Catching up with SDCC

27 JUNE 2019

Who wants to watch pre-presidents debate when we can talk about Comic-Con? Let's review recent developments.

Exclusives
Yes, we're back to the lottery system; this time, though, we each have "credits" we can allocate to our favorite exclusives to increase our odds of being selected. You need to do so by 9 July. Winners will be selected within a few days. I know last year's exclusives system stirred up considerable rancor; I hope this year goes better for you, but don't get your hopes up too high.


Conan
Everyone is hyped over the release of the Funko figures and the date announcement, but I hope you're being practical as well by spiffing up your 1iota account. Remember - the rabid rush for Conan tickets is not strictly first come, first serve, but also about whose account proves they'd be a colorful addition to the audience.

Also remember the timing. I know programming won't be officially announced until next week, but you probably have a good idea by now of what day is your Hall H day, which one is your offsite day, etc. If Conan feels vital to you, request all 4 shows when tickets go live and try to trade later if you have to. But remember that you have to show up early the morning of the taping and then return in the afternoon to be released in the early evening. You won't be able to juggle this with another demanding line wait.


Comic Creator and Gaming Creator Connections
If you're not familiar with CCC, it's where comic book artists and writers interview each other for a few minutes and decide if they want to swipe right or left. I've heard mixed things from people who attended but I'm sure it's worked out for others. There's a session Thursday night and Friday night and you have to have a badge for that day to get in. Artists can go both nights; writers have to pick just one because we are legion. One new development this year: 10 "emerging artists" from DeviantArt will be there, seeking your gifts. 

Gaming Creator Connection on Saturday is a little different; you'll have 15-20 minutes to speak to different mentors in different aspects of the industry. You can also attend Game Pitch Review on the same day.

Email programs@comic-con.org if you're interested in either of these.

Merchandise
Some people can't wait for each year's official merchandise to be released and others don't care; this anniversary year, though, seems to have sparked a thirst for all things stamped SDCC. I'm usually not interested and even I'm eyeing the Batman shirt.

Don't forget that these items really are exclusive to the Con, and so your friends staying home may be extra interested in having you pick up a few up for them. 


Blood Drive Appointments
Don't forget to schedule your donation to the community. The SDCC blood drive has saved more than 67,000 lives over the years. It's easy to go (they take walk-ins), it's quick, and you walk away with great swag, like an Endgame t-shirt. You're also entered into raffles, with good odds of winning. (I've won prizes twice and I never win anything.)

 

What's a Studio?

Sony announced today we're not getting a look at Zombieland 2 (or anything else) at the Con. This sparked the usual hand-wringing over "major studios" skipping the Con, including Warner/DC, and how only Disney and Paramount will be there. I find these announcements triply irritating because:

• There's more to SDCC than Hall H and movie trailers - some of us are beyond excited to see the colossal Warner/DC booth, the Batwoman and Pennyworth pilots, the Veronica Mars premiere and the Saturday night DC Universe special event.
• If these writers would join us in 2019, they'd realize SDCC attendees are just as likely to fangasm over Amazon, Netflix, HBO, AMC (well, maybe not as much anymore) and other offerings. The idea that only old-school studios matter is a dinosaur.
• These articles tend to imply SDCC's star is dimming. Again, that's through their industry lens. While there's definitely a dynamic of many studios realizing the Hall H ROI isn't there, it's natural for a 50-year-old juggernaut like SDCC to continually shift and evolve - and many attendees don't consider a Tarantino trailer critical to their Comic-Con experience.

Panel Buzz

So speaking of panels... what are you excited to see? Here are some obvious choices:

Marvel anything: No contest, especially if we get a look at Black Panther 2.

Supernatural's final panel: Every Saturday night at Comic-Con, I see women head toward the convention center with sleeping bags and pillows, staking their claim to see the Winchester brothers. This fandom is insane (ranking with Twilight, IMO) and I can't imagine how intense this last panel will be.

Riverdale, right after it: I know everyone likes to roll their eyes at Riverdale these days, with good reason, but it's still crazy popular. And Cheryl Blossom cosplay is always a good look.

HBO Game of Thrones and Westworld: Obviously GOT will be nuts, and I'm curious how polite fans will be toward Weiss and Benioff. More excited for Westworld, personally, unless the GOT panel announces a graphic novel told from the direwolves' perspective.

Scary Stories Told in The Dark: If it comes. Is it coming?

The final Arrow panel: Also sure to be emotional. Honestly, Ballroom 20 on Saturday is going to be nonstop greatness, for those of you who are skipping Hall H.

Harley Quinn premiere: While this hasn't gotten as much buzz as other DC animation, the HQ fanbase is devoted - and really this is just guaranteed to be fun.

Veronica Mars reboot: No doubt many young attendees are thinking "the lady from the car commercials?" but HEY, Veronica Mars was quite a thing in its day - and this will be stormed by passionate fans.

The Boys: This seems to be stirring up significant curiosity pre-Con - and I think this will be a major draw.

Carnival Row: Same. 

Top Gun: Maverick: People I never thought would be into this have it on their top 5 list. 

