Anyone doing San Diego Comic Con?

[Lost Boy]

If so please let us know what kind of goodies are out down there and what's going on. Last year we got reports of all kinds of neat things.

[tinkermonkey]

From the thread in the Meets forum, it looks like a good crowd going as usual. I think Coheteboy kept us updated last year with nightly reports, but he is going without his computer this time so we'll have to hope someone else gets the daily scoop.

[FantasticDuck]

We have a friend down there now. She's getting my boyfriend all the Transformer exclusives from the Hasbro booth. He talked to her today and she said it was CRAZY (and that's saying something since in my sweeties words "she sounds like she's A.D.D. and trying to speak a foreign language after taking 3 caffine drinks and some speed"). I think she said something about over 125,000 people being there?

But at least at the Hasbro booth she had been waiting in line for over an hour and still hadn't reached the point where she was actually IN the booth!

If you're looking for exclusives, the annpunced ones can be found here:

http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci08_actionfigs_1.php

[MasterGracey]

I'm down at Comic Con.

We got in around 4:30 today after driving for 6 hours from Bakersfield. It wouldn't have taken so long, but apparently the I-5 was jammed from an accident.

Once we got here, we were lured to a panel Q&A with Michael C. Hall and others from Showtime's Dexter.

After the Q&A we made a bee-line for the exhibit hall and had 30 minutes to explore it and then the Convention closed for the day. We'll be back tomorrow to see more.

I'm hoping to make it to the Disney/Pixar Bolt and Up panel discussions tomorrow. If I make it, I'll take photos of what I can.

Long day... I should get some sleep.

[FantasticDuck]

Originally Posted by MasterGracey

I'm down at Comic Con.

We got in around 4:30 today after driving for 6 hours from Bakersfield. It wouldn't have taken so long, but apparently the I-5 was jammed from an accident.

Once we got here, we were lured to a panel Q&A with Michael C. Hall and others from Showtime's Dexter.

After the Q&A we made a bee-line for the exhibit hall and had 30 minutes to explore it and then the Convention closed for the day. We'll be back tomorrow to see more.

I'm hoping to make it to the Disney/Pixar Bolt and Up panel discussions tomorrow. If I make it, I'll take photos of what I can.

Long day... I should get some sleep.

Have fun! Can't wait to hear more!

[jsdmn2]

Thanks for keeping us in the loop MG!

[Aladdin]

The Bolt/Up panel MIGHT fill early, since there is a rumor of more insight into a TRON2 movie.

[Lost Boy]

They showed a teaser for Tron 2.0 yesterday and did hint that it will/might be shown again today at the Bolt/Up discussion panel. From what I have heard the 3 minute teaser was made to show the Disney Brass that a sequel to Tron was a viable concept and could be done. Jeff Bridges is also going to be in it. The project, according to the blog I read on it has green lit this. The teaser apparently brought the house down with cheers and applaues before and after the showing. Something for all Tron fans to look forward to.

[MasterGracey]

I guess the Bolt/Up pamel is tomorrow, Saturday .... So we'll have to wait another day for that. Tonight is Kevin Smith!

[Lost Boy]

Yes, according to the release the Bolt/Up panel is scheduled for Saturday. Here is the entire entry:


Who says that Walt Disney Pictures can't keep a secret?

As the "Race to Witch Mountain" panel ended yesterday at Comic-Con, 6,500 people got to their feet. As these folks made ready to head back into the San Diego Convention Center, that panel's MC hurried back onstage. Saying "Stay in your seats please. We have something else to show you folks. Something that won't be in theaters for another year or so."

And then the house lights went down again. The Walt Disney Pictures appeared on the screen, then quickly faded to black. A very familiar sort of black.
And then -- as muted neon-like lines of color appeared on the distant black-marble horizon -- a gasp went up in Hall H. It couldn't ... It can't be ... Tron 2?!
But that's what it was, folks. Three minutes of CG goodness. Showing two lightcycles zooming across a seemingly infinite game grid. Of course, this being 2008 rather than 1982 ... The game has changed somewhat over the past 26 years. Now players can race across different levels of the same terrain, using spiral ramps up or down in an attempt to gain an advantage over their opponents.

