Comics have a history of weird, wacky, unusual or even actually lame, annoying and “maybe we’d be better off without but were stuck with them so we better learn to live with it” characters. Some of them only existing for one issue, others despite their complete nuttiness and/or annoying and/or pointlessness lasting for decades. These characters run the gamut from good guys to bad guys to sidekicks to henchmen and even just supporting characters (such as Steve Lombard of DC Comics’ Daily Planet in Superman comics). Some of these characters were just also not as awesome as others, so because of one thing or another they’ve been less highlighted and become lesser known then their counterparts.
In the second volume of a series from Quirk Books by Jon Morris, titled The Legion of Regrettable Super Villains, the author highlights many of these characters on the “evil” side of the board from the Golden Age to today’s comics including Image and Dark Horse. As the introduction suggests, much like in the first volume, these characters are less regrettable then they are possibly forgettable or more unpopular. Per that a slightly more well known Marvel villain Batroc the Leaper is featured in the The Silver Age section of the book. He of maybe anyone in the book seems almost out of place as he’s been featured in a variety of cartoons, had a toy and was even portrayed by one of the few household names in MMA, Georges St. Pierre in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Despite this, the profiles in The Legion of Regrettable Super Villains, are entertaining, at times informative and a wonderful collection focusing on characters what else-wise get the short shaft.
The true highlight of the book is the Golden Age section as if delves deep beyond Marvel and DC to many of the strange and varied companies of the time that published what are now obscure buried treasures in the regrettable factor is that it is regrettable they are not more easily accessible for readers of all pockets and locales. The Golden age has had a fair share of new collections, notably The Green Llama by Dark Horse and the work of Fletcher Hanks (whose character Lepus is featured on the cover of Legion) from Fantagraphics and most recently Craig Yoe’s Super Weird Heroes, a great companion to The Legion of Regrettable Super Villians , in which the originals are remastered, but a lot of the titles featured in Jon Morris’ books have not had that privilege. Therefore the pages and profiles he provides to a far gone past of crazy creation is most welcome as many of these comics would costs 1000s to own because of rarity of existence in this day and ageTo promote the book, Jon has also drawn illios of the first of the book’s profiles (these excellent illustrations unfortunately are not in the book itself). One of the editors at Quirk, Rick Chilot has done some as well for marketing. Here are three that I liked (but I like all of them). Go to @calamityjon and @rickchillot on Twitter for more.
from the anthropomorphic version of Fawcett’s Captain Marvel AKA Shazam titled Hoppy, The Marvel Bunny. Created by Chad Grothkopf, a quality artist of the 30-40’s who also worked on DC Comics
a true golden age classic the book provides pages from the unsung Prize Comics this character was in. the book credits Paul Norris and Dick Sprang, major players in DC’s Golden Age as the creators.
Not to be confused with Batman, he appeared in Police Comics-the home of Jack Cole’s Plastic Man. A creation of what could be also a regrettable creator George Brenner.
The Legion of Regrettable Supervillains by Jon Morris will be available wherever you like to buy books on March 28, 2017 from Quirk Books. You will regret it if you don’t pick it up for yourself to devour, learn, discover, rediscover, laugh and maybe even cry over these amazing characters of yesteryear and today who coulda been contenders but barely even made it to the ring.
(this review was written from an advance copy of the finished product)
Between March 30th and April 7th, 2015 the world saw three major character actors of pop-culture and also cult fame leave their mortal coil. As a child of the 80’s and 90’s these men left an impression of my mind.
Robert Z’dar, he of the huge chin because of his birth defect aka cherubism was part of some of my favorite films, and played a cop, gangster, and more over the years. Z’dar actually had a pivotal role in my second favorite film TANGO & CASH in which his appearance was very important to the character and made him even more menacing. Tom Towles, a man who also played killers, cops and more, got his name out to the world in HENRY: Portrait of a Serial Killer, but made the most impact on me in the sci-fi horror THE BORROWER. Towles also became known better in later years as the cop in Rob Zombie’s horror films. Finally, James Best who became best known as Roscoe P. Coltrane, one of two antagonists on THE DUKES OF HAZZARD. Throughout the 50’s and 60s, Best was a regular guest star on many a western and crime drama ranging from The Lone Ranger to Perry Mason.
After Towles passing I envisioned he and Z’Dar meeting up in whatever afterlife may or may not exist for a comedy horror about two bungling cops who shoot first and never ask questions. I couldn’t get myself to draw it though. Then Best died and I felt he’d easily work in the fictional film/show and I knew I had to do something as a tribute. PCS does LOTS of art (most of it wrestling inspired) but rarely posts it here. I feel in honor of these three men I must share this tribute which is incomplete, but says everything I want it to say.
Throughout the history of professional wrestling there have been monumental events, angles, stories, character and gimmicks that could’ve easily gone another direction and either drastically the change the course of the future or having very little change but that one change still being constant.
Within the confines of DC Comics and Marvel this idea has been constantly explored. In DC they call it Elseworlds. In Marvel it was known as “What If?’. Some of my favorite comics stories of all time have come from these particular annuals, graphic novels and series. It is something could easily be applied to wrestling in many major ways.
Here’s a small list of some of the ideas I’m playing with:
What if the Issac Yankem gimmick was successful and got expanded to a stable with a X-ray tech and an anesthesiologist?
“What if James Storm joined Chris Harris in ECWWE?”
“Fallen Angel doesn’t get injured in Nitro debut”
“CM Punk never went straight edge”
“Kevin Nash and Scott Hall never left WCW/never left the WWF to go back to WCW”
I have a short dream list of artists based purely on their previous wrestling illustrations, none that have agreed to be part of the project as of yet, but it is a dream.
(special thanks to Sam “Eddie Phoenix” Fines for helping come up with the concept and cementing it in stone with a name.)
