San Diego Comic-Con Panel Drama: An Angry Fan Rips Me A New One.

Plus: The Secret To Marvel's Success. Shhhhh, It Was Never Really a Secret.

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From Comic Book Mecca To Satan’s Armpit

Well, another San Diego Comic-Con has come and gone, and I want to send out a big thank you to the entire convention staff and my GRT (Guest Relations Team) handler, Manny. I was a bit difficult to wrangle at times, so I’m thankful for his patience.

This year’s SDCC was probably the busiest I’ve ever had from a business meetings standpoint. Outside of my signing and panels (which were awesome!), I was barely on the convention floor. All in all, it was a productive outing.

After the show, my daughter and I drove to Los Angeles for a week, where I caught up with a few friends and associates on what felt like the surface of the sun. You know it’s hot when you set the hotel room AC to 65°, and the digital screen reads “no mas.”

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Best Conversation Overheard at SDCC

Inside the Men’s Room outside of Exhibit Hall B.

Fan (pulling comics out of his book bag): “Excuse me, Mr. X¹, but could you--

Mr. X (at the urinal): “I’m sorry, I’m done signing penises for the day.”

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The Marvel Booth at SDCC circa 2019. It wasn’t always like this.

Two Guys Walk Into a Comic Convention…

San Diego Comic-Con 2001 was one of the toughest I have ever attended. I still had that new Editor in Chief smell, and Marvel was trying to dig itself out of financial ruin. So, for the first time, I suspect, since the early origins of the show, we didn’t have a booth. In fact, we didn’t have a presence at all. The only two Marvel reps at the show were CEO Bill Jemas and myself. We didn’t fly in editors or talent and had no signings. I did, however, have a panel.

For the record, panels are one of my favorite things to do at a con. I take any and all questions and do my best to be as transparent about the business as I can. And though I’ll deny it if you ask me, I relished the tougher questions, the ones where a fan or reporter hopes for that “gotcha moment” because they always end up surprised at how candid and blunt I can be. It’s something I learned from Stan and from reading his old Soap Boxes.

Stan’s Soapbox was a monthly column that ran in every Marvel Comic from 1967-1980. This is where Stan would shill upcoming projects and pontificate about what was happening in the world outside his window as it related to the comics Marvel was producing at that time. To me, Stan’s Soap Box was the single most important tool in creating the Marvel Bullpen mythology and “lifestyle brand” decades before the term ever existed and became a much sought-after and rarely achieved business practice.

One of my favorites is from September 1970, when Stan announced that Jack Kirby had resigned. From a business perspective, Jack’s departure was an unprecedented blow, and it had to have been devastating for fans at that time. In the corporate world, a seismic event like this, at least before the internet, would have simply been ignored or brushed under the carpet. Nothing to see here, folks. Just move along. But Stan chose a different tact; he tackled it head-on. He spoke honestly, didn’t deny that it was a kick to the teeth, but also assured fandom that everything was okay and Marvel would continue to kick ass.

Another of my favorites is this little ditty from February 1971.

This kind of direct communication with customers was unheard of at the time and what I loved most about Marvel growing up. It’s also something that I was keen to bring back when I became Editor in Chief.

So yeah, where were we? Right! San Diego Comic-Con 2001.

Bill and I spent our time walking through the convention, speaking to talent, and trying our best to sell Marvel and ourselves as the new guard. Let me tell you, that wasn’t easy when you’re working your way out of Chapter 11, don’t have a booth representing the company, and outside of two roundtrip coach flights and two rooms at a discount hotel, the company hadn’t spent a lick at the biggest comic convention on the planet. I could see creators wondering if they took the leap would we be able to actually pay them? I could also hear the laughter, and I was well aware of the snickering amongst executive and senior editorial levels at rival companies because Marvel was dumb enough to hire an “artist” to be their new Editor in Chief. Looking back, I find it strange that they had trouble imagining an artist as a storyteller.

Oh well.

