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Update Magazine 2005 #3 - (now Comic-Con Magazine)
2005's #3 edition of Update (now Comic-Con Magazine), your source for information on the comics and pop-culture events Comic-Con International: San Diego, WonderCon, and APE, the Alternative Press Expo.
YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL 2005 3 SAN DIEGO � JULY 20-23, 2006 THE UNDERGROUND GOES APE Largest Indy Comics Show Slated for April 8-9, 2006 Saturday 11:30 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday 11:30 AM - 6:00 PM The premiere showcase for alternative and indy comics, APE (the Alternative Press Expo) is held in The Concourse at Exhibition Square in San Francisco. In 2005, over 4,500 fans attended, even though this show isn't about toys, action figures, gaming, anime, or even mainstream superheroes; heck, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in costume. In our media-saturated society, where unique and thought-provoking voices are often swallowed up by high-concept projects and big-name companies, APE celebrates the indelible spirit of self-publishing and the alternative comics press. It focuses on the creative forces who produce these works simply because they have stories to tell and a burning passion for the comics medium. Fans who love and support these endeavors find a welcome home in APE's two-day program schedule and extensive Exhibit Hall, which features an incredible mix of new and old independent comics, minicomics, `zines, art books, original art, and much more. Publishers such as Fantagraphics, Drawn & Quarterly, SLG, Top Shelf, AiT/Planet Lar, and more, take part in this "gathering of the tribe" in San Francisco, along with a veritable who's who of indy comics creators and publishers from all across the United States and Canada. BREAKING NEWS! Alex Robinson, Raina Telgemeier, Keith Knight, Carol Tyler, and Justin Green sign on as featured guests for APE 2006! More info on Carol Tyler and Justin Green in our next Update. Alex Robinson's Eisner Award-winning turn on Box Office Poison positioned him as one of the new indy creators to watch, and his latest graphic novel, Tricked, proves he's got what it takes! This massive new book debuted to great sales and critical raves, and he'll be on hand for all the APE festivities. Cartoonist Raina Telgemeier has received rave reviews for her minicomic Takeout and her online strip Smile. She has been nominated for numerous awards, including a 2005 Eisner Award for Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition, nominations for SPX's Ignatz Awards for Most Promising New Talent and Best Minicomic, and the Friends of Lulu's Kim Yale Award for Best New Talent of 2003. Her first major work, a comics adaptation of the popular book series The Baby-Sitters Club, debuts in the spring from Scholastic Books's Graphix line. Popular Bay area cartoonist, Keith Knight, just celebrated the 10th anniversary of his strip The K Chronicles, which has been collected into four books. Keith has also published Red, White, Black & Blue, featuring his single-panel strips, a (th)ink anthology, and most recently, The Beginner's Guide to Community-Based Art. He is also a regular contributor to ESPN magazine, and his work has appeared in that stalwart of parody and satire, Mad magazine. If you love alternative comics, this is one show you will not want to miss! More guests are being added as you read this, so for the latest APE-dates and other important information, visit www.comic-con.org. BOARD OF DIRECTORS President John Rogers Secretary Mary Sturhann Treasurer Mark Yturralde Vice Presidents Events Robin Donlan Exhibits Beth Holley Operations William Pittman Directors at Large Frank Alison Ned Cato Jr. Dan Davis Eugene Henderson Eddie Ibrahim Martin Jaquish James Jira Executive Director Fae Desmond Director of Marketing and Public Relations David Glanzer HR/Guest Relations Sue Lord Talent Relations Maija Gates-Johnson Director of Programming Gary Sassaman Eisner Awards Administrator Jackie Estrada Exhibit Manager Justin Dutta Professional Registration Glenda Moreno Anna-Marie Villegas EVENTS At-Show Newsletter Chris Sturhann Films John Cassels Games Ken Kendall Masquerade Martin Jaquish Japanese Animation John Davenport Josh Ritter Technical Services Tristan Gates EXHIBITS Art Auction/Artists' Alley Clydene Nee Art Show LaFrance Bragg Autograph Area Katherine Forster Morrison Exhibit Floor Manager Andy Manzi Convention Services Taerie Bryant OPERATIONS Archivist Eugene Henderson Disabled Services Saphora Horinek Hospitality Suite Mikee Reynante Logistics Dan Davis Materials Chief/Blood Drive Craig Fellows Registration Frank Alison & John Smith Volunteers Luigi Diaz & Jennifer Diaz Information Coordinator Bruce & Betty Frankle UPDATE Richard Andreoli Fae Desmond Jackie Estrada David Glanzer Tommy! Goldbach Scott Saavedra Gary Sassaman Dan "The Man" Vado The Underground Goes APE ...............................................................................IFC Comic-Con International: San Diego Capes & Cowls ..............................................................................................................2 In the Spotlight ............................................................................................................4 Super Swag....................................................................................................................7 Morning Madmen (and Women) ..........................................................................8 Volunteers Form Superhero Team........................................................................9 Art Show Spectacular ..............................................................................................10 Art to Astonish ...........................................................................................................11 Mission: Accomplished! ..........................................................................................12 Seminal Seminars......................................................................................................13 Cool Stuff for Kids! ....................................................................................................13 Radical Retailers ........................................................................................................14 Fantastic Fans .............................................................................................................15 A Little Triumph ..........................................................................................................16 Scoring Massive Points ...........................................................................................18 A Legacy in Blood .....................................................................................................19 Want More? .................................................................................................................19 Hollywood Calling ................................................................................................... 20 The "Eye" in Independent Filmmaking ............................................................ 23 Cinema Sponsorship............................................................................................... 23 Aisles of Smiles! ........................................................................................................ 24 It Came from Japan ................................................................................................. 26 Toyriffic Fun!............................................................................................................... 26 Spirited Winners ....................................................................................................... 27 Even More Fantastic Fans ...................................................................................... 28 Call for Nominations for Retailer Award .......................................................... 29 The Spirit Continues................................................................................................ 30 Winners, 2005 Eisner Awards ...............................................................................31 Put It in Ink!................................................................................................................. 32 Super Sponsors ......................................................................................................... 32 The Art of Phil Jimenez .......................................................................................... 33 First Person: Best. Advice. Ever. ........................................................................... 35 Comic-Con 2006: Back to the Future ................................................................ 36 Pikachu Hotel Room! ............................................................................................... 38 Multipurpose Form ................................................................................................. 39 WonderCon WonderCon 2005: Wrap it Up.............................................................................. 40 Wondering About WonderCon 2006 ................................................................41 WonderCon Volunteers Wanted ........................................................................ 42 WonderCon Winners! ............................................................................................. 42 Wonderful WonderCon Attendees ................................................................... 43 Special Guests ........................................................................................................... 44 San Francisco Marriott Reservation Request ................................................. 46 Magnificent Masquerade ...................................................................................... 47 San Francisco Marriott ........................................................................................... 47 Wonderful WonderCon Attendees ................................................................... 48 CONTENTS MISSION STATEMENT: Comic-Con International is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comics and related popular art forms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture. ABOUT THE COVER: The stars shine at Comic-Con International! COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL 2005 UPDATE #3 Published by Comic-Con International. All material, unless otherwise noted, is � 2005 Comic-Con International and may not be reproduced without permission. All other artwork is TM & � 2005 by respective owners. Printed in Canada. Comic-Con International, P.O. Box 128458, San Diego, CA 92112-8458. www.comic-con.org Fax: (619) 414-1022, Comic-Con Hotline (619) 491-2475 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 1 CAPES& The 2005 Comic-Con was chock full of awesome attendees strutting their stuff in killer costumes. So let's take a jump to the left, a step to the right, and do the Time Warp to revisit some of them. COWLS 1 K. Green � SDCC 2 1. Just in time for the release of the latest Harry Potter novel, Buckbeak arrives at Comic-Con. 2. Hot off their summer blockbuster, The Fantastic Four Four, Sue Storm and Reed R i char d s d r op by t he convention. Please note that even though he could slip under the door and she could enter invisibly, they both purchased memberships and wore their badges proudly. 3. Holy TV Shows Batman! It's Wonder Woman, Robin, and the Caped Crusader himself! S. King � SDCC 3 2 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 4 S. King � SDCC 5 4. Ahoy Mates! As this mom demonstrates, it's never too early to become a pirate. 5. Modeling the latest fall fashions in leather is Hellboy . . . who immediately kicked our butts for commenting on his wardrobe. Ow! 6. Swinging in from Gotham City comes The Huntress and Nightwing. The highlight of their Comic-Con? Getting Jim Lee to sign Nightwing's battle staves. 6 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 3 IN THE SPOTLIGHT It was a night of spectacle, surprises, humor, and of course, many terrific outfits at the 2005 Masquerade, Comic-Con International's Saturday evening costume competition. This year saw 59 solo and group entries crossing the stage--a total of 138 costumes in all--and representing genres of every imagining. From Lord of the Rings and Star Wars to anime and giant robots, comic book heroes, Disney characters, video games, and unique original designs, it was an impressive display of participants' creativity and dedication. Five video cameras captured the action and projected it onto giant overhead screens, allowing all 4,300 people in the ballroom audience to view the presentations. And since the Masquerade is always a standing-room-only event, for the over 2,000 people unable to gain entry, the show was simulcast on large video screens in both the Sails Pavilion and a second ballroom. 2005 MASQUERADE CONTINUES TO GROW WHAT DID THEY WIN? Comic-Con International's judges bestowed a number of trophies on the contestants, but representatives from 16 companies also handed out $2,350 in cash and $900 in merchandise to participants. Trophy Winners Best in Show: "Jack & Zero" from The Nightmare Before Christmas, created and performed by Paloma and David Candelaria. Best Workmanship: "Orc of Mordor," from Lord of the Rings, made and worn by Conrad Wright, Jr. Most Beautiful: "The HCC Rose Of Versailles," made and worn by A. J. Wu, Judy Grivich, Aimee Steinberger, and Cheryll Del Rosario. Most Humorous: "Disney Princesses," made and worn by Lynleigh, Angela, Jean, Jenn, Maryssa, Lisa, Briana, Ashley, Wendy, Cindy, Kimberly, Lily, Rebecca, Emily, Mike, Tony, Andy, Flo, and Kevin. Most Imaginative: "Lucifer's Demon," original design by Michael Passeretti, worn by John Wesley. Best Presentation: "Tomb Raider Vs. Nightcrawler," created and worn by Vera Van Guard and David LaVera. Best Young Fan: "Captain America, Spawn, & Green Arrow," worn by Preston Shreve, Ry'n Nabeeh, and Alvester Johnson. Created by Maria Nabeeh. Honorable Mentions For Unique Re-Creation & Puppeteering: "Covenant Elite," made and worn by Matt Asanuma. Judges' Choice: "Van Helsing at the Vampire Ball," created and worn by MaryAnn Cappa, Kent Elofson, Danica Lisiewicz, Nicole Roberts, David Rose, Dawn Rose, and Sa Winfield. Best Re-Creation: "General Grievous," from Star Wars, made and worn by Mike Asanuma. 