Batwoman pilot: There's been a lot of scoffing in my Sapphic circles over this - but we're all still going to watch it, right? At least the pilot to see if it's decent.

Pennyworth: Same mix of cynicism and interest, but I think people will be eager to see it.

It Chapter Two:  Major get for Wednesday night. Who needs a $750 ticket to The Gathering when you can hit up ScareDiego?

The Order: A "horror drama" from Netflix, this looks like a great reason to be in the Indigo Ballroom on Thursday afternoon.

Are you excited yet?

SDCC news review

8 JUNE 2018

Are you getting excited yet?

We're only a few weeks from the programming announcements - first-timers, these typically drop on a day by day basis 2 weeks before the Con. And we're already starting to spot what our SDCC days and nights may look like, though not all the developments have been positive. Let's review.

We'll start with the bad news: no Nerd HQ. First-timers, don't even ask what it was like; you'll just be sad you missed out. Everyone else, I know you're bummed but Nerd HQ may live in other cities/events so try to see this as yet another fun thing to anticipate. SDCC will be over at the end of July but you might still have this to look forward to - someday, somewhere.

ConanCon. They jumped onto Instagram today and they mention "exclusive behind the scenes photos, @originalfunko giveaways, ticket and celebrity guest updates" and more. In other words, this sounds like a mandatory destination - both for getting tickets and possibly finding out how to get the Funko Pop of your dreams even if you don't.

SDCC is issuing its 2018 Bob Clampett Humanitarian Aware to Frederick Joseph, who created the #BlackPantherChallenge that wound up helping more than 70,000 kids.

Are you not going to San Diego Comic-Con? Fear not; you might still get a full set of Diamond's exclusives in this contest.

Warner is going to dazzle us all (or those in Hall H, anyway) with a rebranding of the DC Extended Universe. Speaking of Hall H, we're also supposed to get the Aquaman trailer at the Con. We think.

Tickets are on sale for San Diego Sympony's The Movie Music of John Williams. A few notes on this: it's a great option if you don't have a Preview Night badge but if you do, oh well. Also be aware that John Williams won't actually be there and that - if you haven't done a SDCC symphony event for a  few years - it's not out back anymore but at the Jacobs Music Center. I know, I miss the sunset concerts too.

If you're one of those SDCC attendees who gripes about not getting invited to any parties, you're invited to this one: The Impractical Jokers, Saturday night in Petco Park, for free.

A Brief History of Time Travel will screen at SDCC's film festival.

If you missed the Eisner nominees or the profound thoughts of the judges, read here.

WWE champion Rey Mysterio and a few other luchadores will be in their own comic book, with Mysterio appearing at the Con on Friday to promote his issue. 

One of the more exciting comic book announcements this summer is the Vertigo relaunch, with 7 new titles. Panel material? For sure.


Are you bringing your offspring to Comic-Con? Are you dreading their panel tantrums or having nightmares about them wandering off in the Exhibit Hall? CCI has you covered with KiddieCorp - but you have to register by 17 June. 

Let's kick off the SDCC Daily for 2017

10 JUNE 2017

It's happening; we're getting new announcements on the regular about exclusives, comics and more. So what's happened lately?

If you got your badge days ago, it might be hard to believe they're still landing in mailboxes - but they are. Just like last year, photos are getting stolen off social media so block out your name if you post yours.

Diamond has paraded their 2017 exclusives around to Internet applause - Batman Beyond/Terry McGinnis, Dark Phoenix, an emerald-studded Poison Ivy, Ghostbusters, the Flash and more.

 Entertainment Earth brings us Spider-Man and Green Goblin; Icon Heroes brings a Rebirth Wonder Woman; Factory Entertainment announced that Deadpool co-creater Fabian Nicieza is doing a rare signing on Friday and Saturday of their Deadpool collectibles.

And if you have a spare $250 in your pocket, you can pick up Stan Lee's God Woke graphic novel there at the Factory Entertainment booth as well. It's okay if you keep accidentally calling it Woke God; I do too.

Do you want to walk the runway at the Her Universe SDCC show? Share your own personal Wonder Woman in this Hot Topic contest.

Black Panther has electrified the fan world this week; expect some expert cosplay and very long lines for anything Pantherian at the Con.

A word on exclusives for first-timers - they're not always that exclusive. If, for instance, you feel it's just not Christmas without the Starship Enterprise hanging from your tree, and you're worried you can't hack the SDCC Hallmark line, you'll be glad to know Hallmark will sell more of these ornaments beyond the 225 they're dishing out daily at the Con. Same holds for little Walrus Man below and some other booths/manufacturers. Do your homework before you waste time in line. I'll do a post on crafting your exclusives strategy.

After innumerable contributions to our collective nerd life, Adam West passed away at the age of 88. His Con panels were incredible and I think we can all agree that there's nothing better than watching stodgy Batman get flustered as Julie Newmar slinks around 1960's Batman episodes. Let's hope Adam gets the special commemoration he deserves at the Con.

We know Adult Swim is bringing the RickMobile to Comic-Con - but attendees are wondering if their On the Green tour is coming to SDCC. Dates haven't been announced yet if so.


