Anyway, Rod announced that we were going to see the Eastwick panel for ABC’s new show and I rolled my eyes. He went on and on about how great the movie was, and was grievously wounded when I admitted that I had never seen it. When they announced that they were going to show us the entire premier and they dimmed the lights, I counted myself lucky that we only have an hour to go before the panel is over, and then – it got me. I don’t know when it happened but suddenly I realized that I wasn’t just tolerating the show but I was enjoying it.

The characters are well played by their perspective actresses and actors. I have to admit that Paul Gross, who plays Darryl Van Horne, stole the scenes that he was in and afterwards he stole the panel every time he talked. I suppose that he’s following in big footsteps since his role was played by Jack Nicholson in the movie but I think he owns the role completely when he’s playing it. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Eastwick starts in earnest tonight on ABC, I can’t remember the time exactly and I guess it would vary from time zone to time zone, but if you get a chance check it out.

This was the 40th anniversary of San Diego’s Comic-Con, it was my third con. (The second time I went for the full Comic-Con – the first year I just got to go for one day.) The advantage of being a veteran is that you know the ropes a little bit better, you know that you need to get your pass early on Wednesday for Preview Night because if you wait until the doors open for the event, the odds are good that you aren’t getting in with enough time to do anything significant. You know that there’s a reason that so many people are hauling back packs loaded with assorted nonsense,  that seems utterly useless, until you need it and then it’s critically important. There are little lessons, alot of them that you have to learn the hard way, by being there in the thick of things and there are always new lessons to learn every year.

The amazing thing about Comic-Con is that if you keep your eyes open there’s magic happening all around you, in some places that are absolutely unexpected. This year for example there were the little joys I’m somewhat accustomed to – little kids beaming with pride in their superhero costumes, the more exotic like the father who was dressed as a Jedi Knight carrying his son wearing dressed as Yoda. There’s also the moments that are a little less expected, walking on the exhibit hall floor – seeing Michael McMillian spending time with some friends, hearing the unmistakable sound of Kevin Grevioux (Raze from the Underworld franchise) talking to someone, or having Dave Gibbons ( famous artist, think Watchmen) identify the artist who did the print on your friend’s tee shirt.

If you can’t appreciate the little gems that you can uncover on the Exhibit Hall floor, rest assured most people can find magic in the panels and in the illustrious and elusive Hall H.  (I’m saying elusive because despite a seating capacity of 6500, people will stand in line for hours for the hope of getting a seat inside.) This year I fell in love with James Cameron’s Avatar thanks to 24 minutes of footage and ABC’s Eastwick after seeing the entire pilot, but I also laughed until I cried in the Webcomics Bootcamp panel with Scott Kurtz (PvP), Brad Guigar (Evil Inc), Kris Straub (Starslip), and Dave Kellett (Sheldon).

The magic of Comic-con even spills out into the streets. All over the streets of downtown there are signs for the con. There are stores that proudly open their doors and welcome Comic-con attendees. However there are also marketing people working their magic all around the convention center, there was some sort of fair being put on by Heroes, Syfy was passing out new bags and tee shirts promoting their name change and my favorite – you can go down the Rabbit Hole and join the Mad Hatter for a tea party.

I must also admit that I carried around a book hoping to run into one of my favorite authors that was supposed to be there somewhere.  (I never found Shannon Hale or figured out where she was supposed to be!)  I was trampled by a rampaging herd of Green Lantern fans thanks to Graphitti Designs. I also got nicknamed the Line Terminator for kicking two girls trying to cut in the Hall H line, not once, but twice.

At the end of the best conventions, if you are very lucky, you are swept up in a current of excitement maybe about a project that you’re working on or maybe about something that someone else is working on.  It’s like the thrill of falling in love,  it colors your world and makes it a brighter and more interesting place.