Is your job at risk of becoming redundant, thanks to ChatGPT? In some ways, it may be possible. Certain positions in the workforce may be at risk due to relatively basic AI.
Over at ZDNet, the co-creator of Sophia the Robot believes employees could end up pink-slipped due to AI. Ben Goertzel made a humbling statement, “You don’t need to be incredibly creative and innovative or make big leaps to do most people’s jobs, as it turns out.”
One of the things Goertzel mentioned is how Grammarly has affected the blogging/editing/writing industry, “They don’t entirely eliminate [the job] but they decrease that need. Automatic tools [can be used for] writing journalistic articles. They’ve been writing … sports score summaries and weather reports for a long time.”
Although it is a helpful tool, Grammarly does have issues understanding context and a writer’s tone. Sometimes, out of the 70+ suggestions Grammarly has, I have to disregard most of them because it would change the piece’s voice or completely butcher a sentence.
Could ChatGPT replace many in the workforce? For specific industries, yes. Customer service could be replaceable with an entire AI system, except for advanced issues. While AI may be efficient, human ingenuity is still needed for out-of-the-box thinking.
Other office worker positions could also fall to the rise of AI. For example, employees responsible for recruiting could have a chunk of their tasks handled by artificial intelligence. A program could scour LinkedIn and every other resume database to find applicants, e-mail them interview offers, or even offer them a job.
What AI can’t currently replace is are tradespeople. AI isn’t going to put a new roof on your home, at least not in the immediate future. Until Boston Dynamics makes affordable robots, those of us who went into a trade instead of tech are safe. However, the further up the chain you are in a company, the more likely you will be replaceable, even in a construction company.
Think about it this way, the more paperwork you do, the closer you will be to being made redundant by AI. Your future employment may be spending your time finding bugs in OpenAI’s products.
What is your job? Could ChatGPT or another form of AI drastically reduce your day-to-day duties? Let us know in the comments section below.
Back in the 90s, arcade action games were a big hit among gamers who frequently visited an arcade. Nowadays this kind of experience has gone nearly extinct, but many of the classic games from that era have received ports to modern-day hardware. Some have fared much better than others, with a select few going on to become beloved classics from the era, such as Strider from Capcom. But others haven’t aged, as is the case with Cannon Dancer, also known as Osman in the West. The recent port to the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox brings both versions of the game together for the first time, along with some extra features that retro game enthusiasts might appreciate. Though it might not be enough to make up for many of the archaic aspects of this forgotten action game.
Cannon Dancer is a game that is very similar to games like Strider since some of the team members that worked on that game also worked on this one. There are a lot of familiar characteristics here, from the setting and timeframe to the gameplay itself. The story of Cannon Dancer takes place in a dystopian future, where a martial arts specialist battles against an evil sorceress who wants to take over the world. With his fists and high kicks, he’ll have to smash his way through legions of bad guys to bring down a corrupt government and fend off assassins who want him dead. It’s about as 90s a plot as you can get for a video game made in that era, for better or worse.
Gameplay is pretty standard here. You move left to right on the screen, punching and kicking enemies that appear in your way. Your attacks aren’t as powerful as you think, so you’ll need to pick up power-ups that give you an attack boost and allow you to project a duplicate of yourself in areas you have passed through on the screen. All of this is fine, but the difficulty of the game is very frustrating. You can only take a few hits before losing a life, and you’re only allowed a small number of continues. You’ll definitely struggle to avoid attacks and do very little damage in return, only to get demolished by groups of enemies or super-powered bosses that take up much of the screen. None of this would be that bad if you could continue endlessly and keep trying to overcome each stage. But at some point things will get too overbearing and you’ll be sent back to the beginning of the game.
While the core gameplay of Cannon Dancer is what you expect, a straight-up arcade brawler with a very tilted difficulty, the release of the game is an entirely different package. Like most other retro game collections that revive old releases, Cannon Dancer comes with various enhancements that you can play around with. There’s the ability to use save states, a rewind feature, and various cheats and customization options for your controls and display. All of this helps immensely when you’re trying to get through to the end of the game and you’re not use to the difficulty curve of arcade titles. Many of these games were meant to eat up quarters, so their challenge can be very harsh. While having infinite credits and all of these features can give an edge to overcome this, many games like this don’t always age as well as they should.
The unfortunate part of this is rather confusing, however. All of the new features you can use come with the cost of disabling trophies and achievements. The only way to earn them is to play through the game’s Challenge Mode which sets things up as if you were playing in an arcade. You’re allowed to have two enhancements to use, such as a double jump and other kinds of perks, but everything else is off-limits.
