A Fistful Of Bourdain: Video From The SDCC 2012 Vertigo Comics Get Jiro Panel

Most of the SDCC 2012 panels we covered, we did thusly: I sat with a fat boy notebook and a pen, furiously taking notes and grabbing quotes in between taking photos of things that panelists would prefer I didn’t, while Amanda live-Tweeted the hell out of everything anyone said. As such, we walked out of each panel with a wealth of information and still photographs of each panel, but without an ability to truly absorb and enjoy some of the things we saw and heard.

The Vertigo Comics panel for the graphic novel Get Jiro was different. Amanda is a big fan of Get Jiro writer and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain’s TV shows A Cook’s Tour and No Reservations, and as such, she hissed at me at the start of the panel, “I will Tweet this pig, but we’ve already reviewed the book, so I want you to videotape as much of this as you can so that I can enjoy it later. Otherwise, you’re reading me Kitchen Confidential through the bathroom door while I bubble bath with the shower massager. Again.” Or something like that, the vehemence of the hissing might have led me to hear more than was actually said.

Regardless, I therefore have a bunch of reasonably clear video of a good chunk of the Get Jiro panel… and I am passing the San Diego hotel and SDCC pass savings onto you! So grab your laptop, hit the jump, sit back in a warm bath with your shower massager, and never tell me about it.

Yes Sir, Captain Tightpants: SDCC 2012’s Firefly Reunion Panel

Later on today, we’ll try to post some of the remaining videos we took at SDCC 2012, but it will be a bittersweet experience. Because the one question we’ve been getting from most of our friends and acquaintances since we got back to the Crisis On Inifnite Midlives Home Office has been: “Did you get to the Firefly Tenth Anniversary panel?” Even the owner of our local comic store, where they know me by name and ask me to stop talking about movies to the paying customers, or at least to stop talking about the movies I find on Web sites with a top level domain name ending in “.XXX”, who you would think would be more interesting in upcoming developments in the products he sells, was disappointed that we didn’t spend hours in line for Ballroom 20 to see the reunion.

But we chose not to do that because we know that all the high-demand panels, like the Firefly panel, arrive on YouTube within ten days of their occurrance.

Case in point: please enjoy the video of the entire Firefly reunion panel, available after the jump.

…And His Amazing Friends: Amazing Spider-Man SDCC 2012 Panel

There was one minor, eensy, tiny problem with Marvel Comics’s Amazing Spider-Man panel Sunday. The panel wasn’t really about Spider-Man.

Oh sure, the panel opened with news about the Amazing Spider-Man and Avenging Spider-Man comic books, but those updates took about seven or ten minutes of an hour long panel. After that, we got updates on Carnage, Venom and Scarlet Spider, which are at least Spider-Man related… but we also got status reports on Captain Marvel, Punisher War Zone, Space Punisher, and last but not least, Daredevil, whose status report was, in effect, “Yeah, we have no idea what’s going on with that triple-Eisner Award winning book! But Eisner Awards are cool! And Daredevil won three of them! So who doesn’t love Daredevil?”

Which actually brings to mind another minor problem with the Spider-Man panel, and with every other Marvel panel we went to: Moderator Arune Singh, who is Director of Communications for Marvel Comics and possibly the most irritating and repetitive public speaker on the planet. Here are some of my notes from the panel, verbatim from my notebook:

• If I hear Arune Singh say, “How many of you are loving X” again, I will shit.
• At least 4 “How many of you love…” so far. Fuck.
• Fifth. Fucking. “How many of you LOVE…”
• SIXTH. SINGH WILL DIE BY MY HAND.

(Intellectual Property) Crime And Punishment: Thomas Jane Debuts Punisher Fan Film at SDCC 2012

We are back in the Crisis On Infinite Midlives Home Office with wretched reverse jetlag and crippling hangovers. And while I am working on my recap of Sunday’s The Amazing Spider-Man panel by Marvel (Teaser: it wasn’t really about Spider-Man!), I have learned that, while we were frittering around in actual comics panels on Sunday, Thomas Jane, the actor who played The Punisher in the 2004 movie adaptation and therefore had the unique joy of blowing John Travolta’s head off, ran a panel to promote his Raw Studios project that he started with cover artist Tim Bradstreet.

