LAUNCH PAD
Our mission statement... straight from the top!
Welcome to the new Wizard World Digital! “Discovery” is the one word that best describes Wizard World Digital. For 20 years, we've exposed fans to fresh and upcoming artists, writers, creators, comic books, graphic novels, toys and characters—many that have reached superstar status. This trend is continuing big-time with Wizard World Digital. We can now reach millions of fans worldwide in a more direct way, more frequently and in the manner in which they want to receive it. This is truly pioneering! On the cover of this inaugural issue, we set the tone and tenor of Wizard World Digital by featuring Who is Jake Ellis?, written by Nathan Edmondson. “Why would we do that?” you might be thinking. Well, because the book deserves it—check out why we think Hollywood is gonna come knocking on his door. Come back each week and you’ll find out lots more to discover. See ya! Gareb Shamus, Chief Executive Officer
MASTHEAD
FIRST SHOT
Imagine every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light… that’s how bad your outfit is.
GAREB SHAMUS Chief Executive Officer STEPHEN SHAMUS Chief Marketing Officer Editorial Justin Aclin & Mike Cotton Co-Chiefs of Pop Culture Carlos Mejia Senior Associate Producer ART James Walker Creative Director Cover Design: EYStudios info@eystudios.com
You FashionBusters are so catty!
Contributors Ethan Sacks, T.J. Dietsch, Jon Gutierrez, Rob Bricken, Dan Reilly, Casey Seijas, Brent Sprecher, John Gonzalez
$
EXHIBITORS, SPONSORSHIPS, PROMOTIONS & BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Peter Katz VP Business Affairs & Development (646) 801-5572 pkatz@wizardworld.com pkatz@pwizardworld.com
Egon Spengler 12-inch Ghostbuster Movie Masters, Mattel Savage Force Feral Wolverine Marvel Heroes, Toy Biz
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To build the best collection... ...GRADE ’EM
...PROTECT ’EM
...SHOWCASE ’EM
...TRACK ’EM
CGC’s professional certification gives you all the tools you need to build a complete, world-class collection. Our distinctive holder and label are the symbol of precise and accurate grading and state-of-the-art protection. Unique online resources allow you to interact with collectors throughout the hobby. You can showcase your sets in the CGC Comics Registry and compete for Registry awards. And you can track the rarity of all CGC-certified comics in the CGC Census Report, the most important comic book population database there is.
To learn more, visit www.CGCcomics.com/build
UP FRONT
EAD R O T HOW a page
3 I N OUR BOX Digital publications get letters, too! Some of them are written in pen. It's kind of weird.
n : Click o enu— s r e s u pm iPad p the to y list u g n i r r to b the sto click on p to a specific ski icon to story.
5 MEANWHILE... Breaking news from the worlds of comics, toys, TV and more. 12 ART ATTACK Send us your sketches and fan art, we'll make you famous!
FEATURES 13 WHO IS THE MAN BEHIND JAKE ELLIS? See box (left) 17 THE NY TOY FAIR TOP 10 What are the coolest toys you'll be buying this year? We give our top 10 picks from the biggest toy show in the country 25 BRINGING OUT THE DEAD We talk to series creator Robert Kirkman and toy maestro Todd McFarlane about their latest joint project: Walking Dead action figures. 29 THE SECRET OF SUCCESS Read an excerpt from legendary Hollywood producer Peter Guber's new book about using the power of story to change your life.
ON THE COVER WHO IS THE MAN BEHIND JAKE ELLIS? We talk to Nathan Edmondson about his surprise hit Image comic, get hints to the big mysteries and pick our choices for a Jake Ellis movie.
AT THE BACK 33 TWISTED TOY THEATER It's a Star Trek Civil War! 35 C OSPLAYGROUND The best cosplay pics of the week!
Wizard World Issue 1.1 • March 2, 2011 page 2 of 36
36 A S SEEN AT TOY FAIR It's not just toys at NY Toy Fair. It's also Wizard World staffers, acting like jackasses.
IN OUR BOX
You write letters and we answer them. It's not rocket surgery.
It’s a new day! A brand spanking new publication, new content and, finally, new interesting (and mostly bizarre) letters from our readers. Hey, five letters for our first issue sounds pretty impressive to us. You too can send us your questions, comments and spam mail to LETTERS@wizardworld.com
WE'RE NUMBER TWO Do you have any advice on how to read Wizard World safely now? Magazines have held a very special place on the back of my toilet. Each morning, I look forward to enjoying an article while doing my business and running my bath. Ideally, I would like to avoid interrupting my daily ritual, because I am terrible with change. Do you know of a high-quality, water-proof extension cord? What about a small table to set my netbook on while I'm in the bathroom? Should I start running the bathwater later now? Any suggestion would be much appreciated. Nick Vanover via email "Lets see... can I buy toilet paper on Amazon.com?"
LEND US YOUR EARS
I'm writing because I'm sitting in my aunt's basement (does any reader not write to you from a basement?) drinking "Four Loko" with my boyfriend and my cousin. We have a lot
Cap wasn't sure if her skull was red, but he was willing to crack her open and find out.
Wow. Our first letter is about poop. So it's going to be like THAT. Considering that it took us weeks to figure out how to get inside the iPad, we have no idea how you can read this while NOT electrifying yourself. But hey, at least we know we’re with you every morning—whether we want to be there or not.
(A LOT) of Marvel 3 3/4-inch Universe figures and after one and a half malt liquor/energy drink cylinders each, we found ourselves looping Captain America's hand through my cousin's stretched earlobe. To wrap it up, we thought you might enjoy Cap clinging to the lobe of a half-Japanese girl. Don't ask us why we assumed such a thing. Enjoy!
BEING COLONIZED
So I’m sure you heard it by now, but Superman has (FINALLY) been cast and it’s a British dude. Henry Cavill as Superman can possibly be the best the Man of Steel since Christopher Reeve (I REFUSE to acknowledge that 2006 film), but I can’t help but notice how many foreigners are playing our American-made superheroes. What gives? It’s not like anyone Katelyn Harnisch would ever allow an American via email to play James Bond! What can we do to stop these affronts to You know who would love our great land? this? Rivers Cuomo. We, on Roland M. the other hand, have no halfSt Louis, MI Japanese girl fetish. The Cap shield on the wall, on the other hand, makes us feel all tingly. You’re right. There does seem And now you know everything to be an influx of actors who you need to know about the are not from the U.S., playing staff of Wizard World Digital... our iconic American heroes. and probably quite a bit more, Christian Bale, who is from Wales, is our current Batman than you wanted to know.
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IN OUR BOX Wizard World 1350 Avenue of the Americas, Second Floor, New York, NY 10019 letters@wizardworld.com.
