Scenes from around the Javits Center at New York Comic Con 2014
All photographs by Kaia Schroding. Do not republish without credit to the photographer and Curiata.com.
New York Comic Con is an annual festival for fans of nerd and geek media. At its epicenter are the two giants of the comic book world: DC and Marvel. This year, both companies showed up to promote their brands, but one came prepared for the future while the other simply talked about the past.
Marvel has undertaken numerous changes in the past year. As CEO Axel Alonso said several times this weekend, Thor is a woman, Captain America is black, and a nonhuman, Rocket Raccoon, is arguably the most popular superhero in the world. Things are changing at Marvel.
But at DC, the company seems content to stay on its current track.
To be fair, DC is on the rise. Having fallen years behind Marvel in movie production, DC can now look to a long list of release dates dedicated exclusively to its superhero properties. Superman and Batman will return to the big screen and will be joined by Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Cyborg, Shazam, Aquaman, and the Suicide Squad. DC’s heroes also have live-action television series on three broadcast networks with all of them drawing strong ratings and showing infinite potential.
It’s a bit understandable that DC would use this convention to take a bit of a victory lap. After all, the company seems to be taking over broadcast television. The Constantine premiere was well-received, and simply acknowledging Arrow, The Flash, or Gotham caused rapturous applause. But the company’s focus on Gotham specifically seemed to represent a microcosm of the company’s overall philosophy: focus on Batman.
The complete reliance on the Dark Knight may actually be the company’s biggest problem. As an avid, noted fan of the Caped Crusader, I was certainly happy to enjoy the Batman 75th Anniversary panel — a long look back at the hero’s storied career with a star-studded guest list. But when attending the DC Essentials Panel, I at least expected to hear more about the company’s other plans — whether they be about the Justice League, Teen Titans, or anyone else — and less about my favorite hero.
In Marvel’s equivalent panels, Alonso and chief creative officer Joe Quesada announced several new comic titles, including Gamora, centered on the Guardians of the Galaxy character; a new Ant-Man, featuring Scott Lang; and Star Wars titles, such as Kanan, following the early adventures of the new Star Wars Rebels character. Marvel also announced a new creative team for Hawkeye, Jeff Lemire and Ramon Perez, and a new version of the classic comic book crossover Secret Wars. In addition, Marvel screened an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., announced a new Guardians of the Galaxy cartoon, introduced the cast of Daredevil, and hosted a panel on the future of Marvel Comics following the death of Wolverine.
When asked why the company would kill off such a popular character, the answer, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, was, “So you would stop complaining that he’s overexposed.”
Perhaps DC should learn that lesson — though killing off either Batman or Wolverine is a ridiculous idea. The Dark Knight is an incredible character; the star power of his panel and the sheer number of people in the conference room proved that. But the emphasis on the Bat is hurting DC’s other franchises. During the DC Essentials panel, the company discussed Gotham, Batman issue #35, Batgirl, Batman Earth One, and its new comics, including Gotham Academy and Arkham Manor. No other franchise was given any time during a panel that promised to discuss the essential news about DC’s future.
On the flip side, Marvel’s entire panel focused on change. The biggest change? The Marvel women’s movement. Last year, a new Ms. Marvel was introduced, and she quickly became a sensation. The new hero, Kamala Khan, is a Pakistani Muslim girl from New Jersey who gains super powers. According to Alonso, she is the spiritual heir to Peter Parker as the most relatable superhero in their lineup. Gamora will be getting her own series, as will Angela, an Asgardian spy. They will be joining the new female Thor. In addition, Marvel will introduce its first young adult novel, starring Black Widow, soon.
An entire panel was dedicated to the women working at Marvel, who inspired a great deal of the young ladies in the room to fight for their dreams of working in the comic book industry. The room was enamored by the strong, intelligent women on stage and even managed to start a worldwide Twitter trend: #WomenofMarvel.
That’s not to say that Marvel is perfect, however. Though they were more accessible and progressive, the company has also proven to be set in its ways. Earth-shattering events and the death and inevitable rebirth of major characters have become regular occurrences in the Marvel world. Wolverine’s demise will lead to a spike in comic book sales, but as soon as they dip again, Logan will inevitably be revived. Fantastic Four’s comics will cease production, but only until they can feel “new” again. Cataclysmic events like Secret Wars are being pushed as the biggest in the company’s history, but it takes its name from a comic book event written in the 1980s. The Marvel world has seen so many resurrections, alien invasions, and time-altering battles that there is no longer any sense of scale to the company’s story lines.
