Category Archives: To Be Filed

• Watched John McCain's speech. You know, I'm starting to like people who don't get captured, too. Especially captured by the Tea Party.

A cat and dog getting together not like cats and dogs…

Amazingly, as I write this, the United States Senate is preparing to vote on a bill to repeal Obamacare and replace it with…well, nobody seems to know but a lot of Republican senators are certain to vote for it.  It's not certain they'll ever read it or know what's in it but they'll vote for it and Donald Trump has pledged to sign it, whatever it is.  Apparently, getting something done is more important than knowing what you're doing.

What do we need in this country in terms of health care?  Well, some people are saying "Medicare for All" but as Ed Kilgore explains, that's not what we need.  That wouldn't work very well without a lot of alteration of Medicare.

Chase Madar believes we need Universal Health Care and predicts that within five years, the American right will concur and we'll have it.  Read that article if you have time.  It's called "The Conservative Case for Universal Healthcare" and I like the line about how one reason they'll embrace it is because "If we switched to single payer or another form of socialized medicine, we would actually have more money to spend on even more useless military hardware."

Meanwhile, the newest prediction about what Trump will do seems to be that he'll dump Jeff Sessions as Attorney General, then make a recess appointment (no Congressional approval necessary) of someone who will shut down all investigations of anyone named Trump or anyone close to anyone named Trump. Yes, that's certainly the act of an innocent man. Jonathan Chait has more.

Matthew Yglesias says that Trump's approval rating is plunging. This may be so according to some polls but here at newsfromme.com, we're against poll-hopping. That's where you believe Poll A when it tells you what you want to hear and when it doesn't, you switch to Poll B which does. We're sticking with the 538 Aggregate, which currently has Trump at 39.0% Approval and 55.3% Disapproval. That's bad but it's not markedly worse than it's been for weeks. My feeling is that he's not going to lose a lot of his current supporters until such time as they see an alternative out there — someone they'd rather see in the White House in 2020.

You know, I'd forgotten how my body needs to sleep much of the day after I get home from Comic-Con. It could still use a few extra hours in a prone position.

Everyone thinks Saturday is the most crowded day at the con.  That was mathematically true back when the con didn't sell out other days but did on Saturday.  Now, at least in theory, it should be at capacity every day.  Still, Saturday does feel more packed, which is why I'm glad I have so many panels then to take me off the main floor.  In addition to the ones I'm mentioning, I dropped in on a few others for brief cameos.

Oh, before I forget, I have a photo from the Saturday morning Cartoon Voices panel…

Left to right, we have Josh Robert Thompson, Mick Wingert, Richard Horvitz, me, Grey Griffin, Kaitlyn Robrock and Jeff Bergman.  Moderator aside, this is a group of some of the most talented performers you'll ever see.  One of them is even the current voice of Bugs Bunny and I'll give you a hint: It ain't me, Doc.

Now then: As happens often at this con, I encountered some folks who have somehow decided that I am the official Complaint Department for Comic-Con. There is nothing I can do about the long lines except to suggest that maybe you don't have to stand in some of them. If the room for a given event seats 3000 and 3000+ people want to see it, there are going to be lines and someone may not get a good seat or any at all. That's simple math that applies not only at this con but everywhere, and Buckminster Fuller in his prime probably couldn't find a solution for that one. If you do, send it to the convention organizers…and maybe the Nobel Prize people while you're at it.

I had a couple of those on Saturday, including one guy who approaches me almost every year to kvetch that there aren't any panels about Golden Age comic book creators. This year, it went roughly like this…

ME: There are several panels this year about Jack Kirby and Will Eisner. Don't they count as Golden Age comic book creators? And there are panels on Reed Crandall and John Stanley and I think some others. I know there's at least one on the history of Wonder Woman.

HIM: No, I mean like the Golden Age Panels you used to do where they actually fly in the creators and you interview them? Why don't we still have those?

ME: Maybe because we don't still have enough of those people to do that. Aside from Stan Lee, who will only do events about his current projects, who at this convention worked in comics in the forties?

HIM: Well, they could have flown some people in.

ME: Names. I want names.

HIM: Well, I was thinking about Sam Glanzman. Now, I know you're going to say he died but that was just a few weeks ago. Why didn't they arrange a few months ago to fly him out?

