Once upon a time, the Desert Inn was the most opulent hotel-casino in Las Vegas. It opened in April of 1950 as Wilbur Clark's Desert Inn, Mr. Clark being an entrepreneur with a big idea but not enough money to build it. He had to obtain money from "The Mob" to complete the place, whereupon vacationers, gamblers and celebrities flocked to enrich his investors. A little less than a year after it opened, my parents had their wedding and honeymoon there. (I know what you're thinking. I was born a year later so I was not conceived there.)

Clark sold off pieces of the business over the years and his name disappeared. He sold his last shares in 1964 and then two years later, Howard Hughes moved in, taking up residence in the top two floors of the hotel. When he was eventually asked to leave, he bought the place instead and then proceeded to buy other hotels up and down The Strip. After Hughes died, his company kept it running but eventually it was sold a couple of times and finally torn down (actually, blown up) in 2001 so Steve Wynn could build Wynn Las Vegas on that real estate.

You can see a little of the Desert Inn as it looked in 1985 in the Albert Brooks film, Lost in America. That's where his wife lost their nest egg on a roulette wheel and Albert's character tried to persuade Garry Marshall to give them their money back. But here's what the Desert Inn looked like around its peak in 1955…

My left foot is bothering me so I skipped Preview Night at the con and today was transported about by wheelchair. In the process, we ran over six Klingons, four storm troopers and a couple of Harley Quinns, some of whom might even been women for all I know. I hosted four panels, all of which went well since they featured very smart, easy-to-interview people.

The con was its usual crowded self and I think we oughta stop acting surprised about that. The photo below was taken this morning but it could have been taken at any Comic-Con International of the past dozen years…or the next dozen for that matter.

I enjoy being here because I enjoy seeing so many people having such a good time. It's like Disneyland but without people dressed as cartoon characters, bad, overpriced food items, beastly expensive things to buy…hmm, I'm having trouble coming up with something. Maybe rides that will make you upchuck.

I have a meeting and a need to elevate my foot for a while before that meeting so I'm going to go. More from the con soon.

I was so busy getting to the con and checking in and dealing with the hotel's WI-FI system (which consists of two Dixie Cups, a connecting string and a couple of emaciated homing pigeons) that I forgot to post this link to Patti LuPone singing — what else? — "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat"…

With a few updates/changes…

Thursday, July 25 — 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM in Room 9
MEET MICHAEL HIRSH
Business Chief magazine called Michael Hirsh "The Father of Canadian Animation." He co-founded Nelvana, the firm responsible for animating such famous cartoon franchises as, among so many others, The Care Bears, Babar, Barbie, Max and Ruby, The Magic School Bus, Beetlejuice, The Adventures of Tintin, Franklin, Cyberchase, and The Berenstain Bears, along with such larger-than-life personalities as Roseanne Barr, Mr. T., Deborah Harry, and Tim Burton. How did he do it? That's the question your moderator Mark Evanier will be asking in this rare one-on-one interview.

Thursday, July 25 — 11:00 AM to NOON in Room 4
SPOTLIGHT ON JACK C. HARRIS
Jack C. Harris began writing and editing DC Comics in 1977; among the many comics he wrote and/or edited were Kamandi, Wonder Woman, House of Mystery, Sgt. Rock, Isis, Green Lantern, The Superman Family, The Unexpected, Weird War Tales, and Detective Comics. His work appeared later in Marvel Comics and Heavy Metal, among other publications. In short, he's been active in comics for decades, has worked with a wide range of editors, writers, and artists, and is a Comic-Con special guest. Here's your chance to hear him tell his experiences as he's interviewed by Mark Evanier.

Thursday, July 25 — 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM in Room 4
SPOTLIGHT ON KEN STEACY
Ken Steacy's visual storytelling career spans a half-century, as a writer, artist, art director, editor, and publisher. He has chronicled the exploits of Astro Boy, Iron Man, Harry Potter, and the Star Wars gang; and, in addition to producing his own IP, he has collaborated with Margaret Atwood, Harlan Ellison, and Trina Robbins. The recipient of an Eisner Award and an Inkpot Award, in 2009 Ken was inducted into the Joe Shuster Canadian Comic Book Hall of Fame, a lifetime achievement award for contributions to the industry. He'll be talking about all this and more in this spotlight when he is ruthlessly interrogated by Mark Evanier.

Thursday, July 25 — 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM in Room 4
SPOTLIGHT ON JO DUFFY
Jo Duffy has written comics including Power Man and Iron Fist, Catwoman, Batman, Wolverine, Fallen Angels, Nestrobber, Glory, Crystar, Elvira, Defenders, Punisher, and Star Wars, as well as the English-language edition of Akira. She has written short stories, essays, the comic book biography of Saint Francis, and an adaptation of Kipling's Jungle Book, and is the co-writer of two Puppet Master movies. She was the managing editor of Epic magazine and an editor at Marvel Comics, handling such titles as Elektra, Daredevil, Dreadstar, Groo, Doctor Strange, Hulk, and ROM. Hear about all this and more when she is interviewed in this spotlight by Mark Evanier.

