Pen-Elayne on the Web

Retaining the Seven Seas

Well, Leah and I promised a brief tag-team synopsis of What We Did At WizWorld East Today but we're both wiped, generally suffering more body aches than are acceptable to discuss in mixed company (hence the not-so-subtle title), and she's talking to her sister on the phone so I'll just give the run-down.

I did pretty near bupkiss at the convention itself. I think I spent more time at Casa Adezio and the highly-recommended Reading Terminal Market than in the convention center. It was like every time I walked into the exhibition hall the energy drained right out of me and my feet started throbbing. Touched base with a few more friends, most of them New Yorkers whom I always seem to see more often at out-of-town conventions; lugged my camera about but only took a few couple pictures (including one of 6-month-old Caroline David so at least it was worthwhile for that); and attended part of a Marvel X-Men panel. I was only partially conscious during much of it, but I do recall an audience member asking when the books would be more female-friendly. I thought the question kind of weird in that the panel included Chris Claremont, who has a longstanding rep for having written strong female characters for years; and Phil Jimenez, who draws lovely, logical idealized men and women. But I was pretty sympathetic to her question, as I'd been asking variations on the theme of many comics publishers and professionals for years. Thing is, if you want to impart to folks that you'd like to see more female-friendly comics, you have to either clearly define your terms or make your points through references others will easily get (such as pointing to gender-based trends in other kinds of entertainment and comparing those stories to what you'd like to read in comics). Otherwise, the reaction you're liable to get from the all-male panel of 9 or 10 is likely to range from politely dismissive to outright defensive, which is more or less what happened in this case. Still, it's better than not having the subject raised at all.

We had a lovely dinner this evening in Chinatown, only a few blocks from the convention center, with Peter's wife Kath (while he wrote and cared for Caroline) and Nick Cardy, his niece and her mother. Mr. Cardy is a classy and witty gentleman, eager to share stories of his many years in the business, and it was neat watching Kath bond with Leah's kids over this stuff that I don't even pretend to understand.

Oh, and Leah's Link o' Silliness today is... The Lord of the Peeps. Just, just go. Don't say I didn't warn you.