Ten of a Kind #405: This is the most Comic-Con coverage you're gonna get here, so enjoy

( See also. And there's more Ten of a Kind here.)

May contain adult language

"May?" Actually, it certainly does. Excuse that, dear readers. I could black out the offending word but I rather think that would be missing a point. Anyway, here's a letter (and reply from Garth Ennis) published in "Gone to Texas," the letter column of Preacher #35 in March 1998 (Excuse the tiny scan):



Mister Ennis's point? (He does have one.)



With Comic-Con coming up this weekend, remember to be civil, even if asking a confrontational question, to creators and other fans this weekend. Please don't perpetuate the mythology of our fandom being populated by rude uncouth boobs.

Remember it, if for no other reason than Garth Ennis will %$@# you up.

Bully-Con 2009

A serious note.

Hello, everyone. John here. I "help" Bully out with his blog, but there's some things can't be said in the voice of a little stuffed bull.

A couple weeks ago at San Diego Comic-Con incidents of sexual harassment were confided to me and I overheard others. I wanted to write about it but was uncertain whether Bully's blog was the proper place. After much thought and discussions with friends and colleagues I've decided to post it here:

---

Overheard at San Diego Comic-Con while I was having lunch on the balcony of the Convention Center on Sunday July 27: a bunch of guys looking at the digital photos on the camera of another, while he narrated: "These were the Ghostbusters girls. That one, I grabbed her ass, 'cause I wanted to see what her reaction was." This was only one example of several instances of harassment, stalking or assault that I saw at San Diego this time.

1. One of my friends was working at a con booth selling books. She was stalked by a man who came to her booth several times, pestering her to get together for a date that night. One of her co-workers chased him off the final time.

2. On Friday, just before the show closed, this same woman was closing up her tables when a group of four men came to her booth, started taking photographs of her, telling her she was the "prettiest girl at the con." They they entered the booth, started hugging and kissing her and taking photographs of themselves doing so. She was confused and scared, but they left quickly after doing that.

3. Another friend of mine, a woman running her own booth: on Friday a man came to her booth and openly criticized her drawing ability and sense of design. Reports from others in the same section of the floor confirmed he'd targeted several women with the same sort of abuse and criticism.

Quite simply, this behavior has got to stop at Comic-Con. It should never be a sort of place where anyone, man or woman, feels unsafe or attacked either verbally or physically in any shape or form. There are those, sadly, who get off on this sort of behavior and assault, whether it's to professional booth models, cosplayers or costumed women, or women who are just there to work. This is not acceptable behavior under any circumstance, no matter what you look like or how you're dressed, whether you are in a Princess Leia slave girl outfit or business casual for running your booth.

On Saturday, the day after the second event I described above, I pulled out my convention book to investigate what you can do and who you can speak to after such an occurrence. On page two of the book there is a large grey box outlining "Convention Policies," which contain rules against smoking, live animals, wheeled handcarts, recording at video presentations, drawing or aiming your replica weapon, and giving your badge to others. There is nothing about attendee-to-attendee personal behavior.

Page three of the book contains a "Where Is It?" guide to specific Comic-Con events and services. There's no general information room or desk listed, nor is there a contact location for security, so I go to the Guest Relations Desk. I speak to a volunteer manning the desk; she's sympathetic to the situation but who doesn't have a clear answer to my question: "What's Comic-Con's policy and method of dealing with complaints about harassment?" She directs me to the nearest security guard, who is also sympathetic listening to my reports, but short of the women wanting to report the incidents with the names of their harassers, there's little that can be done.

"I understand that," I tell them both, "but what I'm asking is more hypothetical and informational: if there is a set Comic-Con policy on harassment and physical and verbal abuse on Con attendees and exhibitors, and if so, what's the specific procedure by which someone should report it, and specifically where should they go?" But this wasn't a question either could answer.

