DVDTalk @ NY Comic Con

And Now...the Conning Fellow

2010-09-30T21:45:00.001-04:00

With more cons to cover, I'm moving this effort to a less event specific blog. Come check it out at Conning Fellow.

More Photos

2009-02-08T19:27:00.000-05:00

Year Four: Done

2009-02-08T16:15:00.000-05:00

Another year of the NY ComicCon down, and now starts the long wait until October 2010. I've still got some notes to go through before sealing the NYCC file, including plenty of photos, and some reviews that will be on DVDTalk.com soon.

Thanks for reading!
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Fringe is Not An Easy Title For Puns

2009-02-08T15:31:00.001-05:00

They all turned out for the Fringe panel, including a far more than capacity crowd, and exec producer Jeff Pinkner, along with actors Anna Torv, Kirk Acevado, Blair Brown, Lance Reddick, Jasika Nicole, Josh Jackson and John Noble. I admit, I've never watched the show (I have enough serial dramas to follow) but after seeing the recap reel shown here, I may have to check it out.

The panel didn't spill many secrets, other than the presence of a visual clue in each episode that foretells the next show's subject, and the fact that the bumpers have a code that reveals the show's secrets. Instead, it focused more on the actors' experiences, like Jackson's flowchart of the series plot or Reddick's personally touching his set (which is the biggest of the cast, in case you were wondering.) The most interesting item involved the character of the Observer (whom they got on the sidelines of the recent Giants play-offs game (much to Jackson's chagrin, as he sat in the nosebleeds.)) Apparently Fox tried really hard to get the character onto the platform for President Obama's inauguration. Also, there's other Observers, one of which will be seen soon.

The first third of the next episode was shown, and yeah, I definitely have to check this show out.

A favorite part for non-Fringe followers: a guy in the audience kept yelling out Mighty Ducks references, and Jackson played along. I don't think he's the greatest actor, but he seems like a good guy in real life.
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Kids Day

2009-02-08T14:13:00.001-05:00

I'm not particularly comfortable seeing women in next to nothing and little kids sharing the same convention floor (and even less comfortable with the two mixing, like the six-year-old girl in fishnets or the little boy posing with an amateur porn star in a Wonder Woman costume.) But if you get past that, the experience must be pretty cool for the kids in attendance, with a special room for them, featuring kid-friendly events, and even booths catering to youngsters, like Fox Home Entertainment's, which was doing kid's hair to look like the star of their upcoming Dragonball movie.

It will still be a long time before I bring my daughter.
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What I Learned from Joss W.

2009-02-08T13:59:00.001-05:00

"Friday is Killday": When asked about how he decides to kill characters.

"Locations are the new special effects": Joss' wife's thought after watching Slumdog Millionaire

"I'm a genius": Joss' joking explanation when asked why people are so willing to work with him
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Inside the Dollhouse

2009-02-08T13:28:00.000-05:00

Joss Wheadon (I'm pretty sure I spelled that wrong) stopped by with the first third of the premiere episode of his soon-to-air series Dollhouse. It (and especially Eliza Dushku) looks pretty nice, as we got to see her character Echo, a high-priced callgirl, on a job, and the process she undergoes following said job, along with a scene that sets up the gist of the story. It's essentially setting up as a cop chasing a case that's far beyond his scope, and it seems there will be some changes in Echo's life.

The main room was packed with fans of the mercurial creator's prior series, who gave a great primer on the creation of the show
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Chuck vs. NY ComicCon

2009-02-08T13:27:00.004-05:00

Execs Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak were joined by series star Yvonne Strahovski for a panel Sunday, which followed a rather extensive reel of never-before-seen footage from the second half of the current season, loaded with spoilers of what's coming up, including more (inappropriate) romance at the Buy More, some guest appearances by comedy and sci-fi icons and more revelations about Chuck and Ellie's dad.

The room was packed beyond capacity, likely to check out the lovely Aussie Strahovski (who lost geek cred for saying she didn't get the show's pop-culture references,) and the crowd was definitely entertained by the funny trio, though the constant requests and invitations during the Q&A session got a bit annoying (and led to the new catch-phrase "Throw it up!")

Among the topics touched upon were the effect of the economy on Buy More (something we'll see coming up, guest casting (Fedak lives to cast Star Trek actors), Jeff and Lester's band "Jeffster," and the introduction of new spies in the lives of Chuck and company, including a British agent who takes a shining to our favorite lady agent.
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The Diversity of Nerds

2009-02-08T13:27:00.003-05:00

Here's my "The More You Know" Post: Say what you will about the people who attend comic conventions, but they have to be the most diverse group of people ever to assemble under one roof. If there's a color of skin, it's here. If there's a gender, it's here. If there's a social class, sexual orientation or age, it's here. It's the feel-good element of this freak show.
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Back for Day Three