And at that panel, Jane debuted a new Punisher movie. Not an authorized Marvel Studios picture, and not a true sequel to his Punisher flick, but a ten-minute long fan film. Which rumor has it is better than, frankly (“Frank.” Ha!) both Jane’s original edition and the Punisher: War Zone move that came out a couple years ago. The dude fronted his own money, and got a cameo from Ron Perlman, to put it together. Why? Who knows? Maybe he’s courting Marvel Studios to get the nod for another round at the front of a full-on Punisher movie. Or maybe he’s just a giant comics geek (I’ve read that the dude went to the Rocketeer anniversary screening wearing a full Rocketeer costume) who wanted to make something really fucking cool. Regardless, I’m bummed I missed that screening.

What’s that, Internet? We have the video? And it’s right after the jump?

SDCC 2012: Incriminating Photographic Evidence

SDCC 2012 is over now, and last night’s buzz has been replaced with this morning’s hangover. And all of this means that it’s time to pack up the books, original art and… shall we say paraphernalia from the convention, bring it to UPS and ship it home to avoid a TSA inspection (“Son, is this your white, owl-looking face mask? Howsabout this detailed line drawing of a man with three guns by someone named, ‘Darrow?’ I’m gonna need to to step into this windowless room and remove your trousers…”), and return to the Crisis On Infinite Midlives Home Office in Boston.

This means that we will be in the one place that has less Internet access than the area directly surrounding the San Diego Convention Center: an airplane. So while we cross the country in an aluminum tube while quietly whimpering for nicotine, please enjoy these snapshots we took at this year’s SDCC. Some are of cosplayers, some are of just cool shit, but regardless, they are a small document of what happens at SDCC when you’re not haunting Room 6DE to live-Tweet comics panel discussions. Click any of them to see them full-sized.

And as an added bonus, we also have Amanda’s video of Nicholas Brendon’s introduction to the screening of Once More With Feeling to close out the convention, all after the jump.

Enjoy, and see you tomorrow, suckers!

