Comic-Con 2009

Just got back from Comic-Con last night and had a blast. It was so great to be surrounded by so many talented and passionate people. Sure, it was crazy crowded, but never felt out of hand. I guess it helps when everyone is in such a good mood. For me the best part were the panels. So here's a quick rundown of what I saw:

Viz Media: Shonen Jump (Friday 10:30) One of my good friends at Viz (Lex) was on the panel so that was the highlight for me. But yeah, it was cool to see Hiroyuki Takei and Stan Lee and talk about their collaborative work on Ultimo. Stan Lee is a real character and it was so awesome to see him work the room.

Focus Features: 9 (Friday 3:30ish) After waiting in line for nearly two hours to get into Hall H, finally got in for the last 15-20 minutes of this panel on the new Tim Burton-produced movie. Burton was there along with director Shane Acker, and voice talents Elijah Wood and Jennifer Connelly. From the trailer they showed, it looks like a pretty awesome animated film. Just wished I could have been there for the whole panel...but I was too busy outside getting a sunburn.

Sony Pictures: Legion and District 9 (Friday 4:30ish) This was a two-part panel, starting off with a discussion of Legion, a film I had never heard of. The directer (Scott Stewart) described it as a post apocalyptic tale featuring "angels with machine guns." The footage they showed looked okay, but I wasn't completely sold on the story. Just another visual effects-heavy film without much of a soul.

During the second half of the panel, Peter Jackson arrived to talk about District 9. It was so cool to see him...and looking so svelte. Even better...he talked about The Hobbit! Here's what I learned:

• They plan to turn in a script within the next three weeks, after which they'll get their budget (hopefully) and can begin casting.
• The Hobbit is too big for one movie...so it will be two movies!
• Casting has not begun, so don't believe the rumors!

As for District 9, it looks like a very cool character-driven sci-fi flick. And like all great sci-fi works, it tackles some pretty heavy issues. Plus, it's set in South Africa, so how cool is that? It's basically about an alien race that is stuck on Earth and are segregated by their human hosts. From what we saw, it looks very promising.

Lucasfilm: Star Wars Spectacular (Friday 5:30ish) I was really looking forward to this panel, hoping something big would be announced, like that long-rumored live action TV show. But there wasn't much news at all. It started with Anthony Daniels giving us the hard sell on the Star Wars Concert Tour. Meh. That was followed by a Lucas Arts presentation showing us some new Force Unleashed stuff. Then it went straight into Clone Wars, talking about the next season. They even did a script reading with some of the cast, which was actually more entertaining than I thought it would be. But alas. No really big announcements.

Entertainment Weekly: The Visionaries (Friday 7:00ish) This was the panel I really wanted to see. Peter Jackson was back, joined by James Cameron. EW's Jeff Giles mediated the discussion which touched mostly on the future of cinema. Both Jackson and Cameron shared their views on the current state of the film industry and where they think things are headed. Peter Jackson also revealed that he wouldn't mind stepping back into the horror genre. But that will have to wait until The Hobbit is well underway. Overall, this was the best panel I saw at Comic-Con.

Saturday morning and early afternoon were spent wandering the exhibit hall and attending Tim and Eric's Awesomecon 2009. Yes, we met Tim, Eric, James Quall, Palmer Scott, Pierre, and Richard Dunn. A good time was had by all and the weather was perfect out by the harbor. A nice break from the crowded convention center. After the events of Awesomecon, it was back to the convention for a couple of more panels.

Monster Mash (Saturday 3:00) I first heard of this panel from author S.G. Browne (he introduced himself as Scott) who was across from our booth promoting his new novel Breathers. He invited me to this panel where he was joined by several other horror authors. Since I've been on a zombie fiction kick lately it was the perfect opportunity to hear from authors of similar genres. There was a lot of discussion about keeping things fresh in a genre so steeped in mythology and cliche. It was fascinating and I only wished it could have gone on longer.

We Control The Vertical: Writing and Producing for Television (Saturday 4:00 There was no chance I was getting into the Iron Man 2 or Fringe panels so I hopped into this nearby room after Monster Mash. It featured tons of writers from various shows. Most of the discussion revolved around the collaborative process of writing for tv shows, something that sounds far too stifling for my tastes. Still, it was interesting to hear about an industry I know very little about. That's what's so cool about Comic-Con. You have access to so many professionals from a wide range of disciplines.

After that panel, I had about half an hour left before we needed to head for the airport. So I wandered around the exhibit hall one last time and took more pictures of props, fans, and anything else that looked cool. You really need to keep your camera in-hand at all times because you never know who or what you might see from one minute to the next. Anyway, it was a great show and I look forward to doing it again.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

For me, the latest Harry Potter movie was the only movie worth waiting for this Summer. Sure, I was surprised by Star Trek and The Hangover, but Half-Blood Prince was the only movie I knew would deliver. After all, this series has a wonderful track record, and the movies seem to get better as they go along. This latest installment wasn't a disappointment either. This is by far the best since Prisoner of Azkaban, my personal favorite. As the story progresses, it becomes even more apparent how remarkable this series is. This is the sixth out of a proposed eight films and it's just amazing to see the characters (and actors) grow from one installment to the next. For optimal effect, watch this movie then go back and watch Sorcerer's Stone. Not only have the key actors grown from children into young adults, but the actual film making has improved by leaps and bounds as well, taking on much heavier themes and exhibiting more impressive visual effects. Outside of the physical metamorphosis of Harry and his friends, it's equally fascinating to watch their characters evolve. Even Draco Malfoy is going through his own agonizing growing pains, something that almost makes him a sympathetic character in this latest episode. When this series eventually wraps-up it will certainly go down as one of the most successful and beloved film series of all time. It just has that timeless quality, much like The Wizard of Oz. Those who haven't seen these films or have been avoiding them are doing themselves a great disservice. This is entertainment at its best.