My life is weird. On Sunday, Andrew and I went to a fancy-butt Oscar gala held by the Academy of Friends, a San Francisco-based AIDS charity. The Academy had chosen "A Night of Superheroes, Villains & Divas" as its theme for this year's bash, so Andrew was tapped to provide a display of superhero comic art from the Cartoon Art Museum. In return, he got tickets for himself and his lovely wife. Local cartoonist Justin Hall's comic "Glamazonia the Uncanny Super-Tranny" was featured in the display, so Justin and his partner Nash were invited too.

Figuring we were unlikely to get invited to any other gala events in the immediate future unless you count the masquerade at Wondercon (see you there, Phil!), Andrew and I got totally dolled up.



I was ready for the red carpet, although with my hair up I looked disturbingly ready to govern Alaska.



Yes, Andrew wore a Watchmen smiley-face button in his lapel. Because he's just that awesome.



Here we are at the Cartoon Art Museum display. In heels, I've got three inches on Andrew.



And here's Justin (in mask) and Nash:



It's not a gala without living statues, now, is it?





And the rest of the crazy shindig, or at least what we could photograph through the lights and smoke and general hallucinogenic haze. The event was held in a huge converted warehouse at Fort Mason Center, and midway through the evening they tore down the back wall to reveal even more stuff beyond.









Batman fighting Robin! This party really did have everything!



The crowd went wild when Sean Penn won Best Actor for Milk. Go San Francisco! Go gayness!



After the Oscars, Teal Wicks, star of the SF production of Wicked, showed up to perform "The Wizard and I." Because why not?





Andrew and I didn't stay for the final entertainment, Latin dance troupe Burn the Floor. We went home and watched The Godfather instead. But we had a great time that I'm already beginning to suspect was just a weird dream I had.

Also, I missed a lot of the actual Oscar telecast because of all the bellydancers and stiltwalkers and superheroes and things, but it was really sweet to see shy little Kunio Kato, whom Andrew had interviewed for Animation World Network the week before, accept the Oscar for Best Animated Short. All the animated short nominees were very, very good this year, so check them out if you get the chance.

Okay, Oscar post over. Cartoonists away!