The Countdown to SDCC 2025!

[TheSameIdiot]

I love it so much. I was weirdly into the VERY short-lived cartoon and Kenner toy line as a kid, and it was pretty cool to find out how great the "source material" was years later (quotes because I don't imagine Moore's run specifically was the inspiration ). Veitch's run after is still really good too. But who am I kidding, I'll read every Swamp Thing series they do until they stop publishing them.

Is the cartoon actually good?

I mentioned this to you already, but your avatar—Morrison's Animal Man—is another Mount Rushmore series for me.

Swamp Thing and Animal Man are experimental creators hitting the very edge of what I'm willing to accept from avant-garde storytelling. It's *chef's kiss* perfection.

 

[SDcomics]

Animal Man 25 was one of the best comic books I ever read in my life. And that's saying something because I have read a lot of freakin' comics.

That whole run of Animal Man was mind blowingly amazing. Before the countdown is over, I'll tell you the Grant Morrison story.

 

[cmoney]

Is the cartoon actually good?

Haha, no, not really. It's very standard kids' fare, and it only lasted like five episodes. Put it this way: the theme song was "Wild Thing" but with, you know, Swamp Thing lyrics. Annoying kid sidekicks too! But I was captivated by all the plant powers and the Un-Men at that age. I had a VHS of the first couple episodes that I watched over and over.

 

[TFitz]

I've got a question for the Hasbro team:

Could Hasbro start implementing print tech for hair coloring to better match movie characters hair colors. Especially lighter colors like blonde and red heads. It would drastically help match likenesses for females like Sue Storm where the hair roots are darker than the rest of the hair.

Thanks to Resilient for the images.

 

[Hi-Fi]

The only comics convention I've been to was a long time ago, here in Rio de Janeiro. Chris Claremont talked X-Men comics for about 2 hours and I was in awe.

Maybe one day I'll get to go to SDCC and beg Hasbro for a Kleya figure.

 

[TFitz]

Legends needs to make these.

https://imgur.com/Qdmf0ci

https://imgur.com/bYFEbfF

 

[SDcomics]

It's Throwback Thursday here on the Countdown.

Do people still do that? Well, whatever. We're doing it.

From the year 1985, Alan Moore made his one and only U.S. convention appearance at the San Diego Comic Con.

Alan is on the left, accepting his Jack Kirby industry award for best writer. Mr. Kirby is standing on the right. (This photo was taken by Jackie Estrada.)

This was back when we used to have the show at the old Convention and Performing Arts Center (CPAC) down on C Street. The big ass convention center that we use now was just starting to get built. I was very lucky that I got to talk to Alan for a minute or two. He was sitting at the DC table (No booths in those days, the publishers used tables) and I asked him to sign my copy of DC Comics Presents #85. He was very kind and gracious. I told him that I loved his work and I'd never read anything that good before. He said that was always nice to hear and that he appreciated getting feedback directly from the readers. Alan was a scary looking guy. Yes, I can confirm he does bear a striking resemblance to Rasputin. And he had a deep, booming voice. But he also had a gentle demeanor and could put people at ease right away. I also got the feeling that he was shy and didn't like crowds. I had no idea at the time that he'd never come back. That's why I am SO glad I got to meet him even if it was was just once.

In the back row, from left to right, Dave Stevens (Creator of the Rocketeer) and the Rasputin guy.

In the front row, Jack King Kirby and Eclipse Comics publisher and editor Cat Yronwode.
As you can see from this DC Comics house ad, Swamp Thing cleaned up at the awards:

I can't really put into words the profound impact Alan's work has had on the industry. He is widely regarded as the best English writer of comic books of all time and it's not just the fans who say that. His peers do, too. The list of awards he's won is a mile long. I can only imagine what Marvel and DC would look like now if Alan had continued writing mainstream comics. In just the short time he was there, he turned Swamp Thing completely on his head. He changed everything we thought we knew about the character in the first issue of the series that he wrote. I look at that photo of Alan and Jack and can't help but wish they had created some comics together. What a team they would have made.
Some examples of Alan's work:

And leave us not forget he once guest starred on the Simpsons:

Alan's work will stay in print forever because it's just that good.

27 Days Until SDCC 2025!

 

[TFitz]

And ...

"Beware the Basilisk, my son!"

YES!!! *swoons*

Agreed! We need an updated Captain Marvel! heh

 

[SDcomics]

Maybe this should be my next series I read. I've been looking for a good one and I've never read any Swamp Thing.