But despite the criticism, the future of both companies looks bright. DC’s animated movies have hit an incredible stride, and their next release, Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, promises to be another strong work. Arrow has proven to be a remarkably strong show, and its good will has been passed on to The Flash, which saw impressive numbers in its debut. Critics are also excited for both Gotham and Constantine. In the comics world, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s run with Batman has consistently spawned the highest-selling comic book in the country, and its stories going forward offer intriguing potential.
Marvel is on top of the world and can afford to take some bigger risks. The stage has been set for a major shakeup in the Marvel comic book continuity with Secret Wars and the recently announced relaunch of the Civil War. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is doing well, but Netflix’s Daredevil promises to be a game changer. In the comics, Hawkeye is an award-winning piece of work, Ms. Marvel has showcased the company as a beacon of progressive characters, and the new Star Wars line is a guaranteed hit under Marvel creative, especially with Lucasfilm’s promise of a larger canon moving forward.
It has been said for some time now that nerd culture has taken over popular culture, but it was never more evident than at this weekend’s NYCC, which was even larger than this year’s San Diego International Comic Con. It’s an exciting time to be a fan of superheroes, comic books, and action-adventure, even if the Big Two’s quirks may sometimes be frustrating.
Day 4. I can’t believe my very first Comic Con is nearly over already! It’s been a whirlwind of a weekend, but I have had so many great experiences and am taking away some really great memories.
I’m usually the kind of person who avoids crowds as much as possible, so one would think New York Comic Con is a place I shouldn’t go near, but it didn’t bother me to be surrounded by thousands of people all day. Sure, there were times when I really needed to just seek out the quieter atmosphere of the press area, but being in the crowd of NYCC was much easier than I anticipated. Maybe it’s because these people are all like me. In this crowd, a nerdy fangirl doesn’t have to worry about being judged; everyone is accepted here (except maybe Hydra — no one likes those guys).
I took my time getting to the Javits Center this morning, knowing the line wouldn’t be as crazy as it had been yesterday with The Walking Dead panel happening. I was right, as it was easy to walk in and get in line for this afternoon’s Sleepy Hollow panel. Then, my morning of waiting in lines began.
As soon as I had my wristband for Sleepy Hollow, I went over to the autograph hall and purchased a copy of Cary Elwes‘ new book, As You Wish, which chronicles the making of The Princess Bride. I then got in line to have Elwes sign the book.
The line seemed long but moved quickly and, before long, I was face-to-face with a man whose image I’ve known my entire life. I was young when The Princess Bride was released in 1987, and I honestly can’t remember a time before its existence. It has been my favorite movie my entire life. I still can’t believe I’ve now met Westley in person.
Following my brief encounter with Elwes, it was time to prepare for several great hours of Sleepy Hollow scoop. First up was interviews with several cast members and writers of the show, then the actual Sleepy Hollow panel. Everyone was tight-lipped on details of what to expect in the rest of season 2, but they promised they’re doing everything they can to build on the success of the first season. The panel included a screening of the first half of Monday’s episode, featuring a Sleepy Hollow version of the Pied Piper, which, from what we’ve seen so far, looks super creepy.
After the Sleepy Hollow panel, it was time to get in line for not only my last panel of the day, but the last panel of New York Comic Con 2014. I decided seeing Elwes was a good way for me to both start and end the day. The actor took the stage to enormous applause and regaled the audience for an hour with stories from the set of The Princess Bride, most involving Andre the Giant. Elwes was emotional discussing the professional-wrestler-turned-actor who died in 1993.
Elwes shared many humorous anecdotes and was a great storyteller, performing voices for each person he talked about: from the gruff voice of Andre, to the New York accent of Rob Reiner. Elwes had the audience roaring in laughter with a story of how Andre unexpectedly (and loudly) broke wind during their very first scene together, the scene where they give Westley the pill they procured from Miracle Max. Elwes was wonderful to listen to, and I can’t wait to sit down and read his book, which contains even more reminiscences from the filming of The Princess Bride.
