2017 San Diego Comic-Con Wrap Up

Below is my report on the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con, held this year July 20-23. Scroll down to see some select photos or click here to go straight to the photogallery! Thanks to my brother for allowing use of his photos here as well.

My thanks to everyone who visited the WCG Comics booth at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con and made this year another success. As I hoped, the special comicon issue of Rob Hanes Adventures (#18) proved to be a draw to even those not familiar with the series. As always, it was fun to meet new fans and have longtime readers stop by to say hi and pick up the latest issue.

I approached this year’s show feeling somewhat more relaxed than past Comic-Cons, primarily because for once I completed the new issue, as well as put the finishing touches on my new trade paperback, well in advance. It was quite novel to not be burning the midnight oil to complete an issue and get it to the printer in the weeks leading up to the show.

This year’s Comic-Con featured a few firsts for me as well:

• I refreshed my old PVC-pipe booth banner, which I had been using since 2012, with two, simpler retractable vertical banners, featuring fresh pieces of art from the new issue (18) and the next (19).

• I made an effort to be more present on Twitter and Facebook prior to the show.

• For the first time, my tween-aged son joined me on my pre-dawn drive down to San Diego! My family usually follows me separately later in the day, so he was quite excited to get a glimpse of Comic-Con behind the scenes before it started.

Despite the number of attendees, it’s no secret that Comic-Con can be a challenge for exhibitors. Over the years, the profile of attendees has evolved, meaning not everyone who attends the show necessarily is interested in comics, which is much different than when I first began exhibiting at the show back in the 1990s. And, of course, the sheer number of exhibitors vying for attention and dollars adds to the challenge.

As I have noted in the past, some small press publishers and exhibitors have resorted to other means to boost sales. This sometimes involves selling prints, t-shirts or other items featuring characters and properties that are usually unauthorized and unlicensed. I overheard one small press publisher admit to another that his Bob’s Burgers items flew off the table while he “couldn’t sell a $3 comic-book.” When I mentioned this to a fellow small exhibitor, he told me that some companies were looking into ways to start cracking down on such practices since they felt the conventions themselves weren’t stepping up. (I recall years ago there being exhibitors who sold bootleg VHS and DVDs of rare and hard-to-find cult films and TV shows, but these disappeared long ago, no doubt due to a crackdown.)

Nowhere was the changing face of Comic-Con more evident than in the decision by Mile High Comics to skip this year’s show after a 44-year run, as well as that of Bud Plant Books to move to a smaller booth at a different location from the space it traditionally occupied on the main floor in prior years. Both used to be prominent anchors on the main floor, occupying prime locations along with other notable comics dealers. While there are still traditional comics dealers on the floor, they are not at the level or standing of Mile High or Bud Plant—in some ways, like the entertainment and Hollywood booths that occupy the north end of the hall, Comic-Con seems increasingly dominated by publishers and companies that now try to connect their brands and artists to fans directly, rather than through the “middlemen” of retailers and distributors.

Sales were steady for me throughout the show, not marked by the kind of long lulls that sometimes struck my booth in past years at various times during the convention. I am not a natural salesperson or self-promoter, but I have learned it helps to put myself out there a bit, if just to break through the glassy-eyed stares that invariably strike attendees overwhelmed by the show’s sensory overload. Sales on Sunday, the last day, were also surprisingly strong and brisk, with people seemingly ready to buy after four days of activities and panels. Of course this no doubt varies publisher to publisher, but I found that others had similar experiences to mine.

Along with some personal and professional connections I made, it was overall a great show.

Practice Makes Perfect

New vertical banners introduced at this year's Comic-Con

As I always do, I packed my car the night before with my luggage and booth material, and departed before dawn, at 4:50 a.m. I do this not just to beat the traffic, but also to get a prime parking space directly beneath my booth at the convention center (the parking pass itself was purchased months in advance). My departure was actually just a tad later than usual but I still made it to the convention center from L.A. by 6:40 a.m. (In contrast, it takes my wife anywhere from 2–3 hours later in the day to make the drive.)

