Comic-Con to Comic Cannes

When I went to San Diego Comic-Con the first time in 2004 to see Sarah Michelle Gellar, getting a ticket wasn't a problem. Sure, it was a great place to plug new movies and TV shows (it was the year of Lost, for example), but it was still a niche event.Those were the days where you didn't have to buy a ticket a year ahead of time to guarantee a spot. It was still an option, but not the only one. 

That was ten years ago, and those days ended once it was the place to promote movie franchises, from Harry Potter to Twilight, and now the Marvel-verse. Comic-Con tickets sold out months ahead of time The Super Bowl started to become jealous of Comic-Con.

Now, it's come to this...

this year's Comic-Con is making history by not selling four-day tickets, with preview night included.
This is the rate this year:

For adults: Preview Night is 35 bucks, Thursday through Saturday is 45 bucks, Sunday only 30 bucks.

For teens (13-17), people 60 and older and military, half that cost

That's the cost of massive popularity, and the chance of maybe meeting Robert Downey Jr., Joss Whedon, Angelina Jolie, or maybe the 12th Doctor...or maybe Stan Lee. 

That's why I came up with the Twitter hash tag, #ComicCannes

Comic-Con has been called "Cannes for nerds" for years, but now the rising cost, parties, off-convention events and free swag makes it complete. Getting to a sneak preview for a new movie is great, too. I still treasure the fact I was among the first in the U-S to see Inglorious Basterds in San Diego.
Despite higher ticket prices, people will figure out some way to get to San Diego in July, or Wondercon, which apparently has officially declared Anaheim its new home. Combining it with a short trip to Disneyland makes it more obvious. 

What people may be upset, aside from dropping two Benjamins for the week right off the bat, is that they may not be able to go to all five days. Also, preview night is now officially Day 0 of Comic-Con, including an admission price. Maybe the organizers may decide to add more events that day, aside from setting aside time for Warner Brothers to show its TV pilots. 

At least the amount of off-convention events, which are usually cheaper, may attract those without SDCC tickets. We should also thank websites that are smart enough to send us breaking news thanks to smartphone videos. It's how we learned about Tom Hiddleston brought the house down as Loki introducing the trailer for Thor: The Dark World.

However, making Comic-Con more expensive is good news for smaller cons, such as the Wizard World and Creation circuits. There may be less swag, but the chance of meeting a favorite actor is much better. 

When Sacramento has its first Wizard World event in March, people will get to see Stan Lee, William Shatner, James Marsters, and several people from The Walking Dead. Not a bad deal, and thanks to my status as a blog reporter, I get to check it out. I envy those who'll be at Wizard World in New Orleans, because Matt Smith, the 11th Doctor, will be there. 

It's also good news for DragonCon, which retains its status as Comic-Con without the glitz, but still filled with celebrities. 

High prices or not, I hope to get back to Comic-Con someday, mainly through being hired by someone despite my advanced age. For now, I'll look for any chance to see my favorite actors, in costume or not. 

                                                                                                         

Comic-Con: Now the TV Beauty Pageant Begins

Remember when Comic-Con was an annual convention where a bunch of comic book shops got together and talked about the latest Spider-Man?
Me, neither. No one does, or at least no one under the age of 40.

Two things got me to make this event an annual summer tradition: Sarah Michelle Gellar and Joss Whedon.
Whether either of them will be in San Diego in about nine weeks is not certain. After all, he has this movie to direct.

What is certain is that people will get their first looks at what most of us will be seeing this fall. Sometimes a show can have a really cool pilot, then fade out fast. That's why The Event was really the pilot episode, when the plane vanished to keep the President from getting killed--followed by a loud bunch of nothing.
Other times, it can be the start of shows that have become classics, from Lost, Chuck, Warehouse 13 and Fringe to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Being Human, Stargate SG-1 and The Guild (yes, Felicia, your show counts because it proved all the internet can be better than cable sometimes).

So, now that the Big Four and a Half networks have unveiled their fall plans, let's see which shows will likely get a panel at Comic-Con.