While this helps with keeping the challenge of Cannon Dancer intact to some degree, it’s a real drag for anyone just playing the game for personal enjoyment. Many other retro collections or rereleases of classic games do not do this, and they allow you to still earn trophies and achievements. For some, this might seem like a way of preserving the true essence of what arcade games like this did back in the day, but in reality, it’s an archaic way of thinking for a rerelease on modern consoles.
What’s also disappointing is the lack of any other bonus features that come with Cannon Dancer. There are various wallpapers and display options to tinker with how the game looks, but there are no other features beyond that. No gallery to showcase any artwork or development notes, no look into the original arcade machine for Cannon Dancer, or anything else related. This is something this rerelease could have really benefitted from. As is, this is a meager package with a slim offering.
Cannon Dancer will only resonate with those who knew of this game’s existence beforehand. Its extra features aren’t enough to make the game more fun or interesting to play, and the lack of any other extra content is a big letdown. This is a very lean port of an arcade game, with not much for anyone that’s never heard of it before. If you didn’t play it back then, you probably won’t gain much if you skip over it now.
Did you get to play Cannon Dancer in arcades back in the day? Have you gotten to check out this rerelease of the game? Let us know in the comments and share your thoughts about it!
When it comes to anime theatrical releases, the name Makoto Niitsu should definitely mean something to you. Responsible for anime stories like Your Name, The Garden of Words, and Weathering with You; all of his films have thought-provoking stories matched with beautiful visuals. The newest theatrical release from Niitsu follows suit with his past works, taking the audience on a journey across Japan and into a mystical realm just beyond the door between life and death. Suzume, also known as Suzume no Tojimari in Japanese, lets you marvel at tons of eye candy as you go along for the ride.
Suzume follows a young girl named Suzume Iwato who gets caught up in a magical journey after coming across a mysterious young man named Sota. Suzume’s normal life consists of high school and living with her aunt after the passing of her mother at a young age, but everything is thrown off when she finds a door that leads to another word an inadvertently provokes a natural disaster. Sota closes and locks the door, saving Suzume and everything else before things can get dire. After returning to Suzume’s home, a magical cat follows them and turns Sota into a small chair that Suzume owns, which at one time was made by her mother. The two of them then set off on a journey to close more of the doors and prevent natural disasters from happening, as well as restore Sota to his original form.
While there’s a big element of magic and mythological powers at work throughout the film, the bulk of the story is about Suzume accepting the grief of her mother’s death and moving on with her life. There’s also a strong influence in both the story and visuals related to many of the disasters that have happened in Japan over the course of many years, including the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. When the doors the two search for are left open, a giant worm comes out and begins to cause earthquakes that could devastate the people of Japan. And all anyone could do is stand by helplessly, feeling the impact of the force at play. It’s powerful symbolism that conveys the general feeling of being around such an event, something which Makoto Niitsu was heavily influenced by for the film.
The best aspect of the film is the visuals. Nearly every frame has an incredible amount of detail that makes it seem like a beautiful painting. There are elements of computer effects in some scenes or sequences that involve motion, as well as a few spots where the backgrounds take an almost otherworldly effect. There’s beauty, mysticism, grace, and horror on display in many ways throughout Suzume.
Some of the best scenes with the best animation are when Suzume and Soto are trying to close doors together, with lots of magic swirling around. But even in the quieter moments showcasing everyday life in Japan, the movie takes a lot of care to let enough little details work together in making a beautifully framed shot. It can be a simple setting of a field with junk around, but hot damn does it look super good.
For some people who watch Suzume, the story will start off mysterious and slow in the early sections of the film. At the same time, the latter portion of the story may come off as a bit rushed and confusing, especially when certain characters appear at first one way and then totally change their purpose later on.
Without spoiling too much, many things don’t appear to be what they are at first, both with people and creatures Suzume comes across. It can feel like a sense of whiplash with the plot, but everything leads to a rounded conclusion by the time everything reaches a climax. And luckily the gorgeous visuals make up for most of what the plot stumbles with.
For the English version of the film, there’s a nice blending of Japanese dialogue in some scenes that doesn’t come off as jarring. Certain scenes that feature karaoke or music playing on the radio incorporate the Japanese language. Watching the Japanese dub of the film completely makes this irrelevant, but it’s nice to see that songs included in the film weren’t changed to English versions that can ruin their rhythm or mood. They’re small parts of the film, but again it’s the small details that make Suzume’s larger pieces of the experience work so well.
For those that want to watch a story with a lot of emotions and magical elements, with a hint of harsh themes rooted in reality, Suzume will be a good watch. Whether you decide to go with the English or Japanese dubbing won’t take away from the fantastic visuals of this film. Its story beats will have a few flaws you might pick out along the way, but none of it will dampen the overall great time you’ll have watching this animated fantasy.