ME: Let me get this straight. You're upset because they didn't try to bring in someone who would have been dead by now?

HIM: But they didn't know when he would die and they didn't try to get him. That's my point. Why didn't they try to get him as a guest a few months ago?

ME: A few months ago when he was in hospice care? You do understand that a man in his nineties, even if he's not dying, might have some limitations on his ability or even his desire to travel…

HIM: Okay, maybe Glanzman couldn't but I'm sure there are others who are able to travel.

ME: Names. I want names.

HIM: Hey, don't stick me with this. You're the expert.

Yeah, there are a few but not enough to have great panels like we once did. I don't know…I just don't understand people who complain before they pause to consider that there might be a good, simple reason for the way things are. Some people seem to feel important and empowered when they are demanding that others serve their desires.

We did have a panel of "older" comic book creators but it was folks who started in comics in the seventies. In the above photo, we have (L to R): Marv Wolfman, Keith Pollard, me, Ron Wilson and Paul Levitz.  That's the back row.  In front, that's Joe Staton, Elliott S! Maggin and Mike Grell.  (Hey, in Jewish blogs and magazines, do they caption their photos R to L?)

All of us discussed our work back then.  I still think I could be given the bulk of the credit for ending the Silver Age of Comics just by my entrance into the field in 1970.

We had some good stories about meeting impossible deadlines, working with folks whose work we'd loved as readers, etc. Paul discussed the massive discomfort of having to tell someone — especially someone who was older than him and had a family — that there was no more work available.

I was darting all over the convention center all day and so was too weary to attend more than one party that evening before a bunch of us shuffled off to a nice dinner. It was one of the best days I ever had at a Comic-Con, in spite of the fellow who was upset I didn't do a panel interviewing dead guys.

• Cancer patient John McCain returning to demonstrate what a maverick he is by voting against the best interests of cancer patients.

One of my favorite magicians — Pop Haydn — favors us with a bit of amazement…

As much fun as I have at Comic-Con, there's something refreshing about being home — unpacked, sitting in my usual computer chair and typing on a real keyboard instead of my laptop.

Apart from a couple of unpleasant encounters with "security personnel," I had a wonderful 4.5 days down there. I could never live full-time at that pace, rushing from meeting to event to panel to meeting, but it's fun now and then. I saw so many people for five minutes and wished I could have spent an hour or two with them.

There's much more to write about the con but I'm playing Catch-Up right now and will try and write some of it later. In the meantime, I recommend to you this article in the L.A. Times about the Eisner Awards and this article in Rolling Stone about the early days of what we now call Comic-Con International.

Regarding the latter piece: I believe it is accurate except that I should not be described as "another person involved in the founding of Comic-Con." I was a reasonably-close observer of what went on but I did not do any of it. I want to make that point loud and clear because folks like Ken Krueger and Mike Towry and Richard Alf and Scott Shaw! and Barry Alfonso and others did the heavy lifting and too much credit for their efforts has gone to Shel Dorf. I sure as heck don't want any of it going to me.

Shel was a controversial figure and I knew the sweet side of him…the side that did a lot of nice things for a lot of people. I also knew the side that was furious that he could not be the unquestioned monarch of the institution that the Comic-Con became. I don't think he ever grasped that once the convention became a non-profit organization, he could not do any damned thing he wanted with the money it made. I was one of many folks who tried to bridge the chasm and negotiate some sort of arrangement whereby he could be involved and compensated but with Shel, it was kind of like, "Give me everything or go f*ck youself!" The end result was one of the sadder stories I've witnessed in my life and there didn't seem to be any way to rewrite the ending. I do not think he was ever wronged except somewhat by fate and an awful lot by himself.

Off-topic: I think all dictionary makers should include "f*ck" — spelled with the asterisk — as a legitimate word in their editions. It's certainly used often enough.

I'll try to get back here later today with more con tales.

A lot of things made me happy yesterday but none more than running into the two gentlemen in the above photo. The one on the left is Marty Krofft and the one on the right is Sid Krofft. In other words: Sid and Marty Krofft, producers of some of the most memorable, inventive TV shows of all time. I had the good fortune to be part of their little "family" — and at times, it really felt like one — for many years. I wrote and occasionally produced (under their supervision) a number of Krofft Productions, some even starring people who were (a) not puppets and (b) spoke English. It was occasionally maddening, usually wonderful and always interesting. I'll write more about these two great gents soon.