CAN YOU DO BETTER? on the big screen. Andrew Garfield, raised in Surrey, Eng-land will play Spider-Man next year, and Canadian Ryan Reynolds is our current Green Lantern. But look at the bright side: Captain America is played by American Chris Evans. And we hear he eats an apple pie filled with steak in the movie. Now that’s Americana!
People send us images of custom toys all the time. If you think you can achieve a higher standard of customized excellence, then give it a shot! not so fast, timothy olyphant.
LADIES' NIGHT
All right, it's only a matter of time before you guys get one of these kind of requests, so I might as well be the first. Who would win in a fight between Lady Gaga and Lady Deathstrike? Andrew Schreiner via email Ordinarily we'd find it trite to say "the fans," but in this case, when Death strike tears through Gaga's p-p-pp-poker face with her Adamantium claws, "the fans" is the only answer that seems appropriate. That's all we have this week. See you in seven, and don't forget to email us!
TWEET THE DEETS Follow us on Twitter. Or don’t. Whatever. Hey! Did you hear? We’re already on Twitter! That’s right, the social media site that hosts the same Twitter icons such as Ashton Kutcher, Soulja Boy and other losers will now host us! So what are you waiting for?! Send us your rants, praise, critiques, or even some naughty pics to twitter.com/ wizardbullpen
THIS MONTH: Tommy Monaghan BY: Mike Tan, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada Here is one smokin’ custom from Mike Tan who crafted this figure based on DC’s cult classic Hitman. By cobbling together some G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 parts and then clothing him in hand-sewn duds Tan says, “The shades were cut out of sheet plastic and the cigarette is a bit of painted wire.” We’re impressed! “Both are removable and Tommy's eyes are indeed black under the shades. The only thing missing here is a bottle of booze and a dead cat.” Should of checked with our offices first. Thanks, Mike! So do you think you can do better than, Mike? Send us your custom action figures (of ANYONE!) to I’M BETTER! c/o Wizard World 1350 Avenue of the Americas, Second Floor, New York, NY 10019 or email us at letters@wizardworld.com. Make sure the pics are high-res: at least 300 dpi!
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Wizard World
Comic Con Tour
The Largest Pop Culture Festival to Celebrate the Best iN Comics, Collectibles, Movies, Celebrities, Toys, Video Games, TV, Horror, Wrestling, Music, Anime, MMA, Manga, Gaming & More!
TORONTO
ANAHEIM
BIG APPLE
PHILADELPHIA
DIRECT ENERGY CENTRE EXHIBITION PLACE 100 PRINCES' BLVD. TORONTO, ONTARIO M6k 3c3 canada
ANAHEIM CONVENTION CENTER 800 WEST KATELLA AVE. ANAHEIM, CA 92801
Penn Plaza Pavilion 401 Seventh Avenue at 33rd St. New York, NY 10001
PENNSYLVANIA CONVENTION CENTER 1101 Arch St. Philadelphia, PA 19107
APRIL 29-30-MAY 1, 2011 FRI-SAT-SUN
MAY 21-22, 2011 SAT-SUN
June 17-18-19, 2011 FRI-SAT-SUN
CHICAGO
NEW ENGLAND COMIC CON
BIG APPLE
COMIC CON • FALL
mid-ohio
Donald E. Stephens (Rosemont) Convention Center 5555 N. River Road Rosemont, IL 60018
John. B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center 900 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02115
Penn Plaza Pavilion 401 Seventh Avenue at 33rd St. New York, NY 10001
GREATER COLUMBUS CONVENTION CENTER 400 NORTH HIGH STREET COLUMBUS, OH 43215
AUGUST 11-12-13-14, 2011 THUR-FRI-SAT-SUN
September 17-18, 2011 SAT-SUN
COMIC CON
COMIC CON
march 18-19-20, 2011 fri-sat-sun
COMIC CON
CENTRAL CANADA COMIC CON
Winnipeg Convention Centre 375 York Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3J3 CANADA
September 24-25, 2011 SAT-SUN
COMIC CON
OCTOBER 22-23, 2011 SAT-SUN
AUSTIN
ATLANTA
NEW ORLEANS COMIC CON
COMIC CON
aUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER 500 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ STREET AUSTIN, TX 78701
COBB GALLERIA CENTRE 2 GALLERIA PARKWAY ATLANTA, GA 30339
NEW ORLEANS ERNEST N. MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER 900 CONVENTION CENTER BLVD. NEW ORLEANS, LA 70130
Miami Airport Convention Center (MACC) 711 N.W. 72nd Avenue Miami, Fl 33126
JANUARY 28-29, 2012 SAT-SUN
DECEMBER 1-2, 2012 SAT-SUN
COMIC CON
OCTOBER 28-29-30, 2011 FRI-SAT-SUN
sponsorships • Badges • Banners • Convention Party • Email Blasts • Floor Signage • Giveaways • Lanyards • Meterboards • Online Promotions
COMIC CON
COMIC CON • SPRING
• PR Campaign • Program Guide • Programming • Sampling • Screenings • Staff T-Shirts • Step-and-Repeats • TV Monitors • VIP Packages
COMIC CON
November 11-12-13,2011 FRI-SAT-SUN
exhibitors • ABC • Amazon • CBS • Comedy Central • DC Comics • DELL • Disney • EA Sports • FOX • GEEKCHICDAILY.COM
DECEMBER 3-4, 2011 SAT-SUN
MIAMI
Past Exhibitors and Sponsors include:
• Gillette • Hasbro • HERITage auctions • Intel • Lionsgate • Marvel • Mattel • Microsoft • NBC • Nickelodeon
• Nintendo • Paramount • SONY • Spike TV • SyFY • Universal • Warner Bros
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE Wizard WORLD COMIC CON TOUR VISIT: WIZARDWORLD.COM
MEANWHILE...
Too busy playing Angry Birds? Well, here are the news stories of the week!
D WIZAR EWS DN WORLE L SP CIA T REPOR
MAKING THE UPGRADE Five ways digital comics can—and should—improve
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Digital distribution is already boring. Calm down: We’re not saying that reading comics on the iPad isn’t revolutionary. But we are saying that it still has plenty of room for improvement and there's a long way to go before printphiles need worry. How so, you ask?
SAME DAY DELIVERY
Arguably the most glaring offense is the lack of same-day releases. In case you’re not aware, and with very few exceptions (DC’s Batman Beyond, Image’s The Walking Dead and several Archie titles), most of the larger publishers don’t offer sameday digital release as their print counterparts. Hell, most of them don’t even offer recent releases. Come on, guys! There’s a lot of us nerds who stepped into the digital decade. Now we’re waiting on
MEANWHILE... you to catch up. If anything, the digital comics should be released before print!
