As you've probably figured out from the dearth of postings here, Mark's been busy at the con. I can't recall ever being so exhausted, most of it in a good way. I'm enjoying it but I may take the rest of July and all of August to recover.

I won't even attempt to go in order. Here's a pick from one of my panels. This is That 70's Panel, discussing the comic book field in that turbulent, innovative era…

Okay. Back row, left to right, you have m.e., Tony Isabella, Louise Simonson and Walt Simonson. Front row, moving in the same direction, it's Trina Robbins, Arvell Jones, Lee Marrs and Mike Friedrich. Last night, Mike formally received the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing as did, posthumously, E. Nelson Bridwell. Both were presented by Yours Truly and Mr. Finger's granddaughter, Athena Finger.

The panel was a pretty good one, I thought. We started doing an annual panel on comics in the seventies because that most inevitable of problems in this world — advancing age — had made it impossible to fill a panel with creators from the forties, fifties and even the sixties.

Inevitably now at each con, someone stops me and expresses the wish that we'd bring back the old Golden Age Panels on which I interviewed folks who'd produced comics in that era. I then ask who we'd put on it and I get back blank stares and maybe the names of a few folks who, while still happily alive are not willing and/or able to make the trek to San Diego.

The seventies were an intriguing era because so many new people joined the Talent Pool but — and this is a crucial "but" — we still had plenty of predecessors around. Someone who joins the field today will still work alongside writers and artists whose work they admired as readers but we worked with Jack Kirby and Will Eisner and Joe Kubert and Stan Lee and so many others who actually invented the business. That's a privilege that is unavailable to new generations.

Getting back to last night's award ceremony — I told you I was going to jump around — let me insert this photo from backstage at the Eisner Awards…

That's me on the left and I was a lot happier than I appear to be with two of my favorite voice actors. Grey Griffin (aka Grey DeLisle) is the voice of Daphne on Scooby Doo, Catwoman, Captain Marvel and so many others. Phil LaMarr has been heard on Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, Futurama, Samurai Jack, Static Shock and just about everything else. They were among the presenters and I'll leave it to Samantha Puc to tell you what got presented and to whom.

I almost didn't make it to the Eisners. I was rushing to get there on time when, outside Hall H, I walked what should have been a safe distance from a large gent (about my size) who was cosplaying as Conan, leaping about and waving his sword in some sort of demented victory dance.

Like too many cosplayers, I'm afraid, he was completely oblivious to the safety and proximity of others and he slammed right into me, knocking me down. The new knee I got less than four years ago took the greatest impact and my semi-fancy award-presenting clothes sustained some minor (cleanable) damage.

I was limping but okay, I guess. The main harm was to my love for cosplayers. I still think most of 'em are great but there's still a small contingent of them who act like morons and give the majority a bad image. The fellow was, of course, minimally apologetic. I think in a way he was mad at me for ruining his all-important, nothing-else-matters performance.

Lots more has happened the last few days but I need to go make more of it happen. Look forward to a lot of Comic-Con stories in this space during the following week.

They'll be posted on those rare occasions when I'm not sleeping or wondering whether it's worth the effort to unpack my luggage or maybe I should just leave it ready for the 51st Comic-Con International. It will take place July 23-26, 2020 and the way time is speeding up these days, that oughta feel like three months from now.

Here's a quick item on the local news here in San Diego all about me.

In many ways, this feels like any Comic-Con of the last few years — so many of the same exhibitors in the same places and only the prices have changed. And yet, the fact that it's #50 is already making things feel special, even for folks who missed the first 49.

I'd elaborate that but I have a breakfast meeting and then a panel and then another panel and then an interview about it being Comic-Con #50 and then a lunch meeting and then a business meeting and then another panel…and that's the kind of day it's going to be and it might be a good idea if I get dressed before embarking on it.

