Category Archives: Movies

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Argo – Review

5/5 – Go see this movie!

Ben Affleck is now three for three when it comes to directing. Not only that, but Argo is the best of those three movies as well. I really liked Gone Baby Gone and loved The Town, but I think Affleck has set a new bar for himself with Argo.

Affleck is helped by a really stellar cast. Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Victor Garber and Tate Donovan join Affleck in this movie about a fake movie. Kyle Chandler even makes a very brief couple of appearances.

Don’t blink. You might miss him.

Argo is based on the real life story of a CIA mission from 1980. When the American embassy in Iran was raided by revolutionaries in 1979, 6 embassy workers managed to escape to the residence of the Canadian Ambassador. Tony Mendez, played by Ben Affleck, is the CIA agent tasked with getting them out of Iran before they’re discovered and killed. The tension is high throughout the entirety of the movie. Seriously, the tension is high right until before the credits roll. That works great at making Argo a very suspenseful movie.

I was on the look out for it, but could not find one instance of Affleck Face at any point in the movie. I was shocked. A Ben Affleck movie without Affleck Face? He came close once, but never gave us full Affleck Face. The tension was broken instead by my new favorite phrase, “Argo fuck yourself!”

“Argo fuck yourself!”

I will be shocked if Argo doesn’t get nominated for Best Movie, Affleck for Best Director and screenwriter Chris Terrio for Best Screenplay at the next Academy Awards.

I’m starting a 1-5 rating system with this review. A 1 means avoid the movie and a 5 means you should go see it right now. You can find the number rating at the top of the review, just under the movie poster. In case you missed it, I gave Argo a 5.

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Andrea Romano Interview at NYCC 2012

I was able to sit down with both Bruce Timm and Andrea Romano at New York Comic Con this year to talk about Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Parts 1 and 2 and Batman: The Animated Series. You can read my Bruce Timm interview here.

Andrea Romano has been casting Batman for the past 20 years. “Somebody told me that I’ve cast Batman 13 or 14 times over the various different projects,” said Romano. She is one of the people responsible for the incredibly good casting of  Kevin Conroy as the voice of Batman for Batman: The Animated Series.
When Kevin Conroy came in for this audition int he early 90s, Andrea had already listened to 500 auditions for the role of Batman, and had auditioned 150 people in person herself. After Kevin’s audition,  Bruce Timm and Andrea looked at each other and said “We have found Batman.” In the two decades since Kevin Conroy began being the voice of Batman, people have come up to Andrea and told her that “For my entire life, I’ve heard Kevin Conroy as Batman.” Andrea knows the feeling. According to Andrea, “When I prep a script, regardless of what incarnation of Batman it is, when I’m preparing for recording, I hear Kevin’s voice. Even though it may be somebody else I’ve cast to play Batman, I hear Kevin’s voice. That sets the bar.”
Andrea described the casting of Batman as “incredibly hard.” But the benefit, according to her, is that “it’s a character you don’t have to pitch. You don’t have to go, “There’s a guy named Bruce Wayne, and he’s got this problem because his parents were murdered.” Everyone knows who he is.” She also pointed out that these actors may never get the chance to play him on camera and this could be their one opportunity to play him.
When asked about how Mark Hamill was cast as the Joker, Andrea said that Mark Hamill approached her. Mark had his agent call her saying that Mark wanted to be a part of the Batman series. Andrea first cast him as a guest. “He did a terrific job and was very much embraced by the crew. He was very generous with his Star Wars stories.” When they finished recording, he came over to Andrea and said, “I had a great time, but you don’t understand. I want to be a part of this series,” Andrea let on. At the time, Tim Curry had been cast as the Joker and had recorded a handful of episodes. Andrea was asked by her higher ups to recast him. On a side note, she mentioned that she is probably the only person who has an existing version of a Batman show that has Tim Curry in it playing the Joker. She decided to give Mark Hamill a shot. “He auditioned and was stunning,” Andrea said about Mark.
In Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 2, Michael Emerson, from Lost and Person of Interest, will be the one playing the Joker. When asked how she found him, Andrea said that she approached Michael at San Diego Comic Con and asked him if he would ever be interested in doing an animated project if the right role came up. “Then this came up and I said, “Would you like to be the Joker?” and he jumped on it.” said Andrea. According to her, Michael said this was the hardest work he’d ever done. “I think because it’s out of his wheelhouse.” Andrea commented. When they recorded Michael as the Joker, Andrea was in LA and Michael was in NY. It was the first time Andrea recorded via Skype, so she could watch him. “Because working with an actor when you can see them, as opposed to only hearing their voice is very helpful. And having them be able to see me so that I can direct them.” Andrea explained.
Regarding Peter Weller being cast as Batman in The Dark Knight Returns, Andrea said “If I can’t use Kevin Conroy, because I do love using Kevin Conroy whenever I can, Mark Hamill as well, this was a really good bit of casting.” She explained, “The thing is, Peter is a good actor in and of himself. I didn’t know he was a major comic book fan. He was really familiar with the source material.”
At New York Comic Con, publicist Gary Miereanu revealed that Conan O’Brien would be voicing talk show host Dave Endocrine in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 2. When asked how it was working with Conan, Andrea said, “He was excellent. He was a pleasure to work with. There’s something that he has to do in this piece, which is when he gets hit with Joker gas, that laughing gas that hits people. It starts with a building laugh and then a big, big laugh and then it gets to that painful, I’m dying laugh. He did it in one take. It’s a long, long laugh. Both Bruce Timm and I were like, “You’re really good.” You have no idea how hard that is. Laughing on cue is one of the hardest things to do in voice over. It’s just really, really hard, and he just nailed it.”
When asked who’d she like to work with in the future, Andrea’s answer was Jon Hamm. “I think he’s a wonderful actor. He can do comedy, he can do drama and everything in-between. She also said she wants to work with Kyle Chandler, saying “I think he’s a terrific actor too.” And she would love to work with Glenn Close. “[Glenn Close] began her career in voice over. She was in The Legend of Greystoke, the Tarzan story. She completely dubbed Andie MacDowell’s voice. That’s not Andie MacDowell. That’s Glenn Close’s voice. She’s a terrific voice over actress, so I want to work with her.” explained Andrea.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 2 will be released on Blu-Ray and DVD on January 29, 2013.
Interview by Billy Henehan
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Bruce Timm Interview at NYCC 2012