And then, all too soon, it was over. The long weekend seems like it flew by too quickly. But I would say my first every Comic Con was definitely a success: I was able to see and do everything I had set out to, and to experience as many aspects of the Con as possible. I was able to meet people I’ve admired for years, and I even managed to control my fangirl urges while doing so.
I had no idea what to expect going into this weekend. I have friends who go to San Diego Comic Con every year, but I didn’t know how this would compare to their experiences. I still don’t, but the weekend was even more fun that I had hoped it would be. I already have my calendar marked for next year!
He’s the best one ever. He’s worn Green, White, Red, and Black. He’s Tommy Oliver, the original Green Ranger. His real name is Jason David Frank, and he’s as good of a person as his starring role would make you believe.
All of us who have seen Power Rangers have questioned the characterization of the Rangers. There’s no real conflict among them. They’re all perfect, wonderful human beings, who always do the right thing in the end, while still living an incredibly eventful, action-packed life even when they aren’t fighting evil space aliens. They are, in a word, unbelievable.
But this weekend at New York Comic Con, I was fortunate enough to meet Frank, who has been a personal hero of mine for most of my life. He proved himself to me and every other fan there that he is just as good as the character he made famous, albeit much funnier. The Tommy Oliver character could always be relied on to use his fighting prowess to save the day, even when the other Rangers were down. And Frank’s incredible martial arts skills were often on full display, inspiring me and many others to take lessons. My years in martial arts — learning not only how to defend myself, but how to live — shaped who I am today. Frank himself teaches martial arts at his Rising Sun Karate school and helps to shape hundreds of young martial artists.
But Frank understands he isn’t known for being a martial arts black belt. He gets that Power Rangers is what made him famous, and he counts it as a blessing.
There is no resentment from Frank about his career being defined by the Power Rangers. In fact, he embraces it, wearing a white tiger power coin as a necklace and often putting a green streak in his hair to symbolize his character’s most famous incarnation. Frank has even returned to the show several times, including an anniversary episode, “Forever Red,” on Power Rangers Wild Force, and in a regular turn as a mentor on Power Rangers Dino Thunder, where he gained new powers as the Black Dino Ranger. In fact, Frank is set to return to the show again in the finale of its current season, Super Megaforce, this time as the Green Ranger. The actor is well aware of his status as the face of the franchise, and he loves the responsibility. Frank has even been pushing to be more involved in Saban’s Golden Goose going forward.
Frank has hinted in the past that he and Saban were working together on a series exclusively following the Green Ranger. In his NYCC panel Friday, Frank announced that these talks were on hold until Lionsgate determines how to handle the cinematic reboot of the series. But Frank also admitted that discussions were ongoing about further involvement in Power Rangers projects. With the next season’s theme, Dino Charge, being a return to dinosaurs, could Tommy Oliver return as a series regular? Devoted fans will remember that Tommy received his doctorate in paleontology and has a history of working alongside dino-themed Ranger teams.
The man known as Tommy has even been utilizing his fame as a Power Ranger to run a show on YouTube, hosted by Bat in the Sun, that follows his everyday life. My Morphin Life takes fans into the day-to-day activities of everybody’s favorite Ranger as he teaches his martial arts classes, sets world records, and travels the world to attend conventions.
Like we would expect from Tommy Oliver, Frank lives his life fearlessly, fighting in mixed martial arts matches and skydiving regularly. In My Morphin Life, Frank admits he fears two things: clowns and, believe it or not, hot air balloons. And as if the episode were written by the good people at Saban, Frank confronted his fears in an incredible way: by diving out of a hot air balloon, dressed as a clown.
Everywhere he goes, Frank is greeted as a hero, and he treats his fans with complete respect. In his YouTube show, Frank travels to Brazil and attends a convention, where he is blown away by the love he receives. It’s not just an act for a show either; in New York last week, Tommy Oliver’s kind personality was hard to miss.
The Green Ranger’s autograph line appeared to be the longest in the room, despite hefty competition from William Shatner, Patrick Stewart, and the voice of Batman himself, Kevin Conroy. The wait was worth it. Meeting my hero for the first time, I was profusely thankful to the man and told him how much his simple role in a kids’ show influenced by life. He was incredibly respectful and thankful in return, which is to be expected, but he rose above and beyond soon after.
