The Last Comic Con For lazypadawan (?) Report Part Two

[lazypadawan]

On Friday morning, the first thing up on my agenda was to check out the so-called Rebel Experience, the cube-shaped booth promoting the Star Wars Blu-Rays. This time the line wasn't very long since it was only 10 a.m. and for my trouble I got three Darth Maul masks passed out as promotional stuff. While in line, guys with iPads showed us the new promotional app you can put on your own tablet or smartphone, which admittedly has cool stuff. They were also taking orders for the Blu-Ray sets, price-matching Amazon.com and throwing in a lithograph as a gift to boot. But I wanted to see how it looked first.

Finally I was herded along with 10 other people into a small but chilly cube decorated on the outside to look like something on Tatooine but on the inside, was decorated like the Rebel base on Yavin IV in ANH. Artoo was in one corner and an actor playing a Rebel leader was in the other corner. In front of us was a display similar to the ones on the Yavin base that just so happens to have a screen. And that's where they showed us some clips from the Death Star battle.

You have to admit, it was pretty smart to show us scenes from the oldest Star Wars film to dazzle us with the transfer. I thought it looked really good; very pristine and clear. It was about as good as it is going to get at the moment for a 34-year-old film. So I ended up pre-ordering the Blu-Ray. I'll figure out later how/when I'll get a player, heh heh.

Once that was done, I went back to the Lucasfilm pavilion to check on the Volkswagen's progress and to pick up more free posters/card backs from Hasbro. Then onward I went past the movie studio/t.v. production company/cable booths, the horror-themed booths, illustrators, video game booths, and Artists' Alley. Girls clustered around the Summit Entertainment booth hoping for some free Breaking Dawn tees. Whovians lined up at the BBC America booth for Doctor Who goodies. Kids packed the Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network booths. I didn't get any cool swag or spot any stars like I did last year but oh well. The massive Warner Brothers' booth made me wonder, what are all of those people up there doing? Seriously, it looks like the sort of thing you'd see at a political party convention, full of people conferring with each other and hovering over laptops. And it seems to serve no purpose whatsoever. I think it's a bunch of WB employees trying to look like they're working. My only purchase of the morning was a nice color illustration of Ahsoka from Grant Gould in Artists' Alley. Only 20 bucks. One of the ladies from the Her Universe booth came by to buy one too.

After lunch, I thought and re-thought what I wanted to purchase before heading upstairs to catch the Clone Wars animation panel, scheduled for its usual haunt in Room 7AB. I walked in just in time to catch a presentation on licensing with Kotobukiya, Gentle Giant, Sideshow, and efx. It looks like they'll have a mix of interesting stuff for next year. I tried to look at GG's stuff earlier but a bunch of tattooed (aren't they always) Slave Leias were posing for pictures right next to the merchandise. The profiles in courage award goes to the lone female collector who got up toward the end to ask if they're going to put out things with say, Ewoks or Jar Jar. (There will be Ewok mini busts next year.)

The animation panel was heavy on the technical stuff but it was interesting nonetheless, especially when they showed a couple of new clips. They're improving the animation all of the time.

Afterwards, I went back to the exhibition floor and decided to pick up a pair of silver cog earrings. I'm not into the whole steampunk thing but I do kinda like some of the accessories. The lady at the booth mentioned that reps from the state tax office visit every single booth at every Comic Con to make sure they're in compliance. "Greetings...I am (flourish of a cape) Taxman!" Bwahaha!

Of course, I had to hit Pinkberry at some point across the street. On Thursday, I had salted caramel and on Friday, I went with the regular tart yogurt with cheesecake bites. Yum.

The day sure went by fast because by then, it was almost 6 p.m. and time for me to go home and veg.

Saturday was my autograph day. After stopping off to get more cash from an ATM, I headed upstairs to the Sails pavilion, where they park many of the character actors, reality stars, and so forth signing autographs. I found Adrienne Wilkinson, a very nice lady who voiced Maris Brood in the Force Unleashed game and Daughter in Clone Wars. I asked her if she'll be back any time soon on CW and she said that she hasn't been asked yet. Awww. Well, maybe the phone call will come in sometime in the near future!

Then I went over to see "Amazing Race" competitors Kent and Vyxsyn. Yes, they're just as glitter-gothy in real life. Vyxsyn said that the show's a lot more fun to watch than to actually participate in; I imagine it's a pretty grueling way to try and win a million bucks.

