San Diego Comic-Con: Black Panel

This panel was just too short. It featured: Reggie Hudlin (president, BET), RZA (Wu Tang Clan), Jeffery Wright (CEO, Urban Ministries), Denys Cowan (senior VP, BET Animation), Mike Davis and Mark Davis (Blokhedz), John Dokes( Marvel Comics) and Dwayne McDuffie (JLU, Static Shock). Moderator: Michael Davis.

One of the sparks at the panel was when a woman had a few questions/observations and she was basically told, well we [the men] just got here so wait. An answer she didn't appreciate. She also went on to say that she created years ago and that she wasn't a young girl, thus stating her age. To which, a few on the panel basically gave commentary of damnnn you look good for your age. In the end, the woman walked away disgusted and threw out a comment that that's why she never watches BET. To which Reggie responded to something along the lines of "I don't want you watching my network anyways!" Two guys in front of me, looks like they were creators, were put off by this too and went and checked in withg the woman in solidarity.

Also, the moderator seemed to shut people down albeit some were ramblers. He just seemed moe antagonistic as oppossed to other moderators who steered questioners to asking their actual questions.

It was those 2 things that brought the Black Panel down for me.

On the plus side, the panel did encourage folks to keep on keepin on in terms of creating. And I think it was RZA who summed it up best to say "If you're creating for money, then you probably won't get there. But if you create from your heart and soul, and you're willing to sacrifice for your art, then someone will notice."

As a whole, it was an exciting panel with sparks and recharged my batteries for the day.

san diego day one

got in last night on what seemed the only non-delayed flight on southwest. i got to oakland airport early in hopes of snaging an earlier flight, but it turned out those were all delayed as were flights to ontario and burbank. in fact one plane was ready to board, but then 5 minutes before letting people on the attendant anounced that the pilot had an issue and that the flight would be delayed an hour as that was the soonest an available pilot could get there!

got into the hotel about 9, grabbed wendy's--which my coworker forbade-and hit long's for supplies.


I was very lazy and didn't leave the hotel till noon. Like a tonto I walked to the convention center and thus wore out my ankles. I went right to the DC Booth, but it was crowded with people trying to get autographs. I parked it on this bench/stage thing that was in the booth. This cute girl came up and asked if i could make room for her. We both commented on how it was too early to be tired.

I texted my friend Bill that i was going to the PRISM comics booth. He met me there. I have to say this year, both times i hit the booth I didn't find the folks to be that friendly. My friend Valentin had the same experience I did, where the person behind the table was handing out stickers left and right but didn't offer us one. I had to ask to get my damn rainbow sticker.

Bill and I walked the floor briefly before catching the JSA/JLA panel where we met up with his bf Valentin. Like most the panels this year, I found them lacking in info. What info that was divulged were merely confirmations of internet rumors. Newsarama covered the event here. They didn't mention that Geoff Johns confirmed Obsidian is gay.

The other highlight of my day was seeing the opening of Richard Donner's version of Superman II.

Met up with my friend Pete and we grabbed a pedal cab back to the hotel. We both drooled over the friendly Polish cabbie.

Gnarls live!

Gnarls Barkley kicked off their US tour at the Fillmore. The band came out dressed like fast food chefs and started an instrumental version of Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf". Then Cee-Lo and Dangermouse came out dressed like chefs. Cee-Lo carried a box of doughnuts and handed them out to people before tearing into the vocals. It was a fun, albeit short, show. They did songs off the CD plus a couple covers. They also twisted the arrangements of a few songs.


I found out I can get disabled/handicaped seating at the Fillmore, which is great because i have skipped shows there because its not as friendly as say the Warfield. Right before the band came on some kid stumbled by me and plopped down, he gave me this "what's up?" smile. Security came to tell him, it was reserved seating, and he keeled over n puked. It was more funny than gross. Thankfully the Fillmore staff was on it like that. I ended up at a table with sexy latin biker folks.

*Pics taken from SFGate.com. Photographer: Laura Morton.

queen overload

my poor coworker. he begged me to not play queen for awhile. i played the queen studio discography 1973 - 1980 yesterday. all the albums in mp3 form on one disc.

Korean Missle Giggles

Ok, I know some people have told me I'm not taking the Korean missle launches seriously enough. But how can I when the TV newscasters are pronouncing taepodong as Type O Dong!!!!

Do boys remember death walking?

i remember then
when pale flesh walking
translucent cheek and jaw
rice paper thin surface

and there was no mystery
when people disappeared
just read weekly
obituary pages long
generations gone

these days they carry on
chemical bloated existence
fat free and not reviled
blue veins in full view
carrying toxic mixture