Yesterday’s SDCC Live Tweets: 2012-07-16

• Getting ready to live tweet #DC Entertainment: Meet The Publishers from Room 6DE at 11:15am PDT. #SDCC #
• Jim Lee and Dan DiDio are opening the panel by summarizing the new #DC offerings (Talon, Sword Of Sorcery, Team 7, etc.) #DC #SDCC #
• Justic League Annual is bridge book btw Justice League 12 (read it 1st) and JLI (wraps up those characters stories). #DC #SDCC #
• Justice League events from 12 on set up Trinity War. #DC #SDCC #
• Stuff at this panel is recap from previous #DC panels (Green Lantern:Rise Of The Third Army,etc.).Useful if u only had Sunday pass, I guess. #
• At least Dan DiDio and Jim Lee generate a palpable and honest enthusiasm about the #DC line that makes me mind the lack of new info less. #
• Jim Lee is discussing 10 page Digital First .99 cent books. New titles daily from Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman families. #DC #SDCC #
• If you don't do digital, all titles will be bound for traditional publishing at "a later date". #DC #SDCC #
• Joe Kubert Presents – series of one shots. Looks good! #DC #SDCC #
• Also reviewing MAD magazine and Get Jiro. More nontraditional graphic offerings now available through #DC #Vertigo. #SDCC #
• Interesting to hear Jim Lee talk about Get Jiro- fascinated by the obscure food stuff, like the ortolan scene.Serious, geniune enthusiam.#DC #
• Jim Lee also worried Anthony Bourdain would "eat his baby" when they met. DiDio checks w/Wayne to see if they've "gone off message". #DC #
• Now recaps of Girl W/Dragon Tattoo and Django Unchained (adaption of unabridged script). Also,new Sandman from Neil Gaiman + JH Williams #DC #
• Bob Wayne – "I will be attempting to moderate this panel while maintaining employment." #DC #SDCC #
• We're in fan Q and A territory now. #DC #SDCC #
• Dan Didio – There are other characters like Wonder Woman and Green Lantern being considered for Earth Ones books. #DC #SDCC #
• Also, Grant Morrison is still working on the Multiversity books, hopefully for next year. Buy your LSD in preparation now. #DC #SDCC #
• Dan DiDio – There were 2 months where Aquaman beat the entire Marvel line up. Oh, Dan… #DC #SDCC #
• Jim Lee – DiDio hired other artists to draw JL behind his back b/c of his tendency to run late. He was outraged, but liked the art.#DC #SDCC #
• DiDio on his chemistry w/ Bob Wayne at panels – "We drink heavily before panels." Wayne – "And we practice b4 we get here." #DC #SDCC #
• Jim Lee – Don't try to draw Batman; try to draw Mr. Potato Head with Bat ears. #DC #SDCC #wordsofwisdom #
• Parting #DC Panel words – No. There will be no Wally West. We mean it. #SDCC #
• Now getting ready to live tweet #Marvel Amazing Spiderman panel in Room 6DE at 12:30pm PDT. May bail early. #SDCC #
• Yes. I know Spider-Man is hyphenated. #Marvel #SDCC #
• Panel is comprised of Axel Alsonso, CB Cebulski, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Humberto Ramos, Cullen Bunn, Frank Tieri, Arune Singh. #Marvel #
• So, more writers and Arune just got Dan Slott on speakerphone. #Marvel #
• Slott is summarizing AS. Then issue 692 is 50th anniversary issue with intro of new sidekick, Alpha. #Marvel #SDCC #
• Alpha is everything Peter Parker wishes he was in high school. Everyone sees/knows about the super powers, says Slott. #Marvel #SDCC #
• Dan Slott says Humberto Ramos drawings of Alpha are "gorgeous". #Marvel #SDCC #
• Kelly Sue Deconnick asked for help pronouncing Zakim Bridge. Avenging Spider-Man will take cast to Boston, where Carol Danvers is from. #
• Cullen Bunn on Venom – "He's the super hero I'd be because he screws everything up." May be a change in venue for Venom soon. #
• Stage has just been invaded by Spider-Men/boys. #Marvel #SDCC #
• Bunn now previewing Minimum Carnage. Flash and Scarlet Spider will learn how bad a symbiote can be. #Marvel #SDCC #
• Venom/Flash gets a glimpse of what evil a symbiote can actually effect in this series. #Marvel #SDCC #
• And now, Captain Marvel. Not a Spider book, but there you go. Focus on Danvers as bad ass pilot w/ control issues. #Marvel #SDCC #
• Readers will learn about women/pilots who preceeded her and her history w/ Avengers. #Marvel #SDCC #
• Punisher: War Zone will be a 5 issue limited series run that will wrap up Greg Rucka run on Punisher. #Marvel #SDCC #
• Showing Daredevil slide. Waid's not here. Cebulski has no info to offer about the Eisner winning title. Helpful. Not. #Marvel #SDCC #
• Frank Tieri is previewing Space Punisher thing."Crazy space versions of #Marvel characters."If fan support is there,there'll be more titles" #
• Sing along panel for "Once More With Feeling" accomplished. More audience participation/Dawn hate this year. Good times! #Buffy #SDCC #
• Goodbye, 2012 Comic-Con! #SDCC http://t.co/ecuKFTxR #
• Hello, Hyatt bar! #SDCC http://t.co/cTMqpx9f #
• You don't.It's an opportunity to go shoppingRT @juliebenz: Heading back to Toronto this week… How does one pack for 4 months?!?! Argh!!!!! #
• @CamComicCorner Bar has whiskey. Whiskey is warming. #
• It worries me when I realize that The Rock has more potential to put the ass kicking funny back in Lobo than Rob Liefeld. #
• Moving party to bar at Hilton by the water. Whee! #
• @GailSimone But, there is Spider-Pig so there's that… #

End Of Line

The annual screening of Buffy The Vampire Slayer’s Once More With Feeling (introduced by Nicholas Brendan) has just concluded. The main floor is closing, and SDCC 2012 is all over bar the shouting and the fuzzy, hungover flight home.

