Hall H at Comic Con 2010 at The San Diego Convention Center is known for its super-long lines. But one advantage of having a press credential is you can watch it from the press room.
In this case I was able to catch the tail end of the Tron Legacy presentation featuring Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner and the rest of the cast. It was a study in how an excited audience has such a generational mix, it has to be reeducated about Tron.
Tron was originally made in 1982 and featured a person, Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), who finds himself digitized without permission and thrust into a digital world, all in search of a way to thwart a piracy effort. (Ok, that's a simple explanation.)
The new Tron Legacy is a sequel; something not known by some of the Comic Con audience. One person asked Jeff Bridges if it "was going to be a sequel or a remake," to which Bridges responded "Have you seen the first one?" She said no. "Well," Bridges said, "What difference does it make?"
The crowd roared with laughter.
Frankly, the reaction to the new Comic Con Tron trailer, big build-up and all, wasn't what I expected. I didn't hear the whoops and yells generally associated with a trailer at Comic Con or Wonder Con. Interesting.
Next up for Hall H is Salt, and the much-anticipated appearance of Angelina Jolie. The new Comic Con Tron Trailer will come later today. It's 12:47 PM. Here's a trailer from earlier this year:
That alone proves how big the legend that is Stan Lee has become. So large that new comic book producers are falling all over themselves to be linked to him.
But in the case of BOOM Studios, the partnership with Stan Lee started by way of an unnamed mutual friend. That meeting led to the press event at Comic Con Preview Day, Wednesday.
But really it was less about the new characters Soldier Zero, The Traveler, or Starborn, or their writers Paul Cornell, Mark Wald, and Chris Roberson, respectively, than Stan Lee. If Lee's name wasn't on the meeting title, the room would have been almost empty. Instead, the ever-funny Stan Lee said he'd never seen more reporters when he was at Marvel Comics.
What's Stan Lee doing with BOOM Studios? Well, first, he likes the material they're producing, specifically mentioning their Edgar Allen Poe work, saying he could recite it if we stuck around to hear him. The partnership gives Lee the right to be a "budinsky" as he put it, sticking his creative nose into the story creation and writing process.
On comic book writing, Lee gave this advice just off the cuff: "Don't write for others or what you think they want. Write what you like." Lee says others will enjoy it if it comes from you and what you like rather than be created for them.
Stan Lee Looks Good
What's cool about Stan Lee is to see how youthful he is at 87 years old. He's thin, mobile, and dare we say athletic. He clearly enjoys the attention he's getting after so many years of making the Marvel Universe work and doesn't seem to resist a chance to promote himself or what he's doing. A really self-actualized man.
Will BOOM Benefit?
The question is, will BOOM Studios benefit from the Stan Lee media attention. Well, we're talking about BOOM Studios and that's enough.
I telephoned City Hall, actually the mayor's office, 8 am yesterday to speak to the new "deputy" in town, Deputy Stephen Goldsmith. I met him the day before at The Crain's breakfast for him and a few hundred business people and two activists, me and a friend.
Watch the YouTube I am posting and hear how he responds to my questions. He shook my hand and it was a hand shake I can only describe as a small dead fish; completely limp and disingenuous. He said, "thank you" to me twice actually. Each time I felt he was saying, "F-you, you are now dismissed." Don't actually ask me questions about politics, infrastructure and the harsh reality the people of New York actually need people in office that will be their advocate and work and fight for them.
The woman that answered the phone for the mayor's office transferred me over to Goldsmith's office. You see, he did not give me his card. He did hand out his business card but not to me. What ever I looked like or perhaps my questions some how registered as not a person to hand your business card to.
So much for Crain's and their networking. What was clear from the Crain's breakfast is besides my questions before the event started and the questions of only two news reporters who happened to be -- you guessed it -- two white males -- Stephen Goldsmith could not handle the heat or should I say pressure of their questions. He won't be here long. He won't make it as long as Dollarbill Dan Doctoroff who left king Mike's public empire to re-join his private empire.
Dan considered himself the man in charge of infrastructure until the steam pipe explosion that looked like a terror attack by Grand Central. You see, I would call and email him about the way too rapid development and NY's old infrastructure. I made it clear I felt Bloomberg and he were endangering us and were leaving a hell of a mess for when they actually left office.
Dollar bill Dan quietly and quickly left office. Bye, bye.
Stephen Goldsmith thinks he can take on Albany. Good luck Stephen. You would have better luck taking on the Mafia perhaps converting them to vegetarianism.
Good old Stephen thinks he can come in here and at the Crain's hosted breakfast talk about closing firehouses. Bloomberg and his socialite mega millionaire city planner called Amanda the peoples' Burden aided their developers pal in a reckless tsunami of shady development helping to create mass displacement, perhaps a record number of people displaced and a record number of infrastructure related problems from water main breaks, sewage, Con Ed problems as well as expansion so over the top Con Ed set a record hiring outside contractors, to the worst street conditions seen in years with DOT repaving streets not once but twice or even more than twice.
