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May 1, 2008: Calgary Comic Con 2008 Report

TRUNKING FABLES

I'm going non-linear this time, because I've tended to go in sequence. I figure this time out, I'm going to run this baby stream of consciousness. The end. Get it?

Regardless, the surreal weekend at the Calgary Comic Con, was a blast. A full weekend with multiple grand experiences, I finally feel as if these comic cons have gotten into my blood and made me READY AND PREPARED to face the comic book world. I always felt a geek liason, being a construction worker and a writer, but now, I feel a part of the culture.

Nothing assured me of this more than being stuck in a trunk with Bill Willingham.

Last year, at the San Diego Comic Con, I got to watch Bill accept an Eisner, multiple Eisners, as I recall. His comic, Fables, is a fan favorite, and with good reason.

The first day they wheeled us to pizza, all you can eat (for the love of monkeys, a con that FEEDS a dude, holy hell!), and I got to sit next to the director of Harmony Gold, watching across the room as a series of comic professionals ate and had a good time. Awesome atmosphere, great conversation.

For the ride home, we went in a series of cars. I waited and let the professionals go first (just wouldn't do to cut in front of Greg Rucka or Mark Waid), but Laurie, the wife of the organizer, offered to let me squeeze into the trunk of the van. SURE, says I, and I hop right in. Sounded fun. As they were about to close the lid, I heard, "WAIT!"

In hops Bill Willingham. I'm in a trunk with Bill Willingham.

Click "Read More" below to read the rest of Neal's report on the 2008 Calgary Comic Convention.

So I'm quiet there, for a second. I play it coy, adopt my geek voice, and say, "So... you're Bill Willingham."

"Yep."

"So, uh... what's it like... WRITING FABLES!?"

He smiles. "Hard work. But fun."

He realizes, of course, that I'm just pretending to be smitten stupid with a nerd lighning bolt, at least I hope, because then I had a nice casual conversation with the man about the trip over, the way Calgary was well organized as a city. I'm not sure how we got into real estate, but he asked me what I did. I told him I was a real estate novelist, which made him chuckle, and he remembered it the next day.

Back in the hotel, I picked up the phone and called my friend John Munn, who owns Comic Book Ink.

"How's it going?"

"I was just in a trunk with Bill Willingham."

Long silence...

BEAUTIFUL WOMEN

The people in Canada are polite. It's just like South Park indicates. Well, without the war. The folks I chatted with talked about Calgary like it was the scariest place in Canada. I live in a fairly rough neighborhood in Tacoma, WA, in a place called Hilltop. I've had my windows shot out, people catcall, they hit my car, there are drug deals, gang violence, all kinds of family entertainment.

I walk down the streets in Calgary and there's no graphitti, no screaming people. I didn't even hear a SIREN the whole time I was there.

In my town, when you look a gal in the eye, she averts her gaze or scowls. In Calgary, I had women meeting my eyes and smiling, walking down the street in a general cheerful, joyous mood. People held doors.

I met fine gals, like Diana, Serafina, and Chelsea, who came by in a Batman shirt, a "Hot comic book nerd" shirt, and a Spider-Woman outfit. They bought two of my Smallville Magazines, flirted, chatted, and were just generally kind people.

As I explained to them, many of the girls I meet at comic conventions tend to be (perhaps rightly) maladroit due to the factors present. There are a ton of larger, semi socially maladjusted men running around likely leering at them.

Usually, when I give them my most charming grin and say, "Hello!" many can't even make eye contact. It's sad, and I can't exactly understand it. Har har, smarty-pants, I know you're saying, "It's you, dillweed!" But no.

There's this culture at the conventions, guys who are intellectuals but somewhat... afraid of women. I'm always amazed when I see a gal wearing next to nothing in, say, a Wonder Woman outfit, and a guy kind of sneaks his cell phone around and takes a sly picture of her butt, when if he'd just have the courage to say hello and ask her, she'd probably hang in his arms while he took a photo. She's THERE for attention, fun, and social interaction, fer crying out loud. This kind of fear, I'm guessing, leads to the quiet lack of interaction.

I mean, I met this dude... he had me sign World War Hulk 3, and I told him I had nothing to do with it. He just... he made me sign it. There are some weird ones.

But the point I'm getting at is that there are occasions where the exact opposite is true, and in Calgary, it was more than present. In the hotel lobby, there were some post-teen gals screaming and laughing until three in the morning, there was a ton of great guy/gal interaction everywhere I went, it was just a healthy scene.

Diana, Serafina, and Chelsea yakked with me about boomerang shoes, how rad comics are, how women should be a part of the scene, and for it, I am better. Next time I roll into town I'm going to grab them and boogie.

Come hang with us a year from now.

Top row, left to right: Diana, Me, Chelsea, Serafina

Bottom row: Will Vavra, victim of the dreaded camera head removal.

MY CONSCIENCE

Will Vavra, pictured just above, is my conscience. I met him several years ago, and he was my first Candian friend, in the respect that Colbert has a "black friend." He instant messaged me, I soon realized he GOT philosophy and writing, and we've been pretty damned close buddies ever since.

Most of the stuff I do I bounce off him. He's a conscience, and he's arrogant enough to tell me exactly when I am wrong, which is often. Most people will pad their critique. Will tells me exactly how it is, and without being a dink about it.

He drove eight hours to help as a roving reporter, and we got semi-drunk and argued Existentialism vs. Philosophical Pragmatism. If that isn't what a buddy does, I don't know what is.

