Andrew: 1:07

Okay, so it is now officially recording.

Catherine: 1:09

Okay. Just just be aware, so anything you say can and will be used against me in a court of law.

Andrew: 1:15

Most definitely. Welcome once again, travelers, to another episode of the legends Lute and Lore podcast. Joe is still MIA. He is continuing to coach youth soccer, so good luck to their team out there. This is a special edition of legends Lute and Lore. This is the New York Comic Con edition of the podcast. Joining me today is special guest. This is this is a rarity. This person normally does not like to be in the public, does not like to people to look at them, talk to them. It is an exclusive one-on-one interview. My co-host for today is actually my wife, Catherine. Hello, dear Hello.

Catherine: 2:15

Thank you for letting me out of my little cage.

Andrew: 2:17

You are, you're welcome. I don't know, I don't know how you actually got out, but anyway, the cats are good at picking locks with their claws.

Andrew: 2:26

The cats are good at picking locks. So anyway, thank you, thank you really for for being here. We Comic Con, new York Comic Con, just wrapped up today and we we spent two out of the four days there. That was about all we could handle the crowds, especially this weekend. Saturday was Saturday was brutal.

Andrew: 2:48

It was a rainy day here in New York City and everybody was indoors, so it was more mobbed than usual. According to all the the photos that we saw posted on social media, it was, it was quite the mess so. So we were glad not to have been that, but we we did the Thursday Friday thing, saw tons of stuff, saw lots of great costumes, got to meet some great celebrities. We did some photo ops. We we may or may not have purchased some materials. I have gotten all sorts of new dungeons and dragons goodies, so I am very excited and and looking forward to talking about that. So we're going to do a recap of all things. New York Comic Con. So what was your overall um reaction to this year's New York Comic Con? This is how many, how many times have we gone? Probably?

Catherine: 3:44

I think we started in 2014 or 2013.

Andrew: 3:48

Right.

Catherine: 3:49

So we've probably gone six or seven years out of that, okay.

Andrew: 3:53

So yeah, six or seven times Things. Things have definitely grown over over that time and somehow they still managed to fit it all inside the the Jacob Javits convention center. But so what? What's your take on on this year's Comic Con? Definitely more crowded than previous years.

Catherine: 4:12

Thursday I've historically thought of as quiet. Right, it was not quiet. We got there about an hour after opening. We usually get there right around opening but we figured we'd rather miss the crowds at the beginning of the day and that worked out perfectly. Yeah, that was some of the advice you had read online From New York Comic Con. From New.

Andrew: 4:33

York Comic Con was to arrive about an hour after the doors actually opened because there's a there's a huge mob of people that are waiting there, really to just kind of storm the gates as it, as it opens up. But if you, if you wait, just just even well, even on Friday, even wait half an hour, 45 minutes to an hour, you're, you're much better off getting in without having to wait in in big, long lines and crowds. If that's not your, not your thing.

Catherine: 4:59

Yeah, absolutely I did so. Yeah, definitely felt like it was a lot more crowded. Thursday was actually felt more crowded than Friday. We talked about that. Yes, which?

Andrew: 5:09

was weird, yeah, that that did feel really weird.

Catherine: 5:12

I feel like they had a really good group of guests this year, way more what I would think of as A-list celebrities than in past years. Yeah, I mean Chris Evans, ewan McGregor, I mean, I don't know if David Tennant would be the average person's A-lister, but he's certainly one of mine. He's, he's, he's. I think he's still a big, a pretty big get Well, especially with the amount of good Omens cosplay we saw this weekend, he's definitely gotten more of a place in the mainstream than he had previously, just as Doctor who.

Andrew: 5:44

And he and he's now officially entered the Star Wars universe.

Catherine: 5:47

That's right. Yeah, who Yang yeah?

Andrew: 5:49

The the droid. So that was not not that I knew. I don't know how many people actually look up to see who voices the different characters, but yeah, he was. He's been doing that voice now, yep. So I don't know if that's his first voice or no, he's doing Scrooge McDuck on DuckTales.

Catherine: 6:06

Scrooge McDuck on DuckTales.

Andrew: 6:08

No, but I mean his first Star Wars, oh his first Star Wars. His first Star Wars voiceover.

Catherine: 6:12

I don't know. Hmm, my obsession with David Tennant doesn't go that far. No well, I'm sorry to hear that.

Andrew: 6:17

It goes fairly far it goes fairly far, but not that far, not that far Got it.

Catherine: 6:21

But yeah, so there there was a really, I think, a good assortment of folks too. I mean, they had the entire cast of Critical Role, right? Yeah, the yes.

Andrew: 6:29

And so for all of our D&D listeners out there, yes, the entire cast of Critical Role made an appearance at at New York Comic Con. For me that was really huge. We did not, we were not lucky enough to get reservations at the, at their panel, I think. I think they were a main stage panel If I were, they were.

Catherine: 6:49

I tried, but by the time I got in they were totally sold out, yeah.

Andrew: 6:54

So that's been one of the things that they've really changed over over the years is really really I don't want to say making things more difficult, but making things more more regimented. Everything is now reservation based. I mean, the photo ops have always been reservation based, but autographs are now all written. Yeah, panels Are now all written. I mean cause I don't know how, like San Diego, comic Con operates all that stuff, but but like panels and everything is, you've got to fight to get a reservation and so there's no chance, is it? You kind of walk into Comic Con knowing exactly what you are, what you're going to be doing. There's no kind of at a whim saying, hey, let me check out this panel, cause if you don't have a reservation, you're you're not getting in.

Catherine: 7:37

Although there were some standby lines.

Andrew: 7:39

I noticed that.

Catherine: 7:40

Yeah, I don't know how many people actually get in off of those, and I think that's the one big thing we really didn't do this year because we did have the two days and we had a ton of photo ops. We didn't go to a single panel.

Andrew: 7:52

We did not. We tried. There were a couple of panels that we were interested in.

Catherine: 7:56

I really would have liked to go to the slayers panel, but it was the same time as our Chris Evans photo ops, so I gave that one up.

Andrew: 8:02

So so what is for for everyone listening? What is slayers?

Catherine: 8:07

So it is an audio book adventure that is a continuation of the Buffy. The vampire slayer universe features James Masters back as spike, Charisma Carpenter as Cordy. It's got Amber Benson as Tara. Emma Caulfield is back, so I think she's a ghost now in the comics. So, that's what she's playing here and I've only just started it because with school I have very little time for listening to things at the moment but from what I understand, we get like alternate dimension Cordy, who is a slayer.

Andrew: 8:41

Sorry for spoilers If you're a big Buffy fan, but if you're a big Buffy fan, it shouldn't be a spoiler.

Catherine: 8:47

Well, that's true, unless you haven't listened to it yet. And you don't read everything like I do.

Andrew: 8:53

Okay, but yeah.

Catherine: 8:54

So I mean, what I've listened to so far has been great. I would have enjoyed the panel. They had a bunch of extra people there who weren't actually signing and doing photographs at Comic Con. But you know, you make your choices and when we get to talking about our photo ops, the Chris Evans one was definitely the better option for us to bring joy to one of our best friends. Yes, indeed.

Andrew: 9:17

Yeah, we will talk about that. Yeah, I was. I had hoped to. I had hoped to get to the panel about running D&D at your local library, which I thought was going to be really interesting, but I think that that conflicted with our Matt Mercer of all things photo ops.

Andrew: 9:32

So yeah, so I again we'll talk about that in a little bit but there's a ton of great panels. I think they're doing a really good job with having a lot of pride related LGBTQ content as well, you know really really broadening the scope of panel content for different groups that have kind of somewhat been, I think I would say, marginalized in pop culture but but don't necessarily get get their representation at at a lot of the cons. So I thought that was really exciting to to see that when I was looking through the list of all the different panels that they were offering this year.

Catherine: 10:18

Yeah, and I think the thing that's consistent every year is that it feels like such a safe space to be in. Even though there's so many people, I feel like they're my people. So, you know, standing in line or sitting around, you meet so many nice people and it just feels like such a comfortable place to be, even though I dislike crowds and being in tight spaces and you know, everything I love involves crowds in tight spaces, which is unfortunate but it at least feels like a very safe place to be despite it all.

Andrew: 10:55

Yeah, Despite despite me having an almost anxiety attack with with how many people were there I was, I literally was getting the notification on my Apple watch that my my resting heart rate was like over 120 or something like that, even even though I had been sitting still for for 10 minutes. Yeah, and it was like you might want to have a how that looked at, but it was. It was still. It was still a lot, of, a lot of fun being there Again. Yeah, the crowds were great. You know, everybody was great. Like all the celebrities that we met were super nice.

Andrew: 11:36

I think probably the only, maybe one of the only issues I had at Comic-Con was was the Epic, the, the company that runs the photo ops. It got. It got a little there was. I don't know if this was for for all the photo ops, but when we were, when we were doing they were. They backed up the Matt Mercer photo ops right behind like the critical role team up photos and it just I don't know if they, if they weren't expecting that many people, but it was.

Andrew: 12:11

It was a ton of people, so they were running late and it felt like we heard from at least one person like just be patient with me. This is my first day and I was like, geez, if, if New York city Comic-Con is your, your first day on the job, like that's, that's really throwing someone into the, into the deep end to to learn how to swim fast. So I would, I would have, I had a little just I wouldn't say negative experience, but it wasn't. It wasn't the, it wasn't to the level that I'm I come to expect from from New York Comic-Con.

