SDCC

DC FanDome Is Exactly What San Diego Comic Con at Home Should Have Been.

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

Last month, San Diego Comic Con at Home took place and it was considered a flop. There was little to no promotion about it at all as Comic Con International assumed that everyone would know that it was transitioning into an online event. Even when it did, not many knew about it the week of and there were a number of people that did not know about SDCC at Home until days or weeks after. This year was a disaster for the event and we can all hope that it will not be an all-virtual event next year like it was this year.

DC and Warner Bros did not have anything planned for SDCC due to it being canceled because of the pandemic. But what they did over the weekend, was DC FanDome. Not only that the online event was successful, Variety reported that DC FanDome drew over 22 million views in the first 24 hours. Comic Con International must be looking at DC FanDome and realizing that they should have done almost everything that DC FanDome done in the first place.

What made DC FanDome successful, is mostly due to the anticipation and the hype around it. There were commercials on television and social media that were shown nonstop for about two weeks before the event. I even searched local ads in the San Diego market about SDCC at Home and there were none that I found. What was also satisfying about how DC FanDome, is that all of the panels, segments, and small skits were on one channel which was the official Warner Bros YouTube account. Nobody had to had different browsers open for different panels on different channels like how it was terribly handled during SDCC at Home. I also noticed the efford of making DC FanDome an epic event from the start where there were virtual stages starting with Wonder Woman 1984. All of those virtual stages were drawn by Jim Lee and it is little details like what we seen that makes this feel like a big deal. Over at SDCC at Home, they just went from panel to panel and that was really it.

Speaking of the panels, the length of most of them were all shorter than the hour long panels that were offered at SDCC at Home and this was a blessing because there was no filler or akward pauses at all during those panels. And DC FanDome is not all about the panels as we also got funny skits such as the ask Harley Quinn one, and the one where Batman Beyond and Bruce Wayne were watching and reatcing to Adam West’s Batman TV show. Those small skits in between usually happens at Comic Con and it sure felt that way when the majority of fans were watching. Also, there were times that cosplay whether if its humans or pets were showcased in between the panels during DC FanDome. San Diego Comic Con at Home had something similar to this, but it did not happen in between the panels.

The biggest interest of DC FanDome is The Batman and Zack Snyder’s Justice League. There were other big announcements such as a Static Shock film being produced, the title of the Shazam sequel being revealed, and the reveal of the cast and characters of The Suicide Squad. All of the news that came out of DC FanDome was talked about for days unlike the little content we got at SDCC at Home. Don’t get me wrong, I love the news we got out of The Walking Dead panels and some of the other panels, but they were not talked about by people outside the fanbase like it was with the announcements that came out of DC FanDome.

I do not want to bury SDCC at Home six feet under, but if you compare the two events, DC FanDome knocks out all of SDCC at Home with a single punch and DC FanDome will return in a few more weeks to showcase all of the television offerings and have virtual events for fans. Something SDCC at Home did not have at all. I know that Comic Con international had a short time to come up with content to offer, but DC FanDome also had a short time too and they succeeded wheras Comic Con failed this year.

Looking at DC FanDome, I think of the future of what would happen if Warner Bros never return to Comic Con because when Nintendo never returned to E3, Nintendo produced Nintendo Directs and it has been successful as they still have them to this day. I would not say that DC FanDome will be an online virtual event every year as I believe that eventually, DC FanDome will have their own in person event similar to Star Wars Celebration, or D23. If that happens, we would also have to look out for Marvel Studios too.

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @julianexcalibur for more content. Contact me at julian@alternativemindz.com

San Diego Comic Con at Home Should Not be a Yearly Event

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

The ongoing pandemic caused for San Diego Comic Con to switch to virtual this year. When this was announced, many fans were curious to see how this would be pulled off. I was also one of them to think that way too since I cover San Diego Comic Con every year. As the online event finished last weekend, I have gathered all of my opinions to why this would not work every year and also, why some aspects of this year’s event should be carried over to future comic cons.

