Friday, July 25, 2008
Years ago Del Rey was the only book publisher to come to this predominantly comics convention, but as the convention embraced more and more of the popular arts, more and more publishers of the traditional novel have started appearing. As a result, one of my favorite parts of comic con is picking up the samplers, and novels that are being given away at these booths and getting hooked on a wide-range of authors I might not have otherwise given a try.
MST3K fans... a dvd set you'll wanna watch for
Celebrating 20 years after MST3K’s premiere on television, Shout! Factory proudly presents the MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition DVD box set due in stores October 28, 2008. A sumptuous ode to this cult-classic series, the 20th Anniversary Edition DVD box set features four of the show’s most requested unreleased film episodes (the four titles will be revealed at Comic-Con panel and look to have been sent out this evening, after the panel in a press release, so I've tossed them in below...) and boasts exclusive DVD bonus content that explore the genesis, life and afterlife of MST3K.
Fans will thrill to watch all new interviews with the entire MST3K family – including Joel Hodgson, Jim Mallon, Trace Beaulieu, Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, Kevin Murphy, J. Elvis Weinstein, as well as footage from the 20th Anniversary Reunion panel (to be taped at the 2008 Comic-Con convention) and much more! Moreover, this lavishly packaged 4-DVD box set contains collectible lobby cards and a figurine of the world famous Crow T. Robot – all assembled in a collectible embossed tin and only available with the purchase of the DVD box set.
FIRST SPACESHIP ON VENUS
In the 1960 sci-fi thriller First Spaceship On Venus, a mysterious magnetic spool found during a construction project is discovered to have originated from Venus. A rocket expedition to the mysterious cloudy planet is launched to discover the origin of the spool and the alien race that created it.
LASERBLAST
In 1978’s Laserblast, young actor Kim Milford plays an ostracized teenager who stumbles upon the remains of murdered mutated alien in the California desert. Along with the alien’s remains, a high-tech laser gun and power source are accidentally left behind by the extraterrestrial murderers. While examining the equipment, the teen inadvertently mutates himself with a laserblast, and embarks upon a murderous rampage.
WEREWOLF
1996 horror flick Werewolf begins with an archeological dig in an Arizona quarry. The Native Americans at the dig site recognize an unearthed skeleton as the remains of a werewolf, yet the team of archeologists are skeptical. When a dig assistant becomes infected and transforms into a werewolf, the ambitious team leader begins a horrific experiment, infecting the oblivious townspeople with the werewolf virus.
FUTURE WAR
In 1997’s action-packed Future War, a race of evil cyborgs kidnap humans from Earth’s future to use as slaves, and take dinosaurs from the past to use as trackers. A determined slave, the “Runaway”, escapes and makes his way to present-day Los Angeles. There he must fend off the cyborgs and their trackers, the police, and the government, befriended by a prostitute-turned-nun who runs a halfway house.
Fans will thrill to watch all new interviews with the entire MST3K family – including Joel Hodgson, Jim Mallon, Trace Beaulieu, Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, Kevin Murphy, J. Elvis Weinstein, as well as footage from the 20th Anniversary Reunion panel (to be taped at the 2008 Comic-Con convention) and much more! Moreover, this lavishly packaged 4-DVD box set contains collectible lobby cards and a figurine of the world famous Crow T. Robot – all assembled in a collectible embossed tin and only available with the purchase of the DVD box set.
FIRST SPACESHIP ON VENUS
In the 1960 sci-fi thriller First Spaceship On Venus, a mysterious magnetic spool found during a construction project is discovered to have originated from Venus. A rocket expedition to the mysterious cloudy planet is launched to discover the origin of the spool and the alien race that created it.
LASERBLAST
In 1978’s Laserblast, young actor Kim Milford plays an ostracized teenager who stumbles upon the remains of murdered mutated alien in the California desert. Along with the alien’s remains, a high-tech laser gun and power source are accidentally left behind by the extraterrestrial murderers. While examining the equipment, the teen inadvertently mutates himself with a laserblast, and embarks upon a murderous rampage.
WEREWOLF
1996 horror flick Werewolf begins with an archeological dig in an Arizona quarry. The Native Americans at the dig site recognize an unearthed skeleton as the remains of a werewolf, yet the team of archeologists are skeptical. When a dig assistant becomes infected and transforms into a werewolf, the ambitious team leader begins a horrific experiment, infecting the oblivious townspeople with the werewolf virus.
