Getting MAD In San Diego
Hard to believe but we are only one month away from the start of San Diego Comic Con. I managed to attend for the first time in a few years last year, and it looks like I’ll make it again this year. I still haven’t figured out how to get a booth space or Artist’s Alley table of my own… at least not before I’m living in a “retirement community” somewhere… so you can find me at the National Cartoonists Society booth a few times during the show as well as a signing at the DC Comics booth. If and when specific times are available I’ll post them here.
Also, and this is still somewhat tentative, it looks like there will be a panel discussion about MAD Magazine and the upcoming MAD animated show on the Cartoon Network on Saturday morning. Again, it is tentatively scheduled for 10:00 and some of the possible participants include MAD Magazine editor John Ficarra, MAD Art Director Sam Viviano, legendary MAD artist Sergio Aragones, myself, MAD Story Editor/Producer Kevin Shinick and as host, MAD Creative Exec Peter Girardi.
When the definitive time and panel participants are announced I’ll post that here as well. Hope to see you in San Diego!
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Being 40 and having been exposed to mad when they included the single “makin’ out” in a super special back in the 70s, I am amazed at the durability of the mag and how it continues to evolve. That having been said, the cancellation of madtv was a shame. Cant wait to hear more about the new project!
I think I’ll wait to see you at Comic Con when it finally moves to Anaheim or LA. Of course, nothing has been announced, but Anaheim and LA are lobbying pretty hard to get the Con to move into their much larger convention centers. I’ve enjoyed my past visits, but man…it’s just too damned crowded now. So, unless the city pops for a possible convention center expansion, I’m afraid I’ll be skipping the San Diego Con for the foreseeable future.
I agree. It’s outgrown San Diego. As charming as the Gaslamp district and the city is the reality is that it’s too big now for anyone to be able to enjoy. When it’s sold out months before the event and hotel rooms are booked solid within a 20 mile radius the needs of the conventioneers are no longer being met. I’ll be sad when it leaves San Diego but I just cannot see it continuing there without a major infrastructure upgrade of the downtown area. it would take a 50% increase in convention space just to begin to loosen up that crush of humanity.
I’ve heard it said that getting into SDCC boothspace is like getting a New York City cab medallion. You either have to inherit it, or buy the space when someone else dies.
I think it’d be interesting to make space juried. Perhaps we’d see some shakeups in the dealer room that way.