Do it! You will love it! But I warn you right now: The American Gothic storyline was one of the scariest damn things I ever read. Seriously. I had to sleep with the lights on every night for a week. My girlfriend wanted to send me to a psychiatrist.

Also, I forgot to mention this in the last post: Swamp Thing is the series that introduced John Constantine, Hellblazer to the world. 100 percent true story. Constantine was created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, and John Totleben, and first appeared in Swamp Thing #37.

 

[SDcomics]

From the year 2010, the Avengers assemble for the first time in public.

The fabled Hall H, the promised land for some attendees, where sometimes dreams really do come true. I rarely go myself because I'm not one for wasting precious convention time spending an entire day and night standing in line, but I wanted to see this one. This was the first time Marvel Studios appeared in San Diego under the Disney umbrella and the rumor was they were pulling out all the stops.

And the rumors were true. Marvel's Avengers appeared in public for the very first time together. No need for me to name them, you know who they are. There were a couple of things that stand out for me about that night. One, the energy level in that room was through the damn roof. Two, when the cast walked out on stage the screams were so loud I actually went deaf for a little bit. It was like standing in front of a jet engine. I remember having a headache that lasted for a couple of days. But it was so worth it. A live action avengers film is a dream I've had ever since I was a little boy.

Somebody told me afterwards that Mark Ruffalo didn't find out he was playing the Hulk until the plane ride to San Diego. Those were amazing times for Marvel Studios.

If you're going to brave the lines for Hall H, come prepared.

Odin's Throne from the Thor movie in the Marvel booth:

26 Days Until SDCC 2025!

 

[Chooch555]

Daman, Evans and Ruffalo look like little kids there.

 

[Ru1977]

Not to be too much of a back-in-my-day snob, but man... I remember just sauntering into the hall halfway through a panel sometimes. I'd go grab a seat and look through my loot while waiting for the panel I wanted to see to start. There was one day I sat through three panels in Hall H, one of which was a Kevin Smith one. I never passed up seeing one of his panels if I could help it.

Meanwhile:

https://www.comic-con.shop/en/

 

[SDcomics]

Not to be too much of a back-in-my-day snob, but man... I remember just sauntering into the hall halfway through a panel sometimes. I'd go grab a seat and look through my loot while waiting for the panel I wanted to see to start. There was one day I sat through three panels in Hall H, one of which was a Kevin Smith one. I never passed up seeing one of his panels if I could help it.

It was the Twilight fans (mob?) that started the "camping out in front of Hall H" tradition. That was in 2008, I believe. I know the Twi-hards have taken a lot of heat from other segments of fandom and some of that is deserved, I suppose. They were pretty extreme.

Still, it's kind of funny to see a grown man dressed as a jedi knight, carrying a light saber and wearing Yoda ears yelling at Twilight fans saying something to the effect of "Hey! You guys go way too damn far with this crap!"

Oh, the irony.

Meanwhile:

https://www.comic-con.shop/en/

Some of the merch looks pretty good. Very pricey, though. I believe I shall wait for the winter sale. More money for comic con and back issues.

 

[Ru1977]

That was in 2008, I believe. I know the Twi-hards have taken a lot of heat from other segments of fandom and some of that is deserved, I suppose. They were pretty extreme.

I was definitely there that year, and I saw people walking around with rapidly made protest signs on cardboard saying "twilight ruined comic con", and i wondered what the hell that was about. Now I know heh. I went one maybe two more times after that then ceased.

Another thing, I remember in high school taking the trolley down there and just buying a pass at the door the day of. Now it's goddamned Ticketmaster nonsense.

 

[SDcomics]

I was definitely there that year, and I saw people walking around with rapidly made protest signs on cardboard saying "twilight ruined comic con", and i wondered what the hell that was about. Now I know heh. I went one maybe two more times after that then ceased.

Another thing, I remember in high school taking the trolley down there and just buying a pass at the door the day of. Now it's goddamned Ticketmaster nonsense.

Yep. We used to be able to pull up right to the old and new convention centers, find a place to park, buy a pass and walk right in. It was like that all the way through the 80's and 90's.

I don't really believe Twilight "ruined" comic con. I don't believe comic con is ruined. It's a lot harder to get in than it used to be, for sure. No argument there. But if comic con is ruined in the minds of some folks, than I will argue it was not Twilight that did it. It was the same two things that ruin everything else: Greed and stupidity.

'nuff said.