The MCM Expo: Comics, Costumes and Geeky Highjinks

As the autumn sun began its lazy ascent over London, the geek-orientated denizens of the UK capital began their journey towards the ExCel Centre for the second of the 2011 MCM Expos. My first glimpse of the eager hordes was an innocuous Green Lantern t-shirt on the Jubilee Line but it didn’t take long before I was part of an exodus of people in costumes ranging from Star Trek to Pokemon to Street Fighter and everything in between.

MCM is the biggest and arguably most diverse of the major London conventions. Attractions include gaming (the big cheese this year being the new Batman: Arkham Asylum), film, manga, memorabilia and collectables, and, of course, comics. Sweet, sweet comics. It was the comics and the people who make them that Liberation Frequency had come for and we weren’t disappointed.

Top of my list of people to hunt down and harass into an interview (er, I mean engage in a professional and polite manner) were Gail Simone (Birds of Prey, Batgirl) and Rufus Dayglo (Tank Girl). We managed to track Simone down later in the day and found her surrounded by a flock of enthusiastic, costumed fans. After she had posed for many a picture, signed everything in sight (including Bane’s chest) and chatted amiably with the whole crew, we were able to pull her aside for a little chat of our own. Check out the video podcast for that one but I can say that Simone was incredibly gracious and generous with her time. It was a pleasure talking to her and I hope to do so again the next time she’s in the UK.

Sadly we weren’t able to get any time with Dayglo on camera as, like Simone, he was very popular with the fans and despite lurking about conspicuously we weren’t able to muscle our way up to his stand. I did have a chat with him in the morning though as he was setting up his stand and he told me about his upcoming project - Solid Gold Death Mask. This will be Dayglo’s solo work and it sounds absolutely brilliant. As I understand it the comic will be released for free online. Hopefully Liberation Frequency will be able to grab an interview with Rufus at some later date to get more details on this project.

During the course of the day we were also able to have a little pow wow with various other independent comics creators including Kate Brown (Fish + Chocolate), Edward Ross (Filmish), Joseph Remesar (Three Tales) and Daniel J. Wild (My Name is Chipmunk).

Finally, we were also able to spend a few moments with those crazy cats from over at Geek Syndicate, Dave and Barry. As many of you may know, their very popular and long-running podcast is coming to a close and they were in fact recording the last episode today. So it was a bittersweet moment for all but they promised that it’s not the end, just time for a mysterious new beginning.

No doubt tomorrow will bring more adventures and excitement at the MCM Expo as those hardy souls who feel they can handle another full day of pure, unadulterated geek madness head back to the ExCel Centre. Keep an eye out for our video podcast that should be up in the next couple of days!

Peace out!

Batman Live! @ the 02 Arena

Batman Live

Review by Adam Ray

Before I begin I think I must take this time to silence the scepticism I have heard from several people in regards to this production: IT IS NOT A MUSICAL!!! We’re not having the same treatment that Spiderman has had on our beloved Caped Crusader, hell would freeze before that happened.

Good, I feel better now.

As soon as you enter whichever venue you find yourself in, you’re greeted by the stage excellently dressed as the Gotham skyline, with buildings both on stage and in the Bat shaped Titantron in the background, zeppelins above and trains below and the constant sound of sirens from the cities’ infinite flow of crime. Many may question whether the on stage buildings are to scale (which they’re not), but don’t worry, they’re removed almost seamlessly. The previously mentioned Bat shaped Titantron has many uses through the performance, acting as a backdrop to show anything from the inside of Wayne Manor to the highest heights of the rooftops. It also shows the changes of scenery such as descending metres below into the Batcave or the Batmobile weaving through the city towards crime.

The look is hard to determine; it seems that they’ve taken to combining elements of the Tim Burton movies, the Christopher Nolan movies and the Arkham Asylum videogame, giving character designs and overall feel of the production to make a knowledgeable audience feel at ease.