I was on my way out of the convention center when I heard my name being shouted. It was Frank, who followed me to give me the autographs I had forgotten on my way out. It was an incredible moment that felt like it came straight out of an episode of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Frank explained during his panel the next day his philosophy on life. Simply put: treat everyone equally, and treat them all well. As a celebrity, he thinks every interview has value, whether it’s on CNN or with an upstart website. Frank doesn’t expect appearance fees and isn’t looking for a big studio to produce My Morphin Life. He simply wants to have fun and keep his fans updated.
Jason David Frank is a man who loves his fans, loves his craft, and enjoys sharing it all. His autograph lines were long and the audience for his panel was huge, but he made sure that everybody got his or her money’s worth. He is thankful for his fame and will continue to give his heart and soul in everything he does. I know this fan looks forward to seeing him on television again.
Marvel brought a lot of surprises to New York Comic Con, and I’m not just talking about announcing the return of Secret Wars. Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe received a few treats as well.
The Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. panel took place Friday afternoon in a packed Main Hall. Marvel’s director of television, Jeph Loeb, greeted the audience and, after a few minutes of small talk, he reminded the crowd of one lesson we learned last season: trust no one. At that point, he revealed the Hydra T-shirt he was wearing under a fleece jacket.
A shocked and offended Clark Gregg appeared on stage, greeted by a standing ovation. Gregg told Loeb that the only way to make it up to him would be to show us all something we had never seen before — an all new episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. And so, this week’s episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was screened in its entirety four days ahead of time for the fans at NYCC.
The fourth episode of season 2 features a return to more of the lighthearted, witty banter we grew accustomed to last year while not letting us forget things are much darker than they had appeared then. There are some great moments between Gregg’s Director Phil Coulson and team member Melinda May, played by Ming-Na Wen, as well as a really touching scene with Fitz, who is struggling to overcome head trauma. The episode features a neat tie-in to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, though I doubt viewers see it coming. There are lots of twists and turns in this episode, and it’s probably the best of season 2 so far.
Following the screening of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Gregg begged Loeb, on behalf of the audience, to show us something from Marvel’s new series, Agent Carter, set to premiere in January. The series had begun filming the week before, but Loeb had a cut of one scene that had been shot just four days earlier. The clip featured Hayley Atwell as Carter, Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark, and James D’Arcy as Stark’s butler, Edwin Jarvis. Stark is in embarking on an important mission and leaves Jarvis to help look after Carter. The clip wasn’t long enough to really judge what the series will be like, but it piqued my curiosity.
Saturday at NYCC, Marvel unveiled the first footage from its upcoming Netflix original series Daredevil. The series, which will debut next year, stars Charlie Cox as the blind-lawyer-by-day/hero-by-night Matt Murdock, also known as Daredevil. Vincent D’Onofrio plays Daredevil’s adversary, Wilson Fisk, aka “The Kingpin.” The series also stars Rosario Dawson, Elden Henson, Bob Gunton, Toby Moore, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Ayelet Zurer, and Deborah Ann Woll.
Loeb introduced Cox by telling a story of how Marvel Comics writer Joe Quesada, a big Daredevil fan, called him two years ago — before there was even a possibility of producing a Daredevil series — and told him he had found his Murdock. Quesada was confident the Daredevil rights would eventually return to Marvel, and he wanted Cox in that role. Even Loeb admitted to having a bit of a man-crush on the actor who was indeed hired to play Daredevil.
Executive producer Steven DeKnight, also a Daredevil fan, talked of his love for the character; while working on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, he and Loeb would discuss how “we’re gonna do that show one day.”
DeKnight cited both the Frank Miller and Brian Bendis runs of the comics as the main inspirations for the series. In fact, Daredevil’s costume in the clips shown at NYCC bring to mind the outfit drawn by John Romita Jr. in The Man Without Fear. Fans will see these influences reflected in the darker, grittier tone of the show as compared to other Marvel properties.
Cox later confirmed the influence of The Man Without Fear: “Tonally, it suits our show really well.”
“What I love about this show is the moral gray area inherent within,” DeKnight said. “There will be times when you’re not quite sure who to root for.”