I actually enjoy the early morning start and being on the road at sunrise—and as I mentioned earlier, my son joined me, who was quite excited to join me. My brother, as he does every year, flew in from Northern California and was also at the convention center by 8 a.m. My car was fully unloaded and my booth set up by 9 a.m., which then allowed me to pick up my son from Comic-Con's exhibitor's daycare and get a nice breakfast. Then it was off to the hotel for early check in.

The banner retired this year

This year, through the hotel lottery, we were at a hotel a bit further out at Hotel Circle—during the show, Comic-Con has several shuttle lines running throughout the city running 24/7. I have to give credit for Comic-Con because, in my experience, even though the departure times for the shuttles are supposed to be 15-20 minutes, whenever the lines got really long either at the convention centers or on the route, they would run multiple buses almost immediately. It's pretty amazing and says much about Comic-Con's commitment to keep fans happy. Taking the shuttle from a little farther out than my usual and preferred hotel near San Diego's Little Italy really wasn't that much of a difference, other than leaving a little extra time—the shuttle stops tend to get a little more crowded in the mornings, but as an exhibitor who can get in before the doors open, I was leaving the hotel by about 7:15 a.m.

On the last day of the show, I actually always drive my car from the hotel to the convention center before dawn, again to be parked so that I can load up my car at the convention center as soon as the show ends. Those round-the-clock shuttles sure come in handy, though of course there's also the option of a taxi (or, nowadays, Lyft or Uber). But at that hour at the convention center, there are already people on line.

The Floor

Since I feel obligated to remain at my booth for most of the show, I only occasionally get to check out the floor or attend panels. For me, the best time to simply see things, is the “magic hour” before the doors open each morning when things are more peaceful and people are getting ready for the morning onslaught of attendees.

Some of my favorite places to visit are retailers like Bud Plant Books and Stuart Ng Books (Stuart actually visited my booth and picked up some recent issues of my book); publishers like IDW, Fantagraphics, Drawn and Quarterly; Artist’s Alley; the areas selling original art and prints by talented artists as well as established names like Neal Adams and Michael Golden.

As always, it was fun briefly catching up with colleagues, friends and fans. These included new Mad Magazine executive editor Bill Morrison; comic book writer, artist and creator Mark Wheatley; Usagi Yojimbo writer and artist Stan Sakai; fellow cartoonist Batton Lash (Supernatural Law) and his wife, Jackie Estrada, who has run the Eisner Awards for years; and First Comics News journalist Rik Offenberger, who recently helped arrange an interview with me that ran just prior to the show.

It’s difficult for me to get away for panels as well—indeed, while taking a somewhat leisurely lunch on Sunday, my wife sent me a frantic text telling me that people were showing up at my booth looking to see me!

This year marked the birth centenary of one of my comics idols, Will Eisner, but I unfortunately missed a panel retrospective of his work. (This year also marked the great Jack Kirby’s centenary and Comic-Con prominently honored the legacy of both artists at the show.) On another day, I did catch a panel of another cartoonist I admire, Wally Wood. Members of my family tried to attend panels on Bob’s Burgers and Rick and Morty, but the wait turned out to be too long and the chances of getting in slim.

Print by MAD Magazine cartoonist Tom Richmond

Off-Sites

As Walking Dead, Blade Runner 2049, Westworld, Netflix and Stranger Things, The Tick, the History Channel, and others abounded downtown and were made even more apparent to me by the fact that even at 7 a.m. in the morning, lines were forming for them. (In fact, that was a consistent theme both in the hall and outside downtown—there were lines for something related to Comic-Con everywhere!) Apparently, some even featured immersive experiences for visitors.

I’ve reported in past years, a growing trend for Comic-Con has been off-site activities and pop-ups. Some rent out storefronts for the show while others create pop-ups in the downtown area adjacent to the convention center. Again, I have little time to check out these off-site venues, but I certainly saw them. Sites for

Cosplay

Print by cartoonist Neal Adams

Like last year, I felt the cosplaying was a little less evident this year. Of course, there are still plenty of people in costumes (as evidenced by my photogallery), but it just seems less frenzied. You can take this with a grain of salt, of course—I always point out that being at my table through much of the show likely gives me a narrow view of the show and, like everyone else, I have to depend on news sites and social media to know what’s going on. I noticed this year that the registration areas were moved to the upper floor, leaving the large open areas in the main lobby once occupied by these booths to cosplayers to gather and pose for photos.

