EARTH PRIME TIME: THE WATCHER’S LOOK AT BOSTON COMIC CON

This past weekend, citizens of Earth Prime finally got their Boston Comic Con at The Seaport World Trade Center. After much anticipation, the show was a glaring success for the fans, promoters, organizers and vendors. I am Uatu, The Watcher. I have taken an oath to aid humanity and monitor key points in human history without interfering. Here just some of the events happening at Boston on Saturday and Sunday, for us Watchers to study.

Boston Comic Con is angling to be a major independent comic book show in the country, and even after a reschedule and change of venue, founder Nick Kanieff has his target on being the number #3 show in the country behind touchstone San Diego Comic Con and New York Comic Con. If what I have seen from this past weekend is any indication, they may just make it. From the long entry lines, to the elaborate cosplay, to the amazing panel artists and guests the Beantown nerd and geek culture crowd uproariously rejoiced, seemingly forgetting about the unfortunate events of the Marathon Bombings in April that caused the show to move.

Observe! Boston Comic Con Fans Fanning Out on Fan Pier

As The Watcher, I’ve seen some things. but never have I seen a line for tickets in Boston for something other than October baseball.

Nick Kanieff’s initial attendance prediction of 12,000—15,000 people was exceeded, and with a venue three times the size of The Hynes, one wonders if this is the best spot for the convention in 2014.

But I am just an observer, sworn not in interfere with my cosmic juju.

"Go Ahead, Baldy!" - Spidey Wisecracks to The Watcher

Even heroes I know from New York, like this Spider-Man were there to help the carnage get in the door. He let me float past, because I am the Watcher and showed him my purple wristband.

I told him I was here to observe, he did not seem to care!

Neal Adams - Secrets of the Silver Age with Stefan Blitz from Forces Of Geek

This first day, I sat nearly in the back of the room to listen to the sometimes sardonic iconic Batman Artist Neal Adams as he told Secrets of The Silver Age with friend Stefan Blitz from Forces of Geek moderating.

He regaled the crowd with his stories of bugging editor Julie Schwartz about drawing Batman in the ’70s.

Neal’s stories were only partly true, I know, I am The Watcher. Julie Schwartz was not the shadowy hairy beast depicted in his telling. But I let it go, for I am The Watcher. I observe.

Artist Ming Doyle as Jubilee of The X-Men

Moving back out to the Con floor I spent the requisite amount of time popping over to Artist’s Alley where I ran into an alternate version of Jubilee from this Earth, comic book artist Ming Doyle! I did not ask her what she was doing dressed as an X-Man, though I know the answer. I am not allowed to interfere with the X-Men timeline, they are doing enough damage on their own.

But I am like Super Fitness. “No Judgment Zone” here from The Watcher!

Part of my observations of the two days requires me to spend at least $50 on $5 trade paperbacks from some of the kind vendors there.They all said the same thing…”Don’t you know this stuff already”? To which my reply was, “Do you thing Hawking doesn’t have copies of the books he’s written on the shelves in his house?” The vendors wouldn’t give me an additional discount because of my omnipresence, but as I say, I will be observing their customer service for years to come.

I’ll get a free omnibus someday!

The LeaguePodcast after party at Lucky’s Lounge on Saturday was fun at first, until I kept getting seated with the wedding party in the next room.

Apparently The Watcher and the Bride were dressed similarly in Vera Wang.

They did not let me party with the comic book friends, but I was able to observe the Gents being gracious and running a costume contest of their own!

After getting my 5 hours of sleep on the Blue Area of Earth’s Moon, I floated down, past the line (purple wristband) and Spidey on Sunday. This time, he got me with some web on the back of my head as I was confidently strolling through the crowd. I do not seek revenge, for I am The Watcher.

