News about Peace Talks (no spoilers) and other things from Westercon/Spikecon

[Bad Alias]

Thanks Kurtin for the post. Thanks CrusherJen for the links.

[KurtinStGeorge]

Here are a couple of other links to a panel Jim was on called The Taxonomy of Villains.  These were posted on Jim's website so I thought I would share them with everyone.

See if you can tell when Jim became annoyed with one of the other panelists, as he mentioned during the Q&A session.  I noticed it during the talk, but I had a straight on view so it was easy for me to see Jim getting tense, though he did lighten up, as he said in the Q&A.

Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ew9mTdRA_U
Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDndEr66aJM

[123Chikadee]

Thanks for these, I've never really watched them before. I'm kinda curious what got JB so tense.

[Bad Alias]

One thing Jim mentioned that I hadn't heard before was his discussion of the Merlin as not a villain because Jim knows his whole story. He said, paraphrasing, that the Merlin was the kind of guy you wish was on the other team and something about "I will make you ready."

This has implications for the theory that Harry going to Chichen Itza was part/one of the Merlin's plan to kill the Red Court "root and branch." I mean, what's the best way for the Merlin to get Harry to do something? Probably to forbid it.

[KurtinStGeorge]

I'm glad you spotted what Jim said about the Merlin, I totally forgot he said that.

For a long time I have thought that if the Merlin wanted Harry to attack the Red Court, it wasn't because he thought Harry would destroy them, it was so Harry would create enough damage before going down, the White Council would be able to mop up a weakened and disorganized Red Court.  Essentially Langtry set up Harry and company as suicide shock troops, thus (attempting) to kill two birds with one stone.

[123Chikadee]

Huh, that's pretty sneaky. Why hadn't I thought of that sooner?

[magnuskn]

Woo, discovering these videos makes my Sunday! Alright, off to watch them!

[Hankthemoose]

Any epic GoT style uber series had better cast James Marsters for something in it...

[KurtinStGeorge]

Any epic GoT style uber series had better cast James Marsters for something in it...

I think Jim is right that Marsters is probably too old to play Harry now, but he would make a great choice for Marcone.

Of course, he should also do the voice of Bob the Skull.

[g33k]

Any epic GoT style uber series had better cast James Marsters for something in it...

He's too short for Harry, but... maybe that isn't  critical thing?  I mean, it makes the big-Harry/little-Murphy interactions even funnier, and his size gets mentioned often enough, but usually in the context of "no mortal is big/strong enough to go mano-a-monster with X..."  Also too old for first-few-books Harry; I presume a TV series won't have the de-aging VFX budget we saw with 70's-era Fury & Coulson.

Eb?  He's a bit young, but aging is easier.

He could do Morgan really well!  Or Marcone.

Not sure about Michael... Maybe?

[wardenferry419]

Thank you for the links!

[Yuillegan]

KurtinStGeorge, it seemed like he was getting annoyed with the other male (Daniel someone) writer early on. About 3 and a half minutes into the first video he is already displaying signs of disagreement and annoyance. But yeah it certainly is obvious in the Q&A - by the time we get there he is clearly in almost complete opposition. Which mostly seemed fair enough, although as Jim acknowledged it was a bit combative for a writers panel.

To my mind though, that disagreement in ideas and strategies is where those talks are best. Because it shows there is no "right way" - it is up to you and what works for you and for your fanbase niche. You get to the really interesting ideas (the things the writers are really passionate about) during those more energetic debates, y'know friction creates fire type of thing. I suppose he could have been less obviously annoyed but quite a few times I sympathized!

[KurtinStGeorge]

KurtinStGeorge, it seemed like he was getting annoyed with the other male (Daniel someone) writer early on. About 3 and a half minutes into the first video he is already displaying signs of disagreement and annoyance. But yeah it certainly is obvious in the Q&A - by the time we get there he is clearly in almost complete opposition. Which mostly seemed fair enough, although as Jim acknowledged it was a bit combative for a writers panel.

To my mind though, that disagreement in ideas and strategies is where those talks are best. Because it shows there is no "right way" - it is up to you and what works for you and for your fanbase niche. You get to the really interesting ideas (the things the writers are really passionate about) during those more energetic debates, y'know friction creates fire type of thing. I suppose he could have been less obviously annoyed but quite a few times I sympathized!

I agree with you, the disagreement of ideas was probably the best part of that panel and sometimes the best part of any panel of authors.  While I was there I found the guy in the teal (I think) dress shirt to be somewhat overly earnest in the way he expressed his point of view, and maybe just a little annoying.  He is an editor and works with a lot of local (Utah) writers while Jim and the other people on the panel are writers.  So while teal shirt probably works with a lot newer writers (I think that was mentioned in the intro that didn't get filmed), Jim and the others have probably written forty something novels between them, so I tended to listen them a little closer. 

Not that teal shirt was totally wrong, newer writers may need more direction and an good editor may be able to help them, but really experienced writers learn when they can go against the grain and when the rules they've been given don't apply.     

[AndiSue]

Thanks for these, I've never really watched them before. I'm kinda curious what got JB so tense.

I haven't watched the panel so I don't know what the trigger was, but he says in his solo Q&A that he accidentally got glutened and that his body processes gluten into rage.

[spiritofair]

I think Marsters is too old to play even Marcone... he looks pretty old in the Runaways.  Maybe that's just the way they are presenting him, but he is 20 years older than when he was doing Buffy. Plus, Marcone should be at least a little Italian looking.

He's way too short and old for Dresden.

Don't like him for Morgan... Morgan is supposed to be huge.

Love him as Bob!!!