The story is simple, marvellously so. It starts with the death of Martha and Thomas Wayne in crime alley, which I think is important to show for any reinvention of the Bat; we all know what Joe Chill did but it’s amazing how many different ways it can be shown. Similarly it also shows the Tragedy of the flying Graysons and how Bruce Wayne takes young Dick Grayson in and tries to find who’s responsible for his parents murder. In terms of the villainy all the big names are included and they at first plan to try to take out Batman in a combined effort under the Riddlers’ advisement.

In simple terms it’s Batman Forever with lots more supervillains to make it slightly more dramatic.
Despite being labelled Batman live, Batman makes a very late appearance, but does make excellent entrances such as swooping from the rigging and gliding in from the ears of the digital Bat backdrop, we all did our best to ignore the strings. We all know as fans that if we enter Wayne Manor then we acquaint ourselves with Bruce’s trustworthy butler Alfred Pennyworth, glad to hear him speak in queens English as he was always portrayed as a humble English gent, I can’t ignore that he said that he trained Bruce which isn’t completely true, Alfred was there as a small piece of Bruce’s path to mental and physical perfection also including nearly a decade travelling the world mastering all skills needed to fight the endless war on crime.

The Joker was the main villain of the piece, (obviously) wearing the classic purple suit, having a similar extended smile to Heath Ledger and also with a similar husk in is voice to Mark Hamill, but was too clown and not dark like we’d come to have seen and like in recent times, he was also accompanied by Harley Quinn who’s voice was near identical to the 90’s cartoon series where she originated.
Catwoman is also seen frequently as being the first recognisable comic character to grace the stage, there’s also the growing suspicion of the long held potential romance between the cat and the bat which Catwoman and Harley discuss while in Arkham (which is incorrect because Catwoman was never in Arkham for the simple reason that she’s not mad).

Despite my ease to pick holes in the story I cannot take anything away from the production itself. It is spectacular; everything is amplified and made large, grand and beautiful. The first appearance of the Joker sees him springing from a Jack-in-the-box, there is a point where a large replica of the Jokers’ face comes forward and his henchmen are fronds of hair and teeth, who then exit the face and do battle with Batman in an exquisitely choreographed fight sequence where not a man or a movement were out of place. The productions perfection culminates in one thing, one vehicle: The Batmobile. Its appearance is that of the open wheels of a Formula 1 race car with an unmistakeable fin at the back, Bruce Wayne says that it has no wheels and works by slightly hovering above the ground allowing for completely free manoeuvring.

In all honesty this production will divide fans. Those who come to see the avenging demon type of Batman may miss out due to his slight openness as seen in the beginning of his career as a crime fighter. Others will be disappointed that there is almost no intricacy in the plot to see the detective side of Batman. Any fan who knows that Batmans’ past is so vast that he can be interpreted in lots of ways and can look past minor errors for good entertainment will enjoy this production as much as I did.

The London Film and Comic Convention 2011

Clutching takeaway coffees and squinting in the early morning glare caused by the rare appearance of the London sun, the intrepid team from the Liberation Frequency arrived at Earl’s Court for the start of the 2011 London Film and Comic Convention. Armed with nothing but the caffeine in our veins and terminal cases of extreme geekism, we strode forth to capture the highs and lows, the laughter and the tears of the day.

Sure enough when we arrived there was already a considerable line of dedicated souls lining up outside the Earl’s Court Convention Centre, waiting to get inside. It was clear already that a lot of people were going to be in costume. In the first five minutes I’d seen stormtroopers, Dr Who, assorted Hogwarts students and a guy dressed as a crewman from Star Trek: Enterprise. Awesome. We were already inside the venue when the doors opened at 9am (press passes YUSSSSS!) and I knew immediately because small groups of people began running, nay pelting, from the front entrance to the signing area at the rear of the building. Before you could say ‘geeks on a mission’ a churning mob of people were crowding around the signing tables, jostling anxiously for position.

