Comic-Con 2013: In Which I Get to Hang With Two of My Heroes

Posted on July 20, 2013 at 9:50 am

harrison ford at comic-con Highlights of Comic-Con 2013 so far:

1. The bathrooms here are sponsored by “The Bates Motel” television series, so they are labeled “Norma” and “Norman.”
2. I attended cool behind-the-scenes panels with the composers of superhero movie scores and the production designers and costume illustrators, hearing great details about how movies come together and getting wonderful glimpses of coming attractions.
3. After four years of “Twilight” events, there is a new based-on-a-series saga, “Divergent,” with a new collection of gorgeous 20-something actors.
4. I got to see the Scooby-Doo van and a Batman and Joker made of Legos. I also saw Samuel L. Jackson, Bill Hader, Anna Faris, and Andrew Garfield.
5. I got to sit opposite the gentleman you see above, who was here to talk about the movie that is taking him back to space for the first time since “Revenge of the Jedi.” Major life list item checked off.
6. I didn’t think there was anything more fun than attending panels at Comic-Con, but it turns out that being on a panel is even better, when it includes the fabulous people from Rotten Tomatoes and critics like Leonard Maltin. They passed out paddles with fresh and rotten tomatoes to the audience and they got to debate us on their favorite over- and under-rated films. Then the whole group got to vote fresh or rotten. Many thanks to the amazing Matt Atchity, Grae Drake, Ben Lyons, Scott Mantz, Jim Vejvoda, Jenna Busch, Tim Ryan, and one of my idols, Leonard Maltin.

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Comic-Con 2011

Posted on July 20, 2011 at 3:55 pm

I’m on my way to Comic-Con 2011, this year featuring the first glimpses of Twilight’s “Breaking Dawn — Part 1” along with Steven Spielberg’s “The Adventures of Tintin,” the Colin Farrell remake of “Total Recall” and “In Time,” a thriller with Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried. You haven’t heard about some of these? That’s the fun of it; Comic-Con is where it all begins. It’s not just movies. “True Blood,” “Lost,” and “Glee” got the word out via Comic-Con and this year we will see get updates on longtime fan favorites like “Buffy” and hear about the new projects from some Comic-Con regulars like Kevin Smith and Joss Whedon.

Entertainment Weekly points out in the current issue that back in 1976 a film no one had ever heard up sent a rep with a card table to sell the Con’s first promotional posters for a movie whose release was still a year away. Those posters are now sold (if you can find one) for $3000 and this year, that same film will be saluted with an elaborate booth in support of its six-movie Blu-Ray release with never-before-seen footage: Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI). What will this year’s attendees know about before anyone else? Stay tuned for my reports — and of course my always-popular pictures of the attendees in costume.

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Comic-Con 2009

Posted on July 22, 2009 at 8:00 am

The 40th anniversary of Comic-Con is this week and I am thrilled to be attending. It long ago expanded its range from the original gathering of comics fans and now includes sneak peeks at everything that is going to be cool in the popular arts over the next year or two. We will see previews of the big movies (including “iron Man 2” and “Toy Story 3”) and get a chance to hear from the performers and creators. Joss Whedon will be there. So will Tim Burton. I’m hoping to get to interview one of my favorite actors, Eric McCormack. And, yes, many Klingons and Han Solos and Harry Potters. Last year’s most popular costume was the Joker. Any predictions on what this one’s will be?
I will be tweeting and posting blog updates. Take a look at the schedule and let me know if there’s anything you think I should not miss.

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Comic-Con 2008

Posted on July 23, 2008 at 6:00 pm

comic-con logo.gif I’m getting ready for one of my favorite events of the year, Comic-Con in San Diego.
It began in 1970 with a few dozen comic collectors swapping comics and stories. This year, all 125,000 passes were sold out long before this evening’s opening night. I always refer to it as the Iowa caucuses of popular culture and the LA Times calls “the World’s Fair for pop-culture aficionados” and “the Super Bowl of popcorn cinema.” This is where everything that will be cool a year or two from now in comics, gaming, movies, television, and music begins. The people who buy comics are a tiny fraction of the entertainment marketplace but they are hugely influential because they are fiercely independent — they don’t wait to see if something is considered cool before making up their minds — and even more fiercely passionate — if they like something, they will get the word out. I am always touched and inspired by the way so many of the attendees are completely comfortable in their fanboy geekdom and wear it proudly, knowing that next year the people who didn’t talk to them in high school will be following whatever trends they help to determine this year. But that may be because I am such a fangirl myself.
Everyone will be there — from Deepak Chopra with his Virgin comics line to the people who come dressed up as superheroes and movie characters and collectors of arcane memorabilia to the stars of the new Watchman movie and the scholars from universities who write about what it all means and the people behind and on screen from all the biggest upcoming movies (including “The Hobbit.” “Clone Wars,” Disney’s next big animated release “Bolt,” and “City of Ember”) and television shows. Celebrities in attendance include the Mystery Science Theater guys, Seth Green, the original voice talents from top cartoons including the original Charlie Brown kids, Tori Amos, author Dean Koontz, Bill Murray, Steve Coogan, Method Man, Matt Groening (of “The Simpsons” and “Futurama”), and Triumph the Wonder Dog.
Keep checking, because I’ll be posting about my adventures. In the meantime, check out my pictures from 2006 and 2007.