19 replies to this topic

[ZackDavisson]

Did anyone else go to Emerald City ComiCon (ECCC) last weekend?

 

I spent time hanging out with the Dark Horse gang. They are a great bunch of people. I don't have too much new Conan news to report. (Except the Brian Wood news, which I already knew)

 

Here's a few things.

 

1. Apparently you have me to thank for Hour of the Dragon. All of my calls at the end of Pheonix on the Sword reviews for a 12-issue Hour of the Dragon put the seed in Dark Horse's head. I was surprised about that. They said "Hey man, this is your series. You demanded it!" Made me happy!

 

2. RESS editor Patrick Thorpe is a Howard fan who knows his stuff. Great guy. I talked to him for awhile, and he has a full library of Howard in his head.

 

3. By contract, they have to publish an issue of Conan every month. If they don't, they can lose the license. This probably accounts for some of the "less than stellar" Conan issues over the years. Sometimes they just have to put something out.

 

4. I think everyone realizes that publishing Conan means striking a balance between being respectful to Howard, and still publishing a commercially viable property. They try to do the best they can, but it isn't always easy. They know some people are unhappy with Wood's Conan--especially because it is QOTBC which people have been looking forward to for years--but the series has been a hit and they are happy with it.

 

That's about it. Nothing too exciting, no big secrets. The Con was a lot of fun, and I recommend anyone going up and chatting with the Dark Horse gang if you have a chance.

 

 

 

 

 

[johnnypt]

Sometimes that's all it takes, one person at the right time.  We'll be thanking you for 12 issues 

 

I think had it been someone like Patrick editing this particular series, we might be a little less upset.  Maybe that's why they gave him Savage Sword, where his Howard knowledge was definitely needed.  Do you know the editors of the current run?  From the tone of the letter pages, their tendency does seem to be pushing the envelope away from what the series was with an understanding they are upsetting a group of long time readers.  My main question for them has been did the change have to be THIS drastic?  

 

Thanks again, Zack.

[Boot]

What's the Brian Wood news (for someone who only casually follows this)?  Just the stuff in point # 4?

[Officer Aggro]

1. Apparently you have me to thank for Hour of the Dragon. All of my calls at the end of Pheonix on the Sword reviews for a 12-issue Hour of the Dragon put the seed in Dark Horse's head. I was surprised about that. They said "Hey man, this is your series. You demanded it!" Made me happy!

 

 

Nice work then! 

[ZackDavisson]

What's the Brian Wood news (for someone who only casually follows this)?  Just the stuff in point # 4?

 

That he is considering staying on past issue #25.

[Crom]

Congrats, Zack. I hope they give you some kind of credit in those issues. Hey, with that kind of pull maybe you can have them redo QotBC with a proper team...

[Boot]

What's the Brian Wood news (for someone who only casually follows this)?  Just the stuff in point # 4?

 

That he is considering staying on past issue #25.

 

I hear his new Star Wars stuff is blockbusters good.  Too bad so many don't like his Conan work.  I haven't read it yet--I'm waiting for the trade collection.  Maybe he'll get a better feel for the character as time goes on.

[ZackDavisson]

His Star Wars stuff is a lot like his Conan stuff -- if you are a super hard-core Star Wars geek, you might get pissed off by his changes. He has Leia as an X-Wing pilot ... R2D2 doesn't speak ...

 

I personally think it is awesome.

[johnnypt]

His Star Wars stuff is a lot like his Conan stuff -- if you are a super hard-core Star Wars geek, you might get pissed off by his changes. He has Leia as an X-Wing pilot ... R2D2 doesn't speak ...

 

I personally think it is awesome.

 

I've heard nothing but good things about it, I'm just on a tight budget right now.  Maybe I'll try some digital down the line.

 

Leia being a pilot actually has its roots back in the days of Splinter of the Mind's Eye, so for long time fans, it's not that odd to see.

[Boot]

I think, in the Star Wars universe, just about EVERYBODY is a pilot.  I think it's akin to driving a car.  You don't need special training to fly military craft.  These people commonly jump from one side of the galaxy to the other, on a good route, in mere hours. 

 

Like some people in New York never learn to drive, there are people who are planet bound their whole lives and never learn to fly.  But, remember, 19 year old Luke Skywalker became a pretty darn good pilot by just flying his T-16 airspeeder around Tattooine.  This was long before he ever learned lesson one about The Force.  And, when he jumped into the X-Wing to attack the Death Star, he didn't even need a training flight.

 

In The Phantom Meanace, it doesn't take young Anakin too long to figure out out to pilot the Naboo starfighter.  Ani had been a pod racer (speeder), and the controls were similar.  Artoo got him out of oribt into the fight, but then the kid took over manually--just based on his speeder experience.

 

Even young Boba Fett, in Attack of the Clones, is starting to operate the Slave I, and he can't even see over the dashboard!

 

I'm sure there are a few technical details.  It is different driving a car with a stick than it is one with an automatic transmission.  And, driving a tractor trailer is different from driving your typical Ford truck.  I've never been in a Tank or a Humvee, but I'm sure there are differences than driving my Mitsubishi.

 

But, I think those details are more akin to piloting Captial Ships and such.  Fighters and stock light freighters, like the Falcon, are probably akin to driving a two-seat convertable and grand-pa's monster RV.

 

So, I wouldn't think twice if I saw Leia piloting.

 

And, I loved Splinter of the Mind's Eye when it came out!

Edited by Boot, 10 March 2013 - 06:20 AM.