I will be doing all this with a bit of a handicap. Last night, I took my friend Jewel Shepard to the big gala party at the new Comic-Con Museum celebrating its impending opening and the induction of Batman into some sort of Hall of Heroes I don't quite understand. If you live within the continental United States or Mexico, you probably heard it. At one point, I used this app to measure the decibel level and it gave me back a reading of "What? I can't hear you over the noise!" After a fitful night of sleep with the "Batman" theme still pounding in my brain, I'm still hearing it. I love the museum but come on, disc jockeys of the world. Some of us might have to hear again…

That's my one complaint so far. Everything else is peachy here at Comic-Con, U.S.A.

…that while some of us are living in the closed environment of Comic-Con, Donald Trump is still doing Trump-like things in the outside (and somewhat less real) world.

By "Trump-like," I mean things that if they'd been done by Bill Clinton or Barack Obama would cause current Trump supporters to say, "That shows the man is unfit for the presidency." But when Trump says or does something like this, they look the other way or applaud him for his candor.

Thursday, July 18 — 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM in Room 32AB
SPOTLIGHT ON MAGGIE THOMPSON: BEING CELEBRITY ADJACENT
Maggie Thompson (30-year co-editor of Comics Buyer's Guide) is joined by Mark Evanier (writer, editor, entertainment expert, and News from ME blogger) and Leonard Maltin (film critic, author, and host of the Maltin on Movies podcast) who consider the challenges, anecdotes, and delights of interactions with a variety of celebrities.

Thursday, July 18 — 11:00 AM to Noon in Room 5AB
COMIC-CON IN THE 1970's
What was it like at this convention during its first decade? Hear all about it from these folks who were there for it: Barry Alfonso, Wendy All, Maeheah Alzmann, Richard Butner, Roger Freedman, Eric Hoffman, Scott Shaw!, Brinke Stevens, William Stout, Phil Yeh, and your moderator, Mark Evanier.

Thursday, July 18 — 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM in Room 8
THE MARK, SERGIO AND STAN SHOW
It's most of the crew that brings you the bumbling adventures of Groo the Wanderer, talking about what they do and why they do it. See the award-winning team of Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier along with Stan Sakai (the creator of Usagi Yojimbo). They'll be discussing the latest Groo miniseries, many upcoming projects, and why Mark doesn't get paid for the work he does on their comic. Then again, he's not getting paid for writing this panel description either.

Friday, July 19 — 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM in Room 8
THAT 70's PANEL
It was a time of change in comics, with a new generation intermingling with the old and taking command. Hear what the comics industry was like in the 1970s from Mike Friedrich (Iron Man, Justice League of America), Tony Isabella (Black Lightning, The Champions), Trina Robbins (Wimmen's Comix, Wonder Woman), Arvell Jones (Marvel Two-in-One, Iron Man), Louise Simonson (Creepy, Power Pack), Walt Simonson (Manhunter, Thor), and moderator Mark Evanier (Groo the Wanderer, Blackhawk).

Friday, July 19 — 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM in Room 8
JACK KIRBY AND THE SAN DIEGO 5-STRING MOB
They may not have been Jack Kirby's greatest creation but they were sure important to some of the folks who started this convention. Come hear how the King of the Comics turned six kids involved in the con's early days – Scott Shaw!, Barry Alfonso, Roger Freedman, Mike Towry, John Pound, and Will Lund – into comic book stars for some brief, shining moments. Moderator Mark Evanier is the one who gets the band back together!

Saturday, July 20 — 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM in Room 28DE
MEMORIES OF THE FIRST COMIC-CON
The first San Diego Comic-Con (a.k.a. Golden State Comic-Con) was held in the summer of 1970 in the basement of the U.S. Grant Hotel. Hear all about it from several of the original committee members (Dave Clark, Roger Freedman, Scott Shaw!, Mike Towry), three of the guests (Mark Evanier, Mike Royer, Bill Stout), a dealer (Bud Plant), and some attendees (including Gene Henderson, Phil Yeh, and moderator Jackie Estrada).

Saturday, July 20 — 11:45 AM to 1:00 PM in Room 6BCF
QUICK DRAW!
It's the fastest, funniest panel in the whole convention! Once again, your Quick Draw quizmaster Mark Evanier pits three super-speedy cartoonists against one another with dueling Sharpies as they create great cartoon art right before your very eyes. Competing this year are (as usual) Sergio Aragonés (MAD magazine, Groo the Wanderer) and Scott Shaw! (The Flintstones), joined this year by Disney legend Floyd Norman plus a couple of highly surprising surprises!

