In Memorium

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 27, 2006

Oddly, every time you hear a cliché you want to dismiss it and then you find out there’s a reason they get repeated often enough to earn the term. I’m reminded of that as three well-respected actors have passed, proving that celebrity deaths happen in threes.

Darren McGavin

He was TV’s first Mike Hammer and maybe more people knew him from The Christmas Story, but McGavin made an indelible impression as Carl Kolchak. I remember being genuinely caught up in The Night Stalker when it first aired. A year later, I loved The Night Strangler, as much for the bìtçhÿ camaraderie between McGavin and Simon Oakland as for the chilling story. Kolchak continued my interest in the print media and desire to be a journalist. In high school, a year or so later, I helped a senior investigate a theft and remember walking the halls with that Kolchak shuffle, talking to social circles that normally wouldn’t pay attention to me and had a ball. Wrote it all up for an English essay and got good grades.

McGavin hated doing the weekly series and it was clearly an inferior product but still, I watched every episode.

He was a hard working character actor, at ease on the stage and on the screen, both big and small. His last role that made an impression was the uncredited bit part he played in 1984’s The Natural. I’ll miss him.

Dennis Weaver

Another easy-going actor, much more laid back, was Dennis Weaver. I was too young to enjoy his Festus on Gunsmoke but discovered him on the NBC Mystery Movie as McCloud. Again, his relationship with J.D. Cannon was as entertaining as the cases he solved. Perhaps my favorite episode was the one with the taxis rallying to nail a murderer with McCloud riding his horse through the melee.

His other great role was, of course, in Duel which helped make a name for the director and proved you could still thrill and tantalize audiences with a made-for-television movie.

Don Knotts

Knotts made a career out of playing a particular character type. One I never particularly cared for and endured many an Andy Griffith rerun despite it. At summer camp we were treated to rainy day movies like The Incredible Mr. Limpet and I still never warmed up to him.

I do, though, recognize his talent, his professionalism and the number of people he did manage to reach. His fans span decades and his filmography is impressive. So here’s a tip of the hat to a true entertainer.

Con Report

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 26, 2006

Yesterday, Robbie and I went to the New York Comic-Con and we had a blast despite all the technical difficulties Reed Exhibitions encountered with running their first consumer-based comic book show. Given that 95% of their business is b-to-b trade shows, this caught them totally under-prepared despite warnings from various comics consultants.

Last week pre-reg was only 4500 and they were worried. What they didn’t anticipate was the huge consumer walk-up business and even after Friday’s experience they were a mess.

Pre-reg people, pros and fans alike, were directed to an express line but they neglected to segregate pros and speakers from fans. If it wasn’t for a staffer, I would have been on the line forever when my credentials were waiting for me in a speaker’s room. Also, they were so overwhelmed with people they were just scanning pre-reg bar coded receipts and slapping on green wristbands to expedite matters.

The Main Room

Again, despite warnings, the aisles were too narrow and they weren’t good at managing the traffic flow. They had to close the exhibit hall repeatedly and even people with exhibitor passes were having trouble getting in. Some of the other upper levels got closed because of volume. About the only wise thing they did was shut ticket sales around noon. Word is some 9000 people were turned away but that’s only second-hand gossip.

Comic book publishers – large and small – had space along with Hollywood studios and book publishers. Literally, there was something for everyone so Robbie could indulge in the Gaming Room or the game demos while I reacquainted myself with long-time colleagues and recent co-workers.

It was terrific to see fellow members of the Unemployment Patrol, such as ex-iBook staffers Maureen McTigue and Dwight Zimmerman. It was equally fun seeing people turn up at new spots such as neighbor Brian Augustyn at the Narwain Booth or Lee Nordling conducted Platinum Studios business from a snack table. I got warm welcomes from the folks over at DelRey and met Roger Rosen, the man behind Rosen Books, home to all my YA non-fiction.

