SDCC 2016 Archives - GeeksHaveGame

August 10, 2016August 10, 2016

SDCC 2016 [Exclusive Toy Reviews]: Hasbro / Mattel / Funko.

Lance Paul "The Apostle" @Lance_Paul — Lance Paul “The Apostle”
@Lance_Paul

HASBRO (Marvel, Transformers, Star Wars, etc.) – Much like prior years, Hasbro owns the market on exclusive Comic-Con toys. If you were to judge by the lines, this year was no different; unfortunately, the exclusive options haven’t improved from last year as one would like. It’s apparent that Hasbro has hit their creative peak over the past 2 years, from 2015’s Thanos Infinity Gauntlet mixed with questionable figure choices, to this year’s The Collector’s Vault that included one new figure and a bunch of leftover stock from past releases (and unreleased molds). Hasbro just isn’t making a statement with Marvel at the Con. Although moving up to 6″ figures has improved little since collectors were given a reboxed set — The Raft — that included some repainted figures and only three unreleased figs: Enchantress, Dreadknight and the now Netflix-famed Purple Man.

But Hasbro did excel at #SDCC2016 with their Transformers line. Last year, Hasbro didn’t score as high since they went away from their tried-and-true method of mixing popular G.I. Joe figs with Transforming vehicles; but, thankfully, that returned this yeat with the re-enactment of the popular episode “The Girl Who Loved Powerglide.” Also Hasbro dipped into their Transformers Generations with Titans Return: Fortress Maximum and Titan Force sets. Both good purchases for the price.

Finally, ‘Bro lit up nerd-campers’ plastic lightsabers with their Star Wars property with not one.. or two.. but three–THREE!–exclusives. The exclusive Black Series line this year (that quickly went on a slight overstock just yesterday on HasbroToyShop): The ultra glorious Obi-Wan Kenobi pack; an unmasked Kylo Ren (complete with destroyed Grandpa Vader mask); and the new to the line Rogue One star Jyn Erso. All pretty costly but profoundly made. Also on display, was Hasbro’s exclusive Magic the Gathering set (“geeeeeeeekks!!”) which was a bit scaled down from prior years with only a set of cards. 4/5.

MATTEL (Wonder Woman, Suicide Squad, Hot Wheels, Barbie, etc.) – One company to drastically improve over last year was Mattel with their exclusive options for fans. Prior years had seen a mix of properties getting one exclusive or another, but never something to cry home about. Maybe due to their ever expanding DC properties or just more emphasis being placed on the con, 2016 was the year of Mattel. Making a big splash with exclusives this year was the 2017 film Wonder Woman (the Barbie exclusive was on full display with a pretty cool invisible jet I can hide my creeping Ken/Lance doll with). Also selling out within the first couple days were the Suicide Squad exclusives Jared Leto Joker and Panda Bear– that came in their own box of cereal, Joker O’s. Very creative.

Mattel’s other biggest property Hot Wheels touched on every property the company has their hands on. With noteworthy items being a Marvel’s Daredevil vs. Punisher themed set and Harley Quinn’s suspended themed car housed in her very own jail. Other honorable mentions at Mattel this year were: the He-Man themed Minecraft set, a Thunder Cat set of Wily Kit and Kat–which were sold out before day one–and the Barbie Star Trek 50th anniversary doll of Captain Kirk’s green sexual escapade. 4/5. – Lance Paul

FUNKO (Pop! Vinyl) – Unfortunately, one of the top exclusive toy companies from last year had its worst showing. Maybe Funko just got too big to hang with the big dogs, but the stress was showing — fom their poor customer service and press handling, to their exclusive options. No longer did they have prized exclusives open for the line weary like previous years. This year, Funko chose to hand them out at an exclusive event with little people and all, which seems a bit untasteful on so many levels. The most noticeable exclusives — if you could find them — were the Game of Thrones 6″, Mag the Mighty, and Under Water Batman. Sounds appropriate. 2.5/5. – Lance Paul

So that's why they call them "waves." Goodbye! — So that’s why they call them “waves.” Goodbye!

August 8, 2016August 8, 2016

SDCC 2016 [Panel Reviews]: Suicide Squad / Game of Thrones / Animaniacs.

Like all San Diego Comic Cons, lines are a nature of the beast. Be it the fabled camping out at Hall H to see all of the big studio “exclusive” trailers (ha!), or the less enchanted line for exclusive toys. Stepping outside of the Con, you can find a wealth of activations just stewing with nerdom. All have tons of cool things to do and swag to receive.

