Date: 12 Oct 93 15:19:50 EDT From: "Paul J. Grant [Zeus]" <[74706 2317] at [CompuServe.COM]> Subject: Re: Volume 3 Issue 40 Part 13 ZEUS ON THE LOOSE: DATELINE PHILADELPHIA Actually, on the whole, I'd rather be in Philadelphia. Yes, it's good to be home, but I was having so much fun, I hated to leave. My back was acting up a bit, and the food lines were like the Bataan Death March. However, I was among friends, and that was all I really needed. I had not originally intended to attend Comicfest. This year, I had two Motor City cons (one just last week, as a matter of fact), plus Chicago and San Diego, and that's quite a few for a guy who doesn't really work in the industry. But when I heard that my "spiritual guru" Peter David was going to debate Todd McFarlane, and when I learned that there was going to be a fairly massive Compuserve dinner on Friday night, well I just put my ingenuity to work and managed to find a legitimate business reason to travel to Philadelphia for a meeting that morning. After all, I knew Peter would need the moral support and the dinner would lapse into a deadly silence without my sparkling conver- sation. Besides, it beat staying at home dateless on both Friday and Saturday nights. I literally could not move twenty feet without running into someone I knew at the convention, and it seemed like most of them were Forum members to boot. The first two people I saw were Elka Freeman and Glenn Five, working as guest badge hander-outers. And when I descended to the convention floor, there was my old friend Mike Goldman. Over two days, besides the folks who came to the Friday dinner and the Saturday night party, I saw Vinnie Bartilucci, Peter David, Bob Ingersoll, Mark Chiarello, Dave Olbrich, Jim Hudnall, Len Strazewski, Steve Gerber, Bob Greenberger, Chris Crosby, Walt Simonson, Hearn Cho, Joe Pruett, Scott McCloud, Richard Pini, Peter Laird, Jon Bogdanove, Dwayne McDuffie and probably some others whose names momentarily escape me. If I left you out, please forgive me. Now, on to the news and gossip. One major topic of controversy throughout the ComicFest was the ranking of pros in terms of popularity in the COMICFEST '93 Souvenir Program Guide put out under the auspices of WIZARD. For reasons that have never adequately been explained to me, the Guide ranked professional guests (in a list full of some amazing and amusing typos) as "Popularity Level" A, B, C or D. The amount of ill will this engendered is easy to imagine, but soon people were treating their status as a badge of pride, affixing little circles with letters on them (including "E") to their nametags. My first major stop, naturally, was the David/McFarlane debate. The putative topic was "Has Todd McFarlane/Image Received Fair Treatment From the Media?" but the real topic was "Has Peter David Given Todd and the Rest of the Image Crowd an Unfairly Rough Time?" The format, agreed upon beforehand by the parties, was that after opening statements each would pose three questions to the other, with time for rebuttal and reply afterwards, and then closing statements. The panel was moderated by George Perez (see? yet another forum member!), and judged by Maggie Thompson of CBG, John Danovich from HERO, and William Chistensen representing WIZARD. Todd had obviously planned on a free-for-all, and had two boxes of Debate Programs brought in. However, they were never passed out. Todd did strip down to his boxer shorts and wore a fighter's robe until the debate began. Peter dressed somewhat more formally. Peter's opening statement began by pointing out that Image has not received fair treatment; indeed, it's gotten much more attention, mostly favorable, from the media, while his few columns on Image in But I Digress added up to no more than "a single dot in the vast Seurat painting" of media coverage. He also pointed out that he criticizes Marvel and DC (his employers) just as, if not more, frequently as Image, and that he has commented exclusively on the Image creator's own public statements. Todd started by predicting that Peter was going to win the war of words. He pointed out that Todd the Writer, Todd the Artist and Todd the Image Founder were different people or at least different roles. He said that some of the interviews he gave out were actually a "ghost persona" speaking, trying to have fun and stir up controversy. People don't laugh at themselves in the comics business anymore, he complained. Moreover, Peter as a journalist was remiss because he never called the Image creators before publishing the stories in BID. Todd's first question to Peter was "How do you get your information and do you contact the people you write about?" Peter answered that BID is an opinion column, and he responds to other people's opinions. He is not a news writer, and thus has no obligation to contact anyone to get their side of the story. Todd replied that he felt that some of Peter's opinions were lies, and that Peter had accused Todd of lying to other