At New York Comic Con, I was able to sit down with Producer Bruce Timm and Casting Director Andrea Romano to discuss Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 and 2, and the enduring legacy of Batman: The Animated Series.

Bruce Timm and his team meet every week with people from Warner Home Video, DC Comics and Warner Brothers Animation in order to discuss everything that’s in production and what they might want to put into production. The idea of doing an adaptation of Batman: The Dark Knight returns was first brought up when DC began producing animated movies. There was some objection to it at the time, and they did other projects. The idea didn’t come up again until a couple of years ago, in between Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight’s release and the start of production on The Dark Knight Rises. There was concern that Christopher wanted to use The Dark Knight Returns for The Dark Knight Rises, so they had to again, not move forward with an animated Dark Knight Returns movie. Later on, once The Dark Knight Rises was in production, DC said it was different enough from The Dark Knight Returns to do an adaptation. “I jumped on it,” said Bruce Timm.

According to Bruce, it’s tricky finding the right project to pitch. “Sometimes we’ll have a favorite Batman comic that we loved as a kid or a teenager, and we’ll throw the idea out, but not all of those make good movies.” He went on to explain that with the realities of the marketplace is that even with the tight budget they work with, the movies still cost X millions of dollars. “The Home Video people want a sure thing. That means you’re going to get a lot of Batman movies, a lot of Superman movies, a lot of Justice League movies. I’m hoping that something happens along the way that allows us to broaden our horizons and lets us do a Nightwing movie or a Batgirl movie, but what something might be, I don’t know,” explained Bruce. I asked him, if Arrow continues to be popular, will we see a Green Arrow animated movie? “Who knows? Maybe. Possibly. We’ll see.” was his response. That sounds hopeful to me, Arrow fans.

When asked if he was concerned bringing the politics of the comic to the film version of The Dark Knight Returns, Bruce said, “Fortunately for me, my takeaway from reading the original in terms of political mind view is that Frank Miller seems to hate everybody. You know? It’s not that he hates liberals or he hates conservatives.”

Bruce caught himself and said, “I shouldn’t have said that. Frank doesn’t hate everybody. I don’t think Frank hates anybody.”