[billofill]

His Star Wars stuff is a lot like his Conan stuff -- if you are a super hard-core Star Wars geek, you might get pissed off by his changes. He has Leia as an X-Wing pilot ... R2D2 doesn't speak ...

 

I personally think it is awesome.

I've been curious to hear how his Star Wars books are from people on here since the opinion of his Conan books are less then stellar. And Leia is a force sensative after all so her being a pilot makes sense.

[deuce]

Did anyone else go to Emerald City ComiCon (ECCC) last weekend?

 

I spent time hanging out with the Dark Horse gang. They are a great bunch of people. I don't have too much new Conan news to report. (Except the Brian Wood news, which I already knew)

 

Here's a few things.

 

1. Apparently you have me to thank for Hour of the Dragon. All of my calls at the end of Pheonix on the Sword reviews for a 12-issue Hour of the Dragon put the seed in Dark Horse's head. I was surprised about that. They said "Hey man, this is your series. You demanded it!" Made me happy!

 

2. RESS editor Patrick Thorpe is a Howard fan who knows his stuff. Great guy. I talked to him for awhile, and he has a full library of Howard in his head.

 

3. By contract, they have to publish an issue of Conan every month. If they don't, they can lose the license. This probably accounts for some of the "less than stellar" Conan issues over the years. Sometimes they just have to put something out.

 

4. I think everyone realizes that publishing Conan means striking a balance between being respectful to Howard, and still publishing a commercially viable property. They try to do the best they can, but it isn't always easy. They know some people are unhappy with Wood's Conan--especially because it is QOTBC which people have been looking forward to for years--but the series has been a hit and they are happy with it.

 

That's about it. Nothing too exciting, no big secrets. The Con was a lot of fun, and I recommend anyone going up and chatting with the Dark Horse gang if you have a chance.

 

 

Thanks for getting HotD greenlighted.  

 

I hung out with the DHC guys (Stradley and Richardson) in Madison back in '90, along with Tim Truman and Beau Smith.

 

Everything else is about what I expected.

[KG Thunder]

What's the Brian Wood news (for someone who only casually follows this)?  Just the stuff in point # 4?

 

That he is considering staying on past issue #25.

 

With our luck they'll give him Beyond the Black River as well.

[deuce]

 

What's the Brian Wood news (for someone who only casually follows this)?  Just the stuff in point # 4?

 

That he is considering staying on past issue #25.

 

With our luck they'll give him Beyond the Black River as well.

 

 

With friendly, cozy Pictish hostels!  

[Who dies first]

 

 

What's the Brian Wood news (for someone who only casually follows this)?  Just the stuff in point # 4?

 

That he is considering staying on past issue #25.

 

With our luck they'll give him Beyond the Black River as well.

 

 

With friendly, cozy Pictish hostels!  

dear crom,we will have a field day on here haha

[EricKRod]

I went to the Con also, got some signed copies  from Wood, but nothing much else.

 

Eric

Did anyone else go to Emerald City ComiCon (ECCC) last weekend?

 

I spent time hanging out with the Dark Horse gang. They are a great bunch of people. I don't have too much new Conan news to report. (Except the Brian Wood news, which I already knew)

 

Here's a few things.

 

1. Apparently you have me to thank for Hour of the Dragon. All of my calls at the end of Pheonix on the Sword reviews for a 12-issue Hour of the Dragon put the seed in Dark Horse's head. I was surprised about that. They said "Hey man, this is your series. You demanded it!" Made me happy!

 

2. RESS editor Patrick Thorpe is a Howard fan who knows his stuff. Great guy. I talked to him for awhile, and he has a full library of Howard in his head.

 

3. By contract, they have to publish an issue of Conan every month. If they don't, they can lose the license. This probably accounts for some of the "less than stellar" Conan issues over the years. Sometimes they just have to put something out.

 

4. I think everyone realizes that publishing Conan means striking a balance between being respectful to Howard, and still publishing a commercially viable property. They try to do the best they can, but it isn't always easy. They know some people are unhappy with Wood's Conan--especially because it is QOTBC which people have been looking forward to for years--but the series has been a hit and they are happy with it.

 

That's about it. Nothing too exciting, no big secrets. The Con was a lot of fun, and I recommend anyone going up and chatting with the Dark Horse gang if you have a chance.

[Slashing Sword]

Why??? Seriously...

 

I went to the Con also, got some signed copies  from Wood, but nothing much else.

[EricKRod]

Because there was absolutely nothing else REH/Conan there!  I didn't want the trip to be a total waste.  LOL

 

Why??? Seriously...

 

I went to the Con also, got some signed copies  from Wood, but nothing much else.

[Aquilonia]

Not wanting the trip to be a total waste is a very good/if not the only reason to get a Conan comic signed by Wood.

[wulfhere]

Did anyone else go to Emerald City ComiCon (ECCC) last weekend?

 

I spent time hanging out with the Dark Horse gang. They are a great bunch of people. 

 

Between this quote from EricKRod today...

And no, I didn't talk with any of them. Actually I was a little put off by the way they were distant and non talkative. When I came up to Wood to get the comics signed, there was no one in line. However the gentleman in charge of the line told me I needed to step back and get into the 'corral' style waiting area till I was called forward?  I took two steps back and then waited. About 15 seconds later he said I could move up to the signing table. I thought it was a joke at first, but since he wasn't smiling and Mr. Wood wasn't smiling, I took it as simple arrogance.

 

and what they've been doing to Queen of the Black Coast for the last several months I don't think I'd characterize them as a great bunch of people.