Why do the streets look like bombs went off on them. If the FDNY is not answering fire calls they are responding to infrastructure problems including man hole cover exploding with dramatic fires that so far have not caused any deaths...so far. We have had heart breaking deaths including children to fires and what does Deputy Goldsmith do at his first Crain's hosted breakfast?
This highly inarticulate man in a very expensive suit with an impressive gold tie tells us he will be closing fire houses.
Interestingly enough Crain's video taped the entire embarrassing disaster for Goldsmith and his new boss king Mike Bloomberg but Crain's did not release any of the let us say awkward or controversial moments and they were many. Crain's released just a small piece on video on their website. Mike has been very lucky with the press that way.
Listening to Goldsmith speak, I never heard some one talk so much to give so many 'non-answers'.
Why would Bloomberg hire a Republican this late in the game unless he wants to cater not to the people of NYC but to the conservatives he hopes to woe when he pursues his one big unrealized dream....running for President of the United States? That is why it is believed Bloomberg took his charitable giving national instead of local. It is why I believe he burdens the tax payers to the tune of 2 million dollars post-his third term hiring so many campaign staff with 6 figure salaries. Why hire them after the election unless he feels he wants them close at hand to pursue his last chance at perhaps one of his biggest dreams unrealized. Bloomberg doesn't fully grasp that he displaced so many people and angered even more denying us a referendum that he paid a record amount of money to barely win the most humiliating and expensive win in NYC history. He won't win a presidency or any political office again. He is very smart and accomplished but he lost sight of the fact he serves the people. He now hired Goldsmith who is not a people person and clearly doesn't represent New Yorkers. Goldsmith looks at this city as some corporate business model.
Denial is the new crack cocaine for politicos from Albany to City Hall.
The one issue Goldsmith was clear on is the devastating budget crisis coming our way here in NYC next year. As usual it was as if no one heard what he had to say and city council will continue to vote themselves raises and give slush money to charities where their life partner (what is Christine Quinn's significant other's name) sits on a board, ditto for their wives, brothers, sisters, husbands, etc.
Albany and City Hall politicians are 2nd to last to deal with the harsh reality of what are terrible economic crisis is coming our way because they contributed to it hugely and Albany still has not dealt effectively with the budget crisis. The last people to deal with and won't be able to escape it like the politicians here in NYC are the people.
Under Bloomberg the city saw a new wave of "sexual McCarthyism" with two women owned Adult Toy Stores Babeland raided and after the raid Babeland is now no longer allowed to rent adult films, some that were instructional but all that a guy like Goldsmith would call porno. Rumor on the street is the NYPD were picking their super elite hottie cops to entrap gay men in adult book stores.
Goldsmith hemmed and hawed at the Crain's breakfast but after a very long non-answer he sure sounded like he said he is anti-gay marriage which I interpret as he does not believe in equal rights. In America we have straight people that are marriage gluttons having been married 2, 3, 4, 5 times but people like Goldsmith would deny gay people the right to even one marriage?
Why would Mike Bloomberg bring in a conservative Republican who wants to privatize everything unless he has his eye on the White House? Either way Goldsmith will not be here long. He said in his non-speak. Hey guys why are you asking me such tough questions.
Goldsmith is out of touch with New Yorkers and a fish out of water in NYC.
I left him a voice mail on Deputy Goldsmith's answering machine at City Hall. I want a STRAIGHT forward answer, no hemming and hawing, do you believe in gay marriage and equal rights? I left my telephone number.
Comic Con 2010 San Diego is a wonderful Mecca of pop culture (and this trip was made possible by the Kings Inn Hotel). Comic Con is a combination of a toy convention, TV production confab, and comic book writers meetup all in one.
At one stop you can see a giant booth for Fox Television next to Lionsgate, then Mattel's down the path a bit, and Hallmark Cards has the kid-friendly Hoops&Yoyo just over there. Stan Lee's in Room 33 cracking jokes (I was there). The whole array is dizzying and on this "preview" day, already very crowded.
The question on the floor, literally, is "Has Comic Con outgrown San Diego?" Some who raise the question point to the availability of hotels, but a deeper look reveals that some hotels aren't getting business because they're trying to price gouge the visitor. Still, that problem has others raising the question more assertively. Indeed, it seems every media person's asking someone the question.
Can San Diego handle Comic Con? I'm going to leave that question open for discussion, but I will observe that Comic Con's attracting more than the 125,000 people who have badges. Moreover, it could grow to a point that it draws twice that many people, and up to 300,000 people.
Already, and again this is "preview day" the San Diego Convention Center's having a problem with people who are so tired from the miles of walking they do, they just want to sit on the floor. The SDCC's having employees tell them they can't sit down, which isn't what a sweaty walker wants to hear. Would that happen in Los Angeles or Chicago? Just a question.
