1989 - 11/1989 Meeting

Page Created: 09/10/10. Last Updated: 10/29/10. Last Google Group Page Update: 10/29/10.

LOUISE SIMONSON / WALTER SIMONSON

MEETING SUMMARY:

Meeting Date: November 13, 1989.

Meeting Site: Bergen Highlands United Methodist Church, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

Official Attendance: 16,

Meeting Program: Talk by Comic Book Writers / Artist.

Notes:

Meeting Memories:

Newsletter Account:

There were only sixteen of us at the November 13, 1989 meeting of the S.F.A.B.C. A light attendance was not unexpected as our gathering was in competition with activities of both the New Jersey Science Fiction Society and the Lunacon '90 Committee collation. In addition to this, an exceptional number of our group had pressing family commitments while another segment has decided that they are uninterested in any presentation by a member of the comic book field.

Too bad, because Louise and Walter Simonson were a pair of our most enjoyable guests ever.

They are in some ways an odd couple. Walter Simonson is both an artist and a writer. He is a fan through and through who was involved with DC area science fiction groups before coming to New York and working in the comic book industry. Louise Simonson, on the other hand, fell into things by accident. She held a low-paying job in the advertising industry when a friend recommended that she apply for a higher-paying production position at a comics company. Former guest speaker Jim Shooter hired here away to Marvel Comics as an editor after hearing good things about her work. She edited for several years before creating the comic POWER PACK. Good natured, pretty and personable, I am quite sure that half of Marvel Comics had a crush on her.

Walter Simonson did most of the talking during the early going. He outlined how a comic book is produced, passing around synopses, scripts, penciled rough breakdowns, and inked, lettered, camera-ready pages to highlight his points. Everything from the size of the printing press used to produce the magazines to the division of authority between writer and editor was covered during this section of the talk.

In addition to the generalities, both answered particulars as to current and future storylines planned. Walter revealed that he would pick up some loose ends left over from his stint as writer of THE AVENGERS and follow up on them in THE FANTASTIC FOUR. Louise mentioned that the "mutant" books (THE NEW MUTANTS and X-FACTOR) are plotted out in rough form for the next six years. She works closely with writer Chris Claremont to coordinate her stories with his titles (THE X-MEN and EXCALIBER). In response to a comment from Bill Molendyk, she observed that the more depressing Chris Claremont makes THE X-MEN, the better it sells.

Leora Baeder' first reaction to seeing the Simonsons was that she had met these people somewhere. Mr and Mrs Power of POWER PACK bear more than a slight resemblance to Mr and Mrs Simonson. In fact, the Power apartment is their old Manhattan residence, slightly enlarged to make room for three more children than the Simonsons have. The school, stores, parks, etc. used in the book are all found in their old neighborhood.

Unlike our usual meetings in the Saddle River Valley Cultural Center, we had to be out of the Bergen Highlands United Methodist Church by 10 PM. We therefore headed out to Cool Scoops in Hawthorne instead of our usual Horizon Diner hangout. Ten of us, including Walter and Louise, went there to enjoy dessert, comics, and 1950's rock and roll.

There were three newcomers in attendance at the meeting: Yugi Furusawa, Elliot Passantino and Bobbie Smith. Four books were awarded as door prizes.

To Be Continued.