(My first follow up will be me fleshing out one of the actual what if’s further and drawing one of my own to get the ball rolling… also research into other artists who not only draw wrestlers but understand and LOVE wrestling…I don’t want just cool illustrations, I want the passion of folks who get what they’re doing, not just photo referencing stuff)
One of the most exciting and coolest companies I discovered in my pre-NYCC research and then further at the show was Redbubble. Since the show I’ve been tracking the site when I can finding designs that truly struck my fancy and I thought would make cool T-shirts or stickers to own or in the very least wallpapers for my computer.
Redbubble is an absolutely awesome art community site,much like Flickr, Deviantart, and even Threadless, but has its own special vibe & design style that truly makes it stand out. Founded in 2006 by three artists & writers to help create a new marketplace for creative visual artists of all realms, the company has grown to feature over 200 thousand plus artists and help assist in over one million orders in nine million products ranging from shirts, stickers, iPhone cases, prints, calendars and full expanding branding for artists to stamp their visions on and see profit for their creations.
Working with various different companies to get the items printed everything is of high quality which I experienced first hand through a totebag, various stickers and a logoed shirt which have all come in very handy and have stood up to regular use.
The easiest and most exciting thing on Redbubble is its very intelligent alogorithm search engines and suggestions of new best work to find art you really love. I’ll be sharing some of that at the end, basically in my own preference, but I want to publicly thank Peter Tomassi and the entire staff at Redbubble. At NYCC they proved they don’t just run an excellent site, but can run an awesome convention booth experience. This was the first year they had brought product to the show for sale and their success blew me away. They really tried to cater to the current pop-culture fan with shirts ranging from TV, to movies, to comics, video games and basic nerd language. The booth itself was really set up greatly and the workers were totally sweet.
My favorite type of images to find on Redbubble have been the ones that mashup a popular concept with something you wouldn’t expect or that just looks at the character, person, pop culture phenom in a new way that really catches the eye. It could be a movie, cartoon, professional wrestling, TV show, actor, it doesn’t really matter, I just really like images that switch things up. There are few artists I’ve found on the site who I really like such as Lapuss and Leigh Wortley. Here’s three images I really liked on Redbubble, the first is New Mutant’s Warlock and Cyber in Calvin & Hobbes style by Leigh, the second is Fozzie Bear as Clockwork Orange’s Alex by Chris Wahl and the last is Showtime’s Dexter if it was a 1940’s WB Cartoon by Lapuss.
All three of these are available as shirts or stickers. I haven’t personally decided what to get or to get all three or to get everything on the site. It’s that awesome.
This will be my final write up pre-con on NYCC, although if time and energy allows I’ll report on Wednesday’s ICV2 and the art events (which are NYCC related) I am planning to head to before offical NYCC day start. In this I’ll be giving as much infomration about exclusives, signings, and just intriguing booth events that I can gather, make sense of and of course are of interest to me. Why promote something that isn’t of interest to me? Seems silly right. At the end of this article I’ll be trying to do some perspective/retrospect going back to 2006. Some of that perspective might just roll into the article itself. We shall see what happens. Read, enjoy, take notes and get ready because Monday-Wednesday will go fast and before I know, you know it and the “world” knows it Thursday will hit, NYCC will open and even if things feel scary, wary, wild, dangerous, and you don’t feel ready, well as Ben Folds Five says “Do It Anyway”
Sure, Attack of the Show and Xplay aren’t the same since Kevin Pereira AND Adam Sessler have left, but Morgan Webb is still there and Blair Butler and Jessica Chobot. I guess Blair Herter is okay, but for me he will always have a Road Rules stigma. If he was on The Real World, the stigma is good, but he was on Road Rules… Anyways, G4 is going to have a presence at NYCC, with swag, stuff to buy, covering the con for people who have to be at home and even signings. Click the link for more info and once again, take notes. This is where information is going to get into the nitty gritty of “But that’s when this panel is, which is when this booth event is happening, oh no, damn it, compromise, compromise, ugh”
Time for some retrospection as I talk about professional wrestling & the NYCC. This year might be the biggest wrestling presence yet with quite an amount of folks appearing, but before I get into that, let’s look at previous years:
In 2006, KANE made an appearance:
In 2007, Mick Foley was there:
From at least my records, there was no presence in 2008, so we skip to 2009, where So Cal Val, Jackie Gayda, Christopher Daniels, James Storm, Jerry Lawler and Dawn Marie were in attendance.
In 2010, the only wrestler I personally encountered was Lawler. Last year (2011) Raven had a table and I met “Diamond” Dallas Page.
Well this year there’s a whole slew of wrestlers appearing. Dolph Ziggler for Mattel. Booker T. in promotion of his book From Prison To Promise.
And the following appearing from different representations:
Big Van Vader, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Tito Santana, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, Angelina Love, Brutus Beefake, The Bella Twins, Robbie E., Kelly Kelly and much more.
On top of wrestlers though here’s an extra excitement, rock superstar/horror maestro Dee Snider will at the Metal Sucks & Vertebrae33 (Booth #776) on Friday from 4-6 pm …
Some of the best parts of walking the show floor at NYCC on top of video game displays, toy showoffs and previews are interesting interactions of the social viral/meme/weirdness kind.
Over at DC they’ll be a green screen photo-op where you can strike your most evil pose alongside Bane, The Joker, Lex Luthor and more and then get a special printed image of your cover to take home.
Square Enix might have the craziest thing in marketing for TOMB RAIDER. It’s called thed the Tomb Raider Archery Experience and here are details from the official press release.
Each participant will let three arrows fly at their own individual TOMB RAIDER themed shooting target which they can then take as a memory of the event. Those lucky archers who hit a bull-eye will receive a limited edition TOMB RAIDER lithograph. The Archery Experience is being supervised by the New Jersey School of Archery.