So, according to published con policy, there is no tolerance for smoking, drawn weapons, personal pages or selling bootleg videos on the floor, and these rules are written down in black and white in the con booklet. There is not a word in the written rules about harassment or the like. I would like to see something like "Comic-Con has zero tolerance for harassment or violence against any of our attendees or exhibitors. Please report instances to a security guard or the Con Office in room 17."

The first step to preventing such harassment is giving its victims the knowledge that they can safely and swiftly report such instances to someone in authority. Having no published guideline, and indeed being unable to give a clear answer to questions about it, gives harassment and violence one more rep-tape loophole to hide behind.

I enjoyed Comic-Con. I'm looking forward to coming back next year. So, in fact, are the two women whose experiences I've retold above. Aside from those instances, they had a good time at the show. But those instances of harassment shouldn't have happened at all, and that they did under no clear-cut instructions about what to do sadly invites the continuation of such behavior, or even worse.

I don't understand why there's no such written policy about what is not tolerated and what to do when this happens. Is there anyone at Comic-Con able to explain this? Does a similar written policy exist in the booklets for other conventions (SF, comics or otherwise) that could be used as a model? Can it be adapted or adapted, and enforced, for Comic-Con? As the leading event of the comics and pop culture world, Comic-Con should work to make everyone who attends feel comfortable and safe.

---

Fellow bloggers have also kindly posted my essay on their sites, and you can also read it at any of the links below.

• Armagideon Time
• BeaucoupKevin.com
• Blog@Newsarama
• ChaosMonkey's Abysmal Pit
• Chris's Invincible Super-Blog
• Mike Sterling's Progressive Ruin
• Ringwood
• TangognaT
• Thoughts, Clippings and Utter Nonsense
• When Fangirls Attack

I'd ask that you please treat the comment sections of my colleagues' blogs with respect for this serious subject. I'm pleased to say that they feel strongly about this subject as well, and thank them for their support on an uncomfortable but vital subject.

Comics oughta be fun. Comic book conventions ought to, as well. But as long as harassment goes on and there is no clear-cut official written rules on convention behavior and what to do in circumstances or physical or mental assault, our hobby runs the risk of alienating and endangering those within it.

---

Edit on 8/22: Girl-Wonder.org has initiated the Con Anti-Harassment Project. This is good news and a step forward to be applauded. Please check out their out their campaign here, especially the thorough and well-written FAQ.

San Diego Comic-Con 2008 Index Sticky

• Off to the Con!
• Day Minus 1: If you need me, me and Neil'll be hangin' out at In-N-Out
• Day 0: Finally, A Flurry of Fandom Frenzy
• Day 1: I'm Bullish on Comic-Con
• Comic-Con Extra: It's such a rush just being with you
• Day 2: In which I imitate King Kong, find Waldo, and am restricted from using the bathroom
• Day 3 from Outer Space
• Day 4: You don't have to go home but you can't stay here
• Comic-Con Aftermath: A Day at the Zoo

and

• Comic-Con 2008 photos
• San Diego Zoo photos

San Diego Comic-Con, Day 4: You don't have to go home but you can't stay here

Like the end of Christmas vacation or the new season of Doctor Who, Comic-Con comes to an end all too quickly, but like both of those things, they'll be back, although you're not guaranteed to see Billie Piper at every one, I'm afraid. This is Day 4 of Comic-Con and while the aisles are busy and frantic, there's a sense of finality about it all, a shadow of the oncoming closing, a last chance to buy $600 Buffy the Vampire Slayer maquettes and to pose for photos with cadres of stormtroopers. Yes, today is the last day, but you c couldn't tell it from the crowds.

