Live from B.L.A.R.D.
We’re finally ensconced here at the Beat Local Action Rapid Deployment HQ, aka B.L.A.R.D., aka the Horton Grand. We’ve even managed to score a room with a balcony, excitingly enough. We were all set to enjoy a steaming cup of Vietnamese coffee out there when we realized the room comes with fan, shower cap and historic plaque, BUT NO COFFEEMAKER. The woman at the front desk informed us that only mini-suites have coffeemakers. We may have to send an operative on a run to the mall for one of those instant water heater thingies. Or we may have to bribe housekeeping to bring us a spare.
By the way, if you are looking for an ocean of calm and peace, or just to recreate your favorite scene from THE SHINING, stop by the lobby of the Horton Grand at just about any hour of the day — aside from the hotel staff and Future Mr. Beat, the only other person we’ve seen is The Incredible Hulk. Maybe he can get them to give him a coffeemaker?
Seriously, this place is supposed to be haunted and we can see why — while everything else in San Diego is buzzing and bursting at the seams, the hotel lobby is fit for a Scooby Doo inspection.
In social eventing, we had a nice dinner with some foreigners last night before heading over to the Sony party for the new DC Online game. The party wasn’t crowded — perhaps because of a competing Marvel/Activision soiree? — but it was odd to be in a place where people asked us blankly, “So what brings you to Comic-Con?” The only other people we recognized were Chris Butcher, Scott Robins, longtime Beat pal Paul from Action-Figure.com, who already has all the toy news from the show up, and of course the man of the hour, Jim Lee, who spent many hours designing the game. We’re not getting a full-on demo until Sunday, but the game looks to be a big success for DC, and another example of how DC is successfully licensing its stable.
Despite boycott hopes, it sounds like everyone else was over at the Hyatt, but we decided to get some vital supplies at Ralphs and call it an early night for tonight’s party-thon — there are at least six competing bashes, and probably many more.
07/24/08 at 3:37 pm
I want to meet the future Mr. Beat!!!!
07/24/08 at 4:19 pm
“What brings you to Comicon?”
Imagine the strange looks you’ll get if you answer, “Comics.”
07/24/08 at 5:17 pm
You know what videogame I want to see from DC?
Basebrawl, as created by Al Jaffee in MAD Magazine.
(You get to use the bat as an offensive weapon. Both teams are on the field at the same time, so that the dugouts can be used as aid stations…)
And it’s kinda nice, sitting here in my cubicle, using Google News to search hourly for news and other tidbits.
07/24/08 at 7:03 pm
Yesterday was the first time I wished I was at SD this year.
But that’s because a project at work turned from pain-in-the-behind to horrifying (the other shoe finally fell) and this week and next are going to be hell.
Dealing with smelly Klingons would have been preferable.
07/30/08 at 3:54 pm
We were at the Horton Grand and saw the Hulk but didn’t see the Beat. Too bad, ’cause we didn’t use our coffeemaker. Not even the morning after the 1:15am false fire alarm.
07/30/08 at 7:10 pm
[…] Collective Memory: CCI 2008 Links to stories, eyewitness accounts and resources concerning Comic-Con International, held July 24-27 with a July 23 Preview Night at the convention center in San Diego, California. This entry will continue to be updated for as long as people ***** Institutional Convention Physical Location Host City Blog Entries Blog@Newsarama Notes 01 Blog@Newsarama on Darwyn Cooke Buzz Bags Chebutykin Collected Comics Library 00 Collected Comics Library 01 Collected Comics Library 02 Collected Comics Library 03 Collected Comics Library 04 Collected Comics Library 05 Dave Ferraro D&Q 01 D&Q 02 D&Q 03 D&Q 04 D&Q 05 D&Q 06 Good Comics For Kids 01 Good Comics For Kids 02 Good Comics For Kids 03 Good Comics For Kids 04 Good Comics For Kids 05 Ian Brill Irene Gallo 01 Jarret Kobek Jim Emerson Kelly Kilmer Major Spoilers on Moving The Show Matt Silady MetroMix Los Angeles Randy Lander 00 Randy Lander 01 Randy Lander 02 Randy Lander 03 Randy Lander 04 Randy Reynaldo Rick Marshall Rick Marshall on Joss Whedon Rick Marshall on Rick Geary Scott Edelman: Thursday Quickie Scott Edelman: Thursday Scott Edelman: Friday Quickie Scott Edelman: Friday Scott Edelman: An Encounter With James Owen Scott Edelman: Moo Scott Edelman: Sci-Fi Saturday Night Sean T. Collins Suvudu.com 01 Suvudu.com 02 The Beat 01 The Beat 02 The Beat 03 The Beat 04 The Beat 05 The Beat 06 The Beat 07 The Beat 08 The Beat 09 The Beat 10 The Beat 11 The Beat 12 The Beat 13 The Beat 14 The Beat 15 The Beat 16 The Beat 17 The Beat 18 The Beat 19 The Beat 20 The Beat 21 The Beat 22 The Beat 23 The Beat 24 The Smart Set Todd Klein on Wednesday Todd Klein on Saturday Todd Klein on Sunday Todd Klein on Thursday Todd Klein on Friday 01 Todd Klein on Friday 02 Tom Neely Valerie D’Orazio Zander Cannon Message Boards and Chat Rooms News Stories and Columns Big Shiny Robot! Index ComicMix CBR: David Glanzer CBR: David Glanzer 02 CBR: Matt Furie CBR: Fabio Moon, Gabriel Ba, Becky Cloonan Cinematical Hub Greg Burgas Haaretz.com ICv2.com Summary ICv2.com: David Glanzer Interviewed LA Times General Article NPR PopCultureGeek Preview PW PW 02 PW 03 Reuters THR on Preview Night USA Today Audio TwoMorrows Preview Podcast Photos Blog@Newsarama Preview Night Chris Butcher ComicMix Coming Soon Jarret Kobek Kevin Church Rick Marshall Scott Edelman Miscellaneous 5 Reasons To Be Glad You Didn’t Go 50 Jewish Reasons to Attend CCI Article on Comics Movie Influential Folks Barry Windsor-Smith’s Eisner Hall of Fame Acceptance Speech Cliff Chiang’s SDCC Sketches Guide to CCI Jokers Kevin Church Comedic Commentary Pop Candy Giveaway Pre-CCI Hype Round-Up Remember 1971 Seuling Con In Light Of ‘08 CCI Variety Re-Run (?) on Moving the Con Videos Ali Kokmen Rallies The Trops Kevin Smith Vs. Comic-Con Virgin ***** ***** ***** […]