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Read all the goings-on that happened when I was not there! Exclusive reporting not from the convention floor! And remember: many fascinating things in comics were happening at that very moment, NOT in San Diego!
OPINIONS N' GOSSIP: THE ROGUE COMIC BOOK DUDE
I had a talk with the Rogue Comic Book Dude about his SDCC impressions. This talk had to be arranged with a series of drop-boxes and encrypted Skype transmissions.
"Sadly, I don't know how many other publishers will be around. Times are tough. While fans were out in full force, creators were not – many staying home for financial reasons. A lot of people un- or underemployed."
"Geoff (Johns) is an interesting phenomenon. He's been retooling DC properties (Flash, Superman and Green Lantern) as an audition to write the movies and it's paying off. Geoff along with Grant Morrison and Marv Wolfman are now set up as the "brain trust" for movie adaptations. Geoff is known as a company guy, it's a little surprising that Morrison is too."
"It was funny seeing two DCU editors talk s**t about Zuda, about how they get all the good press and lose money for DC that they have to make up. Clearly, they are not reading their own books."
"...it's funny to see Image take credit for and pretend to be happy for (Tyrese comic)
Mayhem's success. The whole time they resent it because it truly is a horrible book."
"A lot of talk by big name creators and editors about how after the age of artists (Image - early 1990s) and the age of editors (mid 90s editors writing books at the big two) the age of writers (Bendis to present) is coming to an end. Or at least the realization that the excess of unchecked verbosity needs to stop."
"I think the fact that Geoff and Dan Didio were on Jimmy Fallon while Joe Quesada was on Stephen Colbert illustrates the difference between the two companies. The corporate, safe (dare I say bland) host and publisher, vs. their smart and edgy counterparts."
Would you like to hear more from
The Rogue Comic Book Dude in the future? Then you obviously don't want him to get more work in the industry! Shame on you for encouraging him!
WHAT WERE YOU DOING AT SDCC (OR NOT?)
The Professionals speak out!
Yes, simply
everyone was at SDCC this year except for me! (photo courtesy Buzz Dixon)
Rich Johnston
I think it had to be Gail Simone being a whirling dervish raising money for John Ostrander's glaucoma treatment. That and Jonathan Ross striding round in Lawrence Fishbourne's outfit from Event Horizon. And a kid with Mark Millar's badge that Millar had given him as he left. Oh and being dragged onto the DC Panel by Dan DiDio. It was all cool. Bleeding cool.
Jeff Newelt
I helped throw my first party at comic-con: the PopCult launch, benefiting the CBLDF, sponsored by Coke Zero and co-hosted by Josh Blaylock (devil's due) and hip hop artist Murs. Featured Paul Pope's DJ debut, AV/DJ badarses Eclectic Method, live art by Jim Mahfood and whole lotta shenanigans. Comics crew was out in force including David Lloyd, Mike Allred, Darwyn Cooke, John Cassaday, Rick Parker, Jill Thompson and then some. Heidi ran some choice pics:
http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/07/30/sd09-popcult-party-pics/
Steve Ellis
Wow, cool things: seeing the life-size
High Moon banner at the DC booth, watching the making webcomics panel, hearing the cheer that went up when David Gallaher and I were announced as creating a new series for ComiXology called
Box 13, hanging with Chris Irving, Alex Irvine, Jamal Igle, Paul Storrie, and Mr. Gallaher at our swank condo, drinking and hanging out at the Hyatt, with everyone especially the Zuda guys, seeing the proof for the new cover of High Moon due out this October!
Drew Rausch
Introduced my new project,
Winchester, from Slave Labor Graphics. Sold out of
Sullengrey: Sacrifice #1 & #2 (Ape Entertainment) by Saturday. Oh yeah - Rode the elevator with Hayden Panettiere. Think she has some sort of strange candy fetish. Was going on about everyone being "her lil' gummi bear".
Buzz Dixon
The Small Press Area aisles were much wider this year and the seating area behind the tables was much roomier. I spoke to one small press publisher and overheard another, both of whom said the same thing: They saw little point in coming to SDCCI, spending money for a table, then working their tushies off all weekend to try to break even. This year they both opted to enjoy the show, network, and rely on the Internet for sales. Likewise, Artists' Alley was smaller, and several of the larger booths/islands from previous years were downsized significantly (f'r instance, Tokyopop and Bud Plant seemed to be only half their previous size). I heard several retailers complain the crowd wasn't spending like they used to; they seemed to place the blame on the economy and higher transportation/hotel prices this year, which meant many fans had a choice to either attend but not be able to buy stuff, or not attend and still not buy stuff.
Mark Sable
I found it quite amusing the number of times I got 'Oh yeah, you're that terrorist guy' when I introduced myself at SDCC, because of the story that the TSA detained me after reading
Unthinkable.
