Did I not say that this is the biggest bag I’ve ever seen in my entire life? I probably have tablecloths that are smaller than this:

Not pictured: My Harry Potter bag (it’s back at the hotel) and more free stuff!

– SWAG! Run and grab a Warner Bros. Smallville/Superman Bag. Only because it’s quite possibly the biggest bag in the world that I have ever seen and can carry just about anything from the convention. Speaking of bags, add Scholastic’s Harry Potter bag to the list. It’s Harry Potter, people–who doesn’t want that bag?

We’ve heard the buzz about the Phoenix Wright manga all over the Internet. And as I am Del Rey Manga’s resident Phoenix Wright superfan (the first and second titles are my favorite games for the Nintendo DS), I can’t say how incredibly giddy I am about this acquisition. I don’t even know if that’s the right word for it.

I’m a big fan of serious courtroom dramas and sleuthing shows like Law and Order, but there’s just something so fun about the Phoenix Wright world–Maya’s quirkiness, Phoenix’s unwavering conviction, Miles’s mysterious past–that for me puts Phoenix Wright on par with other Capcom greats like the Street Fighter series (as you can tell, I play video games every now and then).

Best of all, the official manga will be brought to you in a unique 2-volumes-in-1 format, so the fans save more and get more in the end. Can’t wait!

Good morning and welcome to the final day of Comic-Con. And just to start the day off right…

I saw this furry little guy being followed by a cameraperson and I just had to take a snapshot.

Giant squirrel reality TV? Who knew?

I intended to come back and blog immediately on finishing the panel… It’s 2-1/2 hours later now. So it goes.

My lethargy was fairly well dispersed by the crowd at the panel this afternoon. It was loads of fun, and I’m still riding the wave of energy I got from our little talk. It was a lively crowd, interested and willing to laugh at my unintended gaffs, and I’m truly grateful for that. Having the rest of the Del Rey staff to fill in my awkward pauses was also much appreciated.

I’d expected that the biggest reaction to our new announcements would have been to Fairy Tail, given the success of the mangaka’s previous work, Rave Master. And people were excited, to be sure. But the strongest reactions came for two other announcements - Hell Girl and Phoenix Wright. In fact, there was a really strong cheer to Phoenix Wright, which bodes well for its release next spring. Great news for the first manga we purchased from a company - videogame giant Capcom - other than Kodansha.

I really, really enjoy doing panels. So much so that were there an opportunity for me to somehow teach a manga class, I’d love to do it someday. When you get a good group, the energy is fantastic. I walked in there completely exhausted - fifth day in San Diego, fourth day of the con, second day with a head cold - and walked out completely jazzed and upbeat. Like I said, a great crowd.

If I keep at this blogging thing, someday I will tell you stories about my own con experiences that started back in 1985, and how cool it is to be on this side of the microphone.

Ed Chavez: April told me you have a pin with my face on it. I want one. Or at least a picture - you better stop by the booth tomorrow.

Spider-Man searches for comics at Comic-Con!

Just what dastardly villain will he come across in his search for the first edition of his favorite comic? Exorbitant prices? A jostling Comic-Con crowd? A fellow Venom on the prowl for comics? Stay tuned to find out!

I just had my most extreme geek-out this week so far. Just a few minutes ago, a trio of cosplayers came by as characters from a very exciting manga that Del Rey will be publishing next year. I was literally jumping for joy. We’ll be announcing just which manga it is later today, after we make the first public announcement at our panel. Stay tuned for that and more new license announcements.

I’ve noticed a small but amusing local custom at the show. Every attendee is required to prominently display her ticket on a lanyard. And like Del Rey Manga, a very large number of companies are giving out promotional buttons. It is very common for attendees to pin these buttons to their lanyard, with the goal of lining the entire strap with pins. I’ve hardly left the booth, but I think I’m familiar with every pin that’s being given away on the floor. I now have empirical evidence to support my claim that our pins are the most attractive to be had.

These people all walked by the booth this morning: a Mad-Eye Moody so persuasive I half expected him to cast a curse on me as he walked by; a fleet of zombies, running a bit more quickly in the direction of the free giveaways than their bleeding wounds should have allowed; a couple of mud-spattered and battle-worn Storm Troopers; a Bumblebee made of yellow cardboard; more Captain Jack Sparrows than I care to count; a few Spartans who ought to consider, for the sake of everyone around them, putting on trousers; and a large assortment of ambiguous types who may be in costume, or who may very well just look like that every single day.

Totally self-explanatory.

Ever had trouble getting your otaku soulmate to notice you?

Are you and your significant other having trouble agreeing on which CLAMP series you love the best?

Are the fan chats just not that interesting anymore? 

Well, you might want to check out Jess Knows Best, a new feature at Comics Waiting Room (www.comicswaitingroom.com) designed to help fanboys and fangirls solve their relationship problems! If you’ve got a question or need some help, e-mail askjess@comicswaitingroom.com. The new column will appear at www.comicswaitingroom.com/jess.html.

Thanks to Marc Mason, the site’s webmaster, for letting us know about the site (because we all know we need some good ol’ otaku love ^_^)!