Written by: Mike Lera
With all the “stuff” happening in the entertainment world today, it’s nice to see SAN DIEGO COMIC CON INTERNATIONAL still packing a walloping punch!
Known as the biggest pop culture convention in the world, San Diego Comic Con 2023 once again delivered a powerhouse event July 19-23 of all things superhero, sci-fi, fantasy and, oh yes, HORROR, loaded with life-sized action figures, VR gaming, new released anime, celebrity discussion panels, short film blocks, vintage toys and comics, interactive photo booths and, of course, cosplay!
But amongst the Star Wars/Star Trek junkies and Marvel/DC devotees, monster and macabre paraphernalia slithered and slimed its way throughout the hysteric halls of SDCC as it featured many homages to classic horror that have spawned countless films and characters today, entailing such favorites as H.P. Lovecraft, Lon Chaney, Vincent Price, Alfred Hitchcock and the original Twilight Zone.
A tribute panel was held to commemorate the late great science fiction/fantasy writer George Clayton Johnson (July 10, 1929 – Dec. 25, 2015), an icon who wrote the first Star Trek episode, several famous episodes of the original Twilight Zone, the novel Logan’s Run and numerous other stories – a major influence for storytellers who went on to write and direct many of the films and series we enjoy today. Serving as the panel’s centerpiece was popular television writer/producer Marc Scott Zicree (“Mr. Sci-Fi”), author of The Twilight Zone Companion (which practically every TZ fan has in their library), co-author of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities and longtime friend of Johnson. Zicree spoke on the many memories he had of Johnson, what Johnson’s likely outlook would be on current controversies such as the immersion of A.I. in storytelling, and what his advice would be to other emerging writers (catch a video clip of the panel on my YouTube channel @MikeLera).“It was very important to George to have belonged to the right circle of writers who were writing for all the major audiences of that day [such as Ray Bradbury and Charles Beaumont] to learn off of and to be forced to doing his best,” commented Zicree. “Yet there’s always this challenge for writers who come to depend on their circle and not discover their own identity and stamp. George was extremely good at being ‘George Clayton Johnson’, and though it was unfortunate that there were works he never completed [such as his sequel to Logan’s Run], he at least stayed true to his own identity as a writer.”
Celebrating its 65th anniversary, Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine graced the aisles and piles of exhibitors at SDCC, providing attendees with horror icon T-shirts, caps, banners, stickers, key chains and a reeeally cool exclusive twelve-inch action figure of the publication’s late founder, Forry Ackerman. FMFL is widely recognized as the “world’s first monster magazine”, and though the company had ceased its print publication some years back, it currently hosts an online pub (www.FamousMonstersOfFilmland.com) where it sells its various merchandise and consistently puts out news and feature articles.
Asked about the magazine’s print status (which is on every FMFL reader’s mind), creative director Christopher Ott answered, “The magazine is coming back to print. It will be annual or biannual, made to have that really old school vibe, brought back to the Famous Monsters magazine we opened up as kids, tailored for fans and collectors and not so much for mass production – super special and collectible.”
Renowned caricature artist Bob Lizarraga (www.Lizarraga.net) stood out as a rare specimen amongst SDCC’s pathway of painters and illustrators, blending classic horror and cartoon humor with acrylic on canvas or masonite. Lizarraga’s popular works include “Ali Gal”, “Operation Creature”, “Last Supper With Stanley”, “Grandpa the Impaler”, “The Screaming”, “Twilight Zone Monsters”, the obsessive-compulsive romance of 1960’s “Gomez and Morticia” and “MAD For Dummies” (recently featured on the cover of MAD Magazine), offering a lighter-yet-loony spin within the event’s monster zone.
But the four-day con wasn’t all panels, vendors and signings. Fans of indie horror flicks were delighted to attend a mini-fright fest of short films, including “Ghost Woman” (2021), directed by Puppett, a coming-of-age dark comedy about a werewolf and a spirit who just can’t accept their kin becoming romantically involved. And “The Vampyre” (2023), directed by Paul Guay, a vibrant homage to Nosferatu with a bit of a social and psychological twist. The highlight of the scream block was “Pisanka” (2022), directed by Jorge Yudice, a perfectly-paced, well-written foreign short about two women talking over coffee while “something” looms over one of their shoulders! Think of that red faced fellow from Insidious – but creepier!
For those wishing to attend San Diego Comic Con 2024, contact www.comic-con.org for badge and registration info.
