During the panel, I asked Billy why he was so interested in Asian culture, and he started to tell us a story about how when he was younger, his mother was a missionary and his family once got shipwrecked on an Asian island...and we all fell for it!
After the panel, my friend Kevin Beyer introduced me to Billy, and Billy gave me a big hug (he's Italian, so very friendly). Billy and Peter Gutierrez took a bunch of fans out to lunch at a nearby hotel French restaurant. It was great fun figuring out if our waitress' accent was authentic and to basically understand why the French and Americans just do not get along. Billy also got me a free exhibitor's pass for the con for dressing as Shi.
On Saturday, I dressed as Shi in the morning and hung out by the Crusade booth, and attended a signing with Jamal and Steve Ellis. Billy signed my Shi #1 and gave me my long sought calendar as well as some other cool freebies for doing this website and dressing as Shi. Billy had his motorcycle there, the one from Atomik Angels. The Lethargic Lad booth was right next to the Crusade booth.
Saturday night, there was a Friends of LuLu party at one of the hotel bars after my dinner with Terry Moore and other Strangers in Paradise fans. Here, fans got to drink with some of the comic industry celebrities. Steve, Jamal, Billy and Brian David-Marshall from Crusade were all there. It was a late night and we closed the bar down. I didn't get to the con very early the next day...
On Sunday, Steve did a sketch for me...Stag from Atomik Angels...very cool! I didn't spend much time at the con on the last day.
All in all, not bad for my first comic book convention!
Yes, I did take pictures!
 |
William Tucci | Shi Links | Comicons | Shi Puzzle Comix Page |