2009-02-08T13:27:00.001-05:00

Heading back to the city for the last day of NY ComicCon until October of 2010 (Boy that's a long time.) Today is Kids Day, so we'll get the unusual combination of naughty nurses, costumed geeks and impressionable children. We also get a few of the weekend's biggest panels, including Chuck, Dollhouse and Fringe. Should be a good time and hopefully we'll get some good scoops.
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Some Photos from ComicCon

2009-02-07T22:55:00.001-05:00

Krod Mandoon (Not an Ethnic Meal Break)

2009-02-07T18:18:00.000-05:00

Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire is a "workplace" comedy series coming up on Comedy Central, that is a bit like Robin Hood: Men in Tights, but with a stricter story and less parody. Chris Hardwick of G4 did a great job moderating (he really should be on TV more often,) as two of the execs and two of the stars answered questions, including Sean Maguire, who is making up for the horrible "Meet the Spartans" movie. Unfortunately, the wonderful Matt Lucas (Little Britain,) who plays the key baddie in the show, wasn't in attendance, but Maguire does a pretty good imitation (of co-star Kevin Hart and Marty McFly also,) and is really pretty quick on the draw.

The story about how Lucas became a part of the show was especially a crowd pleaser, as he sort of fell in their laps. "We got Matt Lucas to tape an audition." "Wow!...Who's Matt Lucas?" Seriously, this might have been the most entertaining panel all weekend.
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Summit Brings Us Knowing & The Hurt Locker

2009-02-07T16:51:00.000-05:00

The participation was light this time, but the movies certainly piqued my curiosity.

Knowing has been a movie I've been interested in since Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko) was attached, and in seeing the trailer and two scenes selected by director Alex Proyas (who couldn't make it due to post-production,) it probably is better Kelly didn't make this movie. The story of a dad who finds a note in a time capsule that predicted every catastrophe in the 50 years since it was buried, and a few more to come, was probably too "big" an action film for Kelly at this point in his career. That said, I don't know how well it will do, because the topic (global disasters) and the terrifying way they are presented is probably just too harrowing for most people, especially NY'ers. It's just relentless in how destructive the events are and how detailed the events are depicted.

The Hurt Locker is similarly intense and similarly possibly too raw, as it depicts a bomb squad working in what looks like Iraq. The 12 minutes of footage shown nearly made me crap myself. It definitely doesn't look like a feel-good movie. Per one of the stars who did a Q&A, it's not an Iraq movie, but a movie about guys with an interesting job.
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Dead Like Me: The Movie

2009-02-07T15:16:00.000-05:00

Four of the cast, including charasmatic Callum Blue and grown-up Sarah Wynter, and two of the producers appeared at ComicCon to promote the soon to be released DVD movie before a packed room. Among the tidbits during this remembrance of the late, beloved series are the return of Dolores and Crystal from the series, but one gets the feeling that Blue could have appeared and just sat there and much of the crowd would have been happy.
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Wolverine and the X-Men DVD Update

2009-02-07T14:35:00.000-05:00

The show's already been picked up for a second season, and the first volume comes out on DVD on April 21st. The word volume isn't promising in any way, but there's your update.
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Super Hero Squad

2009-02-07T14:20:00.000-05:00

After watching the first trailer, with a theme song from the lead singer of Nerf Herder, it feels a bit like the Marvel version of Powerpuff Girls, just a bit more anime. It feels like there's a great deal of fan service in the inclusion of many lesser-known characters, but the lighthearted tone might rub the fanboys the wrong way. We didn't get to see any plot, but the tone is obvious: goofy fun.

We also got to see the world premiere of the fourth episode of the upcoming NickToons show Iron Man: Armored Adventures, which features a young Iron Man (like school-age.) Rock band Rooney did an excellent theme song, the animation looks pretty sweet (almost anime like,) and the story is hardly kiddie, mixing action and a sense of humor that's well written (one Star Trek joke is particularly hilarious.)
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Make My Animation Marvel

2009-02-07T14:02:00.000-05:00

Why they would schedule Robot Chicken and Marvel Animation panels, two topics with certain crossover in audience, for the same time is certainly questionable. I've chosen the Marvel panel, mainly because I haven't seen most of what their showing (and the Robot Chicken drawing power of Seth Green has resulted in a ridiculous crowd (and some fire-code defying blockages.)

The panel, hosted by executives from Marvel Animation, kicked off with info on the ridiculous success of the new NickToons series Wolverine and the X-Men (over 1000% ratings improvement) and the new Hulk vs. DVD. A glance over the new BET series, Black Panther, based on Reggie Hudlin's story and John Romita Jr's art, is followed by what could be either a huge failure or massive win: Marvel Super Hero Squad, which airs this fall.

