Dayton's Blog: A pimple on the ass of the Internet.

I know, I know. It's been days since I returned from San Diego, and I still haven't written a con recap. Well, here it is.

( Comic-Con 2009.... )

Getting ready to head out the door and on my way to the airport, bound for San Diego! Kevin's already been there since Tuesday, as part of the contingent representing Hallmark, and I'm sure I'll run into friends (kradical, alpinemaps, Bob Greenberger, and Geoff Thorne to name just a few) at various points throughout the day.

Reports if and when I run into anything report-worthy, which should start somewhere around five seconds after I walk through the door....

Included among the bills and other detritus in yesterday's mail was a letter from the San Diego Comic-Con with my registration info. Kevin and I will be making the trip out there again this year. Kevin's actually going as part of a contingent from Hallmark, who will have booth space on the exhibitor floor. His higher-ups have graciously allowed me to bunk in with him. I just have to cover half the room rate for the nights I'll be there, and I've also offered up time sweat during the weekend (such as during the tear-down phase on Sunday night).

I'm not sure yet if Pocket will have any panels going relating to Trek or other stuff, and it's way to early to talk about scheduled signings or anything like that, but I'm sure something will be planned.

Anybody else gonna be there?

Finally, here we go....

So, last Thursday, Bubba and I left on a jet airplane, fairly sure when we'd be back again, and headed for sunny San Diego and the 2008 Comic-Con International. 


Will we go again next year? Almost certainly. We'll have a new Vanguard book to pimp, after all, and it will be the con's 40th year, so I expect that'll be a sight to see. 

I was checking the TrekMovie.com site, where there's currently an excerpt from Geek Magazine's interview with Wil Wheaton in their current issue:

Wheaton Talks More Trek + Added To Comic Con Book Panel

The TrekMovie piece also reports that he's been added to the "Star Trek without a blueprint" panel at Comic-con, representing the Tokyopop Trek manga efforts. Nootch!

For those who only know Wheaton as "Wesley Crusher" on TNG, you're missing out. He's an accomplished author in his own right, and maintains an awesome blog which should be required reading for fans of Trek, pop culture, or just witty observations while making one's way through this weird-assed pastime we call life. Among the many guest-blogger stints he's done are a set of various TNG episode retrospectives, which are part review, part anecdotal stories by the fireplace as he recalls his days on the set filming said episodes, and all hilarious (Hey, he had me at "Star Trek: The Motion Picture award for unnecessary and entirely too long visual effects jerk off"). Check 'em out. He's also written at least one story for Tokyopop's Star Trek manga, and hopefully will have some news about that at the panel.

I was already looking forward to this panel, anyway, just because of the energy any Comic-con panel seems to generate (What is it about that place?). Now I'm actually psyched, and looking forward to meeting the real Wil Wheaton.

An addition to my schedule arrived today. In addition to the previously announced panel with folks from Pocket Books and IDW, we've now got book signings on the docket!


Thursday, July 24:

5:30pm-6pm
Kevin Dilmore, Dave Mack, Dayton Ward - signing copies of Star Trek: Corps of Engineers - Creative Couplings

6pm-6:30pm
Andy Mangels - signing copies of Star Trek: Excelsior - Forged In Fire


Not sure if other signings are being scheduled, but hey: if this is it, that means my "Got to be some place at a specific time" requirements are over before dinner time Thursday. Sweet!

As noted here at TrekMovie.com, I can at least say that I've got one panel that I know of going down at this year's Comic-con:

"The two publishing licensees for Star Trek (Pocket Books and IDW Comics) are going to hold a panel on Thursday (room 32AB, 4-5PM). Here is the description:

Star Trek without a blueprint. How books and comics keep expanding the boundaries of the Star Trek universe. Andy Mangels moderator, Margaret Clark (executive editor, Pocket Books), Andy Schmidt (senior editor, IDW) and writers Kevin Dilmore, Dave Mack, Scott Tipton and Dayton Ward."

I expect that the panel will highlight both Pocket's and IDW's forthcoming Trek titles over the next year or so, along with attempting to answer questions put forth by the audience. I was at the combined Pocket/Tokyopop/CBS Licensing panel like this at Comic-con 2006, and it drew a pretty damned impressively-sized audience. I'm hoping for similar turnout this time around. Otherwise, we're gonna hafta feed Kevin to the pigs out back.

I am now officially registered as a "professional" for this year's Comic-Con International, held as always in San Diego in July.

(I still put "professional" in quotes, as I still chuckle at the thought, and keep waiting for everyone else to realize I've been bullshitting them all these years.)

Kevin and I went in 2006, which was our first time going, and we had a total blast. It didn't hurt that Summon the Thunder was still minty fresh and Pocket was giving away stacks of them for us to sign (which we did), and that we got to do a signing with Mike Sussman -- autographing giant postcards with the Glass Empires cover art. It took me days to recover from the con's sheer sensory overload.

