Toonbots message board: ok, about the con....

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mouse Sun Jul 20 16:45:07 2003
ok, about the con....

Major Important Take-away Lesson: do NOT go to comic-con, particularly on a saturday, without having paid for your admission in advance. I spent almost 2 hrs in line to get in - and that doesn't count the 20 minutes it took me to walk from the convention center to the end of the line.

once in .... wow. i have a feeling the making comic-con on a saturday one's first comic convention is sort of like learning to surf by starting at the wedge...in a storm. so i only saw a fraction of what i wanted, and now keep remembering things i meant to do....like ask emsworth about his evil twin, and what such twin's existance or nonexistance implied about his own nature.

(that being said, the emsworth i finally hooked up with (i missed our scheduled meeting, due to aforesaid wait) was _definitely_ the Good Emsworth. and his paper went quite well, and i found the session quite thought-provoking - in fact, i have dug out my copy of maus to reread. don't know that i'm going to run out and rent all the planet of the apes movies, though)

although i took a camera, i didn't take much in the way of pictures (one picture of the line i was in, to prove i at least _tried_ to get to comic-con, and one of brad guigar's shin...whole other story. and of course one of emsworth. but i've got to finish the rest of the roll before i can put them up, assuming they are even decent.). there are clearly a lot of people who are _really_ into comics/fantasy/science fiction - saw a roving pack of klingons, a squad of storm troopers (encircling what i took from the back to be a rather short darth vader), and a fair number of females in skimpy leather outfits (you know, we need to work on this sexual stereotyping thing. guys, break the chains of victorian moral repression! you've worked for those bodies - get out there and flaunt them in your own skimpy leather outfits!) - to say nothing of various angels, super-heros, anti-heros, people painted in unlikely colors, and i don't even know what. (and pikachou).

so - i have wet my feet without getting too badly trashed by the undertow - next year, with planning! who's with me?

(oh rats - michael, emsworth asked me to pass a message to you, and my swiss-chees brain has forgotten it. i'm going to blame it on too much sun and excitement. sorry, michael! sorry, emsworth!)

Brother Emsworth Mon Jul 21 16:31:44 2003
Re: ok, about the con....

> once in .... wow. i have a feeling the making comic-con on a saturday
> one's first comic convention is sort of like learning to surf by starting
> at the wedge...in a storm. so i only saw a fraction of what i wanted, and
> now keep remembering things i meant to do....like ask emsworth about his
> evil twin, and what such twin's existance or nonexistance implied about
> his own nature.

I had the same problem the first tear I want, and never *did* find my way back to the booth with the Beetle Bailey figures (including Coookie and Otto the dog!) This year, though I was unable to go back to a lot of things, both because I really only stayed for two full days out of four (and preview night), I used the floor guide better, to try to save steps, and managed to get a fair amount of goodies, even if I left without a Statler and Waldorf action figure set or a giant stuffed My Neighbour Tortoro.

If you had, I probably would have just stared at you. I come back from a tiring but relatively pleasant trip to find that I have mysteriously manifested an evil, Australian, tequila loving twin. (How easy is it to find tequila in Sydney anyway?) Ahhh, just like old times!

> (that being said, the emsworth i finally hooked up with (i missed our
> scheduled meeting, due to aforesaid wait) was _definitely_ the Good
> Emsworth. and his paper went quite well, and i found the session quite
> thought-provoking - in fact, i have dug out my copy of maus to reread.
> don't know that i'm going to run out and rent all the planet of the apes
> movies, though)

Just as well. I enjoyed it, actually, but I think the pater was a bit bothered by all the inter-species/Civil rights parallels. Maus is always worth a re-read of course. I just wish I could have bought more graphic novels myself (or at least finished series 2 of League of Extraordinary Gentleman, so next time I get a "murder by sodomy" question, I'll be better prepared and can respond knowing the context and not just the bizarre and unnerving general details.) If Jenn or anyone else is interested, I may post the general draft of my paper (minus certain corrections, improvements, and impromptu points.)