people. He offered to give $5000 to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund if Peter could produce anyone (besides Larry Stroman) who Todd had lied to. Peter's first question to Todd was "What is your definition of a lie as opposed to an opinion you don't agree with?" and asked for an example of each from BID. Todd's definition was deliberately telling something that is not the truth. He then said that Peter had said that Image was founded and the outside creators were let go as a matter of money. He denied that money was the primary issue, and called that a lie. Peter replied that Todd's answer made no sense, and that Peter never cared, and never stated, that Todd and the other Image founders left Marvel over financial. Todd, on other hand, had lied when he called Peter (and John Byrne) psychotic. He then described a mental condition known as paralogia: "false, illogical thinking, found particularly in schizophrenic reactions. Paralogical thinking may take many forms. The patient who is preoccupied with his own subjective thoughts and fantasies may give answers to questions that are either wrong or beside the point." Peter then described a case study of a patient who was convinced that he was Switzerland based on the following syllogism: "Switzerland loves freedom. I love freedom. I am Switzer- land." Indicating Todd, he then said, "Ladies and gentlemen -- SWITZERLAND!" Riotous laughter and applause followed. Todd's second question to Peter was "What changes could Image and Todd McFarlane make that would satisfy you?" The short answer was "Make sense." He then explained that as a columnist, it's not his job to tell Todd and others what to do; it's his job to react to and comment on what they do. He did suggest that they should think before they talk, and figure out beforehand how their thoughts will look on paper. He also pointed out that he criticized Todd, Rob Liefeld and Erik Larsen for making dumb statements, but never went after Jim Lee because Jim never said anything dumb. Todd replied that all the other Imageers regularly ride Jim for being so nice and being liked by everyone, and that no one was going to break down the system by being liked. "Only at Image," Peter commented, "could being liked be considered a downer." Peter's second question to Todd was "Explain what you expected from the non-founders' titles (i.e., SHAMAN'S TEARS, TRIBE, WILDSTAR, etc.) in terms of quality and sales." Todd said they expected those creators' books to serve as an anchor, and wanted monthly publications. Image turns out enough good looking late books on their own, he said. He also said that some of the people involved had bad attitudes, and had failed to perform as promised. Peter said that Image had sent out the message that it would take the time to get the books right, and that other creators had every reason to expect that standard would apply to them as well. "You didn't just fire them, Todd, you betrayed them." Todd answered that Peter wasn't there and didn't know the full story. Todd's last question to Peter was "What do you consider good writing, and what fault do you find with Todd McFarlane's writing?" Peter said he doesn't generally read SPAWN, and never criticized the book in BID. He said he'd look for story structure and characters that ring true. He cited Scott McCloud's DESTROY!!, which was one long fight scene, as something that was once funny but is now typical. He emphasized that Image's books were not the only offenders in that regard. He also suggested that those who wish to write should spend more time reading, and reading more than just comics. Todd promised to make efforts to improve. Peter's last question to Todd "Having claimed the moral high ground in your landmark column about Respect, please explain how the treatment of freelancers at Image is ethically superior to that of Marvel." Todd reiterated that he didn't quit Marvel because of money. He said that Marvel didn't care about controlling his work until he became successful, and he never told any of the outside creators how to do their books. Peter's closing remarks included the fact that Marvel wasn't giving him a hard time about SACHS & VIOLENS 2 being late, and was showing him and George Perez the respect that Image wasn't showing to non-founders, emphasized that Todd had accused him of lying but had not given one example of a lie, thereby making the whole debate rather pointless, and finished with a long baseball analogy that pointed up the difference between good intentions and actual accomplishment. Todd's parting shots carried on with the baseball analogy and said at least Image was in the playoffs. When he, Rob and Erik quit Marvel, he reported, Terry Stewart told them "This is how it's always been: we exploit you, and will always exploit you." He then compared Image to the civil rights movement, and pointed out that the respect that other companies are now showing to creators is due in large part to the success of