Behold the first Preview Night acquisition I will hold in my arms: Death from Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey. What's your #1 exclusive wish so far?

Finally, a reminder for those of you who want to attend a Conan taping - make sure you are signed up in your Member ID account to receive third-party emails. Yes, you can try to get tickets on your own but in past years, attendees got emails with special codes to enter during the ticket request. Make sure you're one of them if you want to go. I'll do a special Conan post down the road to explain the process.

Oh - and really finally - I've been getting asked where all the offsites are. I know pickings seem slim so far this year. Bear in mind we still have more than a month to go and more events will be getting announced. But even if we do end up with an oddly low-event Comic-Con, I promise you will find plenty of things to go. It's not like you can ever run out of events, panels, tournaments or attractions at SDCC.

But if you're genuinely worried about this, you can always start your own event. Don't be passive - whether you want to arrange a small get-together of online friends or throw an actual bash for your specific fandom/hobby/lifestyle choice, be the change you want to see at the Con.

Stay tuned. More and more announcements are filling our world.

San Diego Comic-Con so far

22 JULY 2016

We're halfway through Comic-Con. What have we learned?


We found out about a new Rogue One character named Edrio Two Tubes. I don't find this life-altering but people seem intrigued.

After much anticipation, American Gods seemed to mostly elicit a positive response. I talked to 2 book fans who didn't care for the feel of it, but everyone else seemed into it.

Bates Motel is staring down its last season in Season 5 - and Rihanna is joining the cast.

Twin Peaks is definitely coming to us summer 2017 - and David Lynch definitely directed all 18 episodes. That's according to Ray Wise, AKA Leland Palmer.

Shiva, Ezekiel's tiger, delivers an impressive roar in The Walking Dead trailer. Unfortunately she looks like a CGI escapee from the Siegfried and Roy show, but hey, there's a tiger to brighten/maim the next season of TWD.

Speaking of, at Syfy Live they inevitably asked about the death cliffhanger. Steven Yeun said with chilling solemnity, "We will tell the story the way it needs to be told." The crowd around me groaned when he said it - his tone seemed to confirm everyone's fears.

Bruce Timm is bringing another DC original feature to Comic-Con next year: Batman and Harley Quinn.

In the "unexpected but glorious news" department: Roxane Gay is writing a Black Panther comic.

We're also getting another Batman/TMNT crossover.

And - in a franchise that we all assumed was dead and buried - it turns out horror movie The Woods is actually a Blair Witch Project sequel.

DC said that they're seeing industry growth in the bookstore market rather than the comic shop. Given that most bookstores have gone extinct, what are they talking about? All the merchandise in Barnes and Noble, I guess.

iZombie will have a Law & Order format when it returns, not just solving cases but prosecuting them too.

Justice League Action got a very positive response. So did Luke Cage - overwhelmingly so.

Trashed, Derf Backderf's graphic novel, has been optioned.

Silicon Valley said it doesn't know when it's returning to light up our Sunday nights, but it's not necessarily tied to Game of Thrones' delayed schedule, as many have speculated. They also said they normally shoot 40 minutes of material and use 30 because they feel the shorter format works better - sorry, all of you hoping for hour-long episodes.

There's been quite a bit of buzz about Gerard Way's new DC imprint and now we have a better idea of what it will bring us. While some hipster comic nerds are sneering at this, I see potential for some truly interesting comics.

Love and Rockets will return as on ongoing comic beginning this fall.

But what about the Con itself?

In the complaints department: Several cosplayers feel the weapons policy is being enforced too strictly, with things zip-tied that they didn't think should be. I can't say this is surprising.

The Exhibit Hall continues to be more navigable and less crowded than in recent years. Thursday felt more humid and odiferous than Friday. Also, the comic book aisles were more packed than usual. Did the comic nerds triumph in Open Reg?

First-timers have told me that things should be organized more efficiently, the lines are ridiculous, people keep bumping into them or walking too slow or too fast, and they're going to write an email to CCI addressing all of this. Adorable.

The SDCC Daily

7 JULY 2016

Busy day. What did we find out? Besides the obvious, Thursday panels.

And the SDCC keycards.

Well, you probably found out if you were going to the Wednesday Conan taping with Silicon Valley. There were questions, celebrations and complaints about this, so a few points.

• They prioritized SDCC attendees, which meant you had to use the promo code that was sent in the email. What email? The one you got if your Member ID profile opted in to receive emails from third-party sources. If you opted out of that, you didn't get an email with a promo code and you probably got wait-listed for every Conan taping. I thought everyone knew about this; I was wrong and I feel bad for not warning people.
• You can still do standby. If you do this, mention that you're officially waitlisted. You'll be prioritized over those who aren't. Have your waitlist email at the ready. If you're wearing some amazing cosplay, you may be seated near the front.
• That said, I think competition for standby will be a lot more intense this year. 
• So far we know that SV is Wednesday; Thursday is Weird Al and maybe a mystery guest?; Friday is Game of Thrones (and it will tape later than normal to accommodate their schedule) and Saturday is Suicide Squad. 

