Image by english invader via FlickrNow, comic books, still left for dead by some, have become the platform for a perfect fusion of Hollywood, cartoon art, and storytelling. Indeed, comic books aren't dead at all, but more the start of a multi-platform life that goes something like this: print, then screen, then computer and Internet.
And all of that hit this blogger during one sake-filled accident of a Comic Con 2010 Day Two Thursday evening (Day one for me was that Wednesday) with a cartoon artists, an agent from CAA, and their entourage at Nobu in San Diego's Gaslamp District.
Eli Roth in front of me
All of this started as I walked into Nobu in search of a place to sit to eat and drink after a full second day at Comic Con. One of the activities I took in was a panel moderated by the legendary Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News. The person I ended up hanging with for a time, and who's name I will not disclose, was from that panel. All I will say is he just scored a deal with Disney.
At any rate, he and his entourage walked in and we ended up sharing the same small part of bar space in a crowded, trendy place. I asked the guy if he was on Harry's panel and his affirmative answer started a great and teachable moment in time. The two women who were part of the group were more LA than San Diego, New York, or Chicago, and certainly San Francisco and definitely not Oakland. They had celebrity heat-seeking vision for people I had no idea even existed. Like Eli Roth.
"There's Eli Roth," one of the women said. "Where?" was my response. "He's coming this way," was her reply. For me, that meant nothing. Some common-looking white guy with a scruffy beard and the requisite white collar shirt, not-tucked-in.
That was Eli Roth. But I still didn't know what that meant. After a few toasts of sake purchased by my new CAA friend, I got it in one alcohol-fueled train of insight. Hollywood came to Comic Con for business and changed everything.
Hollywood, and its impressionable, who-you-know, smile-in-your-face and watch-your-back approach that's at cultural odds with New Media, comic book writers, and especially bloggers like me, yet trying to deal, is in bed with the slacker artist who needs money to advance his or her craft, and uh, live. All for the next great big entertainment score.
The fact CAA guy insisted on flashing his credit card and asking me to keep mine at bay was almost all I needed to know about what was happening.
The fact that my new artist friend was practically leaning over CAA guy, peppering him with statements, ideas, and questions, was the other part of what I needed to know that filled in the blanks.
As it turns out, the artist guy also has - like the creators of Scott Pilgrim the comic book - his own production company. That organization takes the comic book and works with Hollywood and CAA to make a new comic book based movie and video games too. Presto! Multi-platform character for all ages.
The investment buys a lot of sake.
After that evening (they invited me to tag along, but my bed was calling), I found the giant mural for Scott Pilgrim vs. The World covering the exterior of the San Diego Hilton Bayfront and well-lit at night, not annoying or interesting, but beautifully liberating. A giant sign of the rebirth of comic books and the re-energizing of creativity.
Scott Pilgrim wins in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and in real life too.
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