It’s been quite a day, again. The kind of day in which time seems to acquire a viscosity of its own, sucking you in, gulping you down. A day-long meeting, with multiple sub-meetings scattered in between.

The day shouldn’t over yet. Because tonight’s the night Brian K Vaughan arrives at Meltdown Comics in Hollywood for a Q&A, followed by a signing. The event is the midnight release party of Vaughan’s new comic book Saga, the previews of which show a lot of promise. Oh, and the Q&A is being conducted by Damon Lindelof, you know, the co-creator of this little-known TV series about a bunch of people on an island. I had been excited about this event for quite some time now – actually, excitement is too mild a word for what I am feeling right now. I was all set to buy issue 1 of Saga, and I was planning to get my Y The Last Man and Pride of Baghdad hardcovers signed.

But what happened was this – I came home, had my dinner, showered, got ready, and put the hardcovers in my backpack. Walked out of the apartment. And then I realized that I was too tired to consider going across town for a signing. Brian K Vaughan could wait. Saga can wait. My body needs to rest.

I feel all grown-up. I feel old. One of these is not that bad, and the other sucks. I hate being grown-up.

* * *

Despite the meetings, I did find time for some liberal credit-card abuse. Scott Dunbier, Keeper of the Artists’ Editions that I had mentioned a few days ago wrote to the comic-art mailing list about a special Wondercon edition of both the Romita Artists’ Edition, which came signed by Stan Lee and John Romita. And sketched in by John Romita as well. The Wally Wood book also has a special edition, and the ebaywhore in me howled at a metaphorical moon as I hastily pre-ordered both. The rational side (if there is any) probably whimpered for mercy somewhere in the corner of my brain. And I learnt of another pre-order today – Titan Books is coming out with an Artist Edition of its own. Back when the first Ridley Scott Alien was released, writer Archie Goodwin and artist Walt Simonson teamed up to adapt the book into its comic. It was a fairly good adaptation, considering that this was the pre-Watchmen era, Simonson’s art in particular nailing the kinetic moments of the film. I learnt that Amazon UK had it for sale at less than half of cover price, sighed to myself and ordered. Come on, it was just 22 GBP.

IDW is on a roll. Up next, after the Eisner and the Born Again editions, there’s the Groo The Wanderer Artist Edition coming out in June.

* * *

Speaking of Watchmen, you should read this transcript of a 90-minute long interview with Alan Moore. This is basically Moore’s side of the story of the Watchmen prequels that DC announced a few weeks ago. Go on, read it, it’s 8 pages long.

Are you back? You don’t have to be. I am too tired to right anything about the interview at the moment. I should probably go get some sleep.

* * *

I am not disappointed about missing the Meltdown Comics event, not at all. Because Wondercon is this weekend, and I am primed for it. Oh yeah, old age and grown-upness, you don’t scare me. Not at all.

* * *

The saddest news this week has been the news of Moebius’s passing. Jean ‘Moebius’ Giraud was one of the finest artists who ever drew a comic-book, and it guts me to think that we lost him this early. His shadow looms large over a lot of memorable films of the eighties – Blade-runner, Dune, Akira, The Fifth Element, mostly for the visual design that they liberally borrowed from his works. Among the tributes and articles about him all week, here’s an archive of photographs of the master with other legendary creators. Pay close attention to the ones with Hayao Miyazaki, Osamu Tezuka, Uderzo and Hugo Pratt.

I should really sleep now.