4 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO Dennis Hunt � SDCC For Workmanship: "Batman," made and worn by Allan Lavigne. For Creative Execution: "Edward Scisssorhands," made and worn by Greg Hedgecock. Company Prize Winners AgentSakur9 Entertainment: $200 and a special trophy to the best costume from an animated feature or video game awarded to "Vampire Hunter D," worn by Dany Slone, made by Dany Slone, Jeff Boylan, Jennifer Wylie, and Miriam Hitori. Anime Pavilion: Three prizes: $150 booth credit for their favorite entry to "Tomb Raider Vs. Nightcrawler," made and worn by Vera Van Guard and David LaVera; $50 booth credit for runner-up "The HCC Rose of Versailles," made and worn by A. J. Wu, Judy Grivich, Aimee Steinberger, and Cheryll Del Rosario; $40 credit for their favorite Young Fan entry to "Captain America, Spawn, and Green Arrow," worn by Preston Shreve, Ry'n Nabeeh, and Alvester Johnson, created by Maria Nabeeh. Arcana Studios: $250 to the entry they selected as being the most creative comic book character adaptation: "Doctor Octopus," designed and worn by Michael Passaretti. Century Guild: For what they chose as their favorite costume, the recipient's choice of $200 cash or $500 booth credit: "Elytra," an original design created and worn by Melody Glatz. The Comic Gallery: Two prizes: $100 to their favorite entry "Tomb Raider Vs. Nightcrawler," made and worn by Vera Van Guard and David LaVera; $50 for their favorite Young Fan to "Wonder Girl," worn by Rachel Grossberg, designed by Rachel and Joe Grossberg. Committed Comics: Two prizes: An award of $200 to the best youth presentation of a comic book character to "Wonder Girl," worn by Rachel Grossberg, designed by Rachel and Joe Grossberg; $100 to the best first-time young contestant entry to "Captain America, Spawn, & Green Arrow," worn by Preston Shreve, Ry'n Nabeeh, and Alvester Johnson, made by Maria Nabeeh. ConDor & Conjecture: San Diego's annual science fiction conventions joined to present a "ConTour" prize of free memberships to Conjecture IV Dennis Hunt � SDCC in October, ConDor XIII in March, and Comic-Con International 2006, plus $100 cash, to the best first-time solo entry: "Orc of Mordor," worn and made by Conrad Wright, Jr. DC Comics: An award of $300 to what they selected as the show's best portrayal of a DC character: "Golden Age Wonder Woman," worn and made by Catherine Schaff-Stump with assistance from Brian Stump. Darkest Desires: Lynn Perry presented $150 to the best entry inspired by horror or other dark genres: "Jack & Zero," from The Nightmare Before Christmas, made and performed by Paloma and David Candelaria. Dark Horse Comics: A prize of $200 booth/mailorder credit for the best Dark Horse character in the show to "Alien," made and worn by Matthew O'Connor. Ibexa Press: Representative Barry Brown presented a $150 prize to his favorite costume in the show: "Covenant Elite," made and worn by Matt Asanuma. Lucasfilm Ltd.: For the best costume entry from the Star Wars galaxy, Lucasfilm presented a limited-edition cold-cast porcelain CinemaCast Darth COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 5 Dennis Hunt � SDCC Vader with light saber (a special collector's piece from their archives, out of production for many years) to "General Grievous," worn and made by Mike Asanuma. PRA International: A $150 gift certificate for its website (www.webpra.com) or exhibitor booth bestowed to their favorite anime entry: "Vampire Hunter D," worn by Dany Slone, made by Dany Slone, Jeff Boylan, Jennifer Wylie, and Miriam Hitori. San Diego FX Studio, Inc.: Theatrical makeup experts John Hart and John Barkley awarded $200 to the entry they judged as best utilizing makeup: "Orc of Mordor," made and worn by Conrad Wright, Jr. The Stevenson Entertainment Group: $150 to what they chose as the best non-comic book entry: "Disney Princesses," made and worn by Lynleigh, Angela, Jean, Jenn, Maryssa, Lisa, Briana, Ashley, Wendy, Cindy, Kimberly, Lily, Rebecca, Emily, Mike, Tony, Andy, Flo, and Kevin. The Testmarket Evolution: Two prizes: $100 for best anime costume to "Vampire Hunter D," worn by Dany Slone, made by Dany Slone, Jeff Boylan, Jennifer Wylie, and Miriam Hitori; $100 for the best video game costume, "Covenant Elite," made and worn by Matt Asanuma. Thank you! Thank you! In addition to thanking Lion's Gate Entertainment, whose movie The Devil's Rejects sponsored a significant portion of the show, ComicCon offers its sincere thanks to the professionals who donated their time and talents in being Master of Ceremonies and guest judges, the many companies that generously donated wonderful prizes, and to Jeff Walker for providing special movie previews. Finally, a special thanks goes out to all of the contestants who made the evening so memorable. And for 2006... Interested in participating next year? To receive full information on the Masquerade, including rules and an advance entry form, drop a line to the Masquerade Coordinator via mail, fax, e-mail, or by marking the appropriate space in the Multipurpose Form in this booklet and send it in. You can also visit the CCI website: www. comic-con.org. B. Brown � SDCC Phil Foglio returned as the Master of Ceremonies for 2005. An infamous and long-established writer and artist, Foglio, with his wife, Kaja, is responsible for the Girl Genius comic and many other fun publications from Studio Foglio. THE JUDGE REPORT Comic-Con was lucky enough to have the Fantastic Five as judges in 2005: Diane Duncan--Creator and producer of themed entertainment and special events for Disney, Universal Studios, and Warner Brothers, Duncan began her career performing on Broadway. Wanda Piety and Dragon Dronet--Owners and chief creative minds behind Renegade Effects Group, a Hollywood special effects, costuming, and props company whose work has appeared in numerous productions, including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Babylon 5, and the 2005 blockbuster War of the Worlds. Jeanne Clason--Workmanship judge Jeanne Clason has extensive experience in historical costuming from Roman periods to the 18th centur, and is an active member of the Society for Creative Anachronism; she's also created many science fiction re-creations. Richard Hatch--Best known to convention attendees as Captain Apollo from the original Battlestar Galactica TV series, Hatch currently portrays Tom Zareck in the series' latest incarnation on Sci Fi channel. He has also performed in numerous other productions, is a published author of a dozen books, and is currently working on a comics project. 6 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO SUPER SWAG You love getting free stuff and the companies attending Comic-Con International know that, which is why they bring tons of super-cool swag to ComicCon to promote their upcoming projects. The 2005 convention was no exception, and here is just a small sample of those goodies. 1 2 3 4 1. Buttons, key chains, and other knick-knacks promoted movies, TV series, DVD releases, and important anniversaries. 2. The Freebies Table in the Sails Pavilion offered souvenir bags, posters, buttons, fliers and more; this was one line that never abated the entire weekend. 3. At the VIZ booth, Jennifer not only scored this cloth bag but was then asked to participate in a survey about the Naruto manga and anime. After helping out, she was given a duffle bag packed with exclusive Naruto merchandise as thanks! 4 . Companies are known for of fering exclusive items available only at Comic-Con International. This poster from Walt Disney Studios is for the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean 2 feature film; check out the lower right-hand corner! COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 7 MORNING MADMEN (AND WOMEN) Thadd: I save up all year just to spend my money here. I also want to see Kevin Smith, Bruce Campbell, Jim Lee, and Jhonen Vasquez. Aric: I just want to check out everything. AND ARE YOU LADIES JUST LOYAL GIRLFRIENDS TAGGING ALONG? Amber: No, it sounded fun. Jimmy would always talk about it and he was always so excited. Last Comic-Con I wanted to come but I couldn't go because my ex-boyfriend wouldn't let me, so I had to wait for a year. WHICH IS WHY HE'S THE EXBOYFRIEND. Amber: And that's why Jimmy's the new boyfriend. Jimmy: [he shrugs] I'm a geek . . . WHO: Thadd, Christina, Jimmy, Amber, DJ, and Aric FROM: Fontana and Rancho Cucamonga, California STATS: All are students at Chaffey Community College, except for DJ, who just got accepted into The Groundlings comedy/ improv classes in Los Angeles. ARRIVED: 5:00 AM on Thursday for pre-registration badge pickup. WHY DID YOU GUYS WANT TO BE FIRST IN LINE? DJ: It wasn't a goal to be first, it was just a goal to not be last. It's a huge line, and when I first came with Thadd three years ago, the line was over two miles long. [NOTE: We think he's exaggerating. He is a comedian, after all.] So last year we got here real early and then we realized that's what we've got to do. WHAT TIME ARE YOU GETTING HERE TOMORROW? Thadd: 6:30 or 7:00. Christina: [obviously surprised by this news] Why? Thadd: Downstairs [parking] gets packed before 7:30, and then everywhere else it's expensive for parking. HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT TAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION? (They all look at me like I'm insane for suggesting it.) OKAY . . . SO WHAT ARE YOU GUYS LOOKING FORWARD TO? WHO: Jacob and Andrew FROM: San Jose, California STATS: First-time Comic-Con attendees and students at De Anza College; Jacob is studying ancient history while Andrew is in physics. ARRIVED: Around 1:30 AM on Friday for pre-registration badge pick-up. WHY DID YOU COME TO THE LINE SO EARLY AND NOT CHECK INTO A HOTEL INSTEAD? Jacob: There is no open hotel for 80 miles, man. Andrew: We have a hotel for Saturday night. IT'S FRIDAY. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO FOR TONIGHT? Jacob: I think there's anime until about 4 AM. BUT YOU COULD HAVE LEFT SAN JOSE AT MIDNIGHT AND GOTTEN IN AROUND 8 AM, RIGHT? Jacob: I went to C-III [the Star Wars Celebration III Convention] in Indiana, and based on my experienced, they were camping out for days. I camped out for 14 hours and I was still 30th in line. HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL? Jacob: I heard about it from C-III and all over the Star Wars websites. I'm a big Star Wars fan. But I'm looking forward to the comics, too. I collect a lot of DC comics. Andrew: [I'm here for] Star Wars exclusives from Master Replicas. 8 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO VOLUNTEERS FORM SUPERHERO TEAM like to call them) "a specific number of simple tasks," they also earned a super-cool 2005 Comic-Con Volunteer T-Shirt emblazoned with the animated Teen Titans characters. No, they didn't take on cosmic entities like the JLA or Avengers, but they are certainly superheroes in our eyes, and we can't wait to see all of them back for the 2006 show! Faster than a runaway gingerbread man! More powerful than a registration line! Able to manage millions of freebies in a single bound! They are . . . the Comic-Con volunteers! Disguised as mild-mannered attendees, over 1,100 heroic men and women served in every department at the 2005 Comic-Con, earning themselves free entrance into the convention for one or more days. If they survived the latest Crisis, Secret War, or (as we READY TO JOIN THE TEAM? Don't wait until the last minute! Volunteers registering before the deadline get to attend next year's Preview Night. To sign up for 2006, contact secret headquarters at email@example.com or visit www.comic-con.org. THANK YOU . . . AND GOODNIGHT. Comic-Con International is an enormous show requiring a great deal of time, energy, and planning. From dedicated fans who have attended year after year, the volunteers and convention committee who devote their time to the cause, and the professionals, exhibitors and program participants providing hours of entertainment and education, Comic-Con truly is a group effort. But making a nonprofit convention of this size function requires sponsors. Without their assistance, CCI wouldn't be able to offer many of the activities that make it such an exciting event. And so, as we turn off the lights on the 2005 show and begin planning for 2006, all of us at Comic-Con International would like to extend our deepest gratitude to these very generous sponsors. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing everyone again next year. Comic-Con International 2006: Thursday, July 20 � Sunday, July 23 Preview Night: Wednesday, July 19 (open to 4-day pre-registered members only) 9 ART SHOW SPECTACULAR Okay, not quite, but Comic-Con International's world-famous Art Show features everything from oil paintings and watercolors to jewelry, masks, and more. What also makes this installation so exciting for the professionals and fans displaying their works is that all participants have the option of offering their pieces for sale to the public-- earning a little extra cash is always a good thing-- and many of this year's pieces sold for princely sums. Natural lighting filtered through the gigantic Sails Pavilion allows displays to be viewed under prime conditions, while the environment itself serves as a welcome respite from the intensity of the Exhibit Hall. The 2005 event saw 140 artists on display and brought in over 18,000 visitors. In addition to the works displayed, the Art Show devoted a special section to the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards nominees and the Will Eisner Awards Hall of Fame inductees. Special thanks go out to all of the creative spirits who participated in the 2005 Art Show. Without you, this convention would be missing a great deal of beauty. Pieces Sell for Millions of Dollars! LOVELY LADIES: Charles Allen Harris proudly displays his killer artwork. BEAUTIFUL BEADS: Kaytee Sumida's beadwork and other artful crafts created quite a draw along the back wall. SAY IT WITH US: "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father; prepare to die." (And then thank Tim Williams for making these awesome statues.) FANTASY FUN: Theresa Mather prepares her paintings at the start of Comic-Con's Art Show. 10 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO ART TO ASTONISH With expert hands and keen eyes, over 80 professional artists contributed their time and skills to Comic-Con International's 2005 Art Auction. As these men and women deftly brought their visions to life Art Auction throughout the weekend, Draws a packed audiHuge Crowds ence watched the creative process in in 2005 action. That energy peaked on Sunday during a heated auction where pieces sold at staggering prices. Over $17,000 was raised this year, with a Batman and Wolverine drawing by A-list artist Jim Lee fetching $4,000. Star Wars artwork was also huge and included a surprise double-panel painting featuring Yoda and Darth Vader by Monte Michael Moore; a John Watkins Chow painting of three female Jedi Academy students that was signed by Amy Allen, the actress who portrayed Aayla Secura from Star Wars Episode III; and a limited-edition Jerry Vandersteldt print that was created for and sold exclusively at the Star Wars Celebration III Convention. Other highlights were a Thomas Denmark Batman painting, Wendi Pini's CCI's TOP: Monte Michael Moore's double-panel painting. ABOVE: Jim Lee's drawing of Batman and Wolverine went for $4,000. interpretation of Cutter from her Elfquest series, and additional limited-edition prints donated by Russel Walks, Cynthia Cummins, and many others. The Art Auction is very important to Comic-Con International. It's through this fundraising activity that Comic-Con is able to offer assistance to all attendees with special needs, including wheelchairs, sign language interpreters for the hearing impaired, and numerous other services. Comic-Con really appreciates all the artists who donate their valuable time and the fans who bid on their work. Thank you for making the 2005 Art Auction a huge success! The team from Studio Scarab flanks Art Auction coordinator Clydene Nee; their "Spider-Man Super Hero Jam" piece sold for $1,000. COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 11 MISSION: ACCOMPLISHED! Comic-Con's 2005 Comics Programming Recap ' 's The 36th Comic-Con International is now a memory so now it's time to remind everyone what hot stuff happened in 2005, and because CCI's mission is to create both an awareness and appreciation for comic books, naturally over half of the 2005 programming slate was devoted to the topic. From one-on-one interviews covering every comics age to presentations on web-based comics, newspaper strips, and massive graphic novels, pretty much everything was included during four full days. GOT COMPANIES? Definitely, with editors and creative teams previewing new books and answering questions about all their titles. Those companies included giants like DC Comics, which not only hosted its yearly talent search and discussed Batman: Year of the Bat, Superman, Green Lantern, Infinite Crisis, and the new All Stars line, but also delivered breaking news that included the revival of Will Eisner's The Spirit, featuring all-new stories by Darwyn Cooke. Presentations on DC's VERTIGO and WildStorm imprints also packed numerous meeting rooms, as did DC's sponsored guests, including DC Direct sculptor Tim Bruckner, writer/artist Phil Jimenez, writer Bill Willingham, and WildStorm's J. Scott Campbell. Marvel Comics returned with programming on the Ultimate comics line, the summer's hot miniseries The House of M, upcoming troubles for everyone's favorite wall-crawler, Spider-Man, and all the X-Men titles. Dark Horse also stampeded through the show with panels on Hellboy: The Island with Mike Mignola,the new Emily The Strange series, and features on its Star Wars and Conan titles. Image Comics weighed in with a panel on some of the company's most popular titles, Todd McFarlane hosted his own panel on Spawn in all forms--comics, animation and action figures--and Top Cow featured popular actor Seth Green with his new series (co-created with Hugh Sterbakov) Freshmen. Small, independent, and alternative publishers always have a home at Comic-Con, and in 2005 that included SLG Publishing with invited guest Jhonen Vasquez, celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Johnny, The Homicidal Maniac. Also included in the programming mix were panels from Bongo Comics, Oni Press, Heroic Publishing, IDW, Viper Comics, Adhouse Books, Twomorrows Publishing, Jeff Smith, Terry Moore, and Guardian Comics, and programs celebrating Antarctic Press's 20th and Neko Press's 5th anniversaries. And of course there were spotlights on Comic-Con's own invited guests, including cartoonists Lalo Alcaraz and Greg Evans, Michael Turner and his Aspen Comics company, Eric Powell, David B., Pia Guerra, Jim Lee, Scott McCloud, Gary Panter, J.J. Sedelmaier, Kevin Smith, J. Michael Straczynski, Dave Stevens, Jim Warren, Brian K. Vaughan, David Lapham with the 10th anniversary of Stray Bullets, and finally Marv Wolfman celebrating the 25th anniversary of The New Teen Titans. ARE WE GOLDEN? You bet, with numerous panels covering the Golden and Silver ages of comics. It began with the annual Jack Kirby tribute panel and continued with numerous programs, documentaries, discussions, and dedications to recently deceased comics legend Will Eisner, including the first ever U.S. screening of a special three-part documentary from Brazilian television by filmmaker Marisa Furtado. Mark Evanier moderated several Golden and Silver age panels with special guests Gene Colan, Murphy Anderson, Bob Fujitani, Lee Ames, and Sy A. Ortega � SDCC Seth Green with his new Top Cow comic, Freshmen. 