2007 Merchandise & Miscellaneous News Archives
March 23, 2007: Superman Homepage Wizard World LA Report: Closing Report (Neal)
By Neal BaileyWHO IS JOHN GALT?
Three hundred and seventy-four pages of Ayn Rand is not the easiest thing to accomplish. It's not because she's a crummy writer, though there are many criticisms of her essential philosophy and character motivation I question. It's the fact that they give her itty bitty print, making each page like three.
It sustained me on the bus, however, and I spent a lot of time thinking about that last day.
We took the freeway and arrived slightly late because of LA traffic, which is much like Seattle traffic, which is much like the devil.
Arriving at the off-ramp, we saw again the Hillary Swank ad. WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT? It reads, with bugs. Entertaining, ironic, and fitting as we popped into the line for the parking garage.
A loud purple car declared in sticker that the occupants were original gangsters, forcing a debate as to which of the convention center's two events they were headed for, the comic con, or the bride expo. You don't recruit gang members from a comic book convention, and straight-up G types don't exactly hitch it up, they're more into stables, at least to my meager understanding.
Nonetheless, entertaining.
Click "Read More" below to read the rest of Neal's closing report regarding Wizard World LA.
BURDEN
There's nothing cooler on the face of the earth than a Flaming Carrot comic book. For so long, I was a disbeliever, mostly because most of the people who I know who love flaming carrot are existentialists, and there's nothing that'll drive a pragmatist more nuts than an existentialist. I'd fist-fight them, if only they would concede that my fists exists. CURSE YOU, SUBJECT-OBJECT PARADIGM!
The Flaming Carrot covers areas of philosophy, willing women, baloney guns, pygmies who fight from baguette ears, evil babies, and it has just about the strangest, most seemingly random and chaotic scenes imaginable that all tie in together in the end.
They're put together by a man named Bob Burden. Bob is the lone creator I recognize, of the many I know, who I actually see walking around the cons I attend where he's at. He's honestly curious about the indies, he's an indie god, and he plunked down a dollar for my ratty old chapbook back in Chicago when most creators won't even give it a free look.
We chatted about Gumby, about his many ideas for new projects, all of which rule, and though I offered him fifty scant dollars I don't have for a sketch, he tossed me two epic pieces for free. I explained that I have two pieces of displayed comic art in my room, I'm really not wowed by the creator thing so much any more, but my hand still shook as I said hello to Bob.
He created the Mystery Men, and comes out of that group of guys like Dave Simms and Eastman and Laird, who put some great work out in the eighties. The turtles rose to fame, Cerebus led to swanky con craziness... but of them all, to me, Burden seems the one who has maintained his humble approach, and he made a hell of an impression on me.
Buy his books. Seriously. You won't regret it. You think Twisted Toyfare Theater makes you howl? Son, pick up a Flaming Carrot. Ut!
THE END
On the final day in the final hours of the con, a lone bugle sounded somewhere off in the distance from the general vicinity of the booth of Lou Ferrigno. He'd mustered every last bride from the bridal convention and brought forth an army of Persians bearing veils, brooches, and all manner of nuclear concoction to try and destroy my person, my merchandise, and break my arm like a dry twig.
He didn't even turn green, not really. He did have a residual made-up stink of cosmetics from the women who glommed to him after finding my "Nice shoes, I'm a nice guy!" comments ignoble and a lie.
David Mack had already departed the day previous, after scamming many a young woman out of dollars for books about feeling how you feel about how you feel... and again I caveat that I like the guy's work. I just tease.
Over the table came the armies of the formerly apathetic, and they clashed and fought while I chewed caffeinated gum. "You think you've got it rough, dying at a convention? Lords, wait until you see the bus ride ahead of me."
AMENDS FOR DRAMATIC SUFFERING IN FALSITY
The bus ride was rough, but Jeffrey and company are like a second family now. They brought me into their home, we connected in ways you just don't connect with strangers, and heck, Jeffrey bought me that awesome Justice Luthor as a gift, making the new Smallville video (at the end of my latest review) possible. Many props.
FIFTY DOLLAR BILLS ON THE FLOOR
When I am rich, the most famous author on the face of the Earth, when I command denizens and am given an honorary degree by the Uptight University of Elite Elitists, I will borrow my mannerisms from Adam Carolla, and light my cigars with hundred dollar bills, and throw quarters down the hall to scoff at poor kids as they chase after them. To quote Billy Bragg, that's entertainment.
The lynchpin of the whole affair was the singular moment of realization. I looked across the way at an artist whose booth was in front of mine, a guy I won't name out of respect who does good work and deserves what he gets for it.
As the day waned, and fewer and fewer people stopped, I saw, on the floor, beneath this man's booth, about two hundred dollars in fifty dollar bills just laying there. They'd fallen out of his sketchbook like some kind of ironic statement about the point and reward of art. I kind of teared up a little. Go ahead and poke fun at that in the comments, but it made me feel great, not because I knew I would eventually have that, but because I felt happy that I didn't.
