It's lottery time for SDCC Souvenir Book prints

1 JUNE 2018

It's June, which means it's time to turn our sights onto the looming beast that is San Diego Comic-Con. If you're a first-timer - of which there seem to be a smaller than usual crop this year - then you may be wondering when all the good announcements start. While a few exclusives have been flashed around, now is when we'll begin to hear about the parties and shows and panels that will comprise your Comic-Con days and nights. And because SDCC is going to come up faster than you can imagine, I'll post a list of ways to start preparing this weekend.

Let's start by talking about this latest lottery SDCC is offering us. The cover of the 2018 Souvenir Book is out and it's a depiction of Marvel film characters by Matt Taylor. But what's different this year is that 1000 limited edition Mondo prints are being sold; and you can only buy one by being picked in a lottery.

Entering the Mondo Print Lottery


You can "submit interest" in CCI's words by logging into your Member ID account and visiting the Exclusives tab. This is for attendees only; no exhibitors, pros, press or other Comic-Con species are eligible to enter. Yes, probably all of those people know an attendee they can maneuver through, but I still like the way this is being handled. Being last in line is a long-standing attendee complaint. Using Member ID accounts to sort the attendees from everyone else is a good jumping off point for fixing that.

The deadline to enter is Thursday, 7 June, at noon PST. "On or around" 12 June you'll get an email telling you how to log into your account and find out if you were selected. Why can't the emails just tell you that directly? Because it's Comic-Con.

And if you don't get picked? A few more prints will be available through the Comic-Con museum in Balboa Park, so save your $$$$. Because those will definitely cost way more than the $70 you'll spend buying one as an attendee.


I know some of you dislike lotteries while others feel they are the closest thing to "fair" that we'll get in our Comic-Con world. It does seem to be the general MO for most of our endeavors, from hotel rooms to badges to autographs. Will Hall H move to a lottery system one day? That's not for me to opine on since I avoid it entirely, but I'm sure you devout campers have fierce opinions on it.

Back to first-timers. You can find out more about the Souvenir Book here. You'll get it for free when you enter the Con, a journal of articles and art that delve into specific pop culture topics and anniversaries. It's something to settle onto the sofa with when you're back home and have time to actually sit down and read. (You won't have that time at the Con.) And while all this hullabaloo about the Mondo prints might convince you they are absolutely indispensable to your SDCC experience - don't get too hung up on this lottery. Your chances are slim and it's healthy to work that into your perspective now. So don't be too sad if you don't get a print - you'll find a few other thousand things to spend your money on at Comic-Con.

47 days until Preview Night! Start prepping now, nerds.

Will Hall H reveal mystifying new techology?

11 JULY 2016

As you know, studios hate it when you surreptitiously film their special SDCC footage and then share it with the undeserving public. So far the effort to combat this has taken the form of, "Stop doing that." Which isn't terribly effective.

Recently - like in the last few weeks - Apple announced a tech patent for a tool that would disable your device's camera. Which sounds like a studio dream, but again, it's quite recent.

So it's hard to imagine we'd already see this in Hall H, but it sounds like we might see something; James Gunn made an interesting comment on Facebook. "Well, you might see something if you're in Hall H on July 23 with me and the Marvel panel. Or if someone secretly films that - which is less likely to happen because of new technology, but I still know sometimes happens - then you'll see it right after. If not, then it will be a short while."

What new technology?? We need details, stat. Obviously James was purposefully vague, but he must have an idea that something is afoot. More will be revealed, I suppose.

And speaking of reveals: Gunn also said they'd have "something special for you" in the panel. Just in case you needed more motivation to get into Hall H Saturday.

The SDCC Daily

5 JUNE 2015

Today wasn't the most exciting day but it wasn't devoid of news entirely. Let's see what we have.


First off, CCI shared a glimpse of Jim Lee's art in their gallery show. They promise to share more art previews leading up to the 20 June opening. My question: will there be an official SDCC t-shirt with some of the gallery art? It seems like there should be, given how proud CCI is of this show.

This is probably my favorite collectible so far: a Doctor Strange box set designed like the Book of Vishanti. Inside are Strange, Dormammu, Brother Voodoo, Magik and Hela. Unfortunately we have to navigate the hellish rituals of Hasbro to get our hands on it. "But maybe Hasbro will be better this year," an optimist might say. To which I say: doubt it.

If you're breathlessly awaiting the next Batman v Superman trailer, the current prediction is that it will be attached to Star Wars in December - with a special teaser for the Con.

Speaking of Star Wars, how badly do we all want to play Star Wars: Uprising? We know Star Wars: Battlefront will be showcased at E3 week after next, so let's hope we can get some kind of Star Wars gaming peeks at SDCC.

The Zombie Walk driver will stand trial for last summer's accident.

