New York Comic Con 2008

Updated April 20th, 2008 - By Eric "Renderking" Fisk

I had a great time on two fronts - I spent time with some of the guys from the best website for The Retro Revolution in an environment that's inclusive for everyone with-in genre of SF/Fantasy-Adventure. There were so many things to see and do that we could dedicate a whole new website to what was there. I'll be hosting links to people's work that I was introduced to there in the days to come...

This really was an adventure for me because I hardly ever go to New York City, or go anywhere with out my wife and kids, period. This was more of a "Boy's night out" for some of us and there's so many great things to write about in regards to just hanging out with these characters we call "Fed Chron'ers." Seriously - if you get the chance to meet any other fellow forum members, DO SO! The people who populate this site board are the best, brightest and funniest.

Because of this event I now think Science Fiction has really turned a page and closed a dark chapter in the genre's history. I know that some people will correct me and say that this was a COMIC convention and not a SF one... I have to say that comics are the medium in which some of the best SF is published. This convention had a greater diversity then any other convention I've ever been to in a long time - populated by folks who were from many social and economic groups and not dominated by the Stereo-Typical dorky looking Wonder-Bread Anglo-CyberSapiens. This was a really hip crowd.

There wasn't nearly enough material for the Up-Coming Indiana Jones movie at this convention. The release is just a few weeks away and it was almost as if it's a huge secret. [It's Iron Man's time to shine? There's no time for audiences 'love, Dr. Jones?!?]

Again there was just too much going on all at once and it was pretty overwhelming at times. I didn't find a program until we were almost ready to go and there were some events that I would have loved to have covered for you guys but didn't know they were happening until they were over.

Comic Con put on a great show, but for an audience member you really have to get a program in advance (or read it on-line) to get the most out of it. This isn't anything like the conventions I went to 10 years ago.

Battlestar Galactica - The Final Season

I got more out of this panel despite being a long-time Star Wars/Indiana Jones fan. This is when I figured out that Science Fiction as a genre had really come back to it's roots while realizing it's potential after being held down for too long by a franchise who will not be named.

Before I go any further - If you have no idea what this new version of Battlestar Galactica is about, feel free to skip this section. (I just can't write a synopsis of this show, there's just so much going on, it's a very realistic Military Drama set in space with touches of "Frankenstein" and "The Fugitive," with some edgy social commentary and questions about what does it really mean to be alive...)

The stars that showed up for this panel - Michael Hogan (Col. Saul Tigh), Rekha Sharma (Tory Foster) and Michael Trucco (Sam Anders) - spoke a lot about how this series is something they're really proud of and how it's also an allegory to what's going on in the world now, and how the series is staying grounded by keeping the characters flawed and dark while at the same time not having too many "gee-wiz" gadgets that tend to bog other SF Television shows bogged down. The show is able to deal with issues that other shows can't because it's "Science Fiction with out the over-the-top made-up science." As one of the actors said, it's television that provokes and it's a reminder of how good the medium can be when programming executives get out of the way...

There was also talk from Mark Stern, Sci-Fi Channel's Executive VP of Original Programming about this show coming to an end and being at a loss trying to figure out how to replace "Battlestar" after it leaves the network and there will be no new episodes to air. He noted that this was the first time a show ever cancelled that network, it's always been the other way around till now. [As an aside, Mark Stern should fire those responsible for making the incredibly awful 'Flash Gordon' series... if he wants any credibility with the audience.]

There was this moment in the middle of this seminar when I realized that Science Fiction has really turned a the last page of the really dark chapter it's been in for the past few decades. Sitting in the front row with the rest of the press who were attending that convention, I looked at the crowd that was sitting in attendance and realized that maybe Science Fiction was hip and gritty again, picking up where most hard-core fans left off before "Franchise Mania" took over in the late 1980's and early 1990's. These weren't the Trekkies you might instantly associate with conventions of this kind, these were some down-to-earth (pardon the expression) fans of the genre.