Friday, July 26 — 10:30 AM to 10:30 AM in Room 4
THAT 70'S PANEL
It was a time of major change in the comic book business; of new talent coming in and the industry being rebuilt to come with a changing world and marketplace. Hear all about it from people who were in the middle of it: Gerry Conway (Amazing Spider-Man, The Punisher), Jo Duffy (Power Man and Iron Fist, Catwoman), Marv Wolfman (Tomb of Dracula, The New Teen Titans), Al Milgrom (Captain Marvel, West Coast Avengers), and your moderator, Mark Evanier (Scooby Doo, Blackhawk).

Friday, July 26 — 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM in Room 10
THE GROO PANEL
Since 1982, fans have followed the bumbling, almost tragi-comic exploits of easily the stupidest, most destructive character in all of comics, Sergio Aragonés' Groo the Wanderer. So here's your opportunity to hear all about this unique, long-running comic book character from Carrie Strachan (colorist of Groo), Jo Duffy (one-time editor of Groo), and Mark Evanier (who has something to do with this comic and maybe he'll even tell everyone just what it is).

Friday, July 26 — 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM in Room 10
WALT KELLY AND POGO
Walt Kelly's Pogo was one of the greatest newspaper comic strips of all time and is now being reprinted in an award-winning series of volumes from Fantagraphics Books. What made the world fall in love with Pogo Possum, Albert Alligator, Howland Owl, Churchy LaFemme, Ma'm'selle Hepzibah, and the other denizens of Mr. Kelly's corner of the Okefenokee Swamp? That's the topic under discussion by cartoonists Patrick McDonnell (Mutts) and Rick Parker (Beavis and Butthead), historian Maggie Thompson, Walt Kelly archivist Jane Plunkett, Cartoon Voice Actor Jim Meskimen and your moderator (and co-editor of the Complete Pogo), Mark Evanier.

Saturday, July 27 — 11:45 AM to 1:00 PM in Room 6BCF
QUICK DRAW!
It just might be the fastest, funniest panel at the entire Comic-Con! Three cartoonists (and a few guest cartoonists) whip up hilarious cartoons right before your eyes based on suggestions from the audience and your host, Mark Evanier. Competing this year, armed with nothing but their own wits and some Sharpies, are Scott Shaw! (The Flintstones, The Simpsons comic books), Lalo Alcaraz (award-winning political cartoonist and the man behind La Cucaracha), and Disney Legend Floyd Norman.

Saturday, July 27 — 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM in Room 6BCF
CARTOON VOICES I
Once again, moderator Mark Evanier convenes his popular panel of folks who speak for some of your favorite animated superstars and videogames. Demonstrating their craft this year on the Saturday panel are Neil Ross (Captain Planet, G.I. Joe), Piotr Michael (Young Jedi Adventures, Wizards: Tales of Arcadia), Secunda Wood (Gabby's Dollhouse, Fast & Furious Spy Racers), Julie Nathanson (Final Fantasy, Skylanders), Bob Bergen (Porky Pig, Tweety), and Isaac Robinson-Smith (X-Men '97, Voltron: Legendary Defender).

Saturday, July 27 — 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM in Room 7AB
THE HISTORY OF HANNA-BARBERA RECORDS
The legacy, voices, and music of Bill Hanna, Joe Barbera, and their collaborators are celebrated by host Mark Evanier and actor Tim Matheson (Jonny Quest, Space Ghost, Sinbad, Jr., Animal House, Virgin River), cartoon voice performer Katie Leigh, animator and animation historian and Comic-Con special guest Tom Sito, and author Greg Ehrbar (host of The Funtastic World of Hanna & Barbera podcast).

Sunday, July 28 — 10:00 AM to 11:15 AM in Room 5AB
THE ANNUAL JACK KIRBY TRIBUTE PANEL
Each year, we gather together folks who knew and/or were inspired by the man they call "The King of the Comics," Jack Kirby. If you're attending this convention, you have to know who he was and what he did. Talking Kirby this year will be cartoonists Patrick McDonnell (Mutts) and Rick Parker (Beavis and Butt-Head), Kirby family friend Dave Schwartz, Jack's granddaughter Tracy Kirby, a Surprise Guest Panelist and your moderator, former Kirby assistant Mark Evanier.

