C2E2 2011 DAY THREE

 

Methods and Mayhem: Designing an Action Figure

This panel, led by Mattel (unsurprising that they described the manufacture of a He-Man character)  described what goes into the planning and creation of an action figure.  Works a bit like advertising.  Research and Development (the creative guys) float an idea.  They plan the articulation.  Then they manufacture it.  Everything is done by a human being wit a brush.  Must train everyone to consistent quality level.

Early Works of Jim Henson

Tale of Sand -- is an unmade film.  Is being adapted to a graphic novel.

Wants to honor Jim, inroduce Jim to this side of Jim.  Archaia comics has also done Return of the Dapper Men and Mouse Guard.  Working on prequels to Dark Crystal and Fraggle Rock.

Alexander the Grape -- Cute, unfinished cartoon.  

Time Piece -- 1964, (now quaint) rhythmic meditation on modern life with animated live action starring Henson himself.  Has been used in film schools.  Very clever, only spoken word: "help."

Ripples/Bufferin/Cities -- Raymond Scott music over experimental animation of live action.  3 films.

The Cube -- From NBC Experiment in Television.

This site has a nice examination of his experimental films.

Drawing Fire: Editorial Cartooning in a Partisan Age

Bruce Plante, Dick Locher, Rob Rogers, Scott Stantis discuss how editorial cartoonists fit in.  Phenomenal panel.

Point One:

Instant news and variety of platforms makes us seem maybe more partisan than we really are.

A terrific sense of humor and perspective (mostly lefty) from this panel of extremely talented characters in their own right. 

Scott Santis: Squashed poodle = cartooning excellence. 

Comics, Censorship & the Law

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund & The Freedom to Read Foundation.   Deborah Caldwell-Stone talks about how comics and places that provide them are under fire.

Ulysses and Headquarters Detective were the first challenged.  In the 40's, it was determined to be a case of free speech.  I blogged a bit about this and the big comic burning in my hometown, Binghamton NY last year.  1954, Comics Code Authority was voluntary self-censorship vs. government regulation or commercial boycotts.  The Supreme Court has defined 3 categories of speech not protected, obscenity (sex, not violence), harmful to minors, and child pornography (doesn't include virtual).  AKA the "Miller Test"

Comic Book Legal Defense Fund -- Initially never meant for kids (really more for GI's), after the code, comics were infantalized.  For the first time in 70's artsits attempt to adopt content for social relevance.  1970's, Marvel did a book on drug abuse & horror books made a comeback.  1966/7 underground comix Jack Jackson's (aka Jaxon) "God Nose" the opening salvo.  Crumb pushing a baby carriage of Zap #1 down Haight St.  Dennis Kitchen.  Kim Deitch,.  Art Speigelman.  A lot of individuals who had grown up on EC, which disappeared and they didn't know why.  Frankly addresed sex, violence, issues of the time in a full range of expression.

Zap #4 included Spain Rodriguez, S Clay Wilson, Crumb, many others.  Joe Blow was a satire of 50's society -- incestuous family.  Gross out sick humor.  Addressed that nuclear family may be a myth.  A bust in 1971 led to the first modern conviction for obscenity for comics.  This is the first time the Government actually steps in.  Makes underground comix collapse.  Conventions spring up.  With newsstands dying, mainstream comics need a place also.   Cerebus and Elfquest self-published...majors pick up.  1978-1986 brought along Alan Moore and Frank Miller.  1978 A Contract with God sets the tone for the Graphic Novel and more sophisticated contact.  Raw is started with Maus serialized here.  Adult comics fully come back.  Watchmen, Maus, and Love & Rockets, Omaha, Dark Knight Returns all in 1986.  Friendly Franks comic bookstore was busted and CBLDF was established to protect him.  They won. 

The Freedom to Read Foundation

Librarians and staff bring most challenges, surprisingly -- parents (60%) + community members + organized pressure groups as well.  Circ clerk will bring it to the director off the YA shelves, etc.

Challenges:
Central Linn, Oregon Bunny Suicides committee stuck down

Brooklyn, NY Tintin au Congo committee vaulted it for special permission.  Should they also have gotten rid of Huckleberry Finn?  Views of past illuminated.

Marshall, Missouri Blankets and Fun Home had a student complaint -- returned book to the shelf.

Nicholasville, KY League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Black Dossier library worker tried to check this out and keep it.  Library retained the book, but put it in new graphic novels section.  Director received death threats, told to leave office, etc, etc.

Kids' Costume Contest

Thanks to my c2e2 pal for being there with her daughter.  Made it possible for me to sit there and absorb the cuteness without feeling like a creepazoid.  Dozens of adorable costumes on parade; some, like the Flashes who tended to run in a huge circle, a karate demonstrating Superboy, and an endlessly somersaulting Iron Man, were a blur of action.  Others shyly waved, half-chicken dancing to that song that happened to be playing.  One toddler Wonder Woman was asleep on her daddy's shoulder.  The Savage Dragon, Iron Man, Wonder Woman, many Flashes (some female), Spiderman & Spidergirls, Green Lantern, Princess Peach & Mario, Captain America and The American Dream, a few totally fabricated from the imagination like "the Beating Light Girl," and on and on.  Just amazing.

Popped into a couple screenings...

Dungeon Crawl (pictured right) is a film that anyone can watch for free here.  It's about just what it sounds like it would be...

Evangelion 2.22 -- Mecha anime.  A lot more people in this screening.

Meet Jim Martin

Legend in the field described puppeteers as "immediate animators" who watched their creations on the monitor while working them, instantaneous.  He told his life's story.  Did a bunch of local stuff in Pittsburgh before landing at Mr. Rogers, which used jazz uniquely as a kids' show.  Then met some Sesame Street people.  George Pal, others (stop-action Hansel & Gretel is amazing).  Hearing him doing his Gary Gnu voice was a real thrill, Mark Hammill was the president of the GG fan club.  Then moved onto Captain Kangaroo for its last couple of years and did Mr. Spaghettio.  Did the pigs, chickens, and cows for Sesame Street and then a director on the show, for which he won an Emmy.
Bonus: Martin said Jim Henson's big puppeteering innovation was that he made the hand go out as the mouth was opening and closing; try jutting that thumb out and you can almost imagine the ping-pong eyeballs on top of your fingers.