We also found out there's a new kind of villain in town; scammers who steal badge pictures and post them in fake online auctions. I know a few thousand of you happily shared your badge photo, sometimes with your name showing, online, so please learn from what happened to one guy: he was stripped of his pro status and had his badge cancelled by CCI - because a picture of it showed up in an Ebay action. Hopefully he can work this out with CCI. In the meantime, consider this living proof that fraudulent badge sales abound online. Whoever posted that auction (and they immediately created a new one with the name scribbled out) does not have a badge, but they may soon have an extra 2K in their pocket.


Titan announced their Torchwood book would launch at the Con.

Boom! showed their WWE covers, including one featuring Matias Bergara.

In addition to the Aliens reunion at the Con, Fox is letting you pre-order a special 30th anniversary version - and the Blu-ray comes with a Dark Horse art book and collectible cards.

Another Thursday night event: the Archer cast will do a live episode reading on a yacht. If you got tickets to this, I'm officially jealous. If you didn't get tickets, you can still get tickets for Rave of Thrones the same night. 


Gentle Giant rolled out a few SDCC exclusives.

So did Toys R Us.

Enter Schick's #Hydrorescue contest to hit up SDCC and meet Zachary Quinto.


ComiXology announced its Comic Book All Star trading cards which you can pick up at their booth.

Or you could pick up this Jared Leto-based Joker.

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab announced their SDCC scents, available only at the CBLDF party:

• Disrespect for Authority: Gleaming black leather with blonde tobacco, copal and smoked vanilla.
• Sordid and Unpleasant Activities: White cedar and bourbon vetiver with poplar, smoked cumin, oak-barrel whiskey and a dribble of spiced rum absolute.
• Criminal Glamour: Black patchouli and leather, wet with styrax and black amber and smoothed by velvet oudh and black currant.

If I learned one thing today from the reaction to the Thursday programming, it's this: attendees are feverish for Mr. Robot. That was the panel I heard mentioned above all others. We'll see if people are just as excited for Syfy panels The Magicians and The Expanse; I'm guessing not quite as much.

Tomorrow we'll have Friday programming. We already know the afternoon is difficult, with iZombie, Orphan Black and Archer forcing you to make hard choices. And that's after giving up Hall H and seeing Game of Thrones at Conan. So many sacrifices!

The SDCC Daily

3 JULY 2016

So what have we learned over this holiday weekend?

The SDCC Events Guide cover is a beautiful tribute to Star Trek and Spock.

Another Comic-Con contest from NBC San Diego is afoot. I feel like there weren't as many of the big showy contests earlier this year, and now we're having a ton of radio station contests & the like. Free trip to Comic-Con either way.

This SDCC exclusive of Aquaman and Cthulhu is just begging for an underwater buddy cop series to accompany it.

The Black Girl Nerds of Color meetup is happening at the Hilton Bayfront Friday night. RSVP here.

Hasbro dazzled everyone with this Kylo Ren  (available at Star Wars celebration in London) and very cool melted Vader helmet, as well as this Obi-Wan with glowing Leia hologram. How much do we all want these? Quite a lot.

We got a look at new concept art for the Justice League. 

Bandai showed off Chogokin Voltron.

Action Lab Entertainment is bringing a smorgasbord of creators and exclusives and signings to the Con.

CCI's David Glanzer gave an interview to Forbes on San Diego Comic-Con, growth, money, their economic impact on San Diego and why the Con is so damned popular.

This Thursday night Fandom party is free.

Chris Hardwick's podcast and stand-up events at SDCC are not.

And on that note, I'll close with two questions that I keep getting asked:

• Where are all the parties - the big branded ones that are usually talked up by everyone in these final weeks?
• What will the WB bags look like?

My answer is to both: I don't know. I do think there are fewer events this year (granted, there's still plenty to choose from) and that suggests that companies are concluding the same thing many studios and creatives already have: marketing at SDCC doesn't always bring in justifiable ROI. My nightlife plans for this year's Con are pretty much dinner, drinks and hanging with friends/colleagues, and most people I know are shooting for the same.


As for the bags, we'll find out soon enough. First-timers, we are referring to huge and very durable bags that will be handed out to you on arrival. Each will have a certain design (usually a TV show) and while some people don't care which bag they get, most of us do - to the extent that there is plenty of trading that goes on. Right now you might be thinking, "All this fuss over a bag?" But they're great for carrying your purchases in and you will see plenty of stuffed ones being carried out by bellhops and loaded into cars on the last day of the Con. (They're also great for moving or donating to shelters so you may hang onto yours even after you get home.)

I know everyone's itching for Conan tickets and Nerd HQ news. I'm thinking Nerd HQ has got to come out with their Conversations schedule this week, no later. As always, pay close attention.

The SDCC Daily

30 JUNE 2016

If you want to ride that Cosplay Train from LA to San Diego during the Con, it's 50% off right now.


Just like we've all been hoping, American Gods is hitting Comic-Con.

Unlike what we've been hoping, #ConanCon tickets haven't gone live yet.  Right now we know that Silicon Valley will be there (maybe Weds) and Suicide Squad (hard to say) and everyone is hoping for Supernatural, Guardians of the Galaxy, TWD, GOT and Justice League. 