Have you gotten the chance to watch Suzume in theaters? Are you a big fan of anime films? Post a comment down below and let us know what you think!
‘Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku’ is a dark fantasy manga series written and illustrated by Yuji Kaku with Shonen Jump publishing it. The Japanese animation studio MAPPA picked it up for an anime adaption that was released in Spring 2023 under the title ‘Hell’s Paradise.’ Crunchyroll has acquired the distribution rights for a North American release and is producing an English dub version.
“Gabimaru the Hollow, a ninja of Iwagakure Village known for being cold and emotionless, was set up by his fellow ninja and is now on death row. Tired of killing and betrayal, he wants to die. However, no method of execution works on him because as much as the seemingly apathetic Gabimaru refuses to admit it, he does have a reason to live. He wants to return to his wife, who was the reason why he softened up and failed to be an effective assassin. Thus, he refuses to die.
Asaemon the Decapitator, a famous executioner, sees this and has a proposal for the ninja. She wants Gabimaru to join an expedition to an island south of Japan in search of the elixir of life in exchange for a full pardon by the Shogunate. However, this island isn’t a normal island: it’s believed to be Paradise. However the island is full of mysteries, and the exploring team—consisting of those marked for death—might not be fully prepared to handle them.”
Shonen Jump releases the serialized version of the manga on their webcomic imprint Jump Comics Plus.
No matter how often DC Comics tries to reimagine Superman and Lois Lane, those iterations will never top the classic take on the reporter and the big boy scout. It’s just that iconic imagery that has been captured in the newest DC collectible we’re looking at today.
In honor of one of the most famous couples in all of comic book history, Sideshow Collectibles is producing a new diorama featuring Superman and Lois Lane. The statue measures 22″ tall and is made of polystone. Although orders are limited to 2 per customer, there does not appear to be a specified number of pieces being produced yet.
Superman and Lois are scheduled to release between December 2023 and March 2024.
Sideshow has also released a Superman and Lois art print by Julian Totino Tedesco that you may be interested in. The print is $95 and can be purchased today.
“The Man of Steel carries the Ace Reporter in his arms high above the Daily Planet building’s signature golden rooftop globe. A stylized representation of the city skyline is nestled within the fixture, painted with a warm to cool gradient of reds, oranges, yellows, and blues. From this vantage point, Lois Lane has all the eye witness account she needs for that next big scoop — while Superman only has eyes for her.”
If you want to go back even further into the history of Superman and Lois, be sure to check out the 1941 Superman set Mezco created. The box set is based on one of Fleischer Studios’ Superman cartoons. It includes Clark Kent, Lois Lane, a Mechanical Monster, and, of course, Superman.
The box set is priced at $79.99, and you’ll also get a quick-change phone booth for Supes and Clark Kent!
If you’ve had the chance to play Vampire Survivors on PC or Xbox Series X/S, then you’ll know how addictive it can be. Slaying legions of monsters and demonic enemies with magical weapons as you traverse wide-open stages can make you lose a few hours if you don’t keep track of time. The game was even more interesting for fans of Castlevania or anything related since many of the sprites and abilities were heavily inspired by the classic vampire slaying series. If you never read our gameplay impressions of the base game, you can do so right here. It’s honestly a great indie game that is easy to get into and spend time trying to master. But new downloadable content from the developer poncle, titled the Tides of Foscari, will have you returning to Vampire Survivors for more runs.
With the new content, players can dive into a new stage called Lake Foscari. It’s a forest area with a large lake nearby and a few key locations that include a maze and fungal village. With this stage comes new monsters and baddies to run into, all of which get added to your Bestiary when you defeat them. The new monsters look great in the new stage, offering a different flavor in comparison to the other stages within the base Vampire Survivors, or its first downloadable content pack.
There are some secrets to find within the new stage, but it might take you a while to find them all. You’ll have to traverse the majority of the stage in order to find everything. Some things you can find include more powerful enemies that yield extra bonuses if you’re able to defeat them, as well as hidden pathways that lead to other sections of the stage that might seem unreachable at first. Exploring around will require you to take some time to level up before venturing deeper into the map, otherwise, you’ll walk into a spot with an overwhelming group of enemies.
Everything from snakes, werewolves, ghosts, and other forest-themed monster is in here. Unfortunately, they don’t do much differently in comparison to the rest of the game. There are some new animations for a couple of enemies that look good, but nothing too significantly different from how enemies attempt to overwhelm you or crowd up the stage. Some of the larger enemies or bosses you run into are powerful and look intimidating. If you slack off during a run, you might find yourself overpowered and ruined by their arrival.
Luckily you’re equipped with new weapon options to use against the legions of monsters that attack you. There are 13 new weapons that include magical missiles and powerful spells with devastating effects. There are also additional boosts that you can discover with varying effects that are different than previous boosts you can obtain.