> although i took a camera, i didn't take much in the way of pictures (one
> picture of the line i was in, to prove i at least _tried_ to get to
> comic-con, and one of brad guigar's shin...whole other story.

Hey, in 2001, I got a lovely picture of the knee of Vince Suzukawa (the now defunct "Class Menagerie") and someone's backpack and the con carpet.

>and of
> course one of emsworth. but i've got to finish the rest of the roll before
> i can put them up, assuming they are even decent.). there are clearly a
> lot of people who are _really_ into comics/fantasy/science fiction - saw a
> roving pack of klingons, a squad of storm troopers (encircling what i took
> from the back to be a rather short darth vader), and a fair number of
> females in skimpy leather outfits (you know, we need to work on this
> sexual stereotyping thing. guys, break the chains of victorian moral
> repression! you've worked for those bodies - get out there and flaunt them
> in your own skimpy leather outfits!)

Err, my dear mouse, were you paying much attention to the general physiques of a fair number of the male con attendees? With a few exceptions (some of whom were already costumed), you probably *don't* want to see is in skimpy leather (besides I'd catch cold, even if it would let me proudly display my decorative scars.)

- to say nothing of various angels,
> super-heros, anti-heros, people painted in unlikely colors, and i don't
> even know what. (and pikachou).

Pikachu, at least (or the one I saw), was being paid by Nintendo. That costume must have been incredibly cumbersome, as the performer could barely move the tiny arms up and down and sort of bob back and forth, and didn't seem to physically walk or move around at all, so I almost thought it was an automaton. I decided it would be cruel to whack the poor soul with my natty cane.

>so - i have wet my feet without getting too badly trashed by the undertow
> - next year, with planning! who's with me?

Humble self, of course, and should be in better health and unencumbered by cane so it should be easier to manage to hordes. (Maybe we can even sit through part of the Klingon Lifestyle Panel and try to keep a straight face!) Let's all try to prepare better, though, have general plans at least by April or May, and be able to make a Jihadic pilgramage out of it, and eat out and share cheese!

> (oh rats - michael, emsworth asked me to pass a message to you, and my
> swiss-chees brain has forgotten it. i'm going to blame it on too much sun
> and excitement. sorry, michael! sorry, emsworth!)

A small porton of Swiss cheese did survive to take on trip, ironically enough. Don't worry, my dear rodent, just a pleasure to see you in person (And thanks for the great directions to the Lyceum theater! Was a wonderful production.) I'm not even sure myself. It was either to apologize for not getting Gooey-gar's (or your) autograph (chatted briefly with Brad a couple times, but he was busy with his super secret business project, and I never made it to the end of the Keen panel.) That, or to call him a jerk (Though I managed to make some good contacts and do some animation research networking despite the site issues.)

mouse Mon Jul 21 17:08:35 2003
Re: ok, about the con....

> I think the pater was a bit bothered by all the inter-species/Civil rights parallels.

i always have the wrong viewpoint because i get information in the wrong order. i actually read the novel _before_ i saw the film and (although i was quite young at the time) am virtually certain that race equality was never on m. boulle's agenda. (humane treatment of other species, perhaps; the foolishness of 'intellegent' species, almost certainly - but not, i think, the american civil liberties movement). (and in light of that interpretation, the choice of the abraham lincoln memorial as the ending of the new version of PotA is .... rather strange.)

> Hey, in 2001, I got a lovely picture of the knee of Vince Suzukawa (the
> now defunct "Class Menagerie") and someone's backpack and the
> con carpet.

actually, the shin-shot was entirely intentional - i promised major tom, on the greystone inn forum, that i would kick mr. guigar in same. (but he was so flattering about my posts, i contented myself with the picture). had to do with the "super-secret" project - if one is going to taunt one's fans with things they won't see for A WHOLE YEAR, one should not expect unanimous gruntlement.

> Err, my dear mouse, were you paying much attention to the general
> physiques of a fair number of the male con attendees? With a few
> exceptions (some of whom were already costumed), you probably *don't* want
> to see is in skimpy leather (besides I'd catch cold, even if it would let
> me proudly display my decorative scars.)

hey - a girl can dream.....

