Up late talking games & writing? You're...

Comics:

Today was the first day of the Emerald City Comicon, held in the Washington State Trade & Convention Center in the heart of downtown Seattle. I'm not nearly the comics monster that I used to be, but after getting back into them recently, the wife and I thought we'd take a trip down and dip a toe back into the scene.

There were a good mix of elements there, with plenty of toys and other miscellaneous things to buy in addition to the usual tables of back issues and graphic novels on sale.

For anybody into G.I. Joe Back in the day, The U.S.S. Flagg was The holy Grail of anyone's Joe collection. I don't think I knew anyone who even owned it, I just drooled over it in TV commercials. If I remember correctly, the thing cost $100 brand-new and was the most impressive toy anyone could own EXCEPT for Fortress Maximus from the Transformers line. Seeing the Flagg still in the box was a kick in the pants. Although I was tempted to buy it, I didn't. But, what I did get was...


Snout Spout! As a huge Masters of the Universe fan, I had an almost complete collection as a kid until my parents pulled the one of the most colossally jerkfaced moves ever and made me sell them off at a garage sale-- and they kept the money to boot.

Needless to say, I've never quite gotten over the trauma. When MOTU was revived a few years ago with all-new, hyper-detailed sculpts, I was in heaven.... Until they canceled it. Again.

From What I understand, the crazy-talented folks who were doing the sculpting of the toys actually had several models that never went into production, and when the toy line was canceled, they used the sculpts to create statues the same size as what the action figures would have been. Snout Spout here is the first one I've seen in person, so I snapped him up. Maybe it's just the MOTU fan in me talking, but this guy is ten kinds of awesome on my desk.

No idea what's going on at this table, but it freaked me out.

Laid low by his last film's poor performance, the Silver Surfer has been reduced to signing autographs for cash.

Besides Snout Spout and the delicious crepe I had outside, I picked up a handful of back issues I have been looking for and saw a friend I haven't seen in a few years. Good times, good times, and the good times are still rolling... If you're in the Seattle area, the convention is still open tomorrow (Sunday the 11th) and admission is only $15 at the door.