Came back from the Philadelphia Wizard World convention. Certainly the liveliest turn-out I’ve seen at a con in some time. And the facilities were large enough to contain the crowd without things getting overpopulated.
I went down with Kathleen and Caroline (Ariel spending the weekend with her mom). Many people asked after Ariel, which was nice, and there were many “oooohs” and “aaaahs” over the baby. Saturday night Kathleen went out with a group of convention attendees including Maggie Thompson, Elayne and Robin Riggs, and Leah Adezio (admirably keeping things together in the wake of her recent loss). I willingly volunteered to go back to the hotel with the baby; not a great sacrifice, as my voice was completely gone and I was utterly exhausted.
Ken Knudsen, artist of “My Monkey’s Name is Jennifer” was set up two tables down and was true to the promise he made in the back inside cover of his comic’s most recent issue by giving me a vodka shot. I downed it and then remembered I didn’t drink. Fortunately it didn’t blast back up and out my nose.
The table was back-to-back with Mart and Carrie Nodell, whom it’s always great to see. Jim Salicrup stopped by as did, ten minutes later, Danny Fingeroth, so it was like Marvel old-home week. Met my editor on Captain Marvel, Andy Schmidt, who bears a striking resemblance to Riley from “Buffy.” Or maybe Richie Cunningham. I haven’t decided yet.
Lots of interest in “Fallen Angel” as people paged through the first five issues which I had out in various forms on my table. I signed comics steadily from 10 AM through 4 in the afternoon on Saturday (lighter turnout Sunday) and I have to admit, I was surprised. I wasn’t in most of the adverts (not their fault; I didn’t sign on until late) and yet I had steady business. So that was nice.
PAD
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Sounds like you had a good time, even with losing your voice. Hopefully at Dragon*Con, you’ll be able to keep talking longer even after running from one hotel to the other and back just to get to panels on time.
For those that have not had the pleasure of seeing PAD “on stage”. He gives a lively talk and is very good about answering audience questions.
I’m sure you remember me…I was there last year and you looked right at me and answered me. Hopefully, this year I’ll be able to come up with another question for you…and it won’t involve politics. : )
I’m sure he’s a very good speaker in live shows too, and I certainly hope to see PAD interviewed on cable TV in an interview oneday, whether it be on MTV or FOX cable news or even CBS’ own programs. Plus many other writers and artists too! 🙂
Peter, do you know if you’ll be coming out to a convention in Minnesota any time soon?
I _thought_ you sounded scratchy!
Looking forward to hearing you at your best at Philcon.
Peter,
Glad you had such a good time. I would have loved to meet you, Kathleen and the baby, but of course, I didn’t go.
Not to scare you or anything, but one day I’ll pop up at one of these cons or book signings, introduce myself , and give you a look at the face of the person who disagrees with you so much, but still thinks you’re a wonderful person and a great writer.
It was truly great seeing you there this weekend, Peter! It was a real thrill having the chance to talk with you at dinner on Friday. It made my weekend.
I will be seeing you at Philcon in December (and don’t forget, the con is buying you dinner on Saturday… my treat!), and we will have a table at Shore Leave, too, so I will probably see you there.
And BTW… Caroline is SOOOOOOO CUUUUUUUUUUTE! 🙂
Hugh Casey
Chair, Philcon 2003
Hey Peter, glad you had a good experience here in Philly…enjoyed meeting you, Kathleen and Caroline…how come you weren’t at the “Expanding the DC Universe” panel? I would have liked to have heard more about “Fallen Angel”
This if off-topic but I was wondering what PAD thought of the most recent Dixie Chicks flap. Natalie decided to proclaim her dissatisfaction for Toby Keith on national TV by wearing a t-shirt that said F.U.T.K. While I may not agree with her views on teh President I supported her right to voice them. However, when she brings a petty argument with a fellow artist (who was just voicing his opinions) to on a Country Music awards shows I have to question her maturity.
PAD,
Will you be attending the Toronto Con this year? I had a blast a couple of years back with your live reading of Supergirl 50. Hope we can see you again.
PAD,
I just read the comicbook adaptation of the new Hulk movie & it looks like it’s gonna be pretty good. I see you wrote the novelization, so I’ll need to pick that up. 😉 Anyhoozle, I think this movie (or at least the comic adaptation) actually makes a great origin story for the “ultimate” version of the Hulk. Whadda you think?
I wish the movie’s story was the lead in to the Ultimate Hulk. It’s a billion times better than the crappy version Mark Millar has in “The Ultimates.” I mean come on; the Hulk eating people? Bruce Banner a completely unsympathetic, slimy character? If Mallar’sversion is what the Ultimate Hulk would be like, I’d rather they just not go there.
Oh a different topic, PAD, I reread your “Phantom” miniseries; so far, you’ve done the best version of the Phantom I’ve read. It’s much better than the DC series that ran after it and the horrible Marvel series that happened a few years later.
