Comic Con ‘07 News and Photos
It’s come, and now it’s gone.
The Comic Con.
What the show, and in our most humble opinion is; a convergence model for a saturated entertainment industry.
You read me correctly.
It has been that for the past 4-5 years shortly after the fall of the Comic Industry in the mid to late 90s, and only recently (2002) has been re-invigorated by the “Hollywood” infiltration and the advancement in digital technologies. Mostly the internet, and also the opening of the new sections and expanded room at the Convention Center in Downtown San Diego.
While it’s a big ‘freak’ show to the majority of people amongst the general population whom don’t attend, it’s become a “fan service” show.
What I mean is that the fans and consumers of certain intellectual properties or concepts from major companies and networks, are the driving force of the show.
To take advantage and utilizing this venue for marketing purposes (more of a mega focus group), larger companies and corporations out of Hollywood have pushed it to another level.
In 2003 and 2004 it was evident that the best marketing was bringing the ’stars’ and producers of major motion pictures and Television programs to the show, which of course is that ‘fan service’ in a marketing stand point.
Not to waste too much time on the logic of the business and marketing side, I will move on to the show itself, and the venues available to the public.
By the way, the show was completely sold out Saturday for a couple of months.
The sell out was also instrumental in considering the direction and progression of the entire event for next year, as has been the case over 20 and some odd years.
I am sure to see even bigger announcements, advancements and marketing strategies from this past show into the ‘08 show.
There were subtle differences this year from the previous year, and there were additional changes.
G4 Network, formally “Tech TV” was on hand to cover all the major announcements, plus interview major directors, actors and producers.
They are what some would call, ‘Geek television’.
They are more of a Pop Culture News Network, but have started to add exclusive material, like the shows “Code Monkeys” and soon “Spaceballs” the animated series.
But, they tend to re-run old ‘crap’ shows like, “Cheaters” and “Cops” from late night Fox programming.
For some reason, they love the movie “The Big Labowski”, which is a great and funny flick, though.
Obviously the producers, hosts and every writer is smoking a lot of weed.
If you like that type of programming, god bless you… But, on to more of the show…
Navigating through the floor can be like walking through the amazon rain forest… Hot, sticky, rough on the legs and filled with exotic and carnivorous creatures in a wall to wall environment with plenty of stink and potential for disease or illness.
The King still lives… or was he cloned and added into the 501st Infantry Unit of the Imperial Army under command of Darth Vader?
I’m sure Darth would shake his head every time he saw this stormtrooper.
But, you have to give him credit, he’s become a convention celebrity.
Speaking of the 501st…
They were recruiting.
Yeah, I don’t think Levi’s Jeans would have a case in this copyright issue of the ‘501′, it’s just me trying to be funny…
Oh, speaking of Copyrights and legalities;
… I sat in this panel with Brett Booth (former and returning comic artist), and a couple of other notable producers in Video Games and Comics… they had a copyright lawyer on hand too, which I felt was beneficial until they cut me off from asking too many important and critical questions.
Only 38 people attended this informative panel… which is a shame, there was a lot of information that would benefit budding talent and producers.
They (except the lawyer) were all in agreement with me and understood very little of my questions, since most were directed at the lawyer not some artist or mail room guy…
Anyways… Moving on…
If you were here, you were either getting your badge holders, or walking through to either side of the upper level of the Convention Center, which is also next to the main Autograph areas.
Main Autograph area… but my attention is/was on the woman with the mini skirt and long legs… and if you notice is the only “female” in the whole picture.
“Who wants to be a super hero?” I know I don’t, because that’s not my cup of tainted tea.
But, the “winner” of last season from the Sci Fi Channel series, Who Wants to Be a Superhero?, created by Stan Lee.
And…
The highlights of the show you may probably not even be thinking about or ask? But probably not…
The Marvel Comics Iron Man movie trailer.
It looks great… Robert Downey Jr. has Tony Stark down, and adding Gweneth Paltrow in there is awesome.
She and Robert attended for the first time here at the Con.
No recordings were allowed of any of these trailers… so I have no photos or video.