We may not get yesterday's R2-D2 refrigerator, but we will have a shot at getting this jumbo R2-D2 from Gentle Giant.

We'll also get this Big Bang Theory collectible from Entertainment Earth.

Mission Brewery is hosting Super Video Game Land on Friday, 10 July from 6 pm - midnight. This isn't "just" a gaming event - though plenty of classic games will be available for play - but will also have game artwork and arcade music.

We finally got some Fear The Walking Dead images that weren't just Robert Kirkman scratching his beard on set. And they're... kind of boring. This article goes into the various family relationships and dynamics that will apparently drive the story but I'm hoping they're just saving the apocalyptic thrill kill chaos for an incredibly mindblowing SDCC panel.

And of course some of the biggest news that rolled out today: Marvel is doing a massive relaunch this fall to the tune of 55-60 titles. Officially called "All-New, All-Different Marvel" (hyphens theirs), the relaunch hasn't offered up much detail yet which means we'll probably get a few promotional panels dropped on us at the Con. A special 64-page Previews is supposed to be in comic stores 1 July.

Roger Corman documentary will premiere at SDCC

21 MAY 2015

 

Do you love low-budget creature features? Movies like "She Gods of Shark Reef" and "Night of the Blood Beast" and "Attack of the Giant Leeches"?  If so, you have excellent taste in cinema - and you may have occasionally wondered whatever happened to B-movie god Roger Corman's lost "Fantastic Four" film.

Well, now you can find out. A highly anticipated documentary called "DOOMED: The Untold Story of Roger Corman's The Fantastic Four" will premiere at Comic-Con to "shed light on the mysterious circumstances surrounding the legendary cult classic." Shiver.

It will screen as part of the SDCC International Independent Film Festival, not as its own panel. That schedule hasn't been released yet but we do know that Executive Producer Mark Sikes and editor/director Marty Langford will be present to introduce the film.

For people who only know Roger Corman from his recent Syfy movies like "Sharktopus" or "Dinocroc Vs. Supergator," this should be a fascinating look at both obscure Marvel lore and Roger's colorful Hollywood history. No, it probably won't tantalize as many people as the Back to the Future documentary - but for a certain segment of attendees, it's the movie equivalent of being handed a basket of kittens.

 

Silicon Valley Comic Con is now a thing

18 APRIL 2015

Maybe you'll have a feeling about this and maybe you won't. Disparate forces such as Stan Lee and Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak have commingled their powers and created Silicon Valley Comic Con.

It will burst into life on 19-20 March 2016, and will probably be exactly how you envision a Con in Silicon Valley. Described by Wozniak as "the place to experience all your favorite things at one great show," SVCC sounds at first like a rising upstart and competitor to SDCC. But then he clarified, "Technology is pop culture in Silicon Valley and around the globe. Entertainment and innovation inspire and bring so much joy to the world, and I'm so excited that we will showcase both at Silicon Valley Comic Con. It's finally the Age of the Geek and we're ready to celebrate!"

So... Silicon Valley Commerce Con? Obviously Stan Lee will bring his magical comic book prowess to the event, and it'll do healthy business considering San Jose and San Francisco don't have WonderCon anymore. When it comes to delivering up the promised "Hollywood celebrities and various tech leaders," Wozniak and his Apple connections will no doubt import the very best. Who knows, maybe they'll throw in a few bands and film fests and call it South by Silicon West CES.

But will it have that nerdy Comic Con feel? As big as SDCC has gotten over the years, I think CCI has done a good job at preserving that original ambiance of wandering through aisles of random wonders. Yes, it's much more bombastic and corporate in parts, but its basement origins are still palpable in places. Somehow I can't imagine a Comic Con created by the man who created Apple - a sleek design-driven brand - to deliver that lovably shabby feel.

But maybe that's what people want. While some attendees enjoy pawing through cartons of back issues and weird DVDs and bizarre art, knives and jewelry, maybe other attendees long for streamlined tables of well-preserved comics and elegant demos. This could be right up their alley. Maybe there will be Eric Schmidt cosplay and photo ops with IPO jillionaires. It's Silicon Valley! Those innovative boy kings can do anything. I bet they won't even get sued by CCI.

We already knew that corporate entities like ReedPOP and the people behind Salt Lake Comic Con embrace the business side of Con popularity, and it's clear that every town with two or more zip codes is determined to have its own Con. But to nostalgic purists like me, the idea of corporate megalodons taking over the Con universe is just a bit cringe-worthy.

Still, this could be - I'm being genuine - a really satisfying Comic Con. If it can blend Hollywood, comics and tech (and obviously the networking will be killer), it's going to appeal to many current SDCC attendees. And I'm curious to see how that Apple touch can technologically revolutionize Con bureaucracy. Maybe Wozniak can put a ding in the badge sale universe or something.