One thing I have to get out of the way, is that Comic Con International has tried their best putting together the good content that was shown last week. From The Walking Dead, Bill and Ted Face the Music, The New Mutants, Motherland: Fort Salem, and even panels with upcoming Marvel and DC comics, there was a lot to digest with those panels. But that is where the first problem arised. There were way too many panels being shown at either the same time, or at different times on different channels outside of the official San Diego Comic Con channel. I feel that all of the panels should have been on one channel from the start, to the finish of the day. It is however, nice that you can watch them at your own home. But the experience of being in those panel rooms with nearly a few thousand fans cheering at every announcement and exclusive footage cannot be stripped away and it is severly missed. Yes sure, some of the big announcements that happened on the virtual panels were exciting to hear and witness, but it is also lacking the energy that we all feel in person. What I would suggest for next year, is for a hybrid version of this. That way, the ones who cannot attend the panel, can watch it either at home, or on their screen.

But there is another issue to tackle with that too since many big studios premiere sneak peaks to the live audience exclusively. How would it work for those studios to premiere that exclusive to the fans in attendance while people are watching it at home knowing that select footage cannot be filmed? Believe me when I say this because I was at the screening of IT: Chapter II at SDCC in 2019 and there were security guards at that theater watching everyone like a hawk since you could not record footage. And the studios would most likely not stream that same footage too. It is just something to think about since that kind of content is exclusive to the fans and press in attendance. But going back to the panels, it was understanding why many of the big studios did not want to showcase any material for this year’s event due to the pandemic. But the marketing aspect of SDCC at Home was abysmal. Only fans of comic con knew that this was taking place, but not the general public. I know many people that did not even know that San Diego Comic Con was happening as a virtual event this year until a few days later. And some did not know until the panels showed up as a recommendation on YouTube. I know that comic con sells itself, but there should have been more effort to market this event to every fandom. Speaking of effort, Most of the panels took place on zoom and there were a lot of technical difficulties that I noticed. But I wish that a few of them would have been live because whether if you like fan interraction at the panels with live questions or not, they are important. The feeling is not the same when panel hosts have to read tweets and Instagram comments as questions since we cannot assume that everyone that goes to comic con, has social media. That is why their only opportunity for the most part, is when the talent is on stage when you get your opportunity to ask your question. You would think that these panels that were pre-recorded, would have been edited very well. But no, that was not the case on most of the panels.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – JULY 21: KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, and Cole Sprouse speak at the “Riverdale” Special Video Presentation and Q&A during 2019 Comic-Con International at San Diego Convention Center on July 21, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Another thing I wanted to bring up, is that it is named “comic con” for a reason and it did not feel like that since the virtual panels were more talked about than the virtual convention itself. I personally, not only go to these conventions to cover it, I also spend time at the artist alley, the gaming area, and the cosplay area. Everything that makes a comic con should have been happening last weekend, but the talk of the panels diminished that. Sure, there were links to check out the vendors, but there was barely any mention of any of them at all outside of a few tweets. I think that there should have been more on a spotlight on the comic creators and vendors too.

And finally, I have to bring this up because this was a big problem starting from Wednesday night, until the final day. Funko went virtual for the first time during comic con weekend. Normally, you would have to enter a lottery for your chance to buy a Funko exclusive and if you do not win the lottery, then you will have to go to the retailers that have the shared exclusives. Since there was no lottery, everyone had the chance to buy their Funko Pops. But seconds after the stores online opened, many of them were already sold out as confused buyers questioned how this even happened.

It got worse when buyers already had their selections in the cart to checkout and when they did, the “sold out” icon appeared. This went on to the next day as the buyers had to wait at least an hour or two, to even attempt to buy their item. And at the retailers, many retailers had to put a limit to how many of the same item you can purchase. Those signs went up at some of the retailers after the fact since there were a number of people buying multiple copies of the same Funko Pop. The CEO of Funko even had to make an apology for everyone that is having a bad experience.

I can hope that next year, San Diego Comic Con (And even other comic cons across the world) can return in full swing and better than ever. I appreciated what we got this year, but I know for sure that everyone felt it in their hearts that comic con has been affected by the pandemic. I also wonder if and when things get back to normal next year, how much could they limit the crowd due to social distancing. The entire experience of San Diego Comic Con cannot be duplicated, or bitten down to size infront of a screen because it is more than a convention, it is a week long event that thousands of fans love to attend each year.