SPECIAL FEATURES
Remember back in the day when the buzz was initially building around digital comics, and folks couldn’t shut up about their unlimited potential? Well, short of the fantastic comiXology’s Guided View technology, there hasn’t been much in the way of innovation. We'd be willing to pay double the cover if we know we’ll get cool extras!
This gun? It shoots poo. Human poo.
SAVE THE BACKMARKET
A few years ago, a shallremain-nameless publisher floated the idea of going same-day print and digital, and then doing away with second printings altogether, thus completely revitalizing the back issue market by making each new issue a commodity. Ya know, like how it used to be. Just sayin'. HOT OFF THE E-READER! Thanks to digital comics, we can't get enough of these up-and-coming series (clockwise) Guerillas, American Terror and Midnight Sun!
MAKE SHOPPING LESS CONFUSING
Why is there a DC Comics iPad app, a Marvel app, a Dark Horse app, and so on? Can we just get one iTunes-like store up and running where we can get all of our comics quick and easy? And furthermore, why haven’t subscriptions been made available yet?
IT'S ELECTRIC!
Trust us, we get it—printing costs are through the roof. We know! So why not offer digital-only comics from new creators? We’ve discovered great reads via the free download section of comiXology (American Terrorist, Midnight Sun, Guerillas) that we otherwise would have never purchased in a comic shop. The next Bendis and Brubaker is out there! • Casey Seijas
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MEANWHILE...
CREATOR TO WATCH:
CULLEN BUNN Want your comics with some great characterization and a heaping size of the supernatural? Then check out Cullen Bunn's The Sixth Gun (below). The Oni Press Western follows a group of characters bound to a set of cursed pistols with terrible powers. Bunn has impressed us further with his recent DC debut in Superman/ Batman. It has more of what we’ve come to expect from the writer: magic, demons and a unique setting for the World’s Greatest team. • Justin Aclin
Umm... spidey? this harness has a two-person limit.
The Spider-Man Musical. It'll haunt your dreams!
SACASA SWINGS IN
Marvel writer tapped to rewrite ‘Spider-Man’ Musical It’s not the Avengers, the X-Men or the Fantastic Four coming in to save SpiderMan at the last minute this time. After months of injuries, delayed openings and numerous bad reviews, “Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark”—the much maligned Spidey musical—hired Broadway vet and comic book scribe Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Loki, Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four) to revamp the story (originally written by show director
Julie Taymor and Glen Berger). According to Deadline.com, Aguirre-Sacasa will try to make the story more in line with the comic books it was born from, while also streamlining the entire show so that the current—and confusing ending—is more understandable to theatergoers. The news of the new writer broke just as the musical delayed its opening for a fourth time. It’s currently due to open March 15th. • Mike Cotton
THE BIG NUMBER
Current price for Avengers Vol. 1 #4, the first appearance of modern age captain america Dig through your long boxes—an almost $100,000 issue might be hiding there. With the “Captain America” movie hitting this summer, collectors are looking for high-grade copies of the Star Spangled Hero’s first Silver Age appearance in Avengers #4. • MC
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Don't mess with the man with the bowler hat.
MEANWHILE...
GRAPHIC FICTION
Cartoonist Jess Fink gets freaky with ‘Chester 5000’ Some things are just better when you can hold them in your hand. Hold it, freak. We’re just talking about porn. Top Shelf and Jess Fink have done what we thought was impossible: make us actually get off our laptops and look at porn the way our father did. (Gross!) That’s right, on the printed page. Fink’s erotic, artistic and touching webcomic, Chester 5000, hits in May in a print edition from Top Shelf. The story of a scientist who builds a robot to fullfill his wife’s bedroom needs, then gets jealous when she falls in love with it may lack words, but makes up for it in its graphic (one page is just a detailed diagram of robot wang) content. No wonder the great Alan Moore calls Chester, “Liquid and elegantly stylized.” • MC
Now the robots will surely enslave all of humanity.
IN MEMORIAM
Dwayne McDuffie
Get acquainted with the greatest works of the influential writer One of the most distinctive voices in superhero comics and cartoons has died. Dwayne McDuffie, the man behind comic hits such as Damage Control and the Milestone Universe as well as one of the leading voices in the DC animated universe, passed away on February 21. McDuffie’s name may sound familiar, but if you haven’t checked out any of his work recently, now’s the time to do it. Here are some to start with: Damage Control The humor series, centered on the company that fixes all the buildings heroes and villains damage, is still one of the standouts of the late '80s Deathlok Vol. 2 This new Deathlok still stands as one of the best reinterpretations of a classic character ever in the Marvel Universe.
All Star Superman McDuffie helps turn the 12-issue story into an unforgettable animated adventure for the Man of Steel. Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths McDuffie makes the standard JLA vs. their evil counterparts count for something in this animated film.
Justice League It’s hard to narrow Static He said Static was a group effort, them down McDuffie's best “JLU” work, but there’s no denying McDuffie’s unique but make sure to check out the series finale with the JLA vs. Darkseid. voice in the first four issues.
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McDuffie's All-Star Superman animated film is on sale now.
MEANWHILE...
THE LIST:
Sorry, |'m feeling a bit crabby.
This week: Three comics that should be video games
That's what the GUN is for.
1
LOBSTER JOHNSON Mike Mignola’s pulp hero (Hellboy’s favorite comic character) was supposed to be a playable character (voiced by Bruce Campbell no less!) in the “Hellboy” video game as downloadable content, but the expansion never made it out. We say give Johnson his own damn game! Make it a pulpy, side-scrolling oldschool beat-’em-up (available as a downloadable title) so we can punch, shoot and claw-burn our way through Nazis and other scum. Plus, halfway through the game you can shift time periods and play as Lobster’s ghost in the present!
2
INCOGNITO Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ Icon series also has its roots in pulp, although transposed into the modern day. It tells the story of super-criminal Zack Overkill and his journey from Witness Protection shlub to morally dubious double-agent hero. Since some of us enjoy being the hero and some of us prefer moral dubiousness, we’d love to see players control Zack in an open-world sandbox game, where they can decide for themselves if they want to run missions for the good guys in SOS or work their way back into the Black Death’s graces.
1
3
SKULL KICKERS This Image comic from Jim Zub and Edwin Huang gave sword-and-sorcery fantasy a kick in the pants, and it’s custom-made for video games! Play as either of the two nameless mercenaries (gun-toting big guy or magical-footed, skull-kicking dwarf ) and take down evil necromancers and giant monsters, all in the name of earning a payday. As long as it looks as great as the comic and is steeped in its trademark humor, we’re totally on board. • JA
2
Got a comic you'd like to see as a video game? You could end up in an issue! E-mail us at bullpen@wizardworld.com, and put “The List” in the subject.
