If you've been anywhere on social media lately, I'm sure you've been bombarded with a barrage of interviews, trailers, and footage released at San Diego Comic-Con. The past four days have been an explosion of new information and anticipation for current and upcoming entertainment. Let's just say, I spent my Sunday afternoon catching up on all the fun.
Part of that fun came with the release of several trailers and sneak peeks for upcoming DC Comics related adaptations. From Suicide Squad (which releases August 5) to the CW's fall superhero line-up, DC Comics had a lot of justice to serve to their fans. But how much justice did they give us? Let's find out!
Suicide Squad
There have been a lot of Suicide Squad trailers since the first one debuted a year ago at Comic-Con (which is still my favorite trailer). This one doesn't show much different than what has already been revealed in previous trailers and TV spots. It's long, there's a lot packed into it, and it shows off new "squad goals" for any DC comics fan. The one thing this trailer does do is reveal that despite these characters being "the worst of the worst" and the fact that there might be dark themes throughout the film, there will be some laughs as well. Also, it's a reminder that the movie's release is only a week away!
The LEGO Batman Movie
"No, Bruce Wayne lives in Batman's attic." Let me tell you about this film. It will be AMAZING. My favorite version of Batman, other than Ben Affleck, is Lego Batman. Because he's hilarious. Also, he's a Lego. So add Alfred, Robin, and more Legos, and basically... just shut up and take my money! I'm excited. I can't wait for the cheesy jokes.
The CW Superhero Shows
Each of the CW superhero shows received their own trailers for the upcoming fall season, but this one was especially cool because of how it used classic comic book designs and narration. Plus, it combines all four of the shows into one trailer, which hints at the possibility of a four-show crossover! (Please happen. Please!) In addition, the trailer welcomed Supergirl to the CW network, which was cute. I'm ready for these shows to come back!
The Justice League
I admit I was a little hesitant, yet very excited, to watch this special sneak peek for The Justice League movie. I've been on the fence about the casting choices (mainly Barry Allen because I adore Barry Allen from The Flash), and I've been worried about the plot every since I saw Batman vs Superman. But let me tell you, I am 100% sold on this film now. The moment I saw Ezra Miller in character as Barry Allen, I was on board just as fast as he was to join the Justice League. ("Stop right there. I'm in.") I'm super stoked to see a new side of Aquaman--a hey-I'm-like-the-Greek-god-Poseidon-instead-of-a-surfer-boy side of him. He looks terrifying. And beautiful. I'm not sold on Cyborg, but it's... Cyborg, so... who cares? Batfleck: I love you forever. Superman: Where are you? Wonder Woman: Yes. Just yes. Basically, I'm excited. And I'm really hoping they don't screw this up.
Wonder Woman
Since I'm so freaking excited about this film FINALLY being released, I've enlisted the help of Anna Gensimore to share our thoughts on it.
Jaime:
Basically, GIVE IT TO ME NOW. I can't even properly express how I feel about Wonder Woman finally getting her own movie. I'm super pumped. The music, the action, the time period setting--I love it all. I love that the cast of the film is made up of one male lead and three female leads. I love her outfit. I love her kickass fighting. I love everything about this. This movie is going to be so important, and this trailer has given me so much hope that Wonder Woman will finally get the justice she deserves! Now I'm going to go lie down (and probably cry for a while) and wait for next year to hurry up and get here.
Anna G.:
"You're a man." "Yeah...don't I look like one?"
First of all, I forgot Chris Pine was in this! What we see of the set makes me hope for more of a glimpse into the Amazon mythos. Gal Gadot is pretty much exactly how I'd imagined Wonder Woman, and the slow reveal of all her gear confirmed that. The scene and voice over from her mother made me tear up even though it's barely 10 seconds. I think the plot details hinted at are a nice taste without being overwhelming. Bits of witty dialogue with Chris Pine's character and Wonder Woman's rebuttals show that their dynamic is going to be interesting to say the least. There are so many strong females featured in this trailer, and I'm thrilled about that. For the sake of little girls everywhere, I hope that this is the super-heroine film we've needed for so long.
Which DC adaptation are you most looking forward to? What was your favorite Comic-Con trailer release?
We’re all fans of something. Comics, movies, books, TV shows—each one offers us a unique
escape into the fantastic world of another’s imagination.
