Comic-Con 2007: It's a Wrap

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Here are a few of our personal highlights, low points and some of the projects we saw at Comic-Con that we look forward to catching in the future.

At the end … free hugs, anime and complaints

On Sunday, the stars and stargazers have mostly left, except for those who came for Nicolas Cage. But there was still activity in the convention center and an enterprising fashionista from Poway, right, who made this dress out of one of the highly prized Warner Bros. bags.

The anime rooms were at about 75% capacity, still showing many programs that may not ever air on U.S. TV.  A group of people near the rooms displayed handwritten "free hugs" signs, and commenced to squeezing passersby.

The Browncoats –- fans of “Buffy” and “Firefly” creator Joss Whedon -– congregated in a room as raffled prizes were dispersed. Last year, the space was big enough to accommodate the group, but this year there was at least three times the number of people who could comfortably sit in the room.

And then there was the final talkback -– Comic-Con’s feedback session where the fans are allowed to express their complaints, or compliments, to an assembled group of Comic-Con show runners. More than 20 people paraded in front of the microphone with various amounts of frustration and praise.

The positives: an excellent shuttle service (could use more stops), great disabled-access folk, a general feeling that the crowding had subsided on Saturday in contrast with last year’s craziness (though the same number of people showed up) and kudos on keeping the show relevant and continual. The negatives: courtesy not being enforced (cellphones, line cuts), strollers in the aisles bruising up ankles and calves, giveaways being gone too quickly (not a function of the Con, actually), being hassled by the elite security personnel and the debacle at Ballroom 20 that left possibly hundreds of "Heroes" fans out of the panel. An aside to Ballroom 20 were numerous complaints about the announcer. Both her style (someone called her a "'hot-pants-wearing show guide") and her tone were questioned: Many called Erin Fetters' dry wit and sarcasm demeaning, as if she were talking to children and name-calling. I wasn't offended by her comments, but I can see how another opinion could be reached.

-- Jevon Phillips

Charlyne Yi kills at the Con; Apatow ushers in a comedian

Judd Apatow, the Mayor of Comedy, wants the world to know about stand-up comedian Charlyne Yi.

Why else invite Yi onstage for Sony's "Superbad" panel Saturday night in front of a room full of 6,000 fans and media in San Diego? She's not even in "Superbad."

And unless the personal practices of Paul Wolfowitz at the World Bank were the inspiration, being "Superbad" costar Michael Cera's girlfriend alone wouldn't seem relevant enough to earn Yi a spot on the overflow dias, alongside Apatow regulars Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Jonah Hill, producer Shauna Robertson and newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse. (Although Yi did have a memorable part as the stoner Jodi with Rogen and Hill in Apatow's "Knocked Up.")

Her surprise appearance must be because Yi is seriously funny, and Comic-Con's massive Hall H is the perfect venue, not only to launch new movies but also for new stars. And Apatow is nothing if not loyal to his comedy coterie. But there may have been something more intentional afoot, not only bolstering Apatow's rep as the sage of send-up but also demonstrating his commitment to finding funny ladies in addition to his headlining slovenly guys.

"Knocked Up" inspired David Denby, writing for the New Yorker last month, to devote 4,872 words to Apatow's misogynistic breed of romantic comedy and its presumed detriment to a future generation of comedic heroines.

A farewell shot from the floor

As a newbie to "the Con," I was struck by just how friendly -- overwhelmingly friendly -- everyone was. Costumes, smiles and so much talent.  Wookies, Klingons and fairies -- oh my. And Batman and Robin, father and son John Whitt and Adam Whitt, 12.  The dynamic duo, hailing from Minneapolis, enjoyed their time in San Diego.  It warmed this photographer's heart to see them sharing a really cool experience, fully.

-- Spencer Weiner

BET on lots of shows

Black Entertainment Television is not known as a popular source for animated programs, but the network is trying to change that with releases featuring the voices of actors Vin Diesel and Orlando Jones.

Announced last year, Diesel's "Hannibal the Conquerer," telling the story of the African king of Carthage famous for crossing the Alps with a herd of elephants, has a release date of February 2008. And "BUFU," an animated sketch comedy show, comes from the minds of comedian Jones and "Everybody Hates Chris" creator Ali LeRoi.

With a slate of 16 new shows coming out on varying dates, BET President of Entertainment Reginald Hudlin says the network is set to release "the biggest array of black programming ever."

"These shows ['Hannibal' and 'BUFU'] will help put people on notice about the new direction that we're going in," said Hudlin. "Everything that's being put on makes a big statement" about the network's commitment to programming.

Senior Vice President of Animation Denys Cowan was encouraged by the "great response" the shows received at their Comic-Con panel. At last year's panel, a short entitled "Bid 'Em High" was a highlight, and although the short called "Read a Book" was out before the convention, it also garnered some attention this year.

"But we're working on some things that will be bigger," says Cowan.

-- Jevon Phillips

How much is that Wookie in the window?

The press coverage of Comic-Con focuses on the Hollywood stories and costumed fans, but for most fans its the ultimate bazaar of the bizarre and the name of the game is shopping. Here are some of curious items I spotted today walking the merchant floor:

Life-sized bust of Arnold Schwarzenegger as T-800, $550. Here's a conversation piece. It shows our right honorable governor but with half the flesh on his face blown off, revealing his cyborg skull and a glowing red eye. It's from a movie, I'm told. Well, that's a relief.