Catherine: 12:49

Well, yeah, because I think in the past we've had pretty consistently good experiences with Epic Photo Ops. They seem to schedule things pretty well, they keep the lines moving really quickly.

Catherine: 12:59

You generally don't have that kind of weight, so I think that was surprising. But I also suspect that they may not have understood how popular critical role is Right, because they backed that up to the full group critical role. Photo ops I think what you had was a lot of people who were very excited. Yes, and while and people may not realize this if they're coming for the first time but a photo op is literally you walk in, you take the picture, you walk out, you don't spend time talking, there's no hugging, there's just hello. How are you? Click gone.

Andrew: 13:40

Probably five to 10 in in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in. Unless you're, unless you're planning some elaborate pose.

Catherine: 13:46

I mean, we had an elaborate pose and we still were in it out.

Andrew: 13:49

Yeah, it's like a five to 10 second interaction with the celebrity. So it's, it's not, it's nothing. You get a better experience. If you really want to spend a little bit more time with them, you're better off going the autograph route then than trying to do the celebrity photo op, cause that is literally just. It's a machine. You're just in, out in, out in out. They work it very quickly. But that was probably the only and again I can't call it a negative experience, it's just the only difficulty we had.

Catherine: 14:27

Yeah, I mean, it was surprising. I think, more than anything.

Andrew: 14:29

Yeah, it's, I think, I think maybe, and the problem is there's really no other place to host an event that size. I mean, that's the biggest venue in New York for that sort of thing, and it's almost like they're out outgrowing it.

Catherine: 14:49

Well, I mean Impass Jars. I don't know if they did it this year, but Impass Jars. There were panels in different buildings and events that were, I mean, you know, a few years ago I went to that. Some of the bigger events, the Walking Dead yeah, at Madison Square Garden which is you know, if people don't realize, like clear across town you're walking from, well, I walked from 11th all the way across to seventh, so you know it's not a short walk.

Andrew: 15:13

It is not a short walk.

Catherine: 15:14

And, unfortunately, I think that's just how New York is laid out for this kind of stuff, right? You know, the Javits is the biggest and we actually had lunch with a friend today who couldn't believe that it took up all of the Javits. And it's like it takes up all of the Javits and then some.

Andrew: 15:27

And then some for sure. So let's do this. So that's kind of the general gist of Comic-Con. Let's dive into some of the fun stuff. So let's talk about one of my favorite things We've done it in the past, but I love to see everybody else is the cosplay that goes on at Comic-Con. It goes from very simple things. We just typically, especially with our photo ops, we typically just kind of wear some nerdy, geeky themed t-shirt, but it goes from that all the way to immensely elaborate costumes and it's incredible. I've seen people dressed up like from the Transformers in the past. What were some of your favorites from this year?

Catherine: 16:24

There was an absolute ton of Rocky Horror Picture Show cosplay because of Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon being there, and I think the various Franken-Footers and the one guy that we saw as Eddie, complete with Saxophone, were probably my favorites. But there was also a lot of Good Omens, all of which were very fun to see. Tons and tons of Barbie and Ken, and the Barbies and Ken's were particularly entertaining because of the amount of hi Barbie going on around us.

Andrew: 16:58

Yes, I saw a lot there was a lot of Barbie and weird Barbie A lot of weird.

Catherine: 17:07

Barbie A lot of weird Barbie.

Andrew: 17:09

I think everybody really loved the Kate McKinnon character, so there was a lot of weird Barbie going on, but there was just a lot of hi Barbie, hi Barbie, just going.

Catherine: 17:20

I loved it.

Andrew: 17:21

Going on.

Catherine: 17:22

As we were leaving on Friday, there was a guy dressed as Ken just standing in the middle of the main area finding every Barbie he could see and yelling hi Barbie. And then finding Ken's and yelling hi Ken and I don't know. I think the people watching is one of my favorite things, because it's just so interesting to see the breath of things that people are interested in.

Andrew: 17:48

For sure. Yeah, there are so many, so many different fandoms I think you mentioned. Yeah, there was a lot of. There's always, and I think I see it every year, because there's usually always somebody there associated with Doctor who, so you see a lot of people dressed up as their, as their favorite doctor, a lot of Star Wars. This year, with you and McGregor being there, I think there's always a lot of Star Wars.

Catherine: 18:14

Oh, absolutely, I'm trying to think of what A lot of Star Trek, because they had the Star Trek booth with the Kid Cudi collaboration.

Andrew: 18:21

Yes, for sure. So let's do a little offshoot on that. So, yeah, so Kid Cudi is doing a collaboration with Star Trek and doing some. He's writing a song, if I recall correctly, writing a song about kind of not about Star Trek, but inspired by Star Trek, I think is the terminology they were using in the promo. But yeah, some really cool streetwear, some cool jackets, t-shirts and other things. There was some really cool stuff. I loved the Be Me Up Scotty t-shirt. I thought that was super, super cool. So that was exciting. Yes, there was a lot of Star Trek people. I'm trying to think of who else. Well, you got to see Miss Piggy from Pigs In Space.

Catherine: 19:13

So good. I mean, I don't know if anyone even remembers Pigs In Space, but it was an old Muppet Skit.

Andrew: 19:20

Much love to you if you do remember Pigs In Space.

Catherine: 19:22

Absolutely, you're my people. I had for my Atari. I had the Pigs In Space game.

Andrew: 19:31

And I loved the Pigs In Space game. I can't believe we went that far back.

Catherine: 19:34

Yeah, I mean, I would have been eight or nine.

Andrew: 19:38

Wow.

Catherine: 19:40

So we're talking like 1984-ish 1984,.

Andrew: 19:45

Yeah, I guess so I mean the height of the Muppet Show.

Catherine: 19:48

Yeah.

Andrew: 19:49

Pigs In Space would have been a big one.

Catherine: 19:51

Yeah, absolutely, we loved that game.

Andrew: 19:54

Yeah.

Catherine: 19:55

It was probably the one that got the most play at our house, so I saw Miss Piggy. I got very excited.

Andrew: 20:02

Yes, you did.

Catherine: 20:03

I did. It was great Trying to think of what else we saw, though, Like other cosplay, lots and lots of anime, which unfortunately, I don't recognize much of it other than one piece. That might be all I recognize.

Andrew: 20:20

Yeah, I noticed a few attack on Titan outfits.

Catherine: 20:23

Yes, I know what that is Like. I know what it is, but I wouldn't recognize the costumes.

Andrew: 20:28

I recognize the costumes by the symbols, the emblems that they have on their costumes. That's how it's recognizable to me.

Catherine: 20:38

I don't recognize actual individual characters from the show, but there was that one mutant ninja turtle that we literally saw everywhere.

Andrew: 20:47

Yes, there was this one young guy as one of the turtles and we would take the ferry over from Jersey to the show each day and he was there both mornings and then we ran into him multiple times throughout the show, just seeing him on the show floor down in Artist Alley or whatever. Yeah, that was pretty funny. But there was some fantastic cosplay this year. I mean, there always is, I shouldn't say just this year. There always is, but there was probably one of the big ones this year was Barbie. Oh, absolutely Because of the popularity of the movie. A lot of good omens. I think a lot of it is based on some of the celebrity photo ops that were there. Like you said, rocky Horror. The guy behind us in line for the photo op was Fantastic Frankenfutter.

Andrew: 21:45

Loved him so much he was a great guy too. He really was. It was funny he's. We were talking about more.

Catherine: 21:53

Catherine was talking about the discomfort of wearing heels, and he took his off for a little while, while we waited in line.

Andrew: 22:01

He took his off, he took his shoes off to wait, because it was a long not a long wait, but it was a wait to get in there to get our photos taken. But I'm trying to think of what else. You just see what I didn't see this year. I saw a couple of them, deadpool.

Catherine: 22:22

Yeah, not many, that's true.

Andrew: 22:24

Usually I see a lot of deadpool there were. Oh, we saw the one from the Last of Us.

Catherine: 22:32

Oh, that was really cool. One of the clickers.

Andrew: 22:34

Yeah, her costume was super cool.

Catherine: 22:36

Super, super scoop. Oh, and then there was like the big Chucky contingent. They're really pushing that Chucky show.

Andrew: 22:42

Yeah, there was a lot of.

Catherine: 22:44

I don't know if they were there as like promotion or oh, yeah, they were, yeah, yeah they were, they were paid.

Andrew: 22:53

Yeah, they were paid people there dressed up as as Chucky, carrying Chuckies around, it was.

Catherine: 22:58

Creepy.

Andrew: 22:59

Yeah, it was a whole.

Catherine: 23:01

Wasn't a big fan of that.

Andrew: 23:02

No, it was a whole big thing, but again, I think I think, if we go again, maybe one day just to dress up in costume, because I've got one costume that I've been working on in my head and that is so we have. I'm a big fan of Daredevil and, as I mentioned before, on the podcast we have a cat, a blind cat, who we named Daredevil. We go by, she goes by DD, so we have a cat named Daredevil. So I was thinking about and I've played, I've played Indy and Dia Blind Tabaxi Monk, who I named Draftganger, which is German for Daredevil.

Andrew: 23:58

So I was thinking of doing a kind of a feline Daredevil mashup and I was going to create a character called Cat Perdock and so dress up in the attorney suit of Matt Murdock but also have like cat ears, paws et cetera and work on something like that. So I still I didn't have enough time, I didn't. I just didn't have the patience to work on it for this year and we had so many photo ops I kind of like don't necessarily like to be in in like costume for for the photo ops, so so maybe next year I'll just, I'll just pick a day to go in as as Cat Perdock, maybe, maybe I'll enter the cosplay competition with that, if it, if it looks good enough.

