Comic-Con 2007: It's a Wrap

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Here are a few of our personal highlights, low points and some of the projects we saw at Comic-Con that we look forward to catching in the future.

Geoff Boucher

Highs: The personal highlight for me was getting to spend a couple of hours with Neal Adams, right, the greatest comic book artist. He's returning to "Batman," which I wrote about here.

Lows: This is easy: It was the unexpected trip to the hospital and my 5-year-old son mentioning casually that I look like Two-Face. Read about that sad tale here.

Future: "Iron Man" can't get here soon enough for me. I visited the set recently and left impressed, but after seeing the footage Jon Favreau brought to Comic-Con and Robert Downey Jr.'s droll performance as cynical Tony Stark, I'm honestly excited. And let's not forget, this will be the first true L.A. superhero in this recent renaissance of cape movies. What's cooler than that? 

Sheigh Crabtree

Highs: I love it when worlds collide, so sitting in the "Iron Man" panel and turning around to see David -- co-owner of Secret Headquarters in Silver Lake -- right behind me felt like kismet. He's the person who recommended Alison's Bechdel's memoir "Fun Home" to me. I was looking forward to Bechdel's speaking engagement in San Diego for a few weeks. True to form she gave an unvarnished and very thoughtful presentation about her 25-year career. It was a charge to interview with her afterward too. I'm also glad I went to the Lulu Awards, where I met illustrator Marion Vitus and Slave Labor Graphics editor in chief Jennifer de Guzman. They opened the door to a room I haven't spent nearly enough time in. Then there's Christopher Butcher, a buyer from the Beguiling, who gave me a bunch of excellent reading recommendations that separated me from a heap of cash at the Drawn & Quarterly booth. Same goes for Gina Gagliao at the First Second table. Last but not least, the costumed fans in Hall H who asked panelists questions in character. They provided the best comedy at Comic-Con. "Angry Black Man," the Bob Evans-like "Bob $tencil,""Optimus Prime the Cubs fan" whose batteries were dying and the scantily clad "Slave Barge Leia": They were living proof that programming studio comedies at the Con can be a great move. Fans take the ridiculousness and run with it. Ironically, more than a few notable actors promoting horror films and thrillers looked terrified during the Q&As and did their movies no favors. That unease was crystallized when Milla Jovovich said to a fan: "What? This is all Chinese to me."

Lows: Comic-Con's battle between edge and respectability played out in Hall H. The material edits filmmakers are subject to when it comes to screening mature content in that room, and their vocal complaints, have inflamed tensions out in the audience between families with young children and those over 18 who want to see harder, uncensored content. The strain was particularly evident when small children were booed at the microphone during Q&As and when certain panelists forgot who was in the audience and made inadvertently blue-streaked comments.

I was really looking forward to seeing Aaron Renier in some shape or form. He's the artist-writer behind "Through the Hall of Biodiversity" (Papercutter #1). It's one of my favorite mini-comics from last year ("Okay... draw... a water buffalo shaving a... cat."), but Renier was busy working on his new book. Otherwise, not so thrilled about the ridiculously short battery life on my MacBook and the goons looking for fights in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. Worst of all? I never got to take a photo of Shaky Bacon with Kevin Bacon, who was in town promoting Fox Atomic's "Death Sentence."

Future: Based on the teaser poster alone, I'm anxious to see "Sweeney Todd," as well as "The Spiderwick Chronicles" and the next six "Narnias," opening in consecutive Mays through 2013. Even though NBC's "Bionic Woman" pilot is trying so hard to nail every story point on the planet that it hurts to watch, I hope to see that show find its legs (right ear, right eye, etc.) on Wednesday nights at 9 p.m.

Jevon Phillips

Highs: The enthusiasm shown at the "Iron Man" panel and the singing at the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" musical screening; interviewing Adrian Pasdar, Michele Ryan and Clive Barker (Nic Cage was OK, too); fans being inventive; seeing friends from Beyond Time Comics with a new project: an 8-month-old baby!

Lows: Getting stiff-armed by security so often that I have hand prints on my chest; missing the panels/presentations of "Heroes," "Battlestar Galactica," "The Sarah Connors Chronicles," "Fanboys" and a few of the comic book updates (Marvel and DC); hearing Geoff recount the cowardly attack that befell him; and having a waitress throw the check at me and some friends because she thought we were not going to tip her (we were still tallying ... then we stopped).

Future: For Comic-Con:  I honestly don’t know what they can do about the crowding or bumping heads in terms of big programming.  Maybe allowing attendees (and media) to choose certain panels they want to go in advance, after they’ve announced the lineup, would help alleviate the lines.  Folks would already know that a panel was at capacity, or they’d know that they could get in and wouldn’t have to line up for so long.  Much of that was better this year, but they still have some work to do.

For me: Really want to see "Iron Man"; have to see the development of "Bionic Woman" and "Sarah Connors Chronicles"; need to see where "War World Hulk" is going; and I am already clearing some time to stand in line for next year's "Heroes" panel.

Spencer Weiner

Highs: As I sit and decompress from the Krazy loooong weekend that is Comic-Con, the thing that was most striking to me was watching so many artist-creators and the people who love them sharing the love, so to speak. I especially enjoyed the people who participated, not as spectators but as part of the creative community. OK, a personal highlight: thanking Matt Groening for my one and only experience of laughing til "D'oh!" ... well, you know.

Lows: The low point was not being able to meet Kevin Bacon.

Future: Return to Comic Con 2008 with my son in tow with, hopefully, fab matching costumes, probably something from my personal hero, Sergio Aragonés!

Photos: Spencer Weiner / LAT

Comments

[Shocker Toys]

Next time don't forget to stop by the Shocker Toys booth we got your back!
2008 is Dethklok action figure sets!

[Comicguru]

Last year's Comic-Con convention was amazing and I am definitely getting excited for this year's. I can't wait to see Yoshitaka Amano and get his newest book Mateki: The Magic Flute signed! Amano is my absolute favorite, he is so talented and his artwork is astounding.