> Don't worry, my dear rodent, just a pleasure to see you in person
> (And thanks for the great directions to the Lyceum theater! Was a
> wonderful production.)

great! (i was going to ask how it was - i meant to check on tickets when i got the flyer - i'll have to check and see how long it's playing, and try to get down myself)

> I'm not even sure myself. It was either to
> apologize for not getting Gooey-gar's (or your) autograph

must have been brad's - or you would have asked me for the 'graph, rather than to apologize to michael.

> That, or to
> call him a jerk.

thought that was boxjam -- or did you mean michael?

mouse Mon Jul 21 17:17:31 2003
oh yeah - there was a point to this

> i always have the wrong viewpoint because i get information in the wrong
> order. i actually read the novel _before_ i saw the film and (although i
> was quite young at the time) am virtually certain that race equality was
> never on m. boulle's agenda. (humane treatment of other species, perhaps;
> the foolishness of 'intellegent' species, almost certainly - but not, i
> think, the american civil liberties movement).

which is not to say, of course, that those who adapted the novel to film (which seems to have been rod serling) couldn't put their own spin on it - but i saw the movie through the lens of the book (if one can put it so) so the race thing never really hit me (until the 2001 remake, really - and even then I just applied it to that film). (not that i spent a whole lot of time reevaluating the earlier films in the light of the latest - clearly, i have no future in film criticism)

Emsworth Tue Jul 22 00:15:53 2003
Re: oh yeah - there was a point to this

> which is not to say, of course, that those who adapted the novel to film
> (which seems to have been rod serling) couldn't put their own spin on it -
> but i saw the movie through the lens of the book (if one can put it so) so
> the race thing never really hit me (until the 2001 remake, really - and
> even then I just applied it to that film).

Serling always had a certain fondness for allegory and social commentary, but I'd have to rewatch the films to see if such commentary extended to all of the regions that the author mentioned, but does seem likely. (And may well have been why he didn't say much about the original book.)

>(not that i spent a whole lot
> of time reevaluating the earlier films in the light of the latest -
> clearly, i have no future in film criticism)

I take it you've stopped reading Roger Ebert.

mouse Tue Jul 22 18:40:51 2003
Re: oh yeah - there was a point to this

> I take it you've stopped reading Roger Ebert.

hate to tell you, but i never started (it's been years since i even caught his show)

Emsworth Mon Jul 21 23:37:44 2003
Re: ok, about the con....

>(and in light of that
> interpretation, the choice of the abraham lincoln memorial as the ending
> of the new version of PotA is .... rather strange.)

Well yes, but so was the entire thing, and the notion of remaking it again (now rumors suggest that Tim Burton plans to cast Christopher Walken in his Willy Wonka remake. I like teh man as an actor, but honestly, would you let your kids, no matter how bratty, go off with Christopher Walken whene he promises them candy?)

> actually, the shin-shot was entirely intentional - i promised major tom,
> on the greystone inn forum, that i would kick mr. guigar in same. (but he
> was so flattering about my posts, i contented myself with the picture).
> had to do with the "super-secret" project - if one is going to
> taunt one's fans with things they won't see for A WHOLE YEAR, one should
> not expect unanimous gruntlement.

Considering he never even mentioned this project until recently (and considering how long ago Michael promised us wolverines and a myriad of other planned projects or improvements he still hasn't gotten around to), I'm not sure it could be considered proper taunting. Hope his meeting went well, though. (At a guess, it may have something to do with national syndication, or even better, selling Greystone Inn as an animated property to be produced in Korea or Australia! Or a line of Argus and Narrator limited edition action figures! [or a lawsuit by the estate of Richard Deacon, but then he wouldn't have been as excited about it.]) Did you see the title for Lee's CB book in one of the Keen promotional free comic samplers?

> great! (i was going to ask how it was - i meant to check on tickets when i
> got the flyer - i'll have to check and see how long it's playing, and try
> to get down myself)

It's playing until June 27. We arrived early enough to find great seats, second aisle, front row center. (More details in a follow-up post later.)

