No video aside from Marvel's own camera is allowed...

Ticketed event. Jae Lee, Peter David, Ralph Macchio, Richard Isanove, Robin Furth, Joe Quesada, and Stephen King.

Rare to have one of the greatest authors, possibly ever, on a panel. it was hard for him to break into comics...

Being able to publish Dark Tower is a coming out party for comics to reach out into mainstream and let them know that comics has grown out of the "ghetto" of just children's literature.

Not just a boon for Marvel, but for all of comics. Midnight releases very successful.

Star Wars scout troopers "guarding" stage.

Standing ovation for King...

Goes straight to Q&A...

Just started reading book, should I be wary of spoilers? No spoilers. Get over this spoiler shit, man. The comic just kicks ass.

How intimidating to adapt a book that has reached so many people? The most intimidating is that it goes to "Steve" for review. Just do the best job you can. Labor of love. No impact on writing style, per se.

Katie told me to tell you you're the greatest. "No, Katie is the coolest." If I donate 100 to your favorite charity will you sign my copy of the book? "...No." *Laughter*

Wonderful marriage as comic fans check out the book and book fans check out the comic. Great to be seen by so many people. Might work with other authors in future, but now it's all about Dark Tower.

When you saw the artwork, did it live up to what's in your head? I'm in awe of what these artists did. Very gratifying.

Back and forth about Mets/Yankees with questioners. "Yankee fans don't ask questions, they know all the answers."

What was message of last book, theme of disappointment? Was that intentional? Overall theme is of evolution. You don't get what you want immediately. Sometimes you don't get it right the first time. Evolutionary process. When you do long volume work, like Potter, when you get to end, you're always going to piss off fans, because it's over and there's nothing you can do at the end that will satisfy them.

Always new material or will you adapt stories? Building up to battle of Jericho hill.

Lee thrilled with look. It's been so long, he's "forgotten how to ink".

More Dark Tower comic series in future? Up to King. Up to Quesada. King: there's always more stories.

"If you keep calling me Mr. King, I'm going to kick your ass."

When you wrote Gunslinger, did you know about Mordred? No. The story tells itself, in a sense. Your job is to just stand back.

What's it like for Quesada to sit next to "his lordship"? You had to be there for the first meeting. King asked to take the boards with him and Quesada knew he had him. Asked years ago, what is the holy grail to get to work in comics? King was the answer.

Would King ever work on a Marvel character? If something comes up in his mind, these are the people he'd go to, but right now he can't think of a superhero he'd like to write.

Why did you remove his fingers? "I didn't remove them, they got bit off." He was the most surprised person that it happened.

King never knows who's going to return in his books or show up again.

Darabont on series to adapt Dark Tower? King said no to everyone until recently. Fear of it not being a good movie. Been working on it since his 20s. Generally he doesn't give a shit about movie adaptations. If they're bad he still gets royalties on the book.

But with the comic, he knew this team was as good as it gets. Comic was so well received it rekindled his interest in a movie. With Darabont's plate so full, he optioned it to the Lost guys for $19 because he trusts them.

David sees himself as a professional liar/fabricator. It's nifty to get paid for it. The paycheck is all that separates him from the guy walking down the street muttering to the voices in his head.

I know you like to be in your movies, can we expect to see a character drawn after you in the comic? Lee says he's bad with likenesses, so probably not.

Media suggestions? Writes about that in Entertainment Weekly. Whatever you're reading is great. Don't let thought police take whatever that is away.

Distrustful of technology.

What made you choose to adapt this part off Roland's life? We talked about what the doorway in to this series might be like. There's a blank spot in the middle of his life from the books. He wants to see Roland be the only one to get away over a pile of dead bodies.

Do you ever think of actors when visualizing characters? I never see 'em. Doesn't know how to explain it. Doesn't see characters, it's like he's behind their eyes. Maybe if they looked in a mirror...

The Dark Tower is a first draft. Sees it as still in progress. Special Editions? Now that he knows how it ends, there's more he can do with it. When he got done, he realized that certain elements should have been introduced earlier. I know now some things that I can do. Would like to go back and might even novelize their comic book.

Art is never finished, only abandoned.

Any Marvel characters besides Dr. Doom? Don't mistake us for people who know where we're going.

What's on your t-shirt? Oh, this is a Shaun off the Dead t-shirt. *applause*

Clarifies, there will be no Lucas-y special edition, don't worry.

Like going to Disneyland for King when visiting Marvel office.

Lee thought it was cool being escorted in by Stormtroopers today, that was his "geek moment" during the process.

"You colored Jae better than you colored me". Well, it works better when you have a better artist. *laughter*

You write so many different kinds of books do you have to get into a particular mind set to do that? "No. Once you start the mindset comes."

Because I feel pretty good, I have more of a tendency to think about if I had croaked. If I'd ended up in a wheelchair. What I do with that accident is that it gets plugged into the work like everything else in my life. Turn it into leftovers. ...that doesn't make any sense. Well, shit.

Thanks, ovation, end.