(Just kidding, Frank)
In talking about the actual script for The Dark Knight Returns, Bruce Timm said that screenwriter Bob Goodman hit all the high points in his outline. After Bob turned in his first draft, Bruce made notes about important dialogue from the book that needed to be in the script, or an important moment that needed to be put in. “It’s a little back and forth, but it’s a complicated process,” said Bruce.
The art direction is also something that was labored over. “We wanted to make it as much like the source material as possible,but knowing we weren’t going to make it look exactly like the comic…It’s always a trick to find what are the most iconic looking things about the original art that makes it look like Frank Miller art and yet at the same time can also be translated into animation.” Bruce commented. They referred to the comic on every background, vehicle, location and color schemes. Their goal was to make it look like the original comic as much as possible. Finding an art style that worked was difficult. It was something they struggled with for weeks. It had to be true to the original, but still able to be animated. They even went back to the original model sheets from the Batman: The Animated Series episode that dealt with The Dark Knight Returns, but didn’t get any help from there. “They were too simplified.” said Bruce. “We put our nose to the grindstone, sweat more bullets and eventually came up with what we came up with.”
Our discussion turned to Batman: The Animated Series. When I asked if he had a favorite episode, he said, “No. Too many. I couldn’t narrow it down.” When I followed that up with if there was an episode he didn’t like or that he was really unhappy with, he responded similarly: “Oh, I have tons that I don’t like. Are you kidding me? Again, I couldn’t narrow it down either. Which one’s the worst? There’s too many.” When asked who his favorite Batman composer was, Bruce said “That’s like asking me which one of my kids I love best.” Naturally, I immediately followed up with, “Which one of your kids do you love best?” Without missing a beat, Bruce said, “My daughter.” and then went on to say, “That’s an easy one, because I only have one.”
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 is available now. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 2 will be released on January 29, 2013.
Interview by Billy Henehan.
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Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 Review

Around the time that the first Tim Burton Batman movie was released, I had a case of full-on Batmania. I had enough Batman t-shirts to last over a week. I had multiple Batman buttons pinned to my jackets. I even had a giant Batman movie poster from the NYC subway hanging in my bedroom.

It was around this time that I was given a copy of The Dark Knight Returns. It immediately became one of my favorite comics. It’s one of those comics that I read almost every year.

When it was announced that Dark Knight Returns would be adapted into an animated movie, I couldn’t help but feel hesitant about it. I’m not a fan of the Death of Superman animated film and I worried that they would use the wrong art style or water down the story on DKR. The box art scared me; this wasn’t the Batman from The Dark Knight Returns on the box art.

I shouldn’t have worried. The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 is a very faithful adaption of the first half of The Dark Knight Returns. The art style is very reminiscent of Frank Miller’s art from the comic, but updated to not look dated, less rough, and more streamlined. It’s a very subtle shift in style and it works well. The story has barely been changed. It’s not a shot-for-shot, line-for-line remake of the comic, but while watching it, I couldn’t pick out any scene that was missed. Batman’s inner monologue is gone, but that may be for the better. I don’t know if I’d have enjoyed the movie if every scene was narrated by The God Damn Batman.

Yessssss!

The story in Part 1 deals with Batman coming out of retirement to deal with the Mutant Gang, who have been terrorizing Gotham City. The leader of the Mutants is a ‘roided up, razor teethed psycho. It’s a cool story that works both on its own and as a set-up for Part 2, which is being released on January 29, 2013. The climatic battle between Batman and the leader of the Mutants is simply awesome.

The Mutant Gang have a similar eye-wear fashion sense as Cyclops from the X-Men.

The hardest part of enjoying any animated Batman movie for me is dealing with Kevin Conroy not voicing Batman. To me, and many others, Kevin Conroy is Batman, so hearing someone else’s voice come out of the character’s mouth can be jarring. But Peter Weller is great as Batman.

I highly recommend checking out Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 1. It has replaced Batman: Under the Red Hood as my favorite DC animated feature. If you enjoyed the recent The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight rises movies, it’s worth checking out the story that helped inspire those two films.

I can’t wait for Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 2 to be released. In the meantime, I think I’ll check out the DC animated movie of my other favorite Batman tale: Year One.

You can also read my interviews with Bruce Timm and Andrea Romano about the making of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.

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NYCC 2012: Scott C’s The Great Showdowns


One of my favorite things about going to comic book conventions is the chance to pick up books before they are released to the general public. It might sound silly, but there’s something cool about being able to get something that’s not yet been released to stores. Even though I was on a tight budget at this year’s New York Comic Con, #1 on my list of things I had to buy was an advance copy of Scott C’s Great Showdowns book, which was just released by Titan Books at the end of October.
           
 I first came across Scott C’s (the “C” stands for “Campbell”) work online earlier this year, and I immediately fell for his fantastic artwork. His style could veer into “too cute” territory, but the topics of his paintings (such as Daft Punk Camping, or the Beatles without their shoes) are usually just bizarre enough to prevent this from happening. He’s been posting his Great Showdown paintings online (almost) daily for a while now, and I was super psyched that there would finally be a book collecting these awesome pieces. For those unfamiliar with his work, the paintings feature “moments of conflict” from classic (and, admittedly, not so classic) movies. They are not only restricted to fight scenes, or good vs. evil battles – the best part about these paintings is that they can pretty much be anything – from Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore vs. a vase on a pottery wheel (Ghost), to a boat vs. an iceberg (Titanic), to (my favorite) Bruce Willis vs. many smiling shards of glass (Die Hard). I haven’t mentioned it, but all the subjects are smiling at one another, and just seem so happy to be included in the paintings.