> must have been brad's - or you would have asked me for the 'graph, rather
> than to apologize to michael.

Probably, but I was too tired and keyed up to really recall what I said.

> thought that was boxjam -- or did you mean michael?

Both, I suppose. (Though with BoxJam, it's just a running gag from a rather bizarre thread, as well as his trademark and rather unsympathetic response to the Orange Guy in the strip. With Michael, I'm not so sure at times.)

mouse Tue Jul 22 18:47:01 2003
Re: ok, about the con....

> Well yes, but so was the entire thing, and the notion of remaking it again
> (now rumors suggest that Tim Burton plans to cast Christopher Walken in
> his Willy Wonka remake. I like teh man as an actor, but honestly, would
> you let your kids, no matter how bratty, go off with Christopher Walken
> whene he promises them candy?)

well, no - couple of weeks ago i caught a simpson's episode which had him reading to kids at some sort of festival - and pretty much intimidating them totally. no, somehow, i don't see him and gene wilder as exactly interchangable actors....

> (At a guess, it may have something to do with national
> syndication, or even better, selling Greystone Inn as an animated property
> to be produced in Korea or Australia!

oooo - animation might be a possibility! - i can't see national sydication taking a whole year to set up, given that he's already in one paper.

> Did you see
> the title for Lee's CB book in one of the Keen promotional free comic
> samplers?

no! - but i know he took a big chunk of time to work on it, and i am looking forward to it's coming out.

> It's playing until June 27.

this may be to tight - have a ticket for a play at the globe on friday, and my weekend plans are unsettled. Lamb's has a couple interesting things going on (they usually seem to) - "cabbage patch gospel" is ending the 27th also. may just have to break down and go for another subscription.

Michael Wed Jul 23 06:14:57 2003
COTTONpatch Gospel

> "cabbage patch gospel" is
> ending the 27th also. may just have to break down and go for another
> subscription.

Surely you mean the Cottonpatch Gospel, mouse. Unless this is a more frightening theater than I would otherwise surmise. The music in that is by Harry Chapin, by the way, and it is, to date, the only theater in which your metacartoonist has appeared on stage (excepting a few gigs as chorus member in the occasional opera.) I learned the banjo in five weeks to participate in the Cottonpatch Gospel, and improvised a heck of a lot of bluegrass. Our fiddler was a violinist who'd never played fiddle, and our bass player had never played a fretless base. On opening night, the director was asked where she had managed to scare up a bluegrass band. We were pretty proud.

Man, that was fun.

mouse Wed Jul 23 16:49:24 2003
Re: COTTONpatch Gospel

> Surely you mean the Cottonpatch Gospel, mouse. Unless this is a more
> frightening theater than I would otherwise surmise. The music in that is
> by Harry Chapin, by the way, and it is, to date, the only theater in which
> your metacartoonist has appeared on stage (excepting a few gigs as chorus
> member in the occasional opera.) I learned the banjo in five weeks to
> participate in the Cottonpatch Gospel, and improvised a heck of a lot of
> bluegrass. Our fiddler was a violinist who'd never played fiddle, and our
> bass player had never played a fretless base. On opening night, the
> director was asked where she had managed to scare up a bluegrass band. We
> were pretty proud.

> Man, that was fun.

.....ok, i'm out of excuses for my total lack of brain function. (and i had _just_ _looked_ at lamb's web page. sheesh.) cottonpatch it is, of course. (i never even had a cabbage patch _doll_ - they were after my time. i have no excuse whatsoever. you guys are lucky i even recognize your names.)

i had no idea you had a history in the theatre, michael! - or even as a musician (or at least, a banjo-player). this one is replacing 1776 at the lyceum, so i may manage to get to it. (the main drawback to lamb's players for me is that their regular theater is on coronado island - a long drive, with minimal parking at the end of it.)