FUTURE WAR
In 1997’s action-packed Future War, a race of evil cyborgs kidnap humans from Earth’s future to use as slaves, and take dinosaurs from the past to use as trackers. A determined slave, the “Runaway”, escapes and makes his way to present-day Los Angeles. There he must fend off the cyborgs and their trackers, the police, and the government, befriended by a prostitute-turned-nun who runs a halfway house.
Why let the NBC Booth scan your badge's barcode?
NBC Universal (NBCU) Digital Distribution has partnered with Microsoft Zune and MobiTV to offer attendees of Comic-Con the chance to win prizes from NBC’s hit series “Heroes” and “The Office” in two promotional sweepstakes to be communicated via street teams. Together with NBCU, Microsoft will offer attendees the chance to win a “Heroes” branded Zune device, while MobiTV will give away 25 limited edition Dwight Schrute bobbleheads from NBC’s “The Office.”
To enter the Zune give-away, Comic-Con attendees can visit NBCU’s Booth (#3919) during the convention and swipe their Comic-Con badge for the chance to win the “Heroes” Zune, complete with the “Heroes” logo etched onto the back and pre-loaded with the “Heroes” soundtrack artwork that was created by Steven Parker. To enter the Dwight Schrute bobblehead give-away, fans of “The Office” can text DWIGHT to 62288. Winners will be notified by phone, mail and/or e-mail. *No purchase necessary, standard text rates apply.
To enter the Zune give-away, Comic-Con attendees can visit NBCU’s Booth (#3919) during the convention and swipe their Comic-Con badge for the chance to win the “Heroes” Zune, complete with the “Heroes” logo etched onto the back and pre-loaded with the “Heroes” soundtrack artwork that was created by Steven Parker. To enter the Dwight Schrute bobblehead give-away, fans of “The Office” can text DWIGHT to 62288. Winners will be notified by phone, mail and/or e-mail. *No purchase necessary, standard text rates apply.
Proud Owner Of A Big Frakkin Bag
During the last hour the hall was open today I was trying to make my way from one end to the other to meet up with a few folks, and stumbled across the SciFi booth handing out Big Frakkin Bags, and Fox handing out poster tubes with AWESOME straps that make them easy to sling over your shoulder (though I have seen a few folks with those who could use a few etiquette lessons in how to avoid poking a fellow fans eye out) both had fast moving lines, with very happy fans, and some very relieved fans when it came to the big frakkin bag, as it was big enough to condense their smaller bags into for the great trek across Harbor Blvd, the Train tracks, and finally the Trolley tracks into the gaslamp quarter for dinner.
Sanctuary with Amanda Tapping
I can't help but hope the line is around the block for Amanda Tapping's Sanctuary panel today. I've seen her on the stargate panels many times over the years and she is not only very entertaining, but she is a genuine and nice person... a true joy to listen to.
Last year she spoke to the press briefly about the filming of Continuum (that panel is in progress as I type this elsewhere) and mentioned having to learn how to notice if the people around you had frostbite, being warned that humans look like upright seals and polar bears (as I recall) might come after you... and being left alone with Ben Browder on HUGE ice flows, to walk, and talk, and film a scene.
This year, her web-based show has been picked up by SciFi channel, and Sanctuary is going to start reaching a larger audience, starting with whatever crowd finds the Sanctuary panel, upstairs on the back side of the convention center in Room 30AB from 5:30-6:30PM Amanda Tapping is scheduled to be in attendance, and to be joined by Martin Wood and Robin Dunne. with Michael Logan of TV Guide moderating.
30AB is one of the smaller more out of the way rooms, though it isn't located all that far from Ballroom 20 where the Stargate Panels are happening back to back to back this morning (Continuum, MMOG, then Atlantis), so hopefully Amanda's fans will scope out room 30 and remember to come back in a few hours.
time flies when you're having fun...
I am proud beyond words of the Sanctuary / Amanda Tapping fans! The line was so long 30 minutes before the panel began that I knew there was no way I was getting near it, and all I could think was GOOD! With a line like this, hopefully, the fans will find this show as it airs on SciFi and it will last.
