Arts & Entertainment

Comic-Con 2013 in Review: Cinema Siren's Comic-Confidential

Wonder what it's like at Comic-Con? Cinema Siren tells all.

By Leslie Combemale aka Cinema Siren

SAN DIEGO — Now that Cinema Siren is looking rear-view mirror style at San Diego Comic-Con 2013, it's time to consider which big successes, big events and surprises actually worked and got the buzz they so hope for, and which ones fell flat.  

See Rolling Stone's 10 Biggest Comic-Con Reveleations

Although I've been going to San Diego for years, playing a variety of roles from panelist (this year with Harry Potter: Still Magic and Legendary Artists of Classic 60s Cartoons) to exhibitor (representing my film art gallery ArtInsights) to rabid fan (last year for 10th Anniversary of Firefly, and as it turned out, this year, for the X-Men: Days of Future Past panel), this year we intentionally wanted to give the flavor of both an insider's view and the view from a newbie, or someone without any special passes or contacts.

It turns out, for one thing, that sleeping outside to get into Hall H, which for the truly elite can be skipped to enjoy the handful of reserved seating way up front, is both entertaining and affirming of humanity, as well as extremely uncomfortable, even for a 24 year-old (or so says my trusty intern).

It also turns out that however Hall H or Ballroom 20 is accessed, (the biggest panel venues at the Con),  nerd-vana will be experienced with thousands of temporary best friends. Walking the show floor in search of exclusive merch and experiences promoting the latest "big thing," (like at DC where they had all the Superman costumes from early TV to the most recent, to further promote Man of Steel) drains the brain faster than a zombie bite, so must be done in small doses.  

Any attempts by exhibitors or professionals to access exclusives are met with such roadblocks, it's better to just buy them at a premium from the "regular badge holders" who have bought six-12 items at a time to put on eBay…A desire to hobnob with pop culture heroes like Matt Smith (the retiring Doctor Who) or Bryan Cranston (of Breaking Bad) is as easy as eyeing masked attendees.  

Both walked the floor in disguise, as do dozens of celebs, but if you suspect something, it's considered very poor taste to follow them, take pictures or call attention to them.  

Losing things is par for the course, especially after overnighters on concrete or hours shuffling from one side of the show floor to the other. What isn't par for the course is the fact that stories abound of people who lose their wallets and get them back with the hundreds of dollars and credit cards still tucked away inside them within a day of their loss. SDCC is like that.  

Friends are made in line who will wind up finding each other on Facebook or offering invitations to exclusive parties. If one is in the biz, one might wind up doing some great networking while phone charging in the bathroom.   

As to panels, those who are involved have varying degrees of success. The Harry Potter: Still Magic wound up, courtesy of Cinema Siren, with a surprise guest in Kazu Kibuishi, creator of the new as-yet-unreleased Harry Potter book covers.  
The Legendary Artists of Classic '60s Cartoons was also enjoyed by attendees…but those are teeny compared to the panels that drive SDCC. 

Fortunately, Saturday was the day for all the big announcements and surprises in Hall H, the biggest of which were the entire cast of X-Men: Days of Future Past showing up, Zach Snyder slyly announcing a logo that suggests Batman and Superman will be in one movie, and Joss Whedon playing the first new Avengerstrailer.  

Another highly entertaining moment featured Tom Hiddleston in full Loki garb manipulating an audience of more than 7,000-strong, cuing boisterous applause and screams as well as complete silence with a simple gesture or flick of his hand.   

Less successful were some of the panels promoting TV shows, especially what appears to be a Gossip Girl/Masterpiece Theatremash-up called Reign on the CW, wherein supposed teens, clearly Americans, play "fictionalized" versions of Mary Queen of Scots and her royal entourage. Copious snickers ensued. 

Could one say "Laarrrrd, what a treenrick"?  No, because but no Scottish accents or Scottish actors are used.  That's a pop culture tragedy on par with Mary's beheading.  

Ultimately there are so many new friends and ways to network (for example, I met the editor of one of the most respected magazines about film and talked to her for an hour while charging my phone in the Hall H bathroom) that for most it, it is impossible not to have success in some form at this convention.  

Fun? Of course! Exhausting? You bet…but where else could I sit next to the new Harry Potter book cover artist, asking him questions, have lunch with two famous comic book writers, inspire two teenage art fans (they were in tears when they introduced themselves to me!) see most of your favorite actors all on one stage, and eat dinner next to a cigar-smoking zombie, all in one day?  

Only at Comic-Con...for more, here is a video of our experiences....


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