Did any of you go? Any stories to share? I heard that IMWAN member, Kurt Busiek, battled Mark Waid in a trivia contest. What happened?

Mark won, but it was a squeaker.

I was actually ahead for most of the contest, which somehow just didn't seem right...

kdb

I went to Baltimore SHOW! A good time, but fairly low-key. Didn't really come away with much of anything special, either.

The good:

Taking a butt break outside, and Jim Starlin walks up to join us---I light his cig. We make non-comic small-talk, Jim inquires about John G's t-shirt that has my icon on it.

We wait for a long while to get Mike Grell's signature, then he says he's not signing til 4. A little while later he catches us in the aisle, and signs for us.

B'S'ing with Howard Chaykin and Mike Kaluta.

We see Steve Rude, Paul Gulacy and Frank Brunner in Baltimore's Inner Harbor area.

On the way out of the parking deck Saturday night, we see Marty Nodell being pushed along the sidewalk by his son. We pull over and say "Hey."

We decide to go back Sunday morning, despite only having passes for Saturday, we see Mike Grell walking down the street, we pull over for a brief chit-chat.

We talk the guy at the entry point into giving us three exhibitor badges so we can get in Sunday.

The bad:

The guy in front of us in the Paul Gulacy line who had about 100 books for him to sign, plus Gulacy seems easily distracted and chatty. That took forever.

The guy who dressed in the Green Lantern, Superboy and the Ray costumes (yes, he had at least three that he changed into).

The bad gas that permeated the convention hall (not all of it our doing).

Johnny Romita charging for signatures.

The ugly:

The line for Kurt Busiek signatures was too long, so I snatched his name card that he's signed his name to Sunday morning.

But Romita was raising money for ACTOR, wasn't he?

He was doing drawings for ACTOR for auction, I don't know if the money for sigs was for them or not. He didn't seem structure the time for autographs well at all. I went by several times on Saturday to get one, but couldn't. The same Sunday morning, until I had to go.

So that's where it went!

I was using that to let people know when I'd be back...

kdb

I have no excuse. Fortunately, it was only gone Sunday.

Baaaaaaaad Johnny.

Don't worry Mr. Busiek. He'll be disciplined accordingly.

I must return it, poste haste!

This is almost as heinous as when Harlan Ellison confiscated your french fries.

And the hamburger.

But I didn't really want them, so that was okay...

kdb

Wow. The internet's weird. Who'da thunk that you'd "see" the guy who swapped your name card?

Johnny's one of the "good guys," btw. I'll vouch for him.

(Of course, I don't know who'll vouch for ME. )

I'll vouch for Bob. He's from WISCONSIN.

What I'm wondering is if people knew who Kurt was for the rest of Sunday since he didn't have the name card there. (I'm also assuming he had to find alternate signage for when he stepped away.)

This could really turn into an American Express commercial. "Hi. Do you know me?..."

Thank you, Linda! That's very nice of you.

...especially since I never did send you any cheese!

He's a stealin' stealer, you cheesehead!

On the other hand, I've got at least seven relatives in Wisconsin, so I can't hardly complain about cheeseheads too loud...

kdb

I made a new sign by turning Mark Waid's inside out and writing on it with an ink-filled implement.

At least, that's what I did after Mark was gone for the day. Before that, the long line of people with books I wrote seemed to tip people off. Or maybe it was my name-tag.

I didn't actually create another way to let people know when I'd be back -- I'd been on the road for over two weeks by then, and having my namecard vanish exhausted what was left of my pitiful store of ingenuity at that point.

kdb

Are you able to get any writing done when you're on a road trip like that?

The first week, yes.

The second week ... not so you'd notice.

kdb

A week's worth is still pretty good! I would imagine that all the stresses of travel combined with a busy convention schedule make it hard to concentrate when you do have some time to write.

I seem to recall that Harlan replaced the purloined burger and fries with an apple. I think John owes you a pack of Post It notes.

That's all right. Save up the ingenuity for the stories you write. You've been doin' fine with it so far.