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @julianexcalibur for more content. Contact me at julian@alternativemindz.com

The Walking Dead and Fear The Walking Dead San Diego Comic Con at Home Panels Recap

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

This year’s edition of San Diego Comic Con had to be canceled due to the current pandemic. Not only that was canceled, The Walking Dead had to delay the airdate of the season finale, delay the premiere of World Beyond, and halt the filming of Fear The Walking Dead. What was supposed to be 42 straight weeks of content of The Walking Dead universe, turned upside down due to the pandemic. But luckily, fans got a chance to see the panels of all three shows in the comfort of their own homes as San Diego Comic Con went virtual for the first time in it’s 50 year history. Today, I will give my recap and thoughts of the two panels as I will also make a seperate article of The Walking Dead: World Beyond panel.

FEAR THE WALKING DEAD

Showrunners and executive producers Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg, and cast members Lennie James, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Colman Domingo, all were on the panel today to talk about the first half of the sixth season. The panel was broken into two groups as Chris Hardwhick said that at the start of the panel. Also, the premiere of the sixth season will be on Sunday October 11th, 2020. They then begin to talk about the season 5 finale as Chris brought up the memories of the last ten minutes of the episode. We were then given a new trailer of the sixth season. as well. Andrew talked about Morgan’s fate. Ian also clarified that something is going on with Morgan since he is seen with red eyes in the trailer. Lennie then talked about shooting those scenes with Colby Minifie (Virginia) and praised her work as a villian since he believes that she is very unerving. Lennie also teased that Virginia runs more than one group and that we will see that during the sixth season.

Scott Gimple also teased that we will see more dimensions to Virginia this season. Colman talked about the current state of Strand and what can we expect from him. Then, the conversation shifted to Alycia as she feels that Alicia does not trust anyone but Strand at the moment since she has known him the longest. Colman also believes that Strand should be trusted as he made a promise to Madison to keep her safe. Andrew talked about how the shutdown affected the filming process and he stated that they were halfway finished with the first half and that the entire season has been written already. He did also say that when it is safe, they will begin filming the back half of the sixth season.

The conversation then lead to Morgan’s bond with Grace as a fan asked if Lennie would see Morgan in love with Grace. Lennie feels that Morgan is still locked down to his wife, but he could open up to Grace. But Lennie is interested to see how their bond will develop. Isabelle, who is part of CRM was brought up and Scott Gimple said that there will be more story with her and that there is a chance that we will see more of her on the show. Ian was then asked about his mindset going into season six and Ian said that Virginia is in control of everyone and how it will affect all of the characters. He also said that they all will be tested in ways that they have not before and how they will fit in Virginia’s world, and how will they react under these circumstances. The episodes will be an anthology structure and this season will be darker than the previous seasons.

Colman talked about the episode he directed as he stated that it featured a number of actors on the show as he sounded very excited about the episode he directed. Lennie James also directed an episode for the first time and Lennie loved the experience. Lennie also said that he meet the crew, riggers, and costume designers and was also given a fantastic episode to direct. The morning of the first episode he directed, Lennie said that he had a fun text exchange between himself and Colman. He also praised the crew that supported him and is not sure if he will ever direct again, but would be open to doing it again. The last important bit is the conversation is Scott Gimple was asked if there was a time jump during season 6 and he said that not only that there will be one, there will be multiple time jumps during the season. Also, Ian could not comment if that musical episode would happen on this season.

The second half of the group was Ruben Blades, Karen David, Danay Garcia, Jenna Elfman while Scott Gimple, Ian, and Andrew stayed. Danay talked about what can we expect from Luciana during this season. She also talked about the process of putting on the oil makeup when they were filming at the oilfield. Funny line from Karen David as she said that if you get a zit on the show, they celebrate. The Living Dead would also be the name if there was a band. Karen also talked about her reaction to Grace being pregnant as she feels that she has done a lot for Morgan before she found out. She wonders of Grace will be alive to see her child’s first birthday due to the nature of the apoclapse.

Jenna brought up an interesting point as June and John are seperated again. Jenna believes that they will have faith to see eachother again and that June is strong enough to not let Virginia break her at all. Chris brings up the status of Dwight and Sherry and Ian told him that he cannot say much about these two. He also said that he and Andrew were fans of Dwight and that he is a much different person now than he was when he was with The Saviors. Scott Gimple stated that there will be new characters coming in season six and one of them, will be Virginia’s sister named Dakota. Gimple also said that we will see a whole other side of Virginia too because of Dakota. Ruban said that he really misses being on the set because of the daily contact, and talking with everyone. He also misses Skidmark. The last few minutes were dedicated to a few fan questions and the funniest one, is if Lucianna would replace her wounded arm like Merle did and Danay said that she would replace it with a gun.