(And yes, Bubba's going, too. We're a matched set, after all. If they ever make action figures of us, you know they'll only sell them as a 2-pack, rather than individually.)

The big question at this point: Should I take an extra bag for the crap I'll collect/buy/get handed during those four days?

Put the finishing touches on the first draft of our new article for Star Trek Magazine this morning. It's a piece that'll contribute to a larger bit of coverage for the second season TNG episode "The Measure of A Man." We even sent it in to the editor a day early...will wonders never cease?

Got word last night from Well Told Tales that they're interested in adapting my short story "Stop Loss" for a podcast presentation. Considering that the only time I hear one of my stories read aloud is when *I* do it, it could be very refreshing to hear it read by someone who knows what the heck they're doing. I've got to read through the paperwork and such before I make a final decision, so stay tuned for updates!

Also, I've made a pact with Kevin. After having too much fun during our rookie run at the con last year, and having used the NY con to refine our approach for making contact with other industry pros who might one day see fit to employ us, being in San Diego for those four days each summer is probably too good an opportunity to pass up. Besides, based on all the cool shit we've been missing out on these past few days, we've both decreed that -- if it's within our power -- we'll never miss another Comic-Con again.

Well, and if our wives tell us we can go. We're not stupid, you know.

Wow, was that a blurry five days. Don't worry, though. We had fun. :)


Overall it was a fun, successful trip. I enjoyed putting faces to names from online or e-Mail, and it's always fun to catch up with various members of Pocket's merry band of Trek writers and editors. Addy stole the show wherever she turned up, and has now proven to be the epitome of the dream child when traveling. Other parents regarded us with open-faced jealousy more than once, and even the most cynical cat we encountered couldn't resist smiling back when confronted with that toothless grin. Perhaps we'll do it again next year. If not NYC then almost certainly San Diego.

On our way to the New York Comic-Con today. Looking forward to a weekend of multi-media madness, fun with friends, and perhaps doing a bit of networking ("Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.").

I've not lived in NY since I was in the second grade, and have no memories of trips to NYC, so this will be a treat for me. The Mrs. and the Munchkin are along for the trip, and they'll no doubt be doing more interesting things than hanging out at the convention. It is New York, after all.

I know some folks on the list have mentioned attending the con, just as I know a few people from different message boards have e-Mailed me to let me know they'd be there, too. Looking forward to meeting (or re-meeting, as the case may be) all of you during the weekend.

As I mentioned in the last entry, my access to the internet/e-Mail will be spotty at best, mostly because I decided to leave the laptop at home this time around. Kevin's got his, though, so I might steal a few minutes here and there to check on stuff. Otherwise, I'll provide a full after-action brief on Monday!

Thanks to kradical, I've got an update to my schedule at the New York Comic-Con:

Friday, 2/23 - 8pm-9pm
Star Trek: Pocket Books editors and authors present the Star Trek publishing program for the year ahead and share their thoughts on the future of the line -- with Margaret Clark, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Kevin Dilmore, David Mack, Marco Palmieri, Ed Schlesinger, and Dayton Ward.

Saturday 2/24 - 6pm-7pm
Autograph session: Signing copies of the brand-spankin' new Star Trek: Mirror Universe trade paperbacks: Greg Cox, Peter David, Keith R.A. DeCandido, David Mack, and Dayton Ward.

Kevin and I will also be hanging out at the Pocket Books booth from time to time throughout the weekend, as well as attending other panels and activities and just wandering the main floor like the drooling fanboys we are. I'm not sure if other scheduled events will appear as we get closer to the con, but I'll post updates when and if I get more info.

Anybody coming?

Got a note from Pocket Books last night letting Kevin and me know that we've been scheduled to sign copies of Star Trek: Glass Empires at the Pocket booth on Saturday (Feb 24th) from 6-7pm. If you don't want to bother with us lightweights, then I should probably mention that fellow GE contributors Dave Mack and Greg Cox also will be there, as well as Peter David and Keith R.A. DeCandido (kradical) representing the second Mirror Universe book, Obsidian Alliances.

At last word, there also was the possibility of us participating in some form of panel programming, and Kevin and I have also volunteered to spend some time hanging out at the Pocket Books booth off and on throughout the weekend. None of that has been finalized, however. Stay tuned for updates!

Well, it's official: Kevin and I have confirmed our travel plans to New York City for the second annual New York Comic-Con, to be held the last weekend in February. We've secured our lodging and I'll probably finalize our air travel today.

Along with several other Trek fiction writers, we'll be spending time at the booth Pocket Books will have at the con (I don't have a list of participating writers/editors yet, but I'll post that when the info becomes available). Glass Empires will just be out in stores at that time, so if you're going to the con be sure to get your minty fresh copy and bring it down for autographing!

An added bonus: It'll be Addy's first ever convention. I've not decided if she should go as a Jawa, Ewok, or Balok's twin sister. Thoughts?