“If it bleeds, we can kill it.” – Prey. Saturday at the show began with a reminder to be kind, as walking to the convention, a man was knocked off the sidewalk and into a barrier. Getting him back on his feet, he was okay and on our way. Then asking a dad where he got the foam Masters of the Universe Power-Sword, his wife handed one to me as they had multiple between themselves and their kids. A very nice gesture and set the tone for a day of laughs and inspiration.
In the exhibit hall I wandered around some of the booths for Lego, Hasbro and Mattel marveling at MOTU, Back to the Future, G.I. Joe, Voltron and other licenses still going strong 40 years on. Cosplay highlights included Ghost Rider and Da Pope! I caught Michael Biehn walking back to the show floor and picked up a Johnny Ringo in Tombstone poster from his wife and fellow actor Jennifer Blanc. Biehn’s son Caelen was at the booth and we briefly chatted about their podcast, Just Foolin’ About, which is always an entertaining, insightful, funny and shocking looking back at Biehn’s full life and career. I mentioned recently finishing William Friedkin’s (The French Connection, The Exorcist) memoir which launched The Biehn into a full retelling of a heated exchange he had with the director over a seemingly trivial detail while preparing to shoot 1987’s Rampage. But that’s why you love Biehn’s work, he’s quietly cool then fiercely intense across The Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss, Tombstone, Timebomb, The Rock and so many others.
Panel wise Todd McFarlane talked taking a chance on yourself, how comic book and geek culture has evolved to become mass culture. Then the key to marathon signing sessions is not eating or drinking aka “if nothing goes in the top hole, nothing needs to come out of the bottom hole”. The Todd Father continues to Todd Father. Hulu’s Paradise, the “living in a mountain bunker after the world ends” hit show starring Sterling K. Brown announced they were deep into shooting season 2 and introduced Shailene Woodley (Divergent) as a new character who is working as a tour guide at Graceland when society begins to unravel.
Writer and producer Tom DeSanto (X-Men, X2, The Transformers) took us back to his humble beginnings as a comic book fan who ended up in Hollywood, pitching Alien 4 then landing in the X-Men universe. DeSanto talked about Fox’s lack of confidence in the project, dealing with Harry Knowles (phew, remember that sh!tty moment in time?) and early online thrash then being sent to SDCC 1999 to do some damage control. That was a trip to see how empty the streets and convention center were compared to today’s takeover and 135,000 attendees. DeSanto brought up Scott Leva, martial artist and stuntman who posed as the live action Spider-Man on comic book covers and was cast in the never produced 80’s Cannon Films adaptation. Leva helped choreograph the Wolverine fight scenes and how to use those claws. Leva has a book coming out soon too which should provide some insight on the pre-Fox and MCU days. DeSanto current effort is NeuroAnimation, using animation and technology to increase brain productivity to aid stroke recovery. DeSanto is looking to provide a future more like Star Trek than Mad Max, well said.
