We missed out on seeing any of the films in the Comic-Con International Film Festival, but here are the winners:
- Action/adventure: "Razor Sharp"
- Animation: "Fission"
- Comics-oriented: "Rocketboy"
- Documentary: "Moebius Redux: A Life in Pictures"
- Horror/suspense: "Eli"
- Humor/parody: "Zombie Love"
- Science fiction/fantasy: "Man vs. Woman"
- Judges’ Choice Award: "Moebius Redux: A Life in Pictures"
With Jean "Moebius" Giraud's "Moebius Redux" being the big winner, here's a tease (actually just the intro) to the Heavy Metal magazine co-founder's winning film. Maybe we can get more later.
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Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! seemed to take the world by storm, both as anime and later as marketing juggernauts, each with a card game at the center of the melee. Now another 4Kids Entertainment property stands poised to reach into the wallets of parents everywhere when it is released in September: Chaotic.
 Already a TV show, the Danish TCG (trading card game) incorporates the same type of basic structure with monsters battling and energy points that can be lost as the fight wears on. Chaotic, though, takes a more interactive approach, according to the news release:
Chaotic's revolutionary feature is its patented alphanumeric code technology. In the cutting-edge, multimedia Chaotic Trading Card Game, each paper trading card has its own code that not only ensures that virtually no two cards are alike but also enables players to upload their collection of Chaotic cards free to battle and trade online at the Chaotic Trading Card Game portal.
Crazy, but definitely one of the most inventive ways to draw young eyes to the website and create online communities, which will then be able to take advantage of the chats. I got to take a test run of the basic card game without all the multimedia bells and whistles.
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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.
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 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
 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
Matt Groening took the stage again later in the day on behalf of the long lost brother of “The Simpsons” — “Futurama.”
Groening was joined this time by John Di Maggio (Bender), Billy West (Dr. Zoidberg and others), Katey Sagal (Leela), Maurice LaMarche (Kif, Calculon and others), director Dwayne Carey-Hill and producers Ken Keeler, Eric Kaplan, and David X. Cohen. Cohen actually began the panel with an announcement that, it seemed from the response, was the most exciting made this year at Comic-Con: the return of “Futurama.”
Cohen presented the audience of fans with a never-before-seen-in-public five-minute trailer of “Bender’s Big Score!” the first of four “Futurama” movies to come. It’s hard to describe the energy that filled the room. You could feel that it was the dream come true of everyone there (including Yours Truly). Suffice it to say that the modest crowd of Ballroom 20 was louder than any I heard in the 6,500-seat Hall H the whole weekend — even for the “Iron Man” trailer.
The panel spent most of the time answering questions, but the highlight of the event was a live reading of the brief, complementary comic book that greeted each audience member on entry. Next year will also see the move of the syndicated episodes from Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim to Comedy Central, to be joined by the movies rehashed into half-hour episodes. Fans should be extremely excited by the return of the show, and I think we can expect great things from the show that one fan audaciously described as “better in its 4-season run than the whole run of ‘The Simpsons.’”
--Andrew Hiltzik
A fan asked Liv Tyler to speak in Elvish and she obliged in silky, dulcet tones. Another fan came up and told Tyler not to be embarrassed about speaking Elvish in public. The fan added that she had a tattoo written in the Tolkein tongue.
"Oh, really?" Tyler said. "What does it say?"
The answer: "Not all who wander are lost."
Tyler is here promoting "The Strangers," a new horror film directed by first-timer Bryan Bertino, in which she co-stars with Scott Speedman.
-- Sheigh Crabtree
It’s really something when part of the attraction of an event is the attendees themselves, and at Comic-Con, they all come out.
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What would a comic book convention be without autograph signing booths?
Oddly enough, the most popular autographs this afternoon weren’t even directly related to comic books. Nick Frost (“Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz”) had a booth, as did Debbie Lee Carrington, the diminutive actress from “Total Recall” and “The Drew Carey Show” (she was Mini-Mimi).
The longest lines belonged to Katey Sagal, memorable to the general public as Peggy on “Married With Children” but to the Comic-Con crowd as Turanga Leela from "Futurama" and Rosario Dawson of “Sin City.”
--Andrew Hiltzik
Today is the first weekday sellout in the 38-year history of Comic-Con, and you can feel it on the showroom floor. You can't get through the center aisle without  getting jostled, bumped and delayed. A lot of the fans are slow-walking gawkers (there's plenty to stare at with huge statues, countless video screens, scantily clad warriors and princesses and the occasional movie star), and many are carrying big bags full of books, toys and studio giveaways.