ABC: Castle will be the only returning show, thanks to the appeal of Nathan Fillion. Two mysteries will be discussed: will Rick and Kate get together after she recovers from what happened just as season three ended, and if his Derrick Storm graphic novel will sell more books than Nikki Heat. Three new shows will likely be featured: The River (search for a missing explorer), the Charlie's Angels reboot, and Once Upon a Time (what if part of Maine was the home of fairy tales). I think Angels will get more attention because of the legacy of the old show and even the movies.

NBC: Like ABC, only one returning show, Chuck. Fans of the show will be speculating what will happen next for the Bartowski Gang. Two new shows may get a panel: Grimm, a crime drama where fairy tale characters are involved, and Awake, where a man lives in two realities after an accident. I'd throw in the new version of Prime Suspect with Maria Bello as a wild card.

CBS: Hawaii Five-O may be back. It was a popular panel last year. Big Bang Theory is a lock for a return. One dark horse may be A Gifted Man, about a surgeon who gets life lessons from the ghost of his dead wife.

CW: Hellcats will not be here. Nikita will, and a lot more than just a new episode. Supernatural will also be back because the girls just love those Winchester Boys. Vampire Diaries will also be back. The new Kevin Williamson show, Secret Circle, is certain to get a preview.
To most people, though, there is only one CW show everyone wants to see: Ringer. It's the only show because of Sarah Michelle Gellar, making a long-awaited return to TV as a girl who impersonates her rich twin sister, only to learn sis also made too many enemies. It will air Tuesdays at 9, which happens to be when Buffy used to air way back when.
The only question is whether she'll be there to promote the show. She hasn't been in San Diego since The Grudge. If she is there, they'll need Petco Park and Hall H and the Sails Pavilion to accommodate everyone who wants to see her.

FOX: As usual, this network will dominate the TV side of Comic-Con. It's a mix of animation domination, returning shows and two high-priced rookies. The veteran dramas include Fringe, Bones and Glee. The animated shows include The Simpsons to Family Guy, along with two new ones, Napoleon Dynamite and Allan Gregory.
Most of the attention will be on Terra Nova, where a family goes back to prehistoric times to save Earth's future, and Alcatraz, where several inmates from that prison somehow travel to the future. Terra Nova got an early look at Wondercon, and more special effects scenes will be featured to get people to watch this show on Mondays. Alcatraz has the backing of JJ Abrams, and Jorge Garcia for the Lost fans.

Cable shows will also be featured including Doctor Who's second half of the 2011 season, Being Human, Warehouse 13, Eureka, True Blood, Game of Thrones, Torchwood: Miracle Day, and even Weeds. (ETA: I forgot about Alphas, a new Syfy show where people with enhnced abilities join together against evil. It will premiere before the con).
TV networks of today are dominating Comic-Con the way neighborhood comic book stores did when Comic-Con fit neatly in a local hotel.

Heading Back to Sacramento

Well, another Comic-Con has come and gone.
The good news is I met Patten Oswalt, attended my first Hollywood party, kind of, talked to the Guild about that Bollywood video, and already wrote four reports for Whedonopolis. I will later predict what will happen on Castle for the next five years. It will NOT include Kate and Rick having sex for real (but only in the books he writes).
Again, for all the economic power this convention produces, I think it's now too big for San Diego. People will get more out of the con through YouTube than any other way now. The lines are getting longer and longer while the space only expanded a little. Adding the Marriott and the Hilton Bayfront may help, but as Tom Petty once said, "the waiting is the hardest part." It also robs you of having some time to buy stuff. I only got a replacement plug for my iPod Touch, two Doctor Who tote bags made out of billboards (one will be sold on ebay), and three comic books (two that got autographed).
The enjoyment of the panel I did wind up seeing, from Joss and JJ, The Expendables, The Guild and Castle, does make it worth while. It's just that people may decide the only way to really enjoy Comic-Con is through what they can see from another guy's Flip Video Camera. If you don't believe me, see how many clips you can find of Conan O'Brien's recent tour on YouTube.
Marsia Powers, who works with me at Whedononpolis, says she's heard from professionals who also also sick of the lines and crowds. She thinks Comic-Con should lower the number of attendees to 100 thousand and raise prices. That's unlikely, but may be better than turning the rooms into large sardine cans...or places where people fight each other over chairs.