When: Thursday, October 11: 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Friday, October 12: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday, October 13: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM*
*first hour on Saturday reserved for TOMB RAIDER community and media guests
Sunday, October 14: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Where: North Pavilion Walkway NC 106, Javits Center
Madefire is one of the coolest digital platforms going right now. All free comics in a new digital design program from the mind of Liam Sharp. There are comics on the application from the likes of Dave Gibbons, Gary Erskine, Jimmy Broxton, Angus McKie, Robbie Morrison, Dpug Braithwaite, and more. It’s pretty awesome, but as much as I respect the new digital revolution I will only love print. Luckily Madefire is bringing some print exclusives to the con in the Madefire Sketchbook 2012 and the MONO novella: Prospero Rising, a 150 page prequel to the first Mono comic with Gary Gianni art!
One of the more exciting new booths at Comic Con will be Spoke Art. This awesome SF Art Gallery has had showed advertised in Juxtapoz that always make me wish I had a private plane. At the booth they’ll have their upcoming show, their annual tribute to Wes Anderson films. Plus prints and more, but I’m just excited about the idea of getting to finally visit Spoke Art by taking a subway instead of getting on a plane.
There are going to be lots of indie comics debuting at the show, but one of the ones which has made some leeway in marketing and promotion that caught my eye is Tara Normal. It looks really quality and as I’ve said above, digital is awesome, but I LOVE print.
Here’s just one Signings Schedule: This one is for First Second (booth #1241):
Friday:
2:00pm — MK Reed (Americus)
3:00pm — Zack Giallongo (Broxo)
4:00pm — JT Petty (Bloody Chester)
5:00pm — Ben Hatke (Legends of Zita the Spacegirl)
Saturday:
10:30am — Ben Hatke (Legends of Zita the Spacegirl)
11:30 – Faith Erin Hicks (Friends With Boys)
12:00pm — Carla Jablonski (Victory)
3:30pm — Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy)
4:30pm — Humayoun Ibrahim (The Moon Moth)
6:00pm — Zack Giallongo (Broxo)
Sunday:
11:30am — Mark Siegel (Sailor Twain)
12:30pm — Jorge Aguirre (Giants Beware)
1:30pm — Mike Cavallaro (Foiled)
2:30pm — Zack Giallongo (Broxo)
3:30pm — Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy)
If you look around the net you can find schedules for Marvel, DC, Dark Horse and more. Take notes, notes, notes, also notes.
I am starting to feel like I could be bombarding people with too much information here. It’s a good place to end this with some perspective.
I decided to read my recaps from 2006-2011 of my expereinces at NYCC. Each year was different, each year was exciting. Each year was also exhausting and worth it. Yet each year it also felt like the first time. Everything I knew went out the window except basics.
Water, comfortable shoes, be note prepared, be ready and willing to drop or change your schedule be it changes in the con or sudden life situations. One year, my dad was in the hospital during con, another year my mom ended up in the hospital. Both suddenly making me changes my entire schedule and plans
Here we go again on a trip into the craziness of New York Comic Con with the second part of Saturday panels. A little less overlap here, but once again as stated before these articles are discounting autographing sessions, booth events and the such. Enjoy!
Carrie and the Evil Dead
3:45 pm – 4:45 pm
IGN Theater
This is 3:45 Ign Theater event, which means line up at 3 PM event doesn’t make things any easier. While I am not truly sold on remakes of either of these films, the Carrie one has a LOT going for it. Sure the Chloe Moretz and Julianne Moore casting is exciting, but the fact that this isn’t a remake, but a revisionism of the original story from Brilliant playwright/comics writer/GLEE guy Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and writer/director Kymberly Pierce (adds some real oomph that that makes me excited for it. A bit more than Evil Dead which while spearheaded and produced by Raimi, Tapert and Campbell has unproven director and supposedly a treatment on it from Diablo Cody who proved with Jennifer’s Body that has no handle on horror writing. Still these are also the official unveiling for both these films. The first time any footage will be seen so, a great coup for New York Comic Con in pushing it’s hand at being as big as SDCC.
Garth Ennis: Top Secret New Project Revealed!
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
1A06
Garth actually has books scheduled past the end of The Boys, including Stitched from Avatar, The Shadow from Dynamite and Fury from Marvel. This must be some completely new major announcement of what he plans to try and tackle with The Boys done. There’s very little left from him to accomplish as a writer in comics, unless maybe he’s going to tackle kid’s comics! Oh wait, NO!, He did ERF! too…what is left for Garth?!
Kickstarter and Indie Comics!
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
1A08
The panel description only mentions Benign Kingdom as the discussion partners for this talk, but I really hope they tackle things such as Fairy Quest, Womanthology, Sullivan’s Sluggers, Molly Danger and other successful Kickstarter comics projects that may’ve not happened as well as they are without the website. There’s a lot to tackle there, but I hope they do it all.
Marvel Television Presents
4:15 pm – 5:15 pm
1E13
This is where Jeph Loeb tries his damnedest to sell the new Avengers toon to us and why it’ll be bigger and better than the last one that was completely perfect and deserved a third season. They also premiere the new Hulk cartoon and maybe another cartoon too. Maybe this will be where they discuss S.H.I.E.L.D a bit more. I still wish Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest was on the air. Spectacular Spider-Man as well. I like Ultimate Spider-Man even, but they tied it into Avengers: Earth’s Migtiest… so I lost and confused. Marvel man.
ADULT SWIM: Childrens Hospital/NTSF:SD:SUV::
4:30 pm – 5:15 pm
1A10
These two Adult Swim live action shows are obscenely different, but both accomplish the same thing, combining really funny comic actors with very famous dramatic actors to perfectly parody some of the tropes of television. Children’s Hospital tackles all those medical dramas, while NTSFohfuckit tackles all the crime procedurals. NTSF has the special exception of having folks like Kate Mulgrew and Rebecca Roijn in them, both folks you wouldn’t be shocked to see cast in a real crime drama show. Although Children’s Hospital does have Ken Marino who while a member of The State is also a very warranted dramatic actor and Malin Ackerman. What am I rambling on about? I’m just saying I like these shows and I’d be curious to see with their further success what a panel would bring.