As DeKnight phrased it, Murdock is “one bad day away from becoming Frank Castle,” the vigilante antihero also known as the Punisher. Sometimes, the audience will be rooting for Murdock; other times, they may sympathize with the Kingpin.
D’Onofrio seems to enjoy delving into the character of the Kingpin and Fisk, describing him as “a child and … a monster.”
He went on to say that everything Fisk does comes from his own foundation of morality within, and we’ll get to see what aspects of that morality Fisk’s relationship with his wife, Vanessa (played by Zurer), brings out. NYCC attendees got to see the scene of Fisk and Vanessa’s first meeting. It takes place in an art gallery and gives a truly revealing look into Fisk’s personality.
Cox contrasted the creative process of a streaming show like Daredevil to more traditional series, like his work on Boardwalk Empire. Cox identified one of the biggest benefits of being on Netflix to be that there won’t be a week between each episode, so the narrative doesn’t need to remind viewers of everything that has happened — they probably just saw it. Cliffhangers become pointless because viewers can just skip to the next episode. Directors and writers can spend more time on developing a real story without having to worry about recapping anything.
“It’s going to feel like a 13-hour movie,” Cox said of Daredevil.
Three more clips from Daredevil were shown during Saturday’s panel. We saw Karen Page (Woll), known as Dardevil’s long-running love interest in the comics, attacked in her darkened apartment and Daredevil, in a black suit, coming to her aid. The hero’s fight against the assailant escalates, and Daredevil ends up on the street in the rain. There, Murdock flashes back to a conversation with his father, who he tells his son to “get to work.” Daredevil rejoins the fight and takes down the attacker.
Another clip introduced Dawson as Claire Temple, whom Loeb described as a “nurse, who works at night,” strongly hinting at the character of Night Nurse. Temple has discovered a bruised and battered Murdock on the street and brings him to her apartment to help him. Murdock is concerned that she has removed his mask and has now seen his face.
In the third clip, Page thanks Murdock and his best friend and law partner, Foggy Nelson (Harden), for winning her case by supplying them with dinner. She then volunteers to help them around the office and clean for free — which prompts a moment of levity when Murdock asks if their office is messy.
Just from these clips, it is clear that Daredevil has a darker and more serious tone than Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. However, that doesn’t mean it’s taking place separate from the rest of the MCU. When asked at NYCC about its relationship to the other Marvel properties, Loeb stoked the fires of fans everywhere with a smile and Marvel’s latest catchphrase:
“It’s all connected.”
Scenes from Sunday, October 12, at New York Comic Con 2014
“Avatar: The Last Airbender: Legend and Legacy” Panel
“Cary Elwes, Author of As You Wish, Discusses the Making of The Princess Bride” Panel
“DC Entertainment All Access: Essentials” Panel
“Granddaughters of the Comic Book Revolution: The Golden Age Lives!” Panel featuring Athena Finger
Read Curiata.com’s exclusive interview with Finger.
“Marvel: Axel-In Charge” Panel with Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso
“Women of Marvel” Panel
From around the Javits Center
Thrilling Adventure Hour Panel
Photographs by Kevin Hillman, Charissa Jelliff, and Kaia Schroding. Not for republication without credit.
Scenes from Saturday, October 11, at New York Comic Con 2014
The Walking Dead Panel
Classic comic books on display
“DC Entertainment — Batman 75th Anniversary” Panel with Earth One, Volume 2 preview
The League: Screening and Q&A
“Marvel Cup o’ Joe” Panel unveiling plans for several new comic books
CollegeHumor & Dorkly Present “How to Get Paid for Being a Nerd”
Sean Maguire poses with Curiata.com’s Kaia Schroding, and Kevin Hillman snaps a photo of WWE veteran John Layfield, also known as JBL.
“Doctor Who — The Legend Continues” Panel
Photographs by Kevin Hillman, Charissa Jelliff, and Kaia Schroding. Not for republication without credit.
Imagine Superman. Now imagine Superman portrayed by a long-haired Nicolas Cage in a role written by Kevin Smith and directed by Tim Burton. With Chris Rock co-starring as Jimmy Olsen.
What if I told you this movie was almost made? Now, to make things even crazier, what if I said it probably would have been good?
