Comic-Con 1992, Part 1

Originally published September 11, 1992, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #982

In past years I’ve run a journal of my activities at the San Diego Comic Con.

But since I already did a journal-type column this year for my trip to Glasgow–and because I’m starting to wonder if anyone really gives a dámņ about every single step I take when I’m out in California–I figure that this go-around I’ll simply discuss incidents and highlights, and not necessarily in any particular order. Just to keep things hopping.

* * *

I stopped in Los Angeles before the convention and got together with one of the producers of Star Trek: The Next Generation, with whom I’d gotten friendly at a convention. Despite the number of people who have urged that I go in for a formal pitch session, this was more of a general visit/get together/chat.

During the course of my stay there, I was invited (okay, I actually pleaded) to see rushes (initial, unedited film) from the episode they were presently shooting. At the time I promised I’d keep mum about it, but since then it was written up in USA Today, so it’s hardly a state secret anymore. The episode involves Montgomery Scott, chief engineer of that other Enterprise, and his being discovered in a sort of transporter stasis by Picard, Riker, et al.

As a result, we don’t see Doohan buried under several tons of latex, as we did when McCoy toddled through the premiere. Furthermore, because it was unedited film, I had the opportunity to see lengthy sequences just focused on Doohan, even when others were speaking. I was extremely impressed with his reactions–particularly his inability to cover up his shock when Worf walks in. To me, it was reminiscent of the original Trek episode, “Tomorrow is Yesterday,” in which the time-displaced Enterprise beams an airforce pilot aboard… and the pilot does a lengthy take when he first sees Spock.

Seeing Doohan as the focal point was a reminder of how talented some of those actors can be, and what a shame it is that they have (a) been largely ignored by Hollywood and (b) been largely given short shrift in most of the movies.

“The Relic.” The fourth episode of the new season. From the little I’ve seen of it, I nevertheless highly recommend it.

* * *

Stopped at Disneyland and saw “Fantasmic,” the new show in Frontierland. A combination of Laser effects (giant projected images of animated sequences from the films), pyrotechnics, actors on floating platforms and ships, and extremely loud music. A dazzling show, but mobbed like nothing I’ve ever seen.

A tip for anyone planning to go: The park attendants will tell you that the best view is to be had from in front of the Haunted Mansion. Horsefeathers. I was standing in front of Pirates of the Caribbean, on the opposite side from the Mansion, and I saw everything just fine. The reason they urge you to go to the Haunted Mansion is–in my opinion–because the Mansion is the farthest point into Frontierland.  That way they can keep people moving for as long as possible, and cram as many people as possible into Frontierland.

The disadvantage of heading all the way to the Haunted Mansion is that it will take you forever to get out of Frontierland.

If you’re planning to videotape it, the show itself provides enough light that it will come out even in the darkness. But get there an hour and a half early if you want decent seating. Otherwise–unless you’re really tall–you’ll get lots of heads blocking out your camera view.

* * *

Although this was the second year the San Diego Comic Con was at the new convention center, it’s my first time there. The place is huge beyond belief. The only time I’ve seen a dealer’s room this huge is at a World Science Fiction Convention. The upside is that there’s no feeling of claustrophobia. The downside is that there’s no feeling of intimacy.

I never do get a chance to see the entire dealer’s room. This is partly due to the fact that, at any given time, I’m able to take approximately five steps–maybe six–before someone stops me for any variety of reasons. There are some people who I know are at the convention, and I never get to see them. On the other hand, there are other people who I keep running into. Naturally, most of the latter are people I’d rather not see.

* * *

I’ve never spent much money on meals at conventions. In my fan days, it was because a day’s worth of nutrition would be derived from a box of Poptarts and a six pack of soda.  In those days I would be one of nine people sleeping in a room, either in a sleeping bag or on a box spring.

At San Diego, I still don’t spend much money on meals. Most of the time publishers are picking up the tab. And the only time I have anyone in my room for any real length of time is Julie Schwartz, who chats for half an hour one late evening about a variety of things, all of them fascinating.

Sometimes I can’t believe my life.