Still, some are keeping the faith. I saw this just after the last event ended...



Some are not going to let go of Comic-Con without a fight. We will know for sure soon. I agree with Captain America that Anaheim wouldn't work because the only downtown that's there is part of Disneyland. If downtown L-A had a Vons or Trader Joe's, then the decision would be over. You can also use the Metro Rail, too.

So, I will be back in 2011, working laptop and all. I just wish the organizers would turn up the wi-fi so you can do live blogging, even in Hall H or the Hilton Bayfront Indigo Ballroom. They should also set aside space for press if they ask. The real issue, though, is where will Comic-Con be in 2013, and whether fans decide it's better to see it on the Internet.
Otherwise, they'll be on-line...and I mean the line that never moves outside Hall H.

The Battle For Comic-Con's Future

Well, the fight to house Comic-Con has reached "Keep the Colts in Baltimore" levels.
Facebook is already in the fight thanks to two new pages: one who wants the event to move to Anaheim in 2013, and one who wants the place to stay. There is another that has less fans but the only difference is that it has no exclamation point. I guess that proves the importance of a catchy title in your Facebook page.

So far, the Anaheim page has more people making clear arguments for a move. They claim it's bigger, close to Disneyland, and there are more hotel rooms that won't rip your wallet to shreds. I've never been there, although I will soon. The best thing about San Diego is that there are a lot of places to go and eat in between panels. There's also a CVS and a Ralph's. It was great for me when I first went to Comic-Con, but not when it's getting so crowded.
Those who favor keeping Comic-Con in San Diego rely on tradition. It's been around for 40 years. It's more iconic that the Padres, but not as much as the Chargers. Besides, there's light rail. Anaheim doesn't have that.

I see this as a city hoping to attract a sports franchise who isn't happy with its stadium anymore. I've seen this before with the Raiders going to Los Angeles for a few years, the Colts leaving Baltimore, the Rams leaving L-A, and the Kings leaving Kansas City for Sacramento. Currently, Comic-Con has had to rely on a new hotel for some of its events. Hall H isn't enough anymore, and...well...waiting for panels that attract a modest following is becoming too much like waiting in line at Disneyland for anything.

San Diego officials are aware of the problem. They have asked nearby hotels to add more available space while they try to get the center expanded...and that may be easier said that done. They know Comic-Con means Ewoks, Zombies, Slayers and such in bars and restaurants..and that also means money. They want Comic-Con to stay in San Diego.
But, as Walter O'Malley decided Ebbets Field was just too small and antiquated for his Dodgers more than 50 years ago, Comic-Con officials may look at the San Diego Convention Center the same way. Besides, while San Diego may try to expand its facilities, just moving will get that extra space immediately. Thus, we may have to practice saying Anaheim Comic-Con in 2013.

Personally, I think moving to the Los Angeles Convention Center would be a perfect compromise. It's also big, and you can use the subway, which is better than you think, to get there. It also widens the number of convenient hotel spaces a lot...and who wouldn't like to use the Nokia Theater as the new Hall H? Maybe by 2013they can also add a few fast food places, too.

We may know for sure just after Wondercon ends next week. At least the Moscone Center in San Francisco is still big enough for that event.

That's One Small Step For Fans, One Giant Leap for Fankind

Was it just five years ago that I started ging to Comic-Con because Sarah Michelle Gellar was there at last? Back in the days where there was actually breathing room?

Indeed, but now I am going back to Comic-Con once again, but for the second time as a member of the press. Granted, last year, I had to use someone else's pass to talk to the cast of Kings, but at least I got a picture of Paris Hilton and didn't have to stalk anyone.