So for the first time in a long time, GHG is gonna give you the goods on the biggest and brightest SDCC off-site activities and outdoor activations. How do we judge ’em? One, on how well the off-sites were willing and eager to work with the press; two, what the exhibits actually have to offer; and three, how they compare to the previous year. And because fans trek down to the Con, sit in lines and spend hard earned dollars, they should expect some respect. Yes– this Traveling Nerd will fight for your nerd right with every peck of the keyboard.

SDCC OFF-SITES/OUTDOOR ACTIVATIONS

(Disclaimer, not all activations were hit, and only the main ones with activations were covered. Some outside activities involved crews of paid brand ambassadors to walk around promoting media — i.e., Ash Vs Evil Dead; though awesome, they didn’t really have anything to review besides awesome swag.)

SUICIDE SQUAD: SAMSUNG EXPERIENCE – Aptly timed, this was hands down the best activation at SDCC this year. Once you made your way through their lengthy line–that could have taken you all damn day–you were welcomed into a true nest of nerdom. With an exclusive VR experience in the POV of Harley Quinn, the Squad was forced to fight through shadowing enemies. You truly felt like you were in the head of the crazy one as you/she shoots and bats your/her way through inky enemies. Next, you were welcomed into the Belle Reve prison cell for your 360″ photo surrounded by bars, followed by a psych profile photo op — complete with the whole bad-guy-gone-good “dress up”. Attendees also had the opportunity to create their own HQ shirt emblazoned with their own Suicide skull and name. 5/5. – Lance Paul

You can read our both Monsignor’s coverage of the Suicide Squad panel and film review in the respective links.

HBO PRESENTS GAME OF THRONES: THE HALL OF FACES – Previous years have watched GoT take the cake as the best off-site exhibit at SDCC–but, this year, that went downhill. You couldn’t tell from lines though! It was still packed with geeks hoping to have a similar experience as previous years. Once inside, you had the choice of two different photo-op sessions: the honor of placing your face among the many gods on the wall, or the usual sitting on the throne. Sadly, it come off as if HBO showed up just to show GoT was present. 3/5. – Lance Paul

You can read our Monsignor’s coverage of the Game of Thrones panel in the respective link.

NBC (Timeless, Emerald City, The Happy Place) – The third activation that I stopped into was NBC’s multi-show takeover of the famed Tin Fish restaurant by the Omni Hotel. In attendance was Timeless with a graviton and photo booth, Emerald City with a photo-op and The Happy Place serving soft serve frozen yogurt(!!). The best part besides Moody missing a lick of Strawberry Swirl was seeing new footage for the time traveling show, Timeless, coming this October 3rd; unfortunately, Emerald City had no footage and no release date to mention, although (from what I can gather) it’s going to ride off of the fame of Once Upon A Time — and does look intriguing. 4/5. – Lance Paul

COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 2016 -- "NBC at Comic-Con" -- Pictured: "Timeless"; NBC Activation at Tin Fish, San Diego, Calif. -- (Photo by: David Yeh/NBC) — Blue Moon & fish tacos… Mmm!

"Dynast" Dana Keels @hatandwand — “Dynast” Dana Keels
@hatandwand

ANIMANIACS LIVE!   (Sunday) – Lost in the shuffle of all the Hall H(ollywood) madness — and those long waits for off-site exhibits, as our Traveling Nerd just conveyed — were massive lines for smaller, yet still wildly popular cult show panels. Joined by my fellow GHG brethren, “Brother” Myke and Ryan “Salvation” Scott, your “Dynast” was lucky enough to find a seat for Animaniacs Live!. Yes–that 90’s classic is back, and will be touring, singing and playing unforgettable numbers from the hit show. TMNT‘s Rob Paulsen (Yakko) and original songwriter Randy Rogel moderated the panel/performance and included little tidbits about how the songs come to fruition and what influenced them. They were later joined by Tress MacNeille (Dot) and Jess Harnell (Wakko).   The trio sound just as great as they ever have, perhaps even funnier, and the songs remain as infectious as when we first heard them in the 90s. The tour is expected to commence in April of 2017 and you can bet the GHG gang have already made plans to catch the first leg of it.   4.5/5.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWnWwN1z_UM

August 2, 2016

SDCC 2016 [Panel Reviews]: The Last Man On Earth / The Exorcist.