* * *

I try something completely different. I’ve done readings of my work before, but it’s always been from novels. At San Diego, when I’m offered time to do readings, I decide I’ll cater to the comics crowd and read some of my comic book plots. I write fairly densely (being fairly dense myself) and my plots always seem like short stories written in the present tense anyway. So I figure I’ll take a shot at it. The worst that happens is that it flops and I don’t do it again.

I bring along five plots–two from Aquaman and three from Spider-Man 2099. I have no idea how long reading one of them out loud will take, and figure I might even have time left over.

It takes a lot longer than I thought. In the allotted hour, I read two: The first Aquaman and the first Spidey. It seems to go over well. The audience laughed in the right places, and seemed involved throughout. Of course, for all I know, they were being polite.  I always assume that people are talking about me behind my back.

This, of course, is groundless paranoia.

Sure.

Kathy Li, a friend I made through the computer nets (and who was the character and visual inspiration for a like-named character during my run on the Star Trek comic) tapes the whole thing. She promises to dupe it for me–and on Sunday, good as her word, hands me a copy.

* * *

I chat with folks at Diamond Comics and learn, to my shock, that Spider-Man 2099 #1 is the top selling comic, industry-wide, for the month of September.

Being Jewish, I naturally feel guilty about it.

* * *

I’m fascinated by the number of pros I run into who are ostensibly my enemies in print, with whom I have perfectly congenial conversations and relations during the course of the convention. John Byrne and I sit side-by-side on a panel about shared universes, chatting quietly with each other while others speak. Don Simpson swings by to say hello while I’m at the Marvel table. Jim Valentino thanks me for saying nice things about normalman in the course of my “Cool World” column. I sign a copy of my Trek novel, Vendetta, for Rob Liefeld’s girlfriend.

Of course, for all I know, everyone then walks away muttering, “What a jerk,” but I’d like to think not.

No, instead I think it underscores the point that, when I write about people in this column–even when I’m being critical–I’m not criticizing the people, but rather the things they say. There’s a big difference. When you disagree with someone face-to-face, it’s called a spirited conversation. When you do it in print, it’s called a feud.

It’s one of the reasons that I think a convention for the professionals-only would be very positive.

This philosophy carries through when, on Sunday, a meeting is held to discuss that very thing. Mike Friedrich had called me shortly after that column first appeared, to tell me that he’d been trying to pull something like this together for the past five years. So naturally he is more than happy to work as spearhead for the thing, particularly since getting it into a public forum such as BID has gotten large numbers of people talking about it.

The Con folks were kind enough to allot us some space where a group of us gather to discuss the matter. By the end of what has got to be one of the most productive first meetings I’ve ever attended on any subject, we’ve worked out the basics of where, when, and how for the very first ProCon. This being comics, Mike has naturally come up with a logo. Henceforth, ProCon is to be written as Pro/Con.

It is necessary, of course, to try and keep it somewhat low profile. I will simply say that any comics professional reading this column will likely be hearing details within the next two months.

* * *

In one ways, this is one of the more downbeat conventions for me. It’s the first San Diego Con I’ve attended since Carol Kalish died. Also–as has been widely discussed–Seduction of the Innocent is not there. (Indeed, there was more publicity about Seduction’s not playing there this year than there was about their playing there previous years, methinks.)

So many previous SDCCs, I’ve attended the Inkpot awards ceremony, sitting at Carol’s table. After that I’ve gone to the dance which, for the past few years anyway, had always had Seduction playing. With Carol not there and Seduction not there, I blow off the entire Friday night festivities. Why go and be depressed?

Instead I go to Horton Plaza and have dinner with a group of pros and friends. Among them is Bob Greenberger (who graciously picks up the tab on DC’s behalf) and Paul Dini, with whom I reminisce about Carol. It helps take some of the sting out of it.

* * *

Comment heard second-hand: Two fans discussing the talent of Adam Kubert, and one of them says, “I hear his father does some drawing, too.”

* * *

Running tight on space, and I haven’t even had the opportunity to discuss the “Do Artists Need Writers” panel, which had lots of people coming up to me and saying, “Boy, this’ll give you material for your column, won’t it.”

Next week, then.

(Peter David, writer of stuff, apparently need never worry about obtaining blank barf bags for his puppet collection. At least half a dozen fans handed me some. Not only that, but when I brought one for Sergio to do, he informed me that four people had already brought him barf bags to draw on. I guess I should have seen that coming.)