Hey, how about some tips for Comic-Con? I have some general convention tips on this page. "Professor" Scott Tipton has some advice over on this page. And Tom Spurgeon has the Encyclopedia Britannica of San Diego Convention Tips over on this page. Listen to what Scott and Tom say except that both are seriously deficient in recommending attendance at my panels.
Speaking of which: I get a lot of e-mails asking me why there isn't a memorial/tribute panel for so-and-so, who died this past year. There are two answers to that, both pretty simple ones. One is that too many people in comics have died in the last twelve months. Maggie Thompson's going to get up at the Eisner Awards ceremony Friday evening and read the list…and with luck, we'll be outta there in time for Saturday Night Live.
The other reason — and maybe I shouldn't say this but I say a lot of things I shouldn't say — is that a lot of these memorial panels don't get much of a turnout. I've hosted a great many of them and I'd say with half (or thereabouts), I look out at far too many empty seats, wondering where the people are who'd told me how important it was that the con — whatever con it was — have some sort of remembrance of their dear, departed pal. But they're not there. They're down in the Dealers Room selling stuff at their table or promoting product or whatever.
So we don't do a lot of these. This year, I'm hosting the annual Jack Kirby Tribute Panel because…well, he was Jack Kirby. Reason enough. Immediately following it, allowing for back-to-back memorials, I'm hosting an hour devoted to the late Dave Stevens.
The Kirby panels are by now more than eulogies. They're historical records of an important guy, and we also have a lot to discuss each year in terms of upcoming Kirby reprints. Even deceased, Jack has more stuff coming out than most artists who are alive.
This year, I've asked Joe Ruby and Ken Spears to be on the panel to discuss a period in Jack's career about which most of his fans know little. In the late seventies, Jack felt distanced and in some ways a prisoner of the comic book industry. To stay in it at that point would have meant doing some things he really didn't want to do…so he got into animation, instead. Contrary to a spectacularly uninformed article that a prominent person in the cartoon biz wrote many years ago, Jack was enormously happy working on Saturday morn cartoon shows and he later said that, for a number of reasons, the change saved his life. Most of this work was done for the Ruby-Spears Studio on shows that included Thundarr the Barbarian, Mr. T, Chuck Norris's Karate Kommandos and many that did not make it to air. Joe and Ken will be telling us all about those days.
I've also asked the great comic book artist Jerry Robinson to be on the panel…and you may have seen Larry Lieber listed. Larry was going to be on it and wanted to be on it…but he has to catch an early flight Sunday morning. So I'll be surprising you (and possibly, myself) with someone else.
Dave Stevens was, of course, a good friend and a good guy and (of least importance) a good artist. I do expect a good turnout for the tribute to him. I'm not sure who all will be speaking. I'm going to just let anyone who wants to say something have three minutes at the microphone. We've only got an hour, which means more like 45-50 minutes, so it won't be nearly enough time. We also have a lovely slide show and a few other treats.
Here are the listings for these events…
Sunday, July 27
10:00-11:00 Jack Kirby Tribute — As we do every year, friend and family of the great Jack Kirby to remember the man some call The King. Participating this year are animation producers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears, and comic book legend Jerry Robinson. And it's all hosted by — who else? — Mark Evanier, author of the recent book, Kirby: King of Comics. Room 7AB.11:00-12:00 Remembering Dave Stevens — The industry was shocked and saddened at the loss this year of one of our great creative talents. Emcee Mark Evanier chairs an hour of remembrance by Dave's fans and friends as they talk about the creator of The Rocketeer…a great artist who left us much too early. Room 7AB.
And since I mentioned Ruby and Spears, I should note that Earl Kress and I will be interviewing them on Friday about their work…first at Hanna-Barbera where they went from being film editors to writers to producers to practically running the studio. These are the guys who started Scooby Doo and dozens of other hit shows, plus they created shows for other studios (like Bigfoot & Wildboy and Electra-Woman and Dynagirl for the Kroffts) before founding their own studio. Here's the official description for that panel…
Friday, July 25
2:00-3:00 That '70s (Animation) Panel — Comic-Con special guest Mark Evanier talks to animation legends Joe Ruby and Ken Spears — of Ruby-Spears Productions — about their amazing output of television cartoon shows in the '70s, '80s, and beyond. Meet the men who gave you Thundarr the Barbarian, Scooby Doo, Dynomutt, Fangface, Jabberjaw and so many more. Room 8.
More panel previews tomorrow. (I can't believe the convention is so soon. Each year, I wonder if there isn't some way to get it postponed for a couple weeks…)