I still take plenty of photos of cosplayers, and I particularly enjoy those that are a little more obscure or clever. Many of the cosplayers also really get into their roles, staying in character when they pose for photos. Among my favorites were a series of different cosplayers from different Wes Anderson films, including the Lobby Boy from the Grand Bucharest Hotel, Team Zissou from the Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and Suzy from Moonrise Kingdom (unfortunately, this last shot I missed!)

As expected, Wonder Woman and Rey from Star Wars proved to be popular cosplayer choices. Another trend I noticed this year was a lot of guys cosplaying as female characters! Rick and Morty, from the animated television show of the same name, was also a very popular choice this year.

Hollywood Glamour

From a media site

Aside from cosplaying, a feature of Comic-Con that often receives plenty of attention is the star quotient at Comic-Con. Though reports noted a slightly reduced studio presence in Hall H compared to previous years, the casts of the upcoming Justice League movie, led by Gal Gadot and Ben Affleck, as well as the cast of the Black Panther, created quite a stir on the floor when they respectively appeared for signings at the DC Comics and Marvel Comics booths.

New trailers for Justice League and Thor: Ragnorak also premiered at the show, shortly before being released online (I caught them on Twitter at my booth).

One evening after the show, on the way to dinner, I inadvertently also ran into a crowd of fans milling about the side entrance of the Hard Rock Hotel across the way, that suddenly began screaming and filming as a side entrance opened and a party of people, surrounded by security, were escorted to waiting limos. It turned out the Hard Rock was the green room for VIPs appearing at the show and Ben McKenzie, lead actor of the television show “Gotham” had just emerged.

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The show invariably ends in a whimper—when the announcement is made, cheers go up, but people often still go about their business as security slowly starts to get unauthorized people out the door. It's amazing at how quickly everything starts to be torn down, almost immediately. Since I have a smaller booth, it's easy for me to strike down my booth, pack everything up and, with the help of my brother and a buddy, pack up my car, using the stairs rather than the elevator to the parking garage which has long lines of people with larger boxes and booth pieces to bring down.

Writer and blogger Mark Evanier writes in his summary about the show that "Comic-Con has an odd way of always being too long but at the same time, not long enough."

And so wraps another Comic-Con. I have to say, for some reason, I enjoyed this year quite a bit, partly due to my increased engagement with social media that made me feel more connected to what was going on elsewhere at the show and the fact that I felt a bit more energized by the release of the comicon issue as well as what’s coming up next in the series—here’s looking to 2018!

Below are some choice photos from the show — or click here to go straight to the photogallery!

Print by MAD Magazine cartoonist Tom Richmond

Aquaman photobombed by... Aquaman!

SDCC 2017: New at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con for WCG Comics and Rob Hanes Adventures

A new issue featuring a comic convention murder mystery, a new poster, and a new trade paperback compilation will all debut at Comic-Con

For additional images, visit WCG Comics’ online media room

NEWS RELEASE – For Immediate Release

Poster to be released at Comic-Con

Cartoonist and self-publisher Randy Reynaldo, who has been plugging away on his breezy action-adventure series, Rob Hanes Adventures, since the early 1990s—surely making it as one of the long-running indy titles still going—announced that he’ll again be exhibiting in the Small Press Area of the San Diego Comic-Con, scheduled July 20-23, 2017.

He’ll be at the same location he’s held in recent years, Booth K1 in the Small Press Area (up aisle 1500 on the main floor), under his WCG Comics imprint. Reynaldo has been a regular fixture at the show since 1993, the year Comic-Con introduced the Small Press Area, and 2017 marks his 19th appearance at Comic-Con.

In addition to debuting new booth displays, Reynaldo will have several new items for sale at his table, including a new poster, issue 18 of Rob Hanes Adventures, and a new trade paperback, Rob Hanes Adventures, Vol. 1, the first in a projected series of volumes collecting the title in trade format. (Click here to see the original press release about issue 18 with sample pages and here for the announcement about the trade paperback.)

“Given the large backlist of issues now in the catalog, it was time to make it easier for people—especially new readers—to begin collecting the series,” said Reynaldo.