Bringing together all the Marvel characters in super-deformed designs (almost Kirby-esque in a way,) it's a comedy action series for the entire family
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McG on Sarah Connor and Arnold T-800

2009-02-07T13:06:00.000-05:00

When asked about the presence of the two popular characters, McG played it coy, talking about Sarah's importance to the mythology and technical attempts to get the original Arnold (not the Arnold of today), so chances are good we'll see something of each in T:S.
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Saturday the 7th

2009-02-07T13:04:00.000-05:00

We got a peak at the beginning of the new Friday the 13th, and it's some scary stuff. If they can keep up this pace doe a whole film, people will end up passing out in the theater.
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We have a (New) Winner

2009-02-07T13:03:00.000-05:00

Anchor Bay will be theatrically releasing the film Grace, about a woman with an usual child. Just take a look at the poster, which is a piece of marketing genius (and which unfortunately will not be the theatrical poster due to MPAA restrictions.) But even better is the swag they distributed: a baby bottle. Twisted, but great.
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McG on Terminator: Salvation

2009-02-07T12:44:00.000-05:00

Director McG talked a lot about his new Terminator film, and his experience talking with James Cameron about the movie, specifically how Cameron would neither approve or trash the idea. McG is pretty good at talking up the film with an amusing, potty-mouthed way of telling his stories, while praising fellow filmmakers Spike Jonze and Zach Snyder. I don't know if it's a new item, but McG said that Danny Elfman is doing the score for T:S.

At one point, McG called Christian Bale at home, but got his wife, who thanked the crowd for their enthusiasm. After that, he unveiled the world premiere of the unfinished trailer (yelling as the lights went down "It better be loud.") Have to say, it looks pretty fantastic, like a mix of a war movie and Transformers, done inside the Terminator mythology.

Funny moment: the mic gave some feedback, and someone in the crowd yelled "That's F'n unprofessional!" His response: "I don't get it" with a smile. Funnier moment: McG puts three fans on the panel to back him up. Funniest moment: McG berates a woman who asks about the Bale rant, Bale-style. Good stuff.
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Gibbons on Watchmen

2009-02-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

On the ending: It's the same, but different. But don't expect a squid.

On the possibility of a sequel: If one happens, Gibbons and Snyder will have nothing to do with it. He hopes they don't even think about it, because it's a complete story, not just characters.

On previous attempts: Gibbons talked a bit about Joel Silver's idea of having Arnold Schwartzenegger as Dr. Manhattan, and Terry Gilliams' interest (or as Gibbons' mom put it, "The Monty Python man is going to make a movie from your comic book. That ought to be funny."
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Who Watches the Watchmen. We're Watching the Watchmen

2009-02-07T11:42:00.000-05:00

The first big panel of the day is the Warner Brothers presentation of Watchmen, Friday the 13th, and Terminator: Salvation. But of course, the big draw is Watchmen, of which we got to check out the first 18 minutes, plus a scene from the film that's never before been shown to anyone not involved with the film. After an intro by Dave Gibbons, the well-known opening scene, the titles and the follow-up unreeled. The opening felt a bit over-done after years of reading it on a static page, but the titles brilliantly lay out the alternate reality of the film via still photos done in motion (just wait til yopu see it.) The follow-up scene shows just how faithful Zach Snyder has been, looking like the graphic novel come to life. The additional scene, which I won't spoil, is amazing, and gives great hope for the final film.
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Day Two

2009-02-07T10:21:00.002-05:00

The tickets for today and the weekend have sold out, and from the looks of things, every ticketholder is in attendance. There's a lot of interesting panels today to check out, so hopefully I'll have some cool stuff to share.

Here's video of the flow of people heading toward the convention. I tried to come up with some witty variation of Trail of Tears, but failed. Sorry.

Takashi Miike's Spy Kids

2009-02-06T17:58:00.000-05:00

The man behind Ichi the Killer and Sukiyaki Western Django is delivering a blow-out kids action film with plenty of giant robot battling. The movie stars Sho Sakurai, a gigantic star in Japan, and apparently here too, as he had people gathering 30 deep just to see him walk in the room. Think about this: he neither signed anything, nor posed for pictures, yet drew a crowd bigger than anyone else at the show.
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Little Plastic Scientists

2009-02-06T17:50:00.000-05:00

Continuing the science theme, Mattel is offering up some really nice Ghostbusters figures in the fall of '09. They'll come in 6 and 12 inch versions, and the sculpting work is impressive.
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Sexy Science

2009-02-06T17:47:00.000-05:00

Though the reps didn't seem to know a lot about it, Cinemax's "Forbidden Science" series looks interesting for those into adult sci-fi, and the audience at ComicCon is the right target for the show. The booth featured a quartet of "cloning pods" with wearable screens allowing you to immerse yourself in a promo. I just don't know if I'd want to pop those earbuds in after a few hundred conventioneers. Or even 10.
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And the award for oddest swag...