We still have a few panels we attended to report on, so our coverage of SDCC 2012 will continue over the next few days.

But for now, it’s time for a few cold ones at the Hyatt bar while we watch for celebrities. If you’re there, come look for us. We’re the ones being thrown out.

So for the next few hours at least: see you later, suckers!

Elephant In The Room: DC Comics’s Before Watchmen Panel, SDCC 2012

I expected things to be a little more contentious than they wound up being at DC Comics’s Before Watchmen panel yesterday.

After all, this is Comic-Con. It is packed to the gills with rabid fanboys and fangirls, many of whom were swirlied in junior high school (Hi, Paul Jameson! I make a comfortable living in the software industry now! How’s that A in woodshop treating you, fucker?) and now that they have strength in numbers, are itching for a fight. This convention has fundraisers for Jack Kirby, panels dedicated to pointing out the injustice of Bill Finger not getting enough credit for co-creating Batman, and a panel called The Most Dangerous Women in Comics. It is a place where a lone nut in a Batgirl suit can change the course of an entire comics company, and come back the next year bearing gifts for the creators and none for the thousand or so paying customers whose convention experience she fucked with last year in order to further a personal agenda. In short: this is Angry Fanboy Central, and if there was a place for them to show their colors, it was this panel.

But that didn’t happen. Sure, the panel started a little bit late, and the whole Quentin Tarantino announcement smack in the middle sucked up some question time, so maybe the slavering, angry, “You fucked Alan Moore!” guy just didn’t get his turn at the microphone. The people who did get a turn were generally really enthusiastic about the whole Before Watchmen project; one fan flat-out said that he was one of those “keyboard commandos” who ranted against the whole project, but wound up really getting sucked into it. Hell, the entire Alan Moore elephant in the room was only addressed once by anyone in the crowd… and it was a guy who was hoping that DC could get Moore to work on a Watchmen sequel.

How’d that turn out? Well, let’s watch!