There was one positive thing that happened that weekend, I had one of my first panels as EIC, and it was a standing-room-only crowd of Marvel fans ready to show their love and support…

Except For One

Photo by Ussama Azam on Unsplash

Everything was going so well. The room was crackling with energy. I was at the top of my game and more excited about our upcoming books than the fans were. We were all having and blast, and that’s when “he” stepped up to the mic. 

“As a Marvel shareholder, I think it’s shameful that Marvel doesn’t have a presence at this convention.”

For the next minute (it felt like thirty), this gentleman proceeded to dress me down. He was angry and had a right to be. He was a fan who had purchased Marvel stock when the company first went public. He saw the stock balloon only to eventually pop, and now here he is at SDCC looking for anything that might show that his investment had any signs of life, but Marvel was nowhere to be seen. When he was done, I felt the red hot spotlight as all eyes turned to me. Whatcha gonna say now, Mr. Fatboy, artist, sitting in the best seat on the Titanic, Editor-in-Chief? I had two choices: I could stammer through some corporate bullS#!t, or as I did quite often, take a deep breath and ask myself, what would Stan do?

So, I told him the truth. Marvel is under new management, and the people in charge of the purse strings, starting with Mr. Perlmutter, felt it would be irresponsible for a company in our financial situation and for our shareholders to come to SDCC and spend money that would be better spent at this juncture on improving our product, rebuilding our editorial team, and reimagine the way that we do business. 

He did not walk away happy. 

After the panel, I caught up with him to say how much I appreciated his honesty. I encouraged him not to sell his shares. We’re working our asses off behind the scenes. I also told him that if he wrote me an email expressing these concerns, I would hand it personally to Mr. Perlmutter. He did. I gave it to Ike, and I know he read it because he referenced back to it sometime later as we started to look at expanding our presence at conventions.

Serge

A few years later, Marvel is showcasing its resurgence with a modest booth at SDCC, and I’m all puffed up with overconfidence standing at a lectern, answering questions at my panel like a boss. And there he was.

“You may not remember me.”

“Of course I do.”

The gentleman proceeded to recap for the audience what he had said during our previous encounter and that he was wrong, and he wanted to say thank you because he’s made a killing on his investment.

For the first time at a panel, I was speechless.

Serge isn’t an investment banker nor runs a hedge fund. He’s a regular guy, a comics fan who took a big swing on his favorite universe. And he’s a bigger man than I’ll ever be. It takes a lot to say that in front of a huge crowd. He’s also become my friend because since that day, every year at SDCC, he always comes up to say hello at the end of my panel. This year was no different…

Except we finally took a photo together. 

Moments like these are why I love the comics industry more than any other.

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If you’re interested in reading more of Stan’s Soap Boxes, check out this fantastic collection published by The Hero Initiative. Not only will it give you a unique insight into the origins of Marvel, but you’ll be amazed at just how little has changed in the relationship between the publisher and fandom. Also, the proceeds go towards helping creators in need. It’s a win-win-win!

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A Haunted Girl

Here’s my cover process for my cover for A Haunted Girl. Top row: my daughter posed for a couple of reference shots. Bottom left: The. finished (digital) inks. Bottom right: Finished colors by Richard Isanove

Full disclosure: one of the authors of this fantastic miniseries is my best friend. Ethan Sacks and his family are my family. For several years now, I’ve watched Naomi battle through her mental health crisis. Her and her family’s perseverance and how they came out the other side of it is nothing short of a miracle and a tribute to the love that binds them together. This book, like Naomi, is a miracle. A collaboration forged from the triumph of a family’s spirit. Yes, it’s a hell of a great story too, but it’s its raw authenticity that makes it a must-read for everyone.

A Haunted Girl #1, from Syzygy and Image Comics, is available in comic stores on October 11^th. Ask your LCS to order you a copy, especially if you know someone in need, as the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention contributed a resource guide for every issue.

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Thanks for reading.

You’re Amazing!

JQ

1. Creator’s name has been omitted to protect the innocent. And no, it wasn’t me.

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