We know what this summer's Walking Dead photo op will be: you looking terrified in Negan's deadly lineup. AMC also announced a few activations and panels: Preacher, The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead.

From Dread Central

Good news for future Comic-Cons; Death Note is in production. Except Light Yagami is now Light Turner and this is the cast and Warner Bros dropped it before Netflix picked it up and I just don't know. Who's playing Ryuk? Are the shinigami even in this "Western adaptation?"

Boom announced their exclusives ....

... and Shout! announced a whole slew of appearances, panels and exclusives - Gail Simone, Power Rangers, Mystery Science Theatre 3000, and it just keeps going from there.

Club Sabbat is holding a cosplay contest & party Saturday night of the Con for goths, kinksters & nerds of the alternative persuasion.

In the contest department, Quicken Loans has moved beyond annoying junk mail: they want to send you to the Star Trek premiere and pay your mortgage for a year.

 And Skydance is still running their own Star Trek contest - enter if you haven't already.

The SDCC Daily

29 JUNE 2016

Lots of big names made themselves felt today. Let's get to it.

Do you have Friday night plans yet? Horror movie The Woods is screening at Comic-Con at 7 pm.


CCI started their Exclusives list. They do a good job of listing all the main ones, so keep checking back as they add more and more. And yes, they already have the new Dark Horse exclusives.

Speaking of, My Little Pony showed off their SDCC exclusive: Discord drinking chocolate milk with Fluttershy. Does Discord remind anyone else vaguely of Baphomet?

HBO helped us solidify our plans by announcing Silicon Valley on Thursday, GOT on Friday, and Vice Principals and Outcast on Saturday. No Westworld, you'll notice.

And then Conan O'Brien announced Silicon Valley and Suicide Squad casts for his SDCC shows. Since Silicon Valley's Thursday panel is at 4, that rules them out from a Thursday Conan taping. So are they appearing on the Wednesday show?

New York Comic Con had quite the ticket sale today. I sat this one out but had sympathy pains for everyone going ballistic. If you were in the mix, I hope you got the tickets you wanted, you verified fan.

Teen Wolf will debut its Season 6 trailer at the Con.

How much you do want this Negan Kills variant from Skybound?

In your patriotic long weekend excitement, don't forget that Wednesday, 6 July is your last (half) day to pre-order a San Diego Comic-Con t-shirt.

And you might also want to order a ticket for Once Upon a Ticket: The Rock Opera before 5 July for Early Bird pricing - use promo code SDCCROCKS15 at checkout to receive 15% off. I'll post more on this event tomorrow.


Supernatural fans probably feel like all is right with the world, now that they know they'll see the Winchester boys on Sunday in Hall H at 11:15.

Entertainment Earth brings another caped chair to Comic-Con - this time for Captain America: Civil War.

The SDCC Daily

28 JUNE 2016

Orphan Black wants you to join them in a Final Season Farewell at Comic-Con. The cast will be at BBC booth 4129 on Friday. They're also having a 4:30 panel on the same day in 6BCF - which means you'll have a tough time doing this panel and iZombie/getting in line for The Killing Joke.

BBC is also showing off Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency on Saturday at 4 in 6BCF. But will they reveal anything about The Living and The Dead, their spooky ghost story coming to America this fall? We don't know yet.

It's your big break, Sharknado fans: an audition to be on a Syfy Sharknado game show at Comic-Con. Yes, this is real even though the page looks weird. You will need to submit a photo and video, and have a valid SDCC badge. You don't need to be beautiful, but you do need to be "fun and outgoing" - i.e., be entertaining to watch on TV.

Let's talk exclusives. Entertainment Earth is giving us a really great-looking C-3PO. In the category of more unusual exclusives: Purridge the kitty doing his business in a litterbox. Mattel wants you to race these Death Star Hot Wheels on a racetrack far, far away. And there are only 100 of Archer's Enormous Package - so if you're coveting this box of Archer goods, maybe it's best to order now.

The 501st Legion is having an SDCC party Friday night, 22 July, at Maz's Place. This is a ticketed sit-down dinner with dessert and bar so you can't just roll in on a whim.

You can get a sneak peek at Luke Cage (and star Mike Colter) at the Con.

Nickelodeon wants you to relive your 90s childhood with a booth extravaganza that will feature:

• a Legends of the Hidden Temple virtual reality experience
• Hey Arnold! photo ops
• Trivia games
• Autographs with various cast members

Shows mentioned include Rugrats, Double Dare, Real Monsters, Catdog, Rocko's Modern Life, Invader Zim and "others." Fingers crossed that "others" will mean Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Action League Now!


Today's Toucan post about the updated Marriott facility might seem like a snoozer, but it can actually help you understand where to go. First-timers, Comic-Con in general is bigger than you expect it to be - and while attending a tournament or event at a hotel sounds like it would just involve walking into the lobby and following a sign, it can be more complicated than that.

Your nerdiest dog is probably dying for you to take him to PAWmicon so he can explore his cosplay passion.

