Aside from breakfast I also bought apples, cucumbers, tomatoes, and mixed nuts at the market. I think I spent as much today at the market as I spent on breakfast alone yesterday.
I parked in a garage near the farmers market that I originally thought had free parking. There was a parking lot where I could have parked for free, it was across the street from the garage and very full. While at the farmers market I misplaced my parking ticket. I should have left it in the car. I took it with me because I thought that maybe they would have parking validation at the market.
I didn't realize I had lost the ticket until I got back to my car. I quickly abandoned all hope of finding it and drove down to the booth to pay. At first the guy in the booth told me I had to pay the maximum, $18; then he told me he would only charge me $11; then after having some trouble with the credit card machine he told me he would only charge me $9. I thought about saying something sarcastic but I bit my tongue and just thanked him.
The garage where I parked my car for the rest of the day was a little further from the show. I was going to catch the circulator but I decided that I could use the exercise.
The line to get in was much shorter today and already moving by the time I showed up. I walked out on to the convention floor for a few minutes. It wasn't very busy. Some of the artists I wanted to see weren't at their table yet so I left the floor and found a place to sit on the 2nd level.
Panel: Tribute to Joe Kubert (11-12) with Thom Zahler, Tim Truman, Robert Greenberger (moderator), Tom Raney, and Paul Levitz - Three of the five panelists (Zahler, Truman, Raney) are alums of the Kubert School. Levitz worked with him going back to the early 70s. Greenberger led them in a discussion centered their memories of Kubert, mostly as a teacher and mentor. I enjoyed listening in but I could not help but think how different the discussion would have been if the panel consisted of long time readers of Kubert's comics.
From 12-2 I wandered the convention floor some more. I stopped at a number of tables and bought some items that I had planned to buy and a couple that I had not. I picked up the commission that Thom Zahler did for me of Batman and Kitty Pryde (dressed as Robin). I bought Flesh and Blood (Book One) from Neil Vokes, Dames in the Atomic Age #1 from Chris Ryder, and All New Issues (Volume 1) from Bill Ellis and Dani O'Brien. I also ordered a sketch card of Galactus from Bill Ellis.
I stopped by Bradd Parton's table again. We chatted some more. I bought an alpha-sketch of Plankton (from Sponge Bob Square Pants) from him.
Panel: Spotlight on Frank Quitely (2-3) with José Villarrubia - Roughly two-thirds of the panel was a discussion between the two artists. The audience got a chance to ask some questions during the last 20 minutes. Both men talked kind of quietly, no pun intended.
I went for one last walk on the convention floor after the Quitely panel. I picked up the Galactus sketch card from Bill Ellis. I stopped by Brian J.L. Glass' table; at Heroes Con he had told me that the hardback edition of The Mice Templar (Book 3) would be ready in time for Baltimore Comic Con. Apparently the printer was running late in delivering the finished product. I still haven't read the previous volume so it wasn't a great loss. I will get it the next time I see him which probably won't be until sometime next year.
I wandered around a little more finally leaving the convention center around 4:30. I considered sticking around and having dinner in Baltimore but I wasn't hungry at the time I left the show. I didn't see the point in hanging out for a few hours so I could spend some more money.
The drive home was slow going. It took forever to get out of downtown Baltimore. Even after I got on to I-95 the traffic was still stop and go. It took me over an hour from the parking garage to my apartment. By comparison, the night before it only took me 40 minutes. Not withstanding the drive home, it was a very good day.
Up next: Final Thoughts
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