Several veteran Comic Con-goers have said that San Diego's willing to make adjustments to keep Comic Con, but the convention just may fare better in another city. 'It's like a LeBron James thing," observed one man who comes annually from New Jersey and was thinking of how The Chosen One left his home team the Cleveland Cavaliers for The Miami Heat, "Do you leave San Diego? The city that gave birth to you?"
That's a question that will be on the minds of many comes Thursday, when Comic Con 2010 is expected to burst at the seems of the San Diego Convention Center.
You have to be here to see it. Comic Con's an incredible event.
Former Tucson Vice Mayor Rodney Glassman, U.S. Senate candidate from Arizona, freshly bouyed by his SEIU endorsement, took command of the 2nd Democratic primary debate today while besting three other Democrats: former State Representative Cathy Eden (his closest competitor in the polls according to Rasmussen,) Randy Parraz, and John Dougherty.
Arizonans are enjoying debates on both sides of the contest, and it seems Glassman has gone a long way to impressing voters that he will be the best candidate to take on presumptive GOP nominee John McCain in the fall. (J.D. Hayworth trails McCain significantly in most polls.)
"John McCain and I might both love town halls, but the difference is that I would host more in Arizona than I would in New Hampshire."
Rodney Glassman
During a debate earlier today on Yuma's KAWC Radio, Glassman discussed the necessity for securing the border, a hot-button issue in the South-West in general, and Arizona in particular, and outlined national security priorities. Already known as a strong advocate for military veterans, Glassman has also recently announced a plan to ensure high-quality medical services for veterans on the Navajo Nation.
By some reports over 70% of Arizona residents support the recently enacted immigration enforcement law, which has drawn national scrutiny and a series of challenges, and this is sometimes seen as an issue that likely drives more support to GOP candidates.
Glassman also explained how he would go about bringing jobs to Arizona, saying he'll build on this success and continue to campaign on jobs, education and how to finally bring Arizona's concerns -- rather than rigid ideology -- to the U.S. Senate.
"I look forward to talking to the people of Arizona about what they want, and don't want, out of Washington," Glassman said. The lively debates are providing Arizona voters an excellent chance to see the candidates in both parties, and discover where they differ from one another, but it's already shaping up to be a likely Glassman vs. McCain election in November.
There are two topics of note to this space that are trending on Twitter today: Shirley Sharrod and Comic Con. Shirley Sharrod is the former USDA regional director who was stripped of her job after a smear attack by conservative Tea Party attack-blogger Andrew Brietbart. Comic Con is the amazing San Diego-based (but for how long?) convention that brings together Hollywood and animation and science fiction. You know you're in the right place when the airport PA announcer says welcome in a Darth Vader voice! This is Mecca for sci-fi fans.
But first Shirley Sharrod.
Shirley Sharrod is a reluctant hero who, before the NAACP on March 27th 2010, gave a great, long speech on the evolution of race relations and how it impacted her. Andrew Brietbart saw her speech, and so blinded by racism, took it and edited it to make it sounds as if Shirley Sharrod was giving a racist message. If anything, she was giving one that's uplifting and here it is in full:
Andrew Brietbart should be jailed for what he did. Saying he's sorry is bullcrap. Andrew Brietbart gave zero thought to how his smear job would effect Shirley and her family. He is an awful, awful, sad man.
Shirley Sharrod should get her old job back and not some civil rights job. President Obama should make everything as it was before Andrew Brietbart decided to act in a criminal way. Throw him in jail!
Or better yet, send him to Comic Con to be thrown to the gallows and punished in a way he would not forget.
Comic Con: it's great to be here.
I've got to wrap this up because Comic Con press registration is on, I need to take a shower and get down there, and Stan Lee's press event is at 5 PM, and Hallmark's is after 6 PM. It's preview day at Comic Con.
Follow me on Twitter and don't forget to take advantage of the food deals of 15 percent off at the Amigo Restaurant and 20 percent off at The Waffle King at the hotel just by mentioning my blog, Zennie62!
Taking a Comic Con break to look at what else is happening; Google Trends reveals the ugly story of what happened to previously unknown Shirley Sherrod.
Conservative hit-blogger Andrew Breitbart's known for his extreme approaches in attacking liberals, but what he did to Shirley Sherrod, a goverment worker who gave a speech to the NAACP this year and regarding a matter that happened 24 years ago, was that he apparently made a new video to claim she was racist, and went way too far.
While he says he intended to harm the NAACP, he picked Shirley Sherrod to do it. She did not ask for this. Breitbart altered a video to twist her words.
Andrew Breitbart may be a target for the U.S. Department of Justice' Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (“CCIPS”) which is in the Criminal Division. The website, which was forwarded to this blogger by the DOJ on another issue, covers various types of crimes that involve a computer.
If Breitbart altered the video of Shirley Sherrod to make it look like she was making a statement he then called racist, he's certainly guilty of defamation of character against Shirley Sherrod.
Breitbart may also be guilty of Internet harassment. He certainly should be made a high-profile example to discourage others from these uses of the computer and The Internet to harass a person. Enough is enough.