3
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MEANWHILE...
| got promoted from senior predator to predator-inchief!
WI WORLZDARD FI LOOK RST IMAGE S!
If It Bleeds, We Can Kill IT
An exclusive first look at NECA’s all-new Predator action figures NECA is finally giving fans nearly every single Predator who’s been on celluloid in action figure form. This year they're finishing it out with Holy Grail of the trophy hunters: the nine "Lost" Predators from the end of Predator 2. The nine, who were on film for less than two minutes, are finally getting their action figure due in 2011, and here’s your first look at two: Shaman Predator (below) and Boar Predator (left)—names attributed to them over the years by fans, since they were never named. For these detailed figures, NECA scanned every frame of film the Predators were in...including an online video shot on set of the Predators break-dancing. NECA will release all nine before the year is through. Now the only thing missing is a 6-inch Dutch and Mike Harrigan 2-pack to tear house! • Carlos Mejia
KISSY FACE!
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MEANWHILE...
TOY OF THE MONTH
The best damn action figure in the world…for the next 30 days!
BOOTLEG BOOTY: COMBAT FORCE
CROTCH SKULLS WERE ALL THE RAGE AT FASHION WEEK.
REDLAW ECHO MORPH
From Glyos System by Onell Designs
WHO …We’re a little fuzzy on exactly who this
guy is supposed to be. But you can check out awesome 8-bit style animation and games featuring the Glyos characters at onelldesign.com.
WHAT The Glyos System is our favorite range of
totally interchangeable, independently designed and manufactured toys, and this purple dude (right) is one of the newest and coolest offerings.
WHY Indy and designer toys normally are all
about being artistic…and not at all about getting played with. Not these guys! The 3-inch Glyos figures are fully poseable and pop apart…and every part is completely interchangeable with every other. Want to build a giant badass robot? No sculpting skills are required, just a ton of Glyos figures and creativity. The Glyos world got even bigger recently, when the Four Horsemen used the system for their Outer Spacemen, adding all-new parts. If you’re a toy fan who values originality, you owe it to yourself to check the Glyos System out! • JA
Made in China Knocking off G.I. Joe (presumably)
ORANGE ARMS RULE, BLACK ARMS ARE STUPID! NOT AGAIN, JEFF. |'M NOT GETTING PULLED INTO ANOTHER RACE WAR WITH YOU. LETS JUST AGREE THAT PURPLE TRANSLUCENT BODIES ARE AN ABOMINATION OF THE CREATOR AND CALL IT A DAY.
These "Soul of the Traveler" figures from Onell can mix their parts with any other Glyos System figure!
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From what the vague box art tells us—this nameless 'Call of Duty' wannabe is ready for war! Armed with a nondescript assault rifle, gigantic walkie-talkie and a red-eyed beast that’s either a mutated rat or a rabid dog—this solider can adapt to any environment. His (borderline racist) black face-paint says he’s ready for a night mission, while his green “camo” says he’s ready for a daytime jungle mission. But the yellow monkey skull with disturbing lipstick on his belt buckle says…he’s a monkey hunter? All we know is it says, “I’m the bootleg of the month.” • CM
ART ATTACK
Inside never-before-seen original art commissioned from today’s top artists
ETHAN VAN SCIVER
"T
here’s nothing better than getting one of comic’s top talents drawing one of the characters they’re famous for,” says Wizard World Executive Producer Mike Cotton. "Ethan Van Sciver (Green Lantern: Rebirth) did this in blue pencil for me at a convention in 2005. Luckily, inker Moose Bauman was there right by his side to ink it as well! Always request something specific, especially if you’re paying for the drawing. It helps the artist know what you’re into, and gets you something you really want—not just something the artist can bang out quickly.”
! N I T I D r t, SEN ginal a
e of ori r full-on c e i p a Have ion sketch o f your o t conven ion from one o use at t s commis r tists? Send it om and a d.c favorite @wizardworl , along bullpen featured here with see it n inter view w i t h a yo u !
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magine being one of the most wanted criminals in the world...only you don't know exactly what it is you've done. And the only person on your side is a shadowy, cryptic man named Jake Ellis who seems to know everything, and who you're pretty sure doesn't exist. That’s the situation facing Jon Moore in the Image Comics sensation Who Is Jake Ellis?, written by Nathan Edmondson with art by Tonci Zonjic. But thanks to the mystery surrounding the title character, Hollywood has arrived at Edmondson's doorstep. Here, in his own words, Edmondson opens up on the origins of Jake Ellis, the possibilities of a sequel and where he would be working if he wasn’t writing comics.
The attention 'Jake Ellis' Has been receiving...
[It was] overwhelming. I knew we had something special. I had a number of editors from the big two contact me and say, “Congratulations, this looks fantastic.” I had a few creators and artists reach out to me and say, “I really like this book and I would like to do my next one with you,” or something along those lines. The reaction to the concept of the book forced us to release the book to Hollywood when only five pages were completed. That was when I realized that this is a pretty good idea, and then I became very worried about the writing. I figured people like the idea and I couldn’t let them down on the writing. The ideas from here have to be as good as this one because that’s what they’re responding to.
Hollywood vs. Comic Books…
The reaction for Who Is Jake Ellis? in Hollywood was slightly different than the world of comics. Hollywood, I believe the time was right in the market for something like Ellis to hit. I know people are looking for properties in that space [of comic books]. In the spy world, it was something that felt fresh but had enough elements to make it feel familiar and it felt franchise-able. In comics, it’s always dangerous to rely on pre-release buzz that’s based on concept and not the writing. And that part caused a lot of nervousness for me. The reaction of the concept of the book relies on the art, and it has been astounding.
The marriage of writing and art…
Of course I’m biased, but [artist] Tonci Zonjic really went above and beyond anything he’s ever done before with Ellis. A lot of books I’ve seen—I either like the concept, and I’m not feeling it with the artwork, or I really like the art and the story doesn’t seem to match the art. Before finding Tonci I actually got to the point of frustration. I thought I would never find the right artist for this book. I didn’t know why it was so difficult this time around. And then I was at a BBQ in Charlotte and Jason Latour gave me a nice bit of advice and said, “Stop looking for the right person in your eyes and find somebody who is as passionate as you are
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in telling the story.” Then I saw a Superman short that Tonic had illustrated and while it was in a different style from what I was looking for, I saw a number of things in his art that I really liked. I went on his blog and I saw a few panels and things that were more serious in tone that I liked. It was clear to me that he could have this book and handle it well. Once he heard the story, he was onboard.
