Comicpalooza returns

5 tips for the perfect Comicpalooza Houston experience this weekend

A cool cast of characters will emerge this weekend at Comicpalooza.

Courtesy photo

Comicpalooza is officially turning 10 this weekend and, once again, the George R. Brown Convention Center will open its doors to all the geeks — comic-book nerds, cosplayers, gamers, franchise fanboys, sci-fi/fantasy nuts, anime obsessives — from this fine state and elsewhere.

But let’s say this is your first time at Comicpalooza and you’re looking for some advice on what to look out for and what not to do during this three-day, pop-culture extravaganza. It’s a good thing CultureMap contacted local artist and comic-book inker Mostafa Moussa, 39, who has been a guest at past Comicpaloozas and will be there this weekend to sign and sell his illustrated items.

Here are some tips he gave us on how to be an ideal Comicpalooza attendee:

Come prepared
Moussa says that if you’re planning to spend all weekend at Comicpalooza, really plan for it. “I would say to bring snacks, bring water, figure it out why is it you’re going there,” he says. And if you’re there to have people sign comics, posters or other ephemera, have all that at the ready. Also, be sure that the signer actually had something to do with whatever you want them to sign. As Moussa simply says, “Do your research.”

Respect the guests
Comicpalooza will have an onslaught of star talent this weekend. John Cusack, Walton Goggins, Krysten Ritter, Michael Chiklis, and current Spider-Man Tom Holland are a few of the big names scheduled to show up and autograph stuff. Some of them may also be available for photo opps. But if a celeb isn’t willing to take a pic, don’t try to be slick and sneak a snapshot. Moussa says that’s not cool. “Sometimes, the celebrities don’t like taking pictures without asking,” he says.

Respect the artists and the artwork
Of course, there will also be plenty of top-tier artists and writers on hand, from comic-book scribe Mark Waid (Daredevil, The Avengers) to cover artist Arthur Suydam (aka “The Zombie King”). So, please treat them and their artwork with the utmost respect. “Don’t set cold drinks on artwork,” says Moussa. “That’s definitely a no-no.” Also, respect the wishes of the artist if they don’t want their work photographed or put on Instagram. Moussa has occasionally seen people take sly selfies of an artist’s portfolio without permission. But he usually finds a way to ruin someone’s shot. “I just photobomb the artwork,” he says.

Please, don’t act weird around the cosplayers
A lot of people take the act of dressing like popular, fictional characters seriously, especially whenever conventions like Comicpalooza rolls around. So, if you want to take photos with any of these people and their elaborate, extravagant costumes, for the love of Stan Lee, don’t be odd or pervy about it. “There’s always a pretty good cosplay community here,” says Moussa. “Just ask before you take a picture. To hover around somebody and not say anything is pretty creepy.”

Finally, just have a good time
Whether you are looking for some rare comics, tracking down hard-to-find memorabilia or just want to hang with the guy who played Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation (yes, Brent Spiner will be in attendance!), always remember to enjoy yourself. Because whether you’re into DC or Marvel, Star Wars or Star Trek, The Evil Dead or The Walking Dead, you’re all there to enthusiastically take part in a summit of geekdom, right here in H-Town. “I think that it’s good to see a big convention in my hometown,” says Moussa. “Make sure to have fun. Make sure to realize that we’re all a part of the same thing. We all kind of like the same thing. It’s kind of a celebration of that. So, treat it that way.”

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Comicpalooza runs Friday, May 25 through Sunday, May 27 at the George R. Brown Convention Center, 1001 Avenida de las Americas. For information, call 713-853-8383 or visit the website. Tickets $10-$275. Doors open at 10 am daily.

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Movie Review

Daniel Craig shines in Queer, an unapologetic tale of love and loss

Photo courtesy of A24

Drew Starkey and Daniel Craig in Queer.

As recently as the late 2010s, if a movie was made about an LGBTQ+ character, it was more than likely about their coming out experience. Romance, if it existed, was typically chaste, and actual sex was almost completely out of the question. Things have changed dramatically in the 2020s, to the point that a major movie star has no issue starring in a film called Queer.

Based on the 1985 novella by William S. Burroughs, the film features William Lee (Daniel Craig), whom everyone calls just Lee, a writer living in 1950s-era Mexico City who spends most of his time haunting local bars with friends like fellow writer Joe Guidry (Jason Schwartzman) and hitting on younger men. His early interactions in the film seem to indicate that Lee has a bad reputation within the local gay community, as multiple people avoid him or give him odd looks.

Lee senses an opportunity when he encounters a newcomer, Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey). Despite some awkward interactions, the two of them start spending time together, although Lee has much more invested in the relationship than Eugene does. Their hit-and-miss bond continues until Lee, who’s starting to get into drugs in addition to the booze, convinces Eugene to accompany him on a trip to South America.

Directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Justin Kuritzkes (making their second straight film together after Challengers), early on the film seems to be mostly about the divide between an older person who’s grown comfortable in his ways and a younger person who’s living a relatively carefree life. The introduction of drugs into the plot changes things, though, with Lee searching out more ways to open his eyes to what the world has to offer.

Guadagnino and his team use some interesting visual storytelling techniques to introduce ideas that may not be present in the actual script. The most successful, demonstrated in multiple scenes, is the superimposition of movements by Lee over what’s actually taking place in the scene. The subtle overlay gives the audience insight into Lee’s true feelings, showing what he can’t or won’t say out loud.

Music also plays a big part in how the plot is perceived, with the use of anachronistic songs from Nirvana and Prince serving to heighten certain moments. The score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is not as in-your-face as the one they did for Challengers, but it complements the film well, especially when the plot starts to get trippy in its final half hour.

Craig, who appears sweaty and disheveled for much of the film, is about as far from the suaveness of James Bond as you can get in this role. He takes multiple risks with his performance and almost all of them pay off. Starkey’s character is subdued by comparison, but still comes off well. Schwartzman and Lesley Manville are given showy roles, with both using altered appearances that make them nearly unrecognizable to deliver memorable performances.

Queer is not as accessible as Challengers was storytelling-wise, but the fact that it tells a story about gay men living their lives as they see fit with no interference or questions shows how far the film world has come in a short period of time. It also continues Guadagnino’s streak of making audacious films in a way that few other filmmakers are willing or able to approach.

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Queer is now playing in theaters.

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