Saturday, July 20 — 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM in Room 6BCF
CARTOON VOICES I
Each year, moderator Mark Evanier gathers a bevy of the most talented cartoon voice actors working today and invites them to explain and demonstrate their artistry. This year's lineup includes Marieve Herington (Big City Greens, Disney Junior), Adam McArthur (Star vs. the Forces of Evil, The Adventures of Puss in Boots), Laraine Newman (The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz), Lex Lang (Star Wars Resistance, Curious George), Eric Lopez (Young Justice, The Spectacular Spider-Man), Fred Tatasciore (Family Guy, The Incredible Hulk), and maybe a few other members of the vocal majority.

Saturday, July 20 — 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM in Room 7AB
THE AWARDS OF COMIC-CON
Over the years, Comic-Con has developed and given out its own awards as well as serving as the home for other awards presentations. Get the background on the Inkpot Awards (Meg Mardian), the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award (Ruth Clampett), the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award (Gene Henderson), the Bill Finger Excellence in Comic Book Writing Award (Mark Evanier), the Icon Award (David Glanzer), the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award (Joe Ferrara), and the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards (Carl Gropper and Jackie Estrada, who is also moderating).

Sunday, July 21 — 10:00 AM to 11:15 AM in Room 5AB
THE ANNUAL JACK KIRBY TRIBUTE PANEL
This is the annual panel about Comic-Con's first superstar guest, the man they call "The King of Comics," Jack Kirby. Jack left us in 1994, but his influence on comics, film, and this convention has never been greater. Discussing the man and his work this year are Kurt Busiek (Astro City, Marvels), Buzz Dixon (Thundarr the Barbarian, Destroyer Duck), Mike Royer (Kirby's favorite inker), attorney Paul S. Levine, and maybe a few surprise guests. Naturally, it's moderated by former Kirby assistant Mark Evanier.

Sunday, July 21 — 11:45 AM to 1:15 PM in Room 6A
CARTOON VOICES II
With the smash-hit success of yesterday's Cartoon Voices I panel, there's no choice but to do another one-with different but equally talented actors from the world of animation voicing. Once again, moderator Mark Evanier has assembled an all-star dais that will include Jim Meskimen (The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Robin Atkin Downes (Ben 10, Star Wars Rebels), Secunda Wood (Boss Baby, Days Gone), Dee Bradley Baker (American Dad, Looney Tunes), Candi Milo (Fanboy & Chum Chum, Jimmy Neutron), and probably someone else.

Sunday, July 21 — 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM in Room 25ABC
COVER STORY: THE ART OF THE COVER
What does it take to make a great cover for a comic book? Let's ask four of the top artists…all folks who've created some of the best. Come hear the "shop talk" of Billy Tucci (Shi, Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion), Charles Vess (Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess' Stardust, Heavy Metal), Alitha Evelyn Martinez (Iron Man, Batgirl), and Jae Lee (Hellshock, The Inhumans). Moderated by Mark Evanier.

Sunday, July 21 — 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM in Room 25ABC
THE BUSINESS OF CARTOON VOICES
Interested in a career doing voices for animation and videogames? There are plenty of people around who'll take your money and tell you how to go about it, but here's 90 minutes of absolutely free advice from folks who work actively in the field. Hear from cartoon voice actors Jon Bailey and Candi Milo, talent agent Julie Thompson (SBV Talent) and your moderator, voice director Mark Evanier (The Garfield Show).

Every danged thing above is subject to change for the silliest of reasons, including the convention wising up after all these years and kicking me the hell out. Throughout the con, I will be exercising my constitutional right to not sit behind a table in the exhibit hall so if you wanna find me, this is how you find me. I am usually not as busy as I appear except before and after Quick Draw!

Here's our friend Jackie Estrada — one of the folks who labored long and hard to make Comic-Con what it is today — discussing what it was…

Thinking of taking Amtrak to Comic-Con? My pal Dana Gabbard let me know (so I could let you know) that they're adding extra trains. How many other events do they do that for?