Image as a concept and a company. It was clear that, in terms of "points scored" Peter clearly overmatched Todd, and was a much more skilled debater. Todd had problems sticking to the topics, but his closing remarks about Image having an overall effect on freelancers' conditions in the industry as a whole was his strongest point. After the debate, Peter had a bonus for his fans -- a videotape of TRANCERS IV, starring Tim Thomerson, for which Peter wrote the screenplay. Those not lucky enough to be there will have to wait until January I believe, when it reaches your local video store. I spent some time talking to Matt Howarth, whose book SAVAGE HENRY and POST BROTHERS have been personal favorites for several years. (By the way, sales on both titles have fallen, and he could use some support from readers. You won't be sorry.) Since he doesn't fly, it was the first chance I had to meet him and he showed me some of his as yet unpublished work including a GREEN LANTERN QUARTERLY story. By then, I had enough for the day and went back to check into my hotel room and then John Sardegna and I shared a cab to the Golden Pond for dinner. We eventually packed the banquet room. Attendees included dinner organizer Allan Lappin and his son Jake, Jeff Lang and Katie Fritz, Pat O'Neill, Sadie McFarlane and her kids, the Jack Curtins, the Tim Fitzpatrick family, Sandy McMurray, Elayne and Steve Chaput, Glenn Five, Elka Freeman, John Sardegna, Nat Gertler, Joy Dubinsky, Allan Greenberg, the John Gillespies, John and Mary McCool, Carl Pietrantonio, Rob Davis, Lee Tennant, and myself. (If I left anyone out, again, please excuse me. Some folks who had said they'd be there were no- shows, but Lee Tennant brought some more including John Romita, Jr., and Ken and Beth Mitchroney. The food was very good, and more than plentiful, and the company without equal. By the end of dinner I was exhausted, having been up since 5:00 am, and I went back to my room, read half a comic book and fell asleep. Saturday morning, refreshed but in some back pain (which largely dissipated by 11:00 am, thanks to Advil, exercise and a positive mental attitude), I started making the rounds in earnest. I visited almost every publisher's booth. It was fortunate I stopped by to say hi to the folks at Malibu early on Friday before the convention began, because the line never let up once the doors were opened. Marvel was swamped, too, and the crowds at Image and DC were also very respectable. (By the way, Valiant and Hero did not have booths at this convention.) I spent some time with Colleen Doran, who's picking up the pace on A DISTANT SOIL, and promises to continue. I visited with Ron Fortier at Alpha Productions, who told me that Sybil Danning is currently working with the State Department helping American business me with contacts in the former Communist bloc countries in Eastern Europe, and that the MAZE AGENCY might make a return. A couple of people at DC, Bob Greenberger and Patty Jeres, were very flattering in their praise of the article I wrote for HERO on ZERO HOUR. (Out later this month, folks, so buy it!) I also learned that the reason four of the L.A. Rams cheerleaders were at the show was that Rob Liefeld was underwriting their expenses for this season, and that Todd McFarlane was the proud owner of a three times normal size white concert grand piano, custom- built by Baldwin for him, and that no one in his family plays the piano. Dean Mullaney was occasionally at the Eclipse booth. Cat Yronwode was, as far as I could tell, not in attendance. At 2:00 pm I attended the Harlan Ellison show, and it was worth every penny of the $6.00 admission (all of which went to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund). Harlan is pushing 60 and has had some health problems in recent years, but you couldn't tell that by his performance, which was energetic, hilarious and amazingly frank. I can't possibly recount all the stories he told, but they included how he was fired by Disney after only four hours, how he met his wife Susan in Glasgow and seduced her with corned beef sandwiches, his relations with Gene Roddenberry and William Shatner (which were not the best), how he ended up as a co-defendant with Gary Groth in a lawsuit filed by Michael Fleisher, how he first met Isaac Asimov, why he punched Charles Platt in the nose after the Nebula Awards one year, and his experience as Bachelor #3 on The Dating Game (which was never aired). The last question he answered was about his pseudonymous appearance in CONCRETE. The question was posed by a heavy-set lawyer with a beard sitting in the second row. He pointed at me, with my upraised hand, and then exclaimed "You're Paul Grant!" Now you must understand that Harlan and I have talked on approximately a half-dozen occasions over the last 20 years, but his memory must be truly extraordinary. He then commented that I looked like I could be Bob Ingersoll's brother. Bob, sitting across the aisle, told Harlan