If you’re into comics you probably already know about the online version of the San Diego Comic-Con running through this weekend. I’ve been enjoying watching and listening to some of the panels, which began going up Wednesday. You can find a complete list on their website with links to the panels so far, and the upcoming schedule. I’m participating in just one panel, above. An odd choice for me, but I did do some coloring for DC in the late 1970s, and wrote two blog posts about it that moderator Anina Bennett likes. There will also be a livestream for one hour afterwards for comments and questions. Please note the posted times are PACIFIC time, so for East Coasters like me, it’s three hours later. Here’s the full details from Anina:

I’m excited to be doing two online panels for ComicCon@Home this month! I hope you can join us for “Gender, Race, & Comic Book Coloring” with Marissa Louise Czerniejewski, Mildred Louis, Zoe D. Smith, Todd Klein, and yours truly. Watch for FREE on July 25 at 2pm PT: https://sched.co/d4y6. UPDATE: The livestream after-panel Q&A will be July 25, 3pm PT on www.twitch.tv/ml_illo!

Panel description:
Did you know that comic book colors used to be hand-separated by an army of women in Connecticut? That “benday dots” are named after a real person? Or that there’s a technical reason African-American skin tones look wrong in old comics? Geek out on the hidden corners of comics history, from the Golden Age up to today’s digital era, and learn about the craft of coloring with color artist Marissa Louise (Amethyst), comics creator Mildred Louis (Astrea’s Nexus Studio), researcher and essayist Zoë D. Smith (University of Chicago), and master letterer/former DC production artist Todd Klein (Sandman). Moderated by author Anina Bennett (Boilerplate).
Comic-Con International
#SDCC2020

This year’s Baltimore Con at the Baltimore Convention Center was great fun. It’s my third year in a row having a table there, and each year I’ve sold more prints and things than the one before. It’s a relaxed atmosphere, the focus is mainly on comics and comics creators, and the staff and attendees are friendly and helpful. What more could one ask?

I drove there from my home in southern New Jersey, it’s an easy drive that can take as little as two hours forty minutes, but I usually stop once or twice, so I do it in about three hours. As a guest of the con, my room at the Sheraton was paid for, and I arrived there around 11:30 AM. After checking in I headed to the convention center to get my badge and set up my table. I was ready by 12:30, and the show opened at 1 PM.

As usual, my Sunday report will be shorter than the others. The day began when I looked out my hotel room window and saw that the Dole pineapple boat had arrived overnight, and was busy unloading many trailer-loads of pineapples, and probably some bananas. Their dock is just beyond the hotel.

After spending a lot of time at panels on Friday, on Saturday I spent much of my time in the Exhibit Hall. Heritage Auctions and others had some expensive original art on display. This one features excellent lettering by Tom Orzechowski.

Friday morning I was feeling much more myself after a good night’s sleep. Looking down at the Convention Center from my hotel, I could see people beginning to arrive, and the white tents for those waiting in line for the Hall H events. Those are the big media shows that I’ve never even tried to get into. Some people wait many hours for that, or even overnight. My morning route would take me across the road to that pink walkway, then around the corner into the east end of the Con Center.