             

As an added bonus, in addition to setting up a signing, NYCC also included a Great Showdowns panel, which gave everyone the chance to hear about the book from the man himself. Over the course of about an hour, Campbell talked about the impetus for the showdowns (the first painting, of Ghostbusters, was included in an exhibition at Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles), his favorite of the showdowns (Ghost), how, after more than 500 of these paintings, he still has a long list of movies he’s still got to get to (one specific example: Serenity– chew on that one, nerds!) Like most panels, this one closed with a Q & A session – but while this usually is the signal to leave a panel, Campbell kept the audience glued to their seats by drawing each person asking the questions as they were answering them! While this did lead to questions that were…less than awesome (especially since the panel’s location was right next to the exit from Stan Lee’s photo op), Campbell’s love of making art was infectious, and I would not be surprised if a majority of the people that wandered by the panel ended up getting a copy of the book. 

While I was lucky enough to pick up an early copy at Comic Con, The Great Showdowns should be available now at all good bookstores- pick up yours today!      

Written by Nicolas Doyle. Convention photo by Nicolas Doyle.

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The Cosplay of NYCC 2012

There were so many awesome costumes at this year’s New York Comic Con! I think this year may have boasted the most impressive cosplayers since NYCC began. Here are some of my favorites!

New rule: all dealers need to cosplay, just like Absorbing Man here. 
The most dangerous hazard with crowded escalators: getting hit in the face repeatedly by Bark the Mog’s wagging tail.

Arcee, ready to roll out.
And one of many 11th Doctors in the background. 

“There’s money in the banana stand.”
The only way this costume could have been better is if it was self-immolating.
This might not be a George Costanza costume. Maybe this guy just really likes Seinfeld and tucking his shirts into his denim shorts. I hope this is a George Costanza costume.

War time Captain America and the Scarecrow partying it up like an intercompany crossover.
I was really impressed by this woman’s Captain Marvel costume for a couple of reasons: 1. This costume just debuted in the comics a couple of months ago! 2. She even incorporated Carol Danvers’s new hairstyle.

There were so many Doctors at NYCC, but only one Doctor Strange. I want this cape. 

I’ve seen many guys dressed as Ghostbusters over the years, but none as elaborate as this duo. They even had a Slimer! 

A very manly Mera.

While not a costume, this remote control R5-D4 was amazing. 

Venom

I really wish this picture came out clearer. 
These three had awesome Wasp, Scarlet Witch and Ant-Man costumes. 
I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone cosplay Ant-Man before!

Weeping Angel.
Don’t blink….but feel free to tip generously.
Starro 
This guy needs a “Free Face Hugs” sign.
I don’t get the whole Free Hugs thing. But Free Shrugs, I get that. 
Cassandra Cain Batgirl and Red Robin. 

I was very happy to see someone cosplaying my favorite Batgirl, Stephanie Brown.
My absolute favorite costumes from this year’s NYCC all have something in common: wings. 
Sorceress and Skeletor
Does He-Man know about this?

Victoria’s Secret Stormtrooper Angel
This guy rocked the runway that is Artist Alley!
But my absolute favorites…
Steam Punk Hawkgirl and Hawkman
There two win! The attention to detail in their helmets. The individually feathered metal wings. This Steam Punk Hawkgirl and Hawkman pair are amazing!
Written by David Henehan. Photos by Billy Henehan, David Henehan, Nicholas Doyle and Graig Kreindler.

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The Dos and Don’ts of NYCC 2012

Whether New York Comic Con 2012 is your first convention or your five hundredth, following these dos and don’ts will almost guarantee you and the people around you all have a good time.

DO: Plan ahead!
New York Comic Con is big. There are many cool panels to attend, writers, artists and actors to meet, dealers to buy from and publishers’ booths to check out. To make sure you don’t miss out that piece of exclusive merchandise that you really want, or meeting your favorite creator, plan ahead. Check out the maps and schedule on the website. Use your phone’s calendar to remind you of special events. Make a checklist.

DO: Download the NYCC app for your iPhone or Droid!
There have been NYCC smartphone before. They have for the most part been useless. This year’s NYCC app has changed that. They’ve rebuilt it from the ground up. It’s a great resource to have before and during the convention. It’s packed with information: panel schedules, a full list of guests, floor maps and a live Twitter stream of NYCC related tweets. If you’re looking for information regarding, NYCC, the app probably has it.

