So another San Diego con is in the books. I'll be heading home tonight.
Highlights:
The autographing sessions, particularly at Marvel, were well attended and enthusiastic.
The gigantic scale model of the Black Pearl atop the Pirates display.
The presentations for the Hulk and Iron Man films, complete with stars and directors in attendance. Ed Norton looks as if he was born to play Bruce Banner, and the four minutes of footage from "Iron Man" were absolutely fantastic. If nothing else, it reminds you of what a fantastic actor Robert Downey Junior is.
Saw the pilot episode of "Sarah Connor Chronicles." Absolutely great, although there was faint moaning from the audience when the closing words, "Coming Soon from Fox" appeared on the screen, since Fox's track record with SF isn't exactly stellar.
Met Guy Williams, Jr., who--among other things--sells replicas of his father's Zorro outfit. Pictures of me modeling some of the outfit will go up as soon as I have them in hand.
Bought neat stuff for the family.
Participated in Mark Evanier's Quick draw panel, once again guessing three words that the artists had to convey via pictures only. Abstract words like "Easy" (which ironically was the hardest). Got all three in a reasonable amount of time. I always love the "Aha" moment when I suddenly realize what the word is. It's the closest I'll experience to the kind of moment that Monk has when he solves the case.
The Impact publishing table brought sixty copies of my book on writing comics and by the end of the con had only three left, so that was nice.
PAD
Posted by Peter David at July 30, 2007 11:58 AM | TrackBack | Other blogs commentingI have your writing book on my nightstand (and no, not as an insomnia cure). I highly recommend it!
Sounds like you still had your fun beside all the stressing things you had to do.
And yeah since the thing with Firefly, Fox isn't the most favored channel for SF fans anymore.
Sounds like a great time. The con sure got plenty of good publicity from the mainstream media. I remember when they would show up just to get a good laugh.
I know the book hasn't been out long but have you heard from any new writers who cite it as one of the things that helped them break into the industry?
The other day I saw an something where Stan Lee said he created Iron Man to be everything people hated. Rich, a playboy, and he sells weapons to the government.
Seeing that video from the movie, I have to say that they really delivered what Stan Lee was going for. Robert Downey Junior as Tony Stark is the sleaziest, most arrogant jerk in the world, and he's awesome. He really captures that flawed playboy who is so much fun to love even when you should be hating him.
Glad you had fun at the San Diego Con!!! Are you by any chance going to be at the Wizard World Chicago Con??? Can't wait to read the next X-Factor book in a couple of weeks, in fact just before the next con!!!! Hope to see you there.
I'm extremely jealous of you being able to see the Sarah Connor Chronicles.
As cool a concept "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" is, I wonder how many episodes we'll all get to see before it's canceled. My guess? 0, based on the title alone.
Also, I had no idea you had a book about writing for comics until I saw it at my local shop a month or two ago. Picked it up without thought, and your reference to it reminded me to say THANKS! Very helpful info, and your insight is always eye opening.
" Ed Norton looks as if he was born to play Bruce Banner..."
Ed Norton has just the kind of sarcastic, prickly, intelligent and occasionally arrogant persona, to play Peter's portrayal of Bruce Banner.
" Ed Norton looks as if he was born to play Bruce Banner..."
Ed Norton has just the kind of sarcastic, prickly, intelligent and occasionally arrogant persona, to play Peter's portrayal of Bruce Banner.
"...since the thing with Firefly..."
As far as I'm concerned, they've had that rep for a much longer time. With the (albeit deservedly) exception of the X-Files, they've never given ANY SF series much attention or a chance.
i have to disagree about the sarah connor chronicles. i downloaded the pilot on the weekend and found it full of plot holes. not to mention tossing T3 -right- out the window. and without giving anything away, i had a huge problem with the second school room scene.
sorry about the multiple posting.
and oh yeah, the final scene. how long was she there? and she could build that? HUMONGOUS deus ex machina.
(Kath here. I went through and clean up a few of these multi postings for people)
I didn't know you had a book on comic writing, I'll have to go buy it.
I got a chance to get a bunch of Peter's stuff signed at the IDW booth with J.K. Woodward and didn't see him much beyond that.
Lee Whiteside
It's called "Writing for Comics with PETER DAVID". Here's a link:
It's a terrific book. I especially liked how he broke down the three act plot structure. I didn't really understand the importance of the turning points until I read this.
It was my first Comic Con, and I couldn't believe how full of awesome it was. Robert Downey is amazing, and also taller than I had expected. And thank you for autographing my Longest Night!
There wouldn't, by any chance, be a time frame for when Layla and Quicky's 15 rounds will be going down, is there? Like I wasn't in love with the series enough, that panel got me jonesin'...
I got a chance to get a bunch of Peter's stuff signed at the IDW booth with J.K. Woodward
Hmm. Were you the fellow that came in toward the end of the signing at the IDW booth with the box of stuff that Peter had written? :)
It's no mystery that only one copy of your writing book remained. I have a copy and have found it far superior to other writing books on the market.
It's no mystery that only one copy of your writing book remained. I have a copy and have found it far superior to other writing books on the market.