I've been poked by light sabers and scraped by a shield, and Yoda stepped on my foot. I feel worse for the poor souls who line up for hours in the hot sun to land a seat in Hall H to see Hollywood's next big thing. A lot don't get in. There were some terribly downcast Vulcans yesterday who broiled outside but didn't get to see Leonard Nimoy. Live long and prosper? More like wait long and perspire.
-- Geoff Boucher
(photo by Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)
Plenty of actors have been Superman through the years, but Adam Baldwin is the first one to do a death scene. "It's pretty intense," Baldwin said by phone today from the set of the television show "Chuck."
He couldn't make it to Comic-Con for the world premiere Thursday night of "Superman: Doomsday," the first in DC's new line of direct-to-DVD movies. The animated movie adapts the "Death of Superman" story that remains the best-selling single issue in comics history.
"For the character, the main thing I tried to do was be consistent and not overact or try take him too far in any direction. To me Superman is 'Truth, justice and the American way.' I'm from the Midwest. I think that's why they picked me."
People who watched Baldwin in the recording studio said he is an especially, uh, animated guy.
"For the fight scenes and action you have to move around to get that to sound authentic, but you have to try to be constrained so you don't knock things down. And the director kept telling me not to 'pop your Ps.' Words with Ps can send a vibration through the microphone that doesn't sound good."
Baldwin didn't grow up as a comics kid ("I was too busy playing hockey"), but his pal Joss Whedon tuned him up. Baldwin (who is not a Baldwin brother, in case you were wondering) said the best thing about playing Superman was doing it in a cartoon. "That way you don't have to wear the tights."
--Geoff Boucher
 Lou Ferrigno, the muscle man who raged as the Hulk on the popular television series launched in 1978, has a table set up here at Comic-Con. I stopped by to chat and, as you might expect, the still-buff Ferrigno has a firm handshake.
"I'm a deputy with the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department now, but the first week in August I'm going to be filming some scenes for the new Hulk movie. They have a part written for me. I don't know what it is yet. I'm really excited. I liked the Ang Lee [2003] movie, but I think this one will be closer to the Hulk of the TV show. He's going to be a smaller Hulk, like on the show. Ed Norton and Willam Hurt are in, so it should be fantastic."
Ferrigno's table was stacked high with posters he autographs and sells. He said the Hulk will be popular as long as kids dream of being strong. "The Hulk is all about power. Children love that."
--Geoff Boucher
(photo by Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)
"Superman: Doomsday" was the nighttime centerpiece for Thursday's program, and it delivered. Fans of knockdown, drag-out super battles will love the animated video -- the Man of Steel's fight with Doomsday has lots of vicious hits, which pulled groans and gasps from the crowd. Lex Luthor's evil (James Marsters' attitude) was on display and also registered with the crowd. In a specific scene, Lex figures out a cure for muscular dystrophy but withholds it to make a profit later, saying, "Oh well. Jerry's kids will have to wait."
Animation master Bruce Timm was on hand with a panel that did not include voice talent Marsters or Superman himself, Adam Baldwin. Both stars sent along video greetings, with "Buffy's" Spike eliciting the biggest cheers.
Afterward, a bit of the animated "New Frontier," a movie featuring the Justice League, was shown -- though it was clearly in the first stages. Casting was announced previously, but the crowd still cheered as Kyle MacLachlan (Superman), Jeremy Sisto (Batman), Lucy Lawless (Wonder Woman), David Boreanaz (Green Lantern) and Neil Patrick Harris (The Flash) were introduced. Lots of cheers all around.
An audience member asked why the Justice League was not involved in "Superman: Doomsday," and Timm, after explaining his reasoning, said that he'd done enough Justice League stuff and, frankly, wanted to explore something else.
"Sorry, don't follow me out to my car."
-- Jevon Phillips
The graphic novel “The New Frontier” is a flat-out masterpiece. If you haven’t checked out the epic by Darwyn Cooke that re-imagines and reframes the Silver Age characters of DC Comics, it's part “The Right Stuff” and part “Watchmen,” and all of it is done in Cooke’s sublime retro-style art.
Cooke was wandering around the DC booth today, giddy about the upcoming animated adaptation of "The New Frontier" for DC's fledgling straight-to-DVD line of original movies. There will be a surprise teaser for the movie Friday at the premiere of “Superman: Doomsday.”