AMC’s “The Walking Dead” Panel Event
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
IGN Theater
This will be a MAD house. Going into season 3 now which is just the night after this people are going to line up for this even more than um… whatever the thing I said people would line up for before. Ignore what I said… this is where the line will be like a parade of walking dead in Atlanta. The new showrunner Glen Mazzara, Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, and most of the cast including Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Chandler Riggs, Danai Gurira, David Morrissey and Michael Rooker are going to be there and fans are so rabid that they’ll even be excited that they’ll see footage from the episode airing the night after!
Comics Quickfire!
5:15 pm – 6:15 pm
Variant Stage
At last years Brooklyn Book Festival I covered a Comics Quickfire that featured Laura Lee Gulledge, Dave Roman and Raina Tegelemeier. They did one at the Book Fest this year too, but I missed it, but the one they’re doing at the con has Laura, with Dave as host and the following artists are joining in: Ryan Sias, Mark Siegel and John Green. These things can be really fun filled and create awesome drawings.
Hip-Hop and Comics: Cultures Combining
5:15 pm – 6:15 pm
1A06
There’s only two people on this panel who I feel have merged hip-hop and comics, those being Eric Orr, the highly valued graffiti artist Robothead who has bridged grafiti with being a fine artist as well as a comic strip creator and Adam Wallenta, the writer/artist behind the official Public Enemy comic and an MC himself. The panel does feature some awesome people on top of this though in the hip-hop legends DMC and Pete Rock. The only “things” missing are Percy Carey and MC Chris.
Developers from IO Interactive demo HITMAN
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
1A10
I’ve seen tons of Hitman footage online, but seeing it on panel with developers discussing it with a Q&A is always a bonus. There are so few games for me to play ever, but things like Hitman, AC3, Epic Mickey, Last of Us, Remember Me… makes it easier.
Costume Contest
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Variant Stage
I always consider going to this… but at the same time, the entire show is a costume contest, just in here, they can win a prize and be on a runway. For cosplayers and cosplay lovers it’s perfect though.
Ladies of Womanthology
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
1A07 Womanthology is an awesome project which features lots of amazing talent and was a very successful Kickstarter project, and equally successful when published by IDW, so much so it’s becoming an ongoing concept. There’s an assortment of ladies talking on this such as Jill Pantozzi, but notable for me is my internet friend Ashlee Lentini.
FIRST COMICS Relaunch and 30th Anniversary Party!
Saturday, October 13, 2012
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
1A01
Last year First was in a hidden corner promoting some of the upcoming books and the resurgence of the company, including doing a new BADGER and new stuff from Fillbach Bros. The thing is that they aren’t doing regular distribution so unless you go to a comics shop that picks them up you arent getting these books. Hopefully they’ll have them available at the convention. I mostly want to see this new Badger book from Baron and Fillbach. I’ll totally buy that. I don’t want to hear about it anymore… I want to have it in my hands.
Capcom Presents: Remember Me
6:45 pm – 7:45 pm
1A21
After watching videos of Remember Me from the internet I am super excited for this panel. I want to know, see and hear as much as I can about it as possible. It combines everything I like in gaming and from what I can tell has none of what I don’t tend to enjoy.
You Can’t Do That On Television
7:45 pm – 8:45 pm
1A01
I want to go to this late night panel simply to hear/see Fred Seibert show off and talk about Superf*ckers and Bravest Warriors from Cartoon Hangover. The stuff on Mondo is awesome too… but I’m all about Cartoon Hangover.
There’s Saturday night parties as well and Sunday has tons of events. I’m hoping things come through and I’m taking my nieces with me on Sunday, meaning any plans I had for panels go up in the air, but I don’t know what’s up yet.
My preview of NYCC continues with a look at Saturday panels going from 10:30 in the morning till 4 in the afternoon. There is a lot of overlap here. I’ll be making compromises, you’ll be making compromises. A lot of these compromises for me come from Press offerings and stuff happening on the show floor as well as autographing. Focusing solely on panels in these previews already make the show look huge, imagine if I talked about the show floor and the autographs and the giveaways? I will be doing that though, it’ll be getting its own post and then if you already have a ticket you might go “Oh my god, that’s too much craziness and stay home… or you’ll show up and have a nervous breakdown or you’ll have an amazing time. Just do me a favor? Shower. That’s it. Smell good.
Haven
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
IGN Theater
Going into its third season, Haven is one of those SyFy shows that allows SyFy to not be a channel full of bad direct to cable movies and a Friday night wrestling program considered of secondary importance by the company that runs it. It’s not the only show that is quality, SyFy also has Warehouse 13 and Lost Girl. Spekaing of Lost Girl though, guess what’s on a panel directly during the Haven panel? That’s right, LOST GIRL. Based on the Entertainment guests page, Emily Rose and Eric Balfour will be in attendance.
Lost Girl
10:45-11:25 am
1A10
Ksenia Solo, Zoie Palmer and Rick Howland are all scheduled to appear for the Lost Girl panel. The panel and promotions are in conjunction with Funamation who are releasing the U.S. edition of Season One to DVD which is probably why the show which was actually a SyFy pickup and not a SyFy original is in direct “competition” time with Haven. Haven is in the IGN theater so, probably way more crowded.
Marvel Video Games
11:15 am – 12:15 pm
1E13
At this point the only Marvel game I’m interested in is Deadpool. If they have that on the floor and I can see it Thursday night or Friday I might not make this panel. Although they could have some surprise announcement or giveaway. That’s a chance at ANY panel though, special give aways. This is going to fall into scheduling, what else is happening, etc. I do relaly care about Deadpool.
