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Somewhere I got the idea that going to Comic Con on preview night was an easygoing, peaceful experience. Oh, yeah, I think that notion came from my husband who hasn’t been there since 1986.
It’s that Comic Con time of the year again and all you have to do is log on to the Internet and you’ll see it all. Every major media outlet from Entertainment Weekly to Zap2it, to TVGuide to every small media outlet has some coverage. G4 is running 3 hour live specials and MTV is in the house.
Halfway into day two, I lost track of all the news that could/should be imparted you all you fine readers of SFUniverse. Then I realized that you’ve probably seen it all already. So what you have here is my meager attempt to give you my side of the experience, because it is just that, an experience like no other.
My experience began with my first-ever preview night. (Bad idea, but live and learn.) Preview night is only open to people with 4 day passes and the press. You would think that would limit attendance but you would think wrong. After a two and a half hour drive from Orange County, 30 minutes to park, and an hour and half in line to get my badge, I was ready for some fun! I went with only two goals, snag one of those cool Supernatural Bags from the Warner Brothers booth (as previewed at TVGuide.com) and watch the Fringe pilot.
In the 3 hours that preview night is open I managed to do one and half of those things and that was pretty much it. Bad planning on my part put me in the dealer’s room on the complete opposite side from the studio booths. By the time I made my way to the Warner Brothers booth is was ten foot deep in every direction with people clamoring to get one of their famous, fabric, con bags. Want it or not, I was pushed forward by the swell as the booth staff yelled for calm and threatened to sick the fire marshal on us if we didn’t stop pushing. Bags for all, they declared, but that didn’t stop a small, older women from elbowing her way past me to get to the front of the herd and then out again. Amazingly, folks were in good spirits about it, laughing about togetherness and a familiarity that usually only comes after a long courtship.
I got my bag. I got out with my life. And then I discovered that it wasn’t Supernatural. It was an ad for the new WB.com network with pictures of Buffy, Angel, The Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars and Smallville. Nice bag, but not what I wanted. I don’t know if they’re saving the Supernatural bags for Sunday when the cast is there or they just decided to go a different way.
From there I snuck through the FOX booth, picked up a Bones and Fringe poster, both of which were mangled by the time I got home. I then found myself in the Lost Boys II DVD booth which was made up like the front yard of the house. Did I take pictures? No, it wasn’t possible with the crush of people pushing me along. Maybe I’ll do better on Sunday. SCI FI Channel, who always had great giveaways had nothing but a Darren Brown button and a Battlestar Tattoo. I did pick up a Middleman scratch card, a Fantastic Four flying disc game and a couple of dogtags. Oh and a rubber WWNPHD bracelet.
Don’t get it? I got the first part but not the last. I had to ask. What Would Neil Patrick Harris Do? It’s a Harold and Kumar promo item.
Most of the booths said they were saving the good giveaways for when the con officially opened. Again, what’s so special about preview night? I guess it’s great if you’re buying the Comic Con only toys offered by many toy companies. A half hour after the floor opened, Mattel already had signs up saying that the lines were closed. Amazing.
I gave up trying to see anything else on the tradeshow floor and headed upstairs for the Fringe preview. I went to the second showing and though the line was incredibly long the room was nearly empty when the show began. Several people left the room partway in and boo to the con security staff who kept talking through the show! It was hard enough to understand with the bad con speakers so the extra noise was really annoying.
As for Fringe, I liked it, a lot. Sure it was cliche in the set up and it was gross, but I really love Joshua Jackson’s character and the actor who plays his father. Jackson’s Peter reminded me of Alec in Dark Angel. Along for the ride, swearing he doesn’t care if the world ends tomorrow but then risking his neck in order to help save the day. Love the dry sense of humor on him, too. This show is going to be another one of my favorites.
The bad thing about staying for the second showing of Fringe was that I left when Comic Con closed, which means everyone was trying to leave at the same time. Oh, except for the Twilighters who were camped out on the sidewalk, prepared to spend the night to make a 1:30 in the afternoon panel THE NEXT DAY. There isn’t anyone I want to see that badly.
What’s hot at Comic Con?
True Blood, Twilight, Watchmen, and Batman, particularly Ledger’s Joker.
I return on Sunday for the Supernatural panel. See you then.