Afterwards, I went downstairs and poked around some more. I went to the fan club mezzanine and won some tchotchkes from the San Diego Star Wars Society booth. Then, I went outside to watch a photo op with some guys in Halo armor along with a scout trooper, an Imperial officer, stormies, and clones. It was cross-over fun! Then the Mandalorians showed up, reinforcement for the outnumbered Empire.

Then I watched another group of people in armor beat the tar out of each other, only this was a mix of Roman style armor, Greek style armor, Japanese samurai armor, medieval armor, etc.. Fun stuff.

Afterwards, I went around the Gaslamp to check out the giveaways, off-site promotional gimmicks, and so forth. The most impressive one was the South Park mini land, there to celebrate 15 years of the show. They gave away snow cones, but I didn't get any. They gave away t-shirts to people checking in on Foursquare, but I'm not down with encouraging stalkers to find me. You could get a South Park avatar made, race mini go-carts, take pictures with cutouts, and see an exhibit on the show's animation art. Behind the South Park mini land was a whole bunch of food trucks: seafood, pizza, Mexican, Chinese, Polish (!), and a couple selling the usual food truck grub like lobster rolls and mac 'n cheese.

Sadly I missed out on cool giveaways like Discovery's Shark Week bags. But I did score some other freebies. I got a snack-sized bag of bbq Pop Chips. I also got a bottle of that 5-Hour Energy stuff. It doesn't taste very good but it does work without making you feel hyper.

Along the way, I spotted a museum exhibit dedicated to Conan O'Brien put on by TBS, an Adventure Time-themed pizza restaurant, and the usual SyFy cafe at the Hard Rock. I laughed when I saw a sign that said "Entertainment Weekly Celebrates Comic Con" but all you saw were locked doors blocking the way to EW's little terrace. I guess we're not invited. Then I found the coolest new store in town, Bettie Page. It's all of that kind '50s retro pinup girl wear at somewhat reasonable prices and available in sizes XS-3X. I found some cute stuff.

Back at the con, I attempted to get into line for the Ghost Adventures autograph session. I got their siggies last year but since my brother watches the show too, I thought maybe I'd get him one. At first, it looked like the line was about as long as it was last year. I asked the guard in front of the line if it was the end and he said yes. But then he blocked me when I tried to line up. He said, "The rest of the line is over there." Wherever that was. He wasn't too specific. But when I found the rest of the line, it turned out to be pretty long, so I bailed. I made a couple of last minute purchases (more jewelry, more artwork) and called it for 2011. That Volkswagen is going to look really cool. I wonder who will end up with it.

BTW, I still have to complain about all of the irrelevant junk at the Con that has nothing to do with genre. ABC was pimping its retro stewardess show "Pan Am" for example. I have a better argument for including panels or booths for "American Pickers" or "Pawn Stars" than for a non-genre show.

All in all, I had a good time despite the aggravation. Cross your fingers for 2012.

Comments

[krpalmer.livejournal.com]

Only promoting the Blu-Rays to eleven people at a time seems like a recipe for long lineups, but I could see how there might be the intention to show the footage "at a normal viewing distance." I suppose I daydream about getting the set... the problem is that I don't even have an HDTV, much less a player, so it would get awfully expensive to see the discs. (My brother has an HDTV, though, so I suppose I have daydreamed about what his Christmas present will be...)

The "deleted footage teaser" does seem to have attracted attention anyway... the problem there is all the people filtering the news through their existing hostility.

For some reason, hearing "Pan Am" was being promoted at Comic-Con actually has a vague sort of appropriateness to me, and I don't even associate the airline entirely with 2001: A Space Odyssey.

[lazypadawan.livejournal.com]

The deleted footage looked cool, but of course fanboys complained they weren't fully restored or put in their respective films. Whatevs.

[frostbit-sky.livejournal.com]

I saw Kent and Vyxsyn too, but in the exhibit hall on Sunday, right on my way out.

Girls clustered around the Summit Entertainment booth hoping for some free Breaking Dawn tees.
LOL, I was in that cluster.

The VW Passat looked AWESOME! They are still unsure what that are going to do with it.

I don't get why PanAm was there either.

[lazypadawan.livejournal.com]

Did you get a shirt?

[frostbit-sky.livejournal.com]

They never had my size, so I got the tote bags.