THE WALKING DEAD

Just like Fear The Walking Dead, this panel was split in two groups. The announcement of the airdate of the season finale has been revealed as it will air on October 4th, 2020. We were also shown a sneak peak of the Finale. The panel opens as Angela Kang, Scott Gimple, Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Khary Payton, Greg Nicotero and Ross Marquand are the first group. Angela talked about beta being driven by the mass amount of walkers and Nicotero talked about how excited he was directing the episode along with the fact that the horde is closing in on the group. Norman Reedus talked about Daryl’s arc of the season and how Michonne’s departure, Alpha, Judith, and Carol has affected him. Norman was asked if Daryl would want a rematch with Beta and he said that Beta is way too tall for a rematch. Even Khary said that people do not realize how tall he is. Melissa talked about Carol’s state of mind as Carol has had a journey during this season that also negativity affected her friendship with everyone during this season. She also said that Carol’s conversation with Kelly also really helped too and that her relationship with Daryl has not been good towards the end of this season.

Khary Payton talked about Ezekiel’s current health as he feels that Ezekiel thinks that his time is coming up due to the cancer that is in him. Khary also said that the cancer may give him hope since it has not stopped him from moving forward. Then, we get to Ross Marquand as he talked about Aaron and Alden meeting the masked character too and how it reminded him of when the group first meet Michonne. Ross also wants Aaron to find a new love interest in the future. Melissa McBride said that she was excited working with Jeffrey Dean Morgan for the first time. Greg Nicotero talked about the process of creating that cancer lump for Ezekiel and I thought that it was interesting to see and hear how he did it. This part of the panel ends as it was announced that six additional episodes after the finale will air (that is part of season 10) sometime in 2021.

The panel then switched to the second group as Lauren Cohan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Josh McDermitt, Seth Gilliam, and Paola Lourazo as Lauren first talked about Maggie returning to The Walking Dead. Lauren also said that it felt like she has never really left at all. Angela Kang then talked about the dynamic of Negan and Maggie since Maggie thought that Negan was still in the jail. It was funny to hear that Jeffrey Dean Morgan say that Negan saved a lot of her friends. Jeffrey Dean Morgan was asked how would he feel if he seen Hershel Jr. and Morgan said that Maggie might see a different side of Negan since Negan also has a bond with Judith.

The unfortunate news also came as it was announced that season 11 will be delayed to 2021. Then Seth Gilliam talked about Gabriel and how different he is now compared to then since he is the leader of the counsel. He also reacted to Carol letting Negan out of the jail. Josh was asked what Eugene sees different with Stephanie that he has not seen with Rosita. Josh joked that he has not actually seen her yet, but then Seth asked Josh about their connection and Josh ran down their connection and their bond. He also thinks that Rosita and Eugene are good as friends, and that Eugene and Stephanie are building a foundation. Paola was aked about her reaction to the community’s highly praised reception of The Princess. Paola also said that she would love to see Princess interract with Negan since both of the characters are very similar. She also said that her favorite character is Carol.

Angela then talked about the way some scenes were filmed and how challenging it was. It was funny to hear Jeffrey Dean Morgan to respond to the question about getting a new weapon and calling it “Rick” as Morgan believes that Negan has moved passed on from it. Jeffrey Dean Morgan also stated that the scene from the comics of Lucille being broken will not happen on the show.

Scott Gimple said that he would create a pre-apoclapse spinoff with Glenn as he misses working with Steven Yuen and that it would be very funny. Angela then talked about the huge diverse cast of The Walking Dead which also includes the people that work behind the scenes. She also praised Greg Nicotero for his work on this episode and teased The Commonwealth group as well as she hypes up the season finale. The panel ends as Chris gives the dates of The Walking Dead season 10 finale, World Beyond’s airdate, and Talking Dead right after both episodes.