Whether they are ideal to add to your arsenal will depend on your run, but you can discover new combinations of upgrades to open up more powerful attacks to take you through a full run. You’ll want to keep grabbing some of the standard upgrades from the base game to keep everything going strong and find ways to combine the old and new for complete dominance of the area.
The new characters that come with Tides of Foscari are interesting, but you’ll have to discover them on the stage and purchase them from the menu before using them. When unlocked, they have their own perks and starting weapons that are different from the previous cast of heroes. Again, their usefulness with their starting weapons and perks will vary depending on how you play and what stage you go into. But luckily you can use the new characters in every stage you have unlocked already, and the extra perks you’ve unlocked also apply to them when you start a run.
The rest of the new content consists of new music tracks to play while you slay the armies of evil, as well as new achievements to earn with new milestones. Playing with the new characters for a period of time and upgrading their weapons usually unlocks a new achievement, as well as finishing the Lake Foscari stage too. It’s a neat package of new stuff for a game that was already jam-packed with content and addictive to boot. For anyone that wasn’t into what Vampire Survivors was already offering, nothing here will do enough to change your mind. This Tides of Foscari content is more of what made Vampire Survivors already good with little changes to the core of the gameplay itself. If it’s not broken, no need to fix anything or mess around with it too much. But if you already enjoyed Vampire Survivors beforehand, then you’ll love what is included here.
Have you gotten to play through Vampire Survivors yet? What is your favorite character or group of abilities to use during a run? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments down below!
Finish her! Princess Kitana is the latest defender of Outworld to join PCS’s 1:3 scale Mortal Kombat Klassic Statue Kollection. But, hang on a minute … she looks very similar to another statue we saw months ago.
Like in classic arcade games, Kitana shares the same body as Jade. We covered Jade’s statue a while ago, and yes, it’s the same but with a new coat of paint. The main difference is that Kitana comes with her silver fans and an alternate unmasked head sculpt.
The Kitana statue stands 30″ tall, including the base. There are no special features aside from the swappable portraits. The blue liquid of the Dead Pool would look even better if it had an LED light-up feature. Oh, well.
Kitana will set you back $1,150, the same price as Jade. She can be pre-ordered over at Sideshow Collectibles. Additionally, the edition size for this statue is set at only 400 pieces. Expect Kitana to arrive between October and December 2023.
“The Kitana Statue is fully sculpted wearing a blue and black bodysuit with matching gloves and thigh-high boots. Sculpted accents like mesh, lacing, and rivets add to the stylish design of her striking outfit. Kitana comes with a masked portrait showing her hair pulled into a bun and she also includes an unmasked portrait with her black hair down, flowing loosely before the battle begins.”
Kitana eventually lost her sexy outfit when Mortal Kombat X rolled around. Her duds now saw her more covered up, even though many male characters wore a lot less. In my opinion, this was a major letdown.
By Mortal Kombat 11, she was almost unrecognizable. This weird prudishness regarding the female form feels like something out of the 1950s. Thankfully, most of the older games are readily available on multiple platforms.
It has been a long road for the Super Troopers. It took 17 years for the first sequel to happen, and it only succeeded because it was partially crowdfunded. So now, five years later, where is Broken Lizard at with a follow-up?
In a short trimmed clip from Nerdtropolis, Jay Chandrasekhar directly addressed the question about Super Troopers 3, saying, “We’re ten drafts in. So, we’re hoping to do it next.” The Broken Lizard members also teased Super Troopers’ future during an appearance on Chicago’s WGN9.
Super Troopers 3: The Winter Soldiers is listed on IMDB, but we cannot verify if Broken Lizard or a random IMDB user generated the listing.
The WGN9 segment is more fleshed out, with the members of the comedy troupe talking about their beginnings and their newest film Quasi. This latest R-rated comedy is premiering on 4/20 on Hulu, thanks to Searchlight Pictures.
Quasi, as you could probably guess from the title, is about a “hapless hunchback yearns for love but finds himself in the middle of a murderous feud between the Pope and the king of France when each orders the hunchback to kill the other.”
The original Super Troopers hit US theatres in 2002 and became a cult comedy. The budget was under $5M but took in over $23M worldwide. Oddly, a sequel wasn’t immediately on the charters for Broken Lizard.
Instead, the troupe next focused on a comedy horror flick called Club Dread in ’04 and Beerfest in 2006. Eventually, thanks to an overwhelmingly positive crowdfunding campaign, Super Troopers 2 was made in 2018.
In one day, the fan-backed project raised $2 million. It blew past stretch goals, which helped secure the return of Brian Cox as Captain O’Hagen and a brief cameo from Marisa Coughlan as Ursula. The final budget for the film was just over $13M, but the sequel managed to bring in $31.6 million, beating the original.