I haven't had time to listen to all of it but SyFy Wire has posted Part One of a podcast of the history of Comic-Con. I think I'm in there somewhere.

Today, as many of us gather in San Diego for the fiftieth Comic-Con in this town, my thoughts lean towards a man I was privileged to know named Jack Kirby. It is a privilege of the ongoing variety since I continually realize it was an even greater privilege than I previously thought.

I really hope that when I write about him, as I so often do, it comes across as me wanting to share my good fortune with you, not me bragging that I knew him and you didn't, nyah nyah. If you'd had extraordinary access to any of the great thinkers of the century (any century), you'd feel an obligation to share with the world, everything they said and everything you'd observed. Well, I did and do.

He was a true visionary in every sense of that overused label — not always right, not always prescient…but right and prescient enough to set him way ahead of all the bogus visionaries who are right and prescient about as often as one of those Magic 8-Ball toys.

And one of the things Jack was right and prescient about was this convention. In its earliest days — 1971, 1972…around in there — he said something about it which I was there to hear. I remember it vividly and I also remember how we around him nodded in concurrence even though we thought it was kinda looney at the time.

Lots of things Jack said seemed looney when he said them. When in the sixties he told the folks running Marvel that Thor, X-Men, Hulk, Fantastic Four and all those properties he co-birthed would someday be the basis for smash-hit motion pictures, they thought he was outta his friggin' mind.

What he said about Comic-Con is being quoted a lot this week because, as things turned out, it wasn't looney at all. Not the least bit looney. He may have said this in other forms to other people but I think all the ones I see quoting it are quoting me quoting him and a few are getting the words wrong. Here is exactly how I remember it. Referring to the city of San Diego, Jack Kirby said…

The day is going to come when we're going to take over this town every year. This will be where Hollywood comes to sell the movies they made last year and to find out what they're going to make next year.

End of quote. That's either precisely what he said that day or very, very close. It's certainly very, very true.

This is one of those police chase videos but it's not what you'd expect. I watched this live and it didn't seem like any of the others. The pursuing CHP officers were treating the "suspect" with great care and once he was stopped, they were not afraid to approach his vehicle. Watch and you'll see why…

Given much of what's in the news this week, it seems appropriate for me to rerun this post from March of 2016. If you object, you must hate America…

A phrase I keep seeing in political discourse is that So-and-So "hates America." It's a great thing to accuse someone of because it sounds awful, it's vague enough to apply to anyone and there's no way they can disprove it. Is it a cheap shot? Of course. That's the whole point of it. And unless you have a video of them saying "I hate America" (which you probably don't), it's grossly unfair.

Donald Trump keeps saying "Islam hates America." There's no mention of America in the Qur'an, and plenty of folks who practice Islam have worked long and hard to get to this country and sure act happy to be here. But it's probably a good thing to say if you want to whip up a real, not an imagined hate in retaliation to that premise.

Googling, you'll find a lot of bloggers saying that Hillary Clinton hates America or Ted Cruz hates America or Bernie Sanders hates America or Marco Rubio hates America. Apparently, you have to really hate America to want to run it.

Columnist Ben Stein keeps saying Barack Obama hates America. The other day, Stein said, "I don't think that there's much question he doesn't wish America well. He has a real strong hatred of America." What is the evidence of this? Near as I can tell, it's that Obama does things that Ben Stein doesn't like, though other Americans do…things like lowering unemployment or causing more people to have health insurance. If that doesn't demonstrate hatred of America, what does?

Right-wingers like to say the Left hates America. Since to them, "the Left" is probably anyone who votes Democratic, that's sometimes a majority of Americans who hate America. Maybe, like Mr. Stein, they mean that anyone who doesn't agree with their political agenda must hate America. I suspect they just aren't fond of the idea that there is an opposition party, which I always thought was the basic premise of America.

I've decided to try and promote the concept that anyone who accuses someone else of hating America must hate America. I don't have a real strong explanation as to how that tracks but no one seems to need one to hurl the "hates America" charge. Also, people who don't read the books I write or watch the TV shows I write must hate America. That seems pretty obvious.

