Tag Archives: SDCC 2009

Quick Thoughts: Reprints, Tropes and Cons

Some links and observations for the day.

Links

Comics Should Be Good looks at DC Super-Stars reprints from the 1970s — including a Flash book which re-drew a Golden Age story. Hmm, I have a new blog post idea: comparing the original and redrawn versions of “Deal Me From the Bottom” and “City of Shifting Sand” from All-Flash #22 (yes, they did this twice!)

If you dare, read TV Tropes on Super Speed. (Beware, this is TV Tropes, so you run the risk of a tab explosion if you read it!)

San Diego Thoughts

Twitter has been full of people talking about flying to San Diego today, or starting long drives. Living 2-3 hours away, it’s easy for me to forget that a lot of people need a full day of travel before and after the con. I mean, I’m planning to drive down after lunch. I could do the entire con taking only 2½ days off work, but for many people, it’s a full week.

I find it highly amusing that @WizardWorld has been heavily pushing Chicago Comic-Con on Twitter today…the day before Comic-Con International. Certainly it makes perfect sense to capitalize on people thinking about cons who might not be going to this one, but might go to yours. And heck, I started getting excited about the build-up to CCI during the week before Wizard World Philadelphia and HeroesCon. It just seems funny for some reason.

Expanded from some of my Twitter posts today.

Covering San Diego (2009)

In a few days I’ll be off to Comic-Con International in San Diego. It’ll be my 20th year attending the con. Now I feel old.

Anyway, I’ll be posting about my experiences at the con in several places:

Here’s a list of my past convention reports and photos, including San Diego 2003–2008, Wizard World Los Angeles 2007–2008, and WonderCon 2008–2009. I’m also almost done with the Convention Tips list, which should wrap up Wednesday morning.

Quick Thoughts: Weekly Twitter for 2009-07-19

  • Crazy: even though I’m disappointed w/ Flash:Rebirth at this point, I’m tempted to preorder the hardcover if $13.59 holds.
  • Last issue of Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds is on Diamond’s schedule for next week.
  • So very true: XKCD: Tab Explosion
  • Geocities users: check out OTW’s Geocities Rescue Project.
  • No escape. Latest alumni newsletter features “A Brief History of the Bowtie
  • Help John Ostrander keep his eyesight: comix4sight.com
  • RT @karlkerschl: Drawing more gorillas! I will miss all of these gorillas when Wednesday Comics is finished.
  • *sigh* DC has pushed Flash: Rebirth #4 back another week to August 12.
  • Not going to a midnight showing of Harry Potter. Not even opening night. I’ll probably catch it this weekend, though.
  • Believe it or not, Fallen Angel: Reborn is the book I’m most looking forward to getting today.
  • Bought this week: Wednesday Comics, Fallen Angel: Reborn, Farscape: D’argo’s Lament, The Unknown. Sorry, sitting #BlackestNight out for now.
  • Didn’t pick up #BlackestNight #1, but did accept the freebie Black Lantern ring. Figure I’ll come up with something to do with it.
  • Pearls B4 Swine author: digital vs print comics “an artificial distinction.” Only 2 kinds of strips: funny & not-funny.
  • Fantastic photos of lightning striking water (via @BadAstronomer)
  • Saw headline: “They killed Hawkman!” First thought was in Rocket J. Squirrel voice: “Again?”

Comic-Con International Build-Up

Be sure to also check out a month’s worth of Comic-Con Tips, which I’ve been posting daily on Twitter.

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Geoff Johns: Flash News Coming Soon

With that single sentence on Comic Bloc, Flash: Rebirth writer Geoff Johns touched off a flood of speculation. DC has been very quiet about the post-Rebirth plans for the scarlet speedster, though it seems obvious they plan at least one new ongoing series (if not more).

Of course, Comic-Con International is next week, and chances are excellent that the news will be announced at next Friday’s DC Nation panel. It was at that panel last year that DC announced Flash: Rebirth in an almost offhand way: Dan Didio introduced Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver as working on “Barry Allen: Rebirth.”

Speculation at Comic Bloc has turned to an unspecified Geoff Johns/Gary Frank project coming up after Superman: Secret Origin and to a mysterious “Top Secret Forum” that has just appeared in the Geoff Johns section of the site. The forum is likely related to something else, as Comic Bloc has a history of combining related topics: The Flash topic was retitled as Flash: Rebirth, Green Lantern is now Blackest Night/Green Lantern, and so on.