Looks like the reception of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League hasn’t been as good as many hoped it would be. Rocksteady Studios recently showcased their upcoming game based on Suicide Squad at the February 2023 PlayStation State of Play the past few months, showing off various gameplay elements and more. The reaction to it was very mixed among some players and outright negative from others. But it looks like that may have influenced Rocksteady’s decision to delay the game even more than before. It might be a while before we see this game now.
In a Twitter post by Rocksteady on the official account for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, the studio announced that it will be delaying the release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League until February 2024. They cited the delay as due to taking the extra time to make sure that the quality of the game is the best quality for players.
“…There is much more to share in the months ahead, and we look forward to seeing you in Metropolis next year.” Rocksteady Studios retweeted the posting on their own company Twitter page after the post went out. While some have shared empathy and appreciation for taking the extra time to finish the game, others were more indifferent about it. Many were quick to point out that the reaction to the gameplay shown at the February State of Play may have played a big factor in the company’s decision to delay the game, with some stating that their initial impression was not very good. A big point of contention was the inclusion of live-service elements, including a battle pass that was shown in the menus of the game.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a game where you’ll be able to control various members of the infamous villain-led sent on a mission to take down members of the Justice League. The recent trailers and gameplay showcase gave players a look at what characters will show up and how each member of the Justice League has gone rogue and wreaked havoc on Metropolis.
For many DC fans, this game is also important for a very different reason. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League also has the final performance of the late Kevin Conroy, who was the iconic voice of Batman for many DC hero projects, including Rocksteady’s Batman Arkham series. One trailer for the game revealed that before his untimely death, Kevin was able to play Batman one last time for the game, saying his most iconic line for the character. Fans of Batman and those interested in Rocksteady’s new game will have to wait longer before they can finally get their hands on it. Whether this delay will help out the game or not is anyone’s guess. We’ll have to wait until February 2024 to find out.
Are you happy about Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League getting delayed until 2024? Were you interested in the game beforehand? Post your thoughts down below in the comments and let us know what you think!
Whether you’re doing a panel, talking at your table, or doing a public speaking gig— There is a skill you need: stand-up comics called “working the crowd” or “crowd work.” It’s a skill you can learn with a bit of practice that will help you drive sales at a comic-con and make a memorable impression for future sales.
Preparing Yourself
If you’ve read my previous columns, you already know that you need to have a look and be prepared to talk about your project. In previous years, I dressed as characters from my comics. I was the main character for The Fix and did photoshopped covers with myself. So naturally, when I was promoted, I could wear the character costume.
Currently, I dress as a hunter because I’m promoting The Pineys, and the characters are all hunters in a hunting lodge. You don’t have to go that far, but you have to have a unique look. Something iconic and different can help.
YouTuber Tim Pool wears his beanie, and some YouTubers wear business casual clothes— Unfortunately, many comic book creators wear whatever. They look like they just rolled out of bed. Be better than that.
Next, you want to have something to say. Since I’ve done extensive research on the Jersey Devil and South Jersey folklore. I do a whole talk at local libraries and use the material that inspires stories in my books. So, naturally, I have plenty to say, so I’m ready to do a talk from 10 minutes to over an hour.
You don’t necessarily have to have this kind of information, but you need to know everything about your project. Memorize the most likely questions and hit most of the bullet points below:
1: A synopsis of your project. Don’t give away the story; have a few sentences ready to tell people. One is best. “The Pineys is about a family of hunters that hunt the kin of the Jersey Devil.”
2: Details of the notable characters: You can talk about the characters without giving away the story (hopefully). Drop some bullet points about your more exciting characters. For example, “The main characters are the Galloway cousins: Hemingway, Milton, Shelly, and Lewis. Hemingway is the World’s Greatest Hunter, which must be true because he keeps telling everyone.”
3: Your Creative Team: If you have associates working on the project, know something about them to tell your potential fans. Who are they? What do they do?
“Vig Starmax is the cover artist for The Pineys, and he’s a very talented artist from Malaysia.”
4: Your Creative Process: You should talk about how you make your stories, what inspires you, and what inspires your project specifically.
“The Pineys is inspired by the folktale of the Jersey Devil, South Jersey folktales, local history, and urban legends.”
5: Nuts and Bolts: If you’re at a comic-con, fans are often interested in publishing itself. Hopefully, you’ve learned something by doing it. Let the fans know.
“The Pineys are available at Amazon in both Kindle and paperback formats. I order all my books through Amazon.”
So, you’ve got some basic things to say about your project. Some creators have fascinating life facts that interest a potential fan, and some have intriguing backgrounds.