As it stands, “The Final Frontier” has some compelling moments and sharp social commentary about the 1950s; in one scene, Superman, the conservative patriot, is shocked to find Wonder Woman in a Korean village celebrating with the local women who just killed the soldiers that raped and abused them. Cooke said there was a lot of “spirited debate” among the movie team about excising that scene and other edgy sequences.
“Going in, the only thing I was worried about was whether the movie would keep all the spectacle and heroics but lose the themes that comment on the issues of the 1950s. I told them that if they didn’t want that they shouldn’t have bought the property. This is what it’s all about.”
And how did the struggle go? “That scene is in,” a grinning Cooke said.
-- Geoff Boucher
Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman ... those are the names you think of when you hear “DC Comics.”
But the publisher had quietly established itself as the most successful pipeline of non-tights comics properties for Hollywood with “Road to Perdition,” “History of Violence,” “Constantine” and “V for Vendetta.” Next up are adaptations of the Losers, which began decades ago as the story of a scrappy, hard-luck quartet of military outcasts in World War II, and Jonah Hex, the disfigured loner of the Old West who rents out six-shooter services.
I also heard today that “The War That Time Forgot” has been optioned, which brings up the prospect of Nazis and dinosaurs together on screen.
I caught up with Paul Levitz, publisher and president of DC Comics, and he said that while “superheroes are our specialty, a big part of who we are ... we have been able to have more success with the non-superhero projects than any other couple of publishers put together.” Levitz said it's just luck. “We started our Vertigo line of books specifically to diversify our portfolio.”
Wow, he sounds like a businessman.
I remember when Levitz was best known for writing the scripts for “The Legion of Super-Heroes” back in the 1970s. I told Levitz that he was one of my first favorite writers. “Yes, those were great years. I’m glad you liked them.”
-- Geoff Boucher
It's "Hot Rod" time.
First up are SNL alum Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone and director Akiva Schaffer.
A clip shows Andy Samberg having a nasty fit with a crow bar on a reclining Ian McShane's head. Samberg storms off to his "quiet place," a misty green forest grotto. He throws himself into a tree trunk. The music starts playing. Samberg slowly starts dancing himself into a frenzy, then pratfalls again and again eventually rolling down a really big, stone-studded hill. The Comic-Con crowd loves it.
First fan question: "Are you going to make more, erm, 'Surprise in a box?"
Samberg cracks: "We can say *ick in a box. We all got 'em. And some of you ladies too..."
"In closing, Footloose, Flashdance, Hot Rod," Jeff Walker, the panel moderator jokes.
Samberg says, "Yeah, there's a lot of Kevin Bacon in there. And let's face it, alot of you are here because of Kevin Bacon."
....and.... scene!
--Sheigh Crabtree
 It's crowded here at Comic-Con.
The three-day passes have sold out and so have the Friday passes. All that's left are one day passes for today (half over) and Sunday.
Some people are already looking a little greasy around the edges. Namely, our favorite cut of meat. He was just cooling his heels when a pack of "Stardust" fans squeezed onto his bench, pushing Shaky Bacon to the edge.
Then he realized that one of the gypsy/fairy/good witch ladies seated next to him was carrying a crystal ball.
When Shaky Bacon peered into it, he saw a few salty rashers, a good smoking and big Irish breakfast in his future. He refused to tell us what the ball said about his deepest desires, wishes and dreams. But we promise to grill him more ... much more.
--Sheigh Crabtree
 Seems like there's lots of people and groups that now have their own comic book creator software and other peripherals out there. The guy to the left seems pretty computer literate. Many have booths here, but a quick Google search displays sites and software from Toondoo's Comic Strip Creator to a Captain Underpants comic creator to the Original Comic Book Creator, which also has Marvel, Speed Racer and TokyoPop manga makers.
Some of the most interesting come from sources outside of comics. The Dr. Who comic creator seems different, but if you're outside of the UK, you won't be able to see it! There's also a build-your-own-Garfield comic strip generator, Designcomics.org offers lots of free clip art for folks to use in creating their own strip (not book), and even video game network G4 got into the act with a story explaining exactly how to do it and with what tools.
Marvel and DC don't yet have anything to fear, but an increasingly isolated society connected by computers could one day spawn a big web hit. For those who want to create them but still enjoy the hard copies, there''s even a booth here (Powis) that sells a binding machine for comics, novels, dissertations, etc.