Wozniak did say, "In life, the most important thing is to have fun" - and while fun is maybe not the first word I'd associate with the workaholism capital of America, he obviously cares about creating an entertaining experience for geeks. And he's right in that tech, geek, nerd and pop culture circles are all blurring together. So will Silicon Valley Comic Con be worth attending? I doubt it will persuade too many people to opt out of SDCC. But between Wozniak and Stan Lee, it's probably going to be one interesting show.

Souvenir Book now includes The Inhumans

18 MARCH 2015

We're just a month out from the deadline for Souvenir Book artwork submissions, and most of you have probably started on if not completed your projects. However, there's been a late addition to the celebrations previously listed: The Inhumans are now available to serve as your muse.

To refresh your memory, we already had the 50th anniversary of Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D and 75th anniversaries for:

• Will Eisner's The Spirit
• Catwoman
• The Joker
• Robin
• Shazam!
• The First DC Comics Heroes: Flash, The Atom, The Spectre, Hawkman, Doctor Fate and Green Lantern

Now, to add more Marvel love into the mix, we have the 50th anniversary of The Inhumans. So if you weren't previously inspired, maybe now you'll feel it.

The deadline is 17 April.

I think Marvel will be at Comic-Con

9 MARCH 2015

The Internet went up in flames today when it was announced that Marvel would be skipping this year's San Diego Comic-Con. It wasn't an official announcement, but rather - what else - a random comment in a Facebook chat.

It was from "Guardians of the Galaxy" director James Gunn who said he "wasn't sure" if he would be at SDCC. "Marvel isn't going so I'm not sure I will either."

CCI pled ignorance: spokesperson David Glanzer said the panel schedule won't be planned until early May so they wouldn't know anyhow. But he also said, "It’s not unusual for a studio to miss a day or a studio to combine their presentation with another studio slot. As of right now, we haven’t heard anything." 

Let's be honest - true as that may be, it would be very unusual for Marvel to skip SDCC. And this isn't the first year Marvel has flirted with not coming. While they had a reduced presence in 2011, they almost always show up in some capacity. So I wouldn't panic yet - although today's furor does point to how confident attendees feel in not only predicting but planning around traditional panel patterns.

For those of you staying home...

9 JULY 2014

If you didn't get a badge this year, there are a few things you can do to still participate in Comic-Con fever. If you're local, you can come down and enjoy all of the promotional events and attractions in the area. If you want exclusives, a large number of them are going on sale in August (which begs the question of how exclusive they really are, but whatever.) And now businesses are spotting a marketing opportunity in SDCC branding.

One of these is Barnes & Noble. They're holding a weeks-long "Get Pop Cultured" promotion that will focus on nerdy movies, games, toys, graphic novels and music from 18 July - 10 August.

• You can enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win a $1K gift card, a Warner Bros studio tour and other prizes. Just go to the NOOK counter at your local store.
• Preview Weekend is 18-20 July; you'll get sneak peeks at new titles, posters, sample chapters, digital downloads, and there will be more contests.
• Get Pop-Cultured Costume Contest is on Saturday, 19 July; you can come to the store and cosplay as your favorite character, post photos with the hashtag #getpopcultured and possibly win prizes; you also get coupons for showing up at the store in costume.
• DC Comics Spectacular runs from 23-27 July and will have "fun activities, special giveaways and a 5-day offer on all DC graphic novels." Remember that 23 July is Batman Day, which will be celebrated in comic shops everywhere; they're celebrating here too with free comic books, special editions, bookmarks, buttons and contests. I feel like we really need an entire Batman Week.
• Comic Convention Collectibles will slightly overlap those dates and offer you the chance to buy some of the SDCC exclusives. FUNKO is involved, so that tells you what's available.
• Frozen Friday: Cool Off with Olaf! will be 1 August. "Frozen Friday" sounds like a happy hour drink to me, but no, it's a sing-along and storytime event with crafts, sand castle building and other activities all centering on Frozen. I can't even imagine how popular this will be.
• Marvel Day is 2 August, with giveaways and prizes celebrating the release of Guardians of the Galaxy.
• James Patterson Day is 3 August - again with giveaways, prizes and a 1-day special offer on his books and audios. Presumably this includes all of his "co-authored" books.
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Ninja Training Academy Event is the week of 4 August, with crafts and ninja training.
• Page & Screen Weekend is 9-10 August is all about a smattered of nerdy & pop culture work, from Walking Dead to Doctor Who to the Hobbit to The Fault In Our Stars.
• And of course, there will be signings and celebrities sprinkled throughout, including Chris Colfer, Deborah Harkness, Christopher Paolini, Jim Starlin, Sherrilyn Kenyon, James Dashner, John Scalzi, Alyssa Milano, Buzz Aldrin, James Patterson, Malcolm Gladwell and more. And Grumpy Cat, who I didn't realize made personal appearances. Maybe he'll be beamed in.

 .