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Episode 1274 - A Conversation with Bill Willingham

PantsPants Posts: 567
edited September 2012 in CGS Episodes & Spin-Offs
We're big fans of Fables here at CGS so it was great to get to talk to writer Bill Willingham. We discuss his childhood reading habits, his desire to be Tarzan and of course Fables. He's also spearheading a convention next year - Fabletown and Beyond. (1:23:29)

Listen here.

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    John_SteedJohn_Steed Posts: 2,087
    ^:)^

    I bet Fabletown and Beyond would be also highly successful over here in the old world - his books are flying from the shelves. We also love our conventions ;)
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    danGPdanGP Posts: 65
    Great episode. Glad to hear The Elementals get some love as well.
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    come on over to Rochester, folks. If the cold doesn't freeze ya, the humidity will kill ya... ;)

    And I insist you try Newt's, great burger joint.
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    JamieDJamieD Posts: 210
    So disappointed that I missed this, my hip that has the cancer in it was hurting so much I couldnt sit without pain so I just went home to lay down, Glad to see its getting some love and I will have to listen to it.
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    Bill was a great guest and was a lot of fun to talk to.

    The humble guys in the business are the best.

    Bry
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    GregGreg Posts: 1,946
    Great episode and what an awesome interview. Hope you feel better Jamie.
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    mguy1977mguy1977 Posts: 801
    edited September 2012
    I really do hope you feel better soon Jamie. Sending prayers of comfort your way,

    As for the episode, one of your best in a while excluding the DC new 52 spotlight coverage that was a massive undertaking. I really do miss it when the band isn't all back together. Willingham is a master of his craft in telling tall tales in the Fablesverse. I don't know what will happen to the princess in the lost world of forgotten toys but I am still eager to find out. The art on this arc has been top notch as usual. Hopefully in the near future, another spotlight on Fables talking the current arc & previous arcs would be in order.

    Finally, can we get some more time bubble? I am getting antsy for that comic goodness again.

    Matthew
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    Mr_CosmicMr_Cosmic Posts: 3,200
    As a former resident of the Rochester area I have to back @electric_mayhem up and encourage people to come. Rochester is a great city, easy to navigate, and lots to see and do outside the Con. Don't let the idea of March in Minnesota scare you either. Chances are, by the time of the convention, most of the snow will be on it's way out. :)

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    as to the "Bar" for the Con-goers to congregate at, it was Lord Essex, but now its up for grabs. It is in lobby floor of the Kahler Grand. One floor down from that are the "Warrens" or subway of the downtown Rochester and right beneath Lord Essex is Carroll's Corn and a self-served frozen ice cream shop. Delicious...

    I know the Kahler Grand is the hotel de Con, but having been apart of both remodels I would try the Doubletree, rooms are bigger and nicer, KG can have some tiny rooms..
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    John_SteedJohn_Steed Posts: 2,087
    JamieD said:

    So disappointed that I missed this, my hip that has the cancer in it was hurting so much I couldnt sit without pain so I just went home to lay down, Glad to see its getting some love and I will have to listen to it.

    hope you get better quick - stay strong
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    DARDAR Posts: 1,128
    Jamie feel better.


    Loved the interview and Mr. Willingham's sense of humor.
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    It was great seeing you in Baltimore @JamieD. Hang in there, buddy.

    As for Bill and the bar idea, I first met Bill in 2002 or 2003 in a hotel bar at a Wizard World Philly show. He and Paul Storrie, I think, sat down beside me on a couch (the only available seating), and Bill asked me if I wanted a drink. He didn't know me from Adam, and there was no reason he should. That's just the kind of guy he is.

    Come to think of it, the few times I've talked with him have all been in a bar.
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    One of the best interviews for me. Love Fables and man would I love to go to the convention. Those style of comics are right up my alley of favorite books. Might have to seriously consider it. Sounds like a perfect chance to meet and truly talk with some great creators.
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    dubbat138dubbat138 Posts: 3,200
    Great episode. I love Willingham's work on Fables.
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    this was such a good show.
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    So that one trade you give someone to get reading comics that's never read a comic book would be fables volume 1? I have never read it and was thinking about picking up and reading it before giving it to my friend
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    Get one and two, dude.
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    Get one and two, dude.

    Definitely. The first volume is good for introducing the cast, how they relate to one another, and the setting, but it doesn’t really have the same feel as the rest of the series. The second volume is where you'll get sucked into the story.
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    Thanks to both of you for the advice, I'll post in a few weeks on how it goes!
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    I'd recommend Pantheon from Lonestar Press as a great Willingham read. Met him and Mike Leeke at a con years ago and was happy to get a pin-up from him for Argo 5 #2. They are both fantastic artists (though Bill of course mostly writes these days) and super nice guys!
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    alienalalienal Posts: 508
    edited October 2012
    Hmm, I guess I'll have to pick up Fables volume 1 trade also. I remember when Fables first came out and I missed #1 and then it just didn't get back my radar until it was too late. But then, as Bill said, it's never really too late: All the Fables stuff is still in print! So I guess I should at least try it. I DO read Fairest and I find it to be well-written, humorous, and pretty! As for the con, well, I'll think about it. It's a bit cold for my tastes but I've been wanting to go to new cons instead of just Emerald and Fan Expo all the time, so we'll see...(if WonderCon is in Anaheim, I may end up going there cuz it's just closer to where my relatives live).
    Oh! And Bill is one hilarious, down-to-earth guy! Nice to hear him speak about comic buying/trading in the 50's and early 60's. I guess he is about 1 generation ahead of me. I think I'm in the generation where we transited from trading so much to just collecting...
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    alienalalienal Posts: 508
    Oh! And Bill is one hilarious, down-to-earth guy! Nice to hear him speak about comic buying/trading in the 50's and early 60's. I guess he is about 1 generation ahead of me. I think I'm in the generation where we transited from trading so much to just collecting...
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    As another former resident of Rochester, I can only say that the winter cold and summer humidity and high-pollen content eventually forced me off to the milder climates of the Pacific Northwest. (That, and an increasingly poor employment situation.) I can think of all kinds of good things about the old hometown, but...

    I enjoyed the conversation with Willingham, and was surprised to discover that we had some similarities in our early comic-buying days. (In my case, I had to sneak them into the house, as my parents would confiscate and burn them on sight. Comics were literature that was unappreciated by parents in those days.)
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    Just catching up. What a lovely guy. The Fables convention sounds really cool. So jealous of you guys over in the states.
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