Collecting a bunch of memorabilia is one
thing, but getting suited up and meeting the people behind it all is a very different thing.
Conventions are a place to meet other geeks and see another level of greatness that develops
when minds collide. If you’ve been setting up a bucket list, these are some conventions you
definitely need to visit before you get too old. If you think you’re too old, go anyway.
Comic-Con
It wouldn’t do to simply list “Comic-Con” because there are actually two major convention
centers. Even if you’ve been to one, it’s highly recommended that you visit the other. For now
though, let’s take a look at what each has to offer.
San Diego
The original site for Comic-Con was in San Diego, California. It was started in 1970 and
continues each year to date with over 100,000 attendees each year coming to the four day event.
Since the original, tons of new parties have gotten into the act. Comic books may have been the
foundational element, but now the convention also hosts film previews, video games, and anime.
The sheer amount of geekery that descends upon Comic-Con International makes it a top pick.
It’s one of the few places you can visit and be almost certain to meet some of the authors behind
the magic.
Tampa Bay, Indiana, & San Francisco
The other branches of Comic-Con include Tampa Bay, Indiana, and San Francisco. Each has its
unique charms, and while none of the three are quite as old or as large as San Diego’s, they still
get a huge turnout each year. Famous authors, artists, actors, and cosplayers attend the three
regularly, giving convention attendees a great reason to travel to each different one.
Megaplex
While Comic-Con has a very broad range of interests, Megaplex is extremely focused. It
celebrates what have become known as “furries,” people that dress up as anthropomorphic
creatures. If that’s your thing, this convention’s a no-brainer.
Even if it isn’t, visiting is still worth the trip. The events are entertaining, and it’s good to see
what other geeks are getting into. Megaplex is a worthwhile visit if nothing more than for the
experience and entertainment.
MegaCon
Though less famous than Comic-Con, MegaCon attracts a huge audience each year. In 2014,
there were close to 80,000 attendees, and it has since grown. The recent MegaCon featured some
big time guests, including Stan Lee and William Shatner to name a few.
As a whole, the content format is virtually identical to Comic-Con. All different kinds of media
are presented, with the chief difference being the location in Orlando, FL. Conventions are
traditionally held between February and March, but the last few have been hosted closer to the
summertime.
Pack your costumes and bring your singing voice because one of the big features at the
convention is a karaoke cosplay contest.
Comiket
While some of the American comic conventions are huge, the Comiket (also known as the
Comic Market) is considerably larger. Several hundred thousand people attend each year,
traveling from all around the world to meet in Japan (usually in Tokyo). Due to its popularity,
Comiket is held twice a year.
The focus of Comiket is a little different. Its media is almost exclusively printed (comics) and the
overwhelming majority is done independently. Dojinshi authors (self-publishers) gather to sell
merchandise, promote their work, and contribute to the growth of a market outside of large
publishers.
As you might expect, there are thousands of cosplayers. It may not even be accurate to describe
this event as a convention. The sheer enormity of the event is truly a sight to behold, the likes of
which you’ll never forget. It might rightly be called a “spectacle.”
Dragon Con
With a name like Dragon Con, you’d expect lots of dragons. While you might run into a few, the
convention is just as diverse as its cousins. Seated in Atlanta, Dragon Con typically draws in
over 50,000 people, each looking for something unique.
Whether you’re there for the sci-fi such as Star Wars or Star Trek or you’ve come for more
traditional fantasy, they’ve got it. Similar to other conventions, you’ll have the opportunity to
look ahead and see what famous artists or writers will be attending so you can plan your trip
accordingly.
One distinct difference about Dragon Con is that it’s run as a for-profit event. The vast majority
of the “Comic-Con” scene runs as a non-profit, so this sort of makes Dragon Con different. That
being said, the stands aren’t incredibly different in nature, but every convention hosts unique
content each year.
Tips for the Cons
Some have visited conventions, others haven’t. If you’re one of those who have never gone,
there are a few things you might want to know. We’ll include some useful tips for veterans as
well.
Bring water! (You will get thirsty)
Everyone shares the same WiFi, so use a VPN
Have a bag or backpack to store your goodies in
Dressing up is worth the effort
Avoid traveling to conventions alone
Most conventions just require common sense, but it doesn’t hurt to go through the checklist
before going. There’s going to be a lot of cool stuff for sale, so it’s only natural to bring a bag to
carry it all in and money to spend.