2009-02-06T17:43:00.000-05:00

Goes to Fox Home Entertainment, who promoted the new Dead Like Me movie DVD with dirty foam toilet seats (fans of the show understand why.) The fact that it's easily wearable and undeniably weird made it an excellent idea, as no one who saw it will forget it.
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Heading Back Home

2009-02-06T17:39:00.000-05:00

I had planned to stay late tonight, but after striking out on the Yatterman screening (more on that later) and getting a "I need you home" call, I'm going to miss out on the late-night Wonder Woman DVD panel. But I'll be back in the morning for more, and have a few things left to post about tonight.
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It's Meerkat Manor Mixed with 300

2009-02-06T17:01:00.001-05:00

If that doesn't do it for you, perhaps the attached photo will.

Dark Days in Monkey City premieres Feb. 24th on the Animal Channel.
Check it out here:
http://animal.discovery.com/tv/dark-days-monkey-city/

Ghostbusters on Wii

2009-02-06T14:34:00.000-05:00

I didn't get to play it, but watched someone demo the new Ghostbusters game for the Wii (the XBox and PS3 are playable here) and it looks pretty impressive. I was watching the game played on PS3 and Wii, and otuside of the level of detail, they aren't too far off each other. Considering that, the Wii looks like far more fun, as you can control the stream more realistically and can throw your traps, not just push buttons.
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Taking a Lunch Break

2009-02-06T12:29:00.001-05:00

Back with more later
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Hands-On: House of the Dead: Overkill (Wii)

2009-02-06T12:18:00.000-05:00

I thought MadWorld would be the Sega game I enjoyed most at ComicCon, but HOTD:Overkill is (pun intended) a blast. The on-rails shooter is a prequel to the HOTD series, and has a distinct Grind House feel, right down to film scratches and dirt in the image. The play is simple, as expected, but with varying types of zombie attacks and an awesome atmosphere, it's a lot of fun to play.
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Hands-On: MadWorld (Wii)

2009-02-06T11:37:00.000-05:00

This game is as fun as you'd hoped, and the black and white art style doesn't take away from the game play at all. If anything, it enhances it, as the indie-comic style lends itself to the twisted sense of humor. This is probably as adult as the Wii will ever get, with ultraviolence and more hardcore swearing than you've probably heard in a game. And yes, it's been confirmed, that is Greg Proops' voice.
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Hands On: GTA: Chinatown Wars (DS)

2009-02-06T11:15:00.000-05:00

I got to spend a little time with the newest entry in the GTA series (these demo DS stands aren't made for tall people,) and the appeal of portable gabgbanging is obvious. Aside from the nice cel-shaded art, the game feels like GTA (just a smaller version.) Whether you'll want to put in the time slaving over these small screens though is a personal thing though.
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Hands-On: Tenchu Shadow Assassins (Wii)

2009-02-06T11:03:00.000-05:00

Just played a demo here, and damn it is enjoyable to kill people quietly with the Wii controllers. But the graphics looked like ass on a big screen. Maybe they didn't hook it up right. The stealth moves with the Wii feel right though.
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Sensory Overload

2009-02-06T10:54:00.000-05:00

There's just so much going on, I can't even keep up. More to come.
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"The Japanese Shaun of the Dead"

2009-02-06T10:37:00.000-05:00

Toykyo Zombies came out a few years ago in Japan, mixing Kung Fu and Zombies. Now, Anchor Bay is releasing it in America, with a new "sillier" dub, done ala "MXC," direct to DVD in April. Fear not though, because the original subtitles will also be included.
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The Ink-(or Pixel)-Stained Wretches

2009-02-06T10:01:00.000-05:00

For the press to get in, you must enter "The Waiting Area," a pile of humanity not unlike Woodstock '99, just with a touch less dirt and a touch more Battlestar Galactica t-shirts. Fun.
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It's Already a Madhouse

2009-02-06T09:50:00.000-05:00

The show doesn't open until 1 and its already insane here.
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Irony Lives

2009-02-06T09:12:00.000-05:00

On the left: Sign says "VIP Experience - No Need to wait on Line!"

On the right...

(This may not really be irony, but it's still early.)
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Better Off Ted

2009-02-06T08:51:00.000-05:00

I should know better after they killed off my beloved Pushing Daisies, but ABC looks to have a pretty interesting new show on their hands with Better Off Ted, a series about product development, that seems to have a really off-beat sense of humor. I will be guardedly curious.
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Chinatown Wars at NYCC

2009-02-06T08:48:00.000-05:00

There's plenty of demo stands for the new GTA game, which is certain to be a hot spot this weekend.
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Mixing with the Straights

2009-02-06T08:46:00.000-05:00

One of favorite parts of the NY ComicCon is that it normally shares the building with another show with an audience that doesn't mix. This year, it's the nicely contrasting Travel Show. Watch as travel agents and cosplayers mingle...

The Gateway to Geekdom

2009-02-06T08:21:00.000-05:00

Same place as last year, but it looks a little less flashy. The economy probably.
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The Main Room

2009-02-06T07:50:00.000-05:00

This is where the big panels are going to be held, like Sunday's Dollhouse and Fringe panels.
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You Always Know When ComicCon is in Town

2009-02-06T07:38:00.000-05:00

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Heading to NYC

2009-02-06T06:06:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I last grabbed the train into the city. So long, they had time to build a new overpass, it seems.