The other main event was for the T.V. Show “Heroes”.
The cast and producers were on hand, and I couldn’t get in! It was packed. This show is definitely going to be around a while, and Kevin Smith (Clerks and Jay and Silent Bob) is slated to direct an episode…
Kevin attended his own panel for the third year this year and I did not attend, mostly due to the line you have to wait in… next year I am getting a press pass so I don’t have to worry about it, but, the line was formed outside in 97+ degrees outside of the shade.
I did, however, attend his first time panel in 2005 I believe, in which I stood by him at the security entrance and thought he was one big fat bastard in a leather trench coat. Not that it’s a bad thing… wearing a long leather trench coat.
How he got in was through the front entrance, and no one was around to notice…
I am sure he was happy that time by not getting too much notice. Now he gets mobbed like Michael Jackson at the Venetian in Las Vegas… except the people aren’t all Japanese.
That’s a side joke and real thing that happened, because I was there at the time, and thought… “Hey, there goes Michael Jackson with a ring of security around him holding hands!”
You had to be there, or you may have seen it on all the tabloid shows back in 2003.
And, when I say ring of security holding hands, it was security guards making this kind of AA Meeting group hand hold around him. What happened after was kind of creepy, but you can email me about that situation.
NO, it was not some sexual or pedophile situation!
Moving along…
I believe the best one and most entertaining panel, was the Family Guy panel.
The creators, voice actors and producers were all on hand.
Unfortunately, I chose to sit at the back, which was a big mistake… but trust me, they were on the panel chumpin’ it up nicely.
I couldn’t help but laugh, and yes, they were strict on not filming the clips for this Fall seasons episodes, which they only showed one…
***Spoiler Alert!***
(insert @$$hole laughter here)
(lights go dim, and the screen is black… text scrolls up into screen)
“A long, long, long time ago, yet somehow in the future…”
…
“Episode IV”
“A New Hope”
Ok, so if you don’t know what that first line means… then you’re an idiot, and if you don’t know what the second and third lines mean, you should be castrated or kicked in your pregnant stomach for 9 months.
So, you might as well stop reading this… sheesh!
The rest of the floating text is the most classic writing and wording you’ll read in a long time… trust me!
Well, next to my old comic strip from the early millennium… I believe in 2002, I created a Spoof, but the problem with it is it never finished and everyone does a Star Wars spoof…
Anyways…
They have a “Star Wars” episode of Family Guy.
That’s right…
And here’s how it goes… well, I’ll just give off the cast at least.
Quagmire plays C3PO, and it runs like the original Star Wars film mind you, but, with the Family Guy twist…
R2-D2 is played by Cleveland Brown, and his fro is on top of it…
Lois plays Princess Leia, and the scene with R2 at the beginning is hilarious.
Stewey plays Darth Vader, and remarkably looks like the Dark Helmet from Spaceballs cartoon on G4.
Peter plays Han Solo… nuff said. Well, ok… some can be said. It’s too funny!
Brian plays Chewy… he doesn’t have too much to say in this episode, ‘cept some barking.
And, Luke Skywalker is played by Chris, Peters fat son.
When they go and rescue Leia, she says, “Aren’t you a little fat to be Stormtrooper?” mimicking that classic line with the exception of the ‘fat’ part.
Meg plays the creature in the garbage pile they fall into… not sure why they did that… watch the episode!
Well,
To tell the truth, the entire episode has a lot of sexual reference in it… I won’t give it all away, and the other stuff they plan, because they are expanding the show with new recurring characters…
One of which is a baker from the Eastern Block of Europe… although they had no images of the character, the voice actor for it did his voice… Funny stuff!
It was the most enjoyable panel, as the creators and writers did the voices here and there, and Seth McFarlane is a good improv comic. He should do stand up some time.
The end of the show left me feeling… well… tired.
So, I must end this lengthy Blog (too damned lengthy for my writing procedure).
Any questions, you know what to do.
By the way, Google some of this, because I am not getting any links for you…
Usually I would.
But, stop being lazy for once 
Bye.