Otakon Report

1) I don't mean to pick on the Otakon staffers, because they're courteous and they try hard. But it really is the most ADD convention crew I've ever seen. I went straight to the registration desk and told them I was here for the noon panel. They didn't find me in their database, so they sent me to Information. Information sent me to Panel Ops. Panel Ops found me in its records and escorted me to Con Ops. Con Ops gave me a form which I filled out and then took back to Registration. This all took about twenty-five minutes, and I left out the best part: I was asked for my badge before any of this began. Before I got to the registration desk the first time. Yes, they were inspecting us for badges before we could get to the table that gave out badges.

And then there was the fact that the dealer's room was only open for two hours on Sunday, and the line was so long that they started turning people away well before it opened.

2) Didn't get to say hey to Fred Gallagher, Michael Poe or the Applegeeks boys, but they were so swarmed with fans we probably wouldn't have had a meaningful talk anyway. So I'll say here what I would have said there. Fred, congrats on your baby! Michael, hope things are picking up since I last spoke with Elizabeth. And Hawk, sorry if the History writeup embarrassed you-- I know you'd rather not be treated like a token. It's just a topic that interested me, and I was short on examples.

3) Did see: Dirk Tiede, Brion Foulke, Jennie Breeden, K. Brooke Spangler, Bill Holbrook, Matt Koelbl and the Little Gamers guys. Pontus and Christian, I've already marked your book.

4) Best question from the "Webcomics Howto" panel: Should you plan for a comics series to last, effectively, forever? Short version of my answer: that depends on the kind of creative person you are.