Sunday, July 28 — 11:45 AM to 1:15 PM in Room 6A
CARTOON VOICES II
If you think the Saturday Cartoon Voices Panel was wonderful, wait'll you hear the Sunday one! Your moderator Mark Evanier has rounded up six more of the best folks who put the words into the mouths of your animated favorites. Come hear Debi Derryberry (Jimmy Neutron, Draculaura on Monster High), Daniel Ross (Donald Duck, The Tom and Jerry Show), Jim Meskimen (Thundercats, Avengers Assemble!), David Errigo, Jr. (Phineas and Ferb, Tiny Toons Looniversity), Debra Wilson (Baby Shark's Big Show!, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League), and Fred Tatasciore (Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Tiny Toons Looniversity).

Sunday, July 23 — 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM in Room 7AB
COVER STORY
Industry people will tell you that the single most important page in any comic book is the cover, and often more effort goes into the cover than into the rest of the comic. What does it take to conceive, design, and execute a great cover? That's the question your moderator Mark Evanier will put to four artists who've done them over and over: J. Scott Campbell and Comic-Con special guests Joe Jusko, Ken Steacy, and Klaus Janson.

Sunday, July 28 — 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM in Room 7AB
THE BUSINESS OF CARTOON VOICES
What does it take to establish and maintain a career doing voicework for animated cartoons and video games? There are plenty of coaches out there who will charge you a fortune for the kind of advice you'll get absolutely free at this panel. Your moderator Mark Evanier has assembled a panel of one of the top voiceover agents, Sam Frishman (C.E.S.D.) and three voice actors who work all the time:  Gregg Berger, Debi Derryberry, and Debra Wilson. If you're interested in this profession, it's a must-attend!

Everything above — times, rooms, panelists, even how the moderator spells his name is subject to change. The entire programming schedule can be found and committed to memory on this page. During the con, I will not be one of those people sitting behind a table for any length of time signing stuff but come to one or more of the above panels and if there's time, I'll gladly autograph a few things for you if only to prove I know how to write my own name.

You'll never guess what song this is or what show it's from but I'll give you a hint: It was put on by the Opera House Theatre Company in Wilmington, NC. And no, I'm not done with this obsession yet. There are still more to come…

How to pronounce the first name of the person a lot of us hope will be the next President of these United States.

If you're in Southern California this weekend but not down with all the lovely folks of Comic-Con, I have two experiences to recommend…

One is Hexen, an "ancestral witchplay" that through song, audience interaction and aerial dance — that's right, I said aerial dance — weaves the narratives of three women representing witch archetypes. This story — part historical account, part imaginative fancy — was created by its star, Dreya Weber, a supremely talented friend who never fails to dazzle with her performances. Well, she's dazzled me and I'm not easily dazzled. It's at the El Portal Theater in North Hollywood this Saturday and Sunday, and you can find out more about it and buy tix on this page.

Also, Puppet Up! will be puppeting-up at the as-yet-unsold Henson Lot in Hollywood. It's an improvised puppet show for adults and it's different every time and wonderful every time. I've raved about it often on this blog — here, for example — and you can see if they have any tickets left for this weekend or even for next weekend here. And of course, you know where I'll be.

As pleased as I was to see Joe Biden do the right thing, I have a teensy regret that he did it when he did it. He did it on a Sunday morning after John Oliver had recorded his Sunday evening broadcast and the day before a week in which The Daily Show, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon were all on vacation. This could have been a very interesting week on the late night programs.

Thousands and thousands of people are about to fly in to San Diego for Comic-Con International 2024 — all the folks who secured badges and made plans but weren't counting on flying in via Delta. What a mess that is and still seems to be.

I'm getting ready for my panels. I've added Al Milgrom to the panel on 70's comics on Friday, Jim Meskimen to the Walt Kelly's Pogo panel later on Friday and I may (may!) have a very interesting surprise guest for the Jack Kirby Tribute Panel on Sunday. Hope to see many of you on many of my fourteen program items.

My dear friend Beatrix (aka "Ptychka") has a new music video out — an amalgam of live-action and A.I.-generated animation. She not only stars in it but she came up with the story — somewhat inspired by Ghost in the Shell — and she wrote the song…in Japanese, no less.

It was directed by Marc-Andre Gray and Bruno Miotto and on their Vimeo page, Bruno wrote the following…

The story draws a line between reality and a dystopian future — a world where Ptychka, a hyper-realistic robot, escapes from a top-secret lab and ventures into our society. Navigating through the chaos of today's world, she embodies the struggle of all the nonconformists, mavericks, and outcasts. She faces the challenge of adapting to a system determined to suppress individuality and being forced to run away from those who want to silence the magic within her.

I know Ptychka and I know she is quite an individual…

I'm still seeing a lot of worries on the Internet about the Village Theater and the Bruin Theater here in L.A. closing this Thursday. Yes, they're closing but no, they're not likely to never be working theaters again. As I forgot to mention, they've both been designated as Historic Cultural Monuments so there'd be a lot of public hearings and meetings before they could be repurposed as weed dispensaries or anything.

