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CON-ODYSSEY: ComicCon - Wednesday, July 23, 2008
CON-ODYSSEY: ComicCon - Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Geez, I only JUST noticed that my entire previous conjournal entries for the Gathering and ConVergence all have the YEAR wrong. 2008, not 2009.
Cripes.
Anyway...
12am - I'm still prepping for ComicCon.
2am - I watch an episode of the L-Word.
4am - I web-browse, looking for info on my buddy Cary Bates' new comic for Marvel: True Believers.
5am - I go to bed.
10am - I get up, pack, etc.
12pm - I say goodbye to Erin, who is home sick, and head to Ralph's market to buy road snacks.
12:20pm - I finally hit the road. I eat a Butterfinger, Pringles and Evian. I'm listening to Steve Martin's great autobiography Born Standing Up.
3pm - I arrive at the Omni Hotel and check in. My room (non-smoking) smells like cigarette smoke but only in the entry way. I think smokers stood outside the room by the window and some of the smoke seeped through. I'm too lazy to complain or change rooms, but I later bring it to the front desk's attention as I'm paranoid I'll be blamed for the situation and charged a huge "cleaning" fee. Otherwise, the room is very nice.
4pm - I have "lunch" with Michael Vogel, Chris and Mike Ross at Sweetwater in the Hard Rock. I have a number of cokes, a bacon cheese burger and a big pickle. Jennifer Anderson catches up to us.
5:30pm - Jennifer and I go to Mary Janes (also at the Hard Rock) and I have dessert: Apple Pie ala mode.
7pm - We get to the Old Globe Theatre just before curtain. The play is "The Pleasure of His Company". It's a very fun and funny production. I lose a contact part way through the play however. So we head back to my room so that I can change into my glasses. We then head out to meet up with Seth and Sammy, who are at a restaurant. We are warned that it's a "long walk" -- but are not told that it's flat out TOO FAR TO WALK! Eventually, we call and force Seth to come pick us up.
11pm - At the deli, I have an OJ, a French Dip Sandwich and Potato Salad.
MORE TO COME...
THE BIG BAD NEWS (and a little bit of good news).
THE BIG BAD NEWS (and a little bit of good news).
As many of you have probably heard, we found out Saturday (7/26/08) at San Diego ComicCon that the GARGOYLES (including BAD GUYS) license will not be renewed after it expires on 8-31-08.
Just to be very, very clear... this is NOT the result of poor sales. GARGOYLES is still one of the best selling book SLG publishes (if not THE best). BAD GUYS doesn't do too badly either by SLG standards. Of course, delays didn't help sales... and there are probably other factors that reduced the upside -- including the writing -- but none of that is the point.
According to SLG's President, Publisher and Owner Dan Vado, the Disney execs told him that the money they were taking in did not justify their administrative costs. So they raised the license renewal fee to a rate that put it beyond SLG's reach. (Dan had hoped to renew both Gargoyles and Haunted Mansion -- though not Tron or Wonderland -- but neither book will now be picked up.)
I don't know what effect recent announcements about Kingdom Comics and Boom! Comics had on this decision. Dan was told one thing had nothing to do with the other. No one at either company has approached me about doing Gargoyles, and I don't know that there will be any interest now that the license is coming to an end.
That's the bad news. But there is a bit of a silver lining.
There will be NO STORY INTERRUPTUS!!
We will finish both GARGOYLES: Clan-Building and BAD GUYS: Redemption. That's the equivalent of seven more issues of material.
BAD GUYS #4 should be out next week. The book is done and has been done for some time. It's been sent to the printers.
GARGOYLES #9 will hopefully be out next month. David is done with the art. All that remains is for Robby to color it and David to letter it -- tasks that both these gentlemen have proven able to do with great speed.
Whether or not the remaining issues (BAD GUYS #5-6 and GARGOYLES #10-12) are published as individual issues is a bit up in the air. BAD GUYS #5 and GARGOYLES #10 have decent (if long) shots at getting out in time. But whatever doesn't get out as individual issues will still be scripted, drawn, colored or toned, lettered and published as "BONUS MATERIAL" in individual trade paperbacks that will collect GARGOYLES: Clan-Building Volume II and BAD GUYS: Redemption. And these compilations WILL come out! There's still a lot of work to be done. (Personally, I still need to script Gargoyles #11-12.) So I WON'T take this moment to thank everyone and say au revoir. That'll come later. For now, we're still a going concern.