That it's dark in the picture is the biggest issue with a February show date (which won't be an issue anymore, as the show is moving to October for 2010.) It is crazy cold out (for NY) and the walk from MSG to the comiccon will be a bitch.
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Year Four on Friday

2009-02-05T15:12:00.002-05:00

Back for a fourth year, I'll be covering the NY ComicCon starting tomorrow with my traditional live-blog style and plenty of pictures to check out. This year, it's a bit earlier in the year, so it should be ridiculously cold, but I've got an improved camera phone and lots of interesting panels to check out.

Some Photos from the Show

2008-04-20T19:08:00.000-04:00

The First Chilean Superhero

2008-04-20T12:51:00.002-04:00

Marko Zaror is a badass. Big and tough, he moves like lightning, but possesses a sense of humor like Jackie Chan. If there's any justice, he'll gain at least a portion of Chan's fame when his films get some attention here in America. "Kiltro" and "Mirageman" were screened at the Comic Con, and they are extremely entertaining martial arts films that are cult classics waiting to be discovered. I'll have reviews of them soon, and they'll be released this year by Magnet, the new genre division of Magnolia.

A Hasty Retreat

2008-04-20T12:37:00.002-04:00

Unfortunately, my leg is not much better this morning, so I won't be making it back to the show. That's really disappointing for me, because though Kids Day in the past has been a somewhat sleepy day for the con, this year it was loaded with panels on upcoming films, including the new "Harold and Kumar," Brendan Fraser's "Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D" and "Igor," with John Cusack. I'll have to console myself with the fact that this was easily the best of the three NY Comic Cons so far for film fans, as there were plenty of interesting panels, entertaining appearances and lots of fantastic world premieres. Overall, it makes me look forward to next year's show already, even if it is shifting back to February.

I'll be posting good photos (as in not liveblogged from my phone) and thoughts today as I wrap things up. Thanks for reading.

A goodbye and an apology

2008-04-19T17:40:00.001-04:00

I'll be leaving now, and will unfortunately miss the Starship Troopers 3 panel. Unless things improve, tomorrow is out as well you see, I slipped a moment ago, and now, something is wrong with my leg. Nothing life changing, but walking is difficult and painful.

Sorry bout that.

Eva Mendes sure is cute

2008-04-19T17:24:00.003-04:00

At the panel for "The Spirit" Frank Miller, Eva Mendes and company (with Kurt Loder as moderator) presented us with the trailer for the film, and it basically rocked, looking a lot like "Sin City" which is just fine. In her flowery Spring dress, Mendes stood out to be sure, but then, so did Miller, who dressed like The Spirit.

Best quote:
"However many great actors there are in Hollywood, they don't turn out a lot of 'men.'" - Frank Miller, on the difficulty of casting The Spirit

2nd Best:
"When he turned around, I'd take it. I have a whole collection. E-Baaaaaaaay!" - Eva Mendes on the drawings Miller would make on the set to help direct

Speed Racer Gets Slow reaction - Batman is Betterer

2008-04-19T17:00:00.001-04:00

The kid who plays Spridle intro'd the trailer to "Speed Racer" but the fan response was so so. It stood in stark contrast to the wild applause that met the new trailer for "The Dark Knight," which will reach the general public in about two weeks. What's in it? Just what you'd hope for (though no two-face.) The Joker is now truly frightening.

If you weren't excited about the new Hulk movie

2008-04-19T16:33:00.001-04:00

You should have seen the clip they just showed here. It was of a certain fellow making a very special cameo. I can't post spoilers via mobile, so I will put the identity in later. But most of you have probably guessed already. Treat yourself to a drink.

OK...I was quick to judge

2008-04-19T16:22:00.002-04:00

At a panel on the new Hulk movie, with director Louis Leterrier, Tim Roth and others, they showed a few unfinished clips from the film, one of which sees the Hulk battle a pre-Abomination Emil Blonsky. Looks pretty damn good, but man, they overdid it on the wire-Fu.

By the way, producer Kevin Peige (sp?) Said he'd like to see an Avengers movie, and that the status of Iron Man. And Nick Fury in the film will have to wait til the film opens.

By the way, Leterrier is a riot and seems to have earned some faith from the fans. Plus, the whole thing was recorded, so expect it on the DVD. In case it doesn't, ask me who the special guest was some time.

NY ComicCon Rates

2008-04-19T14:50:00.001-04:00

Exclusive clips from LucasFilms and Universal point to one thing...After three years, the NY Comic Con has arrived and is a player in the movie game.

Jolie Pictures

2008-04-19T14:38:00.001-04:00

Say whatever you want about Timur Longrussianlastname, but the man knows how to deliver an action scene. A shootout/chase scene from "Wanted" shown at the ComicCon makes this a must-see if the talk to action ratio is better than "Night Watch."