And as for the lightcycles themselves ... They were very reminiscent to the bikes seen in the original Steve Lisberger film. Only bigger and meaner-looking. Which -- given the way that these two vehicles battered against one other as they raced across the course, sending showers of blue & yellow sparks flying everywhere -- only seemed appropriate.

Yeah, this was definitely not your Daddy's "Tron." As was apparent by the appearance of first a grey, bearded version of Flynn (Jeff Bridges). Who was holed up in this austere furturistic penthouse which overlooked the game grid. This was then followed by the appearance of a much younger looking CG Flynn. Who -- as the injured lightcycle rider lay crumpled at Flynn's feet said "Hey, it's only a game" -- he powered up his energy disk and then said "Not anymore." And as this CG Flynn moved in for the kill, the "TR2N" logo formed onscreen.

And at that point, the crowd in Hall H went absolutely nuts.

I'm told that the three minutes of footage that was shown at Comic-Con yesterday wasn't so much a trailer for "TR2N." But -- rather -- a proof of concept. This footage was actually used to convince Mouse House managers that "Tron" could effectively be updated / reimagined for today's audiences. Who obviously demand a bit more edge to their action.

Which is why the first "Tron" 's Flynn character is now being rethought of as a Colonel Kurtz-style villain. Someone who's no longer grounded in reality. But -- rather -- has slipped off into cyberspace where he's now wrecking havoc.

Speaking of Flynn ... I'm told that -- in order to keep word from leaking out that "TR2N" was actually in the works -- Jeff Bridges shot all of his Mad-Old-Flynn scenes with a very small crew in a single afternoon. And that each member of this production team then had to sign confidentiality agreements in order to prevent word from leaking out in advance about the "Tron" sequel.

Which is why this footage caught everyone at Comic-Con by surprise. As the lights came up in Hall H, you could see people all over that auditorium whipping out their cellphones and frantically calling their friends. Proudly proclaiming "I just saw the 'Tron 2' trailer."

FYI ... If you're at this year's Comic-Con and missed out on seeing the "TR2N" footage yesterday, my sources at Disney suggest that you might want to attend Saturday's "Bolt / Up!" presentation. Which could possibly feature a second appearance of Crazy-Old-Flynn.

So are you folks really ready to return to the world of Tron? Particularly since "TR2N" is reportedly being envisioned as a showcase for the Disney Digital 3D process?

[TikiRoomLiz]

I'll be there on Saturday, but in another panel while the Bolt panel is going on ... oh well.

[Coheteboy]

Hey yah sorry guys I'm without my laptop so I can't share my photos with you all until I get home!

Tons of goodies. but i'm trying to be more frugal this year. if you guys have something you need, post it and I'll do my best.

[Melonballer]

Press release? That is the article from Jim Hill Media. Unless he is just posting press releases and just putting his name on them these days. He used to do that, but would add a couple paragraphs.

[MasterGracey]

Long day today.

After walking all over the exhibit and vendor hall (which is insanely massive)... we went to a Kevin Smith, Frank Miller, Judd Apatow, and Zack Snyder panel which was then followed by a panel with Kevin Smith and the cast (including Seth Rogen) of his upcoming "Zack & Miri Make a Porno," which looks pretty dang funny. After that we were able to make it over from Hall H to catch the last half of the first live Totally Rad Show taping. Then we made the trek back to our hotel.

Tomorrow is going to be a looonngggg day. Simpsons in the morning, followed up with Bolt/Up, then maybe off to the Chuck screening and panel.

I'm still disappointed that I missed the Watchmen panel this morning. I heard it was spectacular. Everybody kept talking about it today and I wish I could have made it. But alas, parking madness, traffic, and delays caused it to slip away from me. Oh well.

[krystledm]

I wish...there's a live LeakyMug podcast on Sunday!

but alas...i live 6 hours away and it would not makes a lick of sense for me to go...