It's no mystery that only one copy of your writing book remained. I have a copy and have found it far superior to other writing books on the market.
not to mention tossing T3 -right- out the window.
I would contend that throwing T3 out a window would be a good thing.
I don't know -- I haven't seen it -- but there should be enough wiggle room to have a series set between the two films. T3, like it or not, is cannon and should be at least somewhat respected, IMO.
One of these years I'll make the pilgrimage to San Diego for the Comic Con. That Iron Man footage looked freaking awesome. I'm also really looking forward to the Sarah Conner Chronicles, mostly for Summer, who I totally fell in love with a couple years ago at Wizard World Texas. I'm sad it's on FOX, but I'll enjoy the seven episodes that will get to air.
"I would contend that throwing T3 out a window would be a good thing."
Thats the same that i thought.
Truly sorry I missed you at Comic-Con. But then, I missed two-thirds of the panels and events I wanted to see.
My friend Ms. Geek and I decided that this will be our last San Diego Comic-Con. The cost/benefit and pain/benefit ratios are too far gone. Unless they move it to a city that can handle large crowds and don't cheat and deceive conventioneers (a city like Vegas) this con will become more unmanageable and more unpleasant. Sorry, but I've had it with $200 hotel rooms ten miles from the convention center, and food stands selling no food with meat, only those thrice-damned Mrs. Fields cookies. What are we, Hogwarts students who can eat crap all day and not get fat and sick?
Craig,
Yes, that was me with a bunch of Fallen Angels, a few books, and some other various comics (not everything in the box was Peter's, it was just easiest to bring the whole thing from the car). Some of the Fallen Angels were ones Peter signed last year, but this was the first chance I'd had for J.K. Woodward to sign any of them.
I spent most of the con catching the variuos Neil Gaiman panels and appearances plus the B5 panel and Straczynski's spotlight and getting other books signed by various authors and artists. I didn't do that many other panels just because the bigger ones like Heroes and Galactica required several hours either in line or waiting in the room to be able to see. I did get into the SciFi press conference for Who Wants to be a Superhero and got a chance to chat with a couple of the new contestants and Stan Lee!
Lee Whiteside
Just wondering if you were going to be writing any more Star Trek New Frontier books...and if so, when?
not just tossing T3 out the window. retconning when Skynet allegedly goes online as well.
there's a lot they try to re-explain and there's a humongous hole in the plot. the ending was what pissed me off the most.
Thomas E. Reed -
What are we, Hogwarts students who can eat crap all day and not get fat and sick?
Honestly, I thought the food situation was better than 2 years ago, and probably better than last year when I read that they were closing the concession stands to make more room for exhibitors.
Also, we literally booked our room like 10 months in advance to get the best rates ($109 weeknight, $129 weekend), then we just dealt with a 5 minute bus ride to a transit center, then transfer to trolley. Not bad at all, plus plenty of restaurants in the area our hotel was at so you can get breakfast in the morning, and late dinners, so you just have to worry about lunch at the con.
As for deception, I'm not sure why you think that, to be honest. It's packed, sure, but I also don't know where else it could be held.
I'd like to go every year, but I'll probably just consider going again in 2 years - I'd like to go to some other cons next year, like Gallifrey One, GenCon, and DragonCon.
Lee Whiteside -
Yes, that was me with a bunch of Fallen Angels, a few books, and some other various comics
Huh. I was standing right there while you were doing that, chatting away with Peter and J.K.
I guess we PAD fans need to wear signs or something so we can find each other. :)
Chuck -
Just wondering if you were going to be writing any more Star Trek New Frontier books...and if so, when?
IIRC, Marco hinted there may be something, but I better let PAD confirm that. :)
The Sarah Connor show was tons better than the early cut of the new "Bionic Woman" pilot, that's for sure.
Funny to see the complaints about the Terminator show disregarding T3 after all the complaints about T3 when it came out.
There's definitely a gimmick in the pilot I worry about become way overused (or would if I thought the show would last more than 6 eps).
Speaking of which, someone has pointed out you can watch the last two filmed episodes of Drive on the official website now, right?
-Chris
food stands selling no food with meat, only those thrice-damned Mrs. Fields cookies. What are we, Hogwarts students who can eat crap all day and not get fat and sick?
How can they be passing up such a golden opportunity to make massive amounts of money? Mark Evanier suggested they just serve Hot Pockets. Man, when Hot Pockets are a major step up, there be problems.
PAD, I don't remember if you've mentioned this but you ARE doing the novelization of the new Hulk movie, right?
Monk? I LOVE Monk...
I think the new season really gained some momentum I was afraid that they'd lost, and of course Psych never ceases to please, (and Burn Notice rounds out USA's hat trick)
Got all my pics from the con uploaded, along with a couple of videos as well.
They can be viewed here: http://www.silvanthalas.com/images/sdcc07/
Three ways anyone could have found me at Con Sat and Sun
1. I was the "big" fan who liked the Babylon 5 Script Books that prompted JMS to tell a wonderful story about Andreas and the power of less words
2. I stood behind Lee in the JMS line in the autograph area on Sunday.
3. I had the "What is your Favorite WORD?" Board that I got many of my favorite writers to write on (including Peter)
Until later
John