Chewbacca backpack, $40. A hot item this year. The kind-faced furry friend may not be the best for schooldays, though. The hair clogs the zipper, and on a hot afternoons its like wearing a huge back toupee.

ThunderCats sword, $49.95. A spiffy replica of the bejeweled weapon of Lion-O, the leader of the brave feline beasties. I didn't know of this; it's from my colleague Jevon, who is pretty damn geeky apparently. 

FOR THE RECORD:  Jevon's geek cred took a hit.  Lion-O is the ThunderCat leader, not Lionel as earlier posted.

Robin action figure, $200. The 1979 doll (sorry, that's what it is) from Mego is still in the box. I noticed it said "Les Extraordinaires" on that box. Simple reason: "It's from Canada," the dealer told me. "But I can't guarantee that it wasn't sold in Detroit." Well, forget it then.

Photo: Spencer Weiner / LAT

-- Geoff Boucher

Pow! Bam!

In the 15 years I have been writing for The Times, I have covered wildfires, riots, gang murders and plenty of other mayhem. I never got hurt. This weekend I covered a comic book convention in San Diego and I'm going home with staples in my head.

I was walking alone to my hotel after late Saturday night interviews with Neal Adams and Darwyn Cook. I was also talking on my cell to Spencer Weiner, the photographer for The Times shooting Comic-Con. Spencer heard everything that happened next.

I (literally) bumped into a young guy walking with three friends in the Gaslamp Quarter. They were tattooed and wearing the street uniform of baggy pants, white T-shirts and shaved heads. The guy started mad-dogging me, rasping threats. I told him I was just walking by, no offense meant. He got in my face, and I told him it would be stupid for us to make something out of nothing.

"You calling me stupid?" "No, I'm not." Then I stopped talking, because my mouth was bleeding. One of his buddies, standing off to my side, cold-cocked me, and the ring on his fist took a chunk out of my face. I never saw it coming. I was at the emergency room until dawn.

They stitched up the triangular gash on my face and put staples in my scalp for the nasty cut on the back of my head left when I hit the curb. The cops at the scene said this sort of incident isn't that rare, and the ER folks said I was lucky the guys didn't kick me, which might have happened if the street hadn't been packed with closing-time crowds headed home.

Today, I talked to Bill Weakley, a Seal Beach antiques dealer who nodded solemnly when he saw my face. "A guy I know came down here for a show and got jumped almost the same way. He lost an eye."

None of this gives Comic-Con or San Diego a bad rap. It's just a reminder that the real world doesn't stop when the fantasy crowds wander the city with their convention badges marking them as new in town.

-- Geoff Boucher

Memories of Kubrick

Comic-Con is winding down and you can see people checking their watches and getting ready for plane flights back to the real world. At the Omni Hotel, I spotted Joe Turkel getting ready to head back home to Santa Monica. "It was a great weekend. I got to tell the old stories again."

Turkel was here promoting the 25th anniversary of "Blade Runner" and the release of the souped-up version that Ridley Scott has made by melding the original theatrical release with alternate versions and even some new footage.

Turkel was not only in "Blade Runner"; he was the ghostly barkeep at the hotel in "The Shining." That wasn't his first film with Stanley Kubrick: "Kirk Douglas and I are the only living members of the cast from 'Paths of Glory,'" Turkel told me.

"I miss Stanley so much. I cried for a month when he died. He was the inspiration of my life."

Turkel said Kubrick would arrive on set in rumpled clothes with a pure focus on the movie at hand. "One of these" -- Turkel pulled out a black plastic comb -- "never touched Stanley's head."

Turkel has a salty mouth and a backslapper's grin. "Let me tell you this, when I did 'Blade Runner,' there were two or three times where he [Scott] would say, 'Joe, do you think Stanley would have shot it like this?'"

Turkel said he had to catch his ride. His last thought was on how different Kubrick was from his severe reputation.

"He was as sweet as sugar."

-- Geoff Boucher

Big boys have big toys ... and action figures

Comic-Con visitor Brooks Klein dresses as a biker scout from "Return of the Jedi," with a toy-sized version of himself, while touring the halls of San Diego Convention Center. "Bikerscout" and his mini twin travel the world, attending events and participating in general mayhem. You can see their adventures at bikerscout.net.

Photo: Spencer Weiner/ Los Angeles Times

-- Jevon Phillips

The Cages' lovefest

Nicolas and Weston Cage are the archetype of a father-son relationship. With Weston's long black hair and goatee, he doesn't look much like his movie-star dad, but the closeness of their relationship was on display in Ballroom 20 as they presented "Voodoo Child," their first collaborative effort and a comic book being published by Virgin Comics.

Cage, a well-known comic-book proponent, reared Weston with images of superheroes.

"We had them all over the house," said the senior Cage. "They were even framed and hanging [on] the walls."

And the opportunity to create and produce a comic book is not lost on the younger Cage, who is 16.

His friends "say it's pretty radical." Weston says. "I mean, it's pretty awesome for somebody my age to create a comic book."

"Voodoo Child" writer Mike Carey described the book, which centers around New Orleans, as having supernatural horror and even political themes. But the main character is something we may not have seen yet.

"There's actually not enough of him left to even be a zombie. He's more like a living shadow."

An EMT from New York and a paramedic from New Orleans who happened to be in the audience each thanked Nic -- for his work in "World Trade Center," and his general support of post-Katrina New Orleans.

Here's the article on Nicolas and Weston Cage that appeared in the print edition of the L.A. Times

Photo: Spencer Weiner / LAT

-- Jevon Phillips