{"id":2616,"date":"2017-08-01T12:04:00","date_gmt":"2017-08-01T19:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comic-con.org\/toucan\/?p=2616"},"modified":"2024-01-09T12:07:58","modified_gmt":"2024-01-09T20:07:58","slug":"maggies-world-053-serendipity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comic-con.org\/toucan\/maggies-world-053-serendipity\/","title":{"rendered":"Maggie\u2019s World 053: Serendipity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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MAGGIE’S WORLD BY MAGGIE THOMPSON!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maggie\u2019s World 053: Serendipity<\/h1>\n\n\n
Maggie Thompson<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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You Know the Story, Right?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Horace Walpole said that the story \u201cThe Three Princes of Serendip\u201d involved its characters\u2019 \u201calways making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of.\u201d He coined the term \u201cserendipity\u201d to summarize such occasions. And \u201cserendipity\u201d is one of the aspects of Comic-Con that you may not have considered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before Comic-Con every year, attendees are advised that they should plan to attend events they most care about. They should look at the lists of guests and program items and exhibitors in order to make the best possible scheduling of their time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(Left): Bill Sienkiewicz helped attendees figure out how to pronounce his name. (Right): Sergio Aragon\u00e9s was on hand to sign and draw\u2014and starred in the annual \u201cQuick Draw\u201d cartoon event in which he competed to produce visual gags on a variety of topics. Photos: Maggie Thompson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But another approach to enjoying the show is to relish events as they occur. This year, I was almost overwhelmed by the number of treats I happened across coincidentally in hotels, in the exhibit hall, and in the program items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It might have been an omen of all this when, heading to my hotel room the night before the show, I found a couple who had punched the \u201cup\u201d elevator button before me. I suddenly realized they were Steven Moffat and Sue Vertue of Doctor Who<\/em>, Sherlock<\/em>, etc.<\/em> (Despite being a long-time Who<\/em> nerd, I think I managed to avoid blathering overmuch at them. I hope so, anyway.) The next morning, I was similarly geekily delighted to discover that among the people eating breakfast at the nearest booth was Stan Lee. (I was relieved to see him at all, given the recent loss his wife of almost 70 years, Joan.) And so it went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daughter Valerie found herself in an elevator with Matt Groening of Life in Hell<\/em> and The Simpsons<\/em> (he was announcing a new project at the show). Together, she and I ended up at a table next to Vincent D\u2019Onofrio (Farmer Edgar and \u201cThe Bug\u201d in Men in Black<\/em> and Wilson Fisk in Daredevil<\/em>\u2014to limit his long list of credits to a couple of comics-related projects) on Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. But Comics.<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Well, that\u2019s my point. In a world in which we ride the elevator with favorite creators and eat a table away from stars, it\u2019s also a world in which we can chat with countless others who love the art form and have a variety of information to share.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which is to say that I was delighted to see a stack of Bill Schelly\u2019s terrific biography John Stanley: Giving Life to Little Lulu<\/em> at the Fantagraphics table, on display for all to see. I hope it caught the attention of comics buffs who might never until then have known much about the man who brought Marjorie Henderson Buell\u2019s Little Lulu<\/em> panel cartoon to comic-book form for a generation of kids. And I spotted for the first time at the Titan table the graphic novel The Death of Stalin<\/em> by Fabien Nury, Thierry Robin, and Lorien Aureyre (complete with autographed tipped-in signature by Armando Ianucci).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are cool new books\u2014and cool old comics\u2014sometimes on neighboring tables. I bought a small stack of Nancy<\/em> comics (speaking of John Stanley); you never know what\u2019s there till you look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The point is: You never know when you\u2019re going to see something or hear something that you didn\u2019t even know you wanted to know. Be ready to be entertained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(Left): Eisner Awards presenters included Thomas Lennon, Gail Simone, and Wayne Brady. (Right): Writer-artist William Messner-Loebs was one of two recipients of the Bill Finger Award for his many comic book scripts.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It was at the Eisner Awards Friday night that many found out about a new comics project that will team Michael Davis and Wayne Brady in \u201cLevel Next,\u201d continuing the sort of creation with which Davis has been involved as long as I\u2019ve known him: creating entertainment by, about, and for people of color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For that matter, the Eisner Awards are where you\u2019ll always find a variety of comics professionals in assembled availability Friday night. (When I\u2019d mentioned that to one of the staffers at a back-issue booth in the Exhibit Hall the day before, she\u2019d told me she\u2019d assumed that she couldn\u2019t attend, \u201cbecause it\u2019s only for members of the convention, right?\u201d It seems that Comic-Con is a rarity in opening its event doors to its exhibitors. As if we don\u2019t all love comics! But I digress.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s news wherever you turn, whether in panels or conversation: Jeff Smith will be producing a Bone<\/em> picture book for little kids (Smiley\u2019s Dream Book<\/em>). Who knew?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And answers to questions abound: I had a panel called \u201cDealing with Stuff\u201d that opened some doors I\u2019ll be peeking through (and reporting on) later this year. Because you\u2019ll find experts at Comic-Con.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(Left): Larry Marder\u2019s work has included for years stories set in his Beanworld universe. A bonus at his booth were his inaction figures (otherwise known as lima beans; if they sprout, they become action figures). (Right): Among the many unexpected encounters this year: Scott Brick, whose comics reporting is only one facet of an award-winning career.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Serendipity<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, who\u2019d have thought Scott Brick would be hanging around in the Exhibit Hall? You don\u2019t know Brick? Or maybe you know him only as an award-winning voice artist whose life largely consists of reading terrific stories? (And, when I say, \u201creading,\u201d I mean as in audiobooks. Look him up on Wiki.) Anyway, Scott was the reporter who broke one of the most popular stories we ran in Comics Buyer\u2019s Guide<\/em> in 1998\u2014\u201cWho Killed Gwen Stacy?\u201d\u2014and he and I caught up a bit before we headed to other spots in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And who\u2019d have thought I\u2019d be able to assist a reporter in coverage because (for once) I happened to have a new SDHC photo card stuck in my bag when that person needed it? Serendipity for all!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or who\u2019d have thought I\u2019d still be digging out business cards from an assortment of luggage and pockets a week after I\u2019d arrived home? (Next year, I must get organized. But I say that every year. Heck, I still haven\u2019t even had time to take a close look at the dozens and dozens and dozens of photos on my own photo card\u2014though I located a handful for now.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unforeseen Consequences<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Finally, as I look back on Comic-Con, something else occurs to me: More than ever, it seemed to me this year, the crowds included a vast variety of kids. Toddlers and teens alike were wearing costumes and seemed to be having a ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How will their memories of July 2017 affect their love of popular culture in general\u2014and comics specifically?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s remember to ask them in a decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Maggie\u2019s World by Maggie Thompson appears the first Monday of every month here on<\/em> Toucan!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Written by<\/p>\n\n\n

Maggie Thompson<\/div>\n\n\n

Published<\/p>\n\n\n