Mega Movie panel Wizard World

A low key day at Wizard Philly today. Although I only got there 1 hour after the doors, I walked right in to the exhibit hall. No waiting in lines. Traffic seemed very light. The panels - not announced on the site- were kind of small potatoes.

PhillyGirl and I saw MidJersey friends: Dave Perillo, Scott Derby, Louie from Geek Boy Press, Michael Parla.

Bought the excellent new trade "Tales of the Starlight Drive-In", available from Image Comics. MJCC inker friend Tom S did 2 stories. I read a few on the train ride home, and maybe it is the Jersey setting, but really enjoyed how the years passed from the 1950s on.

Went to the Mega Movie panel and took some notes, maybe 1/2 full, moderated by Wizard guys:

The Hulk -- Norton dust up might have been exaggerated, will do some press. Robert Downey will appear as Tony Stark.

Wanted- JG Jones and Millar GN movie "loosely based" on GN. Millar happy with the outcome. Rumor of "Kick Ass" movie based on new title.

Hancock was more popular than expected.

Hellboy II- Doug Jones role expanded, love interest in this one. Mignola collaborated on story and creature design, set design

The Dark Knight-
PG 13 (phillygirl said "aw"!)
not an origin story
Cillian Murphy as Scarecrow will appear!

The X-files: I want to believe July 25th
Not an alien mythology movie, just a creepy case

Nov 7th: James Bond: Quantum of Solace

Nov 21: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Punisher War Zone- new Punisher, no Travolta, more action

Dec 25th: Frank Miller The Spirit
Looks good, maybe not The Spirit but like Sin City

Fanboys 2008
Lots of rewrites and reshoots

Trick 'r Treat
Mike D from Superman Returns with a creepy and scary old school horror film

Whiteout Sept 2008
Based on Greg Rucka GN, murder mystery with Kate Beckinsale in Anarctica

Watchmen
Current cut 3 1/2 hours, maybe 4 /2 for DVD. Flashbacks...

May 1, 2009 Wolverine
in Japan, Weapon X, Deadpool, Gambit, Sabretooth (Liev Schrieber?)

Magneto movie 2009

May 8, 2009 Star Trek

May 22, 2009 Terminator Sequel Christian Bale as John Connor

Aug 7, 2009 GI Joe movie
Eccleston from Doctor Who

Ronin- Frank Miller next film 2009

Y the Last Man 2009- BKV heavily involved

Iron Man April 30, 2010
Black Hole 2010

Philly Wizard

Taking the train into to Wizard World Philly today. I grabbed my sketchbook, and a few 52's in case I get to artist J.G. Jones, Moon Knight for Finch, and some flyers for the MidJersey Comicon. With all that is going on with work and family, I haven't planned for the con like I usually do. Plus, the Wizard web site was not real friendly to let you know what was happening- just found the guest list, but no artist alley list, and no program list.

Anyway, I may be sending some camphone photos from the con.

Have you picked up Vertigo's House of Mystery 1 (sneak peak available)? This image is from a side story by Bill Willingham - The Hollows?. I never read HoM, but I know it has a long comic history and figured this was the place to jump in. I like the art and initial storytelling.

Blue Dr. Zoidberg

Man, the house has been like a runway with all the agent and buyer visits in the last week. Two today alone-- we were so prepared for a slow market that it's surprising. So it was an extra long beach day for me.

I realized I never shared all my photos from Wizard World Philadelphia. Some I've posted, but there are artists Steve McNiven, and Khoi Pham (World War Hulk)-- both were very excellent to talk to. McNiven will soon be announced on a hush-hush series. He also said he and his wife love libraries!

There's a pic of me and Kenneth Roquefort, who came from Puerto Rico to promote his Madame Mirage comic. I liked the vigilante Paul Dini story, but as par the course, her boobs have their own zip code.

Also, a dark photo of the Bendis lead arm wrestling session between David Mack and Mike Oeming!

And the adorable blue Dr. Zoidberg figure. The guy at the booth made me laugh because he was geeking out talking about this episode, than stopped himself and shook his head because he knew he was geeking out!

more jibba jabba

A few things I am intrigued by from Wizard-

DC--
Pfeiffer adds Catwoman in Amazons Attack
Black Canary Green Arrow Wedding
Superman 666 Busiak and Simonson
Metal Men- adds history so 'great place to jump on'
Superman/Batman by Michael Green of Heroes (with new DC Exclusive Shane Davis)
Justice League/Hitman (Ennis 2 issue)
Sinestro Corps ('every DC series in years referenced in it')
Renee- new Question series
Justice League bachelor and bachelorette parties
Vertigo--
The Vinyl Underground - college students/occult detectives in London
Y the Last Man 57 next month
Northlanders- Brian Wood's viking series Dec.
Silverfish- crime noir GN black and white art
Sentences- Percy's NY hip hop culture
Cairo- VP Bob Wayne said it could be "the best first GN I've ever seen anyone do"

The Un-Men - artist friend Mike Hawthorne takes on Swamp Thing side cast. He "avoids monthly books but these characters are such freaks they are fantastic to draw". I mentioned in the panel how I loved Umbra, and thinks it deserves a wider audience. He said it was the only Image book nominated for a Harvey Award...

