Last weekend, I was in Novi, MI, primarily for the Motor City Comic Con, although, technically, I was working. It is hard to call it work when it is as much fun as this event.

First, I made the rounds, distributing Global Traveler to all of the hotels near the Rock Financial Showplace. As always, the hotels were very happy to receive the copies.

The MCCC is a three-day event, featuring dealers, artists and celebrities. Over 15,000 fans attended this year. Carrie Fisher (of Star Wars fame) was the biggest and most popular celebrity, but the other 20 celebrities were also kept pretty busy by long lines of fans.

I laughed with the Honky Tonk Man, a pro wrestler who was disappointed that he was not the first person to tell me that I look like Jay Leno. I semi-saved actress Joyce DeWitt from a well-meaning but lingering, talkative fan. I joked with actors Erin Gray and Gil Gerard, who somehow was stuck holding a fan’s purse while she showed him a small photo album. I talked business travel with Christy Hemme and Kevin Nash.

I met a new friend, Jack Odanovich, who was representing the Star Wars Society of San Antonio (SWSSA). The SWSSA was just one of many groups from all over the country. At the MCCC, Odanovich (in full Anakin Skywalker garb) attracted almost as many people as some of the celebrities. Odanovich is somewhat used to this, though, as the SWSSA has also been to hospitals to cheer up young patients.

The MCCC is a true success story. The former little comic book show has grown to be the best convention I have attended. I have never heard one complaint from anyone. It is smoothly run and somehow every celebrity seems to be in a great mood all of the time.

The hotels deserve special mention. The Doubletree is the host hotel, but all of the hotels welcome this convention. Despite the fact that they would all probably sell out anyway, each hotel goes above and beyond.

On Saturday evening, GT route manager JayHawk Evans and I trekked (just keeping with the sci-fi theme) over to Detroit to watch the Tigers thump the Oakland As, 9-1. Comerica Park is a beautiful baseball park. The park, which opened in 2000, is one of the biggest reasons for the revitalization of the downtown Detroit area.

On Sunday morning, I took a long and refreshing run. From my hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn, I ran past Twelve Oaks Mall, where I saw all of the new development. I continued running past Ella Mae Power Park, where I resisted the urge to beg into one of the softball games. I finished the six or so mile run in decent time, but I’d have a lot of work to do to be ready for the Detroit Marathon in October. I always enjoy this trip to Novi/Detroit.

Unfortunately, the weekend ended on a sour note. I drove back to Chicago in time to catch the Chicago Blackhawks being defeated by the Detroit Red Wings in the first game of their series. I could have done without that little piece of the Motor City.

-John Wroblewski, distribution specialist