The initial inspiration for Jake Ellis…
A street sign I saw in my hometown of Augusta, GA. It was Jake Ellis Lane. The more I rolled Jake Ellis over my tongue, the more I thought this name should become a larger-than-life character.
the real life Jake Ellis…
I never had an imaginary friend, but I had certainly played in an imaginary world. Growing up and till today I have a very active imagination, but I never had a case where I could not distinguish between what is real and what is imagined. I have had the type of relationship that Jake and Jon have a number of times. I’ve had relationships where you take friends for granted and use them in a utilitarian way and I worked that into the story subconsciously.
WHo is jake ellis? Part II...
It would not be a forced sequel by any means. Woven into the first story are the threads for the second story. I think readers would be content with the first five issues if that’s all we choose to do, or if Tonci has time to do it, or if that’s what all of the sales dictate. I have another story in mind, but my attitude and Tonci’s attitude is: One step at a time. We want to put our full heart and soul into this story before moving to another.
NAthan Edmondson, the novelist…
I always had some inclination that I would be writing novels. I always wanted to be a storyteller. My background is in more classic literature from my family and my education. I don’t have much of a background in comics. I finished one novel and I’m working on another right now. I still have an interest to be writing novels, but I don’t see that it conflicts with writing comics. At some point in the future, will I turn my attention to novels for a while? That’s possible, but I don’t have it planned out. Right now, writing comics is successful, and I love it.
By the end of issue #5…
I will tell you that all of the answers will be given. You will find out: who’s chasing Jon and why; why Jon has chosen the life he has; you’re going to find out who Jake Ellis is; why he is; why only Jon can see him; and you will see more exotic locations, which should be fun. They’re all locations that I have been to—except for the final location. The final location is the heart of the greatest mystery. It’s fun to go to a place in the book where I have never been. So I’m exploring it as the characters are in the end. I don’t know how that’ll translate to the story in the end, but it’s fun to do.
JAKE ELLIS THE movie?! take a look! page 15 of 36
Writer Nathan Edmondson won't give us his casting choices, since it's possible that the film may get made (“The Jake Ellis film Crock Pot is simmering, but we're not allowed a peek under the lid just yet,” he said). So we ran our choices past him!
Who Idris Elba as Jake Ellis
Why While Jake's ethnicity is in doubt (he is grey) we know he has a unique voice thanks to his grey word balloons, and Elba has perfected every accent in projects like The Wire, Luther and The Losers. He's a perfect match in our eyes. N.E. says "I think this is an intriguing idea, and I can see how Elba would bring life to the character and story."
Who James Franco as Jon Moore
Why Franco has shown his acting diversity by starring in comedies (Pineapple Express), in drama (127 Hours) and more importantly in action (SpiderMan). Plus, he’s always looking for work! NE says “I've been lately more and more impressed with Franco and I could see him bringing Jon to life on screen.”
Who Rian Johnson as the Director
Why He’s captivated us with Brick, a neo-noir, hardboiled detective story that Johnson directed and wrote! He can capture the unique feel of Ellis. NE says “I wasn't the biggest fan of The Brothers Bloom, but Brick I thought was brilliant. In both of films, however, I can see qualities that would make for a good Jake Ellis film.” Who do you think should star in Jake Ellis The Movie? Send your rants to bullpen@wizardworld.com
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DIRECT ENERGY CENTRE 100 PRINCES' BOULEVARD TORONTO, ON M6K 3C3, CANADA
MARCH 18-19-20 2011 FRI-SAT-SUN ALSO...
MIKE GRELL
BILLY DEE WILLIAMS
RAY PARK
JULIE BENZ Buffy, Angel, Dexter & No Ordinary Family!
THE BEST IN COMICS, TOYS, SCI-FI, FANTASY, GAMING, anime, COLLECTIBLES AND MORE!
FOR MORE INFO, GO TO Wizardworld.com
Phil JimEnez
What’s the most common thing you see while walking through the annual American International Toy Fair, held each February in New York City? Your money flying out of your wallet for the next 12 months. But you can’t buy everything, so we’re counting down the 10 coolest things we saw at the 2011 show. page 17 of 36
| wanted to be called SUPERVOLT!
EL DORADO
BLACK VULCAN
SAMURAI
What a lame superhero name... do they call batman 'Caucasian millionaire'?
BRONZE TIGER
TOY MAN
DC UNIVERSE CLASSIC S Mattel Samurai might not seem like a DC “classic” to comic fans, but for toy fans he's the Holy Grail. Mattel finally finishes importing the classic Super Powers line-up into DC Universe Classics with Samurai, and Black Vulcan, El Dorado and CollectAnd-Connect figure Apache Chief (as well as Toy Man) add some Super Friends blood. Suicide Squad's Captain Boomerang and Bronze Tiger round out Wave 18. (Summer)
CAPTAIN BOOMERANG
Inset: He looks just like Seth Green!
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APACHE CHIEF
G.I. JOE
Hasbro The San Diego exclusive version of the new Skystriker comes with a Starscream paint deco and a Cobra Commander wielding a Megatron gun. More Joe/ TF mash-ups! (July)
I want you inside me.
ssssweet!
SDCC COBRA COMMANDER with STARSCREAM
WAR OF THE DEAD
ZOMBIE KIT
CONSTRUCTION WORKER
EMCE Toys Get ready to have your mind blown/eaten. EMCE Toys, who’ve worked with companies like Mattel on retro 8-inch figures, are redefining the style with their highly detailed “1/9-scale” figures depicting zombies and soldiers. Best of all, EMCE will release a “Make Your Own Zombie” kit for customizers! (Winter)
this is how obamacare looks to sarah palin!
RESEARCHER
CADAVER DISPOSAL
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COMMANDO
IT'S HORRIBLE! vertical stripes make me look so FAT!
CIVILIAN
ALIEN CONQUEST
Lego Lego's giant new Pirates of the Caribbean ship looks amazing, and we expected that, but this one took us completely by surprise. Alien spaceships with kitschy ’50s-esqe designs + alien brain slugs that fit over Lego dudes’ heads + set with a flying saucer that can abduct a terrified looking farmer Minifigure = us in love. (July)
MOTHERSHIP
TRIPOD INVADER
BEHOLD! LIL' LEX LUTHOR'S GREATEST INVENTION YET!
IMAGINEXT MEGA T-REX
Fisher-Price Surprised to see Fisher-Price in our list of the best action figures at the show? We’re surprised to be including them! But after literally years of us hoping toy companies would bring back classic ’80s line Dino-Riders, Imaginext is doing it in all but name. Just check out this amazing T-Rex with techno-weapons! There will be additional dinos with both good and evil human riders. To which we say, “About friggin’ time!” (June)
LUTHOR? oh, man. this whole time | thought you were charlie brown. my bad.
GOOD DINO
MEGA T-REX
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SPIDER GREMLIN
|'m gonna feed you guys your asses after midnight!