It was obvious that no effort had been spared when organising this convention, the array of stalls and merchandise available was mind-boggling (and bank account-emptying). As always, people arrived wearing looks of determination. People at conventions are on a mission. There’s no time for fooling around. Organisation was in top form too with plenty of helpful staff on hand to provide assistance to confused (or in my case, pushy) press types or convention-goers.

My first Major Geek Out moment of the day was when we were wandering around the venue before the doors actually opened and who should we see stretching his legs and talking to stall owners but none other than Mr Brent Spiner himself. That’s right. Brent Spiner. Mr Data. My little Star Trek-loving heart went into double time. Of course, there was only one reasonable course of action - stalking. After a couple of strategic dashes between rows of stalls we managed to plant ourselves conveniently in his path. Our cunning plan paid off when he came our way and I was able to approach ever-so-casually for a quick hello. He probably saw us coming from a mile away. I imagine we were about at subtle as a clown fight. Brent was extremely gracious and friendly. I even shook his hand. We had a chat about his new web series Fresh Hell (Very funny. Check it out on You Tube). As he continued on his way a massive grin spread across my face and it’s still firmly in place. Nothing short of a natural disaster could possibly ruin the day now.

Major Geek Out moment number two was interviewing Walter Koenig (yeah, that’s right THE Walter Koenig, as in Chekov from Star Trek). Despite the crowd of increasingly irate fans waiting for autographs, Liberation Frequency was able to grab a few moments of the sci-fi legend’s time to ask him about Star Trek, Babylon 5 and his upcoming new graphic novel, Things to Come.

Every convention is filled with assorted bits and pieces just screaming to be bought and this one was no exception. Was I dangerously tempted by the A1 ‘Women of Star Trek’ poster, with autographs from all of them? Yes, yes I was. Unfortunately, at over £900 it was just a teensy bit outside my budget. To console myself I purchased a lovely, movie-era figurine of Deanna Troi. You heard me. Troi. She was my favourite character when I was little. I get very nostalgic about it and I am now the proud owner of a Troi figurine. I also got a Star Trek: Enterprise mug so I can alienate my workmates even further than my blatant love of comics, sci-fi and all things geeky already has.

So, the sun is setting and the Liberation Frequency crew are broke and beginning to droop from eight solid hours of geeking out. Will we be coming back tomorrow? You’re damn right we will! If you haven’t been able to make it down today or if you weren’t sure whether to come at all – just do it. We’ve had a great day.

Breaking into comics (The Marvel Way) Part 2: Questions from the floor

With the intros and back stories for each of the panel members established, it came to the questions from the floor- always entertaining, sometimes uncomfortable if the question is deliberately offensive, or not constructed into a snappy sentence. One question regarding ethnic diversity being represented at Marvel could have been asked in one breath, but was somehow muffled out by aimless rambling about what is currently on the shelves.  Oh well, nerves can get the better of the best- it was at least a valid question. The same may not be said for the question “are you editors just frustrated writers?”- a tad trite and unnecessary in what was a perfectly amiable panel and presentation before that. Editors provide a different function to writers, and they are very much necessary.  To say they are all just frustrated or failed writers belittles what they do, and in the end, without them, there wouldn’t be much for us to read or talk about.  It did cause big inhalations and some awkwardness- the answer back was a simple ‘no’. I would have gone with no, we are frustrated editors.

The first pertinent question came with “What is the percentage of people that get work through submissions at conventions?” The answer is sadly quite low, with only one person at Kapow! being cited for potential employment. They did point out that it is more an opportunity for a review and feedback, and shared that generally anatomy and perspective are the main problems with unsuccessful applicants.  The rule of less is more applies here folks, with no more than 8 pages advised, showing only your best work. No unfinished work- the fact that it is there is not a good sign to an editor.  However, Dougie doesn’t mind and quite likes looking at unfinished artwork. We wonder if it is because he himself is an artist, rather than an editor.  Adi pointed out that it is slightly different for the computer graphics field- as well as finished pages a sketchbook (containing mostly unfinished work you would assume) is also required.