I realize I haven't gone into one of the most important aspects of the Con: keeping yourself from getting too hungry on the floor. Eating on a budget is always a challenge in San Diego, but luckily there are heroes who help out when your tummy's a-rumbling. I always recommend the superheroics of Captain Ralph, the iconic mascot of Ralphs Pretty Good Grocery at G Street and First in downtown San Diego. Captain Ralph will battle supervillains to bring you a healthy lunch in a handy cooler case for a mere ten bucks. Best value of the con!:



And when there's snackin' to be had, my good pal JustJenn was always ready for little stuffed bull-sized treats and goodies. Here's one of her justly famous and absolutely delicious mini Burger Bites:



Thanks, Miss JustJenn! That's good burger eatin'!:



She also made my otter pal Shelly some yummy vegan cookies!:



So now you know why I'm always so cheerful and enthusiastic on the show floor: I'm hopped up on delicious, delicious treats.

The fun never stops on the final day of the show, and it's business as usual: busy, busy, busy, busy. I've been coming here for three years and the show gets bigger all the time. They keep saying it can't get any bigger, but how are you gonna stop it? Rumors float around the floor about moving the show to Las Vegas (too hot!), but I'll believe it when I see it. In the meantime, San Diego is here to stay, baby! Why, just ask all these people:



That's a typical crowd—sometimes it's even more hectic—for the final day, and I'm kept busy at the Norton booth cheerfully telling people about our Will Eisner and Annotated and art books and selling Norton title to our fine, fine customers...thank you each and every one for stopping by to see our books! Sorry, lady who didn't pick up Beowulf: The Illustrated Edition in time before we sold out...after all, the motto of Comic-Con is "You snooze, you lose." Or is it "Of all the souls I've encountered in my travels, his was the most...human."? No, come to think of it, it was definitely that snoozing or losing thing.

Busy at is was, I did have time for one last quick spin around the convention hall. Randi and John had brought a bag of stuffed bears to donate to an appeal Stan Sakai's daughter was doing: the bears were donated to a local fire department for use with traumatized young kids following a fire or disaster. An excellent cause and Stan was very friendly and happy that we'd brought some bears. He even did a wonderful sketch for me of a ronin Bully which I'll post on the ol' blog soon. Thanks, Stan!

Of course there was time to drop in on the cow people:



And at the Paramount booth, you could line up at Starfleet computer terminals to help construct the brand-new Enterprise! It was pretty tricky swinging those antimatter engines into place. Mister Scott said I did just fine and those scratches'll buff right out, nae problem!



But y'know what I love best about Comic-Con? It's truly a place for all of us fans to fit in. Why, even if you feel like you don't fit in, you can bring a few friends to help you piece things together:



And all too soon, the lights go down, the tables are folded up, and it's all over except for the Clonetrooper masks.



Whew! That was a busy week of work at Comic-Con. The best way to unwind is to head out for a delicious meal of heart Mexican food at one of my favorite new resturants, the cheerful and colorful Casa Guadalajara in Old Town, a delightful deep-fried, frosty-salty fiesta of a restaurant. They are famous not only for their Mexican food...



...but also for their yummy margaritas, and who am I to argue?:



Oh, don't worry, folks. I only took a tiny teeny weeny sip. It doesn't affect me at all. If anything, a little fruity tropical drink only makes you dive more fully into your dinner...



...and it's a great way to meet and find new friends. Well, hello there, good-looking! Do you come here often? Also, are you by any chance filled with candy?



Yesh...thasha one good marguritaaaaaaa



zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

(Thanks so much for readin' my Comic-Con reports, folks!)

San Diego Comic-Con, Day 3 from Outer Space

You know how I like to say "Stand still in any one place at San Diego Comic-Con and all the Con comes to you eventually?" Well, this morning I was tempted very much to stay in bed and let the Con come to me, because I'm one little weary and hoof-sore bull. But I pulled myself up, brushed myself, and started the day all over again! I'm having a wonderful time but working the Con for 10 or 11 hours at a shot can make Bully a very tired little stuffed bull. Also, all this cheerful talking to folks on the floor has made me a little hoarse. (My kid sister Marshall just said 'You are a little horse? May I ride you around the show?' Oh, how we larfed and larfed. And no, Marshall.)

