All in all, the second NY comic convention was a great improvement over last year's disaster. This time, it was actually a real convention and ran as such whereas last year, it was a complete trainwreck. I'm told over 40,000 people attended on Saturday alone, yet at no point did it feel as if the Javitz Center was about to explode.
Which is a good thing.
I was a part of DC's panel on Saturday, in front of a very packed room of fans, answering questions along with a bunch of other comic creators as best I could. It was my first time being a part of a panel and I found it a little nervewracking in the beginning. All in all, I don't think I said anything too completely stupid and I got a few laughs out of the room which is really all one can hope for in that kind of situation. It's definitely a different experience promoting a project like World War III than I've had at these conventions previously.
I enjoyed spending some time with Pat Gleason, talking about life, Green Lantern and comparing notes and ideas about the future of The Corpse. I now consider myself an honorary member of the Minnesota wrecking crew of comic creators and I'm proud to be the Connecticut branch of such a nice group of guys.
I also had a nice little mini-reunion with a couple of my best friends from my days in The Kubert School. It's nice to reconnect with old friends, especially when you fall back so easily into the old rhythm of friendship. Video interviews seem to be the trend these days, as I did about 4-5 of them over the course of my time at the convention. I think I prefer email interviews, where I can weigh my answers more deliberately but I started getting used to it just about towards the end of the last one I did.
On the flip side, the sheer arrogance of some of my peers never fails to surprise me. The things some people say, either when talking shop or about their own work, can be mind boggling. We make comics, people, not anything important. A little perspective never hurts and, when you're not looking, can keep you growing not only as an artist but also as a person.
A nice time when all was said and done. Next for me on the convention circuit will be San Diego in July and that'll mostly likely be a wrap for my con experiences for the year.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Not The End...
It's probably way early to announce this and who knows? It might even get me in some warm water with the powers that be, but I'm bored tonight and I need a break from cleaning my office.
So the totally hardcore, no wimps allowed, secret Black Ops division of the Green Lantern Corps, THE CORPSE, is coming back--six issues stronger in a story called "The New Black."
To date, I've turned in the first script, an outline for issue #2, and a synopsis for the overall series. It's too early to say whether this new adventure will stand on its own legs as a separate mini-series or perhaps double ship for three months in the pages of GLC. Both ideas have been talked over and there are advantages to both approaches. I'm leaning towards the mini-series approach because it doesn't interfere with Mr. Gibbons' run and it's also food for my ego. However, running in the pages of GLC gives the concept a nice safety net so we'll see what happens as we go along.
In either case, I don't think we'll see the light of day until early 08.
Pat, I want you back. I hope you're schedule will allow it because this is OUR baby. I don't want to raise it with someone else.
Obviously, I'm not going to spoil any content this far out but I will say that now that The Corpse has been established, we can take off the training wheels and get our hands dirty. 'The Dark Side Of Green' was a nice appetizer for where things are going but in some very subtle ways, it was watered down by editorial decisions that needed to be made in regards to the whole Green Lantern Franchise. Nothing that killed the story but its teeth were definitely sanded down a bit.
Not so, next time out.
One last note. The clincher to this project getting the greenlight was the overwhelmingly positive response to The Corpse and their initial adventure. You guys created a real buzz on the message boards and with the positive reviews and the people at DC pay attention to what you think.
So this is me saying thanks! And I'll try to say it again--a little louder--by giving you your money's worth next year with THE NEW BLACK.
So the totally hardcore, no wimps allowed, secret Black Ops division of the Green Lantern Corps, THE CORPSE, is coming back--six issues stronger in a story called "The New Black."
To date, I've turned in the first script, an outline for issue #2, and a synopsis for the overall series. It's too early to say whether this new adventure will stand on its own legs as a separate mini-series or perhaps double ship for three months in the pages of GLC. Both ideas have been talked over and there are advantages to both approaches. I'm leaning towards the mini-series approach because it doesn't interfere with Mr. Gibbons' run and it's also food for my ego. However, running in the pages of GLC gives the concept a nice safety net so we'll see what happens as we go along.
In either case, I don't think we'll see the light of day until early 08.