This year, two items will be waiting for me: the Comic-Con book at a modest discount, and the Dollhouse Special Edition DVD with a special letter from The Talented Mr. Whedon. As usual, his influence is everywhere, through those who have worked for him and those who work for him now. There's even a panel on how Bram Stoker, who created Dracula, may have been the Joss Whedon of his day. Well, that may be stretching it a bit. After all, did Stoker write any musicals about mad scientists?

It's also going to be interesting because Comic-Con is about to hit 40, one day after the 40th anniversary of the Moon landing. That explains the title of this post. Back then, the first event was well after Apollo 11 ended. Even in the early days, it got good guests including Ray Bradbury and Jack Kirby. Now, it's Cannes for genre fans from Whedonistas to Twilighters, Star Wars fans and Trekkies to, of course, comic book fans. It's gotten so big that the Hilton across the street is hosting some panels, including one for Weeds, surprisingly enough. If Mary-Louise Parker was a confirmed guest, a lot of guys would pack the place...especially if they've seen many of her sultry body parts.

As usual, the schedule makers have made sure that all attendees will have to give up at least one panel they planned to see. For example, to see the massive Disney 3-D presentation, they'd have to give up seeing a table-read for the never-made episode from The Middleman, a show that deserves to be on ABC Family about 231,450,099 times more than Secret Life of the American Teenager and Make It or Break It combined. Lord knows SyFy (the New Coke of Cable TV) doesn't have the sense to produce that show if it threw away Doctor Who. Or, if they want to see the cast of Chuck, they'd have to skip seeing Juliet Landau talk about the return of Drusilla in the Angel comic book. For certain fans, that's not too difficult.

But consider this choice: the annual Masquerade against a screening of the director's cut of Watchmen with Zach Snyder AND screenings of Torchwood and Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead. You can do without the third option if you remember to tape the shows on the DVR, but the other choices....yeesh. It's always a headache for attendees who like everything. Well, that's why we have Hulu and YouTube, where we can see the panels thanks to fans who feel our pain.

Well, my wishes have influenced my schedule, along with what assignments I get from Whedonopolis. I hope I can get the best of both worlds again.

I am disappointed we won't get a preview of Inglorious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino's new movie with Brad Pitt. It sounds like a natural, since Quentin is always popular. Still, there's always a chance of sneak preview. I got lucky last year with Hamlet II, and if someone decides that Comic-Con is the perfect time to preview The Box with Cameron Diaz, or Jennifer's Body with Megan Fox, then we are really lucky. We shall see.

More powerful than a recession

The speculation has started on which shows will be part of Comic-Con next month.
One thing is for sure...the only place left to get tickets is eBay.
I just found out all, and I mean ALL, tickets have sold out, from one-day to four day passes. Even Sunday tickets are gone.
Thus, one absolute truth is proven again: the last thing you do at Comic-Con is buy tickets for next year.

That's what I did, and I am guessing others have done that, too, just ahead of the sudden recession. You'd think with airlines and hotels suffering from the recession, the show wouldn't sell out. Despite auto layoffs and high unemployment, the event sold out faster than ever. Must be the fact that it's the 40th anniversary of Comic-Con, and people are expecting the biggest event ever.

Well, we can expect, at the very least, Dollhouse, Joss Whedon and even Felicia Day to make appearances, along with the cats of new sci-fi shows like V, Vampire Diaries(ugh!) and Flash Forward. Panels about Avatar,(maybe, but expected since it's the big Christmas movie)Last Airbender, Iron Man 2 and Harry Potter are also sure things. Maybe something about Toy Story 3-D, with a guest appearance by one of the writers who has gone on to an (ahem) adequate career. There are also rumours that one show may not be there. That might be Heroes, because NBC's saving its cash for Leno. Maybe it could be Doctor Who, to build anticipation for the 11th Doctor...and also its filming schedule may prevent it from getting people there, like John Barrowman. The flood of info should start four weeks from now.

In any case, I am already set, ticket, hotel room and all, done a year ahead of time...and it looks like I will have to do that again to keep reporting for Whedonopolis. At least with Wondercon, it's not so frantic.