Catherine: 24:45

Yeah.

Andrew: 24:45

Why not, but anyway, so that's, that's some of the cosplay that we saw let's talk about, cause I don't have this on my list of things to talk about today, but it it it, as we were discussing this Artist Alley, which is such a fantastic part of of Comic-Con that I feel like not everybody necessarily participates in that, in that part of Comic-Con, like, unless you're like a real big comic book person, you may not realize everything that Artist Alley has to, has to offer. It's, for me, it's one of the coolest places. It's a. It's it's where you get to to meet a lot of the, the artists that draw and and design these books. I mean, you get to meet them face to face. So it's, it's there. There are celebrities in their their own right and there's just so much to so many people to to see and meet down there and so much cool artwork, like beyond just the like, the comic book cover artwork. These are, these are tremendous artists. So there there's so many. Was it Darrell from Run DMC?

Catherine: 26:05

I don't know.

Andrew: 26:07

DMC.

Catherine: 26:08

Yes.

Andrew: 26:10

Of Run Pardon, my wife she's. She needs a moment.

Catherine: 26:21

You look at me so seriously, like was it, darrell, no.

Andrew: 26:27

I don't know.

Catherine: 26:31

What I will say is was it Darrell?

Andrew: 26:35

That's Darrell McDaniels.

Catherine: 26:37

Okay, so what I will say?

Andrew: 26:38

That's the DMC, Darrell McDaniels.

Catherine: 26:41

So what I will say about Darrell McDaniels is that he's a lovely human being.

Andrew: 26:46

So tell the story about you and our friend Nicole went down to his booth in Artist Alley and go ahead.

Catherine: 26:53

Because he is also an artist. Yes, and he was selling children's books. So Nicole asked for him to sign the book. She purchased the book to sign it to her two sons and I'm not going to say their names, just in case and he signed it to her older son, picked up another book and said they can't share, and gave her another book and made it out to her second son.

Andrew: 27:21

Well, she corrected him that he only made it out to the ones. No, no, no, I thought that's what she said.

Catherine: 27:27

No, she asked him to make it out to both and he started making it out to the one and she was like and and he was like no, no, no, no, no. And that's when he picked up the second book and yeah. So I mean just a lovely human being. You know, it was funny because Nicole is the last person you will find at Comic Con.

Andrew: 27:48

The very one of the very last.

Catherine: 27:50

Yeah, I mean genuinely, and I thought it was really fun how many things she was actually interested in doing.

Andrew: 27:59

Right.

Catherine: 28:00

You know, she checked out the booths with us. We bought the same T-shirt, we did the photo op, we went to that booth and then she went back up to get a video for a friend who was big into I guess it was WWE at the time, right.

Andrew: 28:17

WWF. Yeah, back in the day. Yes, before the lawsuit.

Catherine: 28:21

Right. So I mean kind of funny that she spent as much time there as she did.

Andrew: 28:26

Yes.

Catherine: 28:27

When she, I think, initially expected to come in, take the photo and leave.

Andrew: 28:33

That's, that's. That's a big thing. I think that there really is probably almost something for everybody at at a at a Comic Con, especially especially the big one, san Diego and New York Comic Con. There is, there is something for everyone.

Catherine: 28:48

Well, and Nicole's an artist. She's a graphic artist.

Andrew: 28:50

Right.

Catherine: 28:51

So, going down into Artist Alley, I don't think she expected to find what she did down there.

Andrew: 28:55

Right. So that's why I said it. Yeah, People don't. People think Artist Alley and they're not. They don't necessarily put together what it, what it really is.

Catherine: 29:02

Well, because I think you think about comic book art, right, because you're at a comic book convention Exactly. But these are yes, they're comic book artists, but they're also just artists in their own right, and I mean, a lot of what they produce is beautiful. It really is.

Andrew: 29:18

I mean, I was the one, the one disappointment, and I can't hold it against them because they are. They're going to be playing some concerts. What was Billy?

Catherine: 29:28

Oh, billy Martin, yeah.

Andrew: 29:30

Billy Martin of Good Charlotte, who again odd to think that Billy Martin of Good Charlotte is also a comic book artist is a, is a, is a.

Catherine: 29:39

For Marvel.

Andrew: 29:41

For Marvel is an artist himself, a tremendous artist, I mean he did. He did some of the cover, the album art for for Good Charlotte as well. But I want to say I think it was it was last New York Comic Con, or did I reach out to him? I reached out to him in between, yeah, in between Comic Con. So I really wanted to get.

Andrew: 30:04

We're both, catherine and I, are both really big Disney fans and I think I mentioned on this podcast we sit in a room that is decorated with all sorts of things from themed from the haunted mansion at Disney World and Disneyland, and so I wanted a tattoo of the hitchhiking ghosts from from the ride, and I love we, we. We had a portrait commission from Billy at the last Comic Con, which which we absolutely love, and so I I reached out to to his people to be like, hey, you know, because I knew, I knew he took commission, so I'm like would he be willing to design, you know, draw the hitchhiking ghosts for me, that I could get it as a as a as a tattoo? So so he did and it's it's on my, my right shoulder, and I absolutely love it. And I was, I was really hoping he would be there this year so I could. I could show him that I actually finally got the tattoo of his, of his work Cause I was kind of bummed that he wasn't going to be there, but yeah, he had to.

Andrew: 31:09

They're. They're playing some shows next week, I think right when we were young.

Catherine: 31:12

fast in Vegas, the one, the one that we're getting out before.

Andrew: 31:16

Yes, we're, we're, we're leaving, we're hitting Vegas next week, for for you too. So, yeah, we're gonna, we're gonna miss that.

Catherine: 31:24

I mean festival. You know well, I don't think I'd want to go to that festival because it's insane, but I think.

Andrew: 31:34

It's really good. Too many people, well, too many people, but the, but the artists.

Catherine: 31:39

I mean the artists are everyone I love. So, yeah, I mean good charlotte's, my favorite band has been for years. Um, but yeah it just I I watched when we were young, fast to go on via social media last year and that is crazy and I am too old. Yes, I mean, I think that's what it comes down to, Right.

Andrew: 32:01

I'm too old for that now.

Catherine: 32:03

Yes, I mean as much as I'd like to not be, I am, but that's what they're practicing for. And they also did a surprise appearance. Um, oh, cause the twins. Just I forget what happened. The twins just announced something and then there was a surprise. Good charlotte appearance at that announcement Right, right, right, that's right. So, um, I think they've just been practicing for quite some time now, Like they haven't played together in a long time, so I would imagine it takes a little time to get it all back together.

Andrew: 32:34

I'm sure.

Catherine: 32:35

But Billy shows up at a bunch of shows.

Andrew: 32:37

So I'm sure we'll run into eventually, maybe awesome con or something like that later this year, cause I think he, I think he does awesome.

Catherine: 32:42

Yeah, yeah, I'm pretty sure you're right.

Andrew: 32:45

Yeah, so, so artist alley is just a super cool place. So if you, if you ever go to one of the the bigger cons and you see that they have an artist alley, definitely check it out. Going back to, this is supposedly a D and D podcast, so so there there are tons of artists that that draw D and D related stuff. So, um, so definitely go go down there and check it out. It is not just comic book kind of artwork, you know, there's. There's so much, so much more to it than that. So definitely give artist alley a a look if you, if you ever get the opportunity it's.

Andrew: 33:21

We had to this year. We had to kind of avoid artist alley, because we always go down there and end up buying a bunch of prints and hanging them up in the house and then we're to be we, we don't live in a big house, we live in a small little um Cape Cod, and so there's not a ton of wall space and we are quickly running out of wall space, considering how many cons we've been to and how many pieces of artwork we've we've purchased. So we, we had to kind of put put a hold on buying any new artwork this year, which is really not disappointing, but but it's tough cause it's just, you see so many, there are so many talented artists out there and it's just, it's just such a cool place to a cool place to be and definitely, definitely check it out. But let's let's go on to our next topic.

Catherine: 34:16

Okay.

Andrew: 34:17

I could go on about artist alley. I mean we walked by Bob camp from Ren's Tempe and love, love all that stuff. But anyway, one of the one of the most enjoyable parts to to Comic Con are the celebrities and you you get, you can have the opportunity of getting getting autographs from from celebrities and also photo ops with celebrities. You know, for me it was interesting, like I feel like, especially with you and McGregor, I feel like there were a lot of business people getting like collectibles, people getting things autographed by you and McGregor to to sell.

Andrew: 35:08

Yeah, probably because a lot of that the autographs are not cheap, and I'm sure the resale value on them is even even higher on that. So there's definitely probably some profit there.

Catherine: 35:20

But which kind of stinks for people who just want to meet someone that they admire.

Andrew: 35:24

I agree.

Catherine: 35:25

Yeah.

Andrew: 35:26

I agree that that's. That's why, like, that's why the reservation system yeah, I feel like it's almost. It's almost becoming like like a ticketmaster concert where where all the all the resellers are are taking up all the slots and all the true fans don't necessarily get to get to get in there and meet their not meet their heroes, but meet the people that they're, they're big fans of.

Catherine: 35:51

The thing is, I don't think that doing away with the reservation system would fix that, because all those resellers would just get in the line or send somebody to get in the line. So I think you'd have that no matter what.

Andrew: 36:03

Oh no, certainly. But I mean, then you've got to physically stand in the line like just like everybody else, like I feel like there's.

