The News Blog of Comics Culture
The big impression from the first pre-day here backs up what we’ve been thinking just from reading the PR: if you can’t bring the people to the con, bring the con to the people. Events and pop-ups and displays and lounges have taken over the entire Gaslamp up to about Market Street. Skype even has a tricked-out airstream trailer parked by Horton Plaza where you can chat with friends and family and win tickets to the Wired Café.
It’s PR but it includes FREE ICE CREAM. And LUFFY. We glimpsed the brand new Viz booth last night and it looks spectacular.
Bongo Comics have announced a new comic for next year, which they’ll also be unveiling at SDCC. And it’s based on Coldplay’s 5th album, Mylo Xyloto.
Comic book cosmetics are definitely on the rise. The M.A.C. line of Wonder Woman makeup a few years back was a sellout, and Sephora’s Hello Kitty is still going strong; of course, there was also Spider-Man nail polish and so on.
M.A.C. is following up with a line inspired by Archie Comics. While the PR hasn’t revealed any shades we’d expect the Archie’s Girls line to include bold reds and greens. And to launch the line, Archie’s Dan Parent will be at the San Diego M.A.C. store on Fifth, signing and drawing.
Let’s not get into any “it had to happen” stuff here. It didn’t have to happen. But it did. A 53-year-old Twilight fan was struck by a car as she rushed across Harbor Drive to get a spot in line for Thursday morning’s panel, and lated died from her injuries.
The fire marshal has decided that strollers in panel rooms is not a good idea and banned them — but only from panel rooms. There will be stroller parking available. Meaning if you must bring your bairn to Hall H you must bring him or her in a sling.
Andrei Molitiu, he of Abstract Comics fame, is moderating afascinating sounding panel, along with Mark Badger. that looks at Jack Kirby and the abstract art.
Seriously, the PR is getting so weird it’s getting hard to believe. Here’s another offsite, this one at 1st street and J, which promotes COMA, a TV mini-series by Ridley and Tony Scott, by helping them go through the torment that people in Michael Crichton’s original novel went thought via being “evaluated” for the tour and getting a surgery scar. Make sure you wear your brain-wave activated cat ears when you go through the surgery!
We’re sure this will not be as fun as it sounds. Why couldn’t there be a BLACK JACK carnival at Comic-Con instead?
Actually just got an email with this offer. Just to give you an idea of how prices are jacked up during con. The Hyatt regularly goesf for $500+ during the con…when you can even book a room.
The NY Times business section profiles the Valiant relaunch and explains that it’s trying to become a mini-Marvel as far as movies go. It also follows the money and names the investors—led by former Marvel exec Peter Cuneo— who have powered the company to hire a killer elite of editorial and marketing from top editor Warren Simons to marketing’s Atom! Freeman:
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Peter Jackson unveiled this poster for The Hobbit over at his Facebook page. It’s one of two posters—Pacific Rim is the other—that WB will be giving away at some point, so add this to your con logjam list.
By Matthew Petz — For most of my adult geek life I’ve know about the San Diego Comic Convention. It’ s essentially the Superbowl for comic fans. So whether it was money or just being an east coaster all my life, I’ve always done this from a far…but not this year…Oh no…this year, I’m actually going.
God help me.
Okay here’s one of the more interesting booths if you’re into art and South Park…and they sent along a fun graphic as well.
For the past week or so we’ve been getting emails about Neocomimi, a product which offers electronic cat ears which purport to be activated by our brain waves to show emotions. Like, when you want more Fancy Feast they go down, and when you hear the Fancy Feast can being opened they perk right up. That kind of thing.
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