12 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO SEMINAL SEMINARS Comic-Con International isn't just about finding that missing issue of X-Men and seeing movie studio previews. Fans eagerly look forward to the many "How To" seminars and workshops that focus on varying aspects of the comics and pop culture industries. For instance, in 2005 you could choose from: � The four-day Comic-Con Self-Publishing School for aspiring indy comics creators � Panels on writing, drawing, and coloring comics with a who's who of industry professionals � Professional Networking Seminar � Maintaining an artist's sketchbook to develop your skills and career � The ever-popular Comic Book Law School with attorney Michael Lovitz (pictured) And for noncomics topics there was: � Writing for role-playing and videogames � Costume designing for movies, films, convention masquerades, and your own enjoyment � Creating artwork and other fun stuff with polyurethane foam Ramona Fradon, Nick Cardy, and Murphy Anderson share a laugh at the Golden and Silver Age of Comics: Working for DC panel. B. Brown � SDCC Barry alongside Nick Cardy, Jerry Robinson, Ramona Fradon, and Arnold Drake. These greats were joined by two other legends, Bob Bolling and Dexter Taylor, who spoke about Little Archie's 50th anniversary; ' 's coverage of that panel can be found on page 16. WANT MORE? Naturally! And this show provided plenty more, especially for fans of Japanese comics. Comic-Con has long been a hub for manga. This is due in part to publishers such as Viz, CMX (DC Comics's manga line), Dark Horse, Seven Seas, Broccoli Books, and Del Rey offering numerous seminars and presentations. In that mix was also TOKYOPOP, which not only discussed its titles but also brought the innovative concept of mobile manga--Japanese comics delivered on phones and PDAs--to attendees. Comic strips are another strong draw, and with invited guests like Luann creator Greg Evans and La Cucaracha's Lalo Alcaraz, ' 's it's no wonder. Other major spotlights at Comic-Con 2005 were Village Voice cartoonist Ward Sutton, Keith Knight's 10th-year celebration of The K Chronicles, and the Charles M. Schulz Museum's coverage of everyone's favorite Peanuts characters. Rounding out the strip side of things was the National Cartoonists Society, which brought along Bill Amend (Fox Trot), Stephan Pastis (Pearls Before Swine), Tom Richmond (Mad magazine), Steve McGarry (Kid City Mad and Biographic), and Rick Stromoski (NCS president and Soup to Nutz creator) to show eager fans how they create their characters. For people on the pulse, innovative topics such as comic book weblogs and the new wave of digital COOL STUFF FOR KIDS! Sunday at Comic-Con is "Kids' Day," when alongside the regular convention programming special kid-specific events focus on the Convention's younger attendees. In 2005 such activities included educational workshops--many of which filled to capacity--where professionals taught kids how to draw their favorite Star Wars characters; to draw monsters, faces, and caricatures; to illustrate in manga style; or to create their own comic books. Also packing in audiences were exclusive previews of the new SpongeBob SquarePants series, never-beforeseen episodes from Nicktoons, an appearance by the cast of Jetix's new Power Rangers: Space Patrol Delta show, and film screenings of The Muppets Wizard of Oz, and Lilo and Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch. Finally, educators could attend panels on using comics to increase literacy, self-awareness and understanding, as well as to educate, entertain, and enhance the lives of young people. The enthusiasm shown by parents, children, and overall convention attendees has made Kids' Day an exciting part of Comic-Con's programming. Look for more fun in 2006! COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 13 B. Brown � SDCC RADICAL RETAILERS Comic book retailers are the lifeblood of the industry, making it possible for fans to score their favorite merchandise while also offering companies a better understanding of what the public really wants. Comic-Con has long offered these men and women specific programming dedicated to their interests and now also provides a Retailer Networking room where owners can meet, mingle, and discuss industry trends. Here are some topics these folks cashed in on: � Retailer presentations on how new business owners can open their own comic shop � Making in-store signings, promotions, and Free Comic Book Day work for your store � The value of getting comics, graphic novels and anime in libraries � Examinations of how teachers, librarians, retailers, and publishers can work together to bring comic books into the classroom for educational purposes � An introduction to Comics Pro, an organization dedicated to promoting the progress and development of comic book retailers on multiple business levels � Exploration of the changing face of comics collecting in the 21st century � And, of course, The Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing Award, given out at Friday night's awards ceremony; this year's winner was Night Flight Comics of Salt Lake City, UT-- and for more information on that event, see page 28. Indy comics creator and CCI invited guest David Lapham celebrated the 10th anniversary of Stray Bullets; attendees were also treated to copies of the first issue. comics sweeping the Internet and CD ROMS were also discussed. Web comics made a huge impact, starting with the fifth annual panel for web comics publisher Keenspot, and the subscription-based web comics service Modern Tales. But the fervor really ignited with Comic-Con's continuing Web Comics School, which covered everything from launching your own titles to actually making money from this new art form. The 13th annual Comics Arts Conference was also held at Comic-Con, bringing an added academic dimension to the show through 12 program sessions. The conference is designed to bring together comics scholars, professionals, critics, and historians who wish to promote or engage in serious study of the medium, and to do so in a forum that includes the public. It's a fantastic organization and Comic-Con is pleased to provide a home for it each year. Finally, numerous panels united talented comics creators to discuss a wide variety of topics, from using comics in an educational setting to minority voices in comics, spiritual themes, and more. Really hot "classes" included three Comic Book Law School sessions with noted attorney Michael Lovitz and three Comic-Con Self-Publishing School sessions featuring great advice and personal experiences from such indy creators as David Lapham, Frank Cammuso, Jim Ottaviani, Terry Moore, Paige Braddock, Rich Koslowski, Phil Foglio, and Carla Speed McNeil, just to name a few. Such presentations and panels offer unique insights that are seldom seen Koi Turnbull (Fatham), CCI invited guest Michael Turner, and JT Krul (Fathom, Soulfire, Cannon Hawke) discuss their upcoming projects with Aspen Comics. at other conventions and help broaden attendees' views and horizons. Now with 2005 complete, it's time to look forward to next year, and the best way to do that is with your help. If you have a thought or suggestion about panel topics and potential guests, drop an e-mail to email@example.com. 14 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO B. Brown � SDCC FANTASTIC FANS are going to have sketchbooks and art available so I want to grab some of that. Kristi: Seeing a lot of the things going on in Hall H, behind-thescenes and premieres. See some famous people. ERIC, YOU'RE IN THE MILITARY, RIGHT? Eric: Yes. WHERE DID YOU GET A COLOR-CODED MAP OF THE EXHIBIT HALL? Eric: This was actually from a website of comic artists and they color coded where they're going to be so people can come and find them. [Kristi pulls out the chart that Eric is holding in this photograph.] Eric: Oh yeah, I made a list. I didn't know [the information] was going to be in the [Events Guide] so I started writing things down after looking it up online. YOU WROTE EVERYTHING OUT LIKE IT WAS A MILITARY EXERCISE! Kristi: He did! He even wrote down the hours in military time. NOW THAT'S A LESSON WE COULD ALL LEARN! WHO: Kristi and Eric Swanson FROM: Stockton, California STATS: Married and pre-registered for Comic-Con International. WE MET THEM: In the pre-registration line on Wednesday's Preview Night. HAVE YOU BEEN TO COMICCON BEFORE? Eric: This is the first time, actually. Kristi: He's been dying to come and it's his birthday this month, so this is his birthday present. WHAT DO YOU COLLECT? Eric: Which specific thing do you want to know about? [they laugh] Comics-- Superman, Batman, quite a bit of the DC titles, and Spider-Man, X-Men, not much of the indy stuff but I started reading Conan . . . action figures, anime, DVDs . . . Kristi: And he won't stop. BUT YOU'RE ENCOURAGING HIM BY BRINGING HIM HERE! Kristi: [laughing] I am. I have a hobby, this is his hobby. I'm into scrapbooking, so it's totally different, but we both throw ourselves into our hobbies so I understand this. WHAT'S YOUR GAME PLAN FOR THE WEEKEND? Eric: To see and do as much as possible. There are some exclusive figures I want to pick up; obviously some of the artists WHO: Marcellus (His aunt is next to him, but she's letting him take center stage) FROM: San Diego, California AGE: Almost 8 (He was very specific) COLLECTS: Bionicles WHAT DID YOU BUY THIS YEAR? Marcellus: I got this. . . A BIONICLE SWORD? [HE NODS.] WHAT DO YOU WATCH ON TV? Marcellus: Different shows. Disney, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon. Usually all the cartoons. Animal Planet sometimes. Pokemon. I play the game but I don't have many cards. WHO BROUGHT YOU TO COMIC-CON? Marcellus: My aunt. WHY DID YOU WANT TO COME? Marcellus' Aunt: We hear about it every year but this is our first time coming. The only reason I came is because they're showing the trailer for Doom and I didn't know that The Rock was in it. So got to see him! WAS IT EVERYTHING YOU'D HOPED FOR? Marcellus' Aunt: Yeah! And more! MARCELLUS, DO YOU KNOW WHO THE ROCK IS? Marcellus: A wrestler. That's all I know. COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 15 A LITTLE Celebrates Its TRIUMPH Little Archie Bob Bolling and Dexter Taylor were the two key names behind the hugely popular Little Archie series, which has been hailed as one of the finest series since Carl Barks's Uncle Scrooge and John Stanley's Little Lulu. This series took the well-known Archie franchise into exciting new territory, pitting the young hero against mad scientists, rotten pirates, and everyday life. Yet through the decades the series ran, neither Bolling nor Taylor had ever attended a comics convention . . . until now. The 2005 Comic-Con International eagerly welcomed them both, and with journalist Gary Brown the duo discussed working on the world's youngest adventurer. GARY BROWN: How did you become interested in cartooning? BOB BOLLING: When I was a kid I read comic books. We all traded and swapped, and I was pretty good at art and thought maybe someday I'd like to be a cartoonist. In high school I did a strip in the newspaper and just realized that was all I ever wanted to do. DEXTER TAYLOR: Same here. I loved to draw, always loved cartooning, and that's how it evolved. I went to the same art school that Bob went to, and after being drafted into the Marines [during the Korean war] I tried various jobs in New York City and ran into Bob White who worked at Archie Comics. He told me about an opening so I walked into editor Harry Shorten's office, Bob White went in and really talked me up, and I got the job. And I loved it. BOB: I got the GI Bill [for serving in the Navy] so I went to art school in Boston, I graduated with honors and got a job right away as a cab driver. I have the badge to prove it, too. I finally landed in the art department of the Boston Record American, and that allowed me to meet George Shedd, who was doing a strip called Marlin Keel. It was a sea adventure strip, and he was looking for an assistant because the strip wasn't doing too well. I took my samples over and he was desperate and hired me. When Marlin Keel folded, Bob White suggested I come to New York. That's when I met Dexter, and Dexter put me up in his apartment. 50th Anniversary at Comic-Con 16 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO Copyright � 2005 Archie Comic Publications, Inc. Used with permission. GARY: Do you remember your first jobs at Archie? BOB: It was half-page gags, just jokes with the characters. It wasn't easy to move from adventure into humor and you really had to learn the house style. DEXTER: I got a job doing anything nobody else wanted to do, but the other artists at Archie were wonderful. They helped me with artwork, because school didn't really help me with cartooning, and I started learning once I got the job. GARY: How did Little Archie come to be? BOB: The idea of Archie being a little boy was knocked about by both writers and artists, and they thought maybe someday we would do it. I didn't think it would be me so I didn't give it a second thought. One day Harry Shorten called me into the office and said, "I want you to do a book on Archie as a little boy. But before you do, John Goldwater [Archie's publisher] wants to see some sketches and he wants them right away." I did the sketches, he approved it, and that's how it started. GARY: I understand it sold over a million copies. BOB: So I hear, yes. It was a success and they started being very nice to me. GARY: By the third issue it became a 25-cent book, which was 80 pages. Do you know why? DEXTER: It was money. They were making very good money on those first and second issues. GARY: Dexter, when did you become involved? DEXTER: The book needed more material and I was never really that good at drawing big Archie so I got the chance to do Little Archie by the then-editor, Richard Goldwater. Bob Bolling helped me with the story, and Bob White inked the stories and corrected the artwork because I wasn't that good yet. Little by little I started getting better because I was always trying. GARY: After a while you started doing stories about pirates, beings from outer space, evil scientists. Where did that come from? BOB: I never forgot what it was like to be a kid and I based my thoughts and my stories on the feeling of fantasy. When you're a kid, going to other planets is no problem. Dextor Taylor and Bob Bolling GARY: Do you have a favorite story? BOB: I don't have any one particular story. I like "The Long Walk" because it was the type of story we can relate to. His dog gets lost--boy, you know how it was, you were a kid and your dog is gone, your best friend is out there somewhere--and he has to go to school. There's a conflict there. He should be out looking for his dog. You sympathize with him. That's the kind of story I like, but you have to keep it up and funny at the same time. DEXTER: There's one story where Jughead got hired to walk around town dressed like a chicken. But of course he walked into Pop Tate's shop and ordered a hamburger, so there's a picture of Jughead eating a hamburger dressed in a chicken