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @julianexcalibur for more content. Contact me at julian@alternativemindz.com

The Walking Dead Season 10 Finale Airdate Has Finally Been Revealed

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment
Paola Lazaro as Princess- The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 15 – Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC

Earlier this year, the season 10 finale of The Walking Dead has been delayed until the end of the year due to the current pandemic. It was supposed to air alongside of the debut of The Walking Dead: World Beyond but that has also been delayed too. The pandemic prevented the post-production of the episode to be finished in time of the premiere of the episode. Fans have waited for months for any news of the airdate and today, we finally got an answer.

During the San Diego Comic Con at Home panel of The Walking Dead, showrunner Angela Kang revealed the airdate of the season finale titled “A Certain Doom.” The episode will air on October 4th, 2020. This is much sooner than we thought and it is great news that we will see the current season conclude. Angela Kang and the rest of the cast that was on that panel gave a few details about the episode and we even got a sneak preview of the episode as well along with what can we look forward to on the next season when they start filming season 11.

Also during the Fear The Walking Dead panel, the premiere date has been revealed as it will premiere on October 11th, 2020. In addition, six additional episodes of Season 10 will also air in early 2021!

Are you excited for the airdate of the final episode? Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @julianexcalibur for more content. Contact me at julian@alternativemindz.com

The Walking Dead Universe Panels at San Diego Comic Con @Home Times Revealed

Julian Cannon 1 Comment

This year, San Diego Coimic Con will offer a unique experience for The Walking Dead fans as all of their scheduled panels will be online and free to view on the week of SDCC 2020 @Home. This happened due to the current pandemic that prevented the actual event to have a massive gathering. Details and the times of each panel have been revealed today as you can see the information below.

Friday July 24th, 12:00PM-1:00 PM

Fear the Walking Dead will present a panel for the series’ upcoming sixth season, premiering later this year. Moderated by Chris Hardwick, the panel will feature TWDU chief content officer Scott M. Gimple, showrunners and executive producers Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg, and cast members Lennie James, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Colman Domingo, Danay Garcia, Karen David, Jenna Elfman, and Rubén Blades. Season six of Fear the Walking Dead explores what has become of the unlikely family once united by a mission to help those in need. After being torn apart by Virginia (Colby Minifie) and her Pioneers, the group is now dispersed across her far-reaching settlements. Morgan’s (James) last message at the end of season five implored the group to “Just Live” and this season we’ll see what that means to each of them. Some will find the stability and opportunity within Virginia’s communities to be intriguing, some will sink into darkness, while others will fight back against what has been forced upon them. Life behind Virginia’s walls will test each and every one of them in different ways, forcing them to define who they are in this new world.

Friday July 24th, 1:00PM- 2:00PM

The Walking Dead will make its 11th San Diego Comic-Con appearance with a panel spotlighting “A Certain Doom, ” which will air as a standalone episode later this year. Moderated by Chris Hardwick (Talking Dead), the panel will feature TWDU chief content officer Scott M. Gimple, showrunner and executive producer Angela Kang, executive producer Greg Nicotero, who directed the episode, and cast members Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Lauren Cohan, Josh McDermitt, Seth Gilliam, Ross Marquand, Khary Payton, and Paola Lazaro. In The Walking Dead episode 1016, “A Certain Doom, ” Beta engages the final battle of the Whisperer War.

Friday July 24th, 2:00PM-3:00PM

The Walking Dead: World Beyond makes its Comic-Con International debut as the third series in wildly successful The Walking Dead Universe. Moderated by Chris Hardwick, the series’ panel will feature TWDU chief content officer Scott M. Gimple, showrunner and executive producer Matt Negrete and cast members Aliyah Royale, Alexa Mansour, Hal Cumpston, Nicholas Cantu, Nico Tortorella, Julia Ormond, and Joe Holt. The Walking Dead: World Beyond delves into a new mythology and story that follows the first generation raised in a surviving civilization of the post-apocalyptic world. Two sisters along with two friends leave a place of safety and comfort to brave dangers, known and unknown, living and undead on an important quest. Pursued by those who wish to protect them and those who wish to harm them, a tale of growing up and transformation unfurls across dangerous terrain, challenging everything they know about the world, themselves and each other. Some will become heroes. Some will become villains. But all of them will find the truths they seek.