The irony that stuck this in my brain, however, refuses to die. This artist, this GREAT artist, takes licensed trademarked characters, depicts them photorealistically, and for this, he gets booths at cons and is treated like royalty. He makes money off said trademarks, and the companies whose trademarks he uses don't see any of that cash. They don't try and shut him down. They give him book deals.
Pointy-haired lawyers have told me it's not okay to WRITE Superman on our booth, much less sell anything related to him beyond licensed products. I don't, nor have I ever sought to make a single penny off the Man of Steel. It's always been my assertion that I would write him or write about him for free indefinitely. And I would. If DC offered to pay, I'd be happy, but I would do it anyway. Eight years, you know, I already have.
But thanks to Wizard, and Mike Scigliano, the guy who helped arrange this affair and keep it legal, and make it fun, I can look beyond the corporate death and find the people who really matter, you guys, and meet you, and know you, and share this love of character. No money. No frickin' war with Lou Ferrigno can stop this.
What hath God wrought, and as I wrote on the table,
WCSH, TIBC!
Which some cleaning person, when they rip the cover of my table off to throw away, might misinterpret to be jibberish.
In the bus, however, I recalled that it meant, "We can't stop here. This is bat country."
And so it is. But that doesn't mean the chronicle is not an interesting ride.
Thanks for all of you who came and helped make another of the great experiences of my life.
Neal
2007 Merchandise & Miscellaneous News
Listed below are all the Merchandise & Miscellaneous News items archived for 2007.- January 2, 2007: New Superman Returns - Man of Steel Action Figures
- January 12, 2007: Up-Coming Dates to Remember
- January 16, 2007: Children's Treasury of Superman Musical Stories
- January 17, 2007: Theater for the New City Presents Kryptonite Hearts
- January 18, 2007: Fossil Releases Superman Rotor Watch
- January 22, 2007: Superman Musical Card Part of New Hallmark Range
- January 22, 2007: DC Skypecast - Featuring Steve and Neal
- January 25, 2007: Superman Rollercoaster Voted Best in the World
- January 27, 2007: New Mattel DC Super Heroes Action Figures
- January 28, 2007: Appearances, Movies and Theatre Notices
- February 1, 2007: Superman Returns to Radio
- February 1, 2007: Superman Returns Videogame Demo in Xbox Magazine
- February 11, 2007: DC News from Toyfair 2007
- February 13, 2007: Alex Ross Art Exhibition in Melbourne
- February 13, 2007: Seven Wonders of Illinois - Nominate the Superman Statue
- February 15, 2007: HeroClix Announces Legion of Super-Heroes Game
- February 21, 2007: A Closer Look at Mattel's Battleague
- February 21, 2007: Superman Easter Products
- March 2, 2007: Superman and Lois Lane to Reunite After 41 Years
- March 7, 2007: Superman Homepage Does the Wizard World Tour!
- March 7, 2007: Mego 8 inch Super-Heroes: World's Greatest Toys!
- March 14, 2007: Superman Homepage at Wizard World LA!
- March 14, 2007: It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's Patricia Marand and Bob Holiday Together Again!
- March 16, 2007: Superman Superstore Massive Blow-Out Sale!
- March 16, 2007: Superman and Brainiac at Collectormania
- March 17, 2007: Superman Homepage Wizard World LA Report: DAY ONE (Neal)
- March 17, 2007: Superman Homepage Wizard World LA Report: DAY ONE (Jeffrey)
- March 18, 2007: Superman Homepage Wizard World LA Report: DAY TWO (Neal)
- March 18, 2007: Superman Homepage Wizard World LA Report: DAY TWO (Jeffrey)
- March 19, 2007: Superman Homepage Wizard World LA Report: DAY THREE (Jeffrey)
- March 20, 2007: Fossil Superman Rotor Watch Review
- March 23, 2007: Superman Homepage Wizard World LA Report: Closing Report (Neal)
- March 27, 2007: Superman Showbag at Sydney Royal Easter Show
- March 28, 2007: Exclusive First Look! Last Days of Krypton Book Cover
- March 28, 2007: Ferrero Justice League Promotion in Mexico
- March 29, 2007: Grand Opening of American Super Heroes Museum
- April 2, 2007: DC Comics Easter Eggs in Brazil
- April 3, 2007: Superman Homepage at the Emerald City Comic Con 2007
- April 12, 2007: DC HeroClix: Justice League Coming in August
- April 13, 2007: Photos from the American Super Heroes Museum
- April 23, 2007: Justice League Unlimited at Hardee's and Carl's Jr.
