Anthony Alberts

Host

Countdown To Comic-Con

Jul 24, 2014·11 visitors

Robert Willis

Cohost

Stage· 50 messages

Jul 24, 2014

Tony and Bob tawk about Comic-Con the way that only two middle aged men can!

Anthony Alberts · 12:00 AM

Good evening Tony! How ya doing tonight?

Robert Willis · 12:00 AM

Staying high and dry so far! Is it storming like this out where you are?

Anthony Alberts · 12:00 AM

Oh it's bad! Just had a surge five minutes ago, had to restart everything.

Robert Willis · 12:01 AM

Yikes! It certainly is electrifying out there right now, but not as electrifying as San Diego is going to be this week.

Anthony Alberts · 12:01 AM

That's right. Comic-Con 2014 gets underway very soon.

Robert Willis · 12:02 AM

I don't even know why they bother calling it Comic-Con anymore. If you went there looking for a comic book....excuse me, "graphic novel", they'd probably laugh you right out of the place.

Anthony Alberts · 12:02 AM

Well, I know of at least one graphic novel that will be there. You remember the movie Fight Club?

Robert Willis · 12:03 AM

Of course, and if we follow the first rule we shouldn't be talking about it.

Anthony Alberts · 12:03 AM

We're not. We're talking about Fight Club 2. This will be a ten issue graphic novel written by Chuck Palahniuk.

Robert Willis · 12:04 AM

Interesting. I wonder if David Fincher and Brad Pitt are somewhere right now working on a screenplay version of it.

Anthony Alberts · 12:04 AM

If they do, the first place they should introduce it is Comic-Con.

Robert Willis · 12:05 AM

That's really what the event has come to stand for: the big blockbuster movies. Did you read comics as a kid?

Anthony Alberts · 12:05 AM

I did. I was a big fan of X-Men, Fantastic Four, Dark Knight and The Watchmen.

Anthony Alberts · 12:05 AM

Oh, and The Punisher. You?

Robert Willis · 12:06 AM

To me comics were something you read in the newspaper while eating your cereal. Although I di have quite a crush on Veronica. Or was it Betty?

Anthony Alberts · 12:06 AM

Hey speaking of Archie Comics, they were just in the news recently. Apparently they kill Archie off.

Robert Willis · 12:06 AM

WHAT?!?!?!

Anthony Alberts · 12:07 AM

Easy there killer! They have come up with a series of storylines that explore different possible futures. In one of them Archie has a good friend who is gay. Somebody tries to shoot him and Archie takes the bullet.

Robert Willis · 12:08 AM

Gun control and gay rights. That will sell well in the red states.

Anthony Alberts · 12:08 AM

Back to Comic-Con. This has come such a big deal about the movies that studios announce their future line ups now, in connection with the convention.

Robert Willis · 12:09 AM

I was just reading that. they have movie dates lined up as far in the future as 2019! I mean, isn't that a little preposterous?

Robert Willis · 12:09 AM

What happens if a director backs out or the script has too many problems?

Anthony Alberts · 12:10 AM

Columbia announced "Sinister Six" for 2016 and Spiderman fans will have to wait until 2018 for the third installment.

Anthony Alberts · 12:10 AM

i think that much lead time gives them an advantage to address those issues.

Robert Willis · 12:11 AM

Maybe. I haven't heard of any delays with the movie "Ant-Man" (seriously? They're making an Ant-man movie?) and I know the original director quit.

Anthony Alberts · 12:12 AM

That's the bonus of the time. And as successful as the comic book adaptations have been and creating a universe of movies, why not make one of Ant-man?

Robert Willis · 12:12 AM

Speaking of successful, J.J. Abrams, one of the most successful sci-fi geniuses currently working, is not expected to be there this year.

Anthony Alberts · 12:13 AM

I think we should clarify that. He may not be scheduled to be there, but most people expect him to be there.

Robert Willis · 12:13 AM

But he's in the middle of shooting Star Wars Episode VII right now in England.

Anthony Alberts · 12:14 AM

Which will make it all the more dramatic when he shows up. He loves to do this kind of stuff.

Robert Willis · 12:14 AM

I don't know. He seemed pretty upset about the leaked pictures and script. He likes to keep his secrets quiet.

Anthony Alberts · 12:14 AM

Still, I can't imagine him not being there.

Robert Willis · 12:15 AM

Maybe he'll do the William Shatner from SNL and show up just to tell all of the people dressed up that they have no life!

Anthony Alberts · 12:15 AM

LOL! I doubt that highly.

Robert Willis · 12:16 AM

Well here's a rhetorical question: if he were to do something like that, do you think it would have an effect on how many people go see the new Star Wars?

Anthony Alberts · 12:16 AM

A lot of people debate this point, saying these movies are so big already that there really isn't any more hype that they can get, even from something like this.

Robert Willis · 12:17 AM

I bet a lot of people would get upset, and social media would be exploding with tweets and vines and instagrams and tumblers and God knows what else, but I know in the end they will all show up. You know why?

Anthony Alberts · 12:18 AM

because they all love Star wars so much?

Robert Willis · 12:18 AM

Kind of. Because this is these people's lives. It's like heroin to them.

Anthony Alberts · 12:18 AM

Are you comparing Comic-Con 2014 to an opiate addiction?

Robert Willis · 12:19 AM

Hey, if the cosplay uniform fits...

Anthony Alberts · 12:19 AM

So do you think the movies shouldn't be there?

Robert Willis · 12:20 AM

It's so far from what it originally was, from a purist standpoint I say no. But it is a successful business model. I mean somebody somewhere's gotta be making a ton of money on this.

Anthony Alberts · 12:20 AM

Most certainly. Comic-Con in San Diego is the original and by far the biggest, but now there are more than a half dozen others across the country.

Robert Willis · 12:21 AM

Exactly. But I think there needs to be a line drawn somewhere. The movies and television shows based on what were originally comics, I get it. But the show 24 has a panel there. I think that's just diluting the product too much.

Anthony Alberts · 12:22 AM

I get your point. It's like a band that's been around for so long that none of the original members are left.

Robert Willis · 12:22 AM

Exactly! At that point at least have the cojones to call it something else.

Anthony Alberts · 12:23 AM

With a statement like that it's a perfect time to call it a night. Everyone traveling to Comic-Con 2014 be safe and have fun!

Robert Willis · 12:23 AM

And May The Force Be With You! Good night Tony!

Anthony Alberts · 12:23 AM

Stay dry Bob!