If you're the one of the heads of the biggest convention in the country (with over 125,000 attendees in 2006) and someone sends you a note in your official capacity, sorry, it's NOT "private email."

Any damn thing you write to me, I can post wherever I want. If you don't want it potentially posted, don't send me email.

I'm not bothering to write back, since it's apparent that Jackie Estrada is reading my LJ (or that she's reading divalea's, who linked to me). She can read this response along with the rest of the world.

Oh, and here's what she wrote to me. Look! I'm posting email again!

Subject: Lea Hernandez

It has come to my attention that you posted my private e-mail to you on your blog without my permission. I would suggest that you not do that in the future--with anyone's private e-mails. That's just not cool, as Paul Pope would say.

Regarding my response to you--I mentioned that I've known Lea for years to establish that I am well aware of her credentials. I mentioned Lea being "delighted" about the female guests because she not only made a big deal about what she perceived as a lack of female guests last year, but she had just posted the comment "OooooOOOOOoohhh" on the Beat's announcement of this year's guests.

The Comic-Con guest committee works very hard to bring a wide variety of guests to the show, representing all aspects of comics and the popular arts. We have several invitations out to additional guests for 2007 that are still pending; many creators cannot commit this far in advance. However, our official invited guest list is limited to about 30 people, which encompasses mainstream comics, Golden/Silver Age, alternative/indy, webcomics, comic strips, international creators, and science fiction/fantasy. If you see announcements of guests being added in the last few months during the convention, those tend to be sponsored guests--i.e., creators being brought to Comic-Con by publishers, studios, or other companies. This year Avatar has already announced they are bring Warren Ellis.

With all the thousands of professionals out there (I believe pro registration at CCI last year was 6,000), only a small percentage can be invited guests. There are PLENTY of longtime pros who are still on our "to be invited list." We do listen to suggestions and try to work those in when we can, especially if the person fits in with a particular theme or anniversary. And as I said, we have noted the suggestion that Lea be considered. End of story.

Jackie Estrada

P.S. Just to clarify, all the the currently announced guests are CCI invited guests; CCI pays for their air fare, hotel, etc. Ellis is the only sponsored guest that has been brought to CCI to date, and his name has not yet been added to the official list.

Notice how the subject is "Lea Hernandez" when her letter really isn't about Lea. It's about her response to me, my reaction to it, and the fact that I publicly posted it. Whatever.