Well, last week I spelled out all my reservations regarding the sudden expansion of Emerald City Comic Con. Was it as big a letdown as I expected?
Thankfully, no. In fact, if it weren’t for the expense involved in getting there, I would have signed us up for another year.
Yeah, we’re not headed back for 2014. Never say never, of course, but our sales, which would have been fantastic at a local show, once again disappeared into the black hole of travel and lodging costs. But I’m happy to report that the issues were purely economical… I found the staff this year to be just as attentive and organized as in 2012, once again constantly checking in to see how we were and offering water bottles and booth sitting as needed.
That said, it seemed like different sections may have experienced different results, as some peers in the Q section of Artist’s Alley reported they weren’t benefiting from any of this sort of attention. Also, I still do believe the sky bridge acted as something of a divider to the detriment of those on our (far) side of it, since another peer claimed no less than 3 people told him “Oh, I didn’t know you were here, I already spent all my money near the entrance!”
Rough stuff, and with the layout of the Washington State Convention Center, perhaps not easily addressed, though my first instinct is that there’s a perfectly good area in the middle they could have used as the entrance rather than sticking it all the way at one end. I still will never agree that splitting Artist’s Alley into two halves is a good idea, but the only truly bonehead move I noticed was putting the photo shoot area right at one end of the sky bridge, ensuring a permanent traffic knot in a crucial area that was already going to be a bottleneck. Photo areas need to be out of the traffic flow, not in the midst of it… if you’ve ever been at a convention walking behind someone in a gorgeous and/or skimpy costume, you know how even that bottles things up. Take a lesson from other conventions and keep them confined to a lobby area, says I.
But it wasn’t the absolute disaster I had feared… it just wasn’t enough that we can safely budget to go back again. All the days sold out, with who knows how much of an increase in attendance over last year (the convention was apparently being tight-lipped about that even to its volunteers), but we personally sold only four dollars more than we did in 2012 when all was said and done, and witnessed a lot of people looking without buying, some of whom did mention they were out of money. Did they shoot their wads in the south area nearer the entrance? Quite possible. Even if they made it to the north side, we were all the way towards the back. I was pleasantly surprised at how well we did despite that, but I think it still needs work. Regardless, fare thee well, Emerald City. One day we may see you again, but for the foreseeable future, we must part.
10 thoughts on “540 – Trick Hello”
Scarsdale
Called it, she figured he’d do this, if by choice or by zombie voodoo. I’m sure the “friendlier” questioning will start soon, if she doesn’t just kill him out-right. Or just add him to the herd.
Crazyman
Gotcha!
Zombatar
This turn of events is a surprise only to Eustace. And, maybe, Eustace’s subconscious. After all, this way he doesn’t have to actually risk actually attacking Suzie, which gives him a greater chance of survival than actually attacking her. I wonder what he was promised/threatened with?
ConcordBob
Not to nit-pick, but since sights are on target, finger should be on the trigger. Especially this close.
The usual rule is “keep finger straight and off trigger until sights are on target”.
Dr. Norman (not a real doctor)
Not to nit-pick, but since that was current philosophies regarding trigger discipline have evolved.
Of course, it will depend on who you get/got your training from.
Experiments have determined that the fraction of a second to go from finger off the trigger to finger firing when appropriate is insignificant, and the risk of firing unintended is greatly reduced.
Dr. Norman (not a real doctor)
I did the google thing and I believe I saw how you reached this conclusion … but there are two parts to it – One should not omit the second part.
“Trigger Finger Discipline: · The practice of keeping your finger “off the trigger” until your sights are on target AND YOU ARE READY TO DISCHARGE THE FIREARM.” (Caps are my own)
Crazyman
She wants him alive so she can question him; otherwise, he’d already be dead.
ConcordBob
Good discussion on trigger discipline!
His skin is very pale / gray. Is this malnourishment, or has he been poisoned with a mind-control drug? I would have to go back and look a t all various of skin tone.
TKG
On a prior page we discussed what he’s likely got running in his system. I suggested that it’s probably Borrochero (Brugmansia arbora) which is already used by Colombian cartels to eradicate the free will of their victims.
Dr. Norman (not a real doctor)
Now can we satisfy my curiosity? Colt, Smith & Wesson, Ruger, or other timeline variant?