I knew a comic creator that got into comics, but before that, he was a scientist, which dovetailed nicely in his comic about science. Another creator did a comic book about his autistic son and his parenting challenges, which was a very personal project for him.
The creator of Shalom Man told me about how he sold his comics in religious stores since it was a Jewish superhero with a religious theme. If there are any interesting facts, the audience should be made aware. Think of how a news reporter might report on you and your project.
Comic book characters by Night Cafe AI art generator
How Panels Work
In bigger comic-cons, organizers will have “panels.” These are usually an hour, organized in a special room, to discuss whatever topic connects to the creator and/or the convention. The topics can vary wildly, but your mission is clear: Promote your work.
Types of Panels
Broad Topics: These can be anything like The Future of the Comic Book Medium to Do Comic Book Movies Sell Comics? (The answer is “no,” by the way.) Participating in these panel discussions can make you look like a comic book expert.
Fan Topics: These are topics that generally only fans of a specific subgenre would be interested in. For instance, a panel about Buffy the Vampire Slayer or speculation about the next phase of the MCU. These panels are less likely to help you since you probably don’t work on the discussed large IPs.
How To Topics: How to Make Comics, Costumes, etc. If it’s about comics, you look like an expert but be careful. Please don’t give the fans the impression you’re interested in publishing their work unless you want to be a publisher.
Promotion: You’re there to promote your work; a panel about your comic world is a perfect way to make that happen. You’ll need enough material to talk about for at least 20 to 40 minutes. (It usually runs in blocks of one hour, but don’t be afraid of ending early. Panels typically end up running late.) While ideal for promotion, you may struggle to get good attendance.
The best topics are adjacent to your comic book. For example, I can discuss the Jersey Devil and South Jersey folklore because that’s what The Pineys is based on. It’s easy to tie them into my books at the end, but because I’m discussing something broader, it allows me the opportunity to achieve a bigger audience. You can accomplish the same thing by discussing your expertise as it relates to your project or even if it’s just the creation of comics in the medium in general.
Panels to Avoid
I love the fans, but they often make terrible panel guests. Fans attend a comic-con for fun, so like most people, they will be unfocused and in “fun mode.” They might not be careful what they say or how they say it. They also will probably drone on and on because they haven’t done a panel before.
Fans who end up as panel guests are often more concerned about sating their egos than having fun at a comic-con. You’re there to promote a product, and the last thing you need is to be challenged on some minor point by a stranger who may or may not even be serious about the discussion and has virtually no skin in the game during the panel discussion.
And while this can happen with other creators, at least they are attempting to be professional even if they fail. Stay away from panels made up of fans. Other creators and especially other celebrity guests are fine. These people will likely be experienced in public speaking and know when to shut up and let someone else speak for a while.
photo by Pixabay
The Group Panel
The convention may have a moderator if you are on a group panel. Unfortunately, you won’t be running it, and you’ll have to hope the moderator (probably a volunteer) is savvy enough to give everyone a chance to speak. You will have limited time to talk, depending on how many others are on the panel.
You’ll have to gauge the responses of the moderator and the other guests, but assume you’re only going to get to speak once or twice: once to introduce yourself and a second time to make a point on whatever topic the panel is about. Make sure you promote the following things in one of those moments:
1: Where your table is located in the comic-con: Most conventions large enough to hold panel discussions will number the tables and probably hand out a map to the fans. Make sure you know your number and tell the audience.
If there’s no number, give them some landmarks within the convention where you will be. Then, if you make a good impression on the fans, they’ll seek out where you can sell them directly.
2: Your name and the name of your project: If you have multiple credits like me, focus on the one project you’re currently promoting and perhaps your biggest credit. “Hi, I’m Tony. I previously wrote The Simpsons for Bongo Comics. I’m promoting the Pineys: a comedy/horror book series about a family of hunters that hunts the kin of the Jersey Devil.”
3: Be fun and have fun: Depending on the panel’s topic, have fun with it. Don’t be negative, even if the other panel guests go down that road. No one wants to sit through a bitchfest about how expensive and awful it is to publish their comic.
They want to hear the positives and how to make their dream come true. That doesn’t mean you should lie about a bad experience if you’re offering some practical advice in avoiding a mistake, but couch it as a learning experience that helped you grow as a creator and publisher.
4: Don’t be drunk and/or obnoxious: On the opposite end of the spectrum, you’re not a rockstar. It may feel like that if you get all the attention, but remember, fanboys, that attention is power— And with great power comes great responsibility. I’ve seen creators get drunk and act like clowns at panels. It will probably be a funny story to tell in the hotel bar, but it’s unlikely to make the fans enjoy your discussion.