Well, according to Jon Schnepp, it probably would have been. And in his documentary The Death of ‘Superman Lives’: What Happened?, the director seeks the answer to his film’s title. Schnepp and producer Holly Payne discussed the documentary and the Superman movie that never was Thursday at New York Comic Con.
The unproduced film Superman Lives was an attempt in the late 1990s to revitalize the Man of Steel’s movie franchise that had been stuck in developmental hell. Superman was doing well on the small screen with the successful television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. And comic book sales had soared that decade due to the success of the “Death of Superman” story arc.
The media, unfamiliar with the classic comic-book trope of temporarily killing off popular characters — only to bring them back later — was shocked that DC would kill off its biggest franchise, and made the story into a bigger one than anyone could have expected. “The Death of Superman” comics sold incredibly well, largely due to the belief that Superman’s last story would one day be worth millions of dollars, just like Superman’s first story was. Warner Bros. saw dollar signs and hoped to adapt the story for the big screen.
The Superman movie franchise had been dormant since 1987’s awful Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. A new spin on the classic superhero was needed to rejuvenate the franchise. Producer Jon Peters looked to Kevin Smith, director of Clerks and noted comic book fan, to write the script. As Smith has explained in depth, the concept for the movie was already in Peters’ mind, and he was simply hired to flesh it out. Peters wanted Superman in an all-black suit, never taking flight, and fighting a giant spider in the film’s climax.
Despite the absurdity, Smith agreed to work within those terms, but he was handcuffed with more and more demands throughout the process. Peters wanted the supervillain Brainiac to have a marketable “space dog,” like Chewbacca, and demanded more action scenes, which would have led to a fight scene with polar bears.
Smith’s script, which has been posted online, is seen as the version that has the strongest basis in the source material despite Peters’ involvement. But the movie changed a bit with the addition of Burton as director. Burton wanted the film to contain his version of Superman. Smith left the project, but the new writers maintained much of what he wrote. Financial issues in the new drafts, however, prevented Warner Bros. from completing the film, and Burton left the project in 1998.
Since that time, the legend of Superman Lives has grown, especially after Smith’s hilarious comedy routines explaining the creative process behind the film. Most believe the film would have been an absolute disaster, but as Schnepp and Payne stated Thursday, that would not have necessarily been the case.
The movie would have offered a different take on the Man of Steel, emphasizing his alien nature and following Clark Kent in an existential journey. New villains would have been emphasized, including the perennial favorite, Brainiac, and the relative newcomer, Doomsday. The fight between the Kryptonian and his would-be killer would have been of an epic scale unseen in movies at the time. Cage was at the top of his game in the mid-90s and would give the character a different spin — unlike the line of pretty boys who continue to try and fill Christopher Reeve’s capable (and, admittedly, also pretty) shoes. A funeral scene would have brought into focus the importance of Superman to the world and would have included an inspiring cameo from Batman.
As can be seen in Schnepp’s documentary, the production design for the film was also impressive. Alien technology and a superhuman suit needed to be created from scratch. The results included a “resurrection suit,” utilizing LED lights, lasers, and fiber optics to create a multicolored outfit that could change its look depending on the situation. The iconic “S” shield would be usable as a weapon as well, which would come in handy when Supes had to take on the giant spider.
Speaking of that giant spider: Smith had written it as a “Thanagarian Snare Beast,” and it was Peters’ belief that it should be done as an homage to King Kong. The spider would have been an incredible challenge to the newly revitalized Superman, who was still struggling to regain his powers. The movie may not have been the conventional Superman film, but it would have been unique, philosophical, laced with strong science fiction, and with Smith’s script, likely pretty funny.
Schnepp’s new documentary seeks to further explore what the movie would have been and why it never came to be. The film includes interviews with those closest to the process, including Smith and Burton. Schnepp shared an extended 20-minute clip at NYCC, that will only be five minutes in the completed movie, about the creation of Superman’s suit, complete with concept art and video of the prototype in action.
See exclusive photos from the New York Comic Con panel, including concept art from Superman Lives.
Schnepp, who also directs Cartoon Network’s Metalocalypse, is crowdfunding the project and is still looking for some help finishing the film, which he hopes to release next year. Those who would like to contribute to the project can check out this site and add their name to the list of supporters who want to know, “What happened?”