Brendan McGinley
Three of us handed out 4500 of 5000 HEIST flyers with plenty of time to act like regular human beings. I drove 30 hours all told, and probably slept the same amount. Also, we've begun a tight conspiracy, a gathering of like-minded gentlemen poised to take over the world...of comics....indies, mostly. Watch out, dying market!
Andrew Pepoy
The coolest thing for me was marking my 20th anniversary in comics by winning the Eisner for best short story as part of the team behind "Murder He Wrote" from last year's
Simpsons Treehouse of Horror. Also, I was able to announce that finally, after almost 20 years since their first appearance, all the Simone & Ajax comics will be collected in 2 volumes next year by ComicMix/IDW. So there's my blatent plug, too. And as a fan, got to meet one of my favorite inkers, Mike Royer.
Jami Noguchi
I never made it out this year. My friends Yuko and Ananth from Johnny Wander made it out, though (
http://www.johnnywander.com). Yuko met Jeff Smith five years ago. She was so excited to meet him and wanted to get a sketch. Instead, he grabbed her sketchbook and spent the next twenty minutes going through each page giving her praise and comments while holding up the line. It was one of the most inspiring moments for an aspiring artist.
Brian Michael Stempien
Not really an awesome moment, but sitting in a room full of rabid comic book fans for the Green Lantern screening was definitely an experience. I'm just glad that I've met crazy people before or my head might have exploded. I recited the pledge of allegiance during the room-wide recital of the Green Lantern oath (partially due to not knowing the oath... something about Blackest Night?), and the guy next to me was not amused. Not at all.
Scott O. Brown
The Zuda folk weren't last minute coolness. They were coolness all four days I was there. What really made the show awesome was the greater accessibility of the Hollywood folk. It's amazing what can be accomplished in an hour when the stars align.
Marion Vitus
...we had planned to skip San Diego this year due to not being able to get a close hotel, not knowing whether we had a table until very late in the game, and not really having anything new to show off; but we still missed out on seeing all the great people and artwork that SDCC has to offer. Next year will be an exciting year for the
Comics Bakery, however—we all have a lot of great books and projects coming out! Raina Telgemeier's
Smile will be published, the second book in Dave Roman and Raina Telgemeier's
X-Men series will be out, John Green will have more videogame work to show off, and the books I've worked on for Sky Blue Ink and First Second will be out.
Exclusive: I Ask My Boyfriend David Gallaher About The Hot Girls That Tried To Pick Him Up At SDCC
(Also, about his new project for ComiXology, "Box 13")
Comics-Op: What was your SDCC experience like?
DG: Actually, it was relatively mild. Certainly, the crowds were crazy, but I spent most of my time hanging out with my friends and seeing the folks I only get to see once or twice a year. One of the highlights, however, was bringing my parents to the show on Sunday afternoon. It was a hell of an experience. Also, the Zuda-hosted 'Making Webcomics' panel was excellent. I'd love to see more panels at SDCC model themselves after South By Southwest.
Comics-Op: Did any hot girls try to pick you up?
DG: I plead the fifth.
Comics-Op: What's this I hear about your new project for ComiXology that was announced at SDCC, "Box 13?"
DG: Loosely based on the popular radio serial,
Box 13 is a thrilling espionage story of a writer whose true identity is connected to a series of 13 mysterious boxes. To learn of his hidden past, he partakes in a world-spanning adventure to discover the secrets within the final box ... Box 13. The project is written by me – and illustrated by Steve Ellis and lettered by Scott O. Brown. It's also specifically formatted for the iPhone and available exclusively through the Comixology App, "Comics."
Comics-Op: What do you feel about comics switching to mobile phones?
DG: I dig it. I think having a vast library of comics at your fingertips is pretty darn slick. Plus, since they are digital - they'll always be in 'mint condition.'
Comics-Op: I heard that you recently puchased an iPhone. How has that been? Does the iPhone hold much potential for comics?
DG: The iPhone is awesome. Of course, translating a print artifact into a digital replica can be difficult. As a developer, one has to really consider the reading rhythm of the end user, along with the interface. Those are big obstacles to overcome, but I think Comixology's app shows exceptional potential.
Comics-Op: Any interesting gossip you heard at the show?
DG: Well, I wouldn't want to embarrass any of my fellow creators, but I did observe firsthand why DRIPPING WET'S Nikki Cook is the most dangerous woman in comics. Of course, it's a compliment ... but wow!
Comics-Op: Grrrrrr...
Buy this "Women Make Comics T-Shirt
here!
And this has been...
Yet another edition of Comics-Op!
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Valerie D'Orazio is a former editor at DC Comics, is presently president of the Friends of Lulu and is probably best known as the Occasional Superheroine
Comics-Op is ©2009 Valerie D'Orazio