Business

I had a productive meeting with the folk over at Actionopolis. I saw their first printed samples and thought they looked pretty darn terrific. We’ll chat some more about this another time. One plus to the meeting meant spending time with Dan Mishkin an old friend and member of the Actionopolis team.

I had another meeting that went much better than I expected and should things come to fruition, I’ll fill you in.

As a networking opportunity, the show was very, very good for me and I have all sorts of things to follow up on in the coming week.

Moderating the Comedy Central/Spike panel went very well, too. We showed one of the eight episodes for their new mobile download series Samurai Love God which was pretty funny along with a first-ever peek at Freak Show a new animated series slated for much later this year. I engaged our panelists in some dialogue, we showed clips, and got some solid questions. Then we switched to a preview of Blade, Spike’s first original dramatic series, and it was fun sharing a stage with the execs along with Geoff Johns. We also debuted a teaser for the series, which will start airing on June 28. Again, I asked some questions to explore the obvious issues and then threw the floor open to questions. Everyone seemed to think it went well so I was happy to help out.

Pleasure

Once the panel ended at 7, the main room was shutting down so I rendezvoused with Rhett Thomas, the brains behind The Marvel Masterworks Resource Page. I’ve support Rhett since my Marvel days and we’ve kept in touch ever since. He was meeting up with several other people who post on his message boards and I was invited along. Robbie was game so I accepted the invitation. Then, while waiting from stragglers, I ran into Rebecca and Jen, two friends from beyond comics even though they’re both fans. They got adopted and joined us as well.

The dozen of us had a fine meal at the New Yorker Hotel’s restaurant, with Rhett treating us all to appetizers. For nearly three hours I sat talking comics and pop culture stuff as a fan which was really nice as a change of pace. Meeting many of the posters was wonderful, especially Ray who flew all the way from Scotland for the event. A great way to cap a good day for me, and for Robbie.

This Weekend

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 22, 2006

This weekend New York City will host the New York Comic-Con at the Jacob Javits Center. It’s been a while since there was a major NYC con and this is the first run by Reed Exhibitions, the folk who run professional conferences in a wide variety of fields.

The schedule is jammed plus there will be comic publishers, book publishers, cable channels and movie studios all presenting stuff.

I will be there on Saturday only and have just one appearance scheduled. The con organizers have asked me to moderate the following panel:

Feb 25, 2006 – 5:00PM to 6:50PM – 1E14/1E15
Check out the latest from Comedy Central and Spike TV. You’ll view screenings of never-before-seen episodes of upcoming programs, followed by a panel discussion with Comedy Central and Spike executives and show creators, including Eric Mahoney, writer/creator of Comedy Central’s first made for mobile animated series, Samurai Love God. Learn what these networks look for in on air, online, and mobile programming.

We’ll show clips from Samurai Love God and Spike’s first original series, Blade followed by a conversation which should be entertaining. I’m looking forward to it.

The rest of the day I’ll be wandering the aisles, saying hi to old friends and colleagues. I’m bringing Robbie, who will probably be spending his time in the Game Room.

In Today’s Mail

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 21, 2006

I love receiving mail. Most days, we toss the vast majority of it since it’s all junk. There are the numerous magazines and bills but rarely are there surprises.

Today, there was a surprise.

The Comics Journal has begun mining their past for trade and hardcover collections of themed subjects. Most are very handsome and worth a look. Volume six in The Comics Journal Library is entitled The Writers and two copies of the book were in a box when I brought the mail in.

A glance at the cover shows that some of the biggest names of the 1970s and 1980s are interviewed in one place – this back in the day when TCJ actually covered mainstream comics on a regular basis. While the most commercial interview included is the one with Harlan Ellison (since he and the magazine got sued after he complimented a comics writer but the writer took umbrage at the exact phrase), the one that means the most to me is the Len Wein conversation.

