Make those plans for CES in January.. NOW

http://www.cesweb.org/default.htm

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $186 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,000 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership.

Tuesday, January 10: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Wednesday, January 11: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Thursday, January 12: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Friday, January 13: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

What other cool stuff is happening at the International CES?

Get ready for concerts, competitions, celebrity appearances and other events that happen at CES — even before the show officially opens its doors.

What are the requirements for attending International CES?

International CES is not open to the general public. You must be in the consumer electronics industry to be eligible to attend the show. Our attendees are made up of more than 140,000 individuals including manufacturers, retailers, content providers and creators, broadband developers, installers, engineers, corporate buyers, government leaders, financial analysts and the media.

There is still time to sign up.. you can frequently get the proper codes to get free admission – if you are in the industry – they way the world finds everything. You know, that think called Google.

I am ready... I have my credentials ready!

Married . . . With Comics @ Comic Book Festival

The Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival is part of the annual Vegas Valley Book Festival, which runs the first week of November in various locations across Las Vegas. This year’s event was the biggest (and longest!), special guests, more panels, free films, a bevy of the city’s most popular food trucks, tons of great merchandise from local comic shops, and all sorts of other geek-tastic awesomeness!

I went on Saturday afternoon and attended the presentation, "Married with Comics." Paul Tobin writes extensively for Marvel Comics (Spider-Girl, Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man, Spider-Man & the Secret Wars, Black Widow & the Marvel Girls, Super Heroes, Models Inc., and many more) and has worked for DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and several other companies. He presented with his wife, illustrator Colleen Coover. Their previous work together was Banana Sunday, which placed on YALSA’s list of best graphic novels for teens. I asked him if in the digital revolution had an effect on his career. He said as a wordsmith (writer), not really. He submitted his content to the artists and they interpreted it. He developed a 13 panel plot point and one time got back the entire sequence in six panels. He works with artists around the world. He, in some cases, has not even met some of them!

I asked him what it was like the first time he got a check from Marvel. He said it was really cool... but just that. I was surprised how calm he said he took it. I would have been jumping up and down and calling everyone! He said the check it self had a Spider-Man on it with a "thwip like sound image". He said he and his Marvel buddies called the checks (they are all contract, work for hire, freelance) "Thwips.