For those who missed it, I made sure to snap pictures of our PopCap crew manning their table and making art the whole livelong day!

I saw Sarah Dicken painting this, and now it is mine. Yes, in this case, the Finders Keepers rule applied to art acquisition. I'd've arm-wrestled for it if anyone got in my way.

David Ryan Paul and Rich Werner never stopped sketching, and the Zombie watched over them.

Jordan Kotzebue happily hawked Hominids while modelling the finest in Solitaire Blitz couture.

Hominids is a webcomic that comes out weekly online and then is collected regularly in print format. I hear that is the future of the comics industry. Go check it out!  (Hominids is not an all-ages comic. You are warned.)

Note: In this image, Sarah Dicken was busy painting the bunnies. And they are mine.

How adorable are these?! If I had kids, these are the blocks I’d want them playing with. Mix-n-Match Creatures by Sarah Dicken (aka One Dill Pickle), coming soon to an Etsy near you.

Karin Madan giggles behind her display copies of Monsterpedia, volumes 1 & 2.

Visit Karin online and check out her Etsy store for handmade jewelry!

When I saw Erin working on this kitty sketch, I was instantly jealous of whoever had commissioned it.

If you were there, send us pictures of you reading Hominids or Monsterpedia, wearing a Karin Madan necklace, drinking out of an Erin Middendorf mug… we’d love to see! If you weren’t there, you can still visit the artists’ sites and online shops, and you can even get a copy of Monsterpedia volume 2! It’s the easiest way to get your hands on some lovely bunnies by Sarah Dicken, among other things.

Monsterpedia 2 is at times monstrous, at times adorable! This story by Sarah Dicken proves that there is nothing more endearing than a bunny you could ride.

Although, she gives her bunny some adorable competition with this puppy of a unicorn!

Many of the original Monsterpedia contributors have returned for this second volume, as well as some new faces. I am immensely proud to have written a story for it myself, and prouder still that it is illustrated by the amazing Dev Madan.

Dev and I go all Twilight Zone on a poor comic book creator. It's kind of my favorite thing ever that Dev Madan's pencils brought my characters into the world.

Erin Middendorf will be on hand with more of her gorgeous pottery.

I look at this and squee, "Corgi! Kitty!" And so forth.

I defy you to look at her animal art without trying to reach into the art and pet the adorable creatures. It just can’t be done. Don’t believe me? Have you played Solitaire Blitz? There are puppies who are soaked through, and you just know they smell like wet dog, but of course you would hold them and cuddle them anyway.

Readers of the first Monsterpedia will be excited to know that Karin Madan is back for Volume 2 with another story about the tragic and endearing Lil’ Dusa.

Don't worry -- this is just the title page, not the final panel. Lil' Dusa will be fine... probably....

So if you’re attending the con this weekend, be sure to stop by booth 506 and visit! The full complement of Monsterpedia artists and writers will be around, so pick up a copy of Volume 2 for thrills, chills and beautiful bunnies that you could totally ride if only you were tiny enough. And who knows? It’s Comicon. Probably someone there is selling reproductions of Alice in Wonderland cakes, and you can’t be sure they won’t shrink you unless you try.

Erin Middendorf was the first artist to sell out! Um, I mean that in the good way... she kept her integrity while unloading all her stuff.

Dev Madan and David Ryan Paul sketched and sold all weekend long and never stopped smiling.

In addition to prints and sketchbooks, Dev had a full-length adventure, Monstertown P.I., featuring Frank Neil Stein, the character from his delightful Monsterpedia story. This is one of the many items I failed to pick up, as I was mostly busy cosplaying and winning trivia contests. Fortunately, I work in the same building as Dev, so I guess it’s only fair to give the other fans first crack at his wares!

Lynn Hogan in PopCap finery, or "bling" as I hear the kids call it.

Lynn’s new graphic novel, Prydwen, is available in both hardcover and soft, and it’s gorgeous! She was busy signing all weekend.

Karin Madan went bananas for this con. Sorry, I really couldn't help myself there.

As I photographed Jordan Kotzebue, I said, "Ooh, hold still... your head is covering the boob in the picture right now, that's perfect."

