You can see The Killing Joke in theatres 25 July

9 JULY 2016

This might be old news to some of you, but I keep encountering people who don't know it. So here it is.

The Killing Joke, the animated feature that has haunted fan imaginations everywhere since it was announced after the Gods and Monsters premiere last year at the Con, will be in movie theatres on Monday, 25 July. Yes, just one night. This is incredibly good news for:

1) Those of you who didn't get a badge for SDCC 2016
2) Those of you who did, but have Friday plans that make the premiere inaccessible


Or maybe you just planned on seeing it, but now feel free to pursue some of the other great Friday night options at Comic-Con.

Demand has been so high for this that theatre after theatre has sold out, with more added in the last few days. It's actually breaking records. And what does that demand say about our ability to get a good seat at the Con screening - or get in at all? Probably what we already knew: it's going to be tough.

When The Killing Joke was announced, my first thought was that I would crawl into a Ballroom 20 air duct if necessary to see it. Now the pressure is off slightly - and of course, it's coming out digitally on 26 July and then on DVD and Blu-ray a week later. Still, seeing it at Comic-Con is part of the magic.

See you in line on July 22. And maybe again at the movies a few nights later.

Preview Night pilots are pretty ace this year

27 JUNE 2016

If you've followed talk about Preview Night, you might think it's all hungry hordes of attendees and their war cries over exclusives. It's not; there's a whole other side to Preview Night that may be quieter, but is still pretty exciting. I'm talking about the pilots that are screened in Ballroom 20.

Some years these are appetizing; other years quite skippable. This year has some pretty sweet offerings, in my opinion. If you attend, you'll see:

People of Earth. Oh hi, Carla from Silicon Valley. This show features a support group for alien "experiencers," dished up by a Daily Show alum; it's already amassing a built-in fanbase. Let's hope it's as funny as it could be.

Powerless. Superheroes and insurance agents = wacky fun; that's the premise. I'm not feeling it but maybe you are.

Time After Time. I like time travel shows but they don't always have the greatest track record - partly because the history gets bungled, the actors all have 21st century teeth and makeup even in 1872, and the networks tend to get sick of them. Still, it's hard to resist a show that has Jack the Ripper and says "Good lord, Wells, you actually built the bloody thing!"

Riverdale. We all know this is why our favorite comic books Afterlife with Archie and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina have been mostly MIA; their creators were creating this instead. Everyone's curious about this new Lynchian Archie universe where Betty's addicted to Adderall, Archie's sexing down Ms. Grundy and Jason Blossom is murdered, so this is going to be a top pick for many attendees.

A new episode of Teen Titans Go! and the debut of Justice League Action. Wait, this is supposed to be aimed at "younger fans?" This, ahem, more mature fan is very interested. And I bet a lot of other attendees are eager to see this new JL as well. This will be a major draw.


So yes, Ballroom 20 on Wednesday night is going to be a pretty great way to kick off Comic-Con. But as always - and this should make you happy, attendees who didn't get a Preview Night badge - these will screen a 2nd time throughout the Con. You can see the whole schedule here to find out when, along with the other shows Warner Bros. is bringing.

It's worth noting that last year, the iZombie panel screened late Friday afternoon in Ballroom 20 right before Justice League: Gods and Monsters. And what do you know, this year iZombie is back in Ballroom 20 on Friday at 5:30 - and The Killing Joke screens Friday night. Same bat room, same bat time? Just something to keep in mind as you plan your Friday adventures.

Are you going to the Star Trek premiere at SDCC?

22 MAY 2016

We've long suspected this will be a very Star Trek Comic-Con, and now one of our wishes has been confirmed: on Wednesday, 20 July, Star Trek Beyond will premiere at SDCC.

Specifically, behind the convention center, IMAX-style, with the cast in attendance and the San Diego Symphony offering a live performance. You can't beat that. To be clear, this is the official premiere, red carpet and all; on the one hand, that makes it especially exciting, but also makes it that much harder to attend.

If you feel confident about your chances of getting in, BUT you have a Preview night badge, you may feel torn between the two. I think you'll be okay. You should be able to ransack the Exhibit Hall from 6-7 and still get seated by showtime. At any rate, you clearly have some kind of magic powers if you get a premiere ticket and a PV badge, so you'll find a way to make it work.

Now. Because most of us won't get in - will there be any other special events celebrating the official Friday opening? Maybe. If you're a lifelong Trekkie, don't view this as your only opportunity to live long and prosper at SDCC; I'm pretty confident we'll have other events. A lot of us are hoping that Adam Nimoy brings his documentary "For the Love of Spock" and/or that the 50th anniversary Ultimate Voyage tour makes a stop; but even if those don't happen, the 50th anniversary and the new movie will get celebrated.