DO: Bathe! Every morning! With soap!
I will stop recommending this when you stop smelling. If you don’t bathe with soap, you will smell, thus both perpetuating a foul odor and a foul stereotype. Let’s start a new stereotype: The freshly washed nerd!

DO: Mind your obnoxiously overstuffed backpack.
It’s easy to not notice when you hit someone with your backpack. You probably don’t feel it. The other person definitely does. Better yet, pack a messenger bag instead. They are the perfect size for holding books, look more stylish, and make you more maneuverable. But if you’re a fan of looking like King Koopa, please be mindful of where your backpack is in relation to other people’s faces.

DO: Stay healthy!
Your immune system is going to be weakened by the marathon sessions of being on your feet all day for four days. There will be lots of people in an enclosed space, all recirculating the same air and pawing over merchandise likely that hasn’t ever been cleaned. This all leads to one thing: Nerd Flu. Don’t get it. Wash your hands. Pack a travel size container hand sanitizer.

DON’T: Push!
New York Comic Con is going to be crowded, especially on Saturday and Sunday. Expect to be stuck in slow moving traffic. Don’t be that guy who pushes the person in front of you to signal you’d like things to be moving faster. It doesn’t make the crowd move faster, lowers the mood, and makes you an asshole. NYCC 2012: No Assholes. It’s a motto we can all get behind.

DO: Take a break!
Sure, there’s enough to do at NYCC to fill the whole day. But if the crowds start getting to you, take a break. Get some sunlight and fresh air. There’s a deli a couple of avenue blocks away on 34th St that has a good selection of food and drinks, and plenty of seating. Head there. Decompress. Get a bite to eat. Then head back to the Javitz refreshed.

DON’T: Even think about asking for more than 3-5 signatures at 1 time!
It’s obnoxious to show up with a stack of 30 books, especially if there are other people waiting, or if an artist is signing your books while also working on a commission.

DON’T: Be afraid to haggle with a dealer!
If you see something you like, don’t be afraid to politely ask if the dealer can do a little better on the price. If the price is $60, ask if they can do $50. Maybe he’ll say yes, maybe he’ll counter with $55 and maybe he’ll say no. If he says no, don’t be afraid to walk away. Maybe you’ll get the deal you’re looking for at another booth. Maybe that first dealer will call you back over instead of losing out on a sale. A lot of dealers are selling the same merchandise and want your money to end up in their pockets, not the guy’s in the booth next to them. This is doubly true on Sunday. Whatever these guys don’t sell, they have pack, carry, load, unload, carry and unpack later.

DON’T: Be creepy!
It’s interesting how weird people can be when they’re around someone they love or someone they hate. Whether it’s your favorite writer, or “that bastard who ruined _________,” they’re all people, just like you and me. Be cool.

DO: Eat the soft pretzels!
They’re delicious!

DON’T: Eat all the soft pretzels!
Save some for me!

Written by David Henehan

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Sunday at NYCC 2012 Planning Guide

If this year is anything like last year, Sunday at NYCC 2012 will be very crowded. It won’t be Saturday crowded, but it will still be crowded, especially in the early afternoon. With it being Kids Day, at least the average height of the crowd will be greatly reduced.

Need a break from the crowds on the show floor? Get thee to a panel! There aren’t as many options as Saturday, but there are some very, very good options.

10:45 AM – 11:45 AM Minimates Turns 10: Small Toys, Big Plans
People seem to either love or hate Minimates. I’m in the love camp, despite not actually currently owning any Minimates. With Marina getting a Minimate this year, I have to ask what Marvel character is left that hasn’t received the Minimate treatment? D-Man? Maybe this is his year!

10:45 AM – 11:45 AM Marvel NOW!: Amazing Spider-Man and Beyond
Amazing Spider-Man writer Dan Slott has said that he will have to go into hiding once Amazing Spider-Man #700 comes out. What is he planning?! Expect some ominous clues here. And Mark Waid will also be here talking about my current favorite Marvel title, Daredevil.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM DC Entertainment – Meet the Co-Publishers
The line for this was LONG last year. With the New 52 still as popular (or unpopular, depending on the person you ask) as last year, expect this to be crowded again this year, with Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, Dan DiDio and Bob Wayne talking about the plans for the New 52 in 2013. Get here early if you want to get a good seat. When do you think the first Wally West/Donna Troy question gets asked? I predict it will be before the 3rd question in the Q&A.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM 666 Park Avenue Special Video Presentation and Q&A
It looks like the whole cast and the executive producers will be at this panel. I haven’t watched 666 Park Avenue yet. Is it any good? I did like Terry O’Quinn in Lost and once had a crush on Vanessa Williams when I was about 14.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Tom Felton Q&A
I really hope a young fan treats Tom Felton as if he were actually Draco Malfoy and asks why he’s always such a jerk to Harry. Or better yet, a middle aged fan does this.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Arrow Special Video Presentation and Q&A
Executive Producers Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim, and the cast of Arrow are going to discuss the show and give a sneak peak of upcoming episodes. Arrow is very smartly making its TV debut the night before New York Comic Con starts. I’m excited for Arrow, but I think if I went to this panel, I’d end up asking questions about my current Netflix obsession, Eli Stone.