Catherine: 36:10

Yeah, but I think they would literally just like send a minion.

Andrew: 36:13

Yeah, but you got to, but then you've got to buy a ticket for every one of those minions that to the show, yeah. So that's why I feel like it's like New York Comic Con is only going to encourage it because they just sell tickets to the show, which is which is all they need to do. So so that's a little bit frustrating, but it was just. It was just disappointing because I spent a lot of time just sitting there in between our photo ops just watching all these what clearly were resellers getting getting fun, co pops getting getting lightsaber hilt and things autographed by you and McGregor that that you knew were going to be put on sale. Some of them, some of them, were wearing exhibitor badges, so you knew this stuff was going to go right up to the floor, right up to the show floor, and be put up for sale, you know, minutes later. So that, like to me, that just that was kind of disappointing to see. But but again, I hope everybody that wanted to meet there's meet the celebrities, got the, got the chance to.

Andrew: 37:14

Let's talk about who we actually got to got to see. Let's start with Thursday. So who was?

Catherine: 37:20

who was our Thursday was supposed to be Karen Gillan who seems to pull out of every show that we purchase a photo op for her.

Andrew: 37:27

We have bad luck with Karen Gillan. There is, there is something she doesn't like us. I don't know why, karen. I don't know why you don't like us, but every time we we purchase a photo op, you you back out on that day that we purchased a photo op. We love you, we still, we love you, but why do you hate us?

Catherine: 37:45

we love you, but I love Catherine Tate more.

Andrew: 37:48

Oh snap, maybe that's why, maybe she knows that she knows, donna is my favorite companion but Amy Pond. Well, I mean the ponds, mr and Mrs Pond, I mean.

Catherine: 37:59

I have no problem with Karen Gillan. I would love the photo yes but it just doesn't seem to be in the cards no, it is.

Catherine: 38:09

I think it's been at least twice it has been twice it's been twice, so I know just from if there's a third time, then we know something is up but I know from watching social media that this seems to happen a lot with her schedule yeah she says she's going to be somewhere and then all of a sudden she isn't. I mean that's unfortunate this time she didn't pull out of the con entirely she was there other days, but but not our day well, and she was sold out for the other day we were going to be there so they literally just refunded the ticket instead of giving us an opportunity to actually get an op with her right.

Andrew: 38:39

Which kind of stunk yeah, for sure so no, karen Gillan no, karen Gillan, but Matt Mercer. Matt Mercer, let's talk Matt Mercer. So for again, for all you D&D fans out there, matt Mercer is, is a god among gods. For for D&D he is, he is well, he's a, he's a tremendous voice over actor in his own right, but, but again, he is, he is the, the DM that all of us have looked up to, and he, he is just such a tremendous champion, I think, for for the D&D community. He's really helped this kind of groundswell of popularity really making D&D a big thing with with Fox, machina and Critical Role, etc. So we, I, I, I kind of wanted the, the team-up photo for Critical Role, but that was just way too expensive.

Andrew: 39:37

I think, also sold out by the time we got probably yeah, that was, that was a tough one we were lucky to get, matt Mercer yeah, so so I won that Mercer for for the photo op. This was, this was, this was where we struggled, waiting in line, because it was, it was the team-up photo, I think, of all Critical Role right before this and there was just they were, they were behind schedule. So we we got there about 20 minutes before we were supposed to like, before they told us to be there. So we were there early, we were there late. It was. It was probably we were least in line for an hour waiting to to get to that five to ten seconds with Matt Mercer. But but what was so nice was like you could, you could, you could hear, you could you could hear. We were standing outside the where they were, where they were doing the photos, and you could hear the cast of Critical Role. They were just, they were just such nice you could just tell people were having a good time. They were, they were nice, they were friendly.

Andrew: 40:38

Matt was was super nice, yeah, absolutely super welcoming. He was very game for for whatever people wanted to do in in the photo ops. So it was, it was super cool. It was just, it was just really, really neat getting to, getting to meet him and and meet him in person. So I was, I was super excited that one was.

Andrew: 40:58

That one was a lot of fun. I would. I would probably well next time I'd love to get and get like his autograph and like like meet him at an autographing table just to talk more than the five to ten seconds. It is for the for the photo. But he was, he was super nice, super friendly. You got to imagine how many people go through these, these lines for the photo ops hundreds and hundreds of people and and they got to sit there and smile and and and whatever. So it is so much appreciated that they're willing to to come out and do this for, for the fans, you know, I mean, you know where, the, where, the reason they've, they've got a job, but but it's so much appreciated, you know, their, their willingness to come out and do this. That one was.

Catherine: 41:42

That one was really cool one thing I wanted to just backtrack and mention yeah is one of the things that we've started doing, because we do have a definitive lack of wall space. Now we've started doing photo ops and then when we go to other conventions, we take the photos we already have yes and have them autograph. Those yes so it makes it a little special right, like you had that meeting with them and then you actually get to talk to them right, because you can.

Andrew: 42:07

You can go up to their autograph table and they've they've got their, their head shots and things like that that you can have. You can have signed. But it's nice when you can, when you've seen, seen him at another con, yet you've got the photo already with them and have had them sign. Something more personal I think is is really nice, like when we met Anthony Michael Hall, yeah, and had him sign the photo op we did with him. That was, that was so and he was such a nice guy and we have that photo with the cast of angel where.

Catherine: 42:36

I had. We had charisma and James master sign it and you know, anytime I think we go to something if there's an opportunity to do that. It's a, it's a fun way to kind of like get something that's special. Right, it's not just a photo, it's not just an autograph on a headshot, it's, it's a personalized kind of thing, which I love.

Andrew: 42:57

I completely agree. So let's go to photo op number two of Thursday which was Diane Guerrero. Diane Guerrero.

Catherine: 43:05

For for those of us who don't don't recognize the name, tell us where might, where might you have seen Diane Guerrero well, my favorite thing that Diane Guerrero has done is um Doom Patrol, where she plays crazy Jane, and last year she was supposed to actually be there when we had our photo op with Brendan Fraser and April Bowlby and unfortunately she had to pull out at the last second, so we got to have that with her. This time. She also has been on orange is a new black yes, that is correct, and she is also the voice of. Was she Isabella in?

Andrew: 43:45

Isabella.

Catherine: 43:45

Yes, she was Isabella so she has a lovely singing voice, which I had no idea about until incanto. So she was also on Jane the Virgin, a show that I absolutely loved, right um she she's just a million things yeah, um, but I mean, I think for me Doom Patrol is such a special show, uh, such a weird show, but such a it's a show that during COVID really brought me a lot of joy yes, so I'm a huge Doom Patrol oh so good Doom Patrol fan this is.

Andrew: 44:20

This is not our first. Well, we were supposed she was supposed to be in the photo.

Catherine: 44:24

I said that while you were looking at yeah, um, she was supposed to be in the photo op last year, thank you, and she was unable to make it, so I was able to repurpose a nerd shirt, which is always good. Yes, I have a really great shirt, um, that probably got from T public or red bubble. Uh, from an independent artist that has um kind of outlines of each of the characters. What's? Yeah, silos. And when we walked into the Brendan Fraser April Bowl B photo op, brendan Fraser was so excited about that t-shirt. Oh, my god, look, we're all on here, and that just really made me very happy because Brendan Fraser is the best. But, yeah, diane Guerrero, um, I mean again, what five seconds? Walk in. Smile, yes, take the photo. Um, I think my one takeaway is she is teeny tiny.

Andrew: 45:14

She is both both height, wise, and she is just super small yes she's a very little woman and beautiful, very, very beautiful yes, indeed, and very again, very warm and welcoming, absolutely she was again. It's just again. I can't, I can't stress enough how much, how much we appreciate, you know, the willingness for for these people to come out and and do this. You know, it's not, it's not something they need to do, but but to to stand there and smile for that long. Oh, my, god, damn, my, my, my face would be, would be sore. But yeah, they're, they're so nice. And that brings us to Friday, friday so Friday morning was Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

Andrew: 45:59

Mary, oh, mary Elizabeth Winstead.

Catherine: 46:02

Andrew was a giddy child during this one. Ramona flowers he was jumping up and down.

Andrew: 46:07

I, I'm, I. I'm smiling now, um, I am, I am such a and my wife will tell you this. Thank you, catherine, I am, I am. I love Scott Pilgrim versus the world. He sure does she. She can tell you like how much she's, like she's sick and tired of of watching me watch Scott Pilgrim versus the world. I am, I. I've. I've seen it many, many times. I love the movie. I. I think it's hysterical, it's just, it's just such a great story, it's just so much fun and and Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays Ramona flowers and it's just, it's just a great movie.

Catherine: 46:46

Like I, just I, I don't know it brings you joy, and that's all that it brings me so much joy, and and and she's also Hera in Ahsoka, yeah, currently so.

Andrew: 46:58

And and probably what anyone like, like our friend Nicole the one, the one thing she recognized oh, she's married to Ewan McGregor yeah, yeah, that that was what I said to everyone who didn't know who she was.

Catherine: 47:08

I'm like, well, she's married to Ewan McGregor oh, okay, that that name I know exactly so again lovely, very friendly very, very nice.

Andrew: 47:20

It just it was, it was, it was just so. It was so much it's so, it's so much so nice to get to meet them. Yeah, like I won't, I won't go back and talk about Anson, I will talk about Anson Mount. Anson Mount is such a good looking man like surprisingly Like he's good looking on TV looking on TV in person it it kind of knocks you back. Yes, it really does, but shoot. But again, mary Mary Elizabeth Winsett was was super nice, she was. And then and then number two.

