During our amazing moments from San Diego Comic Con 2019 involves catching up with Ming Chen. During our interview, Ming expressed that it was his 2nd time attending comic con and he discussed how excited he was coming back this year. Ming Chen is recognizable from the AMC’s reality show, Comic Book Men. Comic Book Men is a show that takes place in a comic book store discussing comic book culture. The show aired from 2012 and ended last year. Hopefully, with all the streaming services that we have in our pop culture world, Netflix or even Hulu can pick up on brining the show back for comic fans that highly appreciate and love comics.
Aside from being on the show Comic Book Men, Ming Chen has done works with writing, producing, hosting and even podcasting. He’s part of a podcast called A Shared Universe where fans can listen in on their website. In our interview, he expresses that podcasting is what he loves doing the most. That is another thing to point out in pop culture today. Anyone can create their own content from video’s, podcasts, books, merchandise, music, apps and so much more. Ming mentions that the biggest things that fans love is to express their opinions when it comes to the things they’re passionate about. Especially when it comes to comic book fans, geeks. Whether if it’s something fans enjoy, they talk about the good things about it; or, even if its something that was bad, they have to talk about it as well and discuss why that was. For those fans of Ming, enjoy to hear the rest of our interview! Cowabunga!
Host: San Diego Comic Con 2019 – Machelle Noel here! With my special guest host Ming Chen from AMC Comic Book Men. Hey Ming! How’s it going?
Ming Chen: It’s going great how are you?
Host: I’m doing so great! I didn’t even know you were coming today so I was so excited to see you! So what brings you out here to San Diego Comic Con?
Ming Chen: Well I mean besides the madness, and pop culture comics exclusives, toys, new friends old friends. Kevin Smith Hall H –
Host: Oh yeah that’s a big deal this year –
Ming Chen: After parties, open bars, boats! There’s so much to do out here and I want to live all of it.
Host: Perfect! Now is this your first time here at San Diego Comic Con?
Ming Chen: Ah no its my second time, technically my third time, I first came in 2003. Kevin Smith we used to have an old merchandise booth, we would drive stuff out from the store. It was too crazy though, then for reasons unknown I took a 15 year break, just for timing and money and all that. So I came back last year and was like “Oh, things have changed a little bit since 2003.” But I had so much fun last year and was like “I gotta come back this year” so here I am.
Host: How do you compare San Diego Comic Con compared to all the other cons that you’ve been to?
Ming Chen: I mean one, it’s incomparable, like if you go on the street and ask any casual person “hey have you heard of Comic Cons?” “Like oh the big one in San Diego?” Like immediately that’s what they think of. So this is like the Super Bowl of cons as compared to you know the other cons are maybe you know just like the regular season games. So this is a big one everything’s bigger out in San Diego, the exhibit hall, the autograph area, the celebrities they bring in here –
Host: Especially the cosplayers, is there any particular cosplayer that you were kind of fond of? Like “wow that was a really cool one!”
Ming Chen: I’ve seen a couple, I have a fondness for the Bruce Lee cosplayers. A lot of Bruce Lee cosplayers, anybody does characters in Quentin Tarantino movies. But you get some pretty elaborate ones. Rick and Morty is a very popular cosplay now, seen some great Pickle Ricks today. And then from the anime world as well you know Super Sonico, things like that. So I’ve seen some great cosplay.
Host: So you’re pretty much here just promoting, and just chilling with the fans? I mean that’s so thoughtful of you for considering to come back to San Diego Comic Con for that. Is there any news about Comic Book Men coming back? I am so bummed I cannot believe that –
Ming Chen: Thank you, I am bummed too. I loved it, I mean if it wasn’t me and my friends and it was like four other guys I totally would’ve watched it as well. I was just lucky enough to be one of those guys. But as far as it comes yeah if somethings in the work they haven’t told me. Well I mean in this day and age with all the streaming services, the apps, and all the networks no one is really currently creating any original content anymore. I’m still ready man, I’m ready to come back. And I think I know our show is not that expensive to produce. So you know Netflix if you’re listening out there, Hulu, Mr. Hulu if you’re listening.
Host: Come on hear your fans!
Ming Chen: I’m ready. I’m not very expensive. And we love what we do!
Host: That’s really true we all do it for free. I mean, not that free but we’ll start out. Now, you worn a lot of hats writing, producing, podcasting, hosting. Is there a particular thing that you like the most doing?
Ming Chen: Podcasting for sure. I love much like we’re doing now you know we’re creating our own content. And we did take the direction of our shows. We booked our own guests. We talked about whatever topic we wanted to talk about. I think that the podcast medium is so great because anybody can do it. And you can talk about whatever you want and I think in this realm, in the comic book realm, you know geeks, nerds, pop culture fans. What’s their biggest thing is their opinion. They love to express their opinions. If something is awesome, like a movie, we really want to talk about it. If they messed it up if it sucks, then we really want to talk about it and tell them what they did wrong. So I just love not only us like anybody can start a podcast but even guys like Kevin and Michael Rosenbaum, Lex Luthor, they can start a podcast. And they should be because they have a built in audience and I want to hear their opinion, I want to hear them once a week. I want to see what they do on their shows, its scripted and they’re playing a character. But the podcast, that’s them. That’s real.
Host: That is a whole other side of Michael Rosenbaum I didn’t even know about, other then the Lex Luthor thing. Like wow there’s more to that character.