Issue 18 promises to generate particular interest at Comic-Con since the issue takes place at a large (but unnamed) comics convention. Titled “Death at Comicon,” Rob is hired to protect a valuable, rare and highly sought-after comic-book. However, when the issue is stolen and a respected comic-book artist is murdered, Rob investigates and uncovers the sordid underbelly of fandom and the comic-book collectibles market! The issue features cosplayers, cameo appearances, and a climactic scene that takes place during a comicon panel.

The issue also includes a bonus backup story, “Prufrock,” which serves as a teaser for issue 19 that will take the series in a startling new direction, when the U.S. government nationalizes Rob’s detective agency, Justice International, turning it into a private police force and intelligence agency for the higher reaches of the government. Rob Hanes Adventures has often featured stories “pulled from the headlines” and upcoming issues will reflect the polarized political landscape of modern-day America.

More about Rob Hanes Adventures:
For those new to the series, Rob Hanes Adventures is an action-adventure series about a globetrotting private eye and troubleshooter from Justice International who travels the world on assignment, facing adventure, intrigue and romance at every turn. Over the years, the story has enjoyed playing in a variety of genres with good humor, and with every issue a stand-alone story, it’s very easy for readers to jump in with any issue.

Launched in 2000, and preceded by a zine and a comic-book series that ran four issues titled Adventure Strip Digest, Rob Hanes Adventures is one of the longest-running indie comics series still going! Inspired by classic adventure comic strips like Milton Caniff's Terry and the Pirates and Roy Crane's Buz Sawyer but set in the modern day—with dashes of light-hearted humor reminiscent of Will Eisner's Spirit—readers and fans have praised Rob Hanes Adventures for recapturing the spirit of the classic adventure strip and updating it for modern day audiences.

Though themes and characters recur in the series, every issue of Rob Hanes Adventures is self-contained. The entire series remains in print, including 17 issues to date and two trade paperback collections of earlier work. For more information about the series, previews and to purchase back issues, visit the WCG Comics website at wcgcomics.com or facebook.com/rhadventures.

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Scroll down for images from these publications.

Images accompanying this press release may be used for review purposes, with additional downloadable art and images from the comic-book series available in our online media room. All art © by Randy Reynaldo. All rights reserved.

For additional information or interview inquiries, please contact WCG Comics.


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Where to find us on the floor (full map with detailed map following):

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Map Detail (Hall B):

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Cover and interior art from Rob Hanes Adventures, Vol. 1 trade paperback and Rob Hanes Adventures #18:

Cover to Rob Hanes Adventures, Vol. 1 trade paperback

Cover art to Rob Hanes Adventures #18 to be released at the show

Coming in ROB HANES ADVENTURES #18:

The Dark Underbelly of Comics Exposed!

Plus RESIST—A bonus story previews new direction for the series

For additional images, visit WCG Comics’ online media room

For Immediate Release

This summer brings the release of a new issue of Rob Hanes Adventures featuring TWO full-length stories, including a murder mystery set at a popular summer comic-book convention.

In the cover story, “Death at Comicon,” Rob is hired to protect a valuable, rare and highly sought-after comic-book. However, when the issue is stolen and a respected comic-book artist is murdered, Rob investigates and uncovers the sordid underbelly of fandom and the comic-book collectibles market! The issue features cosplayers, cameo appearances, and a climactic scene that takes place during a comicon panel.

The issue also includes a bonus backup story, “Prufrock,” which serves as a teaser for next issue, when a new U.S. administration nationalizes Rob’s detective agency, Justice International, turning it into a new secret private police force and intelligence agency accountable only to those in the higher reaches of government. Building on the series’ knack for stories inspired by real-life events, “Prufrock” kicks off a startling new direction that series creator Randy Reynaldo promises to be as entertaining and thrilling as it is thought-provoking. Rob Hanes Adventures has often featured stories “pulled from the headlines” and, in this and coming issues, Rob and his private detective agency, Justice International, become embroiled in missions that explore the polarized political landscape of modern-day America!

About Rob Hanes Adventures:
Rob Hanes Adventures is an action-adventure series about a globetrotting private eye and troubleshooter from Justice International who travels the world on assignment, facing adventure, intrigue and romance at every turn!