This interview closes the book, and was conducted by me in 1985 when Len was still editing titles at DC and just coming off his aborted run as writer/editor of Green Lantern. In flipping through it, I see we were comfortable with one another but the questions weren’t terribly meaningful or insightful. Len can be a glib speaker, falling back on practiced phrases, when not poked and prodded. I wish the introductions to each interview would have allowed these to be placed in perspective, but hey, like I said, the entire package was a pleasant surprise.

For those interested in hearing the “voices from the re-birth of American comic books, 1975-1985” and what was on the minds of Chris Claremont, Gerry Conway, Steve Englehart, Steve Gerber, Archie Goodwin, Alan Moore, Denny O’Neil, Marv Wolfman, Harlan and Len can find the book here.

Back from the Con

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 20, 2006

Time flies when you’re busy or not looking or having fun.

Just got back from Farpoint and had a lovely time. As usual, returning to the Hunt Valley Inn is like returning to family and friends. This time, though, it was a jarring experience. The hotel is under renovation and they apparently got a good deal on carpet remnants because the place is a riot of colors that don’t match, aren’t harmonious and call attention to their ugliness.

We headed down right after Robbie got out of school and hit traffic almost the entire length of the NJ Turnpike. It was a pretty awful experience. On the other hand, he thought it pretty hysterical that we managed to catch up with his girl friend, Stephanie, and her mother as they headed to Washington, D.C. We managed to stay together for about half an hour in bumper to bumper nonsense and the kids waved back and forth, sending incredulous text messages from car to car.

Attached to the hotel is a restaurant space done up as a faux ‘50s diner that remains vacant most of the year. Whenever someone tries to turn it into a restaurant or night spot, it fails. However, they let the con use it as their Con Suite so it’s spacious and well stocked by the con with snacks and drinks. I wound up spending a lot of time there over the weekend, starting Friday night as I caught up with many of the gang down there.

On Saturday, I showed the usual assortment of movie previews followed by a panel about Star Trek: Starfleet Corps of Engineers, the wonderful eBook series I’ve recently completed a story for. The panel was a little lightly attended but we (including Keith DeCandido, Terri Osborne, Allyn Gibson, Rich White, Bob Joschonek) and had a fine time poking fun at one another. At noon, we went to see the Boogie Knights perform. For a change, they were seven strong, including the debut of Keith as Sir KRAD the Obscure on percussion. They sounded really good and debuted 4-5 new songs which all sounded fun. From there, Peter David, KRAD, Mike Friedman and I conducted a panel on The International Association of Media Tie-In Writers, the recently formed organization that I belong to. Peter was unaware of it which I soon rectified and then we went on to talk about Media Tie-In war stories and had some fun.

As the afternoon wore on, I met with Peter and Mike to plot next summer’s entry in our Mystery Trekkie Theatre series of spoofs. We talked about a bunch of other stuff and it’s always good spending time with them.

Then there was a lovely dinner with Mike, his son Drew, Howard and Susan Weinstein and us. This has become an annual tradition, and it’s the only time I get to see Susan so I’m happy.

That night I judged the Masquerade, along with the Big Name Guests, which allowed me to meet and get to know Penny Jerald Johnson, a wee bit. She’s a lovely lady and I enjoyed her company. The Masquerade had all of 23 entries, but most were very good and entertaining. Peter’s wife Kathleen won a few awards for her Mugato costume and presentation. She also orchestrated the simple costume but hilarious entry that mixed It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown with Smallville. Under two of the sheets were Kate and Robbie, who had some fun. That too, won an Award so it was a fine night for Kathleen.

Afterwards, Deb actually joined me at Ten Forward for dancing and socializing. This year, Scott Farquhar deejayed and put together a decade by decade sound with appropriate video clips. A few us sang along to the Blue Oyster Cult’s “Godzilla” while clips from Godzilla vs. Megalon played and we all cheered when the 1970s dawned with clips from Howie’s “Pirates of Orion” episode from Star Trek: The Animated Series. A good time was had by all.