Battling Uphill

2008-04-19T14:08:00.001-04:00

LucasFilms debuted a minidocumentary about the new animated Clone Wars that looks fantastic. Look for it to appear on StarWars.com soon.

Robot Chicken on DVD

2008-04-19T14:01:00.002-04:00

"The great thing about DVD is, you don't need to watch the whole thing" - Seth Green

Why is that? Because the DVD Extras feature Breckin Meyer shirtless playing with LifeSavers.

On the positive side, They showed a clip of George Lucas in therapy from the DVD that was damn funny. July 22nd in stores.

Geek Love

2008-04-19T13:52:00.001-04:00

LucasFilms packed out the main room for a presentation on Star Wars and Indiana Jones. First up was Star Wars, with talk about the release of the new animated feature film in August, the weekly series coming this fall, and the new video game, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, coming September 16. The trailer for the game is rather impressive, showing off the enhanced force powers of Darth Vader's secret apprentice.

The new 3rd volume of Young Indiana Jones DVDs got a mention, noting it will feature an impressive 30 hours of documentaries according to the presentation. Of course, the new Indiana Jones is the reason most were in attendance, with a chance to watch the trailer on the big screen being a major draw. Not surprisingly, they took the opportunity to promote a new book on the films, and a new rerelease of the Indy DVDs. Plus, they showed a trailer for the new Lego Indiana Jones video game, which looks great.

On hand to talk about Star Wars were the creators of Robot Chicken, Seth Green and Matt Senrich, who spoke about the origins of Robot Chicken and the influence Star Wars has been on them, a point made obvious with a montage of clips from the Star Wars episode.

Day Two

2008-04-19T11:24:00.001-04:00

Lines look longer than last year, which should result in a brutal crush once we're in the hall. It's also much warmer (last year the show hit in February), which should also not be a good thing.

Donkey Punch

2008-04-19T11:20:00.000-04:00

Magnolia's got a new genre division called Magnet, and one of their upcoming releases is called "Donkey punch." What's it about? Exactly what you think. Can't wait to see the poster.
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More X-Files?

2008-04-18T20:14:00.001-04:00

Per Carter, there's opportunity to consider more X-Files after the film. Moderator: "Sequel announced!"

-Frank Black in the movie? "No."
-For anyone not in the know, the film is PG-13 (or at least, that's the goal.)
-The story was written after the series was completed (not part of a long-range plan)
-Billy Connolly is in the film, along with Amanda Peet and Xhibit (though the last two may be jokes)
-Will we ever meet Scully's baby daddy or Mulder's sister? Per Carter, Mulder's sister is dead, and he's the father.
-Carter is blown away by the ambition of "Lost"

Overall, an entertaining panel and a solid trailer. I really do want to believe.

Chris Carter talk about...OMG it's the trailer!

2008-04-18T19:58:00.002-04:00

The trailer is light on details and heavy on atmosphere, as you get plenty of arctic moments, Mulder and Scully and that wonderful theme music. When it kicks in, the crowd went nuts.

When getting grilled by the fans, Carter was elusive.

-The film is set 6 years after the series.
-The film is a stand alone story, not part of the alien mythology.
-Lone Gunmen in the film? "Deny everything."
-Mulder & Scully' relationship in the movie? "I don't know."
-Scully' family in the film? "No,,,but there may be references."
-For the DVD...unrated material? "We don't know yet, still editing. When Blu-Ray come out though, it should be really cool. We don't know what we can do though."
-Wildstorm is launching a new series of X-files comics, which will be announced tomorrow.

Bonus story: In his last year of life, Dean Martin found comfort in watching The X-Files, according to his daughter.

More maybe to come...

I could listen to Bakshi all night

2008-04-18T19:30:00.001-04:00

On "Cool World"
"I wanted to cast Drew Barrymore. I wanted a hot young girl and they gave me an old woman...what's her name...Kim Basinger?"

By the way, he's written "Wizards 2," but he can't get it paid for.

If Stan Lee is your cuddly old grandpa, Bakshi is your grandpa's nutty uncle who doesn't get invited to holidays. What a fantastic appearance.

Don't F with Ralph Bakshi

2008-04-18T19:15:00.002-04:00

Holy F. Ralph Bakshi just went OFF. He was asked about the "protests" surrounding his controversial "Coonskin," which set him off, as he basically yelled at the moderator for calling it a protest, then flipped on Al Sharpton for not supporting Barack Obama. Per Bakshi, no black man doesn't like "Coonskin" and no black man shouldn't vote for Obama. Politics is part of everything kids.

French People + Animation = Gar-Fail

2008-04-18T17:06:00.002-04:00

The State of Animation panel, with Mark Evanier and JJ Sedelmeier, covered how animation has changed technologically, and the difficulty of animating fat cats with the assistance of the French. Comparing the power of CGI and stop-motion, they made some great points and kept things entertaining. Great job guys.