You may not agree with my view on this. If so, don't complain to me about it. Instead, do a little soul-searching. Ask yourself why it is you hate America.

That's the weather forecast this week for San Diego.  Doesn't get much better than that, does it? And for those of you who still think Comic-Con oughta move to Las Vegas, it'll be 34° hotter there on the same days.

I feel like I should say something comforting to the folks who want to attend Comic-Con but can't get tickets. And if I knew what the hell that was, I'd certainly say it. You know there's a numerical problem here: The convention center can accommodate about 130,000 people. My guess is that if they had unlimited room, they could sell 400,000+ tickets. There will never be space for everyone who wants to attend. The building may be expanded in the next few years but I have a feeling the number of people who want to attend will expand at an even higher pace.

All I can tell you is to keep trying. Each year, there are plenty of folks who get in for the first time…or the first time in many years.  And a guy I know who's never been told me, "When I do get to go, I hope I have a miserable time.  That way, I won't resent it when I can't get a badge the following year.  I'll even be happy!"

The forecast for this blog in the coming week is Light Posting with an 80% chance of reruns.  My schedule is insane with 61 panels, interviews, parties, social dinners, business meetings and at some point, I may squeeze in a little sleeping.  It's as exhilarating as it is exhausting to live at that pace and I certainly couldn't do it very often…but 4-5 days a year, I can handle.  Maybe I'll get so fatigued that I'll sleep through next year's Comic-Con, thereby freeing up space for someone else to attend in my stead.  I hope he or she knows how to run Quick Draw!

I have dozens of things to do today in preparation for that…that thing that's taking place in San Diego the rest of this week. It sure would help me do most of them if I had electricity.

It went out last night. Actually, it went out and it came back on and it went out and it came back on and it went out and it came back on and it went out and it came back on and after a few more times going out and coming back on, it decided it liked "out" best and has stayed that way 'til now…since about 10 PM last night. If I look stupider than usual at the convention, just remember I may have packed in the dark.

Hey, those of you who live in or near the Los Angeles area may be spending money by the time you finish reading this. Saturday night, August 3, the one/only Dick Van Dyke is making one of his too-too rare live appearances. This time, he's back at the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood. I don't know exactly what he's going to do there but they have a stage and Dick Van Dyke will be on it. How can that not be a wonderful evening?

I just bought my tickets. You can buy yours here. And I'll tell you how magical it is when Dick Van Dyke performs. In the midst of writing the above paragraph on my iPhone, my power came back on and I'm finishing this message on my regular, plugged-into-the-wall computer. Honest. Thank you, Dick!

The photo of Al Jaffee I posted earlier today is all over the Internet, apparently from various sources. Some people are saying I took it. As I thought the text made clear, I did not. I don't know who did. If the person who did will step forward, let's do what we can to give him or her credit.

Andre's was (and happily, still is for now) a little Italian cafeteria in Los Angeles that I love very much.  I have been to many famous restaurants where you could pay two to three times as much for a plate of pasta and get one that was one-half to one-third as good.  It's a friendly neighborhood joint situated in a shopping mall…no fancy decor but the food's good and they do such a brisk business that it's always fresh.  Saturday or Sunday evenings, there's a line out the door and once you eat there for the first time, you're quite willing to wait in it every time.

Around a year ago, it was announced that the proprietors of the mall had big expansion plans.  When the lease on a KMart there expired, as it would soon, they were going to tear down half the mall and replace it with a massive structure, variously described as between 19 and 26 floors and full of new retailers and housing units.  It looked unlikely that there would be room in the massive structure for a little Italian cafeteria that was much-loved by many.

Protests began, most of them at least in part about the possible loss of Andre's.  But neighbors also felt the proposed development was too big and too disruptive to the area, including a public school that was adjacent to the land in question.   Some of the protesters appeared before the Mid City West Community Council in August to argue that the development should not be permitted. I was one of them.