Other things which made me happy were how well Quick Draw! and my first Cartoon Voices panel of the con went. The latter went so well, I barely had to do anything as host; just introduce Jeff Bergman, Grey Griffin, Josh Robert Thompson, Mick Wingert, Kaitlyn Robrock and Richard Horvitz, then stay (mostly) out of their way. Every moment of it was fun and for the rest of the day, people were stopping me to tell me how much the loved it when Jeff and Josh engaged in Dueling Morgan Freeman Impressions.

I was glad I didn't have to work hard on that panel because I sure did on the one before it. I'd tell you about it and other things that happened on Day Three except that right now, I have to run out and have Day Four. I'll catch you up when I can…and I'll fix any typos in the above.

In less than a week, our friend Misty Lee will be debuting her new magic show with a too-short run at the El Portal Theater in North Hollywood. We told you about it here and we highly suggest that if you can make it, you order tickets here.

We've also been featuring installments of a video diary of how the show is taking shape. Here's the latest installment which includes a cameo appearance by me. Stan Lee will be so jealous…

The above photo is from one of the best panels I've done out of umpteen zillion at Comic-Con. It was called "Jack Kirby: Friends and Family." The "friends" were artist Mike Thibodeaux and, I guess, me. The "family" consisted of Jack's daughter Lisa and grandkids Jillian, Tracy and Jeremy. In the above photo, the back row is (L to R) me, Jeremy and Mike. The front row is Jillian, Lisa and Tracy. Despite the indifferent look on my face in the pic, I thought it went great with each person talking about what being related to or associated with Jack has meant to them. Lisa and Mike especially shared personal stories about Jack and his beloved wife Roz.

At the end of the panel, there was a special treat. I introduced David Glanzer, who is Director of Marketing and Public Relations of Comic-Con and he presented the convention's highest honor, the Icon Award, to Jack Kirby. This has never before been awarded posthumously but Jack was a guy who rewrote almost every rule he ever encountered so it seemed appropriate for the convention organizers to rewrite this one. His family was thrilled to accept it on his behalf.

Earlier in the day, I presided over another important panel. Eric Reynolds, Maggie Thompson, Scott Shaw! and my friend John Plunkett joined me to speak of Pogo, Walt Kelly and especially my dear Carolyn Kelly. I'll write a little more about this one after I return home. I was very pleased with how this one went, too. We not only announced that the much-delayed Volume 4 of The Complete Pogo is off to press, we even showed pages of it on the big screen.

I'm running out of time to write this post so I'll cut to the awards ceremony…a great time. The lovely Athena Finger (granddaughter of the man it was named after) joined me in presenting the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing. We gave one to Bill Messner-Loebs, who was present to accept it and who showed with his witty acceptance speech what a fine writer he was. The other went to Jack Kirby and to the delight of the audience was accepted by the above-named Kirbys. I believe Jack has now received every award he could possibly receive for his work so we'll have to invent some new ones.

I missed some of the show because I was backstage in the "green room," which of course was not green, talking with my fellow presenters. At some future convention, I would like to interview Jonathan Ross for an hour or so because he's one of the sharpest, funniest people I've ever known. Come to think of it, so is Wayne Brady, who was a surprise presenter there and so are Tom Lennon and Phil LaMarr and others who were back there at various times…Sergio Aragonés, Dave Gibbons, Paul Dini and Misty Lee, Phil LaMarr, Art Adams and I forget who-all-else. Jackie Estrada, who presides over the awards and the award show, did her usual fine job and I need to get in the shower if I'm going to make my first appointment this morning. More to come and I don't have time to proofread so if there are any tyops in here (like that one) I'll fix them later.

• ‪Sean Spicer says he's "looking forward to lying in the private sector."‬

Howdy. Yesterday — the first day of Comic-Con International 2017 — somehow felt like the nineteenth to me. This is not to say I didn't enjoy it. I've enjoyed to some extent every day of every one of these I've attended — and I've been present for at least one day of every one of these things. I'm just not used to feeling Fourth Day Fatigue on the first day. I'm hoping the process has just reversed itself; that today will feel like Day Three, tomorrow will feel like Day Two and by Sunday, it'll be like I just arrived.

