Things in Print Thursday :: wherein I admit my weakness for robot arms.

No, really.

I don’t know why, exactly, but I just enjoy when fictional characters have robot arms.  Or really any cybernetic parts, but arms are the favorite, I think.  This could come from my times Googling steampunk and then accidentally typing in additional letters after it out of curiosity (no, really, I think I must have been looking for steampunk interior design, and when you type “steampunk ro-” intending to finish with “-om,” “-obot arm” is the next thing that comes up, the third total).  And seriously, robot arms are cool.

One of the points of Comicon is obviously the comics, but I will admit again that I am mildly awestruck by the vastness of the category.  I see a bunch of comic books, and I go, “ooh pretty/badass/neat-looking” but then I recoil in fear, because I don’t know where to begin and I have this little bitty compulsive obsession with continuity and completism.

But my friend and I were perusing the TopatoCo booth last weekend, because it was big and pretty and boasted some web comics she was familiar with; coming around one side of the table, where many things looked vaguely steampunky, I let my eyes wander over the stock.  And I couldn’t help but notice something that sparked my attention.

“Is that… is that a robot arm?”

Behind the display was a man who I’d soon realize was the author; he seemed fairly amused as he informed me that yes, it was before launching into an explanation of exactly what was up with that.  There was even a diagram of her robotic parts inside the book I’d seen, he said, so I opened up and immediately went “oh, all right, then.”

And then I turned the page and saw another character, this one sporting glasses and a… well, a nicely-displayed figure.  Even if not an actual librarian, rather a “sexy librarian” type.

“How much does this cost, please?”

What I was looking at was Aaron Diaz’s Distinctly Essential Dresden Codak Primer, which said author was kind enough to sign for me upon my purchasing.  The Dresden Codak series is a web comic, one that follows the adventures of said robot-arm-having brainiac, Kimiko Ross, and though I’ve not gotten through all of the one-shots posted online yet, I’ve devoured the first story arc, “Hob,” and all that’s been posted thus far of the second, “Dark Science.”

“Hob” is an origins story, really: it establishes Kim as my favorite kind of socially not-quite-inept, almost-sociopathic genius.  She’s building machines, she’s scanning brains, she’s tl;dr-ing about science every which way.  By the end, she’s got a need for said robot arm (and legs and an eye, which… yes, my second-favorite cybernetic part) and she’s just awkwarding/brillianting it up everywhere.

And “Dark Science,” especially, is working the decopunk thing.  (Yes, it’s a kind of steampunk.)  Kim is still awesome, there are references and hilarity and science and philosophy, it’s delightfully odd and fantastic.

I won’t say much more; instead, I’ll say to go read Dresden Codak.  It won’t take long.  And I’m also pretty sure that I’m in love with Kim Ross.

–your fangirl heroine.

Sundry Sunday :: Comicon, day 2.

Or, Comicon, day 2, followed by a day of sleeping and exhaustion and happiness.  Or, I was at the convention all day and in a car from late evening to early morning, so I didn’t post on Saturday, please forgive me.

A few of pictures of strangers:

Sansa and Daenerys, which made me very happy.

Babydoll and then Sweet Pea.

Leeloo of The Fifth Element.

Most epic Kaylee dress ever.

My Tara and I.

(I haven’t yet got the pictures off of everyone in my group’s cameras, so somehow I have none of our Spike and Buffy.  Hm.)

Comicon, day 2: a day of awesome.  We photographed with the Phelps twins (and I fangirled shamelessly over the presence of elbow patches, because… yum) and we photographed with/for/[blank space] strangers in epic costumes.  A lot.  (More than once we got “I saw that dress, and I knew I knew it, and I thought, and then I was like… oh!  TARA!” which, well, I wasn’t wearing the outfit, but I’d helped make it, so there was pride aplenty.)

I got to meet a lovely tumblrfriend IRL, and that was wonderful.

Miscellaneous fangirling took place everywhere.