Once More With Feeling: 15 Years of Buffy the Vampire Slayer
11:15 am – 12:15 pm
1A21
Scott Allie is hosting this and it will probably MOSTLY discuss the Buffy comic, but I am guessing Nicholas Brendon and Amber Benson will come into tell some stories as well on the anniversary of it all. Maybe Seth Green might sneak up in there too. Those chances are pretty worth it to sit down on this and take the chance, or just to reminisce on Buffy. Whatever.
Violet and Daisy
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
1A10
This film has been on the film festival circuit for so long I thought it’d never get an official release. Actually I think it’s only been shown at Toronto International Film Festival in terms of North America, while getting showings in China, and Germany at special Fanfests. Director/screenwriter will be at the panel as well, and this is Saorsie’s main film since 2011’s Hanna other than the Neil Jordan vampire flick and before her seriously huge film, in the adaptation of Stephanie Meyer’s The Host. Of the three films, Violet and Daisy is the most intriguing to me.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2!
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
IGN Theater
I have yet to actually see the first part of the newest DC Animation adaptation, again from Bruce Timm of the Frank Miller “classic”. I put classic in quotations, because I’ve never been a big fan of the comic. An animated adaptation is cool and all and this panel itself is going to be fan service galore for hardcore Batman fans. I’m expecting the line down the block and by that I mean up the stairwells, and outside the actual Jacob Javits arena. Longer than lines for Robot Chicken and Venture Bros. combined. Longer than lines for um… Dark Knight Rises midnight showings. That long, long enough for the Joker to show up. The real Joker… Frank Miller. I know Kevin Conroy is going to be there. Is here for this? I don’t know… I bet he is.
Mad about MAD
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
1A23
I always want to go to one of these MAD panels to see if the Regular Gang of Idiots are as funny, less funny or more funny in panel/person than in the pages of their magazine. This year the panel has John Ficarra, Sam Viviano, Al Jaffe, Peter Kuper and Drew Friedman. Jaffe and Friedman are big pulls right now.
Bill Paxton and John McLaughlin’s “Seven Holes For Air” Introduction
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
1E13
Seven Holes for Air was being mentioned as a vehicle that Paxton would direct starring Mickey Rourke, but that fell through and Paxton took an acting role. While that happened he helped turn the script into a graphic novel with art by Mick Reinman. I’m guessing this the official unveiling of the comic book and then the start of building fan interest to finally make the movie happen. He co-wrote with John McLaughlin, and I think it’s the one who wrote the upcoming Hitchcock and also Parker. Unless it’s the host of the political TV show or the famous rock musician. No, I bet it’s the Parker guy. In an interview Paxton stated he’d be trying to sell the property to Legendary. I don’t know if that already happened and that’s why the panel is happening, because Legendary Comics is publishing the comic and then going into production or not, but speculation is fun.
The Bay
2:15 pm – 2:45 pm
IGN Theater
Yes, Barry Levinson has made some of the greatest films of all time. Diner, Rain Man, Wag the Dog, TOYS (I love TOYS), and I even had the pleasure of working with the man myself on the set of Sleepers. Still, this is a found footage film and was produced by Jason Blum, the man behind such films as Paranormal Actvity 1-3 and the recent found footage horror film Sinister. The trailer also did not instill a lot of faith in me. Yet I am optimistic about The Bay because it’s Barry Levinson…
JUDGE DREDD, 2000 AD, IDW
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm
1A07
This is one of those kind of panels where the description actually explains what is compelling and worthwhile of the whole deal:
With the Dredd 3D movie in cinemas from September 21, 2012, the new Dredd monthly comic launching from IDW in November 2012 and 2000 AD continuing to release new and classic
material, along with celebrating 35 years of publishing and celebrating many other high-flying series, such as the climax of the Nikolai Dante saga, this panel must not be missed – with top talent such as Duane Swierczynski (IDW’s Judge Dredd), Andy Diggle (The Losers, Lenny Zero), Simon Fraser (Nikolai Dante), Ian Edginton (Leviathan, The New Deadwardians) and Al Ewing (Jennifer Blood, Zaucer of Zilk)!
King of the Nerds on TBS: Sneak Peek and Panel
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm
1A23
Turns out I was too old to even try out for this show had I heard about it. There’s something about the concept of this show that makes me think it’ll be Beauty & The Geek without the Beauty and with a much cooler host than Mike Richards in the way cooler than their Revenge of the Nerds characters, Robert Carradine and Curtis Armstrong. I am actually curious about the program and what kind of panel they’ll put together here.
From FIGHT CLUB To HELL and BACK
3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Unbound Stage
This event is set up for Chuck Palahniuk to discuss his novel DAMNED and I assume also Invisible Monsters Remixed. Mostly DAMNED though as Random House will be giving away 350 free copies. 200 in a ticketed autograph event and 150 at this panel. I gave DAMNED a very critical review, but I still enjoyed it and look forward to any opportunity to listen to Chuck talk so I might have to skip King of the Nerds for this… but then there’s the next panel!
Chris Columbus & Ned Vizzini Discuss HOUSE OF SECRETS
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
1A21
As a writer Crhis Columbus gave us The Goonies, Gremlins and Young Sherlock Holmes. Ned Vizzini has written three excellently and weird novels which really capture a teenage voice. These two coming together to present a new teenage supernatural concept in a YA book is an awesome idea and one I wholeheartedly like and support. These 3 PM panels being up against each other is near torture for someone of my ilk. I’ve said in my intros about compromises, this is it in a true nutshell.
Here it is Part 2 of my look at panels which catch my eye for this years’ New York Comic Con. Once again as stated in prior articles, this is not MY schedule. There’s too many panels, too many signings, too many booth events and then throw on top of that that I have Press hours and events and scheduled meetings and such, this is just a guideline and a way for me to promote things you shouldn’t miss at the convention if you’re there. You also can’t do everything, so once again, a guide. Go to what interests you most and realize you must compromise. Sometimes compromising three things for one.