Installing a VPN (short for Virtual Private Network) on your devices isn’t first on many
checklists, but it’s essential if you’re going to bring your phone or tablet. Huge conventions with
unprotected WiFi mean lots of opportunities to get hacked if you don’t have a VPN to encrypt
your connection.
While cosplaying might not be for everyone, it truly completes the convention experience.
Between the fun of putting the costume together and actually interacting with other people while
dressed up, don’t miss out on it. It’s not embarrassing when thousands of others are doing the
same thing.
Think about bringing a buddy. It might compliment your costume to have someone else dressed
up with you anyway, and also it pays to have an extra set of hands nearby if you buy a lot of
merchandise.
Similar but Different
After looking at so many different conventions, you’ve probably come to the conclusion that
each has a slightly different variety of things to offer. Their varied locations mean the settings
will always have something special to offer no matter which convention you head to.
By far the most unique would probably be Comiket, but it would be a waste to suggest that is the
only one worth visiting. So long as you can afford the time and cost of travel, all of these
conventions are worth visiting. So grab your backpack of goods and prepare for an adventure.
Have you already started your adventure? What conventions have you visited and what were
they like? We’d love to hear from you, so leave a comment below!
About the Author:
Caroline loves the excitement of traveling to new spectacles and especially
enjoys blogging about her experiences. She loves all aspects of modern fangirl culture including
conventions, movies, and gaming, which ties in nicely with her day job where she geeks out about
technology. If you’re interested in more of her work, check out Culture Coverage.
Every year fangirls, fanboys, fandoms unite across the globe
to catch a glimpse of their favorite TV show heroes, favorite authors, and
favorite movie stars… through their computer screen. That’s right folks, despite
the staggering number of people to attend Comic-Con every year (around 130,000
in recent years), most of the fans are stuck at home, hundreds of miles away,
daydreaming of the perfect cosplay outfit or the chance for a photo op with
their favorite superhero. However, this sad turn of fate doesn’t hinder our
ability to enjoy the ins and outs of Comic-Con, and to enjoy fandom.
The team here at The Fangirl Initiative joined with the millions
of fans and watched from our bedrooms, couches, and kitchens (come on, we still
need snacks) to hear drool worth information about the next season our favorite TV show or the
upcoming blockbuster movie. From Disney to DC, we’ve fangirled over
the exciting new announcements and shenanigans that occurred during this
weekend extravaganza, and now we’re bringing the fangirling to you.
Rica Wiersema
There are some remarks that are an absolute joy to say. And whether I’m being surprised, forceful, or — in this case — exceedingly smug, there are three words that I enjoy speaking above almost any other:
This week, I had the pleasure of finding out that one of my major fan theories has come true — namely, that Camelot will be in the next season of Once Upon A Time.
The addition of characters like King Arthur and Merlin was first hinted at in the episode “Heroes and Villains,” after Rumpelstiltskin returned from Camelot with a stolen magical gauntlet. That was a big, heart-wrenching episode in Season 4 right before winter break. Robin Hood had to take his family across the town line, and then Belle discovered her husband’s treachery and exiled him. And Camelot wasn’t the only myth that the show hinted at; there was a grecian urn and herculean helmet in Rumpelstiltskin’s castle that made me suspect we might be seeing future cameos by Hercules and co.
And it would seem that the knights of the round table aren’t the only characters coming to Sunday nights on ABC; another major reveal for OUAT fans was the new addition of a certain sharp-shooting Disney Princess!
Okay, so technically she’s a Pixar princess. But if you tell Disney that, they’ll get mad at you…
Does this mean we can petition for Buzz Lightyear to land a rocket in Storybrooke?]
Portrayed by Amy Manson (who played Daisy in the British version of Being Human), the snarky Scottish lass Merida of the clan DunBroch will be joining Arthur and all the rest.
Other noted characters to come include Merlin (Elliot Knight, who played Sinbad in the one-season TV series of the same name. You may also know him from his two episodes of How to Get Away With Murder); Guinevere (Joana Metrass, a minor character in The Man from U.N.C.L.E.); and Arthur’s best friend Lancel… I mean… Percival (Andrew Jenkins, who was in a single episode of Supernatural). So apparently Lancelot is either nonexistent in this universe, or else he already got thrown out of the kingdom for his affair with Guinevere.
