Posted in: Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: scott snyder, substack

When Scott Snyder Got In a "Bar Fight" With Dan DiDio At NYCC

Published Sat, 09 Oct 2021 05:57:10 -0500

With the New York Comic-Con kicking off this weekend (though most European attendees are still banned from entering the country) Scott Snyder has been reminiscing on his Substack about the mistakes he has made at comic book conventions and that;

I didn't respect the fact that it was one big workplace, that everybody in the industry is aware of what's happening at the con is there at the con, sees reports about the con, gets gossip about the con. And so, I just didn't care. I would spoil too much on panels and I would talk to loudly about plans that we had on books and I would get into arguments with my bosses over decisions that had been made on things.

And Scott Snyder flashed back to the New 52, the launch of his Batman title with Greg Capullo, and the New York Comic-Con a year in, in 2012, the pressure and panic attacks he was suffering, and the bar fight he got into with then-DC publisher Dan DiDio.

And I was at the con and Dan DiDio had made a couple of decisions about the release schedule that we had argued about beforehand. And he had agreed on a couple things that then he'd gone back on. And it wasn't like some huge deal, it was just one of those logistical things that is always upsetting, but isn't malicious or anything like that. And I went to the DC party, and I remember they had all these drinks and they were named after different books at the time. They had an American Vampire one and The Wake and Batman and whatever, and I was like, "I have to have a drink of all the series I'm on!" And then I started arguing with Dan about this stupid scheduling thing or whatever. And I got too loud and we were going back and forth and everybody in the company was there. It was a party, so people were milling about, and it kind of culminated with me being like, "you know what? Fine, forget it. We'll talk about this another time, I'm leaving!" I was being a brat or kind of an asshole at the time.

Again, I think part of me was always looking to get fired by him in some way because the pressure was so much, but I went across town with my friends and we went to the Marvel party, and it was like maybe 10 blocks away. We just walked over, it took maybe 20 minutes. And by the time we got to the Marvel party, we walked in and everybody started saying to me, "did you get into a physical fight with Dan DiDio??" And I was like, "what are you talking about? What, do you think I hit the boss?" And the rumor had traveled that fast and was all over the party. that I had gotten into a real fight, like a fight fight with Dan.

And I remember it was actually a Marvel editor, Tom Brevoort the next day and Janine Schaefer who reached out and were like, "listen, you gotta chill out. You have to be more careful at these conventions and watch yourself." And I really turned a corner. I mean, I've certainly had my moments since, but overall I've tried really hard to do what I'm telling you guys to do, which is to always think of it as a work party. If you want to break into the industry, if you're part of the industry, just think of it as an office, because it is. And people are looking for partners to work with, people are looking for people to hire, people are just looking for good members of community in different ways. So yeah, just keep it in mind, that's like the number one rule for me.

I also heard the rumours about that night, but they evaporated when I followed them back. I have seen Scott Snyder in full flow at a different New York Comic Con and can understand why some people interpreted such events the way they did. I wonder what Dan Didio recalls of that confrontation? If he does at all? In a much more placid mood, Scott Snyder will be at his Artists Alley booth AA-20, at the ComiXology Booth #HB15 and a panel with Greg Capullo and Heidi MacDonald on We Have Demons in room 1A21 at 5pm.

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