shit to buy.

The main floor, unusually crowded for a Friday.

The Green Lantern and Star Sapphire get down to "Smooth Criminal" with THE MICHAEL JACKSON EXPERIENCE, kind of DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION, only Jackson-specific.

GREEN LANTERN and FLASH scribe Geoff Johns chats about recent projects and fields questions from the fans (many of which he was not allowed to answer), shortly before being asked by a fan to recite the Green Lantern Corps oath. He agreed to do it, provided the audience accompanied him, which we did. Around three-hundred of us. Perhaps the geekiest thing I have ever done in public, I have never been more simultaneously proud and ashamed to be a lifelong geek.

The Riddler and Tank Girl.

Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Junior.

STAR WARS OVERLOAD: two Wookies, two Leias, one Amidala, and a wee Jedi.

STAR WARS family: proud geek parents, raising the next generation to get its ass kicked in the schoolyard.

A terrific Storm. Extra points for the eyes.

A couple of the Monarch's minions.

What's a con without adorable Japanese cosplayers?

A.C. signs for her ever-growing legion of fans. I could not possibly more proud of my homegirl.

Rockin' the perfect Johnny Storm 'tude.

An especially black Black Cat.

A small section of the line to see Stan Lee. Seriously!

The first time I've seen anyone rock Vixen, and I doubt I'll ever see better. A+!

For those unfamiliar with the character.

That Joker sure knows how to accessorize.

A mighty gathering of heroes: (L-R) The Mighty Thor, Plastic Man, Aquaman.

TO BE CONTINUED.