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C2E2, or, how awesome my Saturday was.
Mar. 21st, 2011 12:06 amI went to C2E2, a comic-con in Chicago. There, I saw the following awesome things:
-CHINA MIEVILLE- who, in all his bald and tattoo'd glory, single-handedly captivated the minds of about 75 geeks for the better part of an hour with nothing more than his cunning and an accent. I bought KRAKEN for him to sign later.
-DAVID MACK- who wrote KABUKI, the first comic I ever read to oh-so-casually break open my brain and rearrange the insides a bit. I bought THE ALCHEMY, the last volume of the KABUKI storyline, and finished it when I got back from the con.
-5 variations on THE ELEVENTH DOCTOR. Mostly wearing a fez.
-2 POISON IVY'S, one with a clear dedication of a woman who meticulously pins hundreds of faux leaves to a fabulous leather corset.
-BATGIRLS- primarily of the classic taxonomy- one of duct tape, one using a wheelchair with a really dedicated wig.
There was also a panel made up of undergraduates all doing writing related to comics. It was a bucket of cold water on my expectations- I was hoping for scholars or Ph.D or Masters' candidates, and these guys were all in undergrad and doing this as part of other research. Of the presentations, it seemed like only one was really about comics qua comics, and that mostly went down a list of "homosexual" (her term) superheroes in comics and how they, simply by existing, opened the field for gay characters in comics.
I felt she missed some important points- the role of the X-men as an adaptable metaphor for the Other in society, and how the language of "coming out" as a mutant mirrors the invisibility of LGBTQ people in society. She also lacked a clear argument about how simply having gay characters fostered a more open and affirming society- I think there is an argument to be made there! I saw some flashes of it! But I wanted more. I think it was a tough room for a bunch of undergrads, and I respect them for trying even if I think their advisors should have helped them prepare better.
I came away with the feeling that I really, really would enjoy dressing up for this kind of thing, and that going while on a budget would be a terrible idea. Fortunately, I found roommate for the next three months, so my finances are far less caught up in my living situation than they were last month, and I could let myself spend a little money. It was a really cool time.
-CHINA MIEVILLE- who, in all his bald and tattoo'd glory, single-handedly captivated the minds of about 75 geeks for the better part of an hour with nothing more than his cunning and an accent. I bought KRAKEN for him to sign later.
-DAVID MACK- who wrote KABUKI, the first comic I ever read to oh-so-casually break open my brain and rearrange the insides a bit. I bought THE ALCHEMY, the last volume of the KABUKI storyline, and finished it when I got back from the con.
-5 variations on THE ELEVENTH DOCTOR. Mostly wearing a fez.
-2 POISON IVY'S, one with a clear dedication of a woman who meticulously pins hundreds of faux leaves to a fabulous leather corset.
-BATGIRLS- primarily of the classic taxonomy- one of duct tape, one using a wheelchair with a really dedicated wig.
There was also a panel made up of undergraduates all doing writing related to comics. It was a bucket of cold water on my expectations- I was hoping for scholars or Ph.D or Masters' candidates, and these guys were all in undergrad and doing this as part of other research. Of the presentations, it seemed like only one was really about comics qua comics, and that mostly went down a list of "homosexual" (her term) superheroes in comics and how they, simply by existing, opened the field for gay characters in comics.
I felt she missed some important points- the role of the X-men as an adaptable metaphor for the Other in society, and how the language of "coming out" as a mutant mirrors the invisibility of LGBTQ people in society. She also lacked a clear argument about how simply having gay characters fostered a more open and affirming society- I think there is an argument to be made there! I saw some flashes of it! But I wanted more. I think it was a tough room for a bunch of undergrads, and I respect them for trying even if I think their advisors should have helped them prepare better.
I came away with the feeling that I really, really would enjoy dressing up for this kind of thing, and that going while on a budget would be a terrible idea. Fortunately, I found roommate for the next three months, so my finances are far less caught up in my living situation than they were last month, and I could let myself spend a little money. It was a really cool time.