Food & Comics
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
1A23
I desperately wished I had $575 for the sitdown dinner prepared by Iron Chef and owner of The Lamb’s Club, Geoffrey Zarkanian in which I’d be sitting with fellow fans and hopefully foodies in discussion with Joe Quesada, Jonathan Hickman and C.B. Cebulski, in which I would assume the conversation doesn’t have to to be about Marvel. I can’t do that dinner so maybe I’ll attend this panel which won’t have food to eat (I’m guessing) but will at least discuss food. I’m surprised J.T. Yost who kickstarted an anthology about Food & Comics called Digestate isn’t involved, but C.B. does actually have an excellent food blog.
Husbands
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
1A14
Last year at NYCC I got a triple kiss photo with Brad Bell and Sean Hemeon because I absolutely loved season 1 of Husbands and found it just fabulous.
Season 2 has been even more excellent, adding amazing guest stars and longer episodes. I hope to make this panel, but if I don’t I am going out of my way to make it to one of the Husbands signings. Btw if you aren’t watching HUSBANDS, you should throw out your computer.
Crime Scenes, Horror Anthologies, and Steampunk Dracula: Genres leaping to Transmedia
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Location: 1E07 Fourth Wall Studios awesome and amazing concept RIDES is brand new to me, but has quickly become my favorite idea/concept yet. The best show in their line-up so far is the Emmy Award winning TV sitcom length DIRTY WORK about a team whose job it is to clean up after murder scenes. They’re an interesting trio portrayed by one of the funniest women ever Mary Lynn Rajskub, former child actor Hank Harris and the beautiful Jamie Clayton whom if this role didn’t make it part of her character I would’ve completely forgotten her transgender status. Fourth Wall has some other awesome stuff including a cartoon, short horror films and even a very interactive fun piece featuring the voices of Greg Proops and Ron Lynch over some real drama written by Fourth Wall co-founder, Canadian sci-fi writer and former member of 42 Entertainment, Sean Stewart. This panel will focus a lot on Dirty Work but also on the rest of RIDES and what will be coming up.
Open Road Films Presents: SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
IGN Theater
Since this is an IGN Theater event and up against a ton of other stuff there’s a high chance I’ll miss this panel, BUT I still want to state my excitement that this film exists and is coming out. Gans and Avary’s film was excellent and while I doubt Michael J Bassett’s sequel to that first film will be what Avary planned it will be combining elements from that first film with Silent Hill 3, the game. Grr… NYCC scheduling!
Legendary Comics
5:15 pm – 6:15 pm
1E07 Legendary is new to the comics arena. So far they’ve only actually published Frank Miller’s The Holy Terror and The Tower Chronicles created by Matt Wagner and Thomas Hull with art by Simon Bisley. This panel hosted by The Nerdist’s Chris Hardwick will feature Guillermo Del Toro who I bet will announce a comics adaptation of The Strain, as well some of folks on the Legendary banner, hopefully more of the Mark Waid book forthcoming.
The Venture Bros
5:15 pm – 6:15 pm
IGN Theater
Last year the Venture Bros. panel they had no new footage and basically acted like goofs for an hour. It was ridiculous. Funny, but ridiculous. A fan actually asked if Brock Samson could come to his birthday party. Not Patrick Warburton, the VOICE of Brock Samson, but Brock Samson himself. Like I said… ridiculous. This year they’re going to have footage of the upcoming Halloween special, so I expect a madhouse line down the block into that damn garage they used to bring in cars. I’d love to see some early footage, and if you’re a Venture Bros. fan… go to this, but be prepared to sacrifice a lot of time waiting.
Robot Chicken
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
IGN Theater
The same can be said for this. They might bring a special guest again this year even.I think it was last year that Macauley Culkin was on panel and the season hadn’t even started yet, so they had a lot of footage to show off. This year they have the DC special behind them and I think four episodes of the new season. Maybe they’ll announce a Bluray with the rest of the season on it coming out the week after Comic Con. I mean they did it with the LAST season!
There’s some alternative panels/programming to check out during the Adult Swim IGN insanity if you don’t want to wait.
Anne Rice Spotlight
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
1A10
Up until Merrick I loved Anne Rice. I just felt at that point I’d spent enough time with the Vampire Chronicle characters. I also enjoyed the Mayfair Witches and her books outside of the series, but since 2000 I haven’t really read her work. Especially when she started writing about Jesus Christ and then about a former government assassin involves in Christian concepts. Then in 2010 she renounced Church. She stayed a Christ follower, which I still go “Really?”, but I don’t hold it against her. Unfortunately her first book after that was a Werewolf take, which is not what she needs to do. I am hoping she’s here to announce her Zombie take or a return to Lestat. I want her to announce an embracing of everything she’s done. Maybe returning to erotica and sadism just to show people what Fifty Shades of Grey could be. Although she tackled that perfectly in the 80’s. No, I want to hear her announce something completely new. An original intellectual property all her own.
Hachette Author Spotlight
6:00 pm – 6:45 pm
Unbound Stage
Okay time for speculation!
Lemony Snicket for All The Wrong Questions
James Patterson for ZOO and Daniel X
Joe Hill for NOS4R2
Seriously Hachette encompasses a bunch of divisions and authors. This could be anyone! Well, except for Anne Rice whose with Random House.
Comedy Central
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
1E07
The Comedy Central panel is usually super crowded and instead of doing each show as separate things, they’re just doing three hours showing everything they have new and old. Which means Dinkleberry, Key & Peele, Tosh.O, Mash Up, South Park. Oh and the night after this there’s the fourth annual Autism fundraiser. So yeah, if you can’t get into Venture Bros./Robot Chicken and want a panel and want it to be adult humor TV based, this is the place to be. Or you can also try the next panel!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
6:45 pm – 7:45 pm
1E13
The new Nickelodeon cartoon just debuted on Saturday and it combines the nostalgia and antics of the 80’s toon with the style of the 2000’s CGI film. I haven’t been completely sold on this show, but it’s TMNT and it has a chance of success and I’m sure this panel will have fan service.
