A Comic Expert’s Thoughts on Comic Con 2013!

All last week I was supposed to write a blog post on the panels I was going to hit up at comic con and explain why I was excited to go to them.

As you can tell I didn’t do it. I struggled because obviously I was excited, but I felt like a post review of things I learned and a general review of my experience would be far more entertaining and informative.

Our Cosplaying Group

Comic-Con:

This is my second year going to the ‘comic-con’. Hilarious side note, most people are totally unaware that there are literally hundreds if not thousands of comic-cons every year around this planet we call Earth. The one in San Diego has just become the con to beat all cons. My first year comic con was everything I had expected only way better. It was bigger, brighter, and more exciting than anything I was expecting. This year I knew what I was getting more or less, and I knew what to expect as I entered the seemingly endless exhibit hall. Most of the booths were set up in the same location as last year although some companies booths were MIA and there were a couple additions in their places. The booths with free giveaways are always the most popular and most efficiently run. The attendees at the con are respectful and expect to wait in many lines…as long as they are given the same respect back from the staff and volunteers. The Lion’s Gate booth (which ran nearly seamlessly last year) was a total nightmare. They had the most giveaways without a doubt, but the volunteers, and both the convention center and lions gate staff were horrible, miserable humans. They continually threatened the people in line that they would ‘shut down the booth’ or ‘it would be your fault if the fire marshal shuts the whole convention down’. They yelled and were totally unnecessarily disrespectful and rude to the attendees who paid and worked hard to get the ever increasingly difficult tickets to attend. I understand the convention is literally busting at the seems, and there are rules and laws that must be followed and enforced to keep everyone safe, but there are kind ways and there are the lions gate ways. It honestly made me not want to see any of the movies they were advertising because of how disgusting their staff were. Now even with all that complaining, the convention floor is amazing. You literally walk into some of your favorite celebrities and creators almost constantly. I ran into many of my favorite authors, artists and actors daily. Most of the volunteer and booth staff are amazing. They are all hard ,on the rules, but they are all respectful in their reminders and enforcement.

BUT my favorite part has to be the panels. Unlike any other con in the world SDCC can actually pull together everyone from all your favorite creations. I can attend a panel with the entire cast of bates motel, the a-list creators of DC comics, the entire creative team for batman year zero, and hear the announcement of the Batman/Superman team up movie by the screen writer himself as he sits next to the Man of Steel himself. That’s just day one! There are essentially five days total. It’s overwhelming and impossible to remember let alone process all the amazing nuggets we are given in these A+ panels.

My Top 5 Panel Moments:

5. Mattpolozza: I attended the annual Mattplozza, for those of you who weren’t entire nerds your high school careers Mattel is the toy company who makes DC figures, Barbies, as Mater of the Universe figures(He-Man). This is a cool panel typically but would never make my top 5…except at the end of the panel freaking STAN LEE walked in. What a crazy amazing surprise. He received a much deserved standing ovation and was witty, charming and endearing as he talked about and teased how he was pairing with Mattel to bring we products. I can’t wait to see what they are!

4. Teen Titans: I love the show and was mainly going to see the two episodes they were going to premier at the panel…which were amazing! BUT once the panel took the stage they quickly became the single most entertaining and exciting panel I attended the entire time. They were hilarious and their chemistry with each other was amazing. The panel ended with a dancing party where the voice actor for Beast Boy (after finishing a choreographed dance with the voice actor for Cyborg) jumped on the panel table and tweaked all whole wearing a mouse ‘onesie’. I now have a whole new love and appreciation for this show.

3. Bates Motel: This was my first attempt at attending a panel that wasn’t in some way comic themed. Most of those panels occurs in hall H or ball room 20. Sometimes you literally have to spend the night outside in line to get into one of those. So when I saw this was in a smaller room I figured I had a good chance to get in. I arrived early and it paid off. We got great seats and even met an awesome dude while waiting, but what followed in the panel was nothing short of amazing. The cast was articulate, passionate and hilarious. Vera was already a top tier actress to me, but after leaving she now has my heart and I will follow her career where ever it takes her. Also everyone who attended got a Bates Motel room key that doubles as a bottle opener. I love those types of keep sakes. It’s what makes SDCC so special.

2. Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox World Premier: when I hear they were premiering one of my all time favorite comic book story line’s animated film adaptation at SDCC this year I knew I had to attend. It did not disappoint. It was such a fantastic environment to see this film. It was introduced by Nathan Fillion who peeped us for how amazing it was. Boy was he right. It was FANTASTIC and everyone who is a fan of superhero films MUST go out and buy this film. Do not let the fact that it’s animated stop you. This is a high quality film that uses animation as a medium to tell a well crafted and executed story. It will give you everything you want and expect from the big Hollywood love action comic book films only with a ton more unexpected twists and turns. It also had my eyes watering up at the end. A truly fantastic film.

1.5 Joss Whedon: I’m kinda cheating because I couldn’t only pick 5, but 6 sounded dumb. So you get a bonus. This doesn’t make number one because I sadly didn’t see the whole panel. I heard Joss Whedon and hall h and figured I had no chance. I decided to try anyways and am so glad I did! I had to sit in the back row, but it didn’t matter. I was in the room of the man who created Buffy Summers. The impact that character and the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer has had on my life is far too huge to place in this already mega sized post. To be in that panel and hear his thoughts on some of my most favorite ,of his projects, was just a huge joy. I couldn’t stop smiling or laughing because of how genuinely funny and witty he is.

1. Superman 75th Anniversary Celebration: I almost didn’t go to this panel. I knew I would have to pick between this or the batman the animated series 21 anniversary panel. They were back to back and in different rooms and I knew I wouldn’t make both base on BTAS popularity I would have to line up during Superman panel to actually get seat, but I decided 75 is way higher that 21 and after the amazing man of steel this summer that there could be some cool surprises to this panel. BOY was I right. As they announce the panel one by one it was clear this was an all star panel. As they got to the second to last chair it was announced that it was David Goyer who I thought was a great addition and as to be expected in a panel not in one of the ‘mega rooms’…and then they announced Henry Cavill! The room erupted in applause and cheers and everyone was on their feet. It was amazing to be feet away from him. He was amazing to his fans. He was generous with his answers and the information he shared. A really amazing and unexpected surprise. Plus they announced the sequel to MoS would be Superman vs Batman. How is this real?! I can’t wait. I think this is the perfect ramp up to the eventual Justice League film and sets a perfect stage for the film and sets it apart from the ‘marvel’ model they used for the avengers. I think it’s a brilliant move.

There are about 20 other panels and moments I could go on and on about, but I won’t force you to read a play by play of my last 5 days. If you made it to this part and actually read every word you have a better attention span than I do.