Monday, May 1, 2017

COASTING

Had a wonderful weekend at the East Coast Comicon, spending time with old friends (everyone from Bob Budiansky to Marv Wolfman, Ann Nocenti to Danny Fingeroth), meeting many wonderful fans and generally having a fine time.  

The highlights of the weekend were the two anniversary panels celebrating the 30th of both Kraven's Last Hunt and Justice League International.  For Kraven, we had just about the entire creative team together for the first time ever and for JLI—well, I never get tired of spending time with Giffen and Maguire.   

There'll be more JLI and Kraven anniversary fun in August at Terrificon and I'm looking forward to continuing the celebrations.

With my fellow Stooges, "Moe" Giffen and "Curly" Maguire


These guys looked so familiar, but I couldn't quite place them.


The Kraven Crew: Bob McLeod, JMD, Mike Zeck, Rick Parker and Jim Salicrup


Kraven conversations


My dear pal, and longtime Spider-editor, Danny Fingeroth.  (Maguire looks askance in the background)

18 comments:

  1. Great meeting you JM! Thanks for signing all of our items. My daughters and I had a blast. It was my youngest daughters first Comic Con and it was definitely memorable. I'd say the show was absolutely family friendly, don't you agree?

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    1. It was a genuine pleasure, George! Glad your daughters enjoyed themselves. And, yes, it was a family friendly con. Had an old-fashioned (in the best sense of the word) convention vibe.

      Hope to see you again at another one!

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  2. As for your second photo caption, and not being able to place them, I'm pretty sure that the guy in the back is Nighthawk.

    Jack

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    1. How dd you get that top picture of Chico, Groucho, and Harpo? Ghosts even came to that show.


      Jack

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    2. Harpo clearly left his wig home.

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  3. One more thing, I really hope the people in that general area appreciate that show. Motor City COMIC con is a few weeks a way and very little comic talent is showing up.

    I would kill for just one or two off that list...
    -Keith Giffen
    -Larry FREAKIN' Leiber
    -Fabian Nieczia
    -Ann Nocenti
    -Denny O'Neil
    -Marv Wolfman
    -Ken Bald
    -Don McGregor

    Detroit is considered the birth place of fandom, and we don't have have anywhere near that much talent at our biggest show in 4 years (though there have been some great talent and I am glad they came). Comics have become an after thought. How sad is that.

    My God. I'm jealous of New Jersey, how sad is THAT?


    Jack

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    1. It really was an amazing group of creators. We got Larry Lieber drunk and he confessed that he created every Marvel character and that Stan, Kirby and Ditko stole all his ideas. (Okay, I just made that up.)

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    2. Motor City Comic Con is no longer the show it once was. I do remember getting my Compleat Moonshadow signed by some fella there. Now it feels like a Walking Dead Con

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    3. This was my first year ever at East Coast Comic Con and I loved it. It did have some big name cancellations, but even with that I was so very glad to meet who I did this past weekend. All that being said, the East Coast Show was just a drop in the bucket compared to the Baltimore Show. The Baltimore show is the nicest comic book convention I've ever been to in my life and I've been attending them since the 1980s. If you get a chance you should consider going to it. I don't see JMD's name on the list yet, but I've met him there in years past.

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  4. I assume that when you met up with all of these old pals, you told them how they haven't lived until they did a comic show in Detroit.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZk1CvsDSZc

    Jack

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  5. Possibly a silly question, Mr D, but have you, Giffen and Maguire ever attended a UK con? Would you consider it?

    I'd get out of bed early for that one! :)


    Karlos

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    1. Not a silly question at all, Karlos. Last time I attended a UK was back in the 80s...and I'd love to come back (if the offer was right). Can't speak for Keith or Kevin.

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  6. Well, if you - or all three! - ever do visit our humble shores I'm sure it'd go down a storm, Mr D. I'd certainly be in attendance!

    Congrats once again on the 30th anniversary of JLI and Kraven - truly, two 80's (or anytime, for that matter) classics!

    Karlos

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    1. Thank you, Karlos! And here's hoping a trip to England is in the future.

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  7. I attended the East Coast Comic Con again this year (2018). Sorry you weren't there JM. It's always a genuine pleasure spending a few minutes with you. In fact whenever I have my children with me at a con, I always seek you out first because they are super shy and you're always so friendly and approachable. It helps to ease their nerves when they get to interact with you and see how friendly all the creators really are.

    I think this years show was even better than last year. The organizers did a great job of bringing in new creators to keep the show fresh for long time attendees. Kieth Giffen was there but it made me sad to see him without you. Also, a few of your KLH collaborators were there (Zeck, Salicrup, Parker). It would've been great to see you but I know you have a busy con schedule this year already.

    Anyway, it was great meeting some all time greats like Joe Sinnott, Roy Thomas, Larry Lieber, Jim Starlin and Howard Chaykin...along with some West Coast folks I've never met before in my life like Richard and Wendy Pini, and Thomas Yeates.

    Maybe you'll be back next year? Hopefully so, because by then your Constantine Animated movie will be out on blu-ray and I'll need you to autograph my copy.

    Thanks!

    George

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    1. I was sorry I couldn't attend this year, George. I had a con the previous weekend and there just wasn't time. Next year, I hope. I really enjoyed myself last year: it's a fun con, run by good people.

      Sounds like they had a great roster of talent, too!

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