FOLKS

I met Apocalipstix creators Ray Fawkes and Cameron Stewart, and a gent named Scott Redding, who was kindly enough to give me a few of his prints.

Also present was Chauncey Carter, AKA Xan-El on the site. We discussed the JSA, Action Comics, Countdown, and all manner of fun things.

I sat next to Bob Bowen, who sat and drew Family Guy and Futurama characters until his hand nearly fell off. He was gracious enough to share his insight into the scripting biz, and told me (reassuringly) that I was on the right track in terms of writing in groups, as I'm practicing with Jeffrey Bridges and company on The Kingery, a serialized audio drama.

Laurel Espenell told me the story of her visit to the Smallville sets, and showed me a bunch of amazing pictures. She also told me Google is a great place to find a Smallville tour. I'm going to see if I can find her and get an article for you guys on the locations... IF you promise not to bug the people who live in the surrounding towns... heh.

I also finally got to shake Karl Kerschl's hand, a guy who was cool enough not to kill me when I lost a tape of an interview we did... he remembered who I was, which was a fine compliment, and I plan on getting in touch with him soon about some original art from the Adventures run.

Also present were Mark Waid and Greg Rucka, who chatted with me on several occasions and were truly awesome. I didn't want to bother them too much, but I did get to spend some time with both, and it was amazing to hear their advice and talk. Rucka's a major role model for both my work and in my personal life, and remains one of those guys who has pushed me on and urged me forward, even though he's been at no obligation to do so. At my worst times writing, Greg has told me to keep my head up, and for that, I am eternally indebted to the man.

Mark Waid I am indebted to as well, because he didn't kill me when he remembered I'm the guy who wrote the Birthright reviews for this website. Heh. He joshed me, and I swore to god and Waid before me (as is the truth) that I enjoyed Birthright as a story, and that I own the trade, and read it.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that Waid really got a bit of a bum rap for Birthright. I took the book to task for its continuity problems (and I still do), but as a piece of writing, it's an accomplishment.

It's ironic that now we have a rather chaotic continuity that would have been rectified had they simply adopted Birthright and discarded the past continuity, as they promised. Time has proven Waid correct. And for that, I owe him an apology, and editorial that did not let him fly a scolding.

"Said the bucket to the thimble," I believe the line in that series goes... but I can still say it.

MANITOBA, HO!

I also met Violet Paille, who is organizing the Manitoba Comic Con. I just learned of it, and I will be trying to attend. She is doing a great deal to organize charity money for the Chrisopher Reeve Foundation, and if there is anything I can do to support that cause I will. Look for more information on that here soon.

BAUM, BABY!

I always ask at the cons if I can get an interview with any of the Superman related folks, excepting Noel, mostly because I'm so in awe of her and nervous, and I don't want to take up her time. I will have to get over that, because she's so nice, and I should try.

Usually, they say, "We'll come over to the booth and help you with that", and never show.

Steve Hodges, at the Calgary Con, along with Jim Demonakos, organizer of the Emerald City Comic Con (which you'd better attend, brother), got me TEN MINUTES WITH MICHAEL ROSENBAUM!

Will had the computer, and thus the microphone, and they took us to the green room. After a few seconds, the door opened, and we were told to go set up our mic. I took my "BAUM INTERROGATION SHEET" and entered, with Will close behind.

There was George Takei, eating a sandwich.

I had a flashback to being in a trunk with Bill Willingham, "White Rabbit" started playing in my head, and I nearly soiled myself. SULU! FRICKIN' SULU!

He says, "Oh, I'm sorry!"

I shake my head. "No! No! It's fine. It's REALLY, REALLY fine!"

We got to talk with George Takei while setting up, and he offered us food, chatted us up. Star Trek is... well, I'm geeking out, but the man is LEGEND.

Baum pops in, and I grin, shake his hand, we start recording... you'll hear it all in a few days, no doubt. But I got to meet Michael, finally! My single favorite Lex Luthor actor, period, in all respects. The guiding light for Smallville, and a guy whose exploits I wrote about for seven years, and BANG, I got to hang in a room with him.

For that alone, this con was insanely cool.

As I was walking to the green room, Rucka said, "Don't worry! He puts his feet into his pants one leg at a time, and he poops sitting down, just like you!"

And I know that, just like I know the same thing about Greg... but still, when I talk to either of those guys, guys who, in a word that I am greatly cynical toward, produce work I admire and respect, it just gets me that they're willing to talk to a schlub like me. It makes my day.

Of course, Rosenbaum has probably done eight million of those interviews, but hey, it was important to me.

SUMMATION

Kandrix and Laurie, the organizers, went to all possible extents to make me and everyone else feel welcome. For that, this con will become one of my staples, and is fast becoming one of my favorite experiences in all of the cons I've done over the years. I felt like family, as opposed to someone patronizing a business, and it was RAD.

Calgary is a beautiful city. I'm glad I got my passport together, and like Douglas, I SHALL RETURN.

CALGARY HONOR ROLL

Will Vavra
Michael Rosenbaum
George Takei
Steve Hodges
Jim Demonakos
Kandrix Foong
Laurie Foong
Mark Waid
Greg Rucka
Bob Bowen
Karl Kerschl
Bill Willingham
Tom (I forgot your last name, but I will find it in Seattle!)
Chauncey Carter (Xan-El)
Diana, Serafina, and Chelsea (Awesome babes, you rock my world!)

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May 1, 2008: Calgary Comic Con 2008 Report

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