In addition, Dan hasn 't given up on us. He wants to put out these two new trades and keep all three trades available for sale (and btw we sold a bunch of the trades at ComicCon -- when I left Sunday at 1pm, hours before close of con, we only had a handful of Clan-Building Volume I left to sell). After a year, he hopes to go back to Disney with a different, perhaps more modest offer to do Gargoyles Graphic Novels. Might work out. Might not. But he's still game and just in case it isn't 100% clear...
GREG WEISMAN HAS NOT GIVEN UP!!!!!!!!!!
I'm as determined as ever -- if not moreso -- to continue bringing you canon Gargoyles stories. The eighteen issues we've done/are doing have only whetted my appetite! I'm still going to be out here swinging... for more comics or graphic novels, for the DVD releases, for a live action film, etc. But I can't do it alone! So please don't you guys give up on Gargoyles either!
Remember, a few years ago, we didn't even have this. In that time, we will have brought you two big arcs, six big stories, eighteen "episodes" and numerous sub-plots, plot-twists, new characters and old familiar favorites. Would we have Shari, Quincy, Coco, Amp, etc. if the fans haven't kept the faith?! No. Would we grok the Illuminati number system?! No. Would we have seen Goliath and Elisa declare their love?! NOPE!!! (Oh, and for those of you who wish Demona could have figured more prominently in the comic... well, guys do you really think I'd do a twelve issue re-introductory story arc in Gargoyles without prominently including the crazy red head? Please.)
So what can YOU do? Well, nothing's changed on that front, really. We still need people to buy comics, trades, DVDs, HOT TOPIC T-Shirts. We still need people to attend the GATHERING. (Check out www.gatheringofthegargoyles.com ) And whether or not you've spent all the disposable income you have to spend on the property, then help us SPREAD THE WORD!!!! Make sure every gargoyle fan knows about what's out there. Show friends the first 39 episodes on DVD. Lend them the comics or trades. Create converts.
And mostly... just keep the faith.
CON-ODYSSEY: GATHERING & CONvergence - Monday, July 7, 2009
CON-ODYSSEY: GATHERING & CONvergence - Monday, July 7, 2009
12am - The Memorial Panel for those who have passed officially made the con a 5-day event. Chocolate Fish.
1am - A bunch of us hung out for hours. Chris, Ken, Lex, Tim, Windy and others.
5am - Back to the room.
5:30am - Sleep.
10:30am - Wake-up. Five hours. Not too bad for me.
11:30am - Packed up with some difficulty. All those extra t-shirts and the crochet'd Goliath made it tough to fit everything in. Lex and I headed to Axel and I had gumbo, an Onion Ring and an Axel burger.
4:20pm - My delayed flight finally took off.
6:20pm - Just barely made my connection to my L.A. flight.
9:30pm - Arrived at LAX.
10:00pm - Home.
And that's that. Finished just in time, because tomorrow I leave for Con-Odyssey II: San Diego ComicCon!! More when I return.
CON-ODYSSEY: GATHERING & CONvergence - Sunday, July 6, 2009
CON-ODYSSEY: GATHERING & CONvergence - Sunday, July 6, 2009
12am - Returned to my room.
3am - Went to sleep.
8:30am - Wake-up.
10:30am - Brunch w/Uncle Joe and Aunt Nancy: V8, French Toast, eggs, bacon, hash browns. Then we headed over to Joe & Nancy's house for a bit.
12:30pm - Adaptation panel w/Marv & Vince.
2pm - Another signing with nothing to sign.
3pm - Went to Dairy Queen with Lex and had a dipped cone. Then we wandered about the con for a bit.
5pm - Closing Ceremony. I'm embarrassed to say, I found myself tearing up at Jeremy and Tim's farewell. (They've been part of the Triumvirate of Seven running the con for ten years now -- but have resigned after a noble and long run.)
7pm - Macaroni Grill with Lex, Megan, Mark, Eryn, Amanda and Len. Meatball Soup, Bread, Lobster Ravioli, Cheesecake with strawberries and chocolate.