So here's the whirlwind trip that was Saturday, the busiest day of the Con:

It's easy to overlook among the media companies and film studios and TV networks and appearances by Hollywood stars, genuine celebrities, and Paris Hilton, that it is actually, after all, San Diego Comic-Con. So I celebrated by heading onto the floor, clutching my Hello Kitty change purse in hoof, out to pick up a backpack fulla excellent comics, both mini and maxi.



There's ever so much rich, four-colory, buttery comics goodness at the show it may be tempting to blow all your money at the first booth you see:



But hang onto some onto your hard-earned, Grit-sellin' cash, because there's always more inventory around the corner:



I think I've had dreams where I'm rolling around in piles like this. Naked.



After security has removed me from the comics' sellers section and made me put my clothes back on, I venture over to the action figure aisle, where I spot an old friend at an incredible price. I'm pretty sure Mister Grimm did not intend for his action figure to sell for that much on the after-market!



In the end I settled for buying just one action figure. Now all I need to do is figger out where to display it at home! (Also, how to get it into my luggage:)



Attending one of Comic-Con's hundreds of panels and discussions is a good way to get off your aching hooves for an hour or so. In very much enjoyed going to the Will Eisner tribute panel, with, from left to right, Michael Uslan, Paul Levitz, Carl Gropper, Denis Kitchen. Not making an appearance: Scarlett Johannson. Ah well, you can't have everything.



Despite my best intention, my little button eyes closed for a couple times during the panel. Luckily I could grab a can of invigorating, energizing, caffeine-stuffed Bluto Iced Coffee to vim and vigor myself up. Nice to se Bluto cleaning himself up and getting a real job!



Hey, look, it's Archie the Owlship! Hi, Archie! All aboard the Owlship...no smoking, please!



IT'S A VERY CUTE TRAP!:



As usual, the most fun of the Con is meeting and hanging out with new pals. Here's Black Manta, heading over to steal my tuna fish sammich lunch. Get you own, ya big meanie!



Luckily, the Alien was on hand to whip me up a delicious lunch of eggs. Hmmm, why is my tummy rumbling so much?



It's a lovely day out for everybody at the Con. Here, Henchmen Numbers 21 and 24 enjoy a peaceful Monarch-less afternoon. Say hi to Patricia Heaton and Brad Garrett, guys!



Of course little stuffed me is going to gravitate towards the other, carryable, plush guests of the Con. Here's one of the few attendees who aptly deserves the adjective "Great," Gonzo!:



And here's one of the other folks who fall in the great category: Comics Buyer's Guide's Maggie Thompson! She's delightful and seriously nice!



Here I am hangin' out with my fabulous Dino-Friends, Mister Martin and Mister Sinatra. Whatcha lookin' at, guys? Some fabulous dames?



Here's Scott Shaw! and Sergio Aragonès. The line to meet these guys was a mile long! But well worth it.



Here, Imperial stormtroopers escort away a rebel spy, to interrogate, torture, and execute him later aboard a Star Destroyer. Death to rebel scum! Also, they were collecting canned food for a food drive.



And oh yes. I met Tarot.

There's no more perfect end to a busy day than to laugh yourself silly, so I was happy to have scored tickets to the Live Rifftrax show at downtown San Diego's Balboa Theater to Rifftrax Live, featuring the Rifftrax/former-MST3K crew: Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy (with a special, t-shirt-kickin' appearance by Mike's wife and former Nuveena, Bridget Jones Nelson! The guys cracked wise through a screening of a color version of one of the worst films ever made, the infamous Plan Nine from Outer Space, delighting the audience and sending me into continued howls of laughter. In fact, I laughed so hard milk came out of my nose. And I was not drinking any milk.

That was a long day! So I'm off to bed and heading to Morpheus-land. More tomorrow, the final day of the Con! Stay tuned, Bully-boosters!