12:15 PM – 1:15 PM DC Comics: Batman – Death Comes to Gotham
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo are killing it on Batman right now. I don’t remember the last time I enjoyed the main Batman title this much. The Joker is returning in the upcoming Death of the Family. If you read the other Bat-titles (I don’t), creators from most of those will be here as well, including Grant Morrison. At SDCC, DC handed out Court of Owls masks at the Batman panel. Hopefully we’ll get lucky as here.

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Kirkmania!
An hour of Robert Kirkman taking questions directly from fans. Remember people, questions begin with what and how, not I.

2:45 PM – 3:45 PM Ian McDiarmid Spotlight
The listing says that Ian McDiarmid is going to talk about his entire prolific career, but I’m pretty sure I’ve only ever seen him play one role across five movies.

Written by Nick Doyle

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Saturday at NYCC 2012 Planning Guide

Saturday is the most popular day at New York Comic Con. You will find yourself in the middle of some slow moving crowds. But you will be rewarded with the best programming of the weekend.

8:00 AM Robot Chicken Autographing Ticket Giveaway
8:00 AM AMC’s The Walking Dead Autographing Ticket Giveaway
NYCC doesn’t start until 10 AM on Saturday, but if you want to get in on either of these autographing sessions, plan for an early morning. The lines for these officially start forming at 7:00 AM, but I wouldn’t be surprised if people show up even earlier. Assuming you can only get tickets to one, do you line up for Robot Chicken or The Walking Dead? And what do you do between 8:01 AM and 9:59 AM?

10:00 AM – 7:00 PM Celebrity Autographing and Photo-Ops
Miss getting your picture taken or your DVD signed by your favorite Hobbit/evil wizard/brother-kissing Rebel leader on Friday? You’re in luck! They’ll happily take your money today too!

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM The Image Comics Experience
Come here and hear announcements for what may be the best new series coming to your LCS in the months to come!

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Kill Shakespeare: The Live Stage Reading
Are you fan of this IDW series? Then maybe you’d like to see the story performed by live actors. The costumes are almost guaranteed to be better than the Green Goblin’s from Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.

12:15 PM – 1:15 PM Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2
See exclusive footage of the second half of the animated Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Movie. DC Animation Legend Bruce Timm will be on hand for this one.

12:15 PM – 1:15 PM Mattypalooza
If you’ve got one (or more!) of mattycollector.com’s subscriptions, I’m guessing you are really going to want to be here to find out what is coming down the pipe for Masters of the Universe, DC Universe, Watchmen and Ghostbusters.

12:15 PM – 1:15 PM The Big Quiz Thing
Do you always get the comic book question right whenever there’s one at your local pub quiz? In that case, you might want to show up for this and clean house!

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM DC Comics – The New 52
I wonder if they’ll be making a New 52 Wave 4 announcement. I also wonder at what point we’ll stop calling it the “New” 52. It’s been over a year now!

2:45 PM – 3:45 PM Marvel NOW!: The Avengers
It’s hard to remember when Brian Michael Bendis wasn’t writing The Avengers. Now that he’s decided to move on to other projects, Marvel is putting two of their biggest writers on The Avengers: Rick Remender and Jonathan Hickman, who will both be on hand for this panel.

3:00 PM – 3:45 PM From Fight Club to Hell and Back
Chuck Palahniuk, the author of Fight Club, will discuss his latest novel, The Damned, which has the tag line “Welcome to the Inferno by way of The Breakfast Club. I am intrigued.

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Vertigo – Fables: 10th Anniversary!
Fables is 10 years old? Wow. Time flies when you’re one of the best comic book series on the stands every month. You read Fables, right? The collections are all in print. Start now and get a head start on 2022’s 20th anniversary.

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM AMC’s “The Walking Dead” Panel Event
Practically the entire cast of The Walking Dead are being interviewed by Talking Dead host Chris Hardwick. I’m not sure how you could make this more enticing. This is must-see for me.