outfit. Then he walked out and was hot because of the outfit and started drinking from a hose at the nearest house, and it was Mr. Weatherbee's house, and he thought he had a new find for his bird watching. Really, I've had a lot of fun writing and drawing Little Archie stuff. The characters are marvelous to work on. GARY: Bob, you contributed through issue 38 and then disappeared. What happened? BOB: It wasn't my decision. DEXTER: Bob was shifted off on other material [because] he was very good at big Archie too, and they needed more work there. Bob told me when he moved to Florida that if I didn't do a good job on Little Archie he was going to come back and kill me. To read more of Bolling and Taylor's Little Archie spotlight, visit www.comic-con.org. COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 17 SCORING MASSIVE POINTS Okay, we have no idea what that really means, but it sounds huge, and that's the point. Each year more and more fans arrive at Comic-Con International to test their skills at game systems such as Warmachine, Magic, Nexus, Heroclix, Star Trek, Vampires, MegaMan, Upper Deck's Vs. Systems, good old Dungeons & Dragons, and more. In fact, gaming is so gi-normous, it now takes up the entire mezzanine level at the Convention Center and a wing of the Manchester Grand Hyatt down the street, and that certainly sounds larger than a silly old Orc, now doesn't it? And speaking of battling beasties, on the outside Convention Center balcony, members of the Society for Creative Anachronism, the Adrian Empire, and Dark Nexus performed sword fighting and other medieval combat demos for attendees, while live-action role-playing games took off throughout the weekend. Inside the Exhibit Hall, Gaming at Comic-Con Becomes Bigger Than a 2D20 Orc! Fans tried out new games at the Star Wars Pavilion. companies taught people how to use their games, offered advice to experienced players, and gave cool freebies throughout the weekend. Of course, videogames are always a huge draw, with Activision, Midway, Nintendo, and others allowing attendees to try out the hottest upcoming and recent releases on giant flatscreen monitors. Did all that keep you busy? Well, hopefully you had time to check out the awesome gaming programs in the upstairs meetings rooms. Industry insiders revealed the dirty secrets of the videogame industry, fans and creators discussed popular role-playing game strategies, Maximum PC presented "How to Play a Better Game," and such companies as Bandai and Capcom offered presentations and Q&A sessions about their products. Yep, it was a massive weekend for gamers of every ilk, and there will be more next year, so check future Updates and www.comiccon.org, for information in 2006. THE WINNERS CIRCLE Comic-Con is the site of many company-organized tournaments. This year's winners included: Upper Deck Vs. System $10,000 championship winner - Adam Prosak Lord of the Rings Premier Series winner - Michael Dalton .hack//Enemy Premier Series winner - Geoffrey Stirling InuYasha 1st place - $2,500 winner - Dustin Morabito 2nd Place - $1,000 winner - Sandy Price Live combat wowed the crowd on the outside balcony. 18 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO A LEGACY IN BLOOD Comic-Con Blood Drive Drains Attendees Dry Red flowed freely during the 2005 Robert A. Heinlein Blood Drive, and with the event's expansion into Sunday, this year marked Comic-Con's largest donation ever to the San Diego Blood Bank. A staggering 855 people offered up their heroic hemoglobin, and 590 were able to complete the process. Just to offer some perspective, Comic-Con International is second only to the San Diego Chargers' annual blood drive in terms of donations, and that's a position CCI has held for multiple years. In fact, the San Diego Blood Bank was so thankful for Comic-Con's continued efforts that they awarded CCI their Outstanding Community Partner Award for 2004 and 2005. As in past years, all donors received a San Diego Blood Bank T-shirt and a bag of goodies contributed by Comic-Con's generous exhibitors. A raffle was also held at the end of each day in which donors could score some higher-end items. But making the 2005 show an even greater success was Diamond Select Toys' contribution of an exclusive "T1" unpainted Spike action figure from Season 5 of Angel to the first 500 donors. Of course, the Heinlein Blood Drive isn't really about gifts and exclusives, it's about offering the gift of life, and so Comic-Con extends its deepest thanks to all those who made this year such a huge success. WANT MORE? All the coolest creatures know that if you're jonesing for more Comic-Con fun you can check out our website, www.comiccon.org. Not only is there a wrap up of the 2005 convention, including extended panel spotlights and behind-thescenes coverage, but there's also neat stuff about WonderCon, APE, and the latest information on the 2006 Comic-Con International. It's an awesome time just waiting to be had, so get your fix and double-click today. COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 19 HOLLYWOOD CALLING Studios Thrill Comic-Con Crowds in 2005 With the power of an alien armada, Hollywood studios once again descended on Comic-Con International in 2005. From the constantly packed 6,500seat Hall H to nonstop autograph sessions under the Sails Pavilion, attendees took part in each event with unbridled enthusiasm. MOVIE MAGIC The weekend launched with horror-ific fun, thanks to major sponsor Lions Gate Films. Besides holding the world premiere of The Devil's Rejects in San Di' 's ego and a special panel at Comic-Con with stars Rob Zombie, Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Sheri Moon Zombie, Ken Foree, Matthew McGrory, Leslie Easterbrook, and William Forsythe, LGF was the primary sponsor of the wildly popular Comic-Con Masquerade. And if that weren't enough, writer/producer Mark A. Altman dragged out a legion of zombies for LGF's House of the Dead 2 with director Mike Hurst and stars Ed Quinn, Emanuelle Vaugier, Ellie Cornell, Mircea Mornoe, Cam Powell, and Raymond Stella. Stepping through a magical wardrobe on the Exhibit Hall floor was Walt Disney Studios with The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Previews, a Q&A session, and a live satellite feed from London broadcast exclusively for Comic-Con attendees introduced the big-screen adaptation of C. S. Lewis's immortal classic. Director Andrew Adamson tempted audiences with some Turkish Delight alongside the movie's producers, effects wizards, and crew. The Mouse House also offered presentations on Sky High with star Bruce Campbell, Pirates of the Caribbean 2, and animation news with Chicken Little, D i r ec tor Dav i d Cronenberg greets eager fans and discusses his film from New Line Cinema, A History of Violence. THE KINGS OF KONG: Jack Black and surprise guest, Academy Award Winner Adrian Brody, chatted about their new Universal film King Kong. Pixar's Toy Story 10th Anniversary DVD, and the next Pixar/Disney release, Cars. Warner Bros. kept with the comic book theme for the studio's exclusive sneak peek at Superman Returns with fan-favorite director Bryan Singer. Also casting spells over attendees was a super-cool special presentation on the films V For Vendetta with star Natalie Portman and producer Joel Silver; Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; The Fountain with star Rachel Weisz and writer/director Darren Aronofsky; and Tim Burton's Corpse Bride with producer Allison ' 's Abbate and co-director Mike Johnson. Fans were ready to rock when word leaked out that New Line Cinema was bringing The Greatest Band on Earth to Comic-Con. That's right, Tenacious D comedians/musicians Jack Black and Kyle Gass performed to a completely packed Hall H and announced the Greatest Rock Movie on Earth: Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny. Also making a killing Destiny for New Line was the awesome appearance of acclaimed director David Cronenberg, who discussed his upcoming film A History of Violence, based on the graphic novel by John Wagner and Vince Locke. With a sharp eye toward convention tastes, Sony Pictures presented the latest news on its comic book adaptation of Ghost Rider from director Mark Steven Johnson and Marvel Entertainment's president Avi Arad; the company also transported one of the movie's motorcycles into the Exhibit Hall for amazing photo ops. Fans of fantasy flipped for actor/di- B. Brown � SDCC 20 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO A. Ortega � SDCC REACHING THE THRESHOLD: The new CBS series Threshold brought in cast members Charles S. Dutton, Rob Benedict, Carla Gugino, Brent Spiner, Brian Van Holt, and Peter Dinklage. rector Jon Favreau's panel on his film Zathura and were enthralled by director Rupert Wainwright and star Maggie Grace's discussion of The Fog. Sizzling sequels hit, with Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, and director Len Wiseman discussing Underworld: Evolution, and Sony offering a glimpse at The Legend of Zorro. But the big surprise from Sony was seeing Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, Jessica Biel, and Josh Lucas, along with director Rob Cohen, promoting their summer release, Stealth. Always a welcome sight at Comic-Con, Paramount Pictures brought visual effects supervisor, Pablo Helman, from the summer blockbuster War of the Worlds. But fans were completely blown away by the appearance of Oscar winner Charlize Theron discussing her new film Aeon Flux alongside Peter Chung, the creator of the original animated series. Comic-Con favorite creator Joss Whedon chatted with fans and brought along actors Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Summer Glau, Gina Torres, Sean Maher, Ron Glass, Jewel Staite and Morena Baccarin to discuss Universal's release of Serenity. Also durSerenity ing this panel, writer/director James Gunn fielded questions about his horror/sci-fi film Slither with cast members Elizabeth Banks, Michael Rooker, Gregg Henry, and Nathan Fillion. People got their dose of Doom with stars The Rock and Karl Urban, along with producers Lorenzo DiBoneventura and John Wells. Finally, the King Kong presentation was a major highlight of the weekend with surprise walk-ons by Oscar winner Adrian Brody and Naomi Watts alongside fellow star Jack Black; dynamic director Peter Jackson even got into the act with a taped sequence from New Zealand that was created exclusively for Comic-Con. Lucasfilm has a long-standing relationship with Comic-Con, and honoring that history was a full slate of Star Wars-oriented programming on Friday. It began with Jonathan Rinzler and Steve Sansweet discussing upcoming novels and nonfiction books on the horizon, continued with trivia games, then went on to cover new releases from Dark Horse Comics, Master Replicas, and Hasbro, Festivities concluded with the Star Wars Spectacular in the giant Hall H, where the future of everyone's favorite "far, far, away" galaxy was discussed. Also traveling on the Hollywood fame train was The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari with writer/director David Fisher; Wilmer Valderama and Joel David Moore covered the movie adaptation of Javier Hernandez's indy comic El Muerto; The Jim Henson Company offered the latest word on MirrorMask as part of a panel celebrating the company's 50th anniversary; and a feature panel spotlighted icons of horror Mick Garris, John Landis, Don Coscarelli, Roger Corman, and Stuart Gordon. TUNING IN TO TV Comic-Con International is the only convention in the United States that delivers multiple television series previews and cast appearances. The 2005 show featured producer Peter Johnson screening the pilot episode of his new WB series Supernatural months before it ever aired on television. Other highlights included Fox's Bones, with stars Emily Deschanel and Angel's David Boreanz telling fans about ' 's their fascinating new investigative crime series. Last year, convention guests met the cast of Lost before it became one of the top-rated shows on television, and this year stars Josh Holloway and Maggie Grace attended along with members of the show's COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 21 B. McClelland � SDCC LOVELY BONES: David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel discussed their new Fox series, Bones. creative team. Their appearance was followed by an ABC presentation with writer/producer Shaun Cassidy and his series Invasion, and producer Frank Spotnitz's new series Nightstalker. Rounding out the Nightstalker new programming were stars from the CBS series Threshold, including Brent Spiner, Carla Gugino, Charles S. Dutton, Brian Van Holt, Rob Benedict, and Peter Dinklage, speaking about the show and signing autographs. For returning fare, Veronica Mars cast members Enrico Colantoni, Percy Daggs III, Jason Dohring, Teddy Dunn, and Francis Capra were joined by fan favorite Charisma Carpenter, who becomes a cast member this fall, and executive producer Joel Silver; this lively bunch fielded questions from a packed house before signing autographs under the Sails Pavilion. Mary McDonnell, James Callis, Katee Sackhoff, Jamie Bamber, and Grace Park joined executive producer David Eick, for SCI FI Channel's popular Battlestar Gallactica panel. SCI FI also brought Amanda Tapping, Ben Browder, Beau Bridges, Joe Flanigan, Torri Higginson, Rachel Luttrell, David Hewlett, Paul McGillion, and Jason Mamoa from the network's continuing series Stargate SG-1 and Stagate: Atlantis. Finally, Paramount got huge points with their panel on The 4400, with stars Joel Gretsch, Jacqueline McKenzie, Mahershalalhasbaz Ali, and Chad Faust. ANIMATION NATION Wait up, don't change that channel, because animation always holds a huge place in Comic-Con's Hollywood programming. This year began with panels on such industry greats as Filmation founder Lou Scheimer and Saturday TV Funhouse creator and Comic-Con invited guest J.J. Sedelmaier. The good times continued with Warner Bros. Animation. They began with The Batman and Justice League Unlimited in their Superhero Action Panel, but it was the Teen Titans Live segment that delivered a solid knockout because it featured an actual script read-through session along with clips from next season. Cartoon Network celebrated its fifth anniversary with numerous giveaways all weekend long and panels on Adult Swim, their new series The Boondocks, and Toonami's first original series IGPX, ' 's IGPX which offers the quality and style of anime while utilizing western storytelling techniques. Meanwhile, new shows like Catscratch, The X's, Nicktoons Net' 's, work show Skyland, and Avatar: The Last Airbender were all the rage among fans of Nickelodeon's animation programming. Finally, Jetix's original animation offered fans insight into their returning hit Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! and previews of their exciting new fall show Get Ed. Longtime Comic-Con supporter Matt Groening and his crew gave fans a peak at the next season of The Simpsons, while industry rebel John Kricfalusi brought by Eric "Stimpy" Bauza for a walk down memory lane with the Ren and Stimpy show. Family Guy fans were treated to an exclusive look at the upcoming DVD movie version of this popular show, and creator Robert Mandell celebrated the Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers' upcoming 10th anniversary with a screening and Q&A session. Feature film animation went in focus with previews and a behind-the-scenes look at the new Spawn movie, Phillip K. Dick's A Scanner Darkly, and Marc Darkly Kausler's much-anticipated hand-drawn film It's ' 's The Cat. And none of this takes into account the seminars covering all cinematic subjects: making it as a Hollywood screenwriter, how to pitch, adapting comic books to the big screen, and more. The Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists moderated panels featuring the state of the animation industry, animation that time forgot, voice acting, and spotlights on living legends like Martha Sigall. Add to that programs on producing animation on a shoestring budget and the very last Starship Smackdown event, and it made for a very--dare we say it?