Catherine: 47:52

Chris Evans.

Andrew: 47:53

Chris Evans speaking. Speaking of famous Scott Pilgrim actors. Best known best, best known as Lucas Lee, from Scott Pilgrim versus the world, chris Evans, you you may have. He's done a couple other things, some, some other, some other art house flicks and things like that. You may, you may have you may have heard that he, he was. Was it who? Oh, colonel, colonel, colonel, captain America, captain America, that's that, that's the one that's America's ass on that, that is.

Andrew: 48:25

That is something. So yeah, so so I will, I will let you tell, tell the story of, of this whole, this whole part of our day.

Catherine: 48:37

So our friend Nicole, to say she loves Chris Evans is an understatement. When we were in Massachusetts a little over a year ago, nicole wanted me to find Chris Evans house. Nicole loves Chris Evans. So when we were able last minute to get this Chris Evans photo op which happened Literally last week, they opened up extra photo ops, did a whole like they'll be on sale right at noon. I jumped in. There were like 3,000 people in front of me and I assumed I was not getting one and then I did so surprise.

Andrew: 49:12

Yeah, that was the funniest thing. So we're sitting there. She goes yeah, I'm number three thousand and something in line. She's like this is never happening. She's like but I'm, I'm gonna wait and hang out and see.

Catherine: 49:22

You know, it was just. We're here on my phone and I'm sitting here, so fine, we got it so. I immediately texted the the confirmation to Nicole and said if you can get a Friday ticket to Comic Con, come be in this picture. That's right and she did.

Catherine: 49:37

Yes and I would say if you're ever looking to go and you don't have your tickets, the light app L-Y-T-E that they use for resale tickets really does work. We used it for, I think, 90s con last year. She was able to get a ticket like within a few hours. So, you know, people's plans change and they need to unload a ticket and she was able to get one, so she picked it up at will call that morning. As we talked about, we ran through the show a little bit before it was time right.

Catherine: 50:07

We went down there and we had come up with a concept for it because we wanted to get Nicole as close to Chris Evans as possible. So my concept was that Nicole and Chris Evans would be hugging and Andrew and I would be looking absolutely Outrage that she had taken over our photo. And so we walked in, said hello.

Andrew: 50:29

Yes, he was very friendly. He was. It was definitely America's ass.

Catherine: 50:33

I did not look. He put his arms up like he was going to put his arms around us and I said could you hug her? And we're gonna look outraged. And he said sure, so then that is what happened.

Andrew: 50:46

Yes indeed.

Catherine: 50:47

Nicole did stop to say something to him afterwards, which is frowned upon, and I got yelled at for it.

Andrew: 50:54

Yeah, I don't know why you did, but I don't know I was leaving. I'm just trying to get out of here.

Catherine: 51:01

Get the process.

Andrew: 51:04

But it really not my first rodeo.

Catherine: 51:05

in my second rodeo it really made her convention.

Andrew: 51:08

Yes.

Catherine: 51:09

And you know Nicole's had a tough year, so it was really nice to be able to do that.

Andrew: 51:14

We love Nicole and this was to be able to do. Be able to make her her day like that was was so much fun. It was just and she was shaking, yeah, crying crying Yep. Yeah, it was, yeah, it was, it was fun, but it's we've done. That's what? Only the second, is that the kind of only the second staged?

Catherine: 51:38

Yeah, photo, we've done other one with John Barrow. John Barrowman where he was stealing you away from me and I was looking at rage.

Andrew: 51:45

Yes, indeed.

Catherine: 51:46

I'm good with outrage.

Andrew: 51:47

Yes, that seems to be your go-to see. They're either hugging and smiling or you're outraged. Yeah, one or two got it. Yep, no, no, let's talk about our last photo op on Friday. Go ahead.

Catherine: 52:01

So Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon.

Andrew: 52:03

Yes, oh my god, the Rocky Horror Picture Show team up.

Catherine: 52:08

Which was how I had my shirt themed for the day. Yes, you did I had a time warp shirt that tells you all the steps I didn't even mention my shirt.

Andrew: 52:15

I had my oh yeah. Because, because they had two actors and I was surprised they didn't have a team up of the Scott Pilgrim actors, because they be, because they had two Scott Pilgrim actors there. That day I had my sex ba-bom, yeah.

Catherine: 52:30

T-shirt on you got a lot of compliments.

Andrew: 52:32

I did it was nice to see, nice to see some other Scott Pilgrim fans out there which, which I will mention, they are doing the animated series of. Scott Pilgrim, so I'm really excited about that.

Catherine: 52:44

There was a panel about that too.

Andrew: 52:46

Was there really that's?

Catherine: 52:46

what I showed you yesterday, that little oh yeah, that's what that was from.

Andrew: 52:50

Got it. I See there's. So yeah, we didn't get, we didn't get too many of the panels. We didn't get to any of the panels this year, I think if we're only doing two days, so we have to compress everything into those those two days if you're gonna try to hit a bunch of panels plus photo ops, plus autographs, plus hit the floor, you've got to be there for all four days right.

Catherine: 53:10

But Saturday and Sunday are just Terrifying they're brutal.

Andrew: 53:15

If you're trying to, I would say Thursday and Friday Are good days to hit the, the convention floor, yeah, and and check out the vendors and things like that, but I would stay away from the convention floor on a set on definitely on Saturday, without a doubt, yeah well, sunday too, because it's kids day.

Catherine: 53:34

It's kids day so many people with their families, which is wonderful, but, yeah, it makes it impossible to actually like, and I saw a lot of comments to that effect on comic-cons. Yeah, facebook, that you know it. We could barely move and you couldn't stop to look at anything.

Andrew: 53:50

You know, it was just that crowded right, yes, those are, those are good panel days, panel and photo op days, not even, not even artist alley.

Catherine: 53:58

No, because everything just gets mobbed like yeah. Like literally, you are crammed between people right, which is about my least favorite thing about crowds it feels like you're on a packed subway car worse.

Andrew: 54:12

Yeah worse because because on a packed subway car you can stand still. Here you can't even stand still, you're just. You just kind of Get moved with the crowd, whichever way it's going, and and and, even, even, even most of this the bigger, bigger named celebrities are there on the weekend.

Catherine: 54:30

Yeah, yeah, that's how we missed. Oh, why am I gonna blank on his name now? Loki Tom Hiddleston. Tom Hiddleston yeah we really wanted to try to get a Tom Hiddleston. Yes photo op and we had considered going back for Sunday if we were able to get one, but he was sold out. Yes, and I really should have mentioned him, and with the a-list. Yes oh, and the reason there was no Scott Pilgrim Photo op is because Chris Evans was literally in that booth all day.

Catherine: 55:01

He was still doing photo on believable when we came back at four o'clock, so our photo op was 130 With him mm-hmm when we came back at four o'clock for the Tim Curry Susan Sarandon one in the next booth.

Andrew: 55:14

He was still going. Yeah, I. Mean big props to Chris Evans, for I mean, I guess that's what the Super Soldier serum will do for you good sport, yeah, really he's, he's.

Catherine: 55:25

I think if you've seen any of the photos that he does at these things, he's a very good sport, right. That's why I knew he would go for an idea if I, if I swung it at him when we got in the booth.

Andrew: 55:35

Well, and maybe maybe this is what he's going to do now, because he's talking about stepping away from Acting, yeah, so so maybe maybe he's gonna hit the con circuit and and just do photo ops and not not act anymore.

Catherine: 55:48

That's entirely possible.

Andrew: 55:50

Be, it wouldn't be a bad gig.

Catherine: 55:52

No, I mean, I don't think you know he's hurting for money, so probably not yeah, but he's got.

Andrew: 55:59

he's got that Marvel money, he's got that Scott Pilgrim money. I Mean I think I think he's coming back to, I mean, every, everybody, everybody that was in the movie. I think he's coming back to voice their character for the I read that as well, yeah. I made a series, so yeah, so good for him even Alan Michael.

Catherine: 56:21

Sarah played Alan in the Barbie movie. Yes even Alan even Alan I just wanted to say even, alan, even.

Andrew: 56:28

Alan and Alan and Alan sometimes yes, all right, so that was, that was our tremendous photo ops. Yeah, it was, it was. It was just so cool to to get to meet all these people kind of up close and and just and really just get doing to to meet them. It really is a lot of fun. Let's let's talk about another one of my favorite parts buying things, shopping.

Catherine: 56:53

Should I cover what I purchased? Yes, I got two t-shirts.

Andrew: 56:58

There you go. What's, what's so? Tell us about your t-shirts. What, what t-shirts did you get?

Catherine: 57:03

So I got on the first day and and I'm laughing because usually I'm a buyer, but this time, for whatever reason, Andrew made all the purchases and I got two t-shirts. But but on Thursday we were at a booth for an organization called Geeks Out. They support LGBTQ causes. I purchased a t-shirt that says strong female character. Yes very excited about that. Lovely people at that booth they have really cute stuff.

Catherine: 57:31

I do and then on Friday, nicole and I both purchased a shirt from and I wanted to look him up again. I think it was digital pimp online, I believe that's correct with Supersox shop and it was a shirt that says Barbie and Barbie and Barbie and Ken and Sometimes also Alan and sometimes also Alan.