Will CCI's friendship with Lionsgate help bring Hulu's Dimension 404 to SDCC? I hope so. This sci-fi anthology "aims to evoke that 3 a.m. feeling of wandering onto the weird side of the web, stumbling upon stories that cannot be explained in the world we know. Each episode will explore a different bizarre mystery, including an obscure cartoon that may hold the secret to time travel or energy drinks perhaps causing a global apocalypse." And Constance Wu is in it.

If you've been pining away for either Tom Hiddleston or Skull Island, you're in the luck: both will be gracing Hall H. Does anyone else remember when Skull Island was announced at Comic-Con a few years back and 2017 sounded so far away? And now the release date is less than a year out.

Oh and if you're headed for Orlando this summer, here's a sneak peek at the Skull Island attraction.

The SDCC Daily

27 JUNE 2016

Sometimes it seems like we've already gotten so many panels, events and toys announced that there can't be anymore - and then more announcements come. That happened today.


Like this Cosplay Train Express. There is so much packed into this - a cosplay train hurtling through California, trivia contests, Julie Newmar and Adam West sauntering up and down the railway cars, personal phone messages from celebrities. You could view it as one way for Angelenos to get to San Diego each day for the Con or you could embrace it as the "world's first all immersive pop culture rail experience."

Data nerds, you will like this study/word cloud that analyzes all the subcultures and groups that go to San Diego Comic-Con. Or as they call it, the "tribes" of Comic-Con. Conclusion: "NYCC and similar events are giant regional shows that aggregate niche fandoms, whereas SDCC is a mass media event that appeals to a more global audience with broader, overlapping interests in pop culture of all kinds." I can agree with that.

Well, this is depressing. San Diego has launched a human trafficking awareness campaign deliberately before the MBL's All Star Game and Comic-Con to remind everyone that buying other people is not the best way to spend your vacation.

On a lighter note, you'll find out more about the new Sonic the Hedgehog game at the 22 July Sonic Comic-Con party.

And here's a radio contest offering multiple badges.

Your favorite Twilight Zone creatures are now a Pin Mate wooden figure set - everyone from Talky Tina to the plane gremlin who drove William Shatner nuts.

The Wicked + The Divine rolled out a new line of threadless t-shirts - so let's assume these will be at the more hipster SDCC booths.

True, the Walking Dead Escape is not going to be at SDCC. However, you can catch the experience at the new TWD attraction at Universal Studios if you're heartbroken over missing it.

Warner Bros. is going to drown you in TV shows at the Con - both these appetizing pilots and shows like Supergirl, The Flash, The 100, Big Bang Theory, Arrow, Blindspot, Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, Lucifer, The Originals, iZombie, Legends of Tomorrow, Frequency, Gotham and Animaniacs Live.

The Marriott Marquis, the hotel where I used to sleep each Comic-Con before the housing situation dissolved into madness, is going to be extra fancy for you this summer. A sprawling Swarovski crystal chandelier, 16 foot digital walls, floor to ceiling windows that gaze out on the skyline, a ginormous outdoor terrace - we may not have gotten our convention center expansion but we got this. We also got a great description of SDCC as "San Diego's biggest space hog" which is my favorite visual ever.

Supposedly Syfy Presents tix are going to go live at any moment. We'll see.

The SDCC Daily

24 JUNE 2016

So we're 4 weeks out from Friday night of the Con - 4 weeks from The Killing Joke screening, from the Eisner awards, from the midway point where you stare out your hotel room window and wonder if Comic-Con is really worth it and why does everyone seem to get invited to better parties than you. Excited yet?


Here's one thing that happened today: the Big Bang Theory mixed with Star Trek and we got these figures from Entertainment Earth. Everyone seems to like the idea of Sheldon on the holodeck so I'm sure these will be popular. So much that I'm starting to worry my conquest of the Entertainment Earth Booth on Preview Night will not be a sure thing - that it will be the Mattel Bloodbath of 2013 all over again.

Where's my badge? is the rallying cry across the land. If you don't have your badge, you are in fine company. They're shipping out in batches and most attendees I know do not have theirs. So don't fret.

That said, if you do get your badge, and you feel compelled to photograph it and saturate social media with the picture like 29384 other attendees are doing, maybe pose your cutest iguana with it or something. It's going to be a long summer if every other tweet is a picture of Negan and Lucille.

Was Seth Rogen mercilessly toying with us when he hinted that Sausage Party might come to San Diego Comic-Con? Because this looks like it would be the perfect chaser to a long Comic-Con day. (And if you didn't watch the trailer above but it assumed it's a cute animated flick for kids, not so much - this is adult fare about when food realizes it's going to be stabbed, burned and eaten alive by humans.)

Hey, Lucha Libre fans: El Santo is delivering unto you a cool lithograph, t-shirt and signing session at the Con.

If you're an independent comic creator and you're going to be in San Diego a day before SDCC kicks off, you can hear Terry Moore share his wisdom at "Rise of the Independents" at the library. This is happening Tuesday, 19 July, at 4 pm. You'll hear from attorneys and creators on topics like protecting your IP and choosing between print and digital. Because I love terrible puns, I would have titled this event "Independents' Day."