Moreover, the owners of each — separate owners, now — don't seem to want to do anything but some upgrading and remodeling and then to reopen and show films. Whenever one does, you'll probably find me there, reminding myself of the days when I used to do something I don't do much now: Going out to a movie.

And while we're talking about old movie theaters in Los Angeles, let's mention my favorite…which is sadly not the theater it used to be. I spent a lot of my childhood at The Silent Movie Theater over on Fairfax and I developed a bit of a friendship with the couple that operated it, John and Dorothy Hampton. I wrote about it here and elsewhere on this site.

I thought I knew everything there was to know about the place but I recently found this webpage which told me a great many things of which I was never aware. If you're even a tenth as interested in this place as I still am, you'll want to read every bit of it.

Here's a different interpretation of "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat" which says it was performed by the FCHS A Cappella Choir. With a little sleuthing ability and the help of our friend Google, I figured out the "FCHS" was for Fort Collins High School in Fort Collins, Colorado. What I can't figure out is why an A Cappella Choir is singing with piano accompaniment…

Like you, I don't know who Kamala Harris will select to be her running mate. But if I were a betting man, I might put a few bucks on Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania…you know, that state Trump says will cease to exist if the Democrats win.

Several folks have written to suggest I repost at least one of the times on this blog when I said what I said in this post…

I will repeat my frequent advice to friends, which is to remember how long it'll be until we vote and to remember how volatile everything is about our current political scene. Everything can change tomorrow. Everything will change within the month, let alone the 321 days until we go to the polls and vote for whoever's names are on the ballots. The way things are going, I wouldn't be surprised to find no mention on them of either Trump's or Biden's.

That was said here on December 17, 2019 and it was about the previous Presidential Election but I also said it about this one such as in this post on February 13 of this year…

…I just think Biden would be a too-old president doing his best for America whereas Donald Trump would be a too-old, too-psychotic president doing his best for Donald Trump and no one else. Between the two men, it's an easy choice but wouldn't almost all of us rather have two other real options?

It's not impossible, I tell myself, that one or both of those men won't be on our November ballots…but don't ask me who'd tag in for either or how the substitution(s) could come about.

Well, now we're finding out and it really is a new election. The one that ended yesterday was manipulated, especially the last few months, to be all about if Joe Biden is too old and not up to the mental part of the job. And now the election's going to be about if Donald Trump is too old and not up to the mental part of the job. There could be one or more new elections before November 5.

This will be a busy week for me and you all know why. Posting here will be light but there will be a lot of video links and not all of them will be of "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat." I may also encore a few old posts and I'll try to check in anew when I can.

Not much to say about the new likely/presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party other than that she has impressed me about as much as any Vice-President could…which isn't much. Joe Biden did so a little as Veep but he didn't really impress me until he got the "com," as they used to say on Star Trek. I thought he was an excellent President of the United States though I can understand why someone might not if they were listening to his opponents. Sad that his exit had to happen the way it did.

Here's another link to my schedule. Several of my panels will have additional "surprise" participants…

Westwood Village is a small community of (mostly) retail outlets and offices adjacent to U.C.L.A. and I spent a lot of my youth there. My parents were always taking me to stores and restaurants there. It's where they took me for tap dancing lessons in one of the few major errors they made in parenting. You could have taught a pelican to tap dance before you or anyone could have taught me. Later, when I went to U.C.L.A., I hung out in "The Village" between classes and when I was dating, it was a terrific place to take dates.

The core of Westwood Village — if there was one — was an intersection with movie studios on two of its corners. Where Broxton Avenue and Weyburn Avenue cross, there stand The Village Theater (opened in 1931) and The Bruin Theater (opened six years later). I was in both a lot and while I remember the movies I saw at that intersection, I'm not always sure which movie I saw where. I'm pretty sure my mother took me to see Bambi at the Bruin and I'm pretty sure I saw Goldfinger and Fritz the Cat at the Village.

These viewings spanned several decades, of course. I think most folks my age who grew up near Westwood have a lot of such memories. And a lot of those people are very sad that, as this article notes, both theaters are closing this Thursday. The sadness seems to me overdone given that both will probably soon be back in biz, somewhat or fully remodeled.

The Village was recently purchased by a consortium of Hollywood filmmakers. I don't think they bought it to tear it down and open a Sephora in its place. The Bruin remains unpurchased but no one seems to be talking about razing it either. I haven't set foot in either for a long time but once one or both are back, I intend to rectify that neglect on my part. If I weren't so busy this week, I'd share some of my happy memories of those theaters now but that will have to wait.