Ming Chen: Yeah he’s deep! And he’s funny too, so yeah I want everyone to podcast.
Host: Going back to Kevin Smith, have you heard anything about the new Jay and Silent Bob? Are you gonna be planning on being in it?
Ming Chen: The new trailer just came out and it’s pretty amazing because not only are a lot of his alumni from the old movies back, but some big names that you wouldn’t even expect in a Kevin Smith movie are also in this movie as well. When you see the Comic Book Men keep your eyes open everybody, keep your eyes open.
Host: Then you’ll see AMC made a bog booboo cancelling that show cause you’re gonna see box office numbers going really up.
Ming Chen: I believe so.
Host: Oh yeah that’s gonna really bring you guys back. Just a quick synopsis of your geekest moments of this year with all the movies that’s been out, has there been anything in particular that has popped out to you and said “yeah that’s my highlight of the year.”
Ming Chen: Avengers Endgame definitely. It’s been a long time since I sat in a theatre and at maybe one moment the whole theater just jumps up and starts cheering. Or like people just start losing it during the movie, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen that kind of excited emotion to a movie. But yeah, I was at Endgame I went the Thursday night before everybody’s pumped up, they’re waiting you know year long build up and it lived up to it. But moments like that you don’t see that very often.
Host: Oh no for sure.
Ming Chen: Yeah and then Game of Thrones, a lot of people made season 8 very controversial. Rushed sure, but it was still enjoy it was great it was still so much fun. Episodic TV doesn’t really exist anymore where you have to wait for a new episode every Sunday night. So it was kind of cool I knew Sunday at 9:00 don’t call me, don’t text me, don’t even try to talk to me. And the same goes from my friends too since we’re watching Game of Thrones.
Host: I’m glad we all got the closure, I mean it’s better than getting closure than getting cancelled and yeah we all know that pain.
Ming Chen: I mean if nothing they definitely went out on top, so it was no doubt.
Host: I also heard you’re a big Ninja Turtles fan?
Ming Chen: I am.
Host: And since we are from the website as well, can you tell us about who’s your favorite Ninja Turtle and your favorite movie?
Ming Chen: I am remembering the Turtles back in the 80s and my comic shop had it and i’m like “ahhh who are these?” And it was in black and white back then there’s like “what’s this gritty down and dirty comic with four Ninja Turtles and a talking rat?” Like what is this? And I was like “whoa this is cool!” And back then there’s a little more violent before it when you know more kind of mainstream. But I remember buying it was a third reprinting of issue three I think was where I started. So I went in and got my reprints of the first two and then I kept going from there and was like “this is really cool!” Then it kind of took off into the phenomena that it is now, so I watch the cartoons, I play the video games, I eat the pizza, I watch some movies. Yeah the I you know I Vanilla Ice.
Host: Yeah “Go ninja go ninja go” –
Ming Chen: Yeah my favorite memory I went to a con that Vanilla Ice performed as a kid at the after party with four turtle cosplayers behind him. And he did the ninja rap, and it was like being in the movie. So yeah my favorite, I’m probably a Mikey fan.
Host: What about your favorite movie though?
Ming Chen: Oh probably the first one.
Host: I hope they continue that with the new version. Vanilla Ice is going to be in town in a few weeks.
Ming Chen: Yeah he’s still alive he hasn’t gone anywhere, he’s flipping houses now so yeah i’m sure he’ll come back.
Host: He has many talents I’m glad he branched out. And then what’s your favorite pizza topping?
Ming Chen: Oh man, I mean I like mine loaded. I want everything on there! But if I only have to pick one its gotta be pepperoni because that little kick on there, little spiciness, and you know it gets your protein in there. Yeah, definitely pepperoni.
Host: What’s your favorite turtle slogan? Is it cowabunga or turtle power?
Ming Chen: I probably go with cowabunga, yeah I used to surf so cowabunga dudes.
Host: Okay yeah let’s close it out with that! So Ming thank you so much for joining us and be sure to check him up online in his podcast show and we will provide the link on our website show as well. So Ming thank you so much for joining us and coming to San Diego Comic Con I’m Machelle Noel with Ming Chen and hopefully we’ll see you guys next time! And then on three we will do cowabunga?
Ming Chen: Okay!
Ming Chen & Host:
Host: One..two…three!
Ming Chen & Host: Cowabuna!
Danielle Bawit | Writing Contributor
B.A. | Media Studies | Cal State Univ – San Marcos
Hello! My name is Danielle Bawit. I attended MSJC- Mt. San Jacinto’s Community College and received two Associate’s for Communication and Liberal Arts. I am currently in my last semester at CSUSM-California State University San Marcos, and I will be receiving my Bachelor’s degree in Media Studies. I grew up with watching DC heroes on the screen, wrestling with my family, Disney movies and listening to Kpop. I have been always involved with my education by joining choir’s and becoming part of MSJC’s communications club as a Historian. I have promoted events for the club at my previous school, and I have promoted and volunteered for Khip-hop concerts. I aspire to one day work in the entertainment world while promoting artists and music. Additionally, I also hope to share written stories to people in my career due to my love for writing.| Instagram @Charice_Danielle| View My Articles
Please contact me below for freelance writing opportunities, sponsorship, brand ambassadorship, licensing information and press coverage:
© 2019 GeekRockTV. All rights reserved. Texts, Videos & Images Copyrighted.
GeekRockTV.com 👩🏻💻 🤘📺 