Launched in 2000, and preceded by a zine and then a comic-book series that ran four issues titled Adventure Strip Digest, Rob Hanes Adventures is one of the longest-running indie comics series still going! Inspired by classic adventure comic strips like Milton Caniff's Terry and the Pirates and Roy Crane's Buz Sawyer but set in the modern day—with dashes of light-hearted humor reminiscent of Will Eisner's Spirit—readers and fans have praised Rob Hanes Adventures for recapturing the spirit of the classic adventure strip and updating it for modern day audiences.

Though themes and characters recur in the series, every issue of Rob Hanes Adventures is self-contained. The entire series remains in print, including 17 issues to date and two trade paperback collections of earlier work. For more information about the series, previews and to purchase back issues, visit the WCG Comics website at wcgcomics.com or facebook.com/rhadventures.

A third trade paperback, Rob Hanes Adventures, Vol. 1, that begins collecting the current series was recently announced and will be released this summer as well.

#   #   #   #   #

Images accompanying this press release may be used for review purposes, with additional downloadable art and images from the comic-book series available in our online media room. All art © by Randy Reynaldo. All rights reserved.

Ashcan (unfinished) cover to Rob Hanes Adventures #20

Reviews: Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder/West Side Story

Below are reviews of two recent musicals my family and I saw on stage this past year...

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder

I first caught this show in April 2016 in Los Angeles with much of the original Broadway cast intact, but when the touring production returned last February to the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts in Orange County, my wife and I decided to take our children. So this is the second time I’ve seen it!

Winner of the 2014 Tony for Best Musical, “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” is closely based on the 1949 Ealing British black comedy film, Kind Hearts and Coronets, which itself is loosely based on a 1907 novel called, Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal by Roy Horniman. (For some legal reason, the musical did not have permission to use the same title, so it is officially based on the novel, though it hews closely to the film.)

Set in Edwardian England and considered a skewering of the upper class, “Guide” is a crowd-pleaser of a musical about an estranged member of the prominent D'Ysquith clan named Montague "Monty" D'Ysquith Navarro who—both out of greed and the poor treatment of his late mother at the hands of the D’Ysquith family who disinherited her when she chose to marry a musician below their station—proceeds to kill all those in succession before him when he discovers that he is tenth in line to the family’s title position of the Earl of Highhurst. He does so in ingenious clever ways to make the deaths all look accidental, leading to grisly and funny deaths that are hilariously portrayed using clever yet simple stagecraft.

Adding to the fun of the show is the fact that a single actor portrays each member of the D’Ysquith clan murdered by Navarro (including the women). The conceit parallels the same feat performed by actor Alec Guinness in the 1949 film. Each member of the family, of course, has their own unique eccentricity, which no doubt makes the role an actor’s delight. The show’s music is fitting reminiscent of a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. In addition to the tension of whether Navarro will get caught, there is also a love triangle involving a lover and a cousin.

The children loved the show.

West Side Story

Many people are no doubt familiar with the classic 1961 film adaptation of "West Side Story," co-directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, adapted from the iconic 1957 Broadway show by Arthur Laurents (book), Leonard Bernstein (music), Stephen Sondheim (lyrics), and Robbins (concept and choreography), which was inspired by William Shakespeare's “Romeo and Juliet.” Nevertheless, live performances are a beast unto themselves so it is always a treat to watch a well-known show, particularly when the film adaptation differs from the play.

This touring production was put together by the La Mirada Playhouse and my family and I saw it as a Saturday matinee at the Valley Performing Arts Center at California State University, Northridge. My son had recently discovered the film and very much looked forward to the show.

This is a fine production—it says much about the power of the story and the music that I found myself tearing up at some moments, particularly when Tony and Maria first meet. All the actors—particularly the leads—had beautiful voices, though it probably helped that the mics ensured they played to the back rows.

With that said, I found the first half of the production serviceable, with everyone hitting their marks but not quite transcending the material. That changed in the second half, however, after intermission—both the actors and the production seemed to then fully embody the story and the music. The second half was powerful and effecting. Kudos to the leads, and main supporting players, who provided some of the lighter moments in this otherwise sad and tragic story.

A Visit to Universal Studios Hollywood

Click here to see the full photo gallery of my April 2017 visit to Universal Studios Hollywood.