I felt that evening that we had made a strong case but that it probably would not make a difference. People who want to spend a lot of money usually get what they want. I figured what they wanted was to build 13-15 stories and so had proposed the bigger monstrosity so they could scale it back and get it approved.

The owners 'n' operators of Andre's did not seem to think their little shrine to red sauce would survive.  They pressed ahead with a plan to open a new restaurant — essentially Andre's under a new name — in the city of Canoga Park. Canoga Park is a great town but, alas, it's too far away for me to visit even a tenth as often as I visit Andre's. There, they would open that new place and in the meantime, they'd operate and we'd enjoy Andre's as long as it was there to enjoy.

That's still the plan but a few things have changed since I last reported on the situation there…

In September, it was announced the KMart was definitely closing, as so many KMarts (and their sister stores, Sears) have done. One interesting element of this whole matter is that some of us stare in stark amazement at how two once-mighty retail chains have merged, crashed and burned so thoroughly. If you and I had been put in charge of them and, knowing absolutely nothing about running department stores, had made every decision by flipping a coin, we could not have done a worse job. Hopefully though, we would have collected the huge salaries that corporate management has pocketed for doing essentially nothing right.

Just before Thanksgiving, the KMart was emptied and all its employees got the wonderful holiday gift of unemployment. The store remains empty to this day. Some of the other businesses in the mall, like a big Payless Shoe Store, are also now vacant. But Andre's is still serving up spaghetti and meatballs and ravioli and lasagna and other fine, sloppy meals…

Ah, but for how long? The last time I reported on all this was last October and Andre's seemed to be safe through the end of 2019, at which time the developers would probably start tearing down the east half of the mall and Andre's with it. We're hearing now that that will not happen until at least June of 2020.

Earlier this year, there was what seems to have been a final ruling on whether they could build their proposed 19-26 story tower of apartments and retail outlets…and as expected, the answer was no. But they didn't get 13-15 stories either.

Instead of a 26-story tower with 381 apartments and 81,000 square feet of commercial ventures, what was approved was an eight (8!) story structure, no more than 100 feet in height, containing 331 residential units and just under 84,000 square feet of business tenants. Don't ask me how you can lose eighteen stories from your proposed plans and still have that close to the same number of apartments and stores. But that's where we are right now.

Current plans call for it to be all completed by 2023 so that probably means 2025 or 2026. It may be quite some time before we know whether Andre's will be a part of it…and of course, plans may change again and again and again.

In the meantime after many delays, the Andre's clone in Canoga Park has finally opened! It's the Grandi Italiani, located out there at 21730 Sherman Way. I haven't been yet but since it has pretty much the exact same menu and cuisine and management as Andre's, it's already one of my favorite restaurants.

And hey, if you're anywhere near CBS Television City (which is undergoing a similar scenario) or Farmers Market, check out Andre's. It's in the shopping center at 3rd and Fairfax, just to the left of the Whole Foods Market there. The place just might wind up outliving all of us…except, of course, Al Jaffee.

Over at that bastion of Liberalism, the National Review, David French writes that when Donald Trump says something divisive and racist, Republican leaders will not so much as give an "ahem" to express slight disapproval…

There are many GOP leaders who, quite frankly, understand that they criticize even the president's racist speech at their own peril. The grassroots have spoken. Loyalty to the president must be absolute, or one risks a primary challenge. Yet individual voters have responsibilities as well, and they must understand that extraordinary loyalty to a malicious man broadcasts their own disdain for their fellow citizens.

I still kinda think that Donald Trump's loyalty to Donald Trump is so total that there's no room in there for racism; that he says "these things" because they thrill his base and he knows that nothing good will happen to his political career if he doesn't keep that base enthusiastic. But I've given up trying to explain the difference between (a) being racist and (b) saying racist things because you want the support of racists. And I don't even think that Republicans who are up for election next year are going to be able to back away a bit from him once it's too late for a primary challenge. They're going to have to ride his train all the way to Election Day.

[UPDATE, a bit later: Since Mr. French wrote the above article, a number of Republican politicians have stepped up to denounce Trump's rhetoric. But not nearly enough and some couldn't do it without condemning Democrats even more.]