August 22, 2010

Speed Reading: Scott Pilgrim, Comic-Con and Fantasy Books

Category: Off-Topic — By Kelson

Hilton Bayfront with Scott Pilgrim BannerSome items I’ve written about elsewhere that might be of interest to this site’s readers.

First up: I’ve finally found the time to finish my San Diego Comic Con write-ups! Here’s Saturday and Sunday at Comic-Con International!

Review: I liked Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. It was a fun movie/comic/video game mash-up, and it’s a shame that so few people have gone to see it.

Speaking of reviews and things that are insanely late: I found some interesting reviews on Amazon this week while looking for long-delayed fantasy books, including Tokoypop’s Labyrinth and Dark Crystal series. I found it most amusing that George R.R. Martin’s fans are already reviewing A Dance With Dragons…even though the book isn’t finished yet. More precisely: they’re reviewing the wait for the book!

August 13, 2010

Flash Costumes at Comic-Con Int’l 2010

Category: Fandom — By Kelson

It’s been three weeks since Comic-Con International, but costume photos are always in season. Here are some of the people who came to the con dressed as the Flash. I’ve posted a few of these before, but not all of them. Some of the photos are mine, but most of them are from other photographers on Flickr. In each case, clicking on the photo will open the original page with larger images.

Authentic Custom Costumes

These are the costumes that were clearly home– or professionally-made, but that stuck to the standard designs.

Comic Con 2010 - The Flash Superman, Wonder Woman and the Flash

First up is Mike Rollerson’s photo of a really impressive female Flash. I’ve seen her in a number of other costumes at various conventions, including Catwoman and Psylocke. Keep reading – there’s another picture of her later on.

The Superman/Wonder Woman/Flash trio on the right made a huge impression, judging by the number of photographers who snapped pictures of them at the con. The Flash is a very exact copy of the costume from the game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, down to the boots and the armbands, though he’s thrown back the hood and put on sunglasses instead. I’ve seen at least one picture of the group where he’s tossed on a red sweatshirt over the costume that looks like Bart’s from Smallville.

Justice League

This group includes a more traditional Flash. As with many large groups, I’m not sure how many knew each other and how many were just invited to join in for having a costume with the same theme.

Read the rest of this entry »

August 9, 2010

More SDCC Linkblogging

Category: Fun — By Kelson

Stuff!Yeah, I know it’s been two weeks, but coverage is still trickling out.

High Five Comics has posted their con report.

I write about the Gaslamp Crush — the bottleneck in Downtown San Diego just outside the convention center which has become a sort of geeky version of the Las Vegas Strip.

The Source posts highlights of DC Comics’ photos from Comic-Con

CBR TV talks to Geoff Johns.

Gamer Live has a video interview with Marv Wolfman talking about DCU Online.

Mark Evanier considers the role of other media at Comic-Con.

August 2, 2010

Velocity Cosplay at Comic-Con

Category: Fandom, Other Speedsters — By Kelson

The Flash wasn’t the only speedster super-hero at Comic-Con this year. Meagan VanBurkleo dressed up as Velocity from Top Cow’s Cyberforce.

Check out her site for more photos and a write-up of the costume. If you have time, read her article at Game Informer on SDCC: A Cosplayer’s Perspective.

» Full index of Comic-Con coverage

August 1, 2010

Speed Reading: Comic-Con Follow-Up

Category: Creators, Fun — By Kelson

SyFy Balloon and OmniSome links related to the Flash and Comic-Con International.

Francis Manapul writes about SDCC, Beast Legends, and Flash #4.

Titans Tower Monitor Room has been posting convention sketches from Comic-Con International, including Kid Flash by Sean Philips [Update] and another Kid Flash by Francis Manapul.

DC Comics has teamed up with Converse for super-hero shoes, starting with Batman, Superman and Green Lantern. Somehow they managed to skip the hero who’s famous for running.

I’m still working on my overall convention report. Here are Thursday and Friday. Half-done, half to go!

» Full index of Comic-Con coverage

July 29, 2010

Busy Day

Category: Fun — By Kelson

I’m still working on my review of The Flash #4, and hope to have it ready by tonight. In the meantime, you may want to check out this Flickr gallery of Flash costumes at Comic-Con (photos taken by other people), or my Thursday Con Report.

July 27, 2010

Speed Force at Comic-Con: Full Index

Category: Flash News — By Kelson

It’s been a crazy week here at Speed Force. To help you keep track of it, here’s an index to all of our Comic-Con coverage, between me covering the show onsite and Devin covering the online news.

Events

News

Sightings

More than Speedsters

You can follow Speed Force on Twitter, on Facebook or on Google Buzz.

Blackest Night Action Figures

Category: Collectibles — By Kelson

I’m going through my Comic-Con photos looking for Flash-related pictures I may have missed, and found this pair from the DC display including Blue Lantern Flash and Black Lantern Reverse-Flash…

Blackest Night Display

Blackest Night Display

…along with Orange Lantern Lex Luthor, Indigo Lantern Atom, Black Lanterns Batman, Hawk, Hawkman & Hawkgirl, and Green Lantern Hal Jordan. And I think that might be Star Sapphire Wonder Woman behind Hal.

» Full index of Comic-Con coverage
» More Comic-Con photos

July 26, 2010

SDCC Catch-Up

Category: Flash News — By Kelson

One of the downsides to attending a convention is that you miss all the announcements at panels you didn’t attend — like an Astro City movie deal! *ahem* Anyway, on to speedster news.

At DC Universe Event Horizon, James Robinson stated that the Justice League would be battling the Crime Syndicate at some point, with Jesse Quick battling Johnny Quick , Batman vs. Owlman, Supergirl vs. Ultraman etc.

At DC Focus: Teams, incoming Teen Titans writer J.T. Krul said that Bart Allen “is past the Impulse stage but he still has that innocent, light-heartedness about him.” (Quote from Newsarama, may be paraphrasing him.)

At the Superman panel they announced that Superboy #3 will feature the first-ever Superboy/Kid Flash race.

» Full index of Comic-Con coverage

Flash Sketch by Francis Manapul

Category: Creators — By Kelson

Somehow, at San Diego I hardly spent any time on the convention floor at all from Thursday through Saturday. I was always running from one event to another, and spent maybe half an hour in the main hall at a time. So on Sunday, I made a point of walking the entire hall until I couldn’t stand it anymore.*

Among the things I’d been meaning to do at the con was to get my copies of The Flash #1-3 signed by Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul, and if possible to get a sketch by the artist. I never managed to make it to a Geoff Johns signing this time around, but I did catch up with Francis Manapul at his Artists’ Alley table.

There were five or six fans ahead of me in line who asked for sketches of various characters including Sinestro, Hal Jordan, Batman and the Flash. After a while I was beginning to wonder whether I’d make it to the front before he had to leave for a signing at the DC Comics booth, but I made it to the head of the line with plenty of time to spare.

In a revelation that I’m sure will surprise no one, I asked him to draw the Flash.

While he sketched, I asked him about the TV series he was on, Beast Legends, in which a team traces the origins of various mythical creatures. It’s airing in Canada now on History Television, and will hit the US on SyFy in September. It sounds like fun, and in some cases they actually traced legends to surprising sources — like tracking griffins to Mongolia!

Check out the finished sketch:

Cool, isn’t it!

» Full index of Comic-Con coverage

*This was a real issue, since with no events in the gigantic Hall H to warehouse 6,000 people plus more waiting in line, the main floor was actually more crowded on Sunday.