Sunday closed down the massive Comic-Con with a whirlwind of activity. Most notably the fighting off of exhaustion throughout the day. That's no reflection on anyone else; just the price you pay for trying to squeeze way too much into five days.
Somehow, when I was plotting my Con schedule, I had missed that Ray Bradbury would be here (related story: Bradbury's
Fahrenheit 451 is on our list of the hottest graphic novels of summer). He had been one of the featured guests at the first Comic-Con back in 1970, when the crowd was a mere 300 at the U.S. Grant Hotel. I had seen him three years ago at the L.A. Book Festival in what was one very memorable afternoon. Thus when I learned he was on the lineup, I found my way to the room where he would appear. On the way, I thought I was on the right line, only to be told it was one for
Boondock Saints 2. When I said I wanted to see Bradbury, I was told, "There will not be a line like this for HIM." Well, while I did walk in the room without waiting, the room still was filled with what looked like a couple of thousand people, and when Bradbury's wheelchair hoist got him to the presentation level, the place immediately erupted into a standing ovation. The thing about the Con: There's something for everyone.
How did people who flew to San Diego manage to get their swords, guns, and other fake weapons on board airplanes? Or was Fed Ex rather busy these last few weeks flying costume weaponry?
When death shatters the serenity of the exclusive moneyed enclave of Tuxedo Park, New York, Eliza Blake, cohost of the country's premier morning television show KEY to America, is on the scene.
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Carol came to Comic-Con with her camera, and she wasn't afraid to use it. Here are her favorite selections of the gory, the intimidating, and the oddly pragmatic on display at this year's Comic-Con.
See the full selection after the jump, including her picks for Best Overall Costume, Best Boots, and Most Dramatic Costume...all the way from San Diego.
Best Overall Costume: This one had it all --- authenticity, complete attention to detail and fright factor (note those red eyes…there was no camera flash making those happen!)
July 2009
As I flew back from San Diego earlier this week, I started reading THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE by Heather Gudenkauf, and from the first page this debut author grabbed me. Why? She dropped me right into the story in the Prologue, and from there the characters drew me through a plot that had me inside their lives and their heads bouncing from one perspective to the next.
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Teaser
As seamstresses, the young sisters Emília and Luzia dos Santos know how to cut, how to mend, and how to conceal. These are useful skills in the lawless backcountry of Brazil, where ruthless land barons called “colonels” feud with bands of outlaw cangaceiros, trapping innocent residents in the cross fire. Emília, whose knowledge of the world comes from fashion magazines and romance novels, dreams of falling in love with a gentleman and escaping to a big city. Luzia also longs to escape their little town, where residents view her with suspicion and pity. Scarred by a childhood accident that left her with a deformed arm, the quick-tempered Luzia finds her escape in sewing and in secret prayers to the saints she believes once saved her life.
About the Book
As seamstresses, the young sisters Emília and Luzia dos Santos know how to cut, how to mend, and how to conceal. These are useful skills in the lawless backcountry of Brazil, where ruthless land barons called “colonels” feud with bands of outlaw cangaceiros, trapping innocent residents in the cross fire. Emília, whose knowledge of the world comes from fashion magazines and romance novels, dreams of falling in love with a gentleman and escaping to a big city. Luzia also longs to escape their little town, where residents view her with suspicion and pity. Scarred by a childhood accident that left her with a deformed arm, the quick-tempered Luzia finds her escape in sewing and in secret prayers to the saints she believes once saved her life.
But when Luzia is abducted by a group of cangaceiros led by the infamous Hawk, the sisters’ quiet lives diverge in ways they never imagined. Emília stumbles into marriage with Degas Coelho, the son of a doctor whose wealth is rivaled only by his political power. She moves to the sprawling seaside of Recife, where the glamour of her new life is soon overshadowed by heartache and loneliness. Luzia, forced to trek through scrubland and endure a nomadic existence, proves her determination to survive and begins to see cangaceiros as comrades, not criminals.
In Recife, Emília must hide any connection to her increasingly notorious sister. As she learns to navigate the treacherous waters of Brazilian high society, Emília sees the country split apart after a bitter presidential election. Political feuds extend to the countryside, where Luzia and Hawk are forced to make unexpected alliances and endure betrayals that threaten to break the cangaceiros apart. But Luzia will overcome time and distance to entrust her sister with a great secret --- one Emília vows to keep. And when Luzia’s life is threatened, Emília will risk everything to save her.
Jul 28, 2009
Makoto Tateno debuted as a manga creator in 1986. Since then, she has created over 30 series, most in the shojo (girls) and yaoi (boys love) genres. Many of her boys love series have been released in the United States and her title Yellow (from Juné/Digital Manga) is a fan favorite. Recently, she was an industry guest at Yaoi Con 2009, where Graphic Novel Reporter was able to speak with her about her work.
San Diego Comic-Con is just around the corner, and recognizing the enormous growth of the marketplace with schools and libraries, the con has added several panels of interest. Amidst all the Hollywood onslaught, discussions on major comic properties, sci-fi and related programming, and all the other highlights of Comic-Con, be sure to check out these panels for comics and library information.
July 27, 2009, 123 voters