5:15 PM – 6:15 PM DC Comics: Justice League
When the New 52 was announced, Geoff Johns and Jim Lee’s Justice League was my most anticipated series. Unfortunately  it hasn’t lived up to the admittedly very lofty expectations I had for it, but with Lee leaving and longtime Johns collaborator Ivan Reis coming on for art duties, maybe we’ll see a turnaround in the New 52’s flagship title? I’m interested to hear what will be coming up for Justice League in 2013.

6:15 PM – 7:15 PM Firefly 10th Anniversary Special Event – First Look
On 11/11/12, the Science Channel will be airing a Firefly 10th Anniversary Special Event. They will be showing an exclusive preview of it at NYCC. There will also be “special surprise guests” at this panel. Maybe an appearance by Nathan Fillion? That would be awesome.

6:45 PM – 7:45 PM Saga: Sex, Drugs and Rock N’ Roll
Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples are going to take about their new series Saga. Why does this have to overlap with the Firefly panel?!?

7:45 PM – 8:45 PM Bleeding Cool Panel With Rich Johnston
Are you constantly hitting f5 on comics news and rumors sites? Then you will definitely want to be here, as Rich Johnston is promising to break some secrets about 2013’s major events that no one has reported before.

8:00 PM – 10:00 PM NYCC Charity Art Auction
The art that’s already up on the New York Comic Con website for this auction looks amazing. I can’t wait to see everything that makes its way into this event. The money raised goes to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, so don’t feel bad about bidding high.

Written by David Henehan

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Friday at NYCC 2012 Planning Guide

Friday is the first full day of NYCC. If you can get out of your day job, I highly recommend going on Friday. You won’t face anything near the large crowds of Saturday and you’ll have much more programming options than Thursday. Friday is the sweet spot on the NYCC baseball bat.

10:00 AM – 7:00 PM Celebrity Autographing
If you’re interested in meeting Adam West, Burt Ward, Tom Felton, Sean Astin, Peter Davison, Lou Ferrigno or Christopher Lloyd, they’ll all be signing autographs today. Costs vary by person. For example, Batman’s signature is $10 more than Robin’s.

11:00 AM  – 12:00 PM CBLDF: The History of Comics Censorship
Attention all Media Studies majors!

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Wondrous Worlds, Fractured Futures: Speculative Fiction and Image Comics
A few years ago, I saw Brian K. Vaughn speak with JMS, Colleen Doran and Jeff Smith at a panel called World Building. Brian K. Vaughn quipped that the comics he was writing both took place in New York City, so he wasn’t sure why he was invited to the panel. His new comic with Fiona Staples, Saga, takes place far, far away from New York City. This is a can’t miss panel for fans of what Image Comics is doing right now.

11:15 AM – 12:15 PM Marvel: House of Ideas
The focus of this panel is on Marvel’s digital comics offerings: Infinite Comics, Marvel.com and the Marvel mobile app. Oddly, Mark Waid will also be on this panel. Not sure what that’s about. Maybe a digital Daredevil exclusive?

11:15 AM – 12:30 PM Comics, Hollywood – What Creators Need to Know
Thinking about turning that spec script you wrote into a graphic novel? Thinking about trying to sell your graphic novel as a feature? This may be the panel for you.

12:15 PM – 1:15 PM Marvel Now! All-New X-Men
Rick Remender is going to be here talking Uncanny Avengers. That’s really all you need to know, right?

12:15 PM – 1:15 PM How to Get a Job in the Video Game Industry with Capcom
Go to this and get your girlfriend/mom/loan officer off your back about not paying your bills and spending all your money on video games.

12:15 PM – 1:15 PM Adam West and Burt Ward Spotlight
I picture this being very similar to the famous William Shatner Star Trek convention skit from SNL.

12:15 PM – 2:45 PM The 501st Legion’s “Shoot a Trooper”
If you’ve been to NYCC before, you’ve no doubt spotted at least a few members of the 501st Legion. They’re the guys in the very well done Stormtrooper costumes. These guys are super fans. They’ve even been incorporated into the Star Wars expanded universe and had an action figure made after them. They’re showing their softer side at NYCC this year: for a small donation to charity, you can take shots at Troopers with a Nerf gun.

12:30 PM – 1:20 PM – Tom Felton Photo Op
4:35 PM – 5:35 PM – Tom Felton Photo Op
To Do List: 1. Buy a Slytherin robe. 2. Pick up a twig. 3. Head to Tom Felton Photo Op.

1:20 PM – 1:45 PM – Sean Astin Photo-Op
Wear your Hobbit feet and your Notre Dame jersey.

