And so here we were – at the fabled San Diego Comic Con.
I’ve seen some big shows (NAB in Las Vegas probably topping the list) but this is just something else.
The beauty of the whole thing is that it’s for the fans – from the gigantic pimped out booths to the sprawling hordes of costumed aficionados. The 4 days were one big celebration of all things sci-fi, fantasy, comics, anime, popular entertainment culture and above all, the untouchable joy of pure, absolute fandom.
What amazed me most were the speaker panels. There must have been at least a hundred, probably more. I could only attend a few, and none of the ‘big’ ones such as the Watchmen and The Spirit panels cause the crowds were just impossible. But even those I attended fed the soul like chicken soup for a cold.
That’s what special about the Con – you hear from the folks actually creating the work – artists, writers, production designers, animators. Some are young and genuinely brilliant; others older but speak with such reverence (often about the fundamentals of the craft) it’s hard not to be captivated.
Just listening to Stan Lee talk about the creation of Iron Man and his process that led to the character’s development was a fascinating and unforgettable experience.
From left: Mark Fergus (Iron Man co-writer), Zak Penn (Incredible Hulk writer), Stan Lee, Jeff Goldsmith (Creative Screenwriting Magazine)
It’s certainly an energizing change from the usual business conferences where network executives talk about stuff that more often than not feel rehashed.
Comic Con was everything I’ve been told it is and more. It’s an awe-inspiring experience that affirms the wonders of imagination and celebrates the child inside every person that never grows up. It’s an event every creator in the field of popular entertainment (or otherwise) should attend at least once, with costume or not.
Sign me up for 2009. I might just bring along my lightsaber the next time.