--action-packed weekend. With all these events it's pretty obvious that ComicCon was the hottest spot to be in 2005, and even though you can hear about all these happenings from friends or read about them on the Internet, there is nothing like being there in person for all the scheduled programs and sudden surprises. So plan ahead for 2006, because Comic-Con International only gets better and better every year. A. Ortega � SDCC 22 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO THE "EYE" IN INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING CCI's 2005 Independent Film Festival Comes into Focus Clerks. . . . Napoleon Dynamite . . . Ghost World . . . Some of the most progressive, fun, and cherished films in our pop culture lexicon were born from the independent film scene, and it's with a sense of fostering similar creativity that Comic-Con International resurrected its own Independent Film Festival in 1999. With an accent on genre-related entries, the 2005 CCI:IFF screened 59 films over the four-day convention while simultaneously hosting the Comic-Con Film School; these 90-minute nuts-and-bolts seminars were geared toward both beginning and experienced filmmakers, offering insight from professionals on how one can see his or her own ideas brought to life on the big screen. What's more, the 2005 CCI:IFF became a juried event, with entries being judged by Mark Altman (CFQ, Free Enterprise, House of the Dead, Room 6) and Dead Scott Zakarin (Creative Light, Comic Book: The Movie). Festival winners were announced on Sunday, July 17, during the first-ever Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival Awards Ceremony. The awards went to: Best Documentary: Seven Days in Japan (Joe Dougherty, producer/director). Best Horror/Suspense Film: The Box (Ashley Moser, producer). Best Humor/Parody Film: (tie) Gay by Dawn (Jonathan London, writer/director), and I Am Stamos (Rob Meltzer, director). Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Film: La Belle Dame Sans Merci (Hidetoshi Oneda, writer/director). In addition, a special Judges' Choice Award was given to "9" (Shane Acker, director). " For detailed summaries of the festival winners, as submission information, deadlines, and entry forms for the 2006 Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival, visit www.comic-con.org. CINEMA SPONSORSHIP Entrants in the film festival had an incentive: In addition to trophies, winners received goodies from the festival's generous sponsors: � Variety gave award winners a full-year subscription to Variety Online, which is exactly what a budding filmmaker needs in order to stay up on industry events. � Write Brothers provided winners with copies of its Movie Making Screenwriting Software and Word Menu Dictionary/Thesaurus Software. � CFQ awarded winners a one-year subscription to Cinefantastique Magazine and a DVD of Free Enterprise. � Finally, the Judges' Choice Award winner received a gift bag that included DVDs of Comic Book The Movie, Stan Lee's Mutants, ' 's Monsters & Marvels, and an exclusive Comic Book The Movie T-shirt autographed by Mark Hamill, Roger Rose, Jess Harnell, Billy West, and other stars, from Creative Light Entertainment. Best Animated Film: "9" (Shane Acker, director). " Best Comics-Oriented Film: Tomorrow's Memoir ' 's (Jim Cliffe, writer/director). Jim Cliffe accepts the Best Comics-Oriented Film award for his movie Tomorrow's Memoir. B. Brown � SDCC COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 23 AISLES OF SMILES! Comic-Con's Massive Exhibit Hall Rocks! This photo is of the Comic-Con Exhibit Hall before over 104,000 enthusiastic people entered the massive space during the four-day convention. This room is so huge--over 460,000 square feet--that there was no way to capture all of the 1,000+ individual exhibitors in one photograph. Or to put it another way, if you measured the walking distance from the Stylin' clothing booth in aisle 100 to the C&L Multimedia Distribution booth in aisle 5300-- which we did because we're nerdy like that --you'd discover it was 610 steps and over a quarter of a mile. That's without side-stepping other fans. Or members of the Rebel Alliance. Or both. For many attendees, the Exhibit Hall was the chief reason for visiting Comic-Con International in the first place, and only after discovering the extensive programming schedule did they venture upstairs. That makes sense, because that room has so much to offer. During the 2005 show alone, you could purchase the hottest new comics and graphic novels or 24 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM... This picture was taken seconds before the hall opened and attendees poured in to check out DC's projects; who these random people are is anyone's guess. venture into the Gold & Silver Pavilion and hunt among the treasures offered by the nearly 30 exhibitors dedicated to selling comics from these classic ages. And while we're on the subject of comics, the Exhibit Hall featured all of the major and independent comics companies in business today. These folks displayed new projects while offering locations to meet creators, ask questions, and nail those treasured autographs. The Small Press Pavilion, located on the west end of the hall, featured self-publishers showing their books, `zines, and web comics, while the Independent Publishers Pavilion on the east side gathered such cool alternative companies as Abstract Studios, Exhibit A Press, Claypool Comics, Nite Owl Comics, Bloodfire Studios, and more. Also emphasizing CCI's comic book roots was Artists' Alley--the largest of its kind at any show--where attendees could meet over 130 talented creators from the Golden, Silver, and current comics ages. In addition to Artists' Alley and publishers' booths, creators could also be found at the National Cartoonists' Society booth, at booths of their own such as Stan Sakai, Sergio Aragon�s, and Scott Shaw!, or in the Illustrators Pavilion, which featured such amazing artists as Dave Stevens, Donato Giancola, Jennifer Janesko, and William Stout. The cousin of comics books, the SF/fantasy novel, also maintained a huge presence at Comic-Con, with numerous vendors selling classic and contemporary science fiction and fantasy works. Publishing houses were also on hand, bringing in their own big-name authors and artists to meet the fans in person. In addition, the Fantasy Illustrators Pavilion included some of the hottest heavyweights from past and present years, including Ray Harryhausen, Tara McPherson, and Chuck Perry. I'M A SLAVE . . . FOR YOU! SLG's awesome new booth was a focal point for fans seeking out the hottest alternative comics. Toys and games have also been a long-time favorite among attendees, who eagerly purchase vintage and modern toys and action figures, statues, trading cards, video games, and much more. Companies like Toynami and 21st Century Toys displayed toys and figures in development, while Upper Deck and Wizards of the Coast offered demos on playing their games, and Playstation and EA lets fans try out their new videogame systems. Even cooler for 2005 was the Toy Growers Cult Yard, which gathered the hottest urban vinyl and underground toy companies, including Super 7, Gama-Go, E-motes, and Emily The Strange, among many others. If all that weren't enough, Hollywood had an even bigger presence in the hall this year. At the front was the gigantic Lucasfilm booth, which emphasized every aspect of the Star Wars saga. Fans flocked to exhibits set up by movie and TV studios to preview upcoming projects and present actors and creators in person. And of course there were plenty of exhibitors on hand that sold DVDs, movie posters and memorabilia, and clothing and jewelry, or that offered lessons in filmmaking and animation. And what would the hall be if it weren't for the joy of discovering interesting and oddball items at exhibitors tucked away in the middle of an aisle? You never know when you'll find a piece of advertising art from the 1940s, a wacky button, or some cool jewelry. Heck, once you throw lunch into the mix, you could basically lose yourself in the euphoria of it all. So if you've enjoyed any of these benefits, then thank any of our over 1,000 exhibitors because they're some of the magic men and women who help bring this convention to life. COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 25 IT CAME FROM JAPAN Oh, those wonderful anime rooms at Comic-Con. Only in these sacred spaces can one find fans of every nationality dressed like Japanese schoolgirls, hear raucous laughter from non-Japanese speakers who somehow understand the on-screen jokes, and smell the comforting scent of ramen noodles cooking in the corner . . . Noodles?! Uh, yeah, it seems someone brought a home appliance to the convention in order to prepare a meal without missing one moment of anime action. Though the Comic-Con staff applauds this creative way to save a buck while attending the show, that's a big no-no, and the violators were asked to stop. Meanwhile, attendees could view over 145 different Japanese animation programs in three different rooms, every day and well into every night. Some of the highlights, both in the anime rooms and around Comic-Con itself, included: � The US premiere of Karas, an OVA series that combines elements of science fiction and Japanese mythology while utilizing CG animation for action sequences. � An advance screening of the upcoming Di Gi Charat Nyo TV series. � Special screenings of the full-length Steamboy movie, as well as the Studio Ghibli film Pom Poko. � Previews from TOKYOPOP, ADV, VIZ, Bandai, Genoeon Entertainment (Pioneer) and others of their new anime releases. � The 20th Anniversary of Robotech panel, which revisited the original series while presenting a sneak peak at the long-awaited sequel, Robotech--The Shadow Chronicles. � The San Diego Symphony presentation of Dear Friends: Music From Final Fantasy under the stars at the Embarcadero on Thursday night. � Anime ABCs at Your Library exploring how anime can be used to bring patrons into libraries across America. � And finally, Noodles 101, which taught fans to never try cooking in the anime rooms ever again. Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu TM & � 2005 ADV Films From special programming to numerous exhibitors to exclusive convention giveaways, Comic-Con International has proven itself to be a leading outlet for toy collectors. How, you ask? � Instructional seminars on resin casting, toy sculpting and design, customizing your own action figures, and examining marketing trends amidst changes in the industry. � Insider panels with such companies as Toy Biz, Hasbro, McFarlane Toys, and more. � Spotlight panels with such celebrities as the legendary Don Levine, who created G.I. Joe, as well as sponsored guest and DC Direct sculptor, Tim Bruckner. � ActionFigureInsider.com Q&A sessions with industry pros at SOTA Toys, NECA, Mezco Toys, ToyR2, Tower Records, Sideshow Collectibles, WizKids, Mattel, among others. � On-site doll and toy collector meetings. TOYRIFFIC FUN! TOO COOL! Palisades Toys is just one of many exhibitors at Comic-Con that offer exclusive merchandise to convention attendees! 26 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO SPIRITED WINNERS Night Flight Comics Receives 2005 Eisner Retailing Award Most fans take their comic book stores for granted, but seeing a shop expertly laid out, dynamically run, and fully stocked can really take your breath away. The two Night Flight Comics stores in Salt Lake City, Utah, are perfect examples of such well-run businesses, and that's why owners Mimi Cruz-Carroll and Alan Carroll were honored with the 2005 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing Award on Friday night of Comic-Con weekend. The Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing Award is given to stores that have done an outstanding job of supporting the comic art medium in both the community and the industry at large. To receive it, retailers must demonstrate that their store displays and sells a wide variety of material, have knowledge of both retailing trends and the comics industry, are involved in their local communities, maintain a quality and innovative store image, and adhere to ethical business practices. This award is not part of the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. Rather, it is judged by a panel of industry professionals, and comics retailer Joe Ferrara (Atlantis Fantasyworld) facilitates the entire process; DC Comics and Diamond Comic Distributors sponsored the 2005 awards, and the judges were Russell Bedell (Diamond Comic Distributors), Bill Willingham (writer, DC Comics), Bill Morrison (editor, Bongo Comics), Fran McGarry (owner of Acme Comics & Collectibles and last year's Eisner Spirit recipient), and Mike Richardson (publisher of Dark Horse Comics). Night Flight was formed in 1986 when Alan and Mimi decided to skip buying a new car and roll the dice on opening a mall store Mimi Cruz-Carroll accepts that focused on Alan's the award. love for comics. They took a couple minutes to discuss their recent win. WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO MAKE NIGHT FLIGHT MORE THAN JUST A PLACE THAT SOLD "FUNNY BOOKS"? Once the store opened, it was quickly apparent that educators and the local community wanted and needed a reliable partner, so we were pleased to support our community in a variety of outreach programs and we love helping new readers explore comics. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO WIN THE SPIRIT AWARD? (Mimi:) It was a shocking surprise. There are so many terrific stores out there, and everyone has been so nice about our receiving the award, including other nominated stores. I remember getting a little emotional when accepting the award, and Rory Root of Comic Relief offered me his handkerchief to dry my eyes. Afterward, he quipped to my pal, "So . . . you think I'll ever see my handkerchief again?" He eventually got it back and I appreciated his thoughtfulness. COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 27 T. DeLeon � SDCC DID WINNING THE AWARD HELP YOU GUYS FIGHT OFF THAT ALIEN INVASION WE READ ABOUT IN THE TABLOIDS? Yes it did. The light of the award reflecting into the eyes of the aliens made them crash their ship. The rest is up to Jack Baur. HOW HAS YOUR LIFE CHANGED SINCE WINNING? Our regular customers were so psyched, it was as if they'd won it themselves. The Salt Lake City library system wrote it up in their quarterly newsletter, which goes out to 80,000 subscribers and all the libraries. Also, the main newspaper in the state celebrated our recognition with a two-page article. It really brought home how plugged-in our culture is to the internet, as both existing and potential customers came out to congratulate us. GIVE US YOUR TOP FIVE PICKS FOR THE FALL/ WINTER. 1. Jova's Harvest (Arcana)--From the creator of Feather. The first half of this book is on Newsarama and it looks gorgeous. 2. The Quitter (Vertigo)--Harvey Pekar's prequel to American Splendor. Splendor 3. Chicanos (IDW)--Unsung (in America) writer Trillo, with 100 Bullets' artist Risso. 4. Fables (Vertigo)--The book we most look forward to each month just keeps getting better. The mystery of The Adversary has had us on edge for months. 5. The return of Jonah Hex (DC)--Along with Loveless, DC is bringing back some great westerns not seen since Lansdale and Truman, and writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray have been doing solid work on Hawkman for a long time now. EVEN MORE FANTASTIC FANS WHO: Devin (11) and Aja Macias (9) with their parents, Josie and Tony FROM: San Jose, California DO YOU GUYS LIKE THE COMIC-CON? Devin: Yeah! Aja: I love the Totoro stuff they always have here. Josie: We gave them one vacation, it was either Disneyland or Comic-Con, and they chose Comic-Con. SO TONY, WE KNOW YOU'RE THE CULPRIT BEHIND CONVERTING YOUR FAMILY, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A COLLECTOR? Tony: Since I was my son's age. I collect DC, Marvel, independents, a little of everything. Favorites are Love & Rockets, Justice League--I love what's going on with Justice League and Identity Crisis. Love it. Got back into comics when I was in college because of The Dark Knight Returns, like so many of us. Collected for five, ten years, met [Josie], and admitted I was a geek. Luckily, she likes geeks. Josie: I turned him on to Sandman, so we're big Neil Gaiman fans. When I was a kid I used to collect Casper and it's because my brother was into Fantastic Four and X-Men. I love coming here because of Gris Grimly. Tony: She has the hots for him. [We all laugh. The children, it should be noted, are oblivious to our conversation.] WELL, YOU'RE ALLOWED ONE "OUT," RIGHT? Josie: Exactly, you're allowed one. His is Selma Hayek. Gris mainly does children's books, really in the same vein of Tim Burton: dark, creepy, and the kids love him. WHAT'S THE BEST THING YOU'VE FOUND AT A COMIC-CON? Tony: [without missing a beat] Love & Rockets #24. Josie: Oh yes, after he purchased it he thought he'd died. Tony: My quest was over. I was a happy man. I had been looking for it for 6 years and I'd given up hope. Apparently it's not all that spectacular it's just somewhat rare for whatever reason. And so I walked around and asked every booth, and it was toward the end of the day, my buddy said, "Go ask that guy there." Well, don't judge a book by its cover. [The exhibitor] just looked like he had only DC/Marvel, nothing spectacular, no independent stuff, but he said, "Oh yeah, sure, I have it right here." Pulled it out and that was it. So every year after is all frosting on the cake. Josie: And then the Hernandez Brothers [who created Love & Rockets] were here [one year]. Tony: That was a major thing! Met the Hernandez brothers, took pictures with the family, and I told everyone when I got home it was like meeting a rock star for me. I don't get star struck, but I was completely star struck. I was giddy. I couldn't stop talking. Josie: He couldn't stop smiling. 