Yesterday’s SDCC Live Tweets: 2012-07-15

• #DC New Wave – Tony Bedard: "I'm more excited to work on Beowulf than I am to work on Green Lantern!" #SDCC #
• Dan DiDio – "Now is not the right time to bring back Superboy Prime." But open to bringing him back eventually. #DC #SDCC #
• Fan just donated to http://t.co/Lse6F4dg at #DC Next Wave panel. Dan DiDio just matched it! Yay! #SDCC #
• Last year's Batgirl stalker of #DC panels just showed up and thanked panel for steps to increase female contributions to titles. #SDCC #
• But Batgirl stalker still doesn't feel there's parity. #DC #hearditbefore #SDCC #
• Dan DiDio – "greatest successes of new 52 are Swamp Thing and Animal Man." #DC #SDCC #
• James Tynion IV -no current plans to crossover Nightwing and Talon immediately. But Batman's feelings on Talon will be made clear. #DC #SDCC #
• OMAC's origins will be in DC Universe Presents issue 0. #DC #SDCC #
• Will Team 7 book tell origins of "skinny Amanda Waller"? Nope. In New 52, she's just thin now, says Dan DiDio. #DC #SDCC #
• Scott Snyder – Look to Gail Simone's Batgirl for stories with James Gordon, Jr. #DC #SDCC #
• Panel will neither confirm nor deny New Gods popping up in New 52. #DC #SDCC #
• Scott Snyder – "I can't promise" Tim Drake won't die. He will play a big part in Bat Family/Joker storyline. #DC #SDCC #
• Bobbie Chase says Team 7 will explore Black Canary' origins in New 52. #DC #SDCC #
• Sitting in Room 6DE getting ready to live tweet #DC Original Graphic Novel panel (phone permitting) at 11:15am PDT. #SDCC #
• We Can Be Heroes – how to give to the cause: http://t.co/c7E7UGV2 #
• #DC OGN panel is opening with Anthony Bourdain summarizing #GetJiro and how book came to be. #SDCC #
• Not sure why Bourdain keeps getting his panties in a bunch re: Monterey Jack on tacos. I've seen Rick Bayless do it. Settle down. #DC #SDCC #
• Geoff Johns has just learned that some restaurants have dedicated wine rooms. Johns-"Are they like this?" Bourdain-"Drunker." #DC #SDCC #
• Geoff Johns would like to see Batman fight a sushi chef. #DC #SDCC #
• Geoff Johns – "We didn't want to see a Batman who can do everything" yet. It was liberating. #DC #SDCC #
• Johns -summarizing Batman: Earth One. Also says he's begun work on sequel w/ Gary Frank for end of next year. #DC http://t.co/j5iZDryW #
• JMS – now discussing how a young Clark Kent makes a life for himself in Metropolis in Superman: Earth One. #DC #SDCC #
• Superman! #DC #SDCC http://t.co/AocKq6qU #
• Shane Davis – design of The Parasite in Superman: Earth One was influenced by examining mosquitoes and other insects. #DC #SDCC #
• JMS – "The world isn't sure what to do w/ this Superman." Some think there needs to be a way to kill him. Sets up later events. #DC #SDCC #
• Panel has now gone to fan Q and A. #DC #SDCC #
• JMS – Happy working on Superman: Earth One in current GN format. Geoff Johns agrees. Enjoys lack of constraints. #DC #SDCC #
• I would lay even money Bourdain is doing this panel under the veil of a giant hangover. Very sedate and staring blankly. #DC #SDCC #
• Bourdain says, yet again, that his favorite part of San Diego is…Mexico. #DC #SDCC #
• J. Michael Straczynski has given the whole room permission to call him "Joe". #DC #SDCC #
• JMS and Shane Davis having excellent debate about whether Superman would fight dirty if the fate of the world is at stake. #DC #SDCC #
• Geoff Johns – Riddler story for Batman: Earth One sequel is influenced by Zodiac killer. #DC #SDCC #
• Ok. Reached the end of #DC OGN panel. Stand by for live tweets from Before Watchmen panel, starting at 12:45pm PDT. #SDCC #
• @markeithhost I don't think he's here. Coward. #
• Dan DiDio on Before Watchmen – There is something about it that attracts attention and conversation. Quality has exceeded expectations. #DC #
• Dan DiDio – Before Watchmen work "isn't a sprint; it's a marathon." #DC #SDCC #
• JMS – Twilight Lady in Nite Owl book works in "underground sex industry". Will hook up w/ Dreiberg. #DC #SDCC #
• David Finch variant Nite Owl cover. #DC #SDCC http://t.co/0ePVib3Y #
• Quentin Tarantino showed up to announce Django Unchained comic book, with story stuff he didn't get to include in his movie! Woo! #DC #SDCC #
• Darwyn Cooke – "I'm now working in an area I've never worked before…challenge is driving me." #DC #SDCC #
• Darwyn Cooke on Minutemen – "Read it carefully and don't jump to conclusions." #DC #SDCC #
