DRAGONCON Part Two:

Second day at the con, and we woke up hoarse and tired from the wrestling the night before, but all of us agreed that our energies had been well-spent. HAL and I actually headed out after the wrestling to view a few of the short horror films in the Dragoncon Independent Film Festival, but even the great HAL couldn't hold out for long, and I turned in before 2 a.m. It comes as no surprise that Madman Higashi was up before the rest renewing his parking, and planning his strategies for art acquisitions throughout the day. After meeting JJ and Joanne for breakfast, we all headed for the con where I intended to set up some art buys, and perhaps get a few pics and signatures from some of my favorite authors. I commissioned an Andrew Robinson Batman sketch, my first from one of Higashi's, Zablo's, and "Patch" Beatty's favorite artists, and proceeded to look for my favorite artist and friend, Grandmaster Illustrator Brian Stelfreeze...He of the classic film noirish stylized view of The Batman. 2006 was supposed to be the Year Of The James, and I was hoping that it meant my turn for another Stelfreeze watercolor commission to add to my collection. I met with him and he agreed that Sunday would be the day...the Day Of The James, to be exact, and we also set up dinner plans for the crew later that evening, followed by a viewing of Crank, with Jason Statham. My friends Iron Matt and HAL were on the wait for Eric Powell, one of my favorite artists, and they kindly assented to holding me a spot while I pursued other necessary tasks, like talking with Peter S. Beagle, who had just won a HUGO award for his sequel to The Last Unicorn, and talking to George Romero, writer/director of the famous Living Dead Films. I eventually returned to find Eric Powell setting up and commissioned a Catwoman sketch, suggested by HAL at my desperate request for assistance. I am not the world's greatest art collector in terms of variety, as Batman is my usual default, but HAL is known for his diverse tastes and helped me reach a decision. He didn't even once mention Zatanna, even though that seems to be his weakness. The clock rolled on, and eventually it became time to round up the crew for an Italian dinner at Franco's, famous for our dinner the year before, where Madman John Higashi gave the ORIGIN LECTURE on his collecting obsessions...those in attendance at that spectacle remember its ominous tones, never-ending spin-offs and sequels, and the feeling of fear one had at just how addictions can take hold of a human being. Anyway, Higashi, Joanne, JJ and I drove to the place while HAL, Brian, Sweet Will, and two lovely friends of Brian's from Dallas rode separately. Pecker tagged along with my pal Jason Sumbitch Walker who called in to join us at the last minute. We all met with Eric and Mimi Layton and Brian's wife Stine at Franco's, and were treated to a royal dinner, topped off with a round-robin style dessert event, taking a bite of each item on the menu before passing it along to the next person. I, along with JJ at the start, partook of several domestic beverages that made the time seem more magical...but that of course could have been the result of the awesome company and atmosphere I was in. Many thanks to all for enduring all of my picture-taking, and of course to Johnny StarWarz who again displayed a level of largesse and generosity that went out of style centuries ago, by picking up the dinner tab for the entire party. Finally, we made our exit, and went to a great theater not 5 minutes away, where I was amazed to find that they would also serve me domestic beverages that made Crank even more hilarious than the complete lack of plot, character, realism, or common sense. We HOWLED in laughter at the film, and I remember having a ball! Postscript to the film was Grandmaster Stelfreeze's announcement that since it was past midnight, it was officially the DAY OF THE JAMES, and my new art acquisition was only a few hours away. I rode home on a high, hoping I didn't embarrass myself with consuming too many domestic beverages, and since I couldn't talk any of the crew into going to watch films (You should have come just for that Lazenby), I turned in as well. Coming next...Day Three of Dragoncon and the YOTJ art piece...I mean pieces.