My Internet access and ability to get enough bandwidth to post blogs and photos at Comic-Con was spotty, so although the event is now over, I still have plenty to share with you, starting with the second day of the convention. Because of preview night, however, it was my third day. I husbanded my time much better, choosing fewer panels and leaving much more time for meals. That simple move means I felt far fresher at the end of Friday than I felt at the end of Thursday.

One panel I decided to check out was "How to Create a More Realistic Fictitious World," a class, really, taught by author Maxwell Alexander Drake. He had lots of practical tips for would-be comic book authors. For example, he said, "The world you create is the only character in every scene. Your readers must understand it."

He added, "You need balance, though. Don't burn your readers out with details. Those tidbits are like the spice that chefs use with food. A little enhances everything. Too much, however, and you'll ruin the dish."

He went on to say there's a lot to think about when you build a world. He gave a list of some 50 items, of which the first two (I kid you not) were physics and celestial bodies. Don't read too much into that. Demons also appeared on the list.

I found his panel interesting because while most of the audience was hoping to bring more realism into their fantasy, I was hoping to incorporate more creative elements into my science writing. What astounds me is the sheer number of people trying to break into comic book/television/movie writing — thousands, and that just counts the ones here this week. You know what, though? If the panels are any indication, a lot of these folks are going to make it. They may not be the next Stan Lee, but they'll carve out a niche that will be important to a yet-to-be-determined number of fans.

Late in the day, I walked to the aircraft carrier USS Midway, where Adult Swim (featured on Cartoon Network) was hosting a concert by the real-life equivalent of their animated death metal band, Dethklok. The concert was great, nuff said. On the way there, however, I met a pedicab driver dressed as the Amazing Spider-Man. He noticed my shirt, which carries Astronomy magazine's logo, and said, "I'm an amateur astronomer. Love your mag."

We chatted about quasars, SETI, the sad state of science education in the U.S., and more. He's also a sailor who has enrolled in a celestial navigation class so he can navigate by the stars. Good luck, Spidey.

My trip to Comic-Con continued to delight and surprise me for the last two days of the event. Stay tuned for those details.