Pat, I want you back. I hope you're schedule will allow it because this is OUR baby. I don't want to raise it with someone else.
Obviously, I'm not going to spoil any content this far out but I will say that now that The Corpse has been established, we can take off the training wheels and get our hands dirty. 'The Dark Side Of Green' was a nice appetizer for where things are going but in some very subtle ways, it was watered down by editorial decisions that needed to be made in regards to the whole Green Lantern Franchise. Nothing that killed the story but its teeth were definitely sanded down a bit.
Not so, next time out.
One last note. The clincher to this project getting the greenlight was the overwhelmingly positive response to The Corpse and their initial adventure. You guys created a real buzz on the message boards and with the positive reviews and the people at DC pay attention to what you think.
So this is me saying thanks! And I'll try to say it again--a little louder--by giving you your money's worth next year with THE NEW BLACK.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
New York Comic Con
I guess I should mention that I'll be appearing next weekend at the 2nd Annual New York Comic Con at the Jacob Javitz center.
I like the idea of having a large convention (such as the NYCC is rapidly becoming) so relatively close to home. I think this convention's stated goal is to become San Diego: East or something like that, meaning it has grand ambitions. This year is make or break for me with this show. Last year was the worst convention I've ever attended. It was a disaster in almost every way. I'm giving it another shot because it was their first year and the response to the show was much greater than the organizers anticipated. But if it sucks again, that's it for me.
I don't know what my signing schedule is but I know I'll be appearing at the DC booth. It's probably a safe bet to say I'll be their w/ either Jamal Igle or w/ Pat Gleason, seeing as they've been my partners in crime lately. I'm also looking forward to a small scale reunion of some of my Kubert school classmates.
I'm out of there relatively early on Saturday to make it home to see my lovely wife and tuck my son into bed, plus I'm anxious to watch Pride's second card from Las Vegas, the aptly titled Second Coming, which runs that night on Pay Per View. You and me, Kenny!
If you're at the convention, please come say hi. If you're a reader of this blog, I've got a special little freebie for you.
I like the idea of having a large convention (such as the NYCC is rapidly becoming) so relatively close to home. I think this convention's stated goal is to become San Diego: East or something like that, meaning it has grand ambitions. This year is make or break for me with this show. Last year was the worst convention I've ever attended. It was a disaster in almost every way. I'm giving it another shot because it was their first year and the response to the show was much greater than the organizers anticipated. But if it sucks again, that's it for me.
I don't know what my signing schedule is but I know I'll be appearing at the DC booth. It's probably a safe bet to say I'll be their w/ either Jamal Igle or w/ Pat Gleason, seeing as they've been my partners in crime lately. I'm also looking forward to a small scale reunion of some of my Kubert school classmates.
I'm out of there relatively early on Saturday to make it home to see my lovely wife and tuck my son into bed, plus I'm anxious to watch Pride's second card from Las Vegas, the aptly titled Second Coming, which runs that night on Pay Per View. You and me, Kenny!
If you're at the convention, please come say hi. If you're a reader of this blog, I've got a special little freebie for you.
Monday, February 12, 2007
GLC #9
Just a quick reminder that GREEN LANTERN CORPS #9, the last chapter of my three-part story "The Dark Side of Green" arrives in stores this Wednesday, the 14th.
Unless you live in England; then you've got to wait an extra day...right, Chris?
Anyway, the last three words on the last page are my personal favorite from the entire story. I'm sure you'll understand why after you read them.
I had a great time playing in the Green Lantern sandbox and I'm sure this won't be the last time I'm called on for honorary duty in the Corps. Or maybe even The Corpse.
Unless you live in England; then you've got to wait an extra day...right, Chris?
Anyway, the last three words on the last page are my personal favorite from the entire story. I'm sure you'll understand why after you read them.
I had a great time playing in the Green Lantern sandbox and I'm sure this won't be the last time I'm called on for honorary duty in the Corps. Or maybe even The Corpse.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Things I should like?
Does anybody out there watch Battlestar Galactica? I hear many good things about the show, is it worth the time to get caught up?
Friday, February 02, 2007
Things I don't like...