Derek "Divine" @uncledarryl37 — Derek “Divine”
@uncledarryl37

THE LAST MAN ON EARTH (Saturday) – Sometimes you go to a panel, not for big plot revelations or to see some revealed guest stars for the next season, but just to laugh and enjoy yourself. The entire cast of FOX’s The Last Man on Earth were on hand to answer questions about the new season and just be the funny people that remind you why you’re watching the show in the first place. Creator Will Forte (Phil) revealed to the audience that Season 3 kicks off exactly where the last one ended. “We know already who one (hazmat individual) — the guy who played Pat, played by Mark Boone Junior, who’s awesome,” said Forte. “We all know who the second person is, and I’m very excited about that person. We don’t know who the third person is. But it’s all gravy after that second person, and I’m excited for you guys to see who it is.”

Now to the funny: While talking about the unusal hairstyle that Phil had last season, actress Kristin Schaal was asked if she would do the same thing: “I’ve had this same hairstyle since I was 18 so I just need someone to shave it off. I would do it right now if someone has a razor.” To which Comic-Con never failing as an audience an attendee yells out “I have one!” Schaal looks at the woman with bewilderment and asks “Why do you have that?!”

(Cont.) Asked about how is it to play the ever-lucky Todd (Mel Rodriguez) — who gets to enjoy the love of not one but two women in Melissa (January Jones) and Gale (Mary Steenburgen) — he modestly answers, “I’m just happy to have a job.” But when asked who he thinks Todd should end up with, he smartly refused to comment. When asked about the three-way “sex scene” shot with Phil and Mike (Jason Sudekis), Schaal remembers it all too fondly: “I’m saddling Sudeikis, and I’m getting Forte just eyeing it all… I didn’t quite get how funny it would be. I was actually bummed we had to move on, because I could’ve filmed that scene for a week.”

During the audience Q&A, one nerd asked why–and how is it decided that–so many people on the show are dropping like flies. Schaal cheekily offered, “Well, it’s really who crosses Will…and I’ve been pushing it today.” Cue the audience losing their shit with both Schaal and Forte allowing an uncomfortable pause develop! But leave it to a young kid to come up with the best question (of course): “I was wondering, since it’s called The Last Man on Earth, how many more people were going to join?” Forte deadpanned that six people, including Queen Elizabeth, would be added to the show before adding: “My answer to that is.. hey.. you know the movie Rocky, right? Are there other people in that movie besides Rocky?” 4.5/5 Bibles.

THE EXORCIST (Friday) – This is what you get for not wanting a write-up on Kristen Bell. The Exorcist focuses on Father Tomas Ortega (Sense8’s Alfonso Herrera), a priest who runs a small parish in Chicago. One of his parishioners, Angela Rance (Geena Davis), tells the good Father of her concern that there are demons in her house. She has two daughters, so it’s in all likeliness that one is a recluse and just stays in her room all the time. The other priest introduced is Father Marcus (House of Cards’ Ben Daniels), an orphan raised since childhood by the Vatican to wage war against its enemies. More on him to come. Despite hearing a lot of good things about this show on social media, all the Divine One has to say is “meh”. Nothing here made me want to run and go cry to my mother. And like most pilots I’ve watched this past week, the only encouraging thing is the last 10 minutes. If anyone cares, it did leave a clever discovery that left a disturbingly creative direction. 3/5 Satanic Bibles. – Derek Vigeant

July 31, 2016July 31, 2016

SDCC 2016 [Panel Reviews]: Star Trek-The Roddenberry Vault / Aliens 30th Anniversary.

"Dynast" Dana Keels IG/Twitter @hatandwand — “Dynast” Dana Keels
IG/Twitter @hatandwand

STAR TREK: THE RODDENBERRY VAULT (Saturday) – Comic-Con is the largest stage for all things geek. Huge reveals, surprising announcements, and the biggest stars on the globe inhabit the San Diego Convention Center’s hallowed halls. With much ado going on, it’s quite easy for a lot of things to fall through the cracks: geek panels that aren’t as prominent as DC/WB and Marvel Studios; panels that get stuffed away to a small room in the corner of the Con. On Friday I attended one of these panels, Star Trek: The Roddenberry Vault. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Hey, Star Trek is big!”. And you’re not wrong. Star Trek had a heavy presence in Hall H, what with the 50th Anniversary, Beyond opening into theaters, and an upcoming revival series on its way bringing Star Trek to the forefront for the masses. But this isn’t that Star Trek.

"Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkssss!!!" — “Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkssss!!!”