There were lots of great costumes this year, including roving hordes of Doctor Who in his various incarnations, at least half a dozen Katniss cosplayers, Hogwarts students travelling solo or in packs and representing at least three of the houses (as usual, no love for poor Hufflepuff). Here are a few of the highlights I managed to get on camera:

All Gryffindors here, but Slytherin and Ravenclaw both made a pretty good showing at ECCC this year.

I would like this just slightly better if the team simply represented all four major Robins, rather than three Robins and a Batgirl... but still, very nicely done!

In line for Stargate Atlantis star Jason Momoa, a trio of Wraiths menace Rodney McKay (whose Ancient shield device must have worn off already, or he shouldn't look so scared).

And last year after San Diego Comic Con, I challenged readers to correctly identify my cosplay (incidentally, no one did, but their guesses were good). This time, I went with a much more identifiable character, so no challenge. It was great walking around being recognized even by very young children who love the character! Kind of gave me hope that the next generation of comic book fans is here.

Avengers, assembled. At least two of 'em.

Intrepid artist David Ryan Paul, reporting for duty!

Last August, I wrote about the PopCap artists’ collaboration called the Monsterpedia. Many of the artists involved in that book will be on hand this weekend, and they still have some copies available for purchase. Or, if you bought one online, bring it along to get it signed!

*And a quick note before we proceed: all links below will take you away from PopCap.com, and that means we have no guarantees that the content will be all-ages appropriate. Hominids, in particular, is a webcomic set in the jungle, which means that it features indigenous people who don’t wear as much clothing as you probably do. It’s gorgeous art, but it may qualify as NSFW, so click with caution.

PopCap’s own Erin Middendorf is one of my favorite artists. I always know her work by the way I want to reach right into the image to pet the creature! Take a look at some of the adorableness she’s purveying in the irresistibly useful form of handmade, hand-painted pottery:

That owl wants his chin scratched. I can tell.

In addition to beautiful little animals, her pottery features film, TV, and video game characters. She’ll also have prints and handmade jewelry for sale, plus some aromatherapy products from Contact Caffeine, for which she designed the labels. Check her out at Table P-29 in Artist Alley!

David Ryan Paul will have two volumes of his sketchbook, copies of the Monsterpedia, and a number of prints available for sale. If you buy a sketchbook, you will also get a free sketch! The coolest part about a comic con, for me, is watching artists do what they do, so a sketch is a major bonus. Come to P-31 in Artist Alley to visit David!

Having clicked on his links myself, I know there are some prints I’ll be looking for!

Jordan Kotzebue will be there with copies of the Monsterpedia, plus hard copies of issues 1 and 2 of his webcomic, Hominids. He’ll also be selling t-shirts from the popular recent art show Muppet Rawk. In my previous post about the Monsterpedia, I couldn’t include images from Hominids, but the art is terrific, so read the webcomic, and come see it firsthand at P-29 in Artist Alley — look for the Hominids banner!

And again, Jordan offered me three images for this post, and this is the only one I could share… boobs are way scarier in our society than big toothy sea-creatures. Either way, that’s some good-looking art!

Another wonderful artist with a new comic for sale is Lynn Hogan, whose graphic novel Prydwen Volume 1, will be available at Table 1002, Sofawolf Press. Lynn herself will be there sketching and signing, so be sure to stop by!

The lovely and talented Karin Madan has not provided me with her table number, but I am confident you can find her in the vicinity of the other PopCappers (likely P-30 with fellow superstar Dev Madan)! She’ll have all sorts of surprises for us, no doubt, as well as beautiful handmade jewelry featuring her irrepressible wide-eyed characters:

Look at those eyes! Don’t they just call out to you, “I simply could not be repressed by any means!” ?

Other PopCap artists who will be in Artist Alley this weekend include Noah Maas at P-27 and Augie Pagan at D-19. As of “press time” they have yet to provide me further details on their wares for the con, but click on the links — the art speaks for itself. You’re going to want to see this in person!

Besides all the PopCappers in attendance, Emerald City Comicon is just one of my favorite events of the year. I’ll be there wandering around, wide-eyed as a Madan sketch, all weekend long. If you’re in Seattle, come down to the Convention Center and join in the fun!