Photo: Spencer Weiner / LAT
-- Jevon Phillips
 Sometimes those elaborately costumed folk you see walking around the convention center aren't just random fans. For many, putting on the makeup and clothing is a way of life. If that's you, maybe the Gotham Public Works is for you.
Who are they, you ask? Well, I asked Harley Quinn (a.k.a. Tara Nicole Strand) all about them, and a bit about herself.
Q: How did you get into costuming?
A: Actually, to tell you the truth I think I'm not so much into costuming as I am into dressing up as a handful of certain characters or types of people, and when I dress up I'm just really into wearing stuff that's as authentic or looks as genuine as possible! OK, I guess maybe that means I'm into costuming, huh? Sorry about that. I guess my love of fictional characters and fantasy and stuff combined with being a major perfectionist just kinda equaled "costuming"!
Q: What do you do outside of being Harley?
A: Well, I've got way too many obsessions and hobbies than I really should list off here that I try to juggle (and juggling's actually one of them), and I perform here and there as everything from a burlesque dancer to a clown in a recurring live show. I am kind of itching to rattle off the stuff I do or try to do, but I don't know if it's good reading. All I know is I have no clue what being bored is like.
Q: How/where did you hook up with Gotham Public Works?
A: Basically, about eight years ago me and our group's Batman said, "Let's make Gotham Public Works!", and I was in! We both started it up not really knowing exactly what we wanted to do or how, but we just decided to keep on putting on the suits and keep making them better and to figure it out as we went. For not having much of a game plan I'm really happy with how things have been going!
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 Booth signings? Already? Well, there's a lot to get through, so you may as well start early. That's what DC did.
No sooner had the doors opened and thousands started to stream through than DC's booth was instantly full of folks looking for giveaways and looking to get the John Hancock of any of their booth stars: Tony Bedard, Matt Sturges, Mark Buckingham, Bill Willingham, Jason Aaron, Gail Simone and Jim Calafiore. DC is starting strong.
The three most-talked-about items on the floor? A huge yellow, black and red Warner Bros. bag that has a "Smallville" promo on one side and the upcoming "Superman: Doomsday" on the other; a bag from the Scholastic booth of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"; and a cardboard shield given out for the DVD release of "300.
Photo: Spencer Weiner / LAT"
-- Jevon Phillips
 There are choices that must be made in life. Beatles or Stones? Pepsi or Coke? Leno or Letterman? Paper or plastic? Ginger or Maryann? In comics, the classic divide was obvious: DC or Marvel? The cold war between the two publishers and their universes isn't what it used to be for a number of reasons (the writers and artists move around more now and each publisher has "borrowed" attributes from their competitor), but fans still enjoy the argument of which is better. Which brings us to the U.S. Postal Service. We heard from Mark R. Saunders, a spokesman for the agency, who seemed pretty excited about these new Marvel stamps (download images) that will dedicated at Comic-Con and go on sale nationwide this Thursday.
"We’re printing a quarter billion stamps and one million stamped post cards. That’s the same as we did last year for the DC Comics stamps. "
While Elvis still tops as No. 1, DC Comics super-hero stamps came in at No. 5 last year. It will be interesting to see if Marvel can top that."
In other words, can Marvel stamps lick DC's stamps? Sorry. Couldn't resist. Click below for a rundown of the stamps which feature character shots and covers. Jack Kirby, Frank Miller and Gil Kane are some of the artists that we would happily attach to our phone bill. The character shots include Spider-Man, Hulk, Captain America, the Silver Surfer, and Wolverine, as well as two female characters: Elektra and Spider-Woman. Boy, there's one place DC definitely tops its old rival: Marvel never did come up with a Wonder Woman of its own, did it?
--Geoff Boucher
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Forget the "roger roger" droids -- stormtroopers are the best. They are usually out in force at the Con -- many of them members of the 501st legion -- and are the subject of countless drawings, clothing, debates, films, video games and comic books chronicling their lives and the different versions of soldiers that exist.
One of the splashiest fan films put on the Internet in the last 10 years or so was the Troops short that parodied the stormtroopers as "Cops" officers. Now another amalgam has come about, mixing the Empire's foot soldiers with the fast-talking Quentin Tarantino creation "Reservoir Dogs." It's not a film, but fan art by Ryca.