While Universal Studios Hollywood in many ways competes in Southern California with the likes of Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain, and Legoland for families and thrill seekers, it has the distinction of also being a working film and television studio. So in addition to the rides and attractions, Universal also appeals to fans of television and movies, and those interested in seeing the industry behind the scenes.

Though not as often as Disneyland, I’ve visited Universal several times over the years. One of the first times was when I vacationed in California with my family in the mid-1970s while we still lived on the east coast; again in the late ‘70s on a road trip with my brother and east coast friend after we moved to Northern California; then, after I re-located to Southern California for college and work, at least once during the ‘80s, and more recently, several times over the last decade when I’ve visited with my own young family.

At first glance, the studio still feels quite familiar, particularly the tram tour. I always get a kick out of being on studio lots—I’ve walked around the Warner Brothers lot thanks to a friend, and have been on the Culver Studios, Paramount Studio and Fox Studio lots on business or for screenings. (Ironically, I've never been to Sony Studios—formerly MGM—though I live right down the street from the lot!)

In fact, the Universal backlot remains so recognizable to me that, in just the past few months, I've spotted its locations in shows like Netflix's "Love" and TBS's "Angie Tribeca."

On the tram tour, it's comforting to see some of the same “greatest hits” after all these years still entertaining visitors, such as the Jaws shark “attack” and Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho house, as well as the famous “flash flood” attraction. And I’m glad they still take the time to show off the studio’s history, pointing out landmarks like Hitchcock’s office bungalow and the places where Universal’s early monster films and westerns were filmed. But make no mistake, portions of the tour have also been upgraded and re-imagined. For example, a memorable part of the tram tour back in the day was a wooden bridge that broke apart and shook as you crossed it to simulate an earthquake, complete with (styrofoam) boulders that came barreling down the hill. This was later transformed into some ice tunnel attraction that I vaguely recall; today, it is the impressive King Kong 360 degree 3-D attraction where guests are transported to Skull Island to watch Kong do battle with a dinosaur with the tram riders in the middle of the action. They’ve also added a similar 3D Fast and the Furious attraction, which impressively features several of the film’s stars.

Live attractions and shows related to the magic of movie-making have also always been part of the experience. Again, this has evolved much over the years—I recall a live show that selected audience members to participate in filming sequences from Airport (complete with a water tank). There used to be an Old West stunt show that is now a Waterworld stunt show. Today, the park offers entertaining special effects and animal shows in small arenas.

However, while the tram tour and live shows related to the magic of movie-making used to be the core of the Universal Studios experience, over the last decade or more, Universal has worked to expand its appeal by adding more traditional amusement park rides and theme areas, based of course on a Universal (or other) popular entertainment franchise. So in addition to thrill rides like Jurassic Park (a water ride), the Mummy, Transformers, and Shrek, we now have the Wizarding World of Harry Potter area and a Simpson’s Springfield area that expands on a smaller, previously existing Simpson’s Krustyland. (They’ve also added a "Walking Dead" attraction, building on the very popular Halloween scare nights during the Halloween season.)

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened to great fanfare and anticipation in 2016. It’s an immersive environment that features a snow-covered village from the Harry Potter series dominated by Hogwarts Castle. (Construction of the themed area required the destruction of the Universal Amphitheatre, a concert venue I visited several times over the years.) Rides in the themed area includes a magic motion Forbidden Journey ride and a Flight of the Hippogriff kiddie rollercoaster.

Also relatively new is the Simpson’s Springfield land, which expands on a smaller footprint that included a Simpson’s ride and Kwik-e-Mart. The area has been expanded and features Moe’s Tavern, a Krusty Burgers fast food restaurant (where the food was a lot better than I expected), a Lard Lad Donut Shop, and tons of details that bring the Simpsons’ city of Springfield to life.

Unlike Disneyland, which can easily keep you entertained for a full day and more (especially with its sister park, California Adventures), I usually was ready to leave Universal after about three-quarters of a day. The expansion and new additions now makes it a fuller day. And don’t forget to visit the Universal City Walk right outside the main entrance, with plenty of fun shops, restaurants, and a movie theater complex.

For the full photo gallery of my visit, click here.