View a trailer for the documentary here:
On Sunday afternoon at New York Comic Con, Sleepy Hollow executive producer Len Wiseman, show runner Mark Goffman, writer Raven Metzner, and cast members Orlando Jones, Lyndie Greenwood, and series newcomer Sakina Jaffrey discussed the second season of the hit Fox series.
While remaining cagey about details for plans in the second season, they did drop a few hints about what is to come, such as the fact that Ichabod Crane will soon discover karaoke as well as yoga. When asked about favorite Ichabod-vs.-21st-century moments, Jones cited the karaoke scene as one of his favorites.
During the panel, the audience was treated to the first half of tonight’s episode, which features the Sleepy Hollow version of the Pied Piper. Like everything in Sleepy Hollow, he’s much more malevolent than the legend would have one believe.
The panelists were a little more forthcoming with information during press interviews prior to the panel. They stayed away from specific details, but did give us some hints of what to expect in season 2.
Metzner revealed that we will be seeing other sides of Jenny Mills this season. As he described it, we’ll get to see more of her “emotional and beautiful and lighter side” in the fifth episode, which airs October 20. He also revealed that there would be a lot of interesting things happening with Jenny’s character in the second half of the season.
According to Metzner, one of the added benefits of having 18 episodes this season is the ability to delve a little more into the story lines of each individual character.
“We are really able to stretch out a little but more and give all our characters little chances to have larger stories,” Metzner said.
The writers have also introduced a new character this season, in the form of relic hunter Nick Hawley. Greenwood’s initial response to Hawley’s effect on the dynamic of the team was that, “He’s really hot.
“He’s like this Indiana Jones type, and I love the interaction with him and Crane, I just love him,” Greenwood added. “You know, he shakes things up a bit.”
Metzner went on to further state that Hawley’s position as an artifact hunter will help generate more stories for the show, and he promised we will learn more about Hawley and Jenny’s past relationship. However, as for Jenny’s relationship with Captain Frank Irving and the chemistry there, Wiseman only responded with a simple, “Who knows?”
One of the big questions was about the future of Jones’ character, Irving. Now that he knows his “lawyer” was really the Horseman of War, will he understand the full ramifications of the contract he signed?
According to Jones and Wiseman, Irving will start to discover that with tonight’s episode, and it will have a big impact on Irving, “because there’s part of … signing that contract that does work in his favor, as dark as that is; there is something that will be offered that’s quite hard to turn down, as most deals with the devil are. … It is something that his character’s going to have to struggle with because the temptation is not an easy one to turn his back on.”
Jones has a lot of respect for the Irving character and perhaps is hopeful that he will make the right choice — if there is a right one to make.
“I think what [the writers] have clearly built is a character unlike any police captain I’ve ever seen, whose really going through an emotional journey in both family and redemption, but he’s — he’s broken, and part of it, I think, is his past haunting him in the sense that my daughter’s handicapped, and I feel responsible for that, and everything I’ve done to try to get ahead of that 8-ball has just not gone my way,” Jones said. “But I love the fact, no matter how it goes, he just keeps trying. I love his commitment to try to be a better man while it all falls apart. That’s part of what I love about the character.”
The cast and producers of Sleepy Hollow chatted Sunday with Curiata.com in the New York Comic Con press room.
Another popular topic was that of the new sheriff in town, Leena Reyes, played by Jaffrey.
When asked about his thoughts on the new sheriff, Jones joked, “She don’t know what’s going on! I’m trying to tell this fool, there’s something happening in Sleepy Hollow that she doesn’t understand.”
In a more serious tone, Jones added, “But she’s me from last season. She doesn’t know. And she has a very specific connection to the sisters in that she knew their mom, and she knew them as kids. … She’s in a more interesting position than Irving was, in some ways, because she has that personal connection with Abbie.”
Jaffrey defended her character’s decisions so far.
“All I can tell is that she believes in her mission and I think she … she’s good, as far as I’m concerned, she’s good and she’s right,” Jaffrey said. “She’s not there to play, she’s not giving anybody an inch.”
Goffman added, “I really like crafting strong characters with a distinct and strong point of view, and Sheriff Reyes, I think, has that.”