"Reservoir Troopers" may not be in the artists' gallery at Comic-Con (who knows), but you can buy it here. The artist is part of the Scrawl Collective, a British group that sprouted from the publication of "Scrawl: Dirty Graphics and Strange Characters" -- a book grown out of the '80s graffiti scene, combined with the cultural influence of "Star Wars," comic books and Japanese anime.
-- Jevon Phillips
 Really. It is. I know it is, but I couldn't look away just for the sheer fact that it was so over-the-top that I laughed out loud.
E3 used to have its booth babes before it scaled down, and Comic-Con does not have a shortage of scantily clad cuties running around in all manner of outfits ... but they are usually not covering the event (if I can make a generalization).
The women of the Girl Gaming Network are coming to Comic-Con to report on it. Video game consultant Becky "Aktrez" Young (as Emma Frost), RPG specialist Meagan "VirtualGirl" VanBurkleo (as Wonder Woman) and comic book maven Ruby Rocket (left, as Black Cat) will apparently be on the scene -- costumed or not, I don't know. They show their ... enthusiasm for the gig by dressing up in superhero costumes on the site.
It's definitely drawing attention to their upcoming work as their photos make the rounds on other blogs (like this one) that should be hoarding the attention for themselves. The site has also compiled a list of photos of some of the starlets who will be attending Comic-Con.
It seems like women having fun, and not to be too gratuitous, they are neither the first nor the only ones.
Photo: Girl Gaming Network - GGL.com
-- Jevon Phillips
It's a little early to start campaigning for a winner in next Saturday's Comic-Con 2007 Masquerade. But check out this video and tell me if you don't think anyone resourceful and bold enough to wear a Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center prison uniform shouldn't win the costume competition hands down.
It looks like the whole thing was shot from a guard tower, and apparently CPDRC's warden is an aspiring Adam Shankman -- meaning an extremely ambitious choreographer who can get great performances out of non-professional dancers. Next up from Fox, if producers are paying any attention to hyper viral videos, a "So You Think You Can Dance" versus "Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center" showdown. (via BB)
-- Sheigh Crabtree
Sideshow Collectibles, one of the largest exhibitors at Comic-Con, has sent in exclusive news and sneak  peeks at figurines and collectibles debuting in San Diego next week.
The Thousand Oaks-based company plans to unveil 70 new collectibles on the floor in its "museum style" booth.
It has also struck a new licensing deal with Lucasfilm to produce collectibles from all four "Indiana Jones" films.
Anyone crazy enough can now stick a life-size bust of Indy right in the middle of the living room.
Meanwhile, Don Vito Corleone will be calling a meeting of the families down at Comic-Con -- all 16 pounds and 20 inches of him. They should hand those things out at the Oscars.
Some figurines are of Sideshow's own design, while others the company distributes for friendly vendors. In the latter case, it's showing Electric Tiki's animated-style Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the first 'toon version of Buffy to be released. Long live the Buffy! As you can see, this rendition is very, er ... perky.
Sideshow is also unveiling a line of wee little Hobbits, the new World of Warcraft line, not to mention a much-buzzed-about 12-inch figure for Lucas and "Star Wars." Code name: Storm Trooper on a Speeder bike.
For now, we'll just have to wistfully imagine what it looks like as we polish up our menacing white plastic armor and helmet for the masquerade. I want to see someone ride a life-size version of a Speeder into the convention center.
Photos: Ginny Guzman/Sideshow
-- Sheigh Crabtree
Thanks to YouTube denizen Big Time Attic, this question-and-answer session with random attendees on their "real" jobs sparked a quick IM session between me and Sheigh. Jevon: Comic-Con. Where else would you find a jeweler and a manager of Hometown Buffet who bust ghosts with nuclear-powered backpacks? When there's something weird in your neighborhood, who you gonna call...?
Sheigh: See! Comic-Con nerds, they're just like you and me, Jevon. Except you'd never leave your Hometown Buffet franchise unmanned over the weekend.
Jevon: Never! And now I see why my medical coverage sometimes sucks. Dark Phoenix must be handling my account too!
Sheigh: ... There's always Cuba. I especially like the mandatory cosplay girl's tongue stud flaunt in this video. Will Storm Trooper costumes dominate in 2007? We shall see.
And, as a public service, check out Comicon.com's great layout of the Con's main floor and smaller display rooms. It really helps out the many retailers, artists and independent publishers that will be hoping to make an impression with consumers and readers.
-- Jevon Phillips
 Talk about a meta media moment.