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Oni Press – RevolutiONIzing Comics
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Marvel NOW! Join the ReEvolution
What’s the theme of NYCC 2012? Fun with the word revolution! Oni wins this round for working their company name into it.

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Inside “The Batmobile”
On the down side, they didn’t work the word revolution in this title. On the upside, you get to see the entire one hour documentary on The Batmobile before anyone else. I will probably be here. If I am, I will definitely have a review of it up soon after NYCC. Going to this kind of derails my “Draco and Me” photo idea though.

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Digital Price Showdown
Maybe you want to debate how much digital comics should cost. Or maybe you want
to see a bunch of people yell at the co-founder of comiXology that digital comics cost too much.

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Vertigo: A View From the Cutting Edge of Comics
American Vampire and Fables are two of the best comics being published every month. Both American Vampire writer Scott Snyder and Fables writer Bill Willingham will be on hand for this panel.

1:45 PM – 2:45 PM Grant Morrison Spotlight
News on Multiversity, please?

1:45 PM – 2:40 PM Stan Lee Photo Op
One of my regrets from this year’s Pittsburgh Comic Con was not springing for the Stan Lee Photo Op. Sure, the background screen that Froggy uses couldn’t be tackier, but a picture with Stan Lee would be a very cool souvenir from this year’s NYCC.


2:15 PM – 3:30 PM Writing to be Drawn (Comic Book Writing and Art Tutorial)
If you didn’t get enough Bill Willingham at the Vertigo panel, he’ll be here with Jerry Ordway, Cully Hammer and Michael Oeming to talk about the specific methods of storytelling in comics. Learn how to effectively break down a script and the ins and outs of story flow.

2:45 PM – 3:45 PM DC Comics: Green Lantern – The Third Army Arrives
With Green Lantern, Geoff Johns is writing one of the most consistently best comics on the market. On the one hand, I’m excited to see some preview artwork and hear Geoff talk about the title. On the other hand, I feel like this panel is going to mostly be cryptic announcements from Johns and non-answers to questions from the audience. I’m not complaining about that. I’d hate for this story line to get spoiled at a con panel. I’m setting the over/under of number of people dressed as Guardians of the Universe at 1.5.

2:45 PM – 3:45 PM VALIANT: The Future of VALIANT
I was a huge Valiant fanboy the first go-around. In fact, I stuck on the Valiant train way too long. On the upside, it meant I was one of the lucky few reading Quantum and Woody. On the downside, I also read The Visitor. There were rumors for years of a Valiant comeback. Now that it’s finally here, it’s almost hard to believe it’s actually happening. According to the listing, everyone in attendance gets a special door prize. Gold books, anyone?

2:45 PM – 3:45 PM Skybound On The Rise
Skybound is the current jewel in the Image crown. If you have a bad case of Kirkmania, get yourself here, stat!

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM Robert Kirkman Autographing at the Image Booth
Don’t show up to this line at 4 PM. With the popularity of all things The Walking Dead, the line will be capped by that point. I’d say to get there by 3:15 at the latest…which means leaving the Skybound panel early. Hello, Catch-22.

4:30 PM – 6:30 PM Carrie Fisher Autographing
I met Carrie Fisher a few years ago at a Big Apple Con. Childhood dream fulfilled. Now’s your chance!

5:15 PM – 6:15 PM Terry Pratchett Meet and Greet
According the NYCC website, Terry Pratchett won’t be signing anything, but will be handing out pre-signed book plates. BUT MY COPY OF GOOD OMENS IS ALREADY SIGNED BY NEIL GAIMAN AND IT NEEDS TERRY PRATCHETT’S AUTOGRAPH!

6:00 PM – 6:30 PM Carrie Fisher Photo Op
Keep it clean, gentlemen.

6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Be a Comic Book Retailer!
Don’t go to this panel if you’ve ever been talked into buying a time share. With a shrinking market and an ever increasingly move to digital, this seems like an equally bad idea.

6:30 – 7:30 PM Robot Chicken
Last year’s Robot Chicken panel was my favorite panel of NYCC 2011. Don’t miss this panel. Unless you have no need for joy in your life, then by all means, miss this panel. I am half hoping, half dreading that the pothead who sat near me last year who cackled at everything that was said sits near me again.

8:00 PM – 9:00 PM CollegeHumor Live at New York Comic Con
I love comics, sketch comedy and stand-up. I can’t think of one reason why I would miss this.

9:00 PM – 10:00 PM Steampunk 101
If you buy a top hat, goggles and a velvet topcoat, you can proceed directly to Steampunk 102.

Written by Sarv, who likes us on Facebook. You should like us on Facebook too.