So, I arrived in downtown Memphis, TN this crisp autumn morning to attend the Memphis Comic Expo. I was optimistic and full of vim, dressed as Deadpool the Sith Lord, Darth Pool, I made my way to the ticket table and picked up my VIP two-day pass, and got my goodie bag.

I was optimistic and full of vim, dressed as Deadpool the Sith Lord, Darth Pool, I made my way to the ticket table and picked up my VIP two-day pass, and got my goodie bag. This was a pretty nice goodie bag! Six comics, a Topps Wacky Packages, and two Dice Masters packs. Plus a couple of nice T-shirts of our choosing.

Once inside, the room was mostly quiet, just a few of us early birds and the big stall comic vendors putting the finishing touches on their setups. Passing a nice display of dual Batmobiles, I walked around just to take it in, and the mere presence of all the comics and toys filled me with a sense of serenity. That was when the disaster happened.

I dropped my iPhone. The darn thing didn’t look broken but when turned on, clearly the film under the screen that transfers the touch to the chip inside had separated and I had failed my mission. How could I get the pictures of the cosplayers, or the artists, or even my swag without the camera on my phone? My woe knew no bounds. I sought succor in the now-open concession stand for some Memphis comfort food, namely B-B-Q Nachos from Corky’s. I eagerly awaited the jalapeno and barbecue-sauced tangy delights when I turned around from the condiment stand and was nudged by a mortified teenager. For, to her horror, she had made me Darth Pool of the Planet Nacho. We were both a bit sad. More for the poor nachos that had fallen to ignominious deaths rather than been consumed, and with a smile, we parted ways. She with her friends to go a-purchasing, and I to a table to eat the remnants of my repast. While indulging my cholesterol habit, I decided that it was a very fortuitous thing that I had brought a change of clothes. A quick transformation, and a trip to the car to unload myself of a nacho-y burden, I returned to get to know the folk here at the Memphis Comic Expo.

After another quick walk around the venue, I decided to take a seat at a table in the very center of the main avenue of the expo to make it easier to get some photographs, on a back-up, no longer active cell phone, and talk to the cosplayers. I found that a great deal less creepy than noticing someone and rushing to catch up to them to take their picture and ask them their names. Luckily, I was sporting an Expo T-Shirt and a card with the Outright Geekery website information to put them at ease.

I think everyone had a whole lot of fun talking about their choice of costumes and where they were from. We also had a great view of the legendary George Perez as he somehow just kept his arm going without fatigue as he signed autograph after autograph, or drew image after custom image for the insatiable, and nigh unending line of eager fans. Some of my favorite cosplays were found just walking past my table.

There was Luna Lovegood one moment, a female Joker the next, followed by a rather intimidating Red Hood and delicious Catwoman. Super-spy Agent Peggy Carter came by, as did birthday girl Wonder Woman, fresh off her celebration at the UN! Two enticing Harley Quinn’s, one with the Enchantress, the other with Poison Ivy, as well as a pair of Imperial troops and even Black

Canary and Green Arrow were in attendance. With such an illustrious gathering of heroes and villains, I had once more worked up a fine appetite. No nachos this time, folks.

As fate would happen, I finally convinced my own mother (yes, you read that right) to finally come to a comic expo with me, and we had a great time together rounding up some fine loot before hunger drove us down to Beale Street for a very late lunch or early dinner. We wasted no time in finding a local comic author/illustrator, Tony Max, who has a nice title on Memfamous comics. Just a row over we found another local creator, Larry Cathey, whose Mek Corps is on Heycat Comics. Things are looking up for the comics creators in Memphis!

I walked the lanes alongside my mother, all the while trying to explain to her just who these folks were in our world, we came across a pair fantastic artists and I couldn’t resist the temptation to buy some goodies and get autographs. It wasn’t difficult for me to spy Larry David and acquire a signed script from a Young Justice episode. Two tables down from him was a particular favorite of mine, author/illustrator Joseph Lisner. I quickly snapped up a copy of a limited edition Image one-shot story of Dawn and got that pretty puppy signed as well. We made it all around the room, and I gladly explained to her who George Perez, he of the intimidatingly long line, was and we purchased a couple of comics for me to get signed by the man himself very early tomorrow morning. I mean if anyone beats me there they must have camped out. We passed many grand stalls, with all sorts of goodies there to tempt me, but I held fast to my budget and disappointed my head and heart in doing so. We paused at the dual Batmobiles and I explained that the one from the 1960s show that was here was owned by Jerry Lawler, a Memphis wrestling legend. It was at that moment that “The King” himself appeared at our side. Apparently, my mom knew him more from attending the NBA Memphis Grizzlies games at the FedEx Forum, for which she has season tickets. He is a near-constant attendee and has participated in many events with the Grizzlies both for charity and also just for the sheer fun for the fans.

He’s a fantastic person to encounter and, once we had mentioned we were on our way to lunch, he suggested his own new restaurant on legendary Beale Street, the home of the Blues. It was a recommendation we could not resist. And so, it came to be that we took our leave late, as the sun was starting to hit the mighty Mississippi River just next to the Hernando Desoto Bridge, down from the Pyramid, and made our way to Beale Street. We parked and strolled past W.C. Handy park with an outdoor blues band spreading sweet sounds all around, and past the Rum Boogie Cafe and Silky Sullivan’s. As we passed A. Schwab’s, and just before we would get to B.B.King’s on Beale, we found Jerry’s restaurant. Inside was an acoustic blues musician strumming and singing away, and along the walls were mementos of Memphis’ wrestling legacy. We took a table in the back near a magnificent throne fit for a wrestling king and got to work on some very fine, meaty Memphis ribs.

Due to scheduling conflicts, I didn’t have long to stay for Day 2, but I was darned sure I was going to get a few comics signed by George Perez and arrived very early, with several Titans issues in hand. He was gracious, charming, and seemed to radiate positivity. That was a great moment for me.

With ups and downs personally, this day was fantastic overall. I met some very fun people and discovered some artists that had been under my very nose in my own hometown. Met a Memphis legend, a comics legend, found some great goodies for my collection, and am very much looking forward to next year at the Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis, Tennessee at the Memphis Comic Expo!