The Hamster Dance

A couple of weird things happened on Saturday, I had my photo taken (someone thought I was cosplaying?) and I was prompted for "free hugs." If you offer hugs for free then it's a cheap hug AND hugs in poor quality are just in bad taste.

So on to the panels, it was a Batman kind of day. The CAC panels for Is the Joker a Psychopath and Becoming Batman/Batman Becoming definitely offered up a slice of academia into panels full of mega movie stars, glitz and CGI effects.

Most would think that this panel (Is the Joker a Psychopath?) would be a one minute panel, but you can always get knee-deep into comic folklore. After all, comics are sort of a postmodern myth for people. The panel included psychologists as well as Jerry Robinson and a surprise guest from Adam West. West provided stories from the set of Batman that many people probably did not know.

Steve Engleheart also phoned in to basically sum up, that yes, the joker is insane. However, his specific diagnosis is uncertain. What piqued my interest was the question posed by the panel itself, if the joker is insane, then on the flip side of the coin is Batman also?

The question is complex so is the answer. The panelists all left it up to the audience to conclude. Interesting sidenote: Robinson went on to say the reason there is no solid "origins story" for the joker is because it would kill the mystique. It's easier to predict someone if you know where they've been, then you know where they're going.

Becoming Batman/Batman Becoming was a very heady experience. I love the Batman series and I love the layers that the comic has brought to many fans. This particular panel hosted by E.Paul Zehr and Gearoid O'Brien proved that you can indeed use the skills you've learned in physics, anatomy, psychology and philosophy to enjoy as well as deconstruct your favorite comic.

If this all sounds a bit too much like schoolwork, simply put to become Batman you probably needed to have started at the age of three. Furthermore don't expect your career to last more than 2-3 years.

My favorite part of this panel, though was the intricate panel by O'Brien. Although, most of the terms he used to deconstruct the Batman mythos I will need to look up it did pique my interest. Words like Apophenia floated around as well as name checks to Foucult, Darwin and Nietzsche.
Nietzsche and Batman? What a combo.

In random notes:
A quick way to block an entire aisle of Comic-con goers---host a hamster dance conga line.
Anime fans of all ages, began (on cue!) to dance in almost perfect synchronization to high speed eurobeat music the end result : hilarity.

And now for my short list of "Things YOU can't do at Comic-con"
(Well you could do them, but, I rec
1. Cosplay as Ryu
I know, I know he's the greatest--but until someone can bring this character justice, I propose no one do it until they are certain that they can.
2. Make fun of the Twilight Nerds
Talk about the kettle calling the pot black.
3. Being Rude
It's called courtesy, pass it on.

And I pose this question, can someone please explain what is Steampunk, exactly?