Andrew: 57:55

Yes, digital pimp online Dot-com. Yeah, so all these will be in the show notes, by the way. So all the stuff that we're talking about, we will put links to all the vendors in our show notes so you can you can check them out yourself, since you, if you weren't able to Attend New York Comic-Con.

Catherine: 58:11

Yeah, so those were my two purchases for the weekend.

Andrew: 58:16

I'm just, I'm just looking at the photo of Catherine and Nicole holding their shirts up and the vendor, because the vendor was wearing the same t-shirt and he's like popped up in the background of the photo. It's fantastic, it's a great photo, it's a great shot. So, yeah, so you bought two t-shirts two t-shirts very exciting, yeah, so let's, let's. We're gonna we're when.

Catherine: 58:35

I did purchase. Yes that plague. Doctor for fable.

Andrew: 58:38

You did there. Yeah, there was the, the plush plague doctor, which was, which was really cool. I don't remember what that. I Don't remember that vendor.

Catherine: 58:47

I don't either, because that's when we were looking for souvenirs for Nicole's kids.

Andrew: 58:50

Yes, I think we paid cash, so we don't even have a, don't even have a record of that one. So sorry, sorry to the vendor that we bought the plague doctor from.

Catherine: 58:58

It's lovely, but it was a family-run business.

Andrew: 59:01

It was a family they're. They're really nice, they were. It was interesting because a lot of the vendors were. It's one of the struggles that Javits always seems to have is is connectivity, and a lot of the vendors were having issues with their, with their card readers on the, on the Wi-Fi, trying to process credit card transactions. So that was probably one of the only. I mean because you skipped buying something else. I did, you were gonna buy a pin, I was gonna pay by card because I think we've exhausted our cash at that point, but yeah, but they were having connectivity issues and it was just like I never mind, I'm not gonna do it. So. So vendors are losing out on on sales if the, if the cards are.

Catherine: 59:44

The cards are not accepted. I found that pin online. Oh, I'm gonna purchase it. But good, again for fable.

Andrew: 59:50

Yes, I Think is is is nearly as well known as we are on the podcast. Yeah fable and the tieflings. Yeah, it's like gem in the holograms, fable and the tieflings.

Catherine: 1:00:07

Okay, do they have a rival band?

Andrew: 1:00:10

That's a good question.

Catherine: 1:00:11

I Don't know his band in the furries. Furries well, I mean, he's a cat, he's current fur.

Andrew: 1:00:18

Yeah, he is covered in fur. This band do you have a band? It's more of a duo him and Jordy.

Catherine: 1:00:26

They're like the Simon and Garfunkel of Fistband and the Felvies.

Andrew: 1:00:29

Yes, exactly, anyway. So I'm going to go through. Most of the stuff I bought was D&D related, but I want to share these vendors with you because there was some super cool stuff that we saw out on the con floor Star Trek, the Star Trek Kid Cudi Collaboration was super cool. There was tons of other vendors. There are more fun co-pops than I think you could possibly ever want or need. That's always a big one. There was some really cool artwork.

Catherine: 1:01:09

We saw Bob the Artist, who we purchased multiple oh gosh, we have a ton of stuff from Bob the Artist.

Andrew: 1:01:14

We have a ton of stuff from him. We didn't buy anything new, but Bob the Artist was there. We saw a lot of independent comic book artists and stuff trying to raise awareness of their product Stranger Comics, who we've seen throughout the years. Stranger Comics is really cool with Naiobi.

Catherine: 1:01:35

Dan Fogler is out there.

Andrew: 1:01:39

If you know Kowalski from.

Catherine: 1:01:42

Fantastic Beasts my favorite character in that movie.

Andrew: 1:01:47

Dan Fogler is an artist and a comic book author in his own right and a lovely person. We met him at 90s con. No, that was terrific con. We met him at a terrific con in Connecticut. Super nice guy Again, just really super cool, fun to talk to. Just really nice guy. Definitely check out his stuff. I'm trying to think of other stuff that we didn't purchase. There were so many vendors.

Catherine: 1:02:18

Lots of chain mail. I keep buying chain mail earrings.

Andrew: 1:02:22

Chain mail earrings yes.

Catherine: 1:02:24

Held off this time. Yeah, a lot of jewelry, a lot of food.

Andrew: 1:02:28

There was a lot of food. They're definitely upping their food game at New York Comic Con, which was some of the difficulty in the early years when we were going, because the only thing they seemed to have was the little food court that Javits has itself, which was never enough to handle the crowd. So they brought in a ton more food vendors, which has been really good.

Catherine: 1:02:56

Hallmark was there. They have convention exclusives.

Andrew: 1:03:00

Yes, Hallmark was there.

Catherine: 1:03:02

The 10th Doctor convention exclusive. No, we didn't. It was cool looking.

Andrew: 1:03:09

What else? I'm trying to think A lot of video games, a lot of video games Tons of new video games coming out letting people play those. The one thing I didn't see this year, which I've seen in years past, were 3D printing companies. It might just be because we didn't hit that part of the convention floor, but there was a couple big ones in years past of 3D printers printing out many figures and things like that, but I didn't see that this year. No, play Bill Play Bill Another good one.

Catherine: 1:03:44

Death Note, yeah, which is Adam Pascal.

Andrew: 1:03:49

That looks really cool.

Catherine: 1:03:50

It does, and I love Adam Pascal because Rent.

Andrew: 1:03:52

Yes, and we missed that panel. Did you hear him singing? Did you see the clip of him singing the song? No, he was up on stage singing the one song from the show, apparently. I know I think it was on Instagram or something.

Catherine: 1:04:06

I mean, that's the thing with these you can't do everything.

Andrew: 1:04:10

No, you really can't. Some of the stuff we actually did buy. We first, on Thursday, stopped by a couple of our favorite vendors who are I don't know if they're I guess they're generally local to the Northeast.

Catherine: 1:04:25

Yeah, I mean, I know Geekboy is.

Andrew: 1:04:28

Geekboy and I think Super Sock Shop is.

Catherine: 1:04:30

Yeah, I'm not sure where she's located.

Andrew: 1:04:33

I don't know, I can't remember either, but anyway, so we saw, we stopped by. Well, we stopped by First Geekboy Press.

Catherine: 1:04:40

Yeah, we stopped by Super Sock Shop first we stopped by Super Sock Shop.

Andrew: 1:04:42

That's the first thing we hit. Is that the first thing we hit? Oh, my god, it is my memory Okay. So the first place we stopped by? Okay, start again. So the first place we stopped by is Super Socks Shop. They have all sorts of. She makes Gina, gina DeAngelo makes all sorts of plush, not just toys, but we swords, shields, they call it. She's got a whole pillow fight yeah, the fantastic pillow fight section of her, of her website. So they've got. This time I purchased a pair of plush orange nun chucks. I have a sword as well that I purchased in previous years from her. They also. One of the things I think she kind of got started off doing was making Christmas stockings. That's how we first got to know her as a vendor. Was the Christmas stockings and or holiday stockings? If you don't celebrate Christmas, you can have stockings for any reason.

Catherine: 1:05:52

So maybe someone will put gifts in them if you hang them up.

Andrew: 1:05:56

That's right. So we started purchasing a couple because we have most almost all of our cats at this point have kind of pop culture related names Everyone other than Hope. Hope is our oldest cat, a little three-legged tripod. But we have DD, which is short for Daredevil, so Gina actually already made a Daredevil stocking so we bought that for DD. We have Mulder.

Catherine: 1:06:30

Well, we got Jack's first right.

Andrew: 1:06:34

I think we got Jack's first Captain Jack Harkness.

Catherine: 1:06:36

We got him a TARDIS.

Andrew: 1:06:38

Who was no longer with us yet. Gina also made a TARDIS stocking. Then Mulder came up and Mulder Gina didn't have anything for X-Files, so we emailed her and she will take commissions when they're not in convention season and she made a fantastic custom stocking for Fox Mulder X-Files themed. It's got the UFO on it. Yep, it's beaming up a cat, it's beaming up a little cat. So it's so cool. It's reminiscent of the truth, is it? The truth is out there. Yeah, the truth is out there.

Catherine: 1:07:23

Or the, I want to believe.

Andrew: 1:07:25

I want to believe. That's the one I want to believe. Poster.

Catherine: 1:07:27

Why do I know that I can't remember?

Andrew: 1:07:29

Okay, I want to believe poster. Yes, so it's very reminiscent of that. So we've got that one for Mulder.

Catherine: 1:07:41

Yeah.

Andrew: 1:07:42

And then what other one? Oh, then we have Jordy. So we adopted Jordy. Jordy will forge the cat and she made a fantastic Star Trek themed stocking for him. And we now have FizzBan the Fabulous and who is our little feline wizard. So we've already talked to Gina about it and hopefully she's going to get the opportunity to make a stocking for FizzBan. So that's, she's just tremendous creator of really cool products, like I said the Pillow Fight stuff, the Swords of Shields, the Nunchucks she's got like little little plush throwing stars. Yeah, there's all sorts of really cool things, so definitely worth checking out. Like I said, we'll put all these links in the show notes as well. We then made our way to another one of our favorites, louis of Geekboy Press. Yeah, we love Louis. Louis is fantastic. Why don't you talk about what we got there or what I got there and kind of all the stuff that Louis has?

Catherine: 1:08:48

Louis, is an artist who does a lot of pop culture designs. He's got a lot of Doctor who, which is like, which I think is how we kind of found him Big In to Psych, which is another thing that Andrew especially really loves.

Andrew: 1:09:03

I'm a psycho.