There were other enjoyable reveals for the OUAT audience at Comic-Con, from clips of September 27th’s upcoming episode Dark Swan, to a hilarious tongue-in-cheek short video about three Storybrooke citizens that chose to stay in town after the queens of darkness strolled in. I highly recommend you take a look at that video, because Patton Oswalt is in it.
Nerds may know him as Koenig in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., though he’s really had countless phenomenal roles all over the place.
September can’t come fast enough now. The only thing that could have made these plot reveals any better would have been confirmation that Hades is coming to Storybrooke, too.
Come on. You can’t deny how entertaining that would be.
Anna Catherine
Sanjay's Super Team
Sanjay's Super Team is a new Disney Pixar short that was made to accompany The Good Dinosaur, which will be released this November. It is about a young boy who doesn't understand his father's Hindu beliefs. After a fantastical encounter with three traditional Hindu gods (re-imagined as superheroes), he comes to respect Hinduism. The panel showed not only Sanjay's Super Team, but several interesting tidbits about it as well. As often happens with Pixar, the short is driven by personal experience. Sanjay Patel, who directed it, tells the story of his own Hindu background. As a child, he rejected his parent's beliefs because he wanted to be more "American." Later, he embraced the rich culture of his past and put it in the form of this short. The panel also showed the emotional and heartwarming reaction of Patel's father to the short.
The Muppets
Possibly the most popular Disney panel was the Muppets'. For the first time, Kermit and his crew took the Comic-Con stage to promote their new ABC television show. They revealed that the show takes place "behind the scenes" of Miss Piggy's new talk show, Up Late with Miss Piggy, of which Kermit is executive producer, Gonzo is head writer, Fozzie is Piggy's on-air sidekick, Scooter is the talent coordinator, Sam Eagle is the head of broadcast standards, and the Swedish Chef is in charge of craft services. The panel was said to be very funny, Miss Piggy being the butt of many jokes. The panel also stated that Piggy and Kermit have broken up, and Kermit is now seeing someone else. This show is being marketed for adults, so it will not be the same "family fun" kind of show as the original.
Disney Infinity
Disney Infinity's Pop Up Shop at Comic-Con allowed gamers to try out Disney Infinity 3.0, a version yet to be released. The new version will include new characters from Tron, Inside Out, Star Wars, and Marvel. The shop let you pick from any of the new figures and allowed you to test them. Hulkbuster Iron Man, Sadness, and Minnie Mouse were just a few of many you could choose from. The shop got gamers excited for the newest additions set to release to the general public in August.
Jaime Heller
At Comic-Con this year, the Warner Brothers and DC Comics duo teamed up for a three-hour, superhero panel to showcase six DC Comics related superhero shows: Arrow (The CW), The Flash (The CW), Supergirl (CBS), Legends of Tomorrow (The CW), Gotham* (Fox), and Vixen (The CW Seed). This is one panel of epic proportion. Within the three-hour event, a lot of new announcements were unveiled and a host of fangirl-worthy moments occurred.
One being, Arrow’s own Stephen Amell opening the panel dressed in his new Arrow suit (which apparently looks closer to the classic Green Arrow suit). Talk about epic. In the panel video, he stands on stage and proclaims, “San Diego Comic-Con, you have not failed this city.” He then starts the famous line of the show “My name is Oliver Queen...” and proceeds to give a summary of the past three years of the show in a humorous parody of the opening lines. It’s really worth the watch.
They’ve also announced Damien Dark as the new villain of season four (he was briefly mentioned during the end of season three to be a nemesis of Ra’s). Of course other familiar (or maybe not so familiar) DC characters will pop in and out over the course of the season. We’ll see more “suited” hero action, such as Speedy (aka Thea Queen) and Black Canary (Laurel Lance). They’ve announced the addition of Mr. Terrific to the show, who is a classic Justice Society character in the comics. It looks like we've got a good season coming up.
For The Flash, it was announced the character, Jay Garrick (aka the original Flash), will be making an appearance in season two, played by Teddy Sears. In the season one finale, they hid an Easter egg of his hat coming through the time portal. Let’s just say I’m excited for this turn of events.
They’re planning to use Cisco and his metahuman abiltiies to be the focal point for alternate universes, such as Earth-2 (which will explain Jay Garrick and possibly Wally West’s interactions with Barry). In addition, there’s going to be another lead lady who might catch Barry’s eye. And the villain for season too is going to be… Professor Zoom (which is confusing because Professor Zoom is the Reverse-Flash???). This highlight reel of season one gives a brief glimpse of season two at the end. Enjoy.