GIZMO
GREMLINS
NECA Gremlins was one of the first movie lines that NECA ever did, and now it's back and better than ever! It's not just for the big flashy things like the amazing Spider Gremlin, but the little touches, like the fact that every Mogwai has eyeballs you can control. (Mogwais—Spring; Gremlins—Summer)
MOHAWK
DAFFY
...|'m not sure this disguise is gonna work.
CAP, DUGAN AND HYDRA GUYS
CAP, BUCKY, ROGERS AND RED SKULL
MINIMATES
PEGGY, HOWARD STARK AND HYDRA SOLDIER
Diamond Select Toys What you see here are the MiniMates based on the awesome-looking "Captain America” film, which look pretty awesome themselves. But frankly, the only reason we’re showing these guys is because we weren’t able to photograph our favorite MiniMates at the show: Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. The amazing fighting game is the perfect license for the line, bringing us not only new Marvel character Dormammu, but a slew of awesome new Capcom fighters, including Zero from “Mega Man,” Viewtiful Joe, Arthur from “Ghosts and Goblins,” Dante from “Devil May Cry ” and even the lupine Amaterasu from “Okami ”! (Summer)
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As a souless Ginger, | suppose it was only a matter of time before | went evil.
BLACK LANTERN BLUE BEETLE
MUNK
RED LANTERN GUY
BLUE/GREEN HAL
STEL
SORANIK
WARTH
GREEN LANTERN
DC Direct The GL movie figures look great, but we’re super-jazzed about DC Direct’s comicbased figures. Starting in October there’s GL Series 4, with Red Lantern Guy Gardner (yesssss!), Chummuk, Stel and Power Glow Hal Jordan. In November we get a Blackest Night box set with a Blue/Green Lantern Hal, Black Lantern Blue Beetle, Star Sapphire Fatality and Indigo Munk, and in December it’s Wave 5, with GL Gardner, GL Sinestro, Soranik Natu and Blue Lantern Warth. (Fall)
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KRE-O
MINI-TRANSFORMERS
Hasbro Look, Hasbro’s done this whole “Transformers made out of Lego-compatible blocks” thing before, but KreO looks awesome! The styles look very '80s era, and the robot and vehicle modes look fantastic. But our favorite thing is the adorable Transformers mini-figures that come with most sets. There are also human driver mini-figures, but that barely matters. The little T'Formers are the cutest things ever! (Fall)
OPTIMUS
OPTIMUS BATTLE STATION
My forearms keep getting stuck to my inner thighs...
OPTIMUS
BUMBLEBEE
STARSCREAM
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THUNDERCATS
Bandai Please allow us one celebratory “Hooooo!” After nearly 25 years gone from toy shelves, ThunderCats are back with a vengeance! Bandai will be producing three awesome scales—4-inch figures based on the new cartoon (with magnet-driven action figures and compatible vehicles and playsets); highly articulated 6-inch figures based on the new cartoon (including a really badass looking Mumm-Ra); and 8-inch collector’s figures based on the classic looks of the characters, kicking off with Lion-O and Tygra! Don’t even get us started on the role-play Sword of Omens that extends and has lights and sounds. We’ll only start ranting about how we were cheated as kids. Cheated! (Fall)
8-INCH TYGRA
HAS ANYONE SEEN MY SWORD OF OM-| left it in my glove again, didn't |?
6-INCH LION-O
6-INCH MUMM-RA
8-INCH LION-O
| watch you sleep!
THUNDER TANK
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Project1_Layout 1 2/28/11 5:31 PM Page 1
Robert Kirkman and Todd McFarlane— friends, partners, superstars—on teaming up for 'Walking Dead' action figures By
TJ Dietsch
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They say that when hell is full, the dead shall walk the Earth.
Sure, that doesn’t sound great, but the bright side is that the hottest zombies in the world are walking right into your toy collection! Walking Dead action figures, based on the Image Comic and its megahot TV adaptation, are shambling your way from McFarlane Toys! The articulated figures are just the latest collaboration between superstar comics creators Todd McFarlane and Robert Kirkman, who are both partners in Image, and tag-teamed on the comic Haunt. Kicking off in September, the line, based on the zombie-filled adventures of Rick Grimes, his friends, family and fellow survivors, will start rolling out in four-figure waves, split right down the middle between humans and zombies. The first wave will include Rick, Michonne and a pair of zombies, and the second wave will be based on the TV show and include Rick, Daryl and two more zombies. We spoke to Kirkman and McFarlane, together in the McFarlane offices in Arizona, to find out how one births a zombie toy. (Hint: not by killing a normal toy.) “With Robert and I being partners, I'm acutely aware of his number one selling Image comic book,” says McFarlane. “I get jealous of every time it comes out, and we've had conversations about 'when are we making [toys based on it]?' Then all of a sudden Robert said he made a deal with Hollywood that went into production fairly quickly. It wasn't one of those development hell deals I've been involved with in the past. All of a sudden I said 'Wow, he's got this big book and the brand just got upped, which means we can sell the s--t out of this stuff.’” According to Kirkman, the close working relationship the two already enjoy will lead to better toys. “We've been working together for a number of years now, we know each other really well and one of us just happens to have a toy company,” Kirkman says. “So there's definitely the luxury of a comfort zone there where I can just call Todd up and say, 'Let's do this with the toys and let's do that.'” The figures themselves will have more in common with McFarlane’s recent Halo toys than the statuesque figures he did based on Image comics last decade. The Walking Dead figures will stand around 5-inches tall and come packed with accessories, multiple points of articulation and action features. “The toys in the aisles are trending a little bit smaller,” McFarlane says. “So, if we were going to have a chance at the mass level, that scale works. Plus, if you keep them a little bit smaller you save a little bit more money, so then I can actually go and put it into articulation and some fun stuff, and we can still keep it under the price point.” “I don't know if comic fans are actually going to
just like in the comic (above), it's roamer (left) and rick grimes.
page 26 of 36
sit around and play with these toys, although they should,” says Kirkman, “but I think it's awesome to have toys that are articulated to the point where you could pose them however you want on a shelf and you could play with them. I'm really excited to be bringing that to the Walking Dead figure line.” The figures will also come packed with accessories appropriate to the character. Rick comes in his sheriff's gear, cowboy hat, hatchet and the duffel bag of guns he borrowed from the police station early in the series, while Michonne comes with her trademark sword, poncho and a series of tools she used on the Governor after he tortured her. McFarlane had the luxury of asking the characters’ creator what he’d like to see. “That's the cool thing about doing this with Todd, because he can just call me up and say 'The Rick figure—what should he have?'” Kirkman says. “And I'll just tell him, 'Make sure he's got his hat and a gun and it'd be cool if there was a shotgun, and do the hatchet.' I don't know if I'd be able to be that handson if I was doing this with anybody else.” The two creators used a similar process to nail down exactly which versions of the characters to adapt from a series that has racked up more than 80 issues since its launch in 2003. “We're trying to start chronologically with the toys,” Kirkman says. “The thing about The Walking Dead is that Volume 1 and Volume 2 are still selling, so everyone's still very familiar with what the early versions of the characters look like. So we're not really planning on doing two figures and riding off into the sunset. The idea is that, if the line is successful, we'll get into wild-and-wooly bearded Rick and [SPOILER IF YOU’RE NEW TO THE COMICS] missing the hand and all the various other
Kirkman and McFarlane (top left), unpainted michonne (top right) and the Lurker zombie.