And, oh, you know, Summer freaking Glau.  Who was very sweet and very lovely.  And, despite how not-sketchily-fangirlish I really did try to be during the meeting her process, I am probably going to be sketchily fangirlish describing the interaction.  Which basically turned out like:

• Wait in a long line.  Get progressively more panicky about saying something inane.
• See the photographs that could be signed by her.  Decide that yes, I will get a signature and a picture both.  Decide this largely based on the fact that at the far end of the table is a lovely glossy Bennett still.  (I mean, the River&Cameron&Skylar&Orwell&miscellaneous pictures are beautiful.  But it’s me.  So.  BENNETT.)
• Finally get to the table of buyable photographs and ask for said Bennett still.  Am tempted to ask about the percentages of how many people select whichever character, but know that is insane.
• Go up, all nervous smiles.  Am complimented by her… assistant, I assume?  (Since my Tara was right before me, and it was blatantly obvious we were paired off for the purposes, it was the costumes that were complimented.)
• All sweetly, Summer asks who she can make the photograph out to, and I tell her and then spell my name a couple of times since it’s not entirely intuitive.
• Transition (also a little bit nervously, but smiling like a fool, probably) to the photo corner.
• Photos ensue.  Which I am also nervous about, because I can look either cute or ridiculous in that costume.
• Return to the table to grab my things.  Am complimented again by her assistant, and then by Summer herself: “You guys are having fun!  You did a really, really good job.”
• Grin definitely like an idiot now, offer a quiet but sincere thanks, rejoin my friend.  Notice for the first time that the signature on the photograph reads, after the address, “time for your treatment…”  Instantly die a little of delight.

And I guess I should toss that picture in, too.

Also, the Star Wars with voice actors event happened.  And that was hilarious.  I wouldn’t have thought to go had a friend not suggested it, but I thoroughly enjoyed the insanity.  So.

In short, yes.  It was amazing, of course, and I’m still a little exhausted, even if I have had all day to recover.

–your fangirl heroine.

Fictional Friday :: Comicon, day 1.

AKA, a series of pictures of various people dressed as fictional characters from Comicon, where the strangers’ faces are blurred out for politeness and the people I know IRL are unblurred (and yes, you will recognize two of them from my other cosplay adventures).  If any of you strangers see this and want your blurred self removed, please feel free to say so; I’m not trying to creep, just to praise your awesome.

As per Mercury was my favorite Sailor Scout, and Neptune is classy too.

Ash Ketchum and some (sexy?) Pokemon.

Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy are my favorites.

A whole slew of Batman villains plus Batman.  Whose face I didn’t blur as per he’s wearing a giant mask.  There are two Harleys here, different ones, and please let me point out the lady!Joker.  Hell, yes.

Here’s me and my fellow Captain Hammer groupie best friend with the above Harley.  Which… is kind of interesting.

Our friend, who is Captain Hammer, having a Nathan Fillion party with a fellow dressed as Mal.

Our group: Penny and Captain Hammer.

And of course, Captain Hammer has his groupies.  Yes.

–your fangirl heroine.

Spectacular Summary Saturday :: THE BEST DAY EVERRRRRRR (yes, the excess of r’s is necessary)

I fully realize that I’m posting the Saturday post on Sunday morning.  This, however, is because I spent yesterday at Emerald City Comicon.  I’ve never attended a comic convention before, in part because I haven’t been brave enough to ask others to geek that hard with me and in part because I haven’t actually been a comic reader for too long.  (Of course, comic conventions aren’t just about comic books, but.)  As you can see, my two lovely and amazing friends and I went all-out and dressed up a la Firefly.  (I’m Kaylee.)

In short, it was really an amazing experience.  Comicon attendees are lovely people, as a whole, and we were stopped by many who wanted our pictures and we stopped many who wanted our pictures and we even rendezvoused with other members of the crew (in particular, a Mal and a Jayne).  And, oh yes, we met my heroine of all time, Felicia Day.  And then the Boondock Saints said hey.

This will be a short post, as any done the next morning usually are, but just know.  Comic conventions are sort of the greatest thing I’ve happened onto in a very, very long time.  And I don’t think this makes me an incurable dork.  Rather, I don’t mind being an incurable dork, as it makes life far more enjoyable and fulfilling.

 

–your fangirl heroine.