Marvel- (didn't go to any Quesada panels, but it was good to see female fans asked many questions of him)
Terry Moore on SMLMJ

Fun to visit artist and writers in artist alley, like Rags Morales, Chuck Satterlee, Louie from Geek Boy Press, Brian Quinn, Mike Oeming, Rob Reilly, Ziggy Blumenthal, Dave Perrillo and Scott Derby...and tried to look at and buy some sketches from others who caught my eye. Will scan some of those soon.

Held up the line while Steve McNiven and I talked. (even though we were the end and held the sign, for the first time people ignored the sign and just harassed me until I passed it back, so those damn folks should be happy). I said "well, you've been signing Civil Wars for a year, when will we see something else." He said he couldn't say yet. I asked "is it a female character? a team" and he just laughed and said he left it to marketing. But what I really loved is talking about how he missed being a teacher sometimes, and how I am a librarian. He said he and his wife "love libraries". Guess it's the good Canadian social conscious. Anyway, Khoi Pham sketched a She-Hulk for me, and a Spidey for PhillyGirl while we talked.

Visited Sean McManus, a MidJersey regular, at the Silent Devil booth. Spoke with nice guy Chris Berenek at the Silent Devil table and bought Dracula vs. King Arthur trade to support them. Silent Devil will publish no new titles, and he no longer EIC.

Conning around...

Bryan meets the cheerleader! Hayden was a beautiful girl as expected. He also said she sang part of the national anthem and has a great voice!

Two top line funny things that I did today:
1. Quesada finished his signing, and as we waited for Steve McNiven, I heckled Joe with "leave Mary Jane alone". He sort of half smiled and said "I'm not doing anything to Mary Jane". I just said I had to get in some "random Mary Jane harrassment". Spur of the moment!

2. Walking down the celebrity aisle, Dirk Benedict had a long line. He was joking "Mr. T is over there" to his line...and I just blurted out "quit your jibba- jabba". Dirk completely laughed. I can't believe I said that to Dirk Benedict!

So much to say about creators we met, friends we saw over the two days with PhillyGirl at Wizard (over the next few days check out the blog). Did any of you like seeing my cam phone pictures? PhillyGirl got a lot of great figures and prints and comics- read her Day 1 quick report here. I got several indie artist sketches for my sketchbook- one involves Little Orphan Annie and a hatchet!

Bryan works at a comic store, but this was his first big con...he already said "when I go next year"...so we have him sold on big cons! He did get to meet Hayden from Heroes and Julia (metal show? Fuse?).

This was my question about when the announced Geoff Johns All-Star Batgirl would come out.

A fan asked when All-Star Batgirl by Geoff Johns will come out, with Carlin sarcastically asking “Why should All-Star Batgirl come out? None of the other ones do.” Wayne then said they learned their lesson from All-Star Batman & Robin and All-Star Superman to have a few is-sues in the can before anything is released, so they can “disappoint you in the middle of the story instead of the beginning,” he joked.

Mike Carlin actually stopped me at the DC booth and thank me for asking about A S Batgirl, because it gave him the best laugh of the panel. I told him I like to "serve it up", and we had a discussion about the All Star line, and how Dini said at NYCC that he "read it when he was little". It was fun to talk with a few of the DC staff and get some laughs!

cam pics Wizard on Fri!

Busy with house things, work things, guitar things, etc. Check this space on Friday- I hope to send some live from the floor cam pics of me and PhillyGirl's adventures at Wizard. The guest and panel list is light-- Rich told me it's also Heroes con this weekend and it seems that many creators have chosen it instead. As a small con organizer, it's great to see an indie con do so well. As long I have a signal and my phone, expect some pics!

Fangirl: Year two

There are two motives for reading a book: one, that you enjoy it; the other, that you can boast about it. (Bertrand Russell). Add comic before book, and you have the comic blogosphere!

Two years ago I started the Redhead Fangirl blog because I thought a female librarian comic reader was an unusual thing. I am better informed now, with all the great female fangirls whose blogs I've found (Heidi, Shelly) . Not to mention the wacky, the smart, the hysterical male comic fans (Mark, Rab,David) and store owner blogs (Mikester) I also read. Anyway, last year I listed a long list of my first year accomplishments- conventions, MidJersey Cons, Comic Blog Legion, artists and creators I met. I won't do that this year, but let me say that I really appreciate the people who read the blog- some even on a regular basis! Esp. those who comment, without that feedback I don't think that I'd keep it up.

Anyway, have you read the new The Boys 7 from Dynamite? Between finishing Preacher 1 and The Boys, I know Ennis is yet another twisted UK brain. Derick Robertson will be a Wizard Philly- another landmark because my first post was about my first comicon there two years ago.

Wood axes, polar bears

Back to work week grind! Some images to share--
I wanted to share these handcrafted guitars from a program at my library. Rich crafts electric guitars, amplifiers and more. It was really interesting to see electric guitars in beautiful wood- although he admits you have to sit to use them because of their weight. It's great when your personal hobbies can cross with work.

Friend Bryan had artist Dave Perrillo, a MidJersey regular, create this image of Michael from Lost being eaten by a polar bear as revenge for killing his beloved Ana Lucia.

It's almost June, and that means Wizard World Philly. I have to say that the NY Comicon (and putting on my own MidJersey), have taken some of the excitement from Wizard. I've been waiting for the programming, which will get me more jazzed. It's always great to see local artist and dealer friends. I guess being the third year I've gone to it, with many of the same names, takes some juice out. PhillyGirl got her 3 day, so it is fun to fangirl together.

Reading Preacher GN now.