Solo Panels
These are the best panels because it’s 100% focused on you, but this may be intimidating for the novice public speaker. Breathe. Relax. The people in that room came to see you for a reason. Either they are already fans, or they liked the description of your panel in the comic-con guide. There are almost no reasons to be nervous; the fans are on your side.
1: Start on time: Absolutely do not start early. Fans look at the guide and need time to find the room. So starting a few minutes late is okay.
Comedians warm up the crowd by asking questions like: How is everyone doing today? Are you having a good time? Where are you folks from? We’ll start in a few minutes; I’m just waiting for people to arrive. What’s everyone’s favorite comic book? Raise your hand if you’ve seen my comic book before.
2: When you start, be official and introduce yourself: Say something like, “Okay, I think we’re going to get started here. My name is….” If the door needs to be shut, ensure it’s closed even if you must do it yourself.
You want to take control of the room before you begin, and you also want the room to quiet down if there’s talking. Don’t silence people, but if you officially start, people will calm down and be quiet. Tell them your name, project, and why you’re doing the panel.
3: Take your time: Public speaking can make people nervous, and nervous people tend to rush. You might find moments of silence unbearable when you are giving a speech, but that’s all in your head.
Practicing at home and videoing yourself is the easiest way to cure this. Then watch the video. Note the pauses. They will seem longer as you experience them than watching them afterward.
4: Engage with the crowd: Hopefully, you did a little bit of that already when you asked them some questions. Work in some questions you’ll ask the audience in your talk.
For me, when I’m discussing the Jersey Devil— At one point, I will ask the crowd: There’s a Founding Father who has a connection to the Jersey Devil. Does anyone know who that is?
Since most people know a few of the Founders, I let them guess. I don’t need them to tell me; I know it’s Ben Franklin. So instead, I’m asking to get the audience involved in what I’m talking about it. That interaction will relax the audience and draw them into your words.
For a talk about publishing your comic book, you can ask: Has anyone here ever published their comic book? How many pages are in a typical comic book? Does anyone know? I’ve just outlined the prices and printing cost; how many comics do you think were in my print run?
If you ask the audience any of these questions or others, ensure you have an answer. Again, the purpose is not to gain the information you don’t have but to engage the audience so they listen more closely. An audience that has to answer questions is more likely to listen more closely so they can answer your questions.
5: Joke with the crowd: The key to this is to not make a joke at the expense of anyone in the crowd unless you are an experienced public speaker or comedian. There’s a way to come off upbeat and fun, but I’d advise against it unless you know what you’re doing. For example, there’s a technique where you pretend to pick on an audience member by constantly going back and referring to him for some reason.
For instance, let’s say one of the audience members happens to come all the way from Europe to visit your panel, and his name is Hans. While talking to him before you started, you found out Hans didn’t understand American fast food.
The running gag in your talk might be that you stop to over-explain basic things about America that Hans probably already knows. If you feel Hans is a good sport and laughs every time to refer to him, that’s fine. If he doesn’t, you may have made a mistake. A good comedian can read the room.
A more straightforward tactic is to be self-deprecating. That means you’re making fun of yourself. You usually can’t go wrong with this because almost no one will object to you making jokes at your own expense.
Physical traits are generally the best road to take but stay away from making jokes about you being incompetent or late. Comic books run on deadlines; you don’t want that association.
6: Use visuals: To emphasize your points, use visuals. Develop a PowerPoint presentation. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, just a few pictures of your covers, some of the interior art, and art pieces as it develops.
If you have a project like mine, you could give the back story on it just as I give talks on the Jersey Devil and South Jersey Folklore; I have appropriate slides to go with. But, barring that, bring a few comics to hold up and whatever you use as a free handout at your table.
7: End the panel and thank everyone: Make sure you have a clear ending for your discussion. You need to thank the fans for coming out, especially a guy like Hans, if you used him in your talk and made jokes about him. (Ideally, you should give him a free comic if he’s a good sport.)
Remind the room where your table is and invite them to see you. People absolutely need this instruction. It sounds simple, but some people want “permission” from themselves to do things. You give them that permission by stating the obvious and asking them to come by.
Other Events
You may be asked to participate in other events as a guest at a comic-con. Depending on your project and whether or not it has a tie-in toward your comic book will determine if it’s going to boost your sales. At the very least, it can be fun and heighten your profile in the fan community.
Being a Judge
Comic-cons often hold art contests. This is a great way to dovetail into your project and look like a high-profile professional. Be incredibly constructive with your comments.
Contests for non-comic book things like a Cosplay Contest or some game tournament won’t be as effective unless your comic has a tie-in to those contest themes. However, it still raises your profile in the fan community; just be as honest as you can.
