Kling-heckling added drama to the "Klingon Lifestyles" panel at Comic-Con this year. Photo courtesy of Scott M. Gimple.

These latex-foreheaded folks go for it -- yes, some of them require hits off of their asthma inhalers during the show, but dammit, THEY GO FOR IT! As the show started, one young fellow in a Sandman shirt began heckling. Suddenly, a teen with dyed hair and an ironically-worn Jar Jar shirt whipped around to face the Kling-Heckler. He passionately, angrily made his point that making fun of forty year old men dressed like Klingons was as bad as what the “regular people” do to “Comic-Con people” in the “outside world.” (That’s the gist I got between the obscenities, at least.) The Kling-Heckler sat in embarrassed uncomfortable silence. The Atticus Finch of Comic-Con turned back around. Up on the stage, a heavyset Klingon in glasses made an obscure joke about Romulans. It was a surreal, wonderful moment. It was the coolest thing I saw at Comic-Con.

Cowboys & Aliens is a comic book that Platinum Studios is currently developing as a feature film. ™ & © Platinum Studios, LLC.

Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, Founder & Chairman, Platinum Studios.
Platinum specializes in identifying comic book properties that adapt well to the big and small screens. Among Platinum's projects are Men in Black and Showtime's sci-fi series, Jeremiah.

The absolute coolest thing that I saw at the 2002 San Diego Comic-Con was the enthusiasm of everyone there. Really…this was the highest-attended Comic-Con ever, and everyone was "into" it. I noticed fans with smiles on their faces, and an eagerness toward meeting with creators, meeting publishers and visiting the small press tables to see what’s coming out. What was on most fans’ minds? That comics, creatively speaking, are at a fantastic point right now. It’s cool to read them, and cool to be a part of them.

Creators were smiling too. Why not? With the success of comic book characters in other mediums now booming (although they’ve been in other mediums for over 50 years!), creators are having an easier time now getting their stories published, and then getting in front of TV/movie development people. And nope, it’s not about money -- it’s about seeing their characters brought to life.

So…what’s cool are comic book characters -- both those that make them and those that enjoy them.

Darlene Chan is managing editor of Animation World Magazine. After receiving a bachelor's degree from UCLA, Darlene happened into the motion picture business and stayed for 14 years. She served as a production executive for Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures, Davis Entertainment and Motown. She produced Grumpy Old Men (1993) for Warner Bros. In 2000, she joined Animation World Magazine.