Salutations Speed Readers,
For those that haven’t heard yet there were some pics shown off at New York Comic Con this past weekend of the “New 52” action figures coming up from DC Direct next year. As expected there were a few pictures shown of the new Flash action figure; TNI and Toy Ark have the goods:
The new Flash writer/artist team, Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato, are both scheduled to be at New York Comic Con this weekend. You can also catch the Flashpoint team of Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert.
In addition to signings, Johns will be on Friday’s DC All Access: Green Lantern panel, and Johns, Manapul and Buccellato will all be on DC All Access: Justice League panel on Saturday.
This is Buccellato’s only east-coast appearance on his fall signing schedule, and the only event this fall where you can meet both halves of the current Flash creative team.
Update: Brian Buccellato has posted his schedule for the convention, including three signings:
FRIDAY October 14th
4-5 PM @ THE DC BOOTH (with Francis Manapul)
SATURDAY October 15th
3-4 PM @ THE DC BOOTH
SUNDAY October 16th
3-4 PM @ THE DC BOOTH (with Francis Manapul)
I’m on the other side of the country from New York, but the comics press are doing a thorough job of covering New York Comic Con. The Flash isn’t getting a huge spotlight, but there are bits of news here and there. SpeedsterSite has been posting Flash-related bits on Twitter.
From CBR’s Geoff Johns Spotlight write-up:
See also Comics Alliance’s summary and Newsarama’s liveblog.
From CBR’s DC Nation writeup:
From Comics Alliance’s DC Nation post:
See also Newsarama’s DC Nation liveblog.
Newsarama’s Animated Young Justice coverage has a lot on this version of the characters, including:
Kid Flash is Wally West, 15, and good friends with Robin. Voiced by Jason Spisak. Not as fast as the Flash, and he can’t stop on a dime — he has to skid to a stop. He’s very much into using his momentum as a weapon, so his costume has shoulderpads and kneepads. Vietti: “His body is like a human cannonball… he has a little bit of a parkour approach.”
Of DC Universe Online, Newsarama says, “All 4 Earth Green Lanterns, all the Flashes are in the game”
The DC Universe panel didn’t seem to have much Flash info at either CBR or Newsarama. Same with the DC Town Hall: Comics Alliance summary, Newsarama liveblog.
And finally, a bit from SpeedsterSite:
Andy Kubert on FLASHPOINT: “I’ve got a HUGE chunk of it done. Geoff will choke me if I say any more.”
Comic Book Resources and The Beat both noticed something interesting in the program for this weekend’s Big Apple Comic Con: the dates for next year’s event. It’s going to be October 7-10, 2010 — the same weekend as the larger, well-regarded New York Comic Con.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
It’s only been 3 months since Wizard World[1] announced Anaheim Comic Con (in California) would launch on the same day as C2E2. Okay, they’re halfway across the country from each other, and that can happen with a crowded convention season. This year’s WonderCon (San Francisco) and MegaCon (Orlando, Florida) seemed to manage just fine on the same weekend. On the other hand, Anaheim and C2E2 are both new shows. More importantly, C2E2 is run by Reed Exhibitions, who run NYCC, and is setting up in Chicago, the same city as Wizard/Shamus’ flagship Chicago Comic Con. There’s already bad blood there.[2]
Of course, Big Apple Comic Con and New York Comic Con aren’t across the country from each other. They seem to be just down the street, about a mile apart. That’s closer than my hotel was to the San Diego Convention Center during Comic-Con International this year — and I walked that distance. Twice.[3]
You don’t accidentally schedule your con for the same weekend, in the same city, within walking distance of the #2 show in your market. Especially when you’ve already scheduled another show to conflict with the same organization’s only other event in your industry. (Reed is big in general, but NYCC and C2E2 are the only shows that overlap with Wizard’s field.) Obviously they deliberately chose to compete with NYCC.
What I can’t figure out is: What do they hope to accomplish?
Given all the good will NYCC has picked up over the last few years, and all the good will Wizard has lost over the same period of time, I can’t imagine that if forced to choose one over the other, the comic book industry would side with Big Apple at this point. Publishers will probably split delegations[4], and I can imagine some guests setting up at both cons if contracts allow it, and I’m sure Big Apple will be able to get some exclusive guests…
…but it really reminds me of the attempt a few years ago (2006?) to launch Wizard World Atlanta on the same weekend as the well-regarded Heroes Con. The industry came down solidly on the side of Heroes Con, and Wizard World Atlanta was canceled. If anything, Wizard’s reputation is worse now than it was then.
Given their relative size, reputation and location, I can’t imagine that Big Apple expects to beat New York Comic Con by going head to head with it. So what are they tying to do? Ride on the other con’s coat-tails? Interfere with NYCC’s guests and exhibitors? Interfere with NYCC’s attendance? It just doesn’t make sense.
Update: It gets better! Big Apple kicked out 3 NYCC staffers today — just like they kicked out an LBCC staffer from Philadelphia a few months ago. (via Robot6)
Mr. Shamus, Wizard, whoever: you’re really making it hard for me to justify going to Anaheim Comic-Con next year. And considering it’ll take me longer to find a parking space than to drive to the convention center, that should take some doing.
Update 2: Reed Exhibitions has responded to the scheduling announcement, saying, “We confidently welcome any competition, whomever they may be.”
1. Or whoever actually runs the conventions that Gareb Shamus owns, since they seem to be downplaying the Wizard brand.
2. Robot 6 goes into more detail on Wizard/Shamus’ history dealing with other conventions.
3. Okay, the second time was a mix of walking, running and a pedicab ride, but still, it was walkable.
4. DC Comics will often hold DC Nation panels at two cons on the same weekend, sending Dan Didio to one and Ian Sattler to the other.
Just a few Flash photos from New York Comic-Con that I found on Flickr.
Titans Tower Monitor Room has a whole series of sketches from New York Comic Con including a classic Kid Flash by Alex Saviuk, a Flash by Greg LaRocque, and a set of classic Teen Titans by Karl Kerschl.
Comic Bloc’s Iron Sun 254 has a theory on the nature of the Speed Force.
Crimson Lightning has the results of the Favorite Flash Vol.2 Writer poll: Mark Waid wins handily, with Geoff Johns a close second. The next poll (on the sidebar of any page at Crimson Lightning): who’s your favorite Flash leading lady?
The Jim Aparo Fan Club profiles Flash #311, his only Flash cover.
Comicbook.com lists Barry and Iris Allen among their 10 great comic-book couples.
Reilly2040 reviews Legion of Three Worlds #3, focusing on the Flash elements.
Fan Cinema Today reviews The Flash: Crossover the fan film released a few weeks ago from Influence Films.
One more: The Cool Kids Table’s Ben Morse writes about why he likes Wally West.