Sunday morning found me up bright and early as the guests were invited to mingle with the Con’s volunteer troops for breakfast before the con got underway. From there, it was time for the annual Bob & Howie Show, where Howard and I fill an hour with interesting news bits, anecdotes, and general chit chat. Deb and I then had a brief brunch with our pals Jim and Paula, who couldn’t make the con for the weekend but wanted to see us. I dashed back to the hotel for the Star Trek’s 40th Anniversary panel, no doubt the first of several I will participate in as 2006 rolls along. There, sitting with Keith, Peter, Mike and Howie, it was five guys with beards and glasses, confusing ourselves and having a fine time.

I spent some time back in the Con Suite with Katie and Deb working out the backstory to a project I’ll tell you about some time later. Once the business ended, we socialized and before we knew it, the con was over, people were leaving and our obligations were done. We brought take-out food back to the room and the four of us chilled for a while. Robbie went out to hang with his peers while Deb and Kate contented watched the Olympics and knit. I watched with them and then sought out the remnants of the con committee and visited with them before bedtime.

Today was getting Kate to Penn Station in Baltimore so she could return to college while we headed north. Unlike Friday, the highways were clear and we returned in the early afternoon.

It was a fun weekend, a great time to see friends, meet fans, chat about things that excite me and it was a welcome break from sitting in the basement office and writing up a storm.

Pitchers and Catchers

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 16, 2006

Here in Fairfield, it’s sunny and warm, temperature over 50. A good percentage of Sunday’s snow has vanished.

And today is special.

Pitchers and catchers report to Legends Field in Port St. Lucie for the beginning of Mets spring training. Forget what you heard about the Groundhog, spring training has begun. Spring officially gets underway on March 1 when the first exhibition games get played.

Unlike other sports, we tend memorialize key dates, starting today. We romanticize the renewal of the year, the eternal hope that our team will perform better than last year and the optimism that with the arrival of ball players we can once more glimpse our youth.

Or, as Katie put it on her Away Message: Pitchers and catchers!!!

First sign of spring, baby.

Snow Day

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 13, 2006

On Saturday, Deb commented that if we were getting snow, she wanted a lot of it. I pointed out that being on the coast; we usually get the low end of the estimates so we were more likely to see 4-6 inches than the 12 inches being predicted. I was confident in that feeling as the 6 p.m. start of the snow really became a 9:30 p.m. start.

Imagine my surprise when we woke up yesterday so see the streets covered and the snow coming down hard and fast. In a moment of bravado, Deb put on her boots and coat and trudged out to collect the paper. By lunchtime, there was no sign of her having been outdoors.

I spent the snow day taking care of family odds and ends, from laundry to prepping the taxes to filling out the financial aid forms for both kids. After lunch, we all played Sorry (I won) and then around 3 the snow tapered off and we suited up. It took us about 90 minutes to dig out the walk and driveway. Robbie’s car blocked the driveway but Deb was going to be the first one leaving today so we had to re-juggle the cars. That proved easier said than done as both cars got stuck in the snowy street (the plows came through at 7:30 a.m. and didn’t come back until after 5) but we managed.

I can’t find an accurate measurement on line, but Robbie heard a radio report last night indicating Fairfield saw 18-20 inches. I’ll believe it.

Deb was supposed to fly to Minneapolis today but last night she got a call, canceling her flight and rebooking her for Tuesday night. First thing this morning I was outside clearing the lip of the driveway, moving away what the plows deposited. Her train ride to the City was slow and laborious but she made it only a wee bit late.

We’re done with snow for the season now.

Well, I’m Excited

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 12, 2006

I would get home from elementary school sometime between 2:30 and 3. I recall entering the house, dropping my things and having a snack, putting on the television. Couldn’t tell you today where Mom, Neil or Judy were, but I recall being on my own.

For whatever reason, channel 11, WPIX, had shows I really enjoyed watching. Among them, back in the mid-1960s, were reruns of the Patty Duke Show. For those unfamiliar with the premise, Patty lived in New York City with her parents and brother, along with her cousin Cathy, who remarkably looked exactly like Patty. The cousins were a study in contrasts and from there hilarity ensued.