ALL AGES PANEL - Waterfront Room - All Ages Comics - 11am-11:45am Shelli Paroline, Don Rosa, Maris Wicks [MODERATED BY CLAY N. FERNO (LeaguePodcast)]

All Ages Comics with Shelli Paroline, Maris Wicks, Don Rosa and Clay N. Ferno (LeaguePodcast) as Moderator

The first panel of the day was All Ages Comics Panel with friends of DigBoston Maris Wicks (Primates, Yes, Let’s) and Shelli Paroline (Adventure Time and Boston Comic Con variant Superman & Fionna cover!) teamed up with comics legend Don Rosa, known primarily for his work on Donald Duck and The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck.

It was an amazing panel going in depth on collaboration vs. working solo and that All Ages Comics does not mean ‘For Kids” necessarily.

Young kids were there in costume as well as their parents, and scholars and fans of Mr. Rosa’s work. I could tell that Dig writer Clay N. Ferno was disguised as Nick Fury as the panel mod, but again. No Judgment. Observing.

Mike Mignola Q & A with Clay N. Ferno of LeaguePodcast

Mr. N. Ferno was caught off guard by ‘having’ to introduce Hellboy and Amazing Screw-On Head creator Mike Mignola at the next panel, but he did so graciously as I observed that there are no plans for a Hellboy 3 and Mike announced that Hellboy in Hell goes to Asia in an upcoming story arc.

People seem to like Mike Mignola. Because he is amazing and created Hellboy.

The next panel of the day was right up my alley, because I need to know what the deal is with Marvel NOW! I do not mean the branding, I mean Marvel, right now. “That’s my Job“, as Mad Men’s Ken Cosgrove would say. I’m kind of the guy that watches over the Marvel Universe, you know. It can’t hurt for me to look a little into the future by listening to Marvel artists and writers at the Mighty Marvel Panel. Mark Bagley (Ultimate Spider-Man, Fantastic Four) was joined by Mike Choi (X-Men, X-23), David Mack (Daredevil), Brandon Peterson (Avengers, Age of Ultron) and the panel was moderated again by pseudo-Nick Fury Clay N. Ferno.

Mark Bagley (Ultimate Spider-Man, Fantastic Four), Mike Choi (X-Men), David Mack (Daredevil), Brandon Peterson (Avengers, Age of Ultron) - Moderated by Clay N. Ferno of DigBoston

Brandon Peterson, Mike Choi, Mark Bagley, David Mack at Mighy Marvel Panel - Moderated by Clay N. Ferno

I was able to peek into the future to find out that a sequel to NYT bestselling Daredevil: End of Days is in the works with possible Old Man Punisher.

Also, Brandon Peterson hinted at an Age of Ultron sequel is being plotted and even more exciting is that Brandon joins the rotating art team on All New X-Men. Very exciting news there, I love those books, I mean those guys, both X-Men teams that is. Just Watchin’ from here.

Bagley says Brilliant is still behind schedule but looks forward to drawing new Ultimate Spider-Man Miles Morales in the 616 in an upcoming story.

I see all things, and this Con was Ultimate. Ultimate fun, the top talent in the industry, (including Bat-folk Tony Daniel and Scott Snyder) along with celebrity guests that even I, as the Watcher get a chance to see like Laurie Holden (The Walking Dead), Kristen Bauer (True Blood) alongside Dean O’Gorman and Aiden Turner from The Hobbit made this convention the best one yet for Boston. I hope to observe Nick Kanieff and his team at work next year, and perhaps LeaguePodcast will let me sit at their table (“Nah” – Ed.).

Back to The Moon for me, but not until I share with you a Con-related announcement from President of LeaguePodcast, Matt Dursin, a person I stole a fry from at the Lucky’s Lounge party. Dursin himself used the Boston Con as a springboard to bring his Robin Hood: Outlaw of the 21st Century #1 comic out of his head and into reality with the human concept of Kickstarter. As The Watcher, I am not allowed to give money to this creator because that is interfering. Just pointing stuff out here, ‘The Watcher’, you guys. His twist on the modern day update of the Robin Hood tale where the outlaw steals medical supplies and gives to those in need.

I can say, by observing the original Robin Hood, this one is way more righteous.

Dursin has a limited time to raise the cash so check out the video and Kickstarter page. Next on this column — an in-depth interview with the man himself!