28 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO CALL FOR NOMINATIONS GUIDELINES CRITERIA 2006 Spirit of Comics Award Nominating Ballot. Ballot MAIL BALLOT TO: "SPIRIT OF COMICS" AWARD, C/O COMIC -CON INTERNATIONAL P BOX 128458, SAN DIEGO, CA 92112 OR YOU MAY FAX IT TO: 619.414.1022 .O. BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY APRIL 14, 2006 ALLOTS THE SPIRIT CONTINUES Will Eisner Lives on at Eisner Awards 2005 Award recipients. The 17th Annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards were bestowed on Friday July 15 in a gala ceremony in Ballroom 20 at the San Diego Convention Center. The awards event was dedicated to Eisner, who died in January; his widow, Ann, appeared briefly on stage to welcome everyone. Eisner's presence was felt throughout the evening as presenter after presenter shared thoughts about the late comics giant. The ceremony was preceded by a slide show of Eisner's career and a video with taped tributes from creators who couldn't attend, including Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, and Dave Sim. The 2005 Eisner Awards presenters included Sergio Aragon�s, Denis Kitchen, Jill Thompson, Scott McCloud, Joss Whedon, Michael Uslan, Michael Chabon, Pia Guerra, Dave Gibbons, and Jeff Smith. The MC was Jackie Estrada, Eisner Awards Administrator. All made introductory comments about Ann Eisner Will Eisner, from amusing anecdotes to heartfelt gratitude. Aragon�s presented the Hall of Fame Awards. The judges' choice awards went to the Golden Age artist Lou Fine and to the Asterix team of Ren� Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. The four elected inductees were Johnny Craig, Hugo Pratt, Nick Cardy, and Gene Colan. Both Cardy and Colan were present to accept their trophies. Adele Kurtzman accepted for Craig. Among the other awards given out over the evening were the Comic-Con's Clampett and Manning awards. The Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award, presented by Bob's daughter Ruth, went to George P�rez for his donation of artwork to raise money for several charities, especially ACTOR (A Commitment To Our Roots, the first-ever federally chartered notfor-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need). The Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award went to Chris Bailey, writer/artist of the all-ages title Major Damage, published by Sky Dog Press. New this year was the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing. The chair of the awards jury, Jerry Robinson, presented the first Bill Finger Awards to Jerry Siegel (accepted by his widow, Joanne) and to Arnold Drake, who roused the crowd 30 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO All Eisner Awards photos by T. DeLeon � SDCC with a hilarious a capella song about the San Diego Comic-Con. Joe Ferrara presented The Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing Award to Night Flight Comics of Salt Lake City, owned by Mimi Cruz and Alan Carroll. Comic Book Legal Defense Fund board member Greg Ketter presented the Fund's Defender of Freedom Award to Denis Kitchen, founder of the Fund, who spoke about the fact that 20 years after its inception the Fund is needed more than ever. Here is a complete list of the 2005 award winners. More information on the awards can be found at www.comic-con.org. Best Publication for a Younger Audience: Plastic Man, by Kyle Baker and Scott Morse (DC) Best Humor Publication: The Goon, by Eric Powell (Dark Horse) Best Anthology: Michael Chabon Presents The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist, edited by Diana Escapist Schutz and David Land (Dark Horse) Best Digital Comic: Mom's Cancer, by Brian Fies Cancer Best Graphic Album--New: The Originals, by Dave Gibbons (Vertigo/DC) Best Graphic Album--Reprint: Bone One Volume Edition, by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Books) Best Archival Collection/Project: The Complete Peanuts, edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics) Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material: Buddha, vols. 3-4 by Osamu Tezuka (Vertical) Best Writer: Brian K. Vaughan, Y: The Last Man (Vertigo/DC); Ex Machina (WildStorm/DC); Runaways (Marvel) WINNERS, 2005 EISNER AWARDS Best Short Story: "Unfamiliar," by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson, in The Dark Horse Book of Witchcraft (Dark Horse Books) Best Single Issue (or One-Shot): Eightball #23: "The Death Ray," by Dan Clowes (Fantagraphics) Best Serialized Story: Fables #19-27: "March of the Wooden Soldiers," by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, and Steve Leialoha (Vertigo/DC) Best Continuing Series: The Goon, by Eric Powell (Dark Horse) Best Limited Series: DC: The New Frontier, by Frontier Darwyn Cooke (DC) Best New Series: Ex Machina, by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris, and Tom Fesiter (WildStorm/DC) LEFT: The Ex Machina team won for Best New Series: Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris, Tom Feister, and J. D. Mettler. RIGHT: Joanne Schultz and Eric Reynolds accepted Best Archival Collection for The Complete Peanuts. COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 31 PUT IT IN INK! The Comic-Con International Inkpot Awards, instituted in 1974, are given for lifetime achievement in comics and related fields. Here are the 2005 recipients: Arnold Drake and Joanne Siegel, accepting the Bill Finger Award. Best Writer/Artist: Paul Chadwick, Concrete: The Human Dilemma (Dark Horse) Best Writer/Artist--Humor: Kyle Baker, Plastic Man (DC); Kyle Baker, Cartoonist (Kyle Baker Publishing) Best Penciller/Inker (tie): John Cassaday, Astonishing X-Men (Marvel); Planetary (WildStorm/ DC); I Am Legion: The Dancing Faun (Humanoids/ DC); Frank Quitely, WE3 (Vertigo/DC) Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art): Teddy Kristiansen, It's a Bird . . . (Vertigo/DC) ' 's Best Coloring: Dave Stewart, Daredevil, Ultimate Daredevil X-Men, Ultimate Six, Captain America (Marvel); Six Conan, BPRD (Dark Horse); DC: The New Frontier (DC) Best Lettering: Todd Klein, Promethea; Tom Strong; Tom Strong's Terrific Tales (ABC); Wonder ' 's Woman (DC); Books of Magick: Life During Wartime; Fables; WE3 (Vertigo/DC); Creatures of the Night (Dark Horse) Best Cover Artist: James Jean, Fables (Vertigo/ DC); Green Arrow, Batgirl (DC) Arrow Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition: Sean McKeever (A Waiting Place; Mary Jane; Inhumans; Sentinels) Best Comics-Related Periodical: Comic Book Artist Artist, edited by Jon B. Cooke (Top Shelf) Best Comics-Related Book: Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book Book, by Gerard Jones (Basic Books) In Comic Arts category: Lee Ames Sy Barry Bob Bolling Greg Evans Bob Fujitani David Lapham Gary Panter Dexter Taylor Jhonen Vasquez In Science Fiction/Fantasy category: Robert Jordan In Fandom Services category: Barry Bard Taerie Bryant SUPER SPONSORS The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards is one of the most important industry-focused events, but without sponsorship this ceremony wouldn't be possible. Comic-Con International thanks all the 2005 sponsors: Major sponsor: mycomicsshop.com. Principal sponsors: Century Guild, Diamond Comic Distributors, Gentle Giant, Isotope, and Odd Lott. Supporting sponsors: Alternate Reality Comics (Las Vegas), Atlantis Fantasyworld (Santa Cruz, CA), Comic Relief--The Comic Bookstore (Berkeley, CA), comicsunlimited.com, Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff (Concord, CA), Quebecor Printing, and Star*Reach. Ballots tabulated by: Mel Thompson and Associates. Best Publication Design: The Complete Peanuts, designed by Seth (Fantagraphics) Hall of Fame: Judges' choices: Lou Fine; Ren� Goscinny and Albert Uderzo; Voters' choices: Nick Cardy, Gene Colan, Johnny Craig, Hugo Pratt 32 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO PHIL JIMENEZ THE ART OF Phil Jimenez has worked in comics since 1991, gaining significant recognition for his writing and artwork on the DC Comics miniseries Tempest. He later penciled The Invisibles, JLA/Titans, and Planetary/Authority, wrote and drew a two-year run on Wonder Woman, and penciled New X-Men for writer Grant Morrison. Most recently, Jimenez contributed pencil art to DC's Countdown to Infinite Crisis. He is currently writing and penciling Otherworld for VERTIGO, has taken on writing chores for DC Special: The Return Of Donna Troy, and is penciling the much-anticipated Infinite Crisis at DC. Jimenez was a guest at the 2005 Comic-Con courtesy of DC Comics and during his Sunday panel he discussed his career in comics. Give us the "secret origin" of Phil Jimenez. Phil Jimenez: I was born and raised in Southern California and started drawing when I was very young. I was a big dinosaur fan and went to the La Brea Tar Pits a lot, and anyone who's read my book Otherworld, there's a big fight scene at the La Brea Tar Pits for no other reason than as an homage to my childhood. Anyway, as a latch-key kid I [drew] a lot, watched Superfriends and then Wonder Woman, and that transformed everything. But the only comic book I read was Star Wars. It wasn't until a friend in junior high was reading comics that I discovered the medium and the joys of visual storytelling. What were the first comics you read? The very first comic was an Earth 1/Earth 2 Wonder Woman crossover, so very early on I understood the DC multiverse. Then I started reading [the Walt COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 33 Simonson issues of] Star Wars. One story was about the Rebellion defeating the Empire and they blow up this Death Star�like space station, and everyone was cheering. But Princess Leia actually thinks it's a little tragic because not everyone on the Death Star was evil and yet they're all dead. [She sees that] all war does is perpetuate constant death, and it's not something to celebrate. I've long teased Walt by saying that story cemented in my head a worldview, and I realized that comics actually have power to do that. It's another reason why I take my job so seriously, because I think comics mean something, especially to young kids who are looking for a vision of the world that's maybe different than the one on TV. What kind of non-comic art inspires you? Most of my exposure to non-comic art came after moving to New York. My first assignment [in painting class] was to go draw in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and it was from those drawings that I [became] exposed to different kinds of art and artistic sensibilities. As I got older I started to appreciate other artists, particularly modern art, which I didn't have a great love affair for. One time, I was with Dave Gibbons, artist of The Watchmen, at a convention in Madrid and we saw a very famous painting that Picasso did called Guernica. It's a large painting expressing his sadness about the Spanish Civil War, and in art history books it's very small, and often in black and white. But that was the second time I actually cried looking at art, and I thought that was amazing to actually be able to see the art in person. So if I had a specific non-comic art influence, it would be the experience of visiting art itself. How did you deal with Donna Troy's origin in the miniseries? I don't find Donna's history that tricky. There's a lot of it, but it's linear. People had misgivings about the first issue because we were using the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths Titans of Myth origin, and they thought I was removing Wonder Woman from her history. I wasn't. I just wasn't using it in issue one. We got her origin down to three panels: Orphan kid, raised in outer space by some Greek Gods, plopped back on Earth, becomes a Teen Titan, later finds out she's the sister of Wonder Woman and becomes Troia. In my head, it's that simple. So we had Jos� [Luis Garcia-Lopez] draw those three panels. My hope is that would be enough to get people to the forth issue where we learn some amazing things about this character and why she's so pivotal to Infinite Crisis. With Donna, specifically, I hope we never have to see a "Who is Donna Troy?" story again. How did you get on Infinite Crisis? I said, "I hear there's going to be a big crossover, I'd like to draw it." It's a really wonderful script and what I like about it is, yes, there are 91 characters or something in the first issue, but it doesn't feel anything like [Crisis on Infinite Earths] which was a real fear about working on this project. It's sort of like [the movies] Alien to Aliens; that's the analogy I use. Does it bother you when people compare you to George P�rez? I can't really control how people peg me, but I've never tried to cash in on George's influence--and we've talked about it. Yes, the influence is there, I will admit it to anyone, but I also see it as an artistic tradition in much the same way as Renaissance artists would teach a whole school of people to paint just like them. Comic book artists have these tools, these ideas of artistic tradition, but I don't think a lot of people work in the same tradition as George and I do. What I've learned from him has to do with multicharacter pages, which I don't think too many other artists do because the design work requires a certain vision and understanding of the way characters relate to each other. I [created] this height and body chart with about 10 different female characters to see how tall they are, how their builds are different, because I believe we relate to each other based on size, looks, etcetera. And one of the joys of working with a large casts of characters is Beast Boy has a different shape and size than Cyborg, Wonder Girl is different from Starfire, and Wonder Woman is different from Black Canary. I love that. So I think the "George Perez school" certainly, to narrow it down, is about making really specific characters that don't have interchangeable faces or bodies. Any plans for future writing projects? I write things I want to draw. One of the things about Infinite Crisis is, I love drawing that stuff. If Geoff [Johns] wanted to write that for me every month or two, I would be really happy. With Otherworld there's a story and I'm learning a lot about writing, but it's an art thing. I wanted to draw these things. I'm not a real-world person. I like superheroes, space knights, dragons, the fantasy aspect, creating worlds and places. That's what I love about comics. To read more about Phil and his work on Wonder Woman, Otherworld, Infinite Crisis and other projects, check out more of his spotlight at www.comic-con.org. 34 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO F I R S T PERSON BEST. ADVICE. EVER. otherwise I'd march right in there and give them a piece of my mind. At the very least, I'd order in a rather brusque manner to telegraph the fact that I'm merely likin' it. So, to get back to what may well have been my original point: If your drive-through comic book shop restricts serving breakfast comics to a particular time of day, don't hire jerks who will leave your inadequately clothed customers hanging at the intercom without their morning comic glory. I realize this is something you've probably heard before from the