10pm - Listened to the reading of the surveys. This may be my favorite part of the convention.
MORE TO COME...
Charisma82 writes...
It's really late, but hey, better late than never, right? So here's the page-by-page review on Gargoyles #8.
Gargoyles: Clan-Building
Chapter Eight: Rock & Roll
Part 1 Pages 1-12
Cover: It's cool. Glad that Hudson got a front row seat on it.
Page 1: It's Griff! I was really excited when I found out Griff would be in the comics, and I'm so glad to finally get to see him in this comic. He's one of my favorite gargoyle characters. I like the estate that the London gargoyles have. It looks nice and very secluded. And I love the name: Knight's Spur. Cool.
Page 2: Another one of those pages that gives us a glimpse into the near future. I was glad to see Vinnie. I was also surprised to see Vinnie. I didn't think I'd see him for a while, but very glad at the surprise. He's a good guy to have around. Funny too. We see more about a bomb, which we still don't get much info on in this comic. We'll just have to wait for #9. And of course, at the top of the page we find Hudson duking it out with Cold Steel while exchanging harsh words.
Page 3: More of Shari's storytelling time. Thailog looks weird and creepy in the bottom picture on the page.
Page 4: Thailog thought he had one up on Shari, but then she gives her famous line "The story is told… though who can say if it be true?" I guess she has to cover herself by saying stuff like that so Thailog can't call her a liar.
Page 5: Arthur and Macbeth learn to play nice. They have a moment of doubt when they think the gargoyles will "be at each others' throats", but they worried for no reason. I really liked the two pictures of them being crowned as kings on the Stone of Destiny. They both have a connection to the stone (though in different time eras), and now, they'll have to work together to make sure it stays safe.
Page 6: The gargoyles are having a good time seeing old friends and making new ones. We also see Xanatos looking sly, pulling out some sort of mechanism with a button, and then pushing it. Can't wait to find out what that's all about.
Page 7: This is one of the two pages that are my favorites in this comic. I love the idea of Macbeth and Arthur getting to know each other better and sharing past experiences, seeing as they've both been around for a while. I love the lines exchanged between the two of them and hope to see more of this in the next comic. My favorite line is from Arthur after Macbeth tells him he's been "sleep-walking" for 939 years. "Guess I got the better bargain." Loved it.
Page 8: More of Shari's stories about the Stone of Destiny as she plays chess with Thailog. Thailog and Shari are so much like Xanatos and Fox in this aspect, it's scary.
Page 9: Some new gargoyle introductions. I like Coco. She's a go to kinda gal. I like Hudson's line, "Watch who you're callin' a yank, lass…"
Page 10: And we meet Staghart, or Amp. How did he get Amp out of Staghart? I like the transition where it goes from Coco saying no one calls him Amp to the scene where Lex does call him Amp. I also like on this page how Griff is confused about the robots looking like Goliath. Honestly, after watching the show so many times, I don't even think of the robots as looking like Goliath, they're just known as the Steel or Iron Clan robots.
Page 11: More fighting, and Macbeth figuring out that Xanatos is in on the game now. And then Arthur mysteriously disappears. I just figured he walked off to go help fight or he saw something else that was suspicious, but others think he might have been kidnapped or something. That thought never crossed my mind while reading this, but then I wouldn't cross that off as something that could happen. You never know with people like Xanatos.
Page 12: More chess playing and more storytelling, except now Shari is telling the story of Arthur. She sure does know a lot. She must be a reader.
Soon to come, part 2! And hopefully I'll be getting Bad Guys #2 & #3 in the mail soon so I can do them too. Then I'll be all up to date.
Thank you for your time and all that you do.
-Charisma82
Greg responds...
Thanks for buying the books.
Charisma82 writes...
Hey, Greg. Driving home today I was pondering over this question. In the episode "The Gathering Pt. 2" when Titania whispers to Fox, when you wrote this scene, did you have in mind what Titania was saying? I mean, did you know then when you were writing it, or did you, for mystery's sake, come up with what she said later on once the show aired on TV? Did you even think it would get that much attention, not putting in what Titania was saying to her daughter? Thanks in advance for the answer, and please do not think of this question as a way for me to figure out what exactly Titania said, because I'm really not trying to. I'm just curious about WHEN you decided what Titania said, just to ease my wondering mind.