Down at the SciFi booth after the panel I heard one person say they sat through the panel before Amanda's to make sure she was there to hear all about Sanctuary... with dedicated fans like that, a bright future for Sanctuary seems a very real possibility.
Last year she spoke to the press briefly about the filming of Continuum (that panel is in progress as I type this elsewhere) and mentioned having to learn how to notice if the people around you had frostbite, being warned that humans look like upright seals and polar bears (as I recall) might come after you... and being left alone with Ben Browder on HUGE ice flows, to walk, and talk, and film a scene.
This year, her web-based show has been picked up by SciFi channel, and Sanctuary is going to start reaching a larger audience, starting with whatever crowd finds the Sanctuary panel, upstairs on the back side of the convention center in Room 30AB from 5:30-6:30PM Amanda Tapping is scheduled to be in attendance, and to be joined by Martin Wood and Robin Dunne. with Michael Logan of TV Guide moderating.
30AB is one of the smaller more out of the way rooms, though it isn't located all that far from Ballroom 20 where the Stargate Panels are happening back to back to back this morning (Continuum, MMOG, then Atlantis), so hopefully Amanda's fans will scope out room 30 and remember to come back in a few hours.
time flies when you're having fun...
I am proud beyond words of the Sanctuary / Amanda Tapping fans! The line was so long 30 minutes before the panel began that I knew there was no way I was getting near it, and all I could think was GOOD! With a line like this, hopefully, the fans will find this show as it airs on SciFi and it will last.
Down at the SciFi booth after the panel I heard one person say they sat through the panel before Amanda's to make sure she was there to hear all about Sanctuary... with dedicated fans like that, a bright future for Sanctuary seems a very real possibility.
Before you even cross the trolley tracks to harbor blvd.
Once upon a time you had to go into the exhibit hall and find the booth for the show/comic you were interested in, then look around for any promotional give aways... now, on 5th street, before you even cross the trolley tracks you can get a bag from History Channel promoting "jurasic fight", can get a pin, and a card for free downloads of two episodes at itunes from Dexter / Californication, be handed tickets to a showing of a movie on the jumbotron at Petco Park (that may have been yesterday only, as I didn't bump into that guy on my way to the convention center today) and today in the drop off area of the trolley was the KITT car reveal for the new Knight Rider Series!
And all that, without having made it across the trolley tracks, much less the train tracks or harbor blvd and into the convention center, where more goodness, both for free, and for sale, awaits.
In the for sale category, Joss Whedon fans should be sure to hit the SoCalBrowncoats booth (as should Neil Patrick Harris fans and Nathan Fillion fans) as they have the OFFICIAL Dr. Horrible and The Sing-Along Blog shirts... and this is a case where official isn't just a cool thing to get, but the way to go, as Dr. Horrible was released via the web, and itunes sales, and shirt sales are part of the master plan to bring in enough money the cast and crew can be paid for the work they've done. (And as an added bonus it is actually cheaper to get your shirt at con, since you don't have to pay for shipping, than from the online distributor, Jinx)
And all that, without having made it across the trolley tracks, much less the train tracks or harbor blvd and into the convention center, where more goodness, both for free, and for sale, awaits.
In the for sale category, Joss Whedon fans should be sure to hit the SoCalBrowncoats booth (as should Neil Patrick Harris fans and Nathan Fillion fans) as they have the OFFICIAL Dr. Horrible and The Sing-Along Blog shirts... and this is a case where official isn't just a cool thing to get, but the way to go, as Dr. Horrible was released via the web, and itunes sales, and shirt sales are part of the master plan to bring in enough money the cast and crew can be paid for the work they've done. (And as an added bonus it is actually cheaper to get your shirt at con, since you don't have to pay for shipping, than from the online distributor, Jinx)
More And More You Don't Have To Attend Con To Enjoy Con
There are several panels on the slate for today that I have a personal interest in, but it occurs to me where once if you missed a panel you were simply out of luck, that is no longer the case.
NBC and SciFi channel have places on their websites where people will be able to view panels, once posted, in the comfort of their own home. While they will miss out on the joy of being there IN PERSON, they will also miss out on the mass of 100,000+ people trying to make their way throughout one very large building.
Today, within 20 minutes of the exhibit hall floor opening, lines had reached capacity and been capped, and there were several places where you just had to hope the blob of people would surge forward, carrying you along with the tide, and if you were very lucky, in the direction you wanted to go.