I was glad to be there, despite only being a casual fan (I don't threaten to open up my wrists if I miss a show...) and despite geeking out over fellow fans with nothing really relevant for fellow Retro's, I was proud to be there when Michael Hogan led the chant from the show "So Say We All."

I hope Mr. Stern was paying attention to what happened when he was there, and I hope he tells the other Executives with-in his circle of friends that they need to realize that when you create a show that doesn't pander to just the hard-core fans and lets the writing and the production stand on it's own, the show will find an audience who will remain loyal to the end. Intelligent people gravitate towards intelligent shows. I don't agree with everything that happens on "Battlestar" and there are some aspects that I could live with out, but the good writing wins out over the negative aspects of the show and I can forgive the show's creator Ron Moore just in time for before every new episode.

The Lucas Film Seminar.

I like Steve Sandsweet as a person. I once saw a documentary of his home where he's converted a large chuck of it as a museum to Star Wars and other LucasFilm Collectibles. He seems like one of us and his job is something that any of us would envy - Imagine being able to devote your home to a hobby that you love and then get hired eventually to be the "spokesperson" of the company that's responsible for your passion... he seems to be a very well balanced and adjusted guy in spite of his windfall, someone we would enjoy having on our forum.

Which is why I'm sorry and I regret to inform Retro's everywhere that there wasn't much in the way of information about "Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull" from Mr. Sandsweet during the lengthy seminar he hosted at this Comic Con. Steve Sandsweet took the stage and said a few things about the final box-set for The Young Indiana Jones and showed us the longer version of the trailer that's been on the internet for more then a couple of weeks now. [I've only seen the TV-Promo version, I've been in "Crystal Skull" news black-out mode and I was very happy to see this version on a big screen.]

Mr. Sandsweet did give us the low-down on a new book that's an "all inclusive" look at Indiana Jones - both behind the scenes and a fictional filling-in the gaps between "The Last Crusade" and "Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull." Which makes me wonder - if they have enough material for a chapter or two about what Dr. Jones did between the late 1930's and the mid-1950's - couldn't they have just made movie based on that material through-out these years?

Once Mr. Sandsweet told us about "The Complete Making Of Indiana Jones" and a few words about the third box-set of "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles," - Mr. Sandsweet went into serious "Star Wars Overdrive" with news about the next video game: "The Force Unleashed," The Cartoon Network's "Clone Wars" but the best bit was saved for last: The DVD release of "Robot Chicken: Star Wars."

"The Force Unleashed" is a cross-platform video game that will be released in September, featuring a "first person" experience - the player of this game serves as an apprentice to Darth Vader and while learning the ways of "The Dark Side," the player will go on missions to undermine both the new Rebel Alliance and some aspects of The Galactic Empire. The trailer shown is apparently the same one that's been on the internet for a while, and it was great fun seeing it for the first time (for me) on a big screen.

This August there will actually be another Star Wars movie to hit the theaters: "The Clone Wars" that is actually a lead-in for the Cartoon Network weekly series... telling the story about what The Republic endured during the war with the Separatists in the years between "Attack Of The Clones" and "Revenge Of The Sith."

The highlight of this was a surprise visit from Seth Green and Matt Senreich - co-creators of "Robot Chicken" and the wicked master-minds of some of the best spoofs and parody's of Star Wars in recent memory. It's a long story, but because of their respect and love for the subject of Star Wars they were able to get George Lucas to perform as himself in a parody - George Lucas ranting to his therapist about how much he hates how the fans can't let go of how badly "The Star Wars Holiday Special" really was. Seth Green describes what it was like directing George Lucas and how he's really a good actor and has a bright future in voice over work.

From what I understand, the auditorium where this was held was filled with people who wanted to see everything there was to see about "Indiana Jones And The Crystal Skull." There were plenty of people who sat through the "Battlestar Galactica" panel just so they could have good seats to see Steve Sandsweet talk about "Crystal Skull." Obviously, there were some people there to listen to anything said about "Star Wars," but for the people who were there for Indiana Jones, staying there was more of an afterthought: "Let's see what they'll say about that, too... since we're already there..."