Catherine: 1:09:04

He has a lot of what we do in the shadows because I bought that from him, so you know just a ton of different fandoms, harry Potter stuff I don't even recognize, and this time around he had some new custom Doctor who fabric that has little tartices, tarty Tartices.

Andrew: 1:09:23

Tarty.

Catherine: 1:09:25

Tardium Tarty.

Andrew: 1:09:27

Eye? I don't know.

Catherine: 1:09:31

They're bigger on the inside. That's right and Daleks a little tote bag that he works with a friend of his who does so to create really good quality, and it's not the same person although she was doing some pillows for him this time around but the bag that I use for conventions. I bought from Louis ages ago, which is canine from Doctor who fabric, and I have been using that probably for 10 years for every convention we go to and it's held up to everything.

Andrew: 1:10:02

Yeah, there's the tote bags. There were the little zipper pouches.

Catherine: 1:10:05

Yeah, wristlets. Wristlets yeah because they had a strap.

Andrew: 1:10:08

Did they? Yeah, I did not see that. The strap is helpful. It's very helpful.

Catherine: 1:10:12

Yeah, pillows.

Andrew: 1:10:14

Yeah, I love the fabric. Yeah it's really cute, it's really great, it fits. It's an interesting shape. It's more vertical than it is horizontal, the tote bag but it it perfectly fits my D&D books. So it's a great, great carrier for that kind of, that kind of size and shape book. So if you're wondering what size it is, it's a little bit larger than D&D books. So if that's your point of reference, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Andrew: 1:10:45

Who needs a ruler. Who needs a ruler? It's D&D book size. So then, so those, those were again. Those are some of the ones that we we've seen at so many different cons that we I'm trying to because we saw did we see SuperSockShop first at New York Comic Con?

Catherine: 1:11:05

Like when we first met them.

Andrew: 1:11:08

Yeah.

Catherine: 1:11:08

I don't know, I don't remember.

Andrew: 1:11:11

Because, oddly enough, they were the Walker Stalker. That's right One, but I don't think that was the first time we we had seen them.

Catherine: 1:11:19

Cause we've seen Louis everywhere too Like he does Trenton Punkrock flea market a lot.

Andrew: 1:11:23

Yes.

Catherine: 1:11:24

So we see him all over the place. Yes, indeed.

Andrew: 1:11:26

Yeah, it's great to see. It's great to see the vendors really be successful and see him at all the different cons. So that's really cool. So we saw some new ones this year. So this will get into all the D&D related stuff for all our D&D fans out there. So there goes my wife. She's going to sleep through the rest of this podcast episode. So Metallic Dice Games now goes by Fan Roll Dice and they they make. They've got all sorts of dice available that was out there. Both they do. Apparently they do custom logo dice as well. They had tons of dice trays I bought. They had. They had all the different pride flag dice trays. I got the pansexual flag dice tray. They had bisexual I think I can't remember what other ones they had everything non binary?

Catherine: 1:12:23

Yeah, they had. They had lesbian yeah, they had all of them.

Andrew: 1:12:26

They've got all of them. I looked on their website and they're not there yet, so this might be some some new product for them, but they had it at the con, so so be on the lookout for that. There's some really cool stuff there. The one set of dice that I did buy from them was a set of aquamarine cat's eye dice.

Catherine: 1:12:45

Yeah, those are pretty they're beautiful.

Andrew: 1:12:47

I love the way they shimmer. It's just this beautiful, beautiful blue color, gold, gold numbering on them. They have the same set I saw on their website but they say on the website it's white numbering. So I don't know, I don't know what the what the discrepancy is there. But the ones I have definitely have gold numbering on them.

Andrew: 1:13:08

Great there, the standard 60 millimeter size kind of dice. So they're your traditional dice set, really great. But again, you know, with with those with those specialty kind of stones and and gem type dice, you definitely want to make sure you've got a soft rolling surface for them. They don't get, they don't get rolled often. But I am, I'm home brewing a campaign coming up loosely based on spell jammer, so I've got a couple set of dice that I'm going to use for that and that's that's going to be one of them. But definitely check out fan roll dice again.

Andrew: 1:13:44

Great, cool, cool dice companies. The first time I've seen them, but they've got some. Really, they get some really nice product. Another one that I've seen at multiple cons is a company called Misty Mountain Gaming. Tons of again another another dice maker. Tons of dice out there, all sorts of other TTRPG accessories. They had another vendor that they're partnering with. That was at the table company called Talon and Claw and make some super cool dice vaults. I bought one. It's called the Nevermore Engraved Dual Hex Hero Vault such a very wordy name.

Andrew: 1:14:28

That's a lot of name, but it is really cool looking it's a lot of name but these are these dice vaults they're. They're wood, they've got magnetic closure so it stays, stays nicely closed and keeps your, keeps your dice safe. But it holds, holds two sets. It has another spot for you could put like a mini figure in or another set of dice in the center. But it's a really beautiful dice tray. This one, the Nevermore one, has kind of the crow sitting on the raven, I should say sitting on top of a stack of books with like a melted candle on it. It's a really cool kind of laser etched top on the dice vault. But they've got all sorts of different designs, super cool. So check out Talon and Claw. You can. You can find them. They've got their own site. We can also find them on the Misty Mountain Gaming site and they've got. They had a couple limited different styles but you can pick up almost any vault in any in any wood style that they've got available. So that was another really cool one.

Andrew: 1:15:38

Probably next up is my favorite, one of my favorite dice vendors. I'm coming by the name of Dice Dungeons. I think they really like me because I went pretty hog wild at the Dice Dungeons table this year. Yeah, yeah, I did initially. I picked up a set of Amethyst gemstone dice which are so beautiful and, what's really cool, what I really love about Dice Dungeons when you see them at a convention or things like this.

Andrew: 1:16:16

I was browsing their varieties of dice and I asked them. I asked them to buy the Amethyst dice and instead of just handing me a set, the woman there brought out a couple sets of the Amethyst dice and let me mix and match which ones I liked out of the different sets so I could really build my own set of Amethyst dice to get really kind of the look and feel that I was looking for. So I thought that was super nice. That's not something you typically get from a vendor when you're buying online. So another good reason to go to the conventions and you get to talk to them because you get a little bit more personalized experience than you would just shopping online from their stores other things that I bought from them. The other big purchase was the. I bought a set of solid copper dice from dice dungeons the ones he wasn't going to buy.

Catherine: 1:17:15

I wasn't going to buy them and then told me like an hour or two later that he bought them it's May High, I'm the problem you're the dice goblin.

Andrew: 1:17:24

I'm the dice goblin. It's May. They are so incredible. They're super heavy but solid copper. I'm just looking forward to rolling with them and watching them, kind of like age over time and just having your hands smell like pennies having my hands smell like pennies. Exactly beautiful, beautiful dice. They've got solid. They've got a D20, this massive tungsten deep oh, that thing is heavy and that is it is. It's enormous, it is. It is solid, it is super heavy. I can't even remember how much it is. It's wicked expensive.

Catherine: 1:18:01

It's like $600.

Andrew: 1:18:02

Yeah, it's like six or six or $800. It's, it's it's way up there for for just a solid d20. But they've got some really just super unique things. They had a. They've had a couple Kickstarter campaigns. I backed their last one, which was they did seaglass seaglass dice, which were which are absolutely beautiful. I I got a pair of a set of dark green ones when I, when I backed the campaign, I bought another set, this time called valiant waters, again for my spelljammer Homebrew, because there it's gonna be. They're gonna be based on a, on a sailing ship. So I thought the valiant waters once and I like light, light sea blue kind of color. It's really pretty. So I'm gonna use those dice for when I DM that campaign. They they've got a current Kickstarter campaign which I really want to back for what they're calling the speakeasy dice. So each each set of dice is based on a different cocktail. They've got Dark, and stormy was the one I think they just announced. They've got all sorts of other other Cocktail inspired sets of dice which are really cool looking. They had a couple of the sets out there On display samples at the con so you got to check them out.

Andrew: 1:19:26

Like I said, I'm I'm a big fan. I love them. They come, if you, depending on what level you back, you can. They come in a nice little Deluxe wood case each set. So there's some, there's some really cool things there. The other, yes, dear. Oh, you looked like you had something to say.

Catherine: 1:19:44

I was just being engaged with you while also looking at my phone.

Andrew: 1:19:48

I say Thank you. Thank you for making eye contact that makes me feel like you're.

Catherine: 1:19:53

you still care what I have to say about dice and Look what do I do when you go to dice, you go to dice booths. I either go find somewhere to sit or I touch everything.

Andrew: 1:20:03

What she does is put a lock on the card.

Catherine: 1:20:12

I call the bank, tell them a madman ran away with your debit card.

Andrew: 1:20:16

That's right. That's right. That's exactly what she does.

Catherine: 1:20:20

She's she knows me now my options are sit in a corner.

Andrew: 1:20:24

Yes or.

Catherine: 1:20:26

Touch everything, which is how I know how heavy that tungsten Right.