With the premise already established that you need to already be published (this includes self-publishing) to likely get a break into Marvel (or DC for that matter) came the question- “What small presses should we approach?”. The answer is simple- all of them. And try to get paid if you can. The most useful thing to this would be learning to work to a real deadline.  Writers have a harder deal somewhat with submissions, as scripts can’t be read for legal reasons. Writers need to get artists to do it to get the actuals out there. They should try 3-5 page stories and expect sometimes that artists will flake out and not finish. Harsh.

As for the longest question in the world regarding cultural diversity being represented in the art form itself (seeing as the actual creators are nothing short of an international smorgasbord of talent), business driven decisions are the reason why we see things still from a mainstream/American perspective. They have to speak in sales at the end of the day. They are trying to fill those niches but while they have international talent in artists, it is more difficult to have the same with writers, mainly due to the language barrier. I can see how that would make it trickier to tell international stories believably, and without offending or overly-amusing the natives. I am an Irish man and I could not take Heroes season 2 seriously due to the ridiculous accents and representation of Ireland. It is a tricky thing to pull off for an American, or even English writer, to write about Ireland convincingly, so I imagine it would be as tricky for say China, or Russia. There needs to be some degree of familiarity with the culture being written about I would assume.

When asked what hopefuls should absolutely not do, writers were again told to not hand in scripts. Get it drawn and hand in a comic. Cold pitches were said to be pretty much pointless- all the slots you might be angling for are already filled.  They will know instantly if an artist has the chops or not- writers are picked up more through word of mouth, and script submissions ignored for fear of idea stealing court trials. You should also never get drunk and embarrass yourself in front of an editor.

My favourite question was “Why comics instead of film, or advertising?”. Dougie said it was the best way he could express himself artistically. Kieron likes to play with high stakes, to protect a world that fears and hates you (a plugging reference to his new gig as Uncanny x-men writer). Adi, whose background is computer game and film concept art finds it much more enjoyable – it is the shortest line between what is in the mind and getting it out there. There is much less editorial interference on this much more direct line, citing the speed and ease as better than with games or movies.

The Breaking into Comics the Marvel Way panel was an enjoyable part of the show.  Nothing revolutionary came from it but it did feel somehow nice to have some of the advice and tidbits picked up from articles over the years re-affirmed. An affable lot, it was a pleasure to listen to creators and editors talk about their careers. I would rate all their advice and have walked away inspired- just where is my sketchbook?

Kapow: Breaking into comics (The Marvel Way)

Breaking into Comics the Marvel Way (pt1)
By Gavin O'Reilly

Being a fanboy can be hard. You love comics. You love comics a lot. You love comics to the detriment of personal relationships at times. It’s natural that in the world you inhabit you might aspire to be one of the creators you look up to.  One of the biggest problems you can face as a fanboy is the inability to distinguish reality from fiction. This can often lead to a sometimes misplaced dream to be a comic book artist or writer. Many, myself included, talk about it an awful lot without having the gumption or plain balls to really try. So at the Kapow! comic con it was a perfect opportunity to listen to those that have done it, to hear their advice and their stories.

The “Breaking into Comics the Marvel Way” Saturday morning slot at Kapow! certainly stirred some creative urges, and gave some serious food for thought.

The line-up of creators certainly didn’t disappoint either. Luminaries including Doug Braithwaite (the successful british creator who started with 2000AD and Marvel UK with much American DC work under his belt, and now exclusive at Marvel), CB Cebulski (Marvel international talent scout), Kieron Gillen (writer of Phonogram, Thor, SWORD and current marvel hot property), Nick Lowe (Marvel editor X-men), Steve Wacker (Senior editor- Amazing Spider-man, Daredevil etc.), Leinil Yu (artist on Captain America, X-men, and most recently Superior with Mark Millar) and Adi Granov (artist on Iron Man: Extremis and Astonishing Iron Man) played hosts and took questions from the nearly-filled gallery hall.