Chamber of Commerce, but it happens to be a pertinent bit of advice. This brings me to my second point. Or at least it would have if I hadn't forgotten what is was, so I'll just make up something here. Now, if the state of modern life has taught us nothing else--and, evidently, it hasn't--it's that public relations is king. Therefore, any comic book entrepreneur would be well advised to take a page from a certain retail giant's handbook and employ elderly people to greet customers as they enter your establishment. Nothing goes together quite like graphic novels and scary old people in blue vests. Here's another idea. Install a caf� at one end of your store. But if you take this course of action, hire nice girls to take patrons' orders. Not snooty, hipper-than-thou scenesters who respond to my witty small-talk with thinly-disguised disdain. What's the deal, coffee shop Heathers? My banter is clever! My mother has reassured me of this time and time again, and while I may not be dressed as stylishly as you, I've memorized pi to, like, 30 digits. Well, I had it memorized in high school, but I think I still remember a lot of it. Please, give me a chance. And could you maybe ask me out, thus sparing me the indignity of having to initiate anything? . . . But I digress. Alright, now that I've told you everything you'll ever need to know about the comics business (and, indeed, life itself), go forth and open your own comic book store. You're welcome. Editor's note: Retailing is obviously harder than it looks, and it's easy to take your, um, brilliant ideas a bit too far. That's why Comic-Con International offers panels to keep you on the right track. Thanks, now please drive through . . . By Jason Vissers One of the programs I sat in on this year at ComicCon was Saturday's "So You Want to Be a Comics Retailer?" panel, in which various store owners shared their experiences and advice on launching and maintaining a successful comics shop. In spite of the disappointing fact that none of the panel's participants resembled or behaved like Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons, the panel nonetheless provided an illuminating glimpse into what makes for a profitable comic book store. But they've had their say. Now, I've got a few ideas of my own. While I do not have any experience as a "business owner," nor have I ever held down a "job" for more than a few months, I believe I am qualified to pen the definitive treatise for aspiring comics retailers. After all, who better to infuse the industry with outside-the-box thinking than someone who doesn't know what the box is and who has no relevant real-world knowledge on the subject at all? Now, if you're like me, you like to read comic books as you're driving down the interstate and practicing your ninja moves. I have the perfect innovation for us mobile, sexy multitaskers: a drive-through comic book store. You'd have an intercom, a big menu board, a drive-up window--the whole fast-food setup. Additionally, in the mornings, comic book stores could offer a breakfast menu, serving up morning-oriented comics to the bleary-eyed early birds. Morning comics could be served with maple syrup and/or butter (upon request). Should you find a breakfast comic cut-off time necessary, go ahead and establish one, but be reasonable about it. On occasion, I have found myself in the unenviable situation where I arrive at a particular fast-food chain's drive-through intercom in the morning with a minute to spare before the 10:30 AM breakfast barrier, only to hear the insolent teenage scoundrel tell me, "Uh, just a minute . . ." in that characteristically sullen monotone and proceed to wait until the McMendoza line comes and goes before taking my order! The churlish adolescent derives pleasure from deliberately impinging on my Constitutional right to purchase pancakes in my pajamas! And what's up with those flimsy excuses for stirring sticks they give you with your coffee? Am I right, people? I swear, those McFascists are lucky I can't be bothered to put on pants before getting in the car in the morning; Artwork � Steven K. Thompson COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 35 FUTURE Comic-Con Weekend July 20-23, 2006 Preview Night for 4-Day Members Only! July 19, 2006 Comic-Con International's invited guests are part of the reason why this convention is so fantastic. Now that we've seen what 2005 had to offer, here are a few faces you can expect in 2006. DANIEL CLOWES Dan Clowes's incredible body of work includes 23 issues of Eightball (published by Fantagraphics) and several collections, including David Boring, Caricature, and Pussey. His most recent book is Icehaven (a Pussey reformatted version of the award-winning Eightball #22) published by Pantheon. Ghost World, his most World popular work, was made into a movie starring Thora Birch and Scarlett Johanson; the screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award. Art School Confidential, Clowes's newest film based on his Eightball dential stories, will be released in 2006. EVERETT RAYMOND KINSTLER Everett Raymond Kinstler's artistic career began with illustrating comics like Hawkman and Zorro, and pulp novels featuring The Shadow and Doc BACK TO THE COMIC-CON 2006 � Daniel Clowes 36 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO Savage. He went on to become one of the world's leading portrait artists, painting such names as Tony Bennett, Carol Burnett, Katharine Hepburn, and James Cagney. Kinstler also holds the record for painting the most government cabinet officers of any artist, and his artistic renderings of Presidents Ford and Reagan are official White House portraits. ROBERT KIRKMAN Robert Kirkman is one of the hottest and fastest-rising writers in comics today. His work on Invincible and The Walking Dead for Image Comics have brought him industry-wide attention. For Marvel, Kirkman has written Gravity and is working on an upcoming Invincible/Spider-Man team-up. JAMES KOCHALKA James Kochalka's disarmingly charming art has made him one of the most recognized cartoonists working in indy comics. Best known for his ongoing sketch- nated for Best Publication for a Younger Audience in the 2005 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. In his series of Owly books, Runton's nearly wordless storytelling showcases both his gift for characterization and his love of wildlife and the outdoors. JOHN WAGNER Born in the U.S. but a resident of the U.K. since he was 13, writer John Wagner is best known as the co-creator of Judge Dredd with artist Carlos Ezquerra, and he continues to work on the series almost 30 years after its creation. Wagner also scored raves for his work on Batman, Button Man, and The Bogie Man, the United Kingdom's best-selling indy comic. Most recently, director David Cronenberg adapted Wagner's graphic novel A History of Violence into a movie that has received great critical acclaim. SCOTT WILLIAMS One of the most popular inkers working in comics today, Scott Williams is best known for his work with Jim Lee. His work includes inking the best-selling Batman: Hush and Superman: For Tomorrow story arcs, and he is currently inking DC's All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder. Wonder TM & � DC Comics � James Kochalka book diary, American Elf, and his latest book, Super Elf F*ckers, his past credits include Monkey vs. Robot, Peanutbutter & Jeremy, Fancy Froglin, and Fantastic Butterflies. In addition to cartooning, "James Kochalka Superstar" has built a cult following for his music. ROGER LANGRIDGE Roger Langridge was born in New Zealand and moved to London in the early 1990s to try his hand as a professional cartoonist. He is best known for his work on Knuckles the Malevolent Nun (Antipodes Publishing) and Fred the Clown (Fantagraphics Books). Fred's adventures also appear online as Hotel Fred. ANDY RUNTON Andy Runton's Owly, published by Top Shelf, has charmed critics and readers alike and was nomi- � John Wagner & Vince Locke New guests are constantly being invited, so for the latest information visit www.comic-con.org. COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 37 PIKACHU HOTEL ROOM! What does this famous Pok�mon character have to do with Comic-Con hotel rooms? Everything in 2005. This picture shows the souvenir key cards given out to guests at official CCI hotels for the 2005 convention; it's a nifty collectible that was available only in San Diego. But that's not why hotels sold out this year--ComicCon is just a really big show, and no matter how many hotels are added to the list they max out pretty fast. The 2006 convention is going to be just as huge, so grab your calendars, PDAs, or laptops and mark this down: Reservations for Comic-Con 2006's hotel rooms open on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 at 9 AM Pacific Time. In January, the Comic-Con website (www.comic-con.org) will list all the official convention hotels and special rates for Comic-Con members. Everyone on the CCI mailing list will be also be sent an informational postcard that month, but long-time attendees will tell you to act fast, because if you think you can put off booking a room until the last minute, you should check out the "Morning Madmen" interview on page 8. That story provides a valuable lesson on why booking in advance is so important! MISSION STATEMENT Comic-Con International is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comics and related popular art forms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture. CONTACT INFORMATION Comic-Con International P.O. Box 128458 San Diego, CA 92112-8458 www.comic-con.org Fax: (619) 414-1022 Comic-Con Hotline (619) 491-2475 38 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO SAN DIEGO JULY 20-23, 2006 Full Membership At-the -Door Prices Adults Juniors (7-16) & Seniors (60+) $65.00 $30.00 Only 4-day pre-registered members can attend Preview Night. No onsite registration will be available for Preview Night--only badge pickup for pre-registered full members. Need Info? (check as needed) Please send me information on exhibiting in the Art Show. Please have your Disabled Services Department contact me about my special needs. Please send me a volunteer application and information. Please send me information about participating in the Masquerade. BADGES WILL NOT BE MAILED OUT IN ADVANCE. All pre-registered badges will be available for pickup at Attendee Pre-Registration in the Convention Center's Sails Pavilion (Upper Level), beginning Wednesday, ednesday ednesday, July 19 at 4:00 p.m. Pre-Registration Prices (check one) Must be postmarked by APRIL 19, 2006 Adults Juniors (12-16) & Seniors (60+) Must be postmarked by JUNE 7, 2006 Adults Juniors (12-16) & Seniors (60+) Must be postmarked by JUNE 21, 2006 Adults Juniors (12-16) & Seniors (60+) $50.00 $25.00* $55.00 $27.00* $65.00 $30.00* Active Military with ID can pay the Jr/Senior price. This deal does not extend to dependants. Note: All prices subject to change. *Children under 12 free with PAID adult membership. Forms postmarked or faxed after June 21, 2006 will NOT BE PROCESSED. No e-mail registration will be accepted. Sorry, NO REFUNDS after June 21, 2006. First Name ONLY ONE MEMBERSHIP PER FORM PLEASE. THIS FORM MAY BE COPIED. 2006 Badge # Check # Total Amount $ Check One Last Name Adult Junior (7-16) Senior (60+) Company Name Address City State Zip Phone Fax Payment Type ayment T Please make checks and money orders e payable to COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL. INTERNA Country Code (if not USA) Country (if not USA) Check or Money Order Visa MasterCard American Express Credit Card Number Expiration Date (mm/yyyy) Signature Do not write below this line - Office use only WONDERCON 2005 WRAP IT UP Eager crowds fill up San Francisco's Moscone Center, home to WonderCon. Ever have a dream where you're throwing a major party and it starts raining, so you worry no one is going to show up but then they do and they won't stop flooding through the front door? That was the scene at the 19th annual WonderCon in 2005, where a staggering 14,500 fans descended upon the beautiful Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco to explore the 250 Exhibit Hall booths and hours of fun programming. THE COMICS CONNECTION WonderCon began with renowned special guests Neal Adams, Sergio Aragon�s, Arnold Drake, Mark Evanier, William Stout, Arthur Suydam, and the indomitable Harvey Pekar, then continued with contemporary A-listers John Cassaday, Jeff Smith, Amanda Conner, Adam Hughes, Jimmy Palmiotti, Alex Ross, Gail Simone, and of course, fan favorite Kevin Smith. Beyond their own spotlight panels, these folks were also available at autograph signings throughout the weekend. DC comics returned once again, offering peeks at Identity Crisis, Batman, and Green Lantern, as well as projects at WildStorm, VERTIGO, and more. Bongo Comics served up the latest scoop on The Simpsons, and writer/artist Terry Moore took fans inside his long-running book Strangers in Paradise. Mark Evanier hosted his Quick Draw Cartoon Improv while other top spots included Scott Saavedra's hilarious Comic Book Heaven LIVE!, Cinefantastique's ' 's crazy "Starship Smackdown," the Charles M. Schulz museum's showcase of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz, and Jeff Smith's benefit reading of Bone for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. The most touching event was the tribute to comics legend, Will Eisner, who passed away in January 2005. WonderCon also sported numerous educational panels, including the Comic Book Law School for those interested in the industry's business side, programs on self-publishing comics, discussions of ways comics can be used to help people read, info on fan filmmaking on a budget, how-to's on becoming a video game designer, and more. WONDERCON Alex Ross 40 relationships with former Superman, Christopher Reeve. On the animation front, Warner Bros. Animation returned with a panel on music scoring for cartoons, while Paul Dini, Robert Goodman, Stan Berkowitz, and others presented a seminar on writing for the animation industry. ADV Films ran the daytime anime rooms and offered discounts to WonderCon attendees at their special screening of A Tree at Palme. Other special screenings included Free Enterprise: The Special Edition and the Star Wars fan films, and the first-ever WonderCon Masquerade, which was a stellar success. When you take all of this into perspective you'll see why WonderCon is such a great show. LEFT: Joss Whedon and Serenity cast members Summer Glau, Adam Baldwin, and Nathan Fillion. WONDERING ABOUT WONDERCON 2006? THE DATES: February 10�12 THE LOCATION: San Francisco's Moscone Center--but this time in the beautiful Moscone West building, just one block from the new host hotel the San Francisco Marriott. WonderCon's 20th year is already off to a good start, with several of the special guests already lined up, including writer Peter David, Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, indy comics giant Terry Moore, the ever-lovin' Sergio Aragon�s, and legendary Silver Age artists Marie Severin and Ramona Fradon. Continuing on last year's success, you can also expect more programming to spotlight the special guests, an expanded slate of fantastic companies in the Exhibit Hall, separate anime and gaming rooms, and special nighttime programs that are pure genius. Talks have also begun with all the major Hollywood studios, but as with Comic-Con, we can't reveal too much inside info or they would have to kill us (just kidding . . . or are we?). Either way, you can expect exclusive sneak peeks, previews, and stars gracing this convention once more. WonderCon will be the first great comics convention of the 2006, and you can be a part of it. To find out more, learn the latest on the special guests, or register online, visit us at www. wondercon.org. HOLLYWOOD NOW! The successful relationship between Hollywood and Comic-Con International in San Diego has now made WonderCon a must-hit spot for studios. The 2005 show saw presentations from many major studios, including Lucasfilm with an inside look at the future of Star Wars. Actor Cole Hauser discussed his Sony film The Cave, while actress Elisha Cuthbert and producer Joel Silver attended for Warner Bros.' House of Wax. Production designer Doug Chiang was on hand for Paramount's War of the Worlds presentation, and Disney delivered executive producer Robbie Stamp for The Hitchhiker's Guide to ' 's the