SDCC 2015: On the Night Before Geekmas

   The largest pop culture event for fantasy, science-fiction, superheroes and all that come along with them is nigh.  The annual megalithic event, San Diego Comic-Con, starts tomorrow with a preview night, and I find myself jealously contemplating it from afar.  SDCC, as it's known, is geek Mecca; sadly, I've never been.  (For that matter, I've never been to California, but I hope to rectify both situations before too long.)  So I shall have to live vicariously through the online news reports, photographs, videos, blogs, et cetera,  courtesy of those souls lucky enough to to partake.

This place will be packed by tomorrow.   And unsuspecting tourists will be bewildered.

   SDCC has something for everyone, or at least everyone who's got any kind of interest in any of the geekery realms.  As a regular attendee of NYCC, the New York City-based counterpart, I have some sense of the size and scope of SDCC, but I gather there's even more of...well, of all of it...in San Diego.  Every year, it's like some kind of overload, trying to take in all the reports and images coming out of the convention center...seeing new products, reading breaking announcements, watching freshly-revealed trailers, and checking out the incredible cosplay.

   Once upon a time, these conventions were looked upon as nothing more than a collection of over- or underweight social deviants, all male and all lacking in hygiene, crawling out of their parents basements to spout irrelevant trivia at each other.  As a matter of fact, there's at least one NYC-area deejay who continues to deride our annual con in pretty much those terms.  The truth is far from it - these shows have become havens for all sorts of fans, from the obsessively committed to the mildly interested, and everywhere in between.  Males and females of all ages, types and backgrounds can be found, and while certainly there are still issues with misogyny, stereotyping, et cetera, from all I've seen, heard, or experienced the Comic-Cons are the best place for those of us traditionally marginalized for our interests to congregate and find our excitement not only encouraged, but gratified.  At some point, I will probably delve into a discussion of some of the darker sides of geek culture, but I'll save that for another day.  For right now, I'm just looking forward to it.

   For me personally,  there'll be a lot to consider.  There will be a Game of Thrones panel, discussing the future of the show, and, no doubt, being infuriating about the fate of Jon Snow.   Hell, we may even get an update on the next book, but I'm not holding my breath on that one.  I'm looking forward to hear about new directions, characters, plots and so forth for The Flash, Arrow, and more, though I find myself exasperated that my already crammed DVR schedule is going up by a net of three programs for the fall.

   Most people who know me know that I collect action figures - primarily superheroes, but a few other types as well.  It's a fairly important hobby to me, and so I'm looking to see what Mattel, Hasbro, DC Collectibles, and so forth announce for the upcoming year.  In particular, the line I've become most devoted to, Masters of the Universe Classics, may be facing its long-forestalled terminus at the end of the year, or it may find a third wind to survive.  We'll find out this week.  I'm also curious to see if I'll actually be able to add a movie-verse Vision to my shelf, or perhaps finally add an Arkham Calendar Man.

  I have no doubt that one of the biggest draws - certainly a candidate for *the* draw of the show, will be Star Wars Episode VII.  We've not really seen a heck of a lot about this movie yet, but I suspect the next few days will change that.  As huge as Age of Ultron and Jurassic World have been, I think it's likely SW will prove to be the biggest movie of the year, and the hype for it is going to be incredible.  While much has been built up so far, it only gets bigger from here, and I find myself tremendously excited to learn more.  It's been a long time since a trailer made me feel that much like a kid again, and I'm one of the many looking forward to any new info.  Of course, with all of this comes a certain amount of trepidation...meesa thinkin' weesa been burnded before.

You're going to see it.  These ARE the droids you're looking for.

   Which brings me to the summit of SDCC, at least for me.  As anyone who's read prior entries on this blog can attest, I'm rather interested in the superhero movie genre.  For the last several years, Comic-Con has been deservedly dominated by Marvel's offerings, but this year, it's going to be a little bit different.  Marvel Studios will actually not be presenting this year - presumably because Civil War and Jessica Jones are not ready to be shown, and Ant-Man is due out in a matter of days.  As a result, I gather they decided to bow out rather than present what could be an underwhelming panel, especially given that DC is rolling out the big guns.

   Now, as I've said before, I don't see it as a contest - I think this DC vs. Marvel nonsense is artificially inflated by smarmy executives and seriously insecure fans, and always has been.  I know I may be in the minority on that view, but I still reject the temptation to drink the Prejudice Punch-flavored Kool-Aid.  Yes, I am foremost a DC fan, but I've gone to see every Marvel offering, and I want to like them.  I am still completely baffled by people who want to spend $20 to go see a movie they're predisposed to despise, or by people who roundly refuse to see movies from the 'other' company.  Believe it or not, I want them all to succeed.

   Having said that, I'm actually glad Marvel's sitting this one out so that DC can have the floor.  Disney certainly won't lose out, given their stewardship of Star Wars, but Marvel's absence will mean that much more focus...in fact, pretty much *all* the superhero-related focus, at the con.  It's not a competition - indeed, how could it be if one of the 'competitors' isn't there - but it will give DC a wider arena, especially given how little they've really had to show over the past five years.  While some insist that Marvel's 'forfeiting' or some such nonsense, I think it's a classy move, and smart one.  It's not like they won't have their turn again, anyhow.

   But at long, long last, DC will finally get to promote a movie I've literally waited my whole life to see - the Justice League.  While DC's cinematic universe has technically already begun, next year it rolls out in earnest, with Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice in the winter and Suicide Squad in the fall.  These two movies will launch a cohesive counterpart to Marvel's multi-faceted shared universe, and over the next few years, both companies will be pulling out all the stops.  DC's eventual goal is to showcase the Justice League, along with the constituent members.   Ultimately, this is all good for fans, but in the short term, I'm incredibly excited at getting to see what's in store.  Early rumors have it that the full JL cast will be revealed and possibly present this week...word has been going around that Chris Pine and Tyrese Gibson will be formally announced as Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart, respectively.    It seems there's at least a good chance that they'll join their previously-announced castmates as DC finally gets to 'Unite the Seven'.

   DC's done very well for themselves on television, both in live action and animation.  DC will have six separate live-action shows going come the fall across four networks, with more potentially coming, but up until recently their movie world has been limited to Gotham City and Metropolis.  The hope is that now DC fans will get to experience the same breadth that Marvel fans have been receiving for a few years, and it looks like it may all kick off this week.

The Trinity: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, and Henry Cavill.  And in faithful costumes, no less!

   My pipe dream remains a JLA/Avengers movie, by the way, and I know it has exactly 0% shot of ever happening, but at least we're getting closer to getting all the individual players on screen.

   I know I'm gushing a bit, but that's part of the fun - there's a lot to take in, and all the potential for disappointment, but that's part of being a fan.  Seeing and sharing these interests come to life is still a great thing for me - I doubt I'll ever forget the many years of being treated as though these interests were something which should cause shame rather than joy.  Amazing what happens when people realize there's money to be made, isn't it? 

   I have friends who cosplay, so I'll be looking for images of their latest creations amongst the rainbow of characters, and checking the news feeds starting tomorrow night (on lunch breaks and after work, to be sure) as the updates slowly begin to come in.  But by the weekend, entertainment news will be all over what comes out of the convention center in the next few days.  For anyone going: enjoy it!   I wish I could be there, but I'll have to wait my turn.  It's still three months until NYCC.

   Which reminds me, I have to get work on the costumes...