(Cont.) During the production of Star Trek: The Original Series, there were scores and scores of film canisters full of outtakes, extended scenes, and bloopers that were stored on the regular. For decades these rolls of film have existed, escaping the wears of dust, deterioration, and flood. Stockpiled in a warehouse somewhere in Van Nuys, this holy grail of Star Trek footage has been cleaned, restored, and composited into an upcoming documentary that details the goings on behind the scenes of Star Trek. Guests on the panel, Mike and Denise Okuda, spoke of their arduous 9-year journey to restore the footage and form it into a cohesive documentary full of interviews, production photos, the making of the special effects, and a bit of the personal side of the Star Trek creator, thanks to old candid/family photos from Gene’s son, Rod Roddenberry.

(Cont.) While not as capital G as many of the more mainstream panel offerings, this panel brought a feeling of genuineness. Trek fans are notorious for their elitism, but only because we hold such a revered place for the original series in our hearts. In fact the episode “The City on The Edge of Forever” is currently playing in the background as your Dynast types this. There was no doubt that everyone on stage and in the audience was a die hard Trekkie– especially considering the project was undertaken by them themselves, instead of sanctioned by a studio. It’s this authenticity that I personally look for in all of my Con experiences that makes the long ass lines, overpriced food, and blistering sun worth it. 4/5 Bibles.

Ryan "Salvation" Scott @radio_adventure — Ryan “Salvation” Scott
@radio_adventure

ALIENS 30TH ANNIVERSARY (Saturday) – It is borderline impossible to believe that Aliens came out 30-years ago, because like many of James Cameron’s movies, it could be released today and would stand up against everything else out there. One of the major treats at San Diego Comic-Con this year was The Aliens 30th Anniversary panel, which was held in Hall H on Saturday afternoon. The panel may not have been loud and flashy, but it was very deserving of the premium billing. The fine folks at SDCC managed to wrangle together the entire central cast, including the now 4th grade teacher who once played Newt, Carrie Henn. James Cameron also showed up to talk about something that wasn’t Avatar, which was pretty awesome.

(Cont.) E-Weekly‘s Anthony Breznican did a fine job moderating, even if the energy was quite where it should have been for something this monumental. Everything went very simply. A question would be asked, the appropriate cast member would answer. Great. There were some very cool tidbits revealed during the panel. “We all thought the alien was real,” said Cameron when discussing the queen alien on set. #NeverForget. What was perhaps the most cool was when Bill “Game Over Man” Paxton and Lance Henriksen revealed that that the famous knife/hand scene was done for real, and what you see in the movie was in real time–not at all sped up. This may not have been the uproarious, light show heavy, movie trailer packed panel most people waited in Hall H all day for, but to see that entire group of people together was pretty damn special for a sci-fi geek. And, damn, Ripley is still looking good. 3.75/5 Bibles.

July 30, 2016July 30, 2016

SDCC 2016 [Wrap-Up Show]: The Last ‘Guardians’.

Moody was so drunk, we had to find a new host. And–damn–did he do a good job.

Now that Moody’s out of a gig, welcome a GodHatesGeeks first for a GHG San Diego Comic-Con Wrap-Up Podcast, with Movieweb’s Ryan “Whiskey Sippin’ Salvation” Scott taking over the healm. Of course, he’s joined by the usual suspects: “Beer Chuggin’ Brother” Myke Ladiona, “Straight Edged Dynast” Dana Keels, and the “Drunken Monk” Travis Moody. But GHG had another special guest who flew in from Houston just for the podcast (ha, we kid), the “Beer Can Cardinal” Robert Bexar.

We got drunk. We got happy. We got angry. We had a good time. And, we hope you do too.

Till next year!

(from left to right): Myke, Ryan, Travis, Robert, Dana.

July 29, 2016

SDCC 2016 [Special Video]: Interview w/ Joe Casey.

"Cardinal" Roberto de Bexar @RobBex2 — “Cardinal” Roberto de Bexar
@RobBex2

Just for this amazing congregation, your wonderful “Cardinal” Roberto Bexar lugged around his camera, mic and tripod all around the convention floor so that he could get this exclusive interview with comic book writer, Joe Casey (Uncanny X-Men) for his upcoming Image Comics series — All-America Comix — set to debut in 2017 with artist Nick Dragotta (East of West).

Joe was kind enough to kind of explain All-America Comix without giving away too much about the book; the esteemed scribe also discussed his time at in the industry, specifically his time with Marvel on Uncanny X-Men in the early ’00’s.

From Image Comics, comes All-America Comix: “You wanted it! You got it! She is a hero for our time — and the time is NOW! A superpowered champion of the oppressed, AMERICA VASQUEZ is the one you’ve been waiting for! And this may be her greatest adventure of all. When she is confronted with the hidden secrets of the universe, you won’t believe the cosmic truth she uncovers! Issue #1 hits — and we do mean HITS — in 2017 from Image Comics!”