One of the things I really liked about the show was that the teens hung out at a malt shop. There was a jukebox, sometimes they danced but mainly they sat around talking and sipping milk shakes. When I grew up, I knew that was the kind of place I wanted to hang out at. Instead, I grew up in what is known as a bedroom community which had no real center of town or town identity. The nearest shop with milk shakes was miles away in the next town of Hicksville (no, really). It wasn’t until my best pal Jeff and I were able to ride our bikes that distance, on a very busy street, in search of comics at the stationary store next door that I was able to hang and sip a milk shake. Of course, having bought comics, we pooled what little money we had and shared fries and each had a drink and even then, not regularly.

So, why am I suddenly thinking about all this? Because Patty’s understanding, hard-working newspaperman father was played by William Schallert, a fine character actor. And just yesterday I learned that Schallert will be a guest at Shore Leave this summer. He’s there because, during a career that is rather lengthy as seen at IMDB, he’s appeared on numerous science fiction shows, including the memorable “Trouble with Tribbles” episode.

I normally don’t get excited at the notion of meeting actors anymore, but this is one I am looking forward to chatting with!

Farpoint Schedule

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 8, 2006

The winter Baltimore show I attend, Farpoint is just over a week away so I thought I’d post my schedule. Those who attend always have a great time and for those considering coming, we’ll be waiting for you.

Saturday

Bob Greenberger
Movie trailers & free-form talk
10 a.m. Valley Ballroom

Star Trek S.C.E.
Keith R.A. DeCandido (M), Bob Greenberger, Robert Jeschonek, Terri Osborne, Rich White
Writers of the Starfleet Corps of Engineers talk about this innovative e-book series.
11 a.m. Salon A

The Boogie Knights
(OK, I’m not in this, but Kate is so it’s close enough. And for fans, Keith DeCandido will be debuting with the group, providing percussion and will adopt an appropriately silly name.)
Noon Valley Ballroom

Media Tie-In Writers of America
Bob Greenberger (M), Michael Jan Friedman, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Peter David
The niche within a niche is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Find out how authors are banding together and what they – and the fans – can expect from this organization which is really entitled the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers.
1 p.m. Salon A

Sunday

The Bob & Howie Show
The ultimate program filler returns for its 22nd consecutive year! Bob and Howard Weinstein always manage to find something to argue about over the course of an hour.
9:30 a.m. Valley Ballroom

Star Trek: The Anniversary – Keith R.A. DeCandido (M), Peter David, Michael Jan Friedman, Bob Greenberger, Howie Weinstein
Writers discuss Star Trek’s 40th anniversary, how Star Trek has evolved over the decades, and Paramount’s upcoming projects to celebrate the event.
Noon, Derby Room

Robbie will also have a one-line appearance in the afternoon’s fan-written and produced Showcase which is usually worth your time and attention.

About SF

Posted by Bob Greenberger on February 6, 2006

Somewhat snurched from my pal, Michael Burstein:

AboutSF.com, is a resource center currently under construction by Thomas Seay. The main page lays out a mission to provide “services related to speculative literature, science fiction, and education.” On his blog, Seay says, “AboutSF is intended to serve as a sort of ‘volunteer coordinator’ for the speculative fiction field, so our focus will depend on which projects the many volunteers within the SF field consider the most useful or promising.”

The most interesting thing he’s set up from my perspective is a speaker’s bureau. Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America did run its own SFWA Speakers’ Bureau for many years, but recently it doesn’t seem to have been too active. And SFWA is now pointing its writers toward the new resource.

So I figured I, like Michael, would sign up for it. I’m now listed at Speaker info: Robert Greenberger. I’ve actually given talks before, at libraries and on college campuses, but those have often been catch as catch can. Now science fiction and fantasy writers who aren’t as well known have a way to get our names out there. and I’m curious to see if I get any requests especially since I’m the only one listed in Connecticut.