Thank you for your time and all that you do.
-Charisma82
Greg responds...
I knew at the time. I didn't think it would get as much attention as it did.
Tay writes...
In the episode Long Way to Morning, when Demona, Goliath, and Hudson turn to stone, why does Demona's cannon turn to stone too?
Greg responds...
She obviously regarded it as an extension of herself at that moment.
Ernie writes...
I haven't seen it posted as a question yet, but Gargoyles Season 2 Vol. 2 is now listed on Amazon.com here:
http://www.amazon.com/Gargoyles-Season-Two-Vol-2/dp/B00198X0YA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1213057189&sr=1-4
for sign-up to be notified when it comes out and write reviews for it. I've heard before that if enough people show interest on Amazon they forward this on to the distributors and it can make a difference. Don't know if this is true or not or if you would know if this helps, but I thought it would be worth mentioning to the fans on this site in the hopes that maybe if enough people sign up to be notified and write reviews it will get Amazon's attention which will get Buena Vista's attention.
Greg responds...
I don't know if it helps either - but it certainly can't hurt. GO FOR IT!!
Matthew Roye writes...
Dear Greg.
I am an 18 year old comic book nut, one who's often been criticized by my friends or others for having differing opinions on what makes something great (My tastes never really went into the 90's "everything must be bad ass and with GUNS" attitude, so i didn't cling to wolverine or venom much into my childhood, not to offend anyone who did) so I'm used to getting into arguments to defend my stance on what i enjoy, but boy, did Spectacular Spider-man ever change that!
Not a single person I've met can say anything negative about this show, including me! You and everyone involved have crafted, what i believe, is the single greatest rendition of spider-man the world has EVER seen. i was so happy that a show with great emotion, dialog, action, and acting has been so loved by all who have seen it.
So i should probably get to the question huh? Well this stems from the FIRST argument I've had with my best friend about a certain identity mystery on the show... Tombstone/ The big man, now, I'm not asking for a straight answer, I'm pretty sure you not only can't straight out say it, but you really wouldn't WANT too, but I'm pretty frustrated at being called naive in thinking that the big man may be someone else pulling the strings... like a certain daily bugle reporter perhaps?
If you could, all I'm asking for, and you can outright reject... but all I'm asking for is a clue, something small, I'm good at picking up on little details. you could outright tell me I'm absolutely wrong but throw in a strange word like BAGEL or something non-sequitur that'll let me know something is off. I'm BEGGING sir, with a smile, but still begging.
If not, i would just love to let you know that 'spectacular' has become my favorite show of all time... and I'm a LOST fan, so... theres that...
-Matt
Greg responds...
Hey, Matt. I'm afraid to write anything here, since you've pretty much said anything can be regarded as a clue. I'm glad you like the show though.
CON-ODYSSEY: GATHERING & CONvergence - Saturday, July 5, 2009
CON-ODYSSEY: GATHERING & CONvergence - Saturday, July 5, 2009
12am - Lex and I met up at COF2E2 and hung out chatting for hours, joined by James toward the end.
5am - I returned to my room and pretty much went right to sleep.
9:30am - Wake-up.
11am - I had a Buffy & Angel panel. Yeah, yeah, what am I doing on that panel? Just being a geeky fan.
2pm - Comic book panle w/Terry Beatty, Chris Jones, Mark Evanier, Marv Wolfman and Len Wein.
3:30pm - A panel on Continuity with Chris Jones and others.
4:30pm - Took a nap.
7:30pm - Dinner at Vantage with Lex. Coke, Bread, water, Tomato Soup, Edimame, Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans. Good food.
9:30pm - Comics as Movies Panel w/Terry.
11pm - Mature Comics Panel w/Hank, Damien and Eve. This was probably the one dud panel of the entire Con-odyssey. It should have been fun and raucous and raunchy like a blue mug. But we got off to a serious start and never quite found a rhythm, though Eve tried when she arrived. Felt strangely on the defensive -- for no particular reason. But I did pimp BlueMugProductions.com.
MORE TO COME...
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