Stay tuned for ticket news.

The Killing Joke trailer is out

27 APRIL 2016

The good news: The Killing Joke looks as good as we hoped it would be. The announcement of new material (mainly pertaining to Barbara Gordon) made a few people twitchy, and the animation has its detractors, but it looks like the sound and overall feel of the film will align with the book.

The bad news: This is going to be ridiculously popular at SDCC, and probably not as easy to get into as most of the nighttime screenings and premieres. This will definitely be an anchor panel/event for me and probably tons of other attendees.

Three months from today, San Diego Comic-Con will already be over. That's kind of unsettling, right?

The Killing Joke teaser is out

3 APRIL 2016

"He's insane. It's a mistake to think you know what he'll do."

Just a little something to sooth your nerves before Hotel Day and remind you that it's all worth it - the ball of anxiety that is your stomach as you contemplate landing at La Quinta inn on Tuesday morning. If you have a badge for San Diego Comic-Con, that's what matters. You're still going to your dream panels, can still see The Killing Joke or the Masquerade or confront your arch enemy in the Nintendo Gaming Lounge. No one can take that away from you.

I'll post my thoughts on the hotel sale in a bit.

Image Expo screening Outcast pilot

31 MARCH 2016




Those of you going to Image Expo's Spring Formal next Wednesday night will have this to look forward to: a screening of Robert Kirkman's Outcast pilot.

The Spring Formal is a real dance by the way, with formal wear, cocktails, DJs (Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie) and dancing. The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund will be highlighted too. A few tickets are left, so if you'll be in Seattle next week, think about going. Remember, Emerald City doesn't kick off until Thursday afternoon, so you have all morning to sleep in.

How do you feel about this Killing Joke image?

16 MARCH 2016

It's like a tiny piece of San Diego Comic-Con 2016 floated down from the sky like a multi-colored snowflake: we have the first image from The Killing Joke, screening this summer at SDCC.

If you missed Mark Hamill's tweets that accompanied the image, they are:

•  "All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy... Just one bad day."
• "Remember there's always madness... Madness is the emergency exit."
• "If I have to have a past, then I prefer it to be multiple choice."

I'm feeling it. Are you?

Do you want to see the Nerdist's horror film?

25 JUNE 2015




I'm guessing the answer is "yes," knowing how loyal Nerdist fans are.

Here's the deal. Their movie The Hive is a fresh horror movie about a teenage camp counselor who wakes up imprisoned in a cabin, missing some memories as he tries to solve the mystery of what happened. Chris Hardwick and his Nerdist crew are letting SDCC attendees see it first. Are you intrigued?


On Friday, The Nerdist Conival at Petco Park will hold a noon panel with the cast and director.

On Saturday, Chris Hardwick has a 1 pm Nerdist panel in the Indigo Ballroom, which will be joined by the director.

Then at 3:30 pm on Saturday, the movie itself and a surrounding panel will take place at the Horton Grand Theatre. Yes, this is a ticketed event and sure to be extremely popular.

Here's a quote from Chris Hardwick if you need more convincing: “This movie is so much damn fun. The first time I saw it, I was blown away by how fresh and inventive the story was, which is no small feat in horror. I knew right away I wanted to help get this movie into the eyes and earholes of horror fans.”

So there you have it - Chris Hardwick wants to invade your horror-smitten earholes. More information on tickets soon.

See X-Men "Rogue Cut" at SDCC

22 JUNE 2015




The news is true: SDCC will have the first ever screening of the "Rogue Cut" of X-Men: Days of Future Past.

This is an alternate cut, and it includes almost 90 minutes of new and "immersive" special features. "Rogue makes her return as the all-star characters from the original X-Men film trilogy join forces with their younger selves and unite to battle armies of murderous Sentinel robots who are hunting down mutants and humans alike!"

Where: Reading Cinema at 701 5th Ave in the Gaslamp. It will be shown on 4 screens.

When: Saturday, 11 July, at 8 pm.

How you can get tickets: You can get guaranteed access/VIP tickets by buying the Blue-ray at either the Fox booth #4229 or the Nerd HQ/IGN Lounge. If you don't want to go that route, additional seating will be first come, first served. You know what that means: a line.

Win tickets to see Stranded

5 JULY 2013

Dead Central is giving away 25 pairs of tickets to a screening of Stranded on Thursday the 18th. Just email them with your full name to enter for a chance to win.

The movie stars Christian Slater and "centers on a series of terrifying events that take place aboard the Ark moon base." You can see the trailer and enter the contest here.