Breakfast was with my friend and editor — two descriptors that cannot always be hung on the same person — Charlie Kochman. Charlie is responsible for the new, revised edition of my 2008 book, Kirby: King of Comics, which debuts today and which I'll be signing later this afternoon at the booth for Abrams Books. If I were a better promoter of my own work, I'd have the booth number handy to give you.

Got to wander the hall a bit and then it was time for my first panel of the con: Spotlight on Mike Royer. I've known Mike since a day when neither of us could have imagined he'd become the main inker of Jack Kirby's work…and in the opinion of many, the best. I hope my interview of him made folks appreciate the exemplary professionalism that Mike brought to that job. Jack's work had been previously lettered and inked in New York by people selected by the office there…and the office there liked it that way.

Jack was living in Southern California so though officially the editor of his comics, he couldn't see or impact much about them between the time he finished the writing and penciling, and when the books went off irrevocably to the printer. For that reason alone, he wanted to have his work finished by someone closer to him — someone who would deliver the pages to him, not the New York office. (There were other reasons, as well. He felt the folks in the office were trying too hard to make his work look like everything else they were publishing, plus there were security breaches. The fellow then inking his work was also inking for Marvel and showing Jack's work around that office.)

In his spotlight, Mike said, "They gave in to Jack's demands because they were sure I would fail." That's true but it was more important to them that Jack fail. They did not want to believe that someone could deliver a finished, ready-to-color-and-print work without their input. But Mike did not fail, which meant that Jack did not fail. Mike never missed a deadline and everything he did was solid and professional.

It was also very, very good but that was almost a bonus.

We discussed that and his work with Russ Manning and what he did for Warren (Creepy, Eerie and Vampirella) and for Gold Key and on the Marvel Super-Heroes cartoon show, and later for Disney for a couple of decades. He really has had an amazing career.

Later in the day, I was on "The Mark, Sergio, Stan and Tom Show," or as most folks call it: The Groo Panel. This year, it was without Tom Luth and as usual, we talked about upcoming projects. I'll do a separate post about those in a few days as we are still using our convention time to firm up some plans.

Saw a lot of old friends and made some new ones. Were I not due for a breakfast meeting, I would tell you more about it. Later.

A little magic trick for you…

The drive here to San Diego was fine until the last twelve miles felt like twelve hours. I had the same experience back in February when we came down here for the San Diego Comic Fest. Note to Self: Time these things so you don't do the last dozen miles during Rush Hour. Further Note to Self: Rush Hour is anything between about 3 PM and Midnight.

Doing 2 on the 5 (two miles per hour on the 5 Freeway), I reminded myself of how good it always feels to pull into the valet area at the hotel and experience the dual rush of "It's over!" and "Home again!" They're always faintly tempered by the nagging suspicion that I still have to drive home someday but that can wait. The rest of the evening was decompressing, unpacking and going on a grand hunt for where guests pick up their badges and swag bag this year. We finally located ours at 8:55, five minutes before the Convention Hall — into which they'd admit us — closed. Then we went to dinner.

Hey, if you're not attending the con this year, try to get hold of a copy of the souvenir book. It's wonderful. Gary Sassaman assembled and designed a fine, fine book full of tributes and articles about Jack Kirby, Will Eisner, Reed Crandall, Carl Barks, John Stanley and others. (Full Disclosure: I wrote several pieces for the book.) I don't know how non-attendees get a copy of this thing but I'll find out and report back.

Okay, so this is a boring first report. It'll get better today if only because we have our badges and I don't have to drive anywhere today. One thing I do have to remember is to keep moving. Down here, if you stand in one spot for more than about three minutes, someone will plaster an ad for Conan O'Brien on you.

I've written in the past here about my friend Jim Brochu. He's an actor, writer, director, producer…there's not a whole lot that Jim doesn't do. I don't think he's much of a podiatrist but he could probably learn it. Anyway, he sometimes does this marvelous one-man play called Zero Hour, in which he magically becomes Zero Mostel for an hour or two. He knew Zero and the play does great service to the man and his memory.

During a recent revival of the play, Jim had a superstar guest there one night. It was Harold Prince, who as a director and producer worked with Zero on A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum and Fiddler on the Roof. Those are only two of the dozens and dozens of impressive credits Mr. Prince has on his résumé. At that performance of Zero Hour, the play was followed by an on-stage discussion with this man. Here's a video of that important conversation…