Big weekend for comics fans

3 Comments

1. 

   Jennifer Saylor October 5, 2012

   Hey Nate, Gaiman has repeatedly shared that he will be here, even mentioning places he might visit, so retelling this frequently, even with an admirer’s enthusiasm, doesn’t invade his family’s privacy.

   I’d be part of paparazzi frenzy if I tried to bother the family, rather than make them feel like some residents, like me, welcome their deepening connection to Asheville. To me, that connection makes it a big weekend–not any plans to insert myself into a private event, or encourage anyone else to.

   I’m certainly delighted that that artists I deeply admire will deepen their connection to the city I love. It’s a big deal for me as a native and ardent lover of Asheville, comics, stories and books.

   See you at the Hope Larson event.

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2. 

   Nate October 5, 2012

   Questions: Doesn’t it feed into the obsessive, celebrity-stalking tendency in contemporary popular culture to report (repeatedly) that a particular person is going to be visiting a location on completely private business? When does “reporting” cross the line and become just another part of the paparazzi frenzy?

   The Hope Larson event is cool, big news, and something I actually plan to attend tomorrow. I don’t see how Neil’s presence in town for a private, family occasion in any way contributes to a “big weekend” for comics fans, though, unless you’re encouraging them to stake out the wedding/reception location or just lurk endlessly in places he *might* show up like Malaprops or Posana. I guess I just feel like there’s a difference between acknowledging that there’s no such thing as real privacy any more and actively contributing to its disappearance . . .

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   1. 

      Jennifer Saylor October 5, 2012

      In a nutshell, Nate, I guess I am hoping to share excitement and welcoming for these artists as public figures, not invade their privacy as human beings. I am THRILLED that first-class creatives like Gaiman and Palmer are seeing my city, enjoying it and having good times here. (Larson is hardly a newcomer, as she’s a native, as am I. But I’m also delighted at her ‘Wrinkle’ coup and look forward to supporting her on Sat.)

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