Here's another contest, but this one is just - "just" - for the Star Trek premiere. 


Gerard Way is going to dazzle you with DC's Young Animal imprint at a special panel. You'll get a look at 4 new titles: Mother Panic, Shade, the Changing Girl, Cave Carson has a Cybernetic Eye and Doom Patrol. Okay, mostly new.

Teachers and educators: you can attend a free comics conference during SDCC even if you don't have a badge. I'll post more on this later.

The SDCC Daily

21 JUNE 2016

What did we learn today?


Attendee badges are shipping out in batches. Did you get your email? If so, check the name and address listed to make sure they're correct - a few people are saying their email has outdated information.

Conan is sharing a look at his Pop! figures for Comic-Con tonight on his show. Here's how this works: you get lucky/quick enough to grab a ticket for one of his SDCC tapings; when you attend, they bestow the figure of the day upon you. Then as you leave, creepy collectors step up way too close to you and softly say bidding amounts in your ear. Not exaggerating, it was a bit unsettling last year.




CCI and Cox Communications are providing free WiFi for downtown during Con. I know you'll miss the bizarre KFC Colonel Sanders statues from last year.

In pilot news, you can see The Exorcist and Son of Zorn at the Con. The Exorcist is being called a "psychological thriller" which tells me it will be stripped of its head-rotating, crucifix-violating disgustingness, but I may give it a shot.


Hotel reservations opened back up. Remember when that actually meant something? The rooms left aren't exactly top-notch, but it is a place to stay during the Con. And remember - while you do need to pay a 2 night deposit, you can still cancel your other nights pretty much up to the last second. So feel free to keep searching out other digs if you don't mind changing hotels midstream.

Titan is bringing you a variety of cute things from Doctor Who, Star Trek and Adventure Time.

Another splashy Thursday night event: The Reuben Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park is hosting a Comic-Con party. To be clear, this is 21+, with cocktails, cosplay contests and IDW creators. Tickets on sale now.

Behold the beating heart of my Preview Night: this Jokerized Batman from Entertainment Earth, my favorite 2016 exclusive so far.

But you might like this better: a dapper Bruce Wayne, courtesy of Kotobukiya. Or maybe you'll like the Micronauts and Visionaries lines from Hasbro.


For those of you who got excited over the Rocky Horror panel, be aware that it's featuring the cast from the Fox special this fall. Not saying that it won't be good, but people are already pre-swooning over Tim Curry and no, wrong cast.

Stan Lee's new series Cosmic Crusaders will launch webisodes during Comic-Con.

And I'm not sure why everyone is so excited to see Ben Affleck at SDCC, but apparently his imminent arrival is huge news.


Watch your mailboxes!

The SDCC Daily

20 JUNE 2016

What a day. Let's prioritize.

First off: the badges are coming, the badges are coming! And they'll be sneaking into your mailbox in white envelopes that are the precise opposite (bland, white, generic) of all your SDCC badge feelings (tumultuous, multi-colored, ecstatic.)

We also heard about Con-X, your newest outdoor billowing Con carnival courtesy of Entertainment Weekly. Even if you make it a policy to avoid staggering around in the sunlight from festival to festival, you may want to swing by this one at night as it promises concerts and nightly entertainment. Free; for badge holders only.

Kevin Smith and Marc Bernadin are hosting Fatman on Batman Thursday night of the Con. Tickets are on sale now.

Last night Penny Dreadful was staked in the heart, shocking fans who like seeing pretty Victorian goths every Sunday night. So no Season 4 in Cairo with a mummy and no SDCC panel this summer. #Heartbreaking.

Hey IDW, are you bringing the first issues of this Star Trek anthology to Comic-Con? Because you really should. I don't know what this "September" release date is you're talking about.

One thing that is definitely coming to SDCC: this Saga set of Alana and Marko who are just begging to be released from the box so they can fight these Catwoman and Harley Quinn biker Barbies.

Though all 4 would be trounced by the brawniest ever Clark Kent from Kotobukiya, (but probably not by Entertainment Earth's Ant-Man and Giant Man set.)

Finally, CCI started rolling out their Comic-Con tips. While you will read similar tips about 83162 more times over the coming weeks, their list today is solid so you may as well start your shopping list now. What I will add; bringing cash isn't just about avoiding ATM lines but being able to get the exclusive you want. Some booths won't take plastic and that item could sell out by the time you run to the lobby and back. It's happened to me. Also, bring a small drugstore to alleviate headaches, hangovers, throbbing feet, the effects of too much restaurant food, potential offspring, etc.

With just a month to go, the momentum is definitely rolling. Oh, and we'll be finding out a lot more about Syfy Presents this week - so stay tuned.

The SDCC Daily

19 JUNE 2016

I'm back in the world of the Internet-connected and should be safely here for the next month, so let's get to it. Where are we with San Diego Comic-Con?

Press badges are shipping out - but if you've got one coming, you probably know that already.

And if you're still plotting your way into the Star Trek premiere - here's a contest to not only attend, but meet the cast and hit the after-party.