On another totally unrealted note:
LORENZO F&(*&*(&*(ING LAMAS on Angel?
Maybe he’ll die in the first episode.
Travis
>>LORENZO F&(*&*(&*(ING LAMAS on Angel?
Maybe he’ll die in the first episode.<<
Hadn’t heard that one – has anyone else read the completely cool, but entirely unsubstantiated rumor about how Spike comes back over at aint-cool-news?
First of all you were good at the Con..i myself was way too shy to come up to you myself, but thats neither here nor there.
The main reason for writing this is just a simple plea, a short while ago you took a pretty big jab at President Bush in Captain Marvel, now i’m all for political jabs in comic form, but one like that (ie. blatently obvious) almost made me drop the book. That would have broken my heart, as i’ve been a constant reader of your work since the start of your Hulk run, following your writing wherever it took me. I recently had the same problem with JLA (which i DID drop from my pull list, but thats another story) Maybe i’m talking just to hear myself speak. Perhaps i’m rambling a tad. But the point is i’m NOT asking you to censor yourself at all, just know that it nearly broke the heart of this dyed-in-the-war Peter David fan.
^^^ i meant “dyed-in-the-WOOL”
Re: The Angel season Opener stuff on AICN. The script is totally bogus. It was a writing sample done by a scriptwriter to show his work and was sent around as a writing sample only. Nothing to do with Mutant Enemy Productions. Not even intended to get into their hands since when writing a sample script, you don’t do one for the show you are pitching to, but generally do one for another current popular show.
Back to the sbject of Cons…
Peter is a good speaker and a good guest to have at a con. Just don’t expect comic fans to turn out in droves for a regular science fiction convention, unfortunately. But 50 LARPer’s showing up to game and buying full memberships definitely helps the bottom line.
Lee Whiteside
LepreCon 28 Chair (with Peter as Author GoH)
CopperCon 23 Chair (Where we are experimenting with a Farscape actor or two to see what kind of a draw they are – http://www.coppercon.org).
The main reason for writing this is just a simple plea, a short while ago you took a pretty big jab at President Bush in Captain Marvel, now i’m all for political jabs in comic form, but one like that (ie. blatently obvious) almost made me drop the book.
If by a “pretty big jab” you mean Entropy’s comment over how the current occupant of the White House does everything he does for two reasons–to please his father, and to outdo his father thus validating himself–I don’t see that as a jab. I see that as a reasonable psychological assessment put forward by a comic book character.
What, you’re saying W is NOT out to please his father?
PAD
listen, of course i’m not suggesting Bush doesn’t want to please his father (every child does) but i refuse to believe that all the decisions he has made since he’s been in office have been motivated by some kind of “daddy envy”. I have a brother still in Iraq & perhaps that colored my reaction to that particular panel. I just was let down that you felt that way.
Slight correction – Maggie didn’t actually go out to dinner with us, although she and Leah had a very wonderful and, I think, much needed chat as we were walking out the exhibition hall. We were, however, joined by Nick Cardy (whom Leah understandably idolizes; who doesn’t?), his niece and her mother. Mr. Cardy picked the restaurant in Chinatown, which turned out to be an excellent choice.
And I took a lovely picture of Caroline, which I’ll e-mail you under separate cover. Warning, it’s only 300 dpi so while I’m sure it’s web-worthy I’m not certain how sharply it’ll repro in print.
Well you can take W’s motivation as out to please Daddy, or please the oil barons. At least the one makes him human.
BTW, I like the story of the creator of “My Monkey’s Name is…”…lots of “independent” guys like to take shots at Peter David..It’s nice to see one giving a shot.
I was able to make it to the con on Sunday. I’m glad I was able to stop by your table. Caroline is a cutie!
I didn’t look very far into the Fallen Angel pages at the time; I like surprises, and am willing to wait for them. But what I *did* read (up to the very cool sniper scene in #1) makes me look forward to it even more.
Rob
Yeah, that Elayne Riggs is another person I want to meet. I want to know how she could have dropped a perfectly good last name like “Clark”, just to marry a comic book artist– and a Brit to boot!
Well you can take W’s motivation as out to please Daddy, or please the oil barons. At least the one makes him human.
You forgot Jews, to complete the whole inane conspiracy trifecta. As I’ve posted, the oil companies were against the war.
**If by a “pretty big jab” you mean Entropy’s comment over how the current occupant of the White House does everything he does for two reasons–to please his father, and to outdo his father thus validating himself–I don’t see that as a jab. I see that as a reasonable psychological assessment put forward by a comic book character.
What, you’re saying W is NOT out to please his father?
PAD**
Not at the expense of his country. That’s like smearing Jewish supporters of the war like Paul Wolfowitz as “Likudniks” Since Clinton also wanted regime change, does that make him Bush’s illegitimate son?
This is pointless, since George H.W. Bush was incensed at the suggestion that he left the job unfinished.
Jim Burdo