Galaxy. Joss Whedon and Serenity cast members Galaxy Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, and Summer Glau visited WonderCon for the first time to promote their film. Fox brought Julian McMahon (Dr. Doom) in advance of the summer smash Fantastic Four. Four But the surprise exclusive appearance for 2005 was Christian Bale, who wowed the crowd with his powerful presence and thoughtful insight on portraying Bruce Wayne and the Caped Crusader in Batman Begins. It's obvious that WonderCon covers myriad interests, and that also means TV series and animation. Attendees were delighted by special appearances by John Stanley and Bob Wilkins of local TV Creature Features fame, and actor Ban Daisuke, who spoke about his work on the Japanese cult superhero series Kikaida. And speaking of heroes, Margot Kidder (Lois Lane), Marc McClure (Jimmy Olsen) and Jack O'Halloran (Non the Kryptonian) from the Superman movies gathered to discuss their WONDERCON 41 WONDERCON VOLUNTEERS WANTED Cobra Commander made a surprise appearance with one of his young recruits at the 2005 WonderCon, but our loyal volunteers refused to join his cause. Nevertheless, your help is needed to bolster our ranks so that we can produce another amazing WonderCon in 2006. Here's the deal: You only have to commit to one day at a time for a 2�3 hour shift. After that, you're free to do whatever you want, because one shift earns you a pass to WonderCon for that day. Pretty cool, eh? And Sunday volunteers may even score a special perk for helping out. Yooo Joe! The tasks are fairly easy, like monitoring lines and stuffing bags, but after last year's massive attendance jump it was clear that without more volunteers, we won't be able to function. So c'mon--join up! (But just as a head's up, unlike Cobra Commander, we don't take volunteers under 15 years of age. Sorry, but we can't have G.I. Joe shutting us down so that's the way it is.) Now that you know the facts--and knowing is half the battle--sign up by downloading forms at www.comiccon.org, sending an e-mail to volunteers@ comic-con. org, or dropping a note to Volunteers, Comic-Con International, P.O. Box 128458, San Diego, CA 92112-8458. Cobra Commander Begins Massive Membership Drive! WONDERCONInWINNERS! Gamers Find a New Home Northern California Gaming at WonderCon is a brilliantly intimate affair where you get to meet fellow fans, sample and learn new game systems, and talk shop in an atmosphere that's just not possible at larger conventions. The 2006 WonderCon is already planning organized events, demos from companies, a few neat surprises, and some more amazing fun for gaming fans to check out. Don't miss it! Hours of operation: Friday 12 NOON � 7 PM Saturday 10 AM � 7 PM Sun 11 AM � 5 PM 42 WONDERCON WONDERFUL WONDERCON ATTENDEES Who: Bess Lee and George Jiang Relationship: Engaged to be married From: Vancouver, British Columbia Why WonderCon? They were on vacation from school and visiting friends in the Bay Area when they heard about the convention and decided to check it out. Bess's major is commercial design, so she loves painting and cartoons. George also likes painting, but he really loves Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, and science fiction movies like Aliens. He picked up a number of DC and Marvel comics from the 1970s and 1980s while visiting, and proudly showed them to us. Why are we paraphrasing their answers? As Bess explained, "We are studying English as [a] second language, so we don't speak English very good." They both laughed. "I will start business program at school, in maybe March [2005], and English is very difficult but important. We should be studying more diligently." Again the two laughed, and we loved them so much we wanted to include them in the Update; they said yes, and then asked if they could take a picture of us. How sweet. STATS: Wylie Runge, Jennie Larez, David Whalen FROM: Fresno, CA WHY DID YOU ALL TRAVEL TO WONDERCON? David: We've been to Comic-Con in San Diego a few times, but [WonderCon] has been growing and it's actually gotten stuff to attract us out here now. WHAT ARE YOU KIDS INTO? David: Everything. OKAY, DO YOU GUYS WANT TO BE A BIT MORE SPECIFIC THAN YOUR FRIEND HERE? Jennie: I'm a comic book collector, a figure collector, and I love movies. Wylie: Mostly comic books and animation for myself. ARE YOU CAMPING OUT IN THE MAIN HALL ALL DAY? Jennie: Pretty much. Wylie: Even when there's [supposed to be] a halfhour break, sometimes a good show just happens to be on in here. Jennie: I like hearing the behind-the-scenes of movies, being one of the people that gets to see what others don't, and I really get entertained by the guests that they have here. David: For me, personally, it's hearing the guests' personal comments and seeing their attitude. We get to see how they are different from what you see on screen. WHAT'S YOUR HIGHLIGHT BEEN SO FAR? All Three: Joss Whedon! [They laugh.] Wylie: So far, Joss Whedon and the Serenity panel, but Kevin Smith is up next so you never know. [It should be noted that by the end of Smith's panel the three were wiping tears from their eyes because they'd been laughing so hard. Guess it's a toss up.] WONDERCON 43 POWER PROS Having big-name talent in a neighborhood-style convention makes WonderCon the ideal location for seeing your favorite creators in person. The 2006 show is already looking to be spectacular, with these confirmed guests as of press time. WonderCon's 2006 Guest List Tops the Charts is also well known for her beautiful sketches and artwork. SERGIO ARAGON�S He's back! The fastest cartoonist on earth, Sergio ' 's Aragon�s, returns to WonderCon. The fan-favorite artist of Mad and Groo is a WonderCon perennial guest and will be featured on panels and sketching his heart out in Artists' Alley all weekend long. ' PETER DAVID One of the most popular writers in comics, Peter David is currently penning Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and X-Factor for Marvel Comics, while over at IDW he has Spike: Old Times and the return of his popular Fallen Angel series. Beyond the comics scene, David is also known for his many movie and TV tie-in novels, including works based on SpiderMan and Star Trek. RAMONA FRADON As one of the few female artists of the Silver Age at DC, Ramona Fradon is best known for her work on Aquaman and that wonky `60s creation, Metamorpho. A fan favorite at conventions, Ramona MIKE MIGNOLA Mike Mignola's quirky art and supernatural writing ' 's made the successful Hellboy comic book into a major 44 WONDERCON movie and household name. His career includes work for both DC and Marvel, plus a long-term, award-winning commitment to the big red guy with horns. TERRY MOORE Terry Moore's self-published Strangers In Paradise is ' 's an indy publishing success story, still going strong after more than 10 years. Terry will be on hand at WonderCon to tell fans what's next for Francine, ' 's Katchoo, and David. MARIE SEVERIN Marie Severin performed double duty at the legendary EC Comics, both as a colorist and the unofficial "conscience" of the publishing group. She " later began a long career penciling and coloring for Marvel, where she worked on The Incredible Hulk, Dr. Hulk Strange, the wacky Not Brand Ecch! and her stellar collaboration with her brother, John, on Kull the Conqueror. New guests are being added all the time! To find out the latest information, visit www.wondercon.org. February 10�12, 2006 Moscone Center West, San Francisco Discounted admission tickets are available at select Bay Area comic stores. Please visit www.comic-con.org for a list of those participating. WONDERCON 45 SAN FRANCISCO MARRIOTT Reservation Request 55 Fourth Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 Reservations: 1-800-228-9290 or 415-896-1600 Reservations FAX: 415-442-0141 RESERVATIONS OPEN OCTOBER 21, 2005 The San Francisco Marriott looks forward to welcoming you! In making your reservation, we request that you guarantee your arrival by either. . . 1. Calling the reservation numbers above (have credit card info ready). 2. Enclosing a check or money order covering the first night's stay--room and tax charges. 3. Noting the entire number of your major credit card below (American Express, Diner's Club, Visa, Discover, or Mastercard). Be sure to include the expiration date and the cardholder's signature --mail or fax to Marriott. NOTE: Deposits will be refunded only if appropriate cancellation notification is given by 6 PM on the scheduled arrival date. The San Francisco Marriott regrets that the hotel cannot confirm your reservation without one of the above guarantee methods. Group Name: WONDERCON 2006 Meeting dates: Wed 2/8/06 - Tues 2/14/06 Check or money order enclosed for: Guest Name Firm Address City, State, Zip Daytime Phone Arrival Date Departure Date Sharing With (Only send one reservation request per form.) American Express Discover Card Mastercard Diner's Club Visa Credit Card Number Expiration Date Time Cardholder's Signature (Your signature authorizes the San Francisco Marriott to charge the above account for one room night if the appropriate cancellation notice has not been given to the San Francisco Marriott by 6 pm on the scheduled arrival date.) Group room rates (Please check) Single/Double $139.00 + tax (14%) Triple $159.00 + tx Quad $179.00 + tx Request Room Type One King Bed Two Double Beds Non-Smoking Room No Preference Special Requests: Cut off date: January 18, 2006 A limited number of rooms have been reserved for selected date --February 8�14, 2006. Reservation requests are accepted on a first come, first served basis. Once the room block has been filled, rooms may be available at the hotel's best available rate. Rooms may be available after the cut-off date, but not necessarily at the group rate. Roll-aways and suites are available. Call Reservations for details! Help us help you! Check in: 4 PM Check out: 12 noon MAGNIFICENT MASQUERADE Inaugural Event Quells Public Panic First-time convention events are always risky. Will the fans be interested? Will participants show up? Will the scent of Chevy's chicken fajita dinner lure people away from the Convention Center? Yes, the irrational concerns are endless. But all fears were laid to rest at WonderCon with its inaugural masquerade competition in 2005, where over 600 audience members eagerly entered the Moscone Center to witness scores of talented contestants parade across a stage and display their bedecked bodies. With 30 entries, everything from superheroes to Star Wars was represented, and the excitement generated at this first show is being continued into 2006. Facts For (Costumed) Figures � The WonderCon Masquerade is free to both the audience and contestants; you just need your WonderCon membership to participate. � A panel of guest judges gives trophies to the most outstanding entries in several categories, including Best in Show, Judges' Choice, Best Re-Creation, Best Workmanship, Best Young Fan, and others. Cuddles The Cuddlefish, worn by � Entrants can include groups or single individuals. Mark Murillo, was named "Best In � Any genre is accepted for competition. � Having a soundtrack and an idea of how you're going to present yourShow" at the 2005 WonderCon. self on stage is wise. Contestants who aren't prepared usually flounder and die; well, not literally, but you get the idea. � All costumes must be handmade, not purchased or commercially obtained, because this isn't a contest highlighting your shopping skills. Want to play along? If last year is any indication, spaces could fill up fast, so for more info and to obtain an advance entry form, e-mail to email@example.com, fax to 619-414-1022, or send a regular U.S. mail letter to: Masquerade Coordinator, WonderCon, P.O. Box 128458, San Diego, CA 92112-8458. B. Brown � SDCC SAN FRANCISCO We're pleased to announce that the beautiful San Francisco Marriott has become WonderCon's host hotel for 2006. Located in the heart of downtown San Francisco and closer to Moscone Center West, the hotel features their stunning Garden Terrace restaurant serving regional specialties all day long and The View Lounge, which offers sweeping perspectives of the city and bay. It's a magical setting you won't want to miss. All rates are listed on the adjacent hotel form. Either fill that out and send it to the Marriott, or call them directly at 1-800-228-9290. When booking, you must mention WonderCon to get the convention rate. But hurry, rooms book up fast and the cut-off date is January 18, 2006. MARRIOTT Your Hero Headquarters WONDERCON 47 WONDERFUL WONDERCON ATTENDEES Andrea: . . . and X-Men Kyle: Yeah, X-Men! YOU MUST BE KYLE'S GIRLFRIEND. [They laugh and admit that she is. For his part, Kyle is buzzing with energy.] Kyle: I haven't collected in about ten years, but I used to collect all the time. Probably some of my old favorites aren't even around anymore, but we'll see. I'm really excited. WHAT ARE YOU HERE TO SEE? Kyle: Pretty much the dealers to just look at the comics and maybe buy a few. We might see someone speak but I don't really know what the schedule is. [TO THE OTHER THREE.] OKAY, SERIOUSLY, NOT THAT WE MIND BUT WHY DID YOU TAG ALONG? Tom: I'm not a huge comic book fan but I know my friend Kyle is and I figured I could learn a thing or two . . . and to stay out of the rain. Andrea: Yeah, get out of the rain. STATS: Collin, Tom, Andrea, and Kyle FROM: Oakland, CA FIRST-TIME CONVENTION GOERS? Everyone but Kyle; he's trying to convert them. SO KYLE, WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE COMICS? Kyle: Preacher, the Spider-Man titles, I'm a big Green Preacher Lantern fan . . . STATS: David and Anne Marie Steiger PROFESSION: David creates abstract fine art while Anne Marie is an illustrator. FROM: Monterey, CA HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT WONDERCON? David: We saw on the Serenity [movie] website that the actors were going to be here, so that was our main impetus in coming. AND THEN YOU CAME AND WERE BLOWN AWAY BY ALL THE COOL STUFF! David: I was, actually. I collected comics when I was younger and I gave them up in my 20s, but coming here brought back a lot of memories. I'm looking through the [Exhibit Hall] thinking, Oooh, maybe I should buy this! WHAT DID YOU END UP BUYING? Anne Marie: I got Little Scrowlie Marie and the illustrator is Jennifer Feinberg. [Feinberg created the book with Todd Meister.] She was here, she signed it for me, and even made a cute little drawing for me inside. I love her style, and even though I came for the talks about the movies and to see Kevin Smith, just going on the floor is a lot of fun. I found two animated Disney lenticulars [which create 3-D film-like scenes on a heavy paper stock]. They're so fun and cute and my niece is not getting them until I die. WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA FOR THE REST OF THE DAY? David: We're going to the Masquerade and checking out the Star Wars fan films. And this is our first fan convention of any sort. BUT NOW IT MIGHT NOT BE YOUR LAST . . . ? Anne Marie: That's right! 48 WONDERCON MOSCONE CENTER, SAN FRANCISCO FEBRUARY 10-12, 2006 Full Membership At-the-Door Prices Adult 3-Day Pass Adult 1-Day Pass Children under 12 free with paying adult $35.00 $15.00 Pre-Registration Prices Please check one only Must be postmarked by JANUARY 20, 2006 Children under 12 free with paying adult Note: All prices subject to change. Adult 3-Day Pass Adult 1-Day Pass $30.00 $12.00 Children under 12 free with PAID adult membership. Forms postmarked or faxed after January 20, 2006 will NOT BE PROCESSED. No e-mail registration will be accepted. ONLY ONE MEMBERSHIP PER FORM PLEASE. THIS FORM MAY BE COPIED. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY 2006 Badge # Check # Total Amount $ Check One Adult 3-Day Adult Single Day Online registration is also available and is open as of October 21, 2005 at https://www.interactiveticketing.com/tickets/comicon_wondercon_2006/ First Name Last Name Company Name Address City State Zip Phone Fax Payment Type Check or Money Order Visa MasterCard American Express Please make checks and money orders payable to WONDERCON. Credit Card Number Signature Do not write below this line - Office use only Expiration Date Comic-Con International PO Box 128458 San Diego, CA 92112-8458 www.comic-con.org NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION US POSTAGE PAID COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL Comic-Con International Update #3 � 2005