Make Mine Manga

2008-04-18T16:16:00.001-04:00

Stan Lee and Hiroyuki Takei (Shaman King) announced a collaboration on a new character, Ultimo, which was released today in Japan, and will be translated and published in English in Viz Media's publications. Lee was his usual fun self, joking about his grasp of Japanese and the differences between Eastern and Western comics. "If I had to compete with [Japanese manga,]" said Lee, "I'd be out drinking."

Mid-day Movie

2008-04-18T13:02:00.001-04:00

Taking in a screening of a documentary on "The Spirit" creator Will Eisner, "Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist" It's a pretty interesting film, if a tad slow, and features interviews with his contemporaries, as well as Stan Lee, Frank Miller, Michael Chabon and Kurt Vonnegut. If you get a chance, check it out, as it takes interesting tangents into topics like racism in early comics and the Wertham agenda against the industry.

French Frights

2008-04-18T12:48:00.001-04:00

After Dark is looking to recapture the success of French horror import "High Tension", with a Gaelic fright flick of their own, Frontiers. To say it's bloody is an insane understatement, and the unrated status is well-earned (after an NC-17 rating kept it out of theaters.) A short special run will hit theaters May 9th, before hitting DVD four days later. Unfortunately, the DVD will arrive sans extras.

Catch the Infection

2008-04-18T12:34:00.001-04:00

A&E gets the award for creative marketing, for their push of the upcoming "The Andromeda Strain," a two-part miniseries coming soon. Atrio of military-looking folk in outbreak gear passed out bottles of antibacterial gel, in front of a fog-filled tube in which you could watch a trailer for the show. The mini-series, which is somewhat new ground for the channel, looks pretty good, for fans of man against a seemingly instoppable disease stories.

Hellboy, Hell Yeah

2008-04-18T12:23:00.001-04:00

This is the Angel of Death. That's all you need to know. This flick looks amazing.

Ed Norton's never looked so angry

2008-04-18T12:13:00.001-04:00

Boy...this Hulk movie does nothing for me so far.

A New Take on Porn

2008-04-18T11:53:00.001-04:00

"Just Boobies" According to the Terminal Press creators, that all the porn you get in their new visions of classic porn like "Debbie Does Dallas," "Deep Throat" and "Johnny Wadd." Honestly, this really looks like it could be interesting, as they took the movie's premise and threw out everything else, to create something brand new. Plus, in a reverse tie-in, the artist did a new cover for the classic "Candy Stripers."

More Exciteded

2008-04-18T11:33:00.001-04:00

Watchmen figures. Never in my life did I think we'd get a movie, and now, there's toys!

Maybe I'm behind on my Iron Man

2008-04-18T11:26:00.002-04:00

But when did Shellhead drive a convertible?

In the Loch

2008-04-18T11:00:00.001-04:00

The Loch is a family-friendly adventure based on kids books, and the comic comes with a cgi animated short with the characters. Looks pretty nice for an indie family project.

Oh Silly Comiccon

2008-04-18T10:00:00.000-04:00

Instead of letting the pros and press in the main entrance, like last year, we've been herded into a rather small hallway, and will need to take a single-width escalator to enter the hall.

Moo.
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New Digs

2008-04-18T09:51:00.000-04:00

Sure, it's just the other side of the Javits, but it looks like it may be bigger this year.
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Sure it's early...

2008-04-18T09:49:00.000-04:00

But Superman is WIDE AWAKE.
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The Force is Plastic With This One

2008-04-18T09:33:00.000-04:00

Vogue International apparently makes wonderful things.
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On the Rails Again

2008-04-18T08:03:00.001-04:00

Day one of the NY Comic Con... I'm riding on the wonderful LIRR train. To NYC, which is taking a route I've never seen before. I won't lie... That's making me a tad nervous. One of my fears is ending up somewhere I don't want to be because I got on the wrong train or missed a transfer. I always think I'm going to sleep my way to Speonk (a town I believe is just west of London, England.)

Looking forward to see what the ComicCon has in store for all us geeks.

Day 2 - Done

2007-02-24T20:57:00.000-05:00

I know there were less posts than yesterday, and that several are duped,
but that's the downside of liveblogging at a non-fully-DVD event. But I
did get interviews with Mike Mignola and Tad Stone, the crew behind Afro
Samurai and Stan Lee himself, and I'll be posting those soon.

Tomorrow is Kids Day, so I don't expect the same turn-out, which means I
may not turn out, but I still have a couple of notes to share.

I Have a Bork Bork

2007-02-24T16:46:00.000-05:00

Kevin Smith did his usual great job of making a massive crowd laugh
their asses off. For those wondering, if he could put together any
fight, it would be the Swedish Chef versus Martin Luther King, Jr.