page 27 of 36
figures. So we might as well do the early versions of them first and then move on from there.” But, of course, it would hardly be a Walking Dead toy line without zombies. Kirman says that, for the most part, they will be taken directly from the comic and the TV series, though it might take some hunting to identify them. McFarlane also noted that some hunting might be necessary to dig up all the extra features these creatures will sport. “From my end, I was looking for fun factor from the zombies,” McFarlane says. “I had no doubt we could do some cool zombie stuff. In the comic books and some of the events that mirror that in the TV show, all of these guys don't necessarily remain intact through all their battles.” McFarlane explained that the Roamer Zombie doesn't just feature a wedge to insert an axe, but will actually split across half the face, revealing a good amount of gore underneath. The goal is to create a mostly unseen seam that will encourage collectors to really explore the figures once the package is opened. Other zombies will split in half like some of the rougher walkers in the comics. “What I'm hoping for is that, in the package, it may look a little mundane for lack of a better word, and you'll go ‘Oh, a zombie,’” McFarlane says. “But once you get it out of the package and start playing with it, then you can actually see what this thing can really do. There should be a conversion so that, when you have it in your room, you can quickly put it together so it looks like the version mom bought at the store, which seems kind of reasonable. But as soon as she leaves you can take it all apart and it'll look kind of gross, which to me is part of the fun factor of it. I wanted to, without stepping on anybody's copyright words, transform, if you will, from a mom-approved zombie to the reason why we as collectors at 25 might be buying it. It might not be evident at the purchase level, but when you get it home and out of the package, the fun can spill out.” Kirkman was content to let McFarlane, who made his name on horrific monster toys, go to town on his zombies. “McFarlane Toys has always been about innovation and doing a lot of new things and breaking new ground with the way figures are constructed and the way they look,” Kirkman says. “I couldn't be more thrilled with the things they've been able to put together with these zombies. Some of the different play features and the things the different zombies are going to be doing, I think McFarlane Toys is definitely breaking new ground with the way they look and what you're going to be able to do with them. It's all very much in line with what you'd expect from a zombie action figure, but there's going to be some really cool stuff that will really blow people away.”
“There are later characters like Abraham I can't wait to see, The Governor is another one I'm looking forward to. All of them. I love them all.”
—ROBERT Kirkman
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ANAHEIM CONVENTION CENTER 800 west katella avenue anaheim, ca., 92802
april 29-30-May 1, 2011 FRI-SAT-SUN ALSO...
KATE VERNON
MICHAEL McMILLIAN
ADAM WEST & BURT WARD TV's BATMAN AND ROBIN
THE BEST IN COMICS, TOYS, SCI-FI, FANTASY, GAMING, anime, COLLECTIBLES AND MORE!
FOR MORE INFO, GO TO Wizardworld.com
CLAUDIA CHRISTIAN
Bill sienkiewicz
Super producer Peter Guber, reveals to Wizard World the secret of his incredible success here are few people working in Hollywood today who can claim as much success as Peter Guber. First as an independent producer, then as Studio Chief of Sony Pictures, and currently as the Chairman and CEO of Mandalay Entertainment, the movies that Guber has produced have generated in excess of $3 billion in global sales and earned more than 50 Academy Award nominations. How has Guber accomplished so much? What's the secret sauce in his recipe for success? In his new book, Tell to Win, Guber reveals the secrets to finding success in Hollywood—or in any business—is the ability to tell a story. “We're all wired the same way,” says Guber to Wizard World. “We're all emotional creatures, we're not informational creatures. We don't even remember information that well unless it's bonded with emotion.” Guber who’s produced blockbuster films as Batman and Batman Returns
continues, “We're wired that way because for about 100,000 years— when we had only language as the technology—the way we remembered the rules, beliefs and values of the tribe, the mythology, if you will, of the tribe, oral stories, which had embedded in them those beliefs, values and rules, war strategies and tactics. So it's part of our DNA. We're designed that way, as tellers and listeners of stories. And, in doing that, what happens is the story becomes a Trojan horse, if you will, for the facts and information and data…[which] would never be memorable or actionable unless they were embedded in a story. What makes [storytelling] so resonant and so powerful is that it's no gift from me to anybody at all; everybody has it inside them. I'm just shining a light on it.”
TAKE A LOOK INSIDE THE BOOK!