Legends of Tomorrow only had a brief time at Comic-Con, since most of their “promo” stuff is still in the works. They did mention White Canary, Sara Lance, will be a different character than Canary in Arrow due to her resurrection in the Lazarus Pit (which is obvious). They’ve confirmed Hawkman (!!!) will be involved with the show in some aspect (I’m dancing right now, I promise!). In addition, they’ve figured in that Arrow and The Flash episodes will lead up to the Legends of Tomorrow premiere, which means… more crossovers!!!
Supergirl was a big discussion topic too at Comic-Con. While it’s not part of The CW team, the show is still part of DC’s TV show line up this fall with its debut. They producers highlighted that not only is there a strong female lead on the show, but there’s a strong female behind the show with writer, Ali Alder. They also mentioned that despite the thousands of ladies who auditioned for the role of Supergirl, they found Melissa Benoist at the beginning, similar to the castings Stephen Amell for Oliver Queen and Grant Gustin for Barry Allen. They unveiled the classic character, Maxwell Lord, will be joining the show, the hint of Lois Lane’s sister coming to the show, and that the first villains will be Livewire and Reactron.
Plus Melissa Benoist spent her time discussing the new show that officially airs October 26, as well as making a lot of little girls' dreams come true...
DC had a lot going on with just their TV show avenue, but we can’t forget the panel for the upcoming Batman vs. Superman movie (with a new trailer release) and the first glimpse of Suicide Squad… watch if you dare.
Sky Destrian
One of my favorite things that arose out of Comic-Con was the Great Dubsmash war of 2015.
Here's what happened...
Over the course of Comic-Con, the casts of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Agent Carter made some videos using the app Dubsmash, which allows you to lip sync to popular songs and quotes. Hayley Atwell and James D'Arcy made up one side, and Clark Gregg and Chloe Bennet made up the other. They made a series of escalating videos, that finally culminated in... this.
Obviously, Team Carter won, but maybe they'll treat us to another Dubsmash war next year. You can find all the Dubsmash videos and a timeline of how it went down here.
Another awesome thing that happened was a gathering of tons of different superheroes... including Stan Lee!
While Marvel's movie universe didn't have a panel at SDCC this year (why, Marvel, why?!), they did show up in the vendors halls... at least, Marvel Lego did. We got treated to a giant lego scene built straight out of Age of Ultron.
Even though the Marvel Cinematic Universe wasn't there, we got some news from Fox. There was a trailer released for Deadpool as well as the new Fantastic Four movie and X-Men Apocalypse. Sadly, they haven't been officially released yet.
There were also new trailers released for The Walking Deadand Fear the Walking Dead, which I found personally exciting (and heart-pounding). I just finished catching up on all the seasons with my brother, so I can't wait for both season 6 and the spin-off. Hints were dropped about what will happen in The Walking Dead, and I'm not emotionally prepared for it. Many cast members were at The Walking Dead'spanel, which was cool to see. I also enjoyed readingtweetsabouttheFeartheWalkingDeadpanel and what lies in store for viewers of the show when it airs in August.
Overall, Comic-Con is a gratifying experience and I love watching all the exciting things that happen. I can't wait until I get to go to Comic-Con in person someday, and until then, I'll fangirl from my computer. In addition to the news we get, I love the environment of Comic-Con. It's a place where nerds can unabashedly be themselves. Nerddom isn't just accepted, it's celebrated. What could be better than that?
What was your favorite piece of news from this year's Comic-Con?
Look for more fangirling over comic-con announcements in the coming week as our fangirl team gathers intel!
Comic Con is an exciting time for any fan! Even if we don't attend, we hear about what our favorite movies, television shows, and comics have in store for the coming years. Inside Out itself was announced at 2014's convention! Here are the emotions' thoughts on Comic Con.
I can't believe that this show is finally coming back!
*cough SHERLOCK cough*
What do you mean, I have to wait a year?
Really, people.
Wait, what did you do to my favorite character?
Nope.
What if this new plot device ruins the entire show?
#done
Why can't I be there?
If I was there, I would just be crying over my favorite actors.
What was your favorite announcement from this week's Comic-Con?
