I highly enjoyed my tome at WonderCon this year, set in drizzly San Fransisco and proving that last year’s joy wasn’t just a one time thing. I got to meet my awesome colleagues in the comic blog-o-business, from Blog@Newsarama to the amazing David Brothers from the 4th Letter. I got to sit in on the wacky panels this time, a strange assortment of opinion and feedback panels that went from the comic retailer side of things (something I’ll be talking about later at great whopping length) to the jewel of the WonderCon Crown.
Sunday Conversation: For the Love of Comics was this crazy weird little panel hosted by Dan Didio about litterally.. the love of comics. Questions were fielded by the audience on what got them into comics collecting, what do they buy out of habit, if they took a break, what got them back, what drove them away, all questions asked by Mr. Didio himself. It was surreal, sitting down with the people who make the books and having them ask you why you’re here. What do you love, dear reader? Tell us, the people with the responsibility.
Dan Didio looks at you when you’re answering a question. I mean, almost disturbingly. He is so intent on YOUR answer that you better be ready because he’s gonna want to know what you think. He’s like that at all the panels really, bouncing about the stage and finding cool costumes in the audience, eager to be there. Honestly, I felt kind of bad because … well, look at me. Died in the wool Marvel Zombie here. But still, it makes you excited for the product and excited to be there.
Like I’ve said before, enthusiasm is contagious and if you’re thrilled to see the lastest issue of Annihilation: Conquest, you can get someone else nearly just as excited by expressing that enthusiasm and man… Dan Didio is a fine example of that. He laughs at the silly things his company does, he delights in those crucial moments that the fans do, he’s just a delight in person. I almost wish I followed more DC titles.
And then I read them and know that the odd book I pick up now and again is okay.
Anyhoo, this brings me to the moment of realization: while I’m sitting in this bizzaro focus group where the fans are actively being asked what they love about comics (and not just DC, there really was no agenda here and I mean that), I asked myself, “Carla? What would Joe Quesada do?” Would he really be here? Could he stand something like this?
I honestly don’t know. Sadly, Marvel’s not really been good for stepping out like that in recent months, almost after Civil War. Some time into 2007, they pulled back and took offense and started to get … well, less Marvel. So when I go to cons like WonderCon, I get a better feeling from DC than I do the publisher I extoll.
In three week’s time (oy!) is WizardWorld LA; I’m pretty sure there’s some sort of deal Marvel has with WizardWorlds, so they should be there. There should be at least one panel about something up and coming, something on Secret Invasion, just… something? And all I ask, just the one little teeny thing, is that Marvel’s panel there makes me feel as welcome as the DC panels I was lucky enough to go to this weekend.
I mean…. we belong?
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Didio just has this vibe of energy about him, the man loves talking to fans and getting feedback. He actually *gasp* wants to know what fans feel and think so as to improve things in some ways.
Two questions about the event:
Were moon-pies thrown at Didio’s audience?
Was Jann Jones busting Didio’s chops from the audience?
When I was a young lass, Stan Lee was running things at Marvel, and he was the best cheerleader in the world for his company. He made it all seem as though it was a wonderful place to be, and almost an honor to be a Marvel fan. I was even a member of FOOM for heaven’s sake.
I don’t get that vibe from Mr. Quesada at all. He’s a little too much on the defensive side. Civil War was the last nail in the coffin for me, and I’ve been happy wallowing in DC goodness for quite some time now. I may not always agree with Mr. Didio on everything that happens, but goshdarnit, he is enthusiastic, and that has to stand for something.
Nick: Sadly, the answers are no and no. Jann Jones was on the ‘panel’ if it could be called that, along with Bob Wayne and Mark Bagley. They were all awesome. And … moon pies?
Sallyp: Yeah, there’s something to really be said for a love of the game. Stan Lee to this day makes you feel like the most fantastic five-year-old on Earth and was an incredible delight when I got to see him last ComicCon. Marvel needs someone like that, really badly, or else I’m going to be wondering about final Crisis…
Please update. ;-; I <3 you.
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[...] It was great seeing several folks again and meeting others. Had a great conversation with Jason McNamara about two of his projects. Looks like we’ll be doing an interview about’em, so watch for that. On Friday, had dinner with Carla and Graeme and their respective spouses, Matt Brady, Ian Brill, Annalee and Charlie from io9.com, which really covered the heck out of the con. Carla told us about a Dr. Who convention she went to down in L.A. that featured a wonderful fan art show she’ll have to talk about in her own column sometime. She also has a con report up on her blog. [...]
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