Stan Lee vs. The Screen

2007-02-24T15:54:00.000-05:00

Holy crap, I almost saw Stan "The Man" Lee injure himself not once, not
twice, but three times. Coming on and off the stage during a panel for
his animated films Mosaic and The Condor, he tripped over the leg of a
screen, and went flying three separate times, but collected himself
brilliantly, despite breaking the lens out of his glasses. There are few
people who can captivate and entertain an audience the way he can.

One of the Beatles vs. Stan Lee

2007-02-24T13:55:00.000-05:00

One of the Beatles will be starring in an upcoming Stan Lee presents
animated film, and doing the music as well. It's certain to be an
All-Star affair.

Forced Dieting?

2007-02-24T12:28:00.000-05:00

Or just a massive rip-off? Considering the incredible cost of anything
at the Javits Center, I give great thanks to Transcontinental for their
lounge.

Media Blasters Update

2007-02-24T10:39:00.001-05:00

Expect some new Toho titles soon and Frankenstein Conquers the World
will be available in a few months.

Bigger Than Last Year

2007-02-24T09:29:00.001-05:00

The line curls around inside the building and then around the building,
and the cosplayers are out in force. I believe the tickets are already
sold out. At this rate, next year's show could rival San Diego's (except
for the weather.)

On Today's Schedule

2007-02-24T08:21:00.001-05:00

I'm planning a sit-down with the creators of Afro Samurai, and have time
set up to chat with Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and legend Stan Lee. If
I can, I'll be checking out the Stephen King presentation as well.

Sweet, Sweet Swag

2007-02-24T08:13:00.001-05:00

Swag (stuff we all get?) is always present at these conventions, be it
comics, sci-fi or erotica. This show has it's share, but it was mostly
of the poster, pin and sample comic variety. Of the swag that sticks out
most so far, it would probably be the nifty animated bookmarks the
Number 23 movie folks were giving out, the Gojira DVD samplers, and the
tiny Ghost Whisperer T-shirts (mainly because I couldn't understand what
the slogan "Ditch Him" meant.) My favorite was the "I rocked the mic"
tees given to those who visited the Sony Playstation area and did just
that with Singstar.

Of course, they all couldn't hold a candle to an innovative independent
creator in the Artists Alley who handed out free booze. Though I didn't
partake (I'm something of a teatotaller), it certainly got me to look at
their stuff.

The Word of the Day is MFing Cold

2007-02-24T07:51:00.001-05:00

I was in Vermont earlier this week, and it wasn't as cold as it is today
in NY. I can't imagine what it's going to be like at the convention
center, which is down by the water.

Day One was a relatively quiet affair, a testament to the improvements
made by the organizers after last year's fiasco. Things are much more
organized and the new multi-floor layout is excellent, though it seemed
to create less traffic for the artists in artist's alley. I'm sure that
will change today, with it being a full day for fans.

Top Cow Everywhere

2007-02-23T16:34:00.001-05:00

One of the biggest presences at the show has to be Top Cow, which is
drawing fans with their many properties, including a new noir-ish series
from Paul "Batman: The Animated Series" Dini. But in addition to their
own booth, there's a massive booth for the new XBox 360 game The
Darkness, based on the Top Cow character, which features several
playable demos and a gaggle of scantily clad booth babes. Plus, promo
for a new Witchblade anime series can be found at the Funimation booth.
It's still being developed, but expect 24 episodes, spread over six
separately-released DVDs this fall, and, if the image is right,
bodacious cartoon ta-tas.

Mr. Madonna Tries Comics

2007-02-23T16:17:00.001-05:00

Virgin Comics, Richard Branson's shot at four-color fame, has handed the
keys to two titles to a pair of directors who built their careers as
action crafters, John Woo and Guy Ritchie. I can't say that either one
has done much lately to thrill me, but maybe Woo's 7 Brothers and
Ritchie's Game Keeper can turn it around for them. The short preview of
Game Keeper did nothing to draw me in unfortunately.

Taking a Break

2007-02-23T14:22:00.000-05:00

I've wandered the floor for 4+ hours. Time to sit down, have a drink and
look at the schedule to see if it's worth hanging around or heading home
to rest up for day two.

New Plymptoons DVDs

2007-02-23T13:06:00.000-05:00

Two new discs available from the twisted artist. A collection of his
dirtiest works and his Guide Dog/Guard Dog discs are available on his
web site.

Comic Book Creator: The Next Big DVD Extra?

2007-02-23T12:17:00.001-05:00

Already found on the Nacho Libre DVD, the Comic Book Creator software
allows you to take frames from a movie and make your own comic book. The
software will be seen next on the Charlotte's Web DVD this spring, with
five more DVDs on the way, including one for some malleable vehicles.
*hint hint*

With all that empty space on blu-ray and HDDVD, there's room for stuff
like this to give added value.

A Little Scary

2007-02-23T12:13:00.000-05:00

Some frightening toys are on the way from Mezco this October, including
Friday the 13th, The Thing and Nightmare on Elm Street. For fans, this
things are sweet.