TRON: Uprising
6:45 pm – 7:45 pm
1A10
As will this because it’s much less a panel and more a screening without commercials of an airing after the con two part important episode. I’m guessing together the two episodes are 44 minutes long, allowing for an intro and a 5 minute Q& A. The show doesn’t actually start airing again till October 19 so this is a 1 week preview.
Scott C and The Great Showdowns, from Ripley vs the Alien Queen to Han vs the Green Fellow!
7:00 pm – 7:45 pm
Unbound Stage
Of all things with things scheduled at the same time and all the other things on my schedule, I’ll probably be going to this for sure. I really wanted to go to The Great Showdowns art opening/book debut in California that was last week, but I couldn’t… so this is the next best thing. I love Scott Campbell’s art and even though he told on Twitter that Double Fine isn’t sending him in for DFA, that doesn’t mean he’s telling the truth! DF have to know there’s fans in NYC who couldn’t come to PAX, I mean, yes, Scott’s book is important, and the game is really Bagel’s… but Scott did all the concepts on the girl in the game!
THE SCRIBBLER Movie!
7:45 pm – 8:45 pm
1A23
I don’t really know John Suits movies, but this is based on Dan Schaffer’s comic and is starring Katie Cassidy and Michele Trachtenberg so if anything I am definitely intrigued.
Titmouse
8:00 pm – 9:00 pm
1A10 Titmouse animates everything man. From Superjail to Black Dynamite to Motorcity to Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja. They’re a seriously awesome animation house. Next to Augenblick Studios, possibly one of my favorites. This panel which will have most of the staff on it is a big example of overlapping schedules being the death of me. This is going to all rely more on where I am mentally, where rooms are physically and all that.
Kaiju Big Battel
9:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Variant Stage
Dude holy shit! Live Kaiju Press Conference. This may be one of the best photo opportunities of insanity the whole show. I am not even going to try and explain Kaiju.
Kirk Hammett, Lead Guitarist for Metallica, Talks to Kevin Clement about His Passion for Collecting Monster Movie Memorabilia
9:00 pm – 10:00 pm
1A23
Of course Kaiju would be at the same time that a Master of Metal would be talking about his Monster Movie Memorabilia book, Too Much Horror Business. Yes, let us schedule a panel about monsters fighting each other to loud, brash heavy metal music against one of metal’s GODS talking about monsters fighting each other.
I love you New York Comic Con, but your coordination director totally did not take fans/genres, etc. into consideration or maybe he did and they’re trying to split them up. They know the same people who go to Kaiju will want to be at this and in an effort at crowd control, force them to choose!
Genius New York Comic Con… I take it all back. I just wish I could be two people. That’s my fault though, not yours.
I’ll be back with Saturday, Part I and II later today or tomorrow!
Here in my second Preview article for NYCC 2012 I focus on the panels for Friday morning to early afternoon. This is ONLY about the scheduled panels, not press hours, signings, booth events, etc. These do not reflect my own possible schedule, especially with the overlap existing here. It is is meant to help promote panels which I think are worth going to and if I could I would go to all of them, and do everything else too. Understand Con is again all about making decisions and sacrificing and compromising to get the best possible experience due to circumstance and situation and if you’re anything like me, that gets harder… so here we go.
Setting the Score: Composing for Film & Television
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
1A01
One of two panels focusing on the music and composition of genre orchestral/instrumentals. This one focuses on Television and film with the following talented musicians: Dino Meneghin (MTV’s Teen Wolf) Frederik Wiedmann Jay Vincent Kevin Manthei
and Will Bates
Adam West and Burt Ward Spotlight
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
1A23
When I was much much younger I entered a costume contest with a seriously ridiculous prize at a convention held in New Yorker Hotel. That place where the Big Apple Cons take place now and stuff. I was 14 years old and Batman Returns had just come out. I had heard that Adam West was going to be the judge and I came up with the idea of working up a Batman TV show costume. I used a Mask from the Batman films, but cut the mask up and stitched the bat emblem on it onto a gray sweater and I put together a cape and a batbelt even. I even built my own old school batarang. I won. I don’t know where I placed, but about 65% of my comics collection as it exists. Anyways, here’s a photo from that.
How to Get a Job in the Video Game Industry with Capcom
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
1A14
This sounds like it might a really indepth panel with focuses all ALL elements of the industry. Not just the jobs that require a background in computer science, programming skills or artistic talent, but the jobs I’m qualified for but don’t completely now how to pursue such as Public Relations, Advertising, and Producing and there’s a chance after to meet with the panel and network. This will be a great opportunity for young programmers, concept artists, etc as well to do the same.
Maestros of Horror & Sci-Fi Music
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
1A01
The second of two panels focusing on the music and composition of genre orchestral/instrumentals. This focusing on developing for video games in genre. It features the following talented award winning music writers: Jason Graves Kevin Riepl Sam Hulick Sascha Dikiciyan Tom Salta
and Cris Velasco
On top of that though, the disco king, electronic genius, master producer and living legend, Nile Rodgers, shall be in attendance, having done the lead production on Halo’s soundtracks.
Christopher Lloyd Q&A 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
1A10
“What are you supposed to when you are are asked a weird question at a panel?”
“Slow down”
“What…are… you… supposed… to…do… when… you… are… asked…
You get the point. Honestly I’m not sure what brings Christopher to NYCC. I mean he will always be Doc Brown, between 2011’s NIKE Mag promotion and the Telltale Game’s BTTF, the character is alive and well, but that isn’t enough is it? I mean maybe it is, but he does a horror film coming upand a children’s supernatual adventure called Mickey Matson so he has plenty to promote, but it doesn’t seem like he’s promoting anything specific… still, it’s Christopher Lloyd, I’m not complaining.