Mister Cebulski broke set the tone with the good news that is now easier than ever to make comics and to meet other creators. Self making is easier. The bad news is that it is still very hard to get paid for doing it- there are still few jobs and many people trying to get them.

“Getting into comics is like getting out of prison”- a choice pearl of wisdom basically meaning that if an artist/writer establishes a new way to break in or be noticed, that avenue will soon close up as it will not be new anymore.

Doug Braithwaite reminisced on his entry into the comic world 25 years ago, citing licensed product as a way to break in. He got to feel the craft and learn the trade through small 8 page stories  and such, this period lasted 3-4 years for him, before he started getting contacts and doing Marvel UK and licensed work (Action Force, Thundercats etc.) It seems clear from him telling his history that Doug was destined for comic art greatness- he went to Marvel UK at 15, at 17 he first worked pro, and attended the now lamented Cartoon Centre in London. He learned the basics there, built a portfolio and despite his teacher telling him otherwise, went to Marvel when he felt ready.  His bottom line is that you have to be persistent; it was simply something that he really wanted to do.

Kieron Gillen cast a ray of hope for those of us who are a bit longer in the tooth but may still be keen, as he says he came to comics as an adult. 6 months after his 1st comic experience in this time he was at a convention and trying to write his first script. He cites webomics and magazine strips as allowing him to work the craft, and figure out what he really wanted to put out there. Once he had confidence he did Phonogram, with this he had the sometimes unusual opportunity to pitch openly to Image (not a Marvel or DC thing to do) and concurrently Warren Ellis was busy nabbing him onto his New Universe project as part of his drive to get new, young writers involved. He climbed the ‘8 page, 3 issue then series run’ ladder at Marvel. His advice was to work hard and get people to approach you. He had cold-pitched to the likes of Games Workshop, saying getting work out there was really the key. You don’t need to wait around for Marvel and DC- just get some work out there in the digital realm. Doug chimed in to remind us that this couldn’t have happened 25 years ago- you could end up spending ages pitching and not learning the craft.

Adi Granov offered his own experience of getting into comics via the wolrd of computer games. He began work with Nintendo straight out of college, but he originally wanted to be a poster artist.  Editors found him in the end, but with reason- he had a lot of work online, and on forums. About 10-12 years ago there were a lot of forums and it really “blew up”, with editors taking notice, with sites like eatpoo gaining admiration.  He rounded off stating that you really don’t have to publish on paper any more, you can do it online.

Leinil Yu tried the old school straight up submissions to publishers like Wildstorm and Dark Horse 12 or 13 years ago, with the Internet in its infancy. He had some contact with Wildstorm but the comics market then was hitting a slump but he eventually got some work after a year or so of nothing. He did a few backgrounds for Iron Man reborn at the time, and eventually Greg Wilson (Artisit of Wetworks around that time) took his work to San Diego.

That is the creators take, as for the editors present they all agreed that it takes a different kind of grit and determination.  With the prevalence of the internet and working with international creators the job has become truly more 24/7 than ever before. Marvel internships were used by some, but the qualities needed were a good sense of story, and knowing how to elicit emotion. It comes as no surprise that the editorial position has the biggest inclinations towards the rat race- with examples of over 500 e-mails a day it goes without saying that you need to be a workhorse, but one of the keys is knowing how to treat people and how to get work out of people that may not be the best at getting work done on time.
I’ve got to say- as much as the idea of writing and illustrating stories is intimidating, being a bit too familiar with office culture myself, I am not sure I envy the editorial positions.  Although, they do get to work with the cream of the crop, and I am sure meet some uber-cool people- but I imagine they pay for this with at least part of their sanity.  Steve Wacker didn’t come into it on the normal route though- he made a play about superheroes in New York and ended up at DC after editors saw his show, and has been at Marvel now 6 years.

What was that they said at the start about a new way of breaking in being established becoming closed off? A shame, because that’s a damn swell way to get a job.  So, we are familiar with our hosts and how they got doing what they do, coming up we take a look at the questions from the floor...