Andrew: 1:20:32

The other a couple other really cool things. They just came out their first book About about a whole bunch of like homebrew, like D&D monsters and things like that. The other thing that I really like that dice dungeons makes are they make these what they call quest decks. So it's a deck of cards with a bunch of kind of side quests. So if you're looking to Kind of extend a campaign or or you're building a campaign and you're looking for some ideas for things for your party to do, these quest decks are absolutely phenomenal. I picked up one called coastal threats. This time I have a couple of their others, but coastal threats is the new one that I grabbed. So it's it's a lot of Things based out on the ocean, based at, based in the ports where they're, where they're docking and things like that. But it's imagine, imagine there's a job board and they're looking for things to do. These are you could use these different quests as a job board for them. I've got one called for the crown, another one called far-flung journeys. There's there's all sorts of decks and great different ideas for for things different side adventures. You could throw your your party into to to keep them busy. If you're, maybe a couple people can't make it that week and you want to send them on just a side quest to keep everybody else busy? Anything like that. They're. They're great. But dice dungeons again one of my Favorite all-around vendors. I'm a big fan of their dice, so again I will. I'll put all those links in the in the show notes.

Andrew: 1:22:12

Other ones culture fly was there, which I have. I am not familiar with culture fly this was the first time I saw them but apparently they do a collaboration with champion for various Dungeons and Dragons pieces of clothing, so they've got. They have all sorts of shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, all sorts of Champion related clothing, branded clothing. I picked up a t-shirt with a demi-litch on it and which is really cool. They've, they've got. The hoodies are really incredible, but they were. They were showing off some of their new designs at the show and they're not on the website yet, but hopefully they'll be up there shortly. But definitely check out culture fly. They had. What were some of the other things they had? I can't remember. I'm on their website now.

Catherine: 1:23:02

So subscription boxes Okay, they've got apparel, apparel accessories, home goods interesting something called smells? I think I saw those, were they like I don't know what are smalls? Oh, blind bag, mini vinyl pictures by culture fly for pop culture, sports and entertainment fans. Ah, that's what smalls are good to know. Yeah, so they have a little bit of everything They've got, gaming stuff They've got TV and movies our friends, the office, harry Potter, shit's great, all things I love. Well, you bought. You bought the Winnie the Pooh thing there for me, yes, so I've got.

Andrew: 1:23:41

I've got a little Christopher Robin in a honeypot now, which is really cool. The honeypot was cute. It is, it was really adorable, but yeah, so check out culture fly they had all sorts of.

Andrew: 1:23:51

D&D related Pieces of clothes. They culture fly would be a great place to go to to to get gifts. So if you're and we're coming up on gift giving season, so this is a perfect time to to check them out. Last but not least of our shopping adventures was it was a company that I had seen advertising about being at comic-com and Completely forgot that they were going to be there until I saw their their like sign hanging from the ceiling. That's a D&D. It was caught on the way Sign hanging from the ceiling that said D&D. It was calling. It was like the grail-shaped beacon calling me from from across the land.

Catherine: 1:24:31

Yeah, as we were walking through, andrew saw it and said oh hey, that says Dungeons and Dragons, let's walk toward it.

Andrew: 1:24:36

Let's head toward it. Yep, head toward the light.

Catherine: 1:24:40

So into the light. What don't go into the light, carol? Yeah, no, don't.

Andrew: 1:24:45

This was a company called Berg Schneider and they've got a whole they they they make All sorts of like Renaissance costumes. I was looking on the website. They make all sorts of costumes but they have a whole set of licensed D&D costumes for for the various classes. It's a whole set called called to arms. So they've got one for Monk, fighter, paladin, cleric, etc. And they had there. They're coming out kind of in in waves so they've got a few of them currently available at At the show. They had them all on display so you can see what they what they were looking like. Some are coming out later this year, some are coming out next year.

Andrew: 1:25:29

But I ended up buying the the fighter costume, which is it's like three pieces, like a tunic and a couple over pieces like that, but it is and it was only I mean I say only it was it was a hundred and fifty dollars for for the costume, which is it's great quality and I thought that was really reasonable for For for like a D&D type theme costume. I mean I need to get need to get a pair of pants for it and get some accessories to really kind of flesh it out. But but for for what you got I thought I thought it was a great value.

Catherine: 1:26:04

So I agree, I was surprised.

Andrew: 1:26:07

Yeah, yeah. When you saw the price, you're like how much is it?

Catherine: 1:26:10

Yeah, like I just you know, for the quality that you got from that, I mean a Hundred and fifty dollars, was really reasonable, I think. I think so for the pieces that you got in the quality. Yeah, I mean, I Think you could probably get much Worse quality for the same price right so this was a pleasant surprise, yeah it really was.

Andrew: 1:26:34

I was. It was really cool to see all the different costumes kind of on display. So that was a, that was a great one and that was again, I'll put them in the show notes so you can, you can check them out. But yeah, that was, that was all of our shopping for. Yeah, we, we, and in two days, we, we, we accomplished quite a lot.

Catherine: 1:26:55

We did yes. Was there anything else you wanted to cover? I just want to like mention a couple of like things that were helpful for the convention.

Andrew: 1:27:06

Yes, let's talk about. Let's talk about helpful Convention things. Tips tricks is, would you call it or yes, we'll say tips and tricks tips it here are. So so our parting thoughts, catherine, what are your tips and tricks for, for going to, going to a con?

Catherine: 1:27:24

two things that saved me this time around. Yes my Collapsible plastic stool, yes, which you can find on Amazon.

Andrew: 1:27:31

We'll put it in the show notes.

Catherine: 1:27:34

Was fantastic for any time we wanted to make a pit stop, didn't have to sit on the floor, didn't have to get up from the floor and my handheld fan. I have two fans. I seem to prefer the handheld fan because I can just blow it right in my face. It gets crowded in there and if you are a sweaty person like I am, the fan is a lifesaver, especially when you then have to go to a photo op and you don't want to look like you just showered. And I also have a fan that goes around your neck that I saw someone else with there and complimented her on because of the same one. But I feel like a fan is a good thing to have, even if you don't end up using it.

Andrew: 1:28:12

That's a good point.

Catherine: 1:28:13

That's a really good point and then the other stuff Chargers, because you're gonna be taking lots of pictures and using your phone and, frankly, half of the Javits Center is a dead zone, so battery drains pretty quick and that, I think, is Like a lot of conventions.

Andrew: 1:28:28

Yeah, because they're usually in big concrete buildings, so the the reception isn't is never usually great in those places. And Try it when your phone is trying to search for a signal. It's always looking so it your battery. It tends to just drain faster, I think, when you're when you're in those situations and we're a little bit worse at doing this.

Catherine: 1:28:48

But you can bring food and beverages into these things. I would suggest having a snack so you don't reach hangry status.

Andrew: 1:28:56

Well, for a couple reasons. So if you're coming with kids, definitely bring snack. I mean, you probably already know that, but you you typically can bring food into into these events. You definitely can. At New York Comic Con, food there is tends to be pretty expensive, especially New York City prices. So not necessarily every con is like that, but but it's like any kind of like sporting event or anything They've. They've got a captive audience so they can charge. They can charge what they want for for that. So bring in, bring in your own snacks and you can eat whenever you want. You don't. You don't have to worry about waiting in the lines and things like that, because those lines can get really long around Around meal times.

Catherine: 1:29:39

Yeah, I'm trying to think of anything else. Oh, bags, yes, bringing a bag to carry your stuff in. If you're gonna buy stuff, bring a bag If you have been to other conventions and you have some of those little plastic Protectors or the sleeves, yeah, the sleeves we bring those in to use for our photo op photos. Those are really handy to have so that stuff doesn't get bent.

Andrew: 1:30:03

Yeah, definitely, definitely find those booths because they typically have them at the college hot flips. Yeah, if you don't have your own, get, get a couple of those, those clear plastic sleeves, just so you can. You can throw your photos or photo ops or or other prints and things you might buy an artist alley, yeah or on the show floor for sure handy to have.

Catherine: 1:30:22

We always bring those Trying to think if there was anything else. I don't think so.

Andrew: 1:30:26

No, have a good time comfortable shoes.

Catherine: 1:30:29

Yes unless you're cosplaying, in which case comfortable shoes in your bag, so that, when your feet can't take your uncomfortable shoes anymore, you have something to change into. Yes and also yes, if you're going to New York Comic Con, you do not want to end up on a New York City street without shoes correct.

Andrew: 1:30:44

And I would also say the other thing is, if you want to take photos of a people in cosplay, ask, ask permission.

Catherine: 1:30:54

Yeah, almost no one's ever gonna say no but but consent.

Andrew: 1:30:58

Consent is a big thing at at cons because Everybody does dress up, so they're, they're kind of it's they. They operate under the assumption that people are gonna want to take their picture, but but, uh, definitely get consent first. Just ask people to take their photo and they'll probably more than happy to do so.

Catherine: 1:31:16

I mean, they're usually delighted. I know when we dressed as Vilma and Shaggy, we had a lot of people stop us. And yes, it's flattering because it means you did a good job with it.

Andrew: 1:31:23

So exactly, but yeah, it's nice because they could be on their way to a panel or somewhere. So don't, don't just assume that they, they want their.

Catherine: 1:31:32

I took the Franken footer and the Eddie, who were in line with us for Rocky horror, and I asked them both because you know they wanted to pose right.

Andrew: 1:31:41

So yeah, excellent. So those are. Those are our, our comic on tips and tricks, thank you. Thank you, catherine, for being on the the episode today. This was this was lovely.

Catherine: 1:31:52

Thank you, it was nice to be here.

Andrew: 1:31:53

Excellent. Thank you all for listening. Joe is, like I said. Joe is still on MIA, so hopefully he'll be back shortly. Who exactly? You know? Our co, my co-host. He's gonna kill me. Yes, early November. Joe will be back with us, so so check that out. But anyway, thanks again, everybody, and hopefully we'll see you at the next con.

Catherine: 1:32:36

You.