- April 24, 2007: Scientists Unearth Superman's 'Kryptonite'
- April 24, 2007: Superman Fan Animation in 2007 Let's Film Festival
- April 25, 2007: Guests Announced for Superman Celebration in Metropolis Illinois
- April 26, 2007: Scientists Discover Planet Orbiting Red Sun
- April 30, 2007: DC Comics Superheroes at McDonalds Argentina
- May 1, 2007: Superman Musical at UCLA's Freud Playhouse
- May 8, 2007: DC Superheroes Arrive at McDonalds Brazil
- May 9, 2007: Serbians Turn Out to See Kryptonite-like Mineral
- May 9, 2007: Metropolis Comic/Collectors Show - June 9-10
- May 11, 2007: Superman Musical on Stage in Illinois
- May 13, 2007: The Gospel According to Comic Books
- May 14, 2007: Technology Matching Comic Book Super Powers
- May 16, 2007: York Theatre Company Presents Superman Musical
- May 24, 2007: Free DC Comics Who's Who Mystery Box for Superman Homepage Readers!!!
- May 24, 2007: Exclusive Danny Fingeroth Interview
- May 26, 2007: Batter Up, Up and Away at the Metropolis Superman Celebration!
- JuneÊ7,Ê2007: Crocs Licensed to Produce Characters Superman & Batman
- June 10, 2007: Superman Homepage at Wizard World Philly!
- June 13, 2007: Review - Superman Musical at Drury Lane Theatre
- June 13, 2007: Metropolis Illinois 2007 Superman Celebration Report
- June 15, 2007: Report - 29th Annual Superman Celebration - 2007 Metropolis Illinois
- June 16, 2007: Wizard World Philadelphia - DAY ONE
- June 19, 2007: Wizard World Philadelphia - DAY TWO & THREE
- June 19, 2007: Review - Superman Musical by York Theatre Company
- June 20, 2007: Wizard World Philadelphia - PHOTOS
- June 22, 2007: Girl Badly Injured on Superman Ride
- June 25, 2007: Superman Homepage in Prism Comics 2007 Edition
- June 28, 2007: Superman Ride Accident Victim Stable
- June 29, 2007: DC Comics Inks Deal with Mattel
- July 1, 2007: Superman Homepage Logo Change
- July 1, 2007: Superman Homepage 2007 Survey Results
- July 1, 2007: Legion of Doom Show at Six Flags
- July 25, 2007: New Adventures of Superman DVD Contest Winners
- August 5, 2007: Legion of Super Heroes at McDonalds
- August 7, 2007: Audio Interview with Kevin J. Anderson
- August 7, 2007: Superman Video Trailers and Themes Available on Xbox 360
- August 8, 2007: It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's a baby, 4Real!
- August 9, 2007: Historical Superman Documents For Sale
- August 10, 2007: Superman Homepage at Wizard World Chicago 2007, Day 1 - Friday
- August 15, 2007: Mattel Recalls Millions of Toys
- August 16, 2007: Superboy Court Ruling and Legal Analysis
- August 29, 2007: Robert Sanchez and Steve Younis on Krypton Fan Podcast
- September 6, 2007: HeroClix Justice League Now Available
- September 6, 2007: Superman Rollercoast Wins Best Steel Coaster Award
- September 8, 2007: Warner Bros. to Unveil T-Works Online Experience
- September 14, 2007: Superman Potato Chips in Italy
- September 18, 2007: Animated Short - Superman vs The Lava Monster
- September 21, 2007: Superman-like Figure Spotted Flying Over Romania
- September 23, 2007: Superman/Superboy Court Hearings Set for Early 2008
- September 24, 2007: Superman on Film, Television, Radio & Broadway Book Launch
- September 25, 2007: WB and Salvage Debut Superhero Apparel
- October 9, 2007: Superman vs. Hollywood - New Book Exposes Truth
- October 10, 2007: Superman on Stage in Williamsburg, Virginia
- October 11, 2007: AirHeads Out of Control with Superman
- October 12, 2007: Hallmark Release Two Superman Christmas Tree Ornaments
- October 19, 2007: Superman Homepage Launches Speeding Bulletin News Videos
- October 20, 2007: Get Your Fathead Superman Today!
- October 22, 2007: Bruce Scivally Talks Superman on KGO Radio
- October 25, 2007: Superman Jewish Museum Exhibition
- October 30, 2007: Two New Superman Returns Figures From Hot Toys
- November 30, 2007: Superman Ride at Kentucky Kingdom to be Torn Down
- December 3, 2007: 2007 SHIELD Awards Results
- December 12, 2007: Heroes Alliance - Help Kids for the Holidays!
- December 13, 2007: Fossil Releases Two New Superman Watches
- December 20, 2007: Will Cleveland Finally Recognize Superman?
- December 21, 2007: WizKids Superman & Batman Duo Figure
Back to the News Archive Contents page.
Back to the Latest News page.