that I am also a lawyer. "What kind of law do you practice?" Harlan asked me. "Product liability defense work," I replied. "So," he continued, "when the Dalkon Shield causes women to get sick, you're the guy who tells them it's their own fault." "In essence, yes," I admitted. "But I don't work for that company." "Who do you work for?" he asked. "Ford." "Oh, the exploding Pinto. You know, I used to have a Pinto." "Did it explode?" I queried. "No, it didn't," he answered. "There, you see?!" I countered triumphantly. I then asked my question and he told how Paul Chadwick had visited him and how everything that appeared in the story about his house was true. He then went to sign some more books, at $1.00 an autograph (also for the CBLDF). Harlan is one of a kind, and one of my all-time favorite authors. This is a story I will probably repeat ad nauseum for the rest of my life, so please feel free to stop me if I start to blather on about it five years down the line. Next stop was the long line waiting to get into DC's Return of Superman panel (they were giving out copies of the Platinum edition of AOS 500), with Mike Carlin, Jon Bogdanove, Jerry Ordway and Brett Breeding. Points of interest regarding future storylines were the upcoming BIZARRO WORLD and DOOMSDAY mini-series, and the fact that Superman will learn that Lex Luthor II is really Lex Luthor I. Back on the main floor I ran into Flint Henry, former artist on GRIMJACK and currently doing LAW DOG (which will go on hiatus after issue 10). Flint is a great character, and we talked for a while about inkers and living in Pennsylvania and whether or not he owed me money and if I'd loan him $600 so he could buy an Arthur Adams GODZILLA drawing. I politely declined. My last stop as the con was emptying out was the Milestone booth, where I talked with Dwayne McDuffie and watched him do portfolio reviews. He was on a high because the Milestone panel had been packed, and audience interest had been keen. Unfortunately, the security guards kicked all but the dealers and sponsors out at that point, and I headed for the street in the company of Mike Carlin and Jon Bogdanove. When we got outside, we ran into Susan and Harlan Ellison and Ron Goulart. Harlan button-holed me and said "Hey, I've got this bidet that shoots acid instead of water. Do you think I've got a case?" In the course of the conversation I reminded him of the first time we talked, in 1972, when I was an aspiring writer in college who submitted a story for The Last Dangerous Visions. "Oh yeah," he recalled. "And I was nice to you, right?" I agreed that he had been extremely nice. "There, you see?!" he countered triumphantly. I took the bus back to the hotel, and after perusing the room service menu decided to head out to the Sam Adams Brew Pub a few blocks away. In the Holiday Inn lobby I ran into Sandy McMurray, and with a minimum of arm twisting I convinced him to join me. We had some wonderful beer, tasty pub-type food and some good conversation about comics, sports, beer and things Canadian. We then went back to hotel to get ready for the Glenn and Elka party. As I was disrobing preparatory to taking a shower, there was a knock on the door. It seems that I had forgotten that I had agreed to host the party in my room, after Elka had mentioned that theirs was too small. I said "Just a minute," threw the dirty clothes and stuff into an empty drawer, put on my Zeus t-shirt and pants, and let people in. Experience has made me, if not a snappy dresser, at least a fast one. Attendees at the party included Allan and Jake Lappin, Jeff Lang and Katie Fritz, Pat O'Neill (who reported on the WIZARD fan awards), Jack Curtins, Sandy McMurray, John Sardegna, Nat Gertler, Joy Dubinsky, Rob Davis, Lee Tennant, Mic McConnell and his friend, Jack C. Harris, Ted Slampyak, Charles Moore and Steve Lieber. There was beer and chips and pop and coffee and the baseball game with the sound off, and nothing was destroyed and we didn't get kicked out. Not much of a party, I guess. The spit-take contest never took place, and I vetoed the suggestion that we try to activate the room sprinkler. About 12:30 pm I kicked the stragglers out. Glenn asked if he could have my sport coat. (By the way, I noted that Glenn *does* cast a reflection in a mirror.) Thanks to Glenn and Elka for providing the eats and organizing the whole thing. Now it's Sunday night, and Philly seems like a dream to me now, but I want to thank Peter David for inspiring me to get off my ass and arrange to attend, Vinnie Bartilucci for getting me a guest pass and being Show Manager, Allan Lappin and Glenn and Elka for getting us all together, and everyone for the companionship and conviviality. Next time, no one will have to twist my arm. This will be the last ZEUS ON THE LOOSE for '93, and it's been a big year for me in terms of conventions. I have renewed respect for the people who HAVE to do this on a regular basis. As far as I'm concerned, they're ALL on the A List.