Convention Time Again!

It's August 1st already. That means in exactly one month the new school year will begin and I'll once again be assaulted by students for my GamerTag (students don't understand that I don't have an XBox 360 or that Sony calls the UserID something else on the Playstation 3). In a related note, I have a long-term sub assignemtn this year! But, before I collapse into a nervous wreck over that, there're some things I'd like to get out:

First off, I'd like to say thank you to everyone who purchased Project Zero: Bulletproof during Smashword's July sale. It's great to see people taking advantage of great offers like that. I'd also like to invite those readers (and anyone who has read Bulletproof) to take a minute or two and write a review.

Second, it is less than two weeks until Chicago Comic-Con, which I will be attending. Again. For the fifth (I think) year in a row. It's something I always look forward to, even with the decreased presence from the comic industry (seriously, it's to the point where it can't even really be called a comic convention). This year continues last year's trend of just gathering a bunch of A-C list celebrities and letting people take photos with 'em. Last year, Kelly and her friend, Kat, got a picture with James Marsters (of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame). This year, I'm hoping to get a picture with Patrick Stewart. He was supposed to be there last year, but pulled out at the last minute for reasons unknown (I heard reasons ranging from scheduling conflicts to the convention company never really had him signed to appear at all. But, if that were the case, then why would he agree to come this year. That is, if he shows). Also, both Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flannery (the brothers from The Boondock Saints) are going to be there.

I have to put together a list of trade paperbacks (and hardcovers) to hunt for at the convention. It'd be easier if the publishers made it simple and just numbered the volumes (and logically). DC refuses to number volumes (at least it did, I recall seeing a couple that might've been numbered) and Marvel doesn't always logically number their's (The Death of Captain America is split into three volumes, but is actaully something like volumes 5-7 of Brubaker's run on the book).I have the first trade of the ongoing Nightwing series, but it's impossible to tell if any of the volumes I've found after are the next because of a lack of numbering (that and DC got a little weird with what issues were being collected in which trade).

I'm going to be hunting for: Atomic Robo volume 5 (not likely to find it because it was just released to retailers last week)
Bendis' and Brubaker's run on DareDevil (another book that's victim of bizarre numbering)
Captain America (pretty sure I have all of the trades leading up to his death plus Steve Rogers' return)
Invincible (the latest, although now that it's been pointed out how stiff the dialogue is, I'm not sure I can read it).
Also looking for: Those lil Pop things (the quasi-replacement for Mighty Muggs that are about 3 inches tall and have both Marvel and DC characters), Mighty Muggs (have a couple I want to get still and maybe a loose one for my classroom).
Other than that, just going to sit back and gawk at celebrities. Maybe even tell Lou Ferrigno that he owes me money. And that'll end up like the time that guy from Lonely Island fought Rocky. But I like my teeth, they let me eat things that aren't liquid or gelatenous, so I'll probably keep my mouth shut.

My brother, James Lynch, is going to once again have a table in Artist's Alley. He's under his name (and maybe his Hero Universe label), so stop on by his booth, say hello, maybe pick up one of his books or prints (he does commissions and I hear his prices are very, very reasonable). If you look 'im up on Wizards' website, someone (he adamently denies it was him) has pieced together a profile of him which is a picture of him from when he was twenty and his writers' profile on his website (which is one long joke). So don't hold that against him. Though if you know who did it and why, be sure to tell us at the con.

Now, if only I could get Patrick Stewart to do my voice mail message. Even if it was just him listing the things he had eaten for breakfast that day...