The Richard Donner cut of Superman II.
I watched this last night and, while I realize it's only an approximation of the 'true' version of Superman II that Richard Donner intended to make, many of the newly includes scenes left me cold.
For one, there's actually very little Superman in this movie. Aside from a brief appearance at Niagara Falls, Superman is really only in costume to battle against Zod towards the end of the second act. We get a lot more of Clark Kent (which I don't necessarily mind) but more superheroics wouldn't have hurt.
Speaking of the battle w/ Zod, while all the crazy teleporting around the fortress in the other version has always bugged me, this new version also left me cold. I don't mind seeing Superman outwit Zod. It's three against one, after all, so his quick thinking is really his only advantage. It just seems that Superman's "Don't throw me in the briar patch" solution is, well...lame. To be fair, it was lame in both versions. Watching Superman whisper his big plan to Lex made me wince, especially because Zod (with his super-hearing) is standing three feet away.
There's more of Lex Luthor, the greatest criminal mind on Earth, in the Donner version but to me, the new footage makes Lex seem more like the greatest buffoon on Earth. In his own way, he's just as dumb as Otis. There's more of Lois and, to me, Margot Kidder is terrific. But the way she tricks Superman into revealing his identity sure does make him seem like the biggest idiot in the world.
There's also more of my own personal favorite actor, Marlon Brando, but his newly restored scenes didn't really add much to the mix. The special effects...well, you can tell that they were finished on the cheap. The climactic battle against Zod seems to come very early in the film and then, we're left watching some different character-oriented scenes to round things up. Superman's new solution to the dilemma that Lois now knows his dual identity doesn't work. As implausible as the amnesia kiss was in the first version, it tied things up much more neatly and with far less plotholes left to fill.
What the Donner version does have going for it is Christopher Reeve, who is iconic as both Clark and Superman. I enjoyed the extra Clark footage throughout.
This one was a real mixed bag for me, a big letdown from what I was hoping. The Donner version of Superman II seemed ill concieved on several different levels and I much prefer the version that we all grew up with. It's far from perfect but it's much, much better as a film.
I watched this last night and, while I realize it's only an approximation of the 'true' version of Superman II that Richard Donner intended to make, many of the newly includes scenes left me cold.
For one, there's actually very little Superman in this movie. Aside from a brief appearance at Niagara Falls, Superman is really only in costume to battle against Zod towards the end of the second act. We get a lot more of Clark Kent (which I don't necessarily mind) but more superheroics wouldn't have hurt.
Speaking of the battle w/ Zod, while all the crazy teleporting around the fortress in the other version has always bugged me, this new version also left me cold. I don't mind seeing Superman outwit Zod. It's three against one, after all, so his quick thinking is really his only advantage. It just seems that Superman's "Don't throw me in the briar patch" solution is, well...lame. To be fair, it was lame in both versions. Watching Superman whisper his big plan to Lex made me wince, especially because Zod (with his super-hearing) is standing three feet away.
There's more of Lex Luthor, the greatest criminal mind on Earth, in the Donner version but to me, the new footage makes Lex seem more like the greatest buffoon on Earth. In his own way, he's just as dumb as Otis. There's more of Lois and, to me, Margot Kidder is terrific. But the way she tricks Superman into revealing his identity sure does make him seem like the biggest idiot in the world.
There's also more of my own personal favorite actor, Marlon Brando, but his newly restored scenes didn't really add much to the mix. The special effects...well, you can tell that they were finished on the cheap. The climactic battle against Zod seems to come very early in the film and then, we're left watching some different character-oriented scenes to round things up. Superman's new solution to the dilemma that Lois now knows his dual identity doesn't work. As implausible as the amnesia kiss was in the first version, it tied things up much more neatly and with far less plotholes left to fill.
What the Donner version does have going for it is Christopher Reeve, who is iconic as both Clark and Superman. I enjoyed the extra Clark footage throughout.
This one was a real mixed bag for me, a big letdown from what I was hoping. The Donner version of Superman II seemed ill concieved on several different levels and I much prefer the version that we all grew up with. It's far from perfect but it's much, much better as a film.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