Debuting the Vision Machine iPad app!
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
1A21
Greg Pak’s Vision Machine is one of the coolest and best projects I’ve seen in forever. Drawn by RB Silva of DC Comic’s Jimmy Olsen and also The New 52 Superboy it’s a free comic that is excellent and NOW it’s an iPad motion/animated comic. Vocal actor Phil Lamarr is part of it and the comedy music genius Jonathan Coulton is as well and if you’ve missed your opportunity at a free copy of the Vision Machine GN, this is is another opportunity.
Sir Terry Pratchett introduces…DODGER
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm
Unbound Stage
This probably will be one of the final times Pratchett will ever appear in public. It’s even possible that this Charles Dicken’s inspired Young Adult novel will be his last book. I am a huge Discworld fan, but have also loved Good Omens and his Johnny Maxell series.
As you can see the three above panels is where overlapping becomes a real issue. All three panels excite me for different reasons and I don’t know what to do… but for some fans, it’s the next overlapping that is truly insane!
Dark Horse Presents: Yoshitaka Amano
1:45 pm – 2:45 pm
1A21
The genius behind the artistic design of Final Fantasy who has also done his share of comics work and other films is in America, a real rare treat in promotion of his Dark Horse published art collection and his panel is booked against the following.
Grant Morrison Spotlight
1:45 pm – 2:45 pm
1E13
One of comics favorite writers, the man behind The Invisibles, Flex Mentallo, All Star Superman, Batman Incorporated, etc. etc. etc. and who just had his own comics convention has a one hour sitdown retrospective. I’m shocked this isn’t in the IGN theater!
Sean Astin Q&A
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
1A10
Sean Astin is at NYCC because his role in the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, but a recent episode of SyFy’s Treasure Hunters showed that Sean has a great affinity and love for all things Sean Astin, from Goonies to Rudy to Lord of The Rings, the guy is as big a “geek” as his LOTR co-star Elijah Wood, so a sitdown talk with him should be quite entertaining.
The 2012 New York Comic Con is about 2 weeks away and while tickets are sold out, that doesn’t mean people going are clear cut on what to do or what they should attend. The panel listing are a maze to explore. Finding out what’s cool and worthwhile. Figuring out what’s a miss event, exclusive, giveaway or signing on the floor is even harder. As a proud press member for the last four years of the convention (year 1 and 2 I went as a consumer, years 3 and 4 I was with an exhibitor, different one, while 5 and 6 and now 7 I’ve been as a journalist but no booth) I feel it is partially my job to not only cover the conevntion but promote specific things that excite me in my own language that explains it and might sell it even more than it’s press releases or write ups.
This is the first of these. I’ll be breaking things down into Panels and since Friday & Saturday are super long days breaking them into Part 1 & 2 for reading ease. Here we go with the special Thursday night Preview though, open to Press, Pros, Ultimate Access, Special Access, and 4 Day Ticket Holders. (All those sold out so there’s actually A LOT of them).
THURSDAY Comics Studies Conference: The Origins of Leaping Tall Buildings: Finding New Ways to Document the Creators Behind the Comics
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
1A07
One of the smartest comics scholars I know, Hannah Means-Shannon, college professor and contributor to Sequart, The Beat, Trip City and other places will be moderating this discussion with writer/journalist Christopher Irving, photographer/journalist Seth Kushner and designer Eric Skillman to discuss the history and making of their comics profiles book, Leaping Tall Buildings, in probably one of the more in depth, intellectual conversations of the show. Especially since it’s on the “education” tract in the Thursday sessions during Preview Night. It should be compelling and exciting AND there’s a flyer!
Justice Is Served
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
1A14 Amber Benson and Thomas Sniegoski are both on this panel about novelists who write books which are essentially crime novels with some kind of supernatural twist. I’ve read a lot more of Tom than Amber and I kind of just like looking at Amber. Can you blame me? Look at her. But I have read her books and she’s a really good writer.
My Little Pony
6:15 pm – 7:15 pm
1A06
I’m not a Brony, but I do like Friendship is Magic. Hasbro’s toy line is part of this as well. I wish I knew who the guests/speakers were and a bit more about what this was about, but the fact that exists piques my interest.
The Image Revolution Documentary
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
1A04
Sequart were able to successfully fund this much larger project than their more singular focused productions through Kickstarter. I’ve been following its progress and I’m interested in seeing where they are at in production. I know they just finished new interviews, so it’s becoming a great documentary hopefully. Curious to see what special Image guest they have show up as well. Could be anyone from While to Larsen to even Jim Lee (doubtful).
NYCC Kick-Off Concert with Ben Folds Five
Thursday, October 11, 2012
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
IGN Theater
I am all about this concert. You have no freaking clue how much I am into this concert. I don’t even want to get into it. It’s an entire article. I just hope they find a way to have the Fraggles on stage or draw some dicks on the wall. That is if they do just the new album. I wouldn’t mind hearing “Magic” or “Where’s Summer B.?”… Seriously though, if Chris Hardwick and Rob Corrdry aren’t on stage for a performance of “Do It Anyway” since it IS New York Comic Con I might actually call fail!
Comics have a history of weird, wacky, unusual or even actually lame, annoying and “maybe we’d be better off without but were stuck with them so we better learn to live with it” characters. Some of them only existing for one issue, others despite their complete nuttiness and/or annoying and/or pointlessness lasting for decades. These characters run the gamut from good guys to bad guys to sidekicks to henchmen and even just supporting characters (such as Steve Lombard of DC Comics’ Daily Planet in Superman comics). Some of these characters were just also not as awesome as others, so because of one thing or another they’ve been less highlighted and become lesser known then their counterparts.
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