Skybound's Negan and Glenn exclusive is getting non-comic-readers in a tizzy. So remember: this is based on the comic book, not the show. Should you get it anyhow if you're just a TV fan? I say yes, if only because the box says "Comes with exclusive smashed Glenn head."

Wonder Woman's invisible plane will be at SDCC (though not in her upcoming movie) as a symbol of her "global appeal and the special place she holds in the hearts of generations of girls who have imagined wielding their own lassos of truth." That's not what girls imagine, PR exec. Anyhow, the plane will light up at night, making it a cool photo op, and in one of the weirdest comic book merchandising deals ever, there will be Wonder Woman stuff at Pottery Barn. Tastefully minimalist, I'm sure.


If you're a first-timer, you may be wondering how people are getting tickets to the Conan O'Brien tapings, Syfy presents and other offsites everyone's talking about. While tickets are hard to get for the top events, you can lay the groundwork now. Join Team Coco for Conan tickets and pay strict attention to when the sale is announced - they will be gone in minutes.

Speaking of Syfy Presents, we know Will Arnett is hosting - and the event will have an "outdoor stage." Hmm. That sounds very MTV-spring breakish.

It seems like HBO is committing to making Westworld a success so let's ignore its previous SDCC history and hope this is one of the more interesting peeks we see this July.


One peek I think people should NOT anticipate: the Harley Quinn movie in development. Expecting that is a bit premature, though everyone is hyped about it. But it has been announced that the movie will feature other female DC heroes and villains, so maybe Warner Bros will drop a few plot details to help you plan next summer's cosplay.

Same goes for the Battlestar Galactica movie. Too soon.

The SDCC Daily

10 JUNE 2016

6 weeks from tonight we'll be watching The Killing Joke. But in the meantime, we have other tantalizations to occupy our minds.


Like this latest Mattel exclusive of Wonder Woman in her invisible airplane. Serious collectors say it's just a rehashed 2010 exclusive - but I still think it's cool. Mattel also is bringing Halo and Minecraft items.


In news that sparked a collective fangasm over Chris Pratt and Benedict Cumberbatch today, Doctor Strange is already in San Diego - and yes, the movie will be at SDCC. James Gunn hinted that Guardians of the Galaxy vol 2. will be there too.

3 people have asked me to get them this Panda Man exclusive from Suicide Squad.  Speaking of which, you can win a trip to San Diego Comic-Con by dressing up as a main character. See above. Hopefully there's leeway to be Killer Croc with an actual crocodile head, because it's just visually cooler.

 Entertainment Earth understands that the ventriloquist episode of The Twilight Zone has haunted you for years, and now you get to have a tiny version to creep you out right in your bedroom.

Adventure Time fans - do you want to play in the Card Wars Doubles Tournament at SDCC? You can compete for the championship with the new cards before they're released.

Luke Skywalker/the Joker won't be at SDCC this year - most likely. It's all about Mark Hamill's schedule so who knows, maybe something will change and he'll make one of those miracle appearances on stage to thunderous applause.

There's going to be a Wynonna Earp meetup on Saturday at 5:30 pm - but the time could change depending on programming (wise move) so if you want to make this, follow @earpermeetup.

Of all the Kidrobot figures, Street Fighter Shin Akuma seems to be very popular.

And finally, here's a controversy that many attendees will have an opinion on - booths in Artist's Alley that sell prints of other artists' work. This has pissed off Buzz/Aldrin Aw to the point of throwing one vendor out of Wizard World Minneapolis and starting an #OccupyArtistAlley movement. Can't say I care for the hashtag but I do understand the sentiment. Gail Simone weighed in too to lend her support. I realize this isn't the kind of flashy movie/exclusive news that's lighting up the SDCC grapevine right now but it matters a great deal to the vendors, professionals and attendees who connect through Cons as a channel for buying and showcasing original work. Anyhow, check out his Facebook page for his actual letter.

The SDCC Daily

25 MAY 2016

                                                

Courtesy of DCCollectors.com

  
Do you know what today was? 8 weeks until San Diego Comic-Con. Which makes it appropriate that there's been a palpable change in the Comic-Con world this week - a different, more intense energy in the form of more announcements, exclusives and events.

Which means it's time to start posting daily (well, mostly daily) summaries. Today's will be short.


Someone in San Diego has a cockamamie idea about solving the convention center expansion/Chargers stadium conundrum by building George Lucas's dream museum. "Perhaps the Star Wars creator and the NFL can come together for a common goal." Yeah, maybe.

Marvel wants YOU, SDCC cosplayers. If you'll be hanging around San Diego between 17-19 July, and you'll be dressed as a specific Marvel character, please email Judy at cosplay@marvel.com.

Diamond announced their 2016 SDCC exclusives. Funko's Swamp Thing supposedly has a "distinctive scent" which is intriguing, but it's the plush Joker you'll want to squeeze anxiously while watching The Killing Joke. 

The Wynonna Earp cast announced on Twitter they'll be at SDCC.

NECA will be taking pre-orders for these Arcade-inspired Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

It's happening! And it's just going to get crazier and crazier from here.