page 29 of 36
Excerpted from Tell To Win: Connect, Persuade, and Triumph with the Hidden Power of Story Copyright @ 2011 by Peter Guber. Reprinted by Permission of Crown Business, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
I
N 2009, GAREB SHAMUS, founder of Wizard Entertainment, came with his partner Peter Levin to talk me into investing in their online venture Geek Chic Daily, a daily online newsletter for pop culture fans that highlighted the latest in cool yet geeky comics, toys, games, movies, technology, and gear. Little did I know that I would be on the receiving end of a story tailored with masterful care to appeal to my personal interests. Shamus’s publications include Wizard magazine, considered the most influential in the comic book, toy, and characterbased genre, as well as ToyFare and FunFare magazines. He also owns and operates the Big Apple, Chicago, Philadelphia, Toronto, and Anaheim Comic-Con festivals, which are like Woodstocks for comic fans. Gareb, in other words, is a guru of geeks. Since Peter Levin had first introduced me to him a few months earlier, Gareb had observed that I, too, was making products that were very youth-centric. He’d also noticed that I was a few decades past my twenties and had no direct voice in the conversation of my youthful audience. Sensing that these vulnerabilities concerned me, Gareb used them with great precision to interest me in his digital newsletter and website for popular culture enthusiasts. At the outset of our meeting he literally laid my concerns on the table by presenting physical evidence that I was out of touch with a vast new realm of business opportunity. He showed me some of the comics and graphic novels that
page 30 of 36
Tell To Win: Connect, Persuade, and Triumph with the Hidden Power
he published through his Black Bull publishing imprint. He gave me a copy of Wizard, which he had started fresh out of college and which spawned a magazine and entertainment empire that has since branched out into toys, roleplaying games, and Internet media. He presented me with a program from his most recent Comic-Con, describing it as “the largest comic book and popular arts convention in the world!” As Gareb had predicted, I did not recognize a single one of the items he showed me. And this served as proof positive that I was not capitalizing on this valuable and intriguing market. Why did I need to tap this market? Because this same audience would buy many of my entertainment products. The more Gareb showed me, the more I wanted in. Once he’d hooked my interest and shown me what was potentially in this deal for me, Gareb proved his authenticity by telling me his own backstory. He’d traded sports cards as a kid in the 1980s, then gotten into comics when his parents started selling them at their card store. But he always wanted more information. “I didn’t know what artists and writers were working on what books,” he told me. “There was really nothing that told me what was coming out, what was new, and what was exciting. I felt like I was totally out of the loop. That’s when I came up with the idea for Wizard magazine.” Savvy guy. Even as he was talking, I could tell he knew how totally out of the loop I was feeling at that very moment. But what he did next was story telling genius and sealed the deal. “Remember the movie Big?” he asked. Of course I did. The 1988 Penny Marshall film featured Tom Hanks playing a little boy trapped in a grown man’s body. “Well,” Gareb
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Tell To Win: Connect, Persuade, and Triumph with the Hidden Power
said, “when I was a young boy, I saw that movie and recognized that all older people had kids inside them.” Then he reminded me of the scene in which Hanks and his much older boss—the owner of a toy company—play a “Chopsticks” duet on a walking piano. This experience put the older man back in touch with his youth and with the audience he was trying to reach. It also created an emotional bond between him and Hanks, as the spirit of youth. Gareb understood that I was like that older guy who needed this relationship to tap into his young audience, and Gareb was Hanks’s counterpart. Geek Chic Daily, his story implied, was the piano that we could both play to bring our worlds together. If I became his partner, I would gain the currency I badly needed to tap into the demographic that was Gareb’s tribe. Once I had that currency I could sell my products as a tribal insider, regardless of my age. Because he’d done his homework on me before he walked in the door, Gareb told his story in a way that resonated with my head, heart, and wallet. In other words, he appealed to what interested me, what I wanted, and what I needed. I joined Gareb and Peter as a third partner, and Geek Chic Daily launched in October of 2009.
Want to read more of Guber’s advice and tales from telling stories to sell you ideas? Check out www.peterguber.com to read more about the book or order your own copy.
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TWISTED
they’re toys, and they’re twisted...
TOY THEATER Planet Appalachior 9, in the Billhilly system…
presents
And you’re certain that no man has gone here before, sir?
|’ll skip the standard ‘scanning for intelligent life’ joke, Captain.
the
WRATH
This is it then, Spock-the last place in the universe that no man has gone before!
of
CONF EDERACY BY: ACLIN AND GUTIERREZ
| reckon he ain’t.
Indeed!
Well, Captain, congratulations --it only took 45 years, but you finally completed our five-year mission.
Now | just have to plant my flag and we’ll be on our way to our medal ceremony.
That’s not a flag…those are your pants on a stick.
WITH: BRICKEN DIETSCH AND MEJIA
Oh, not these-‘plant my flag’ is a euphemism. Scan for the nearest hot alien farmer’s daughter, Spock.
PHOTOS: REILLY Soon, aboard the starship Enterprise…
Well, admiral, we finally… What’s all the commotion behind you? Are you having a medal ceremony without my chest there?
Afraid not, Kirk…this is a decommissioning ceremony!
With our mission complete, Starfleet’s budget is being slashed and we’re going to have to lay off almost everyone! Even your chest! And your crew.
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TWISTED TOYS Later…
| can’t get fired! |’m out of ideas, Space Lincoln.
My only skill is sending redshirted men to get slaughtered, and Pizza Hut isn’t hiring any managers!
Well, whenever | get stressed out, | just kick up a Civil War. Good for exciting the missus too! Shortly, back on the bridge…
That’s it! Space Lincoln, you’re a genius!
Admiral, |’d like to announce that the Enterprise and her crew are officially seceding from the Federation and declaring Civil War!
|’d consider getting a hat, too. A big tall one!
Since we declared, you get to go first in choosing uniform colors.
!
FWOOOOOSH Spock, you’ll love this--it’s perfectly logical!
Uh… Spock?
Now they can’t shut down Starfleet because they’ll need to use it… to fight me!
Captain, sensors indicate the small craft that just launched contained Mr. Spock, Lt. Uhura and Mr. Sulu, headed toward Federation Space.
Well, this confederacy’s a total sausage fest now.
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TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK!
COSPLAYGROUND You dress up like your favorite character, we send the pictures out into the world. We promise we’ll be gentle. NEW ORLEANS
|'m going to kick the ass of everyone who didn't go see 'drive angry 3D' on opening weekend.
W
hat's our favorite part of our Wizard World conventions (Now held pretty much monthly throughout the year and throughout North America)? Definitely getting to interact with the fans who make their own amazing costumes and cosplay as their favorite characters. Want your costume shared with the world? See below...
| got blue in my brown. wow. we're gonna be busy.
Suck it, joker! ladies love cool hatter!
! N I T I D mes SEN e costu
da t'ieves guild stole my other pants, chere!
emad ld.com to m o h r u r o Send y en@wizardwo round. You g to bullp ed in CosPlay showing ile ur be feat win prizes wh o knows, could ur skills. Wh xt great o f f yo h t b e t h e n e n a yo u m i g m e d e s i g n e r o costu g movie! bi
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BACK DOOR T
This week's randomness: Toy tomfoolery as our staff hits the New York Toy Fair
TOY SOLDIERING
hink you have what it takes to survive the annual American International Toy Fair in New York City? So did our staffers Justin Aclin and Carlos Mejia, but after two straight days of non-stop action figures, their minds broke. The results are what you see here...
But if Caroll Spinney's over there, whose hand is that up the back of my shirt?
Left: Carlos models Diamond Select's Back to the Future II hat. Above: Justin shares a moment with Oscar the Grouch at Hasbro's Sesame Street display.
BACK TO THE DOUCHE-ER.
Can | interest you in some heavy petting?
Well, | found luigi, but my princess is in another claw machine.
| can haz CARLOS BURGER?
Above: Carlos meets a feline friend, and (right) tries to win her something nice.
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COMING NEXT WEEK IN
THE
D N A L E M O H DIRECTIVE The man who brought you The Surrogates unleashes his next hit graphic novel, The Homeland Directive. Hear about this tale of terror and government conspiracies first, next Wednesday!
GIRLS!
Introducing the Wizard World Girls! They're taking you behind the scenes of the newest video games!
Who's who in the
movie toy line?
PLUS
Twisted Toy Theatre and much, much more!
AVAILABLE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD MARCH 9