Jaffrey had never seen an episode of Sleepy Hollow prior to joining the cast, and, in fact, hadn’t really watched much of the genre.
“When I was younger, I think it wasn’t the type of show that I thought I could relate to in any way,” Jaffrey said.
But now, Jaffrey is thrilled to be a part of this show and feels “blessed” to have finally discovered this world. In fact, Jaffrey feels that there really isn’t much difference between Sleepy Hollow and her previous series, House of Cards.
“You could call Frank Underwood a monster,” Jaffrey said.
Jaffrey also pointed out that there’s chaos in Washington and there’s chaos in Sleepy Hollow; neither of them is that different from the other.
Wiseman wasn’t too forthcoming about what other historical characters we might be seeing in upcoming episodes, though he and Jones did confirm we would see Irving’s family again. Goffman also confirmed we will see the mother of Jenny and Abbie Mills.
“We do a lot with Abbie this season, learning about her history as she really is trying to understand her role as a witness and how that’s impacted her family and her ancestry, because what we learn is that there is a much bigger picture that becomes clear by the end of this season, and we will have full episodes where we really get to meet her mother,” Goffman said.
When asked about the Kindred — the creature Abbie and Ichabod raised to fight the Horseman in the second episode this season — Goffman suggested we might be seeing him again.
“Yeah, I hope so,” Goffman said. “I think he’s got some grand plans. It’ll be fun to see how he plays out in the rest of the season. Don’t forget about him.”
The Sleepy Hollow cast and producers posed for photos.
I got to New York Comic Con at 8 a.m. Saturday and spent nearly three hours waiting in lines. It was worth it because I managed to procure wristbands for both main stage panels I was hoping to get into this afternoon: “AMC’s The Walking Dead” and “Marvel’s Daredevil, Exclusively on Netflix.”
I finally left the queue hall around 11 a.m. and decided that, since the first panel I would be attending did not begin until 3:30 p.m. and I had a couple of hours to kill before I needed to worry about getting in line, I would just wander the show floor to experience what a Saturday at NYCC is like compared to the first two days. I had heard stories, but I wanted to see for myself.
Saturday at NYCC is kind of crazy. While I thought the Javits Center was pretty full the first two days I was here, that was nothing compared to what it now looked like. Nearly every inch of space in the building was filled with people, comic characters, cartoon characters — fans in every costume you can think of and then some. One of my favorites was a girl in a Rocket Raccoon costume who had made her own dancing, potted Groot.
During my wanderings, I also passed the booth where Sean Maguire of Once Upon a Time was autographing and was able to catch a glimpse of Robin Hood himself. I was hoping for the same when I approached the area where Manu Bennett of Arrow and The Hobbit movies was doing photo ops, but he had not arrived yet.
I came down to the line for The Walking Dead panel two hours early, not because I was concerned about getting a good seat, but more because I was ready for a break and wanted to rest. While I was waiting, I was able to watch the Star Trek: The Next Generation panel on the large screens set up outside the room.
The Walking Dead panel was terrific. That cast just works so well together, and it’s apparent how much they love their characters and care about each other. Melissa McBride was brought to tears talking about Carol’s journey because she is so invested in her character.
Following The Walking Dead panel was Marvel’s Daredevil preview. Marvel has put together a great cast, and the footage they debuted here looks great. I can’t wait to see the show when it premieres.
After Daredevil, I went over to the Constantine screening, mostly so I could see the cast Q&A since I had already seen the episode. I enjoyed the episode even more the second time around — I think they’re on the right track with the tone for the show, even though it surprises me a little what NBC is allowing them to do. Some of the upcoming plans for the show sound interesting, and they will be following some of the story lines from the comics.
The last item on my schedule for Saturday was the screening of the new episode of Doctor Who. I always jump at any chance I can get to watch an episode of the show in a room full of Whovians. It’s always better to be surrounded by fans who understand all the jokes — especially in moments when the Doctor offers someone a jelly baby or asks the mummy that is about to attack him, “Are you my Mummy?”
And that was my Saturday at New York Comic Con. I may not have had any celebrity run-ins today, but it was still a really good day. This weekend has been a great experience all around so far, and I can’t believe it’s nearly over already!