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Sunday, July 25, 2004
Comic-Con Fan Report part 2
Part 1
More of Thurs.
Daniel and I met up at the Freaks and Geeks panel early. We decided to take our seats in room 6AB right then while the current panel, one on putting together DVDs, was wrapping up. That panel was basically movie and TV geeks shooting the shit about DVDs on a grander scale, which was fun. It was there that I first witnessed a certain phenomenon. If you mention Firefly, as one of the DVD producers on the dais did, you will invariably get loud applause for your comment. It’s not only a sci-fi show after all. It’s a sci-fi show created by Joss Whedon. It’s a sci-fi show that was cancelled before its time. It’s a sci-fi show that became so popular on DVD that a movie is now in the works, making the fans of the series the true victors over know-nothing TV execs. It is perfectly tailored to many of the crowd attending the Con.
The F&G panel got started with co-creator/writer/director Paul Fieg introducing the last episode of the show, Discos & Dragons. The show was great stuff as is to be expected from this show. The recurring mentions of Dungeons & Dragons and appearances by Mystery Science Theater 3000 alumni Joel Hodgson and Trace Beaulieu got extra laughs from the large crowd attending this panel. After the episode finished Paul Fieg came back on stage to introduce the rest of the panel. All of the “geeks” were there, John Francis Daley, Samm Levine and Matrin Starr (whose Bill Haverchuck might be one of my favorite TV characters ever). Joining them was Steve Bannos, writer and actor on the show, and Natasha Melnick who played Nick’s rebound girlfriend Cindy. This was all audience Q&A with all the questions asked by fans to be smart and articulate. I would soon find out this was not the case for all of the Con’s programming. Fieg originally dominated the answers, but soon the rest of the panel chimed in. Among the topics discussed were why the show was cancelled in the first place, if there will be an Undeclared DVD set (there will be), what the panel members are up to now and how autobiographical was the show. Fieg is a smart and witty guy who gave us an unflinching glimpse in how a major network can screw up a good thing, but he never sounded bitter. The “geeks” of the panel made a few good jokes as well. When Fieg mentioned that Levine was the youngest member of The Friars Club, Levine said it was “only so they can harvest my organs.” This was a really fun and informative panel, one which I’m glad I attended. The F&G crew did a signing at the autograph center right after the panel, but I couldn’t make that. No, I had a writing panel to attend to.
I took down my notes that would end up here in between the panels and waited outside room 1B (a lot of the Con felt like a new semester starting up at school and the rooms were where all my classes were). I overheard two teen fans discussing X-Men comics and their disdain for Grant Morrison’s run on the book that was equaled only by their approval of the new “Reload” their favorite franchise has received.
“Have you ever met someone who actually liked the Grant Morrison X-Men? I bet they’re all like ‘I like the X-Men expect for that weird part in the 80’s where it made no sense.’”
“Huh, yeah.”
They then went back to admiring Uncacnny X-Men #444.
Later, from the same fans:
“I bet it’s real easy to write comic books.”
The panel DC: The Write Stuff (the names didn’t get any better, folks) had a line-up I was very interested in seeing. It featured Dan Jolley (who looks like Jason Lee, but unlike Jason Lee doesn’t have a demeanor that I find 100% annoying), Paul Jenkins, Andy Diggle (who looks like a British Dave Foley), Bill Willingham, Howard Chaykin, Jimmy Palmiotti and Peter Tomasi. The panel was pure audience Q&A and the questions here hardly stimulating. Luckily the panel featured three very quick wits in Chaykin, Palmiotti and Jenkins. When the lights suddenly went out during the panel (only for a second) Chaykin was quick to quip “ladies and gentlemen, a new superhero…Lady Brownout!” All the creators spoke about their books and the ideas behind them, as well as their experiences writing in the comics industry. A point driven home was how important perseverance is. Writing experience, even if it isn’t writing in comics, is important just so you’ll improve in your craft. Another point brought up was fan reaction on the internet. Willingham had the best line of the night when he said “when I started on Robin I was told two things: fix this book and don’t change anything. And that wasn’t even from two different fans.” Willingham’s cell also went off during the panel, which was funny because his ring was simply the sound of a horse neighing. Also, the writers would like editors to know (and some on the panel are/were editors) that writers need certain hours in the day to write and they can’t be interrupted. Jenkins told the audience that, after all, there was a reason why he spent so much time on the golf course. Finally, if you’re going to ask a creator about his or her career, at least get your facts straight. Don’t ask Howard Chaykin that, since he started with independents, how hard was the adjustment working for DC in the late-80’s. He just might bop you in the head with a copy of Detective Comics #441!
I will end my Thurs. report with this observation. The Con involves a lot of walking. Lots and lots and lots and lots. The thing is, when you realize that you’ve been eating at Denny’s for four days straight, you don’t really mind all that exercise. Just remember, wear a lighter backpack.
Next on my Friday report: Vertigo reveals new projects and revels in uncomfortable audience sentiment about the Constantine film, Marv Wolfman is teacher for the day, I pal around with Tony Millonaire and the Hernandez Bros., Jack Kirby is honored and I attend the best panel of the Con. Be here tomorrow (or thereabouts). Until then I say good night, folks!
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