Bart Simpson is getting the designer toy treatment. Dozens of Bart figurines custom-painted by noted artists will make their U.S. debut at the Toy2R booth in San Diego next week.
The artsy toy project must amuse "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening. Die-hard fans will recall "The Simpsons" episode in which Milhouse grills Comic Book Guy about the abundance of Bart Simpson masks in the shop.
Milhouse: Why do you have masks of Bart?
Comic Book Guy: One came free with every box of Bart Simpson action figures.
Milhouse: Why does Bart have his own action figures?
Comic Book Guy: They were a marketing tie-in with the comic book.
Milhouse: Why does Bart have a comic book?
Comic Book Guy: Your questions have become more redundant and annoying than the last three "Highlander" movies.
No surprise then that the big-screen launch of "The Simpsons" on July 27 should come with none other than Bart Simpson action figures. Of the many marketing tie-ins for the movie, the life-size promos known as Kwik-E-Marts may loom largest. But with their 'round-the-block lines and product sellouts, it's not that vexing to skip a Squishee. It's harder to resist the appeal of indie illustrators and artists -- even Groening himself -- transforming blank Bart Qees into personalized baby blue Barts or silver Bartbots.
Those not trekking to Comic-Con can take heart. The Bart Qees are scheduled to land in our neck of the woods at Meltdown Comics in Hollywood on Aug. 1.
Update: More "Simpsons" product headed our way. Certainly, if Colbert and Willie Nelson deserve Ben & Jerry flavors, then naturally, the Simpsons do too. Ben & Jerry's Homer homage is called Duff & D'oh-Nuts. That's right, beer- and doughnut-flavored ice cream. For a short time the furry ice cream fellas are renaming their Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough as Chocolate Chip Cookie D'Oh!
-- Sheigh Crabtree
He may not be attending Comic-Con, but with the troubled release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the adolescent magician's *ahem* shadow will loom larger than a nest of Acromantuals over the Con. Meaning, it's as good a time as any to provide the latest in Warthogs versus Sweathogs fan art. And at the end of the school day, what's the big difference? That's the premise of henrydittman's re-imagining of "Harry Potter" set in the "Welcome Back, Kotter" classroom.
Dittman's conceit suggests that not so much separates the school-based serializations -- minus the magic, a laugh track and three decades. Anyone too young to recall John Travolta as skinny and charming Vinnie Barbarino -- or for that matter Arnold Horshack with his brown nosey "Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh!" -- might as well brush up. Ice Cube and Dimension Films announced plans for a big-screen remake of "Kotter" with Tom Brady ("The Hot Chick") writing and directing and Cube playing Kotter.
Note to producers: The guy playing Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington in this video isn't half-bad. What do you think of the other Potter 'n' Kotter impersonations?
-- Sheigh Crabtree
 See that smiling nerd in the fugly corduroy vest?
That's
newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse who co-stars with Jonah Hill and Michael Cera in "Superbad," opening August 17.
Mintz-Plasse plays "Fogell." His friends call him "Fagell." He calls himself: McLovin.
Just like the Napoleon Dynamite-isms that seeped into movie fan parlance in 2004 ("Freakin' idiot!"), a trunk full of McLovinisms ("Break yo'self, fool!") are about to be unleashed on innocent moviegoers.
The gibberish storm begins when Fogell plants his mononym "McLovin" on a fake Aloha state driver's license. The "25-year-old Hawaiian organ donor" then stumbles into large quantities of beer and Goldslick (a "girlie" liquer flecked with tiny flakes of gold). Car wrecks, projectile vomiting, bar fights, teen sex and a top notch cop car torching follow.
Even after the lite buzz from "Superbad" is gone, it's hard to forget McLovin, in all his vest wearing, underage liquor buying glory. He seems primed to inherit the nerd crown this summer, launched into an orbit inhabited by dork predecessors Dawn Weiner, Steve Urkel and Max Fischer.
In fact, it's hard to believe Mintz-Plasse has only one credit on his IMDB page. Amid the early "Superbad" hype, there's a rumor that the non-pro was discovered on Myspace.
However, Mintz-Plasse himself has said his friends heard about an open casting call. They told him he fit the description perfectly and should come along. He did. He got called back. His friends didn't. McLovin's cinema history.