Emsworth Wed Jul 23 19:11:21 2003
CARTOONpatch Gospel

Ahh, that modern classic "Cabbage Patch Gospel," in which hordes of grotesquely chubby-faced little girls relate the events of the New Testament. From the same theater trend that led to such productions as:

The Mickado: Comic opera about the Disney company, featuring Winnie the Grand Poohbah

Rocky and Bullwinkle Showboat: Moose, Squirrel, and Old Man River

Little Shop of Horace: Mickey Mouse's second string co-star runs amok in Skid Row.

Muttley of La Mancha: Snickering hound refuses to go after windmills until he gets a medal.

The Wild Hair: Bugs and Elmer become hippies.

Candude: Musical based on the sea-turtle sequences from Finding Nemo

Mouse Specific: Members of Frank Capra's Army Motion Picture Unit during WWII wind up stranded on islands, fall in love with the native ink and paint girls, and create their own uncensored Mickey Mouse drawings, which some locals fear will anger the volcano god.

And of course, my personal favorite, Snagtime: Pink mountain lion endures hardship and finds love when immigrating to the US shortly after the turn of the century, and is caught up in the mad whirl of events and personalities, including the great Churro Workers strike, the political machinations of the Tammany Tiger, Comrade Huckleberry Hound's radical anarchy, Harry Houdini, and Winsor McCay.

Emsworth Tue Jul 22 00:11:45 2003
1776

The production by the Lamb's Players Theatre troupe was superb. The set design was effective (somewhat abstract, utilizng different versions of the American Flag over the centuries), but the cast made the best use of the stage space/ For several numbers, performers danced and entered or exited through the aisles, or sat on the edge of the stage and into the audience seats. This allowed the group to retain the choreography of such numbers os "The Lees of Old Virginia" while also adding greatly to the intimacy of the performance. Was great to note the subtle nuances and differences in interpretation in comparison to the film version, to say nothing of the numerous lines, choruses, and even the entire number ("Cool Considerate Men," one of the highlights) from the film version, as initially released (though I gather much has been restored to the DVD.) The cast was uniformly fine (and interestingly, Abigail and John Adams are husband and wife in real life, as well as heads of the troupe, ahem.) The minimal orchestra was mostly hidden behind a screen but was still very effective (and was even visible for a stirring and unexpected final image.) The playbill included a nice historical timeline leading up to or affecting the events of the play (as well as the actual events or elements depicted.) The stand out performance, vocally, was probably John Polhamus as the aristocratic Edward Rutledge of South Carolina. "Molasses and Rum" has always been the dramatic highlight of the musical numbers (and arguably the play), much as "Lees of Old Virginia" and "But Mr. Adams" are the comic highlights and "Momma Look Sharp" is probably the emotional highpoint. Despite the importance of John Adams and the fact that he's the personage one usually most roots for or identifies with, "1776" has always been an ensemble piece, and the little character bits, including timid Lewis Morris of New York and harried custodian McNair, were just as well cast as the showier historical roles. All in all, wish you could have joined us that night, mouse, but definitely make plans to attend if you can.

And as always, the script is fascinating and in many ways still relevant, a reminder of the struggles for democracy. Though as you all know I'm rather averse to political discussions (as they tend to become heated or opinionated or otherwise discomifting), and I definitely hope this doesn't start yet another one, I noticed a particular exchange which seemed all too timely and worth sharing:

John Dickinson (addressing John Hancock): "History will brand him [John Adams] and his followers as traitors.

Hancock: Traitors to what, Mr. Dickinson- The British Crown, or the British *half-crown*? Fortunately, there are not enough men of property in America to dictate policy.

Dickinson: Perhaps not, but don't forget that most men with nothing would rather protect the possibility of becoming rich than face the reality of being poor. And that is why they will follow us.

(And now you know why Nixon and Jack Warner had this scene, and the entire "Cool Considerate Men" number surrounding it, cut from the film.)

mouse Tue Jul 22 18:38:08 2003
Re: 1776


> Dickinson: Perhaps not, but don't forget that most men with nothing would
> rather protect the possibility of becoming rich than face the reality of
> being poor. And that is why they will follow us.

you know, in some ways, that could be a summary of american character - and not necessarily in a bad way.

and it does, of course, explain support for the dividend tax cut (but i won't go there)






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