• Amanda Conner – says she's done a lot of research on Haight Ashbury and 60s rock and roll to prepare for Silk Spectre. #DC #SDCC #
• Amanda Conner has just thanked Darwyn Cooke for giving the audience the mental image of Jimmy Palmiotti showering right now. #DC #SDCC #
• Darwyn Cooke – says Amanda Conner's work on Silk Spectre has "elevated it". #DC #SDCC #
• Just noticed the Darwin Cooke is wearing a Ferris Aircraft baseball cap to this panel. #DC #SDCC #
• Dan DiDio on whether there'll be an "After Watchmen" – fan reaction and reception will determine if that would happen. #DC #SDCC #
• Darwyn Cooke – "it took me two years to commit" to Before Watchmen. #DC #SDCC #
• The #SDCC Center does not have enough spare internets to Tweet our Tarantino pics. #SanDiegoInternetsFamine #
• Getting ready to live tweet #Marvel #AVX panel in room 6BCF at 2:45pm PDT. Hopefully, I'll have good internets! #SDCC #
• Already Arune Singh has gone out of way to put down Batman movie over Avengers movie appro po of nothing to open panel. #Marvel #SDCC #
• Only actual writer present at #Marvel #AVX panel is Christos Gage. Everyone else is editorial. #SDCC #
• Christos Gage refuses to take sides in #AVX so he can more clearly get in characters heads as a writer. #Marvel #SDCC #
• #Marvel says you can play as the Phoenix Five on Facebook's Avengers Alliance game now. #SDCC #
• Well, Phoenix Five except for Namor. I guess he's not on Facebook. #ImperiousGuess #Marvel #SDCC #
• Rehashing #Marvel #AVX Babies announcement from yesterday's Cup o' Joe panel now. #SDCC #
• Now reannouncing #Marvel #AVX Consequences by Kieron Gillen. Will be five issues w/ different artist for each issue. #SDCC #
• At end of #AVX Axel Alonso says one of the teams will need new leadership. Please be a hint that Cyclops dies. Please! #Marvel #SDCC #
• #Marvel NOW will be Augmented Reality equipped to work with any device connected to internet. Also, not a reboot. #Marvel doesn't reboot! #
• Wow, I really wish this @Marvel #AVX panel was actually about #AVX + not a State of the #Marvel Union panel. We heard this stuff yesterday. #
• And now we kick over to fans and their questions at the mic. #Marvel #SDCC #
• Axel Alonso – "Death + resurrection are some of the most exciting things to explore in (cont) http://t.co/d1RmVYxd #
• Domino and Deadpool will be active in #Marvel NOW. #SDCC #
• Uncanny X-Men 19-20 will focus on Colossus. Script described as "chilling". #Marvel #SDCC #
• Fallout for kid/teen characters post #AVX will be found in Wolverine And The X-Men. #Marvel #SDC #
• #AVX 5 will be important to the story of Storm and Black Panther. #Marvel #SDCC #
• Where are the #Marvel architects at these panels? No Fraction,Gillen,Bendis,Aaron, etc.Most #Marvel panels staffed by editors. Infuriating. #
• Kudos to Christos Gage, Nathan Edmonson and Sam Humphries for being writers that have come to #Marvel panels. #
• Other #Marvel writers are sending the message that they can't be bothered or don't care about fans by being no shows. #
• @Comicverses Think he's still on Winter Soldier. Bummer, though. I meant to get to @ImageComics panel. #
• @Mother_Box ping. ping. ping yourself! #

Unchained Doggerel: Marvel’s Avengers Vs. X-Men Panel and Quentin Tarantino’s SDCC 2012 Announcement

We’ve seen a lot of cool things at San Diego Comic-Con over the past couple of days, but the Marvel Comic Avengers Vs. X-Men panel held this afternoon wasn’t one of them. Iron Man’s new armor from the upcoming Iron Man 3 movie was, so here it is. Get a good look? Good. Now let’s get back to the bad news.

Avengers Vs. X-Men is Marvel’s marquee summer event for 2012, and we are at about the midpoint of the story, and shit is heating up. We’ve got five X-Men possessed by the Phoenix Force, Hope is being trained by Iron Fist’s sensei to learn to repel the Phoenix, Tony Stark is working with Black Panther to find a way to defeat the Phoenix Force with a combination of science and magic, and Spider-Man is getting at least one of the best moments in a comic set in the 616 universe he’s had in years. So while the event isn’t perfect, there’s a lot of fan excitement around the event and what it has in store for us for the rest of the summer.

So it was with a palpable sense of excitement that we filled the third-biggest room at the San Diego Convention Center at 2:45 this afternoon to discover some tidbits about what the Marvel House of Ideas might have coming up for the fans.

Turns out? It’s hats.