Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with a little update on the status of this year's San Diego Comic-Con. For those that don't know, Comic-Con is the biggest, baddest and best convention in the world covering all facets of geekdome. You into Anime? They got Anime out the whazoo (and you're sure to see quite a few costumes that cover very little of the person wearing it... sure, 4 times out 5 the person wearing it NEEDS to be covered, but there's always that 1 that makes the eyes bulge). You dig the comics? Every big name comic artist, from the worlds of Marvel, DC and the indie rags, is there to sign, chat and sketch.
If you're here on this site, then you'll dig on the movies. More than anything else, that's what I go for. Last year's presentations on SPIDER-MAN 2 (including a 5 minute "Birth of Doc Ock" scene), KILL BILL (with Tarantino and some of the cast), VAN HELSING with Hugh Jackman and almost all the cast... well, they were nothing short of epic and exciting, even if some of the projects previewed didn't live up to their... um... potential. The point is studios go all out at Comic-Con... in the last few years I've seen everybody from Alfred Molina to James Cameron to Sean William Scott to Sam Raimi to Arnold Schwarzenegger to Halle Berry to Angelina Jolie to Asia Argento address us, the geeks. As cool as having names like those above is, it's only a smidgeon of what makes Comic-Con the awesome experience it is.
This year's schedule is still in the works and under wraps, but over at the official Comic-Con website they've announced their first big name star and movie title to appear. Sarah Michelle Gellar will be there to preview the American remake of the brilliant and truly terrifying JU-ON: THE GRUDGE for the first time. I've also heard some whispers about a big SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW push, but there's nothing solid on that one just yet.
There's a short rundown of the confirmed guests so far at the website, as well. If you wander the Exhibition floor you're sure to find booths representing the upcoming flicks of all the major studios as well as the smaller (and cooler, in my opinion) booths where the real fun is. WETA always has a booth set up where you can catch a few words with the mad Kiwi geniuses that brought LOTR to life, including the one and only Richard Taylor.
Also announced, so far, is the wonderful Forrest J. Ackerman... the man that started it all with FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND, Will Eisner (the legend who created The Spirit), Mike Mignola (grand poo-bah creator of HELLBOY), Bill Plympton (if you have to ask...), Jim Lee (yes, that Jim Lee) and James Warren (publisher extraordinaire) to name a few.
The coolest thing about this Con isn't just the names they get, but their accessibility. Over the last 5 years that I have been attending the Con, I've gotten to interact with some of the best artists in the world, including Tim Bradstreet, Jeff Smith, Mike Mignola, Don Bluth, Paul Dini and Bernie Wrightson... Not in any sort of press access sense, either. Any average Joe attending the con could come up and talk with these great artists and if you're lucky... get a sketch from a few of them.
Anyway, I've already got my airfare booked (and am just looking for the cheapest hotel I can find that's not 50 miles from the San Diego Convention Center) and will be there covering the huge event for you folks that can't find your way out there this year. I'm excited to see some footage of THE GRUDGE... I take heart in Takashi Shimizu (director of the original JU-ON films) directing the remake, but the WB casting has me a little concerned. We'll soon see!
I'll keep my ear to the tracks and let you folks know of any other upcoming awesomeness coming out of Comic-Con this year... I can't wait for July to roll around, personally! Hope I see some of you folks there!
-Quint