From what I gathered from the press area is that many of the people who arrived early and sat through the "Battlestar" panel even though they had never seen an episode. There were a lot of complaints and grumbling from the fans around us that there just wasn't enough about Indiana Jones, and that once again that franchise was over-shadowed by George Lucas's other "bigger" franchise. There were a lot of fans who were alienated by this.

Why does it seem that everyone seems to be down-playing "Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull?" Could it be that the movie is as bad as the title is long and they want to keep the movie as much of a mystery to insure box-office gold opening weekend?

Exhibitors Hall

Not for a lack of trying, but to be honest I didn't see everything I wanted to see. Let me explain why 3 hours weren't enough and why anyone who goes to this thing really needs a whole day with out other seminars to go to. There's just too much there and sensory over-load was universal experience for everyone I was with.

Walking around the exhibitor's hall, it's an tsunami of information and images and it was difficult for me to pick any one thing out that I wanted to see. I walked to one exhibition where someone was be selling retro-wares that Fedora Chronicles readers would be interested in, only to have something else catch my eye. This is not a place where people with a mild case of "AADS" should attend with out someone there to help try and discipline you. I could have used a choke chain with my wife holding me steady by the other end of the leash. I'm not saying you shouldn't go if you have the chance... go but attend for the whole weekend with plenty of time to see everything. 

By all means, go! Here's why: This was the first convention I had ever been to where all age groups were represented. This wasn't dominated by the pale white Anglo-Saxon mal-nourished loaves of Wonder Bread. Sticking with the grain and cereal analogy - this was the full spectrum of the bakery. Pumpernickel, Rye, Rice breads... I was happily surprised that there were so many different people from many different ethnic groups were there.

There were also the costumes. There was an over abundance of Asian Chicks in Catholic School Uniforms - I have no idea what that's about, but that's OK. There were also a lot of good looking men and women who wore costumes of their own that was a wonderful blend of SF, Fantasy and Mythology with the obvious Comic-Book characters. There were actually very few cheesy costumes!

There were also many comic book Insider jokes on T-Shirts, with other people who just seemed to have rolled out of bed, got showered and dressed before coming this event with out any thought as to dressing up for this event any more then they would for any other Saturday. I can't type this enough - this wasn't a parade of fan-boys and girls and the New York Comic Con for this year really ruined the stereo type about events like this being just for dorks.

Total lack of Star Trek costumes was also a huge help.

Applause For The Convention Staff...

Here's my final note on this convention in hopes that I can finally put this rant to bed. Who ever made this convention possible deserves a lot of credit and they get my respect for putting this together. I only wish I had known that I was going to be attending this event in advance so I could have known there were events like "The Spirit" panel that I could have covered for you. That's shaping up to be a movie that'll have more relevance to The Fedora Chronicles then Steve Sandsweet's presentation.

There was a lot of promotions for "Iron Man," as if it's just a given that movie is going to be the box-office champion and the presumptive Biggest Block-Buster of 2008 with out much for "Batman: The Dark Knight." There was also plenty of other "Genre Bending" or "Cross Genre" media there, I was introduced to some titles I had never seen before.

There was only one negative aspect to this show, but since it involves something that only relates to our sites and New York Comic-Con was only the setting... I'll save this for later. [Watch this space and I'll host a link...]

There's was plenty of items there to keep me occupied and plenty of things to buy if you have some disposable income lying around... too bad this wasn't held AFTER the Economic Stimulus checks arrived in the mail and the bank accounts.

Coverage by Doug Palumbo - "Webhead73" 

C.J. Henderson - Vintage Style Author, Critic, consultant. [Check out his website, please... this guy really deserves our support. This is the kind of work we love promoting on The Fedora Chronicles!]

Horror Comic Book News - Comic Monsters - Offers news and resources for horror comic books. Includes book reviews, interviews, and forums.