Expect to see "Superbad" promotions all over Comic-Con. There's a screening of the film followed by a Q&A with the actors and filmmakers on Friday night. The "Superbad" boys will be back for a panel in Hall H early Saturday evening. Plan on a few McLovin t-shirt (above) sightings too. On the front it reads "I am McLovin." The back says, "Gangstas, What's up?" And that's not the half of it.
-- Sheigh Crabtree
Photos: Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.
You only have 2 days and 19 hours (as of this posting) to bid on getting some face time with comics legend Stan Lee (and a little bonding over lunch with System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan)!!!!
Yep, Stan the man is being pimped on EBay (current bid = $300) for any fan who'd like to schmooze with the Marvel icon on a yacht at Comic-Con. If you haven't been to the San Diego Convention Center, there's a yacht ghetto out back with all manor of floating mortgages (yes, I'd like one, too). You and Stan could lounge aboard the impressive Illusion TV Yacht. Excelsior!
In other news, if you haven't gotten a four-day pass for the confab, then you're out of luck. The coveted items are sold out, and the three-day passes, which do not include Saturday attendance, are going fast. Comic-Con also announced that the panel/presentation of "Iron Man" has moved and spawned an iron teaser baby! Here's the blurb: The Iron Man presentation with director Jon Favreau and star Robert Downey Jr. now moves to Saturday, July 28 as part of the Marvel Studios Incredible Hulk panel, from 4:15pm to 5:15pm in Hall H.
Catch a sneak peek of Iron Man as part of the Paramount Pictures panel on Thursday, July 26, at 1:30 in Hall H, too!
--Jevon Phillips
Here's the lowdown on getting a look at the DVD version of the cinematic virtuoso that is the film "300" on the jumbotron in Petco Park.
WHAT: An exclusive VIP event celebrating the DVD release of "300," the cutting-edge, heart-p ounding, visual masterpiece from Warner Home Video. Based on the stylized graphic novel from icon Frank Miller ("Sin City"), "300" is an epic action-adventure about the 300 Spartan warriors led by the heroic King Leonidas who challenged Xerxes and his massive Persian army at the ancient Battle of Thermopylae. Facing insurmountable odds, they fought to the death to defend their honor and freedom, inspiring all of Greece to unite against the enemy.
WHEN: Friday, July 27th. Press Check in: 6:30 pm. Doors open: 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Petco Park. Palm Court Plaza Entrance on Tony Gwynn Drive/K Street, San Diego, CA.
WHO: Creator Frank Miller and Director Zack Snyder along with filmmakers and cast members from "300."
Exclusively for fans attending Comic-Con, the film will be introduced by Snyder, Frank Miller and cast members from "300."
Tickets for the screening are free and will be available to the first 10,000 visitors to the Dark Horse Comics booth or the Warner Bros. booth. Doors to the screening open at 7:15PM.
Here at the Comic-Con Watch, we'll be updating you on celebrity appearances, panels, and any other tidbits about the con that we can get our hands on. Logistically and program-wise, here are some new additions and emerging trends.
- With Jessica Alba appearing for "Good Luck Chuck" and Seth Rogan showing up for "Superbad," Comic-Con's reputation of showcasing only sci-fi, animated, fantasy, horror, adventure and comic-based material should be slowly chipping away. (Though he is a comic book industry regular, Kevin Smith has brought the "regular guy" funny for a while, though.)
- A 15-minute break will be introduced between panels in the bigger programming rooms. Con brass fight a constant battle in dealing with overcrowding, and this may or may not help alleviate some of the mash-up.
- The Comic Arts Conference and the "Comic-Con Classroom" series of workshops and seminars will be housed in bigger rooms -- in a "classroom" style setting (complete with desks!). For fans and serious comics industry hopefuls, this will be a welcome addition and should make the learning environment more enjoyable.
- For the fans of NBC's "Heroes" out there, the show is making a big push to be active at Comic-Con. They plan to have art by Tim Sale (Issac's stuff from the show) at their booth (#3912), and an hourly raffle for goodies. Even more down and dirty, participants can now go to the "Heroes" Comic-Con site and create a comic book or a music video to enter into a contest. The winning entries will be announced at the con.
-- Jevon Phillips
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Our Bloggers
Sheigh Crabtree usually speeds past San Diego on her way to Tijuauna in search of clay monkeys. She will be covering Hollywood's looming shadow at the event, and seeking female-friendly graphic novels.
Jevon Phillips will be writing about booths, panels and the fan aspects of the show. Luckily, he will not be entering the Masquerade as Afro Samurai.