My guess: At DC Nation, Dan Didio will announce the creative team and start date for the new Flash ongoing with Barry Allen and for the Flash: Blackest Night miniseries. It would be great if they’re planning a second ongoing, but even if they are, I don’t think we’ll get one right away. More likely a miniseries showcasing Wally West, or a second feature featuring Bart Allen as Kid Flash.

Edit: I forgot to mention that I plan to attend the DC Nation panel next week, and will probably be live-tweeting it (or at least the Flash-relevant bits) at @SpeedForceOrg. If all goes well, those posts should also get imported to a live blog entry here on Speed Force.

Comic-Con Trolley Tips

The trolley is a good way to get around Downtown San Diego. Here are some tips for making the most of it during Comic-Con International:

  • Trolley maps and schedules are on sdcommute.com and sdmts.com. Here’s a direct link to the trolley map.
  • You can get a 4-day pass online at sdcommute.com. They mail it, so it’s probably too late for this year, but next time…
  • There are 2 trolley stops near the convention center: Convention Center and Gaslamp Quarter.
  • Downtown trolleys run every 15 min/day, 30 min/evening, until around midnight (later on weekends)
  • Trolleys are crowded, especially on Fri and Sat, so plan for at least 30 min delay.
  • MTS has posted the special event trolley schedule for the con (via @SD_Comic_Con)

Check out my full list of Tips for Comic-Con here at Speed Force!

Downtown San Diego Shows During Comic-Con 2009

Lyceum Theatre Entrance.As a follow-up to my last Comic-Con Tip — catch a play or concert at a downtown theater — I’ve compiled a list of events going on in or near Downtown San Diego during the convention.

I’m sure there’s more going on — these are just the events I found online. And of course San Diego is a big city, so there’s lots of stuff going on outside of the downtown area.

Downtown

Plays and Movie Screenings

  • Rocky Horror Picture Show screening Wednesday 11:00pm at the Lyceum Theatre
  • Repo! The Genetic Opera screening Saturday 12:00am* at Gaslamp Stadium Theaters.
  • Godspell Thursday-Sunday at the Horton Grand Theatre
  • Jazz Queens Cast Blue Shadows Thursday-Saturday at the Lyceum Space Theatre
  • Lebowski Fest, Sunday 6pm at House of Blues.

Comedy

  • Demetri Martin Saturday at the Spreckels Theatre
  • Brian Posehn & Doug Benson, Friday 8pm Balboa Theatre
  • Tim and Eric Live, Friday 12:00am* at 4th and B. (Also, Awesomecon on Saturday)

Music

  • Richard Cheese Wednesday at 7:00pm at the House of Blues (main stage)
  • Modern Day Moonshine on Thursday at 7:00pm at the House of Blues (Voodoo Stage, free)
  • West of Memphis on Friday at 7:00pm at the House of Blues (Voodoo Stage, free)
  • Private Domain on Saturday at 7:00pm at the House of Blues (Voodoo Stage, free)
  • Sci Fi & UCP Present Bear McCreary: the Music of Battlestar Galactica Thursday-Saturday at the House of Blues
  • Van Hunt Sunday at 7pm at House of Blues (Delta Room)

I know there’s got to be more going on, but for some reason the only downtown events I could find online were at House of Blues.

Nearby

All Over Town

There is, of course, lots of stuff going on in other parts of San Diego, so if you’re willing to do some driving, take a cab, or are already staying outside of downtown, check out Sign on San Diego’s Comic-Con Guide. Actually, check it out anyway. They’ve got local restaurants, bars and nightclubs,

Theater Scouting

I’ve been to the Spreckels Theatre, the Lyceum, and the Voodoo Stage at the House of Blues (just last month). The Spreckels is a medium-sized theater hidden inside an office building at Broadway and 1st near Horton Plaza. The Lyceum is actually below Horton Plaza, with a sunken entrance at the north end of the mall (pictured above, with the obelisk). The House of Blues is just north of Broadway on 6th and takes up the entire width of the block. The Voodoo Stage is actually a small raised platform

I’ve also walked past the Horton Grand Theatre several times, and keep forgetting I’ve already taken photos of it. It’s on 4th next to the Horton Grand Hotel.

*Several events are listed as being 12:00am on (for example) Friday a certain day. I suspect in most cases they mean midnight at the end of Friday evening. Taken literally, it would mean 12:00am Friday morning, or Thursday evening.