Being a Performer
If you got talent and skills, you might impress the crowd. If you’re new at the performance skill, it’s probably a bad idea. (Don’t offer to play guitar for the crowd just because you had two lessons, but if you’re actually pretty good, go ahead.)
I used to do improv and stand-up comedy, so I’m usually ready to go at a moment’s notice. It won’t probably net you a lot of sales, but it might endear you to the con organizers and raise your profile.
Parties
Parties are suitable for networking and sometimes for promotion. Typically, parties that are behind the scenes are with fellow comic-con guests and creators. It’s usually poor form to sell them, but some may express an interest in your work and come by your table the next day.
More fan-related events can lead you to talk about your work and basically do pieces (or all) of your panel in front of a small ground while you drink and eat snacks.
Party photo by Pixabay
Be on your best behavior at these events because people like to gossip, and some faux pas can get around the comic-con quickly. If you spend the whole party getting wasted, hitting on everything in a skirt, and acting obnoxious, it may not translate well to your hungover fans the next day.
Unique Events
Some creators can base an event based on their comic. For example, Jennie Breeden, the webcomic creator of The Devil’s Panties, holds an event at Dragon Con most years and also writes about it in her comic. In addition, some creators have game tie-ins and participate in gaming demos.
Sometimes, if you have the money, you can throw a room party and invite the fans. However, these events tend to be for more prominent creators with an established fan base, so avoid jumping into the deep end of the pool the first time out. Building your fan base before you try something like this is my advice.
Meet and Greet Dinners
Comic-cons sometimes hold a meet and greet dinner on opening day or the last night. Sometimes it’s for VIP guests who paid extra at the con, and sometimes it’s for con volunteers as part of their reward for helping out. You get a free dinner, and as long as you don’t might talking to people, it can be fun and create some sales.
Events to Avoid
If you’re at a comic-con trying to promote your comic, you want to avoid events that either won’t allow you to do that or make you look bad. But, unfortunately, some con organizers can get overly ambitious and schedule something against another event that they shouldn’t.
I was invited to a Meet and Greet at a comic-con only to discover the convention organizer booked it against another popular con event because he was mad at another organizer. That was N/G. Fortunately, it wasn’t my fault; hardly anyone showed up anyway.
As a veteran performer, I can turn most situations to my advantage by telling jokes, stories, or whatever. Once, I did a virtual event, and the moderator almost steered the conversation into politics. But, long story short, I sensed some hostility brewing in that potential conversation and drove it away.
Photo by Pixabay
Politics today is a hot-button issue, whether it’s who’s running for office or discussions about race and gender. So don’t get roped into some public panel where some pink-haired maniac will put you on the spot. Of course, some people enjoy that confrontation, but it’s unlikely to boost your sales in the room and the comic-con where it happens.
If someone attempts to do this, draw the line and say, “Sorry, I’m just here to discuss my comic book.” If they insist on politicizing your work and the panel, walk out unless you’re prepared for a tense standoff. Very few people are armed intellectually and verbally to withstand a public backlash and come out on top.
So cut your losses and head back to the table. Hopefully, someone like Ethan Van Sciver will be on the panel to verbally cut down the trolls.
Remember that they will be utterly disingenuous if you want to take on the woke mob. So do not debate their points. It’s always a trap because of the way they frame the debate.
They will argue with emotion, not reason and logic. They make it personal and political while trying to draw you out to either say something they can construe as extreme, vulgar, and/or unacceptable.
Your argument always has to be something everyone can get behind, like:
“You’re ruining the panel discussion and the comic-con by politicizing everything. We want to discuss comic books, not you and your opinions.”
But I wouldn’t worry too much about being caught up in something like that. Unless one of your panelists is super famous or comic book famous, it isn’t very likely to happen.
The woke generally don’t go after struggling creators with small fan bases because, ultimately, it’s about giving them attention to virtue-signal. Without a big crowd, they won’t bother.
If it does happen, take heart. Events like that have propelled plenty of creators into a nice little fanbase after-the-fact. Just don’t get stressed out about being canceled.
Conclusion
Panels and events are about connecting with lots of fans simultaneously. Hopefully, that connection turns into a sale on the spot or later at your table. You’re hoping that fans will walk around the comic-con and create a positive buzz after your event because they enjoyed it.
“Hey, I just saw this guy talking about the Jersey Devil. It was exciting.”
Depending on attendance, I usually get a few visitors at my table after a panel. If it’s lightly attended, don’t freak out. Instead, consider the event your practice for another comic-con when the opposite happens, and several dozen people show up instead.
Ultimately, the panel is a presentation to a potential customer, and regardless of the numbers, you want to create a positive vibe whenever you can.
That’s all for this week, fanboys. See you at the con.
Check out our previous Comic-Con 101, which deals with creator collaborations!
