"Fatale Friday" at the ECCC

(Image:  Cover art of the convention's program guide by Marc Silvestri)

This past Friday, I had the opportunity to attend the opening day of this year's Emerald City Comicon (ECCC).   My one-day badge was titled "Fatale Friday," and featured a noir-ish looking, .45-wielding dame.

While I've been to several local and regional wargaming conventions and writers conferences over the past dozen years, I was overawed by the magnitude of my first comic book convention.  This ginormous event was held at the WA State Convention Center, in downtown Seattle.  Once the doors opened, attendees were greeted by Image Comics' towering booth marquee, featuring it's best known comic...

While the back of the marquee featured Image's other lines.

One of the first items I wanted to do was buy some ECCC exclusive merchandise.  But so did everyone else...

The line for the ECCC Merchandise Booth extended to the end of the exhibition hall and snaked back around to the cafeteria.  The legion of volunteers did yeoman work all day--with a smile.

Comics were not the only venues in the exhibition hall.  The Rat City Roller Girls were on hand to rally support for their team.

I was only attending one day, so I had to make every second count.  Because of my short stay, I was easily overwhelmed by the variety of activities--panels, workshops and gaming--along with the plethora of sales booths.  Since I plan on attending a writer's conference this summer and I game semi-regularly with my friends, I decided to turn my first comic book convention into a shopping spree.  And boy, did I shop.  Not only did I buy stuff for myself, but my daughter's boyfriend and his friend put in "their orders."

While convention activities were scheduled to carry-on through the night, I called it quits shortly before the exhibition hall closed.  Except for the few minutes I spent wolfing-down a pizza I bought at the cafeteria and double-checking events in my program, I was on my feet for over seven hours. 

The next morning, after several hours of much-needed sleep, I took this photo of my cornucopia of comics, merchandise and SWAG (Stuff We All Get--free stuff) I came away with...

Not only did I flash my credit card, but I ended up going to one of the convention center's strategically-located ATMs--twice.  I think I spent more money at this comic convention than in several wargame conventions--combined. 

I took over 50 pictures of my ECCC experience.  Rather than make on long blog post, I'll divide this event into a few more categories and upload them within the next few days.  So stay tuned...