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @julianexcalibur for more content. Contact me at julian@alternativemindz.com

Comic Conventions in 2018 I Have Covered

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

2018 was a great year for the comic convention and entertainment industry as a whole and I am happy that I got to witness many of the events. Raging from the big movies such as Avengers: Infinity War and A Quiet Place to the great seasons of our favorite television shows, and the headlines that made the majority of the audience react on social media and on a platform such as YouTube, we are in an age of information that can be shared and watched by millions. In that same time, the comic convention scene has become bigger in a larger scale and it has drawn many attendees of different fandoms all packed into one giant building. I have covered many of them over the years and last year was the most I have covered in one year as part of the media. Here are five that I will write about on my experience in the convention scene.

C2E2

The biggest show in Chicago every year and they do not disappoint at all. C2E2 (Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo) takes place at the McCormick Center in Chicago and you will have to take a bus to go to the center. When I went there in 2017, It was very warm the day that I went there. In 2018, the weather was a little cold and I would recommend to wear a jacket when you go there because the convention center itself is near a body of ocean. The show is great and there are two floors of the show and they are very large and it is filled up by different vendors and artists and gaming areas. Of all the conventions I have went to, this one is floor friendly the most as you would not feel lost or cramped in areas at all. The panels I have attended that week featured Guardians of the Galaxy, Tom Kenny of Spongebob Squarepants, and Khary Payton of The Walking Dead. I have also interviewed the cast of Daphne and Velma as well and we all had a blast talking. Call me weird, but as a guy from New York, I prefer Chicago style pizza and I love it!

Wizard World Philadelphia

Up next, is Philadelphia and Wizard World’s biggest show is in Philadelphia and the best part of the location is that it is right across the street from the Reading Terminal Market. You would not have to scatter around the convention center to figure out what food that you want to get since the market has a huge amount of options that you can choose. Wizard World itself is usually a great show with a great amount of celebrities that you can meet. I wanted to meet Natalie Dormer of Game of Thrones, but I did not have the time at all since I was covering the show. I did got the chance to interview Erica Schroeder in which we talked about her role in Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokemon and The panels I have attended featured Ezra Miller and Ray Fisher of Justice League, Sebastain Stan, and the voices of Overwatch. The cosplay over there was actually great too with some mind blowing ones that caught my attention that I still do remember to this day.

San Diego Comic Con

I have not been to SDCC since 2012 and when I went there to cover it in 2018, It has changed  and I was amazed with the huge presence over there. This was not like other conventions where only parts of the city were comic con themed, The ENTIRE area of San Diego was comic con themed from the minute you walk out of the airport and onward. I even seen it on taxi cabs, buildings, The Trolleys and theaters, and even the line of the Conan tapings that week. It was massive to see how big it has become since I was last there and there are also offsite events related to comic con for the press and attendees for everyone to enjoy such as the Jack Ryan escape room experience, Amazon TV’s museum, The Walking Dead’s showcase, South Park escape room, and much more. This is all outside of the convention center and they are at different parts of San Diego even though a few of the events are across the street of the convention center. Speaking of the convention center, you cannot even go to the sidewalk of the convention center unless you have a badge and that is a great move to prevent scalpers from trying to rip people off. The building itself is very huge and when I was there on preview night when there were a small amount of people there, It took me a whole fifteen minutes to walk from one side of the building to another. Imagine being there when there is a huge amount of attendees. The show itself was great and the media interviews I have been part of was The Walking Dead, Fear The Walking Dead, Crazy Ex Girlfriend, Better Call Saul, and much more. I did however seen the dreaded Hall H line and I was stunned to see how many people were on the line that camped out for a few days. Hall H is where the bigger panels take place for television and movies and even surviving the line is a task. I have never went inside Hall H and I do not think I can put my body through it. All in all, SDCC I highly recommend for you to go once in your life.

Keystone Comic Con

The newest one of the convention scene is Keystone Comic Con and it is also in Philadelphia as well. Every convention has something unique and this one is the first comic con to have a wrestling ring with wrestling matches from Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore. I was not surprised to see that there was a large crowd each day of the matches that took place there and it actually turned out very well. There were wrestling legends there such as Tommy Dreamer, Bully Ray, Jim Cornette, and Jerry Lawler with a few new faces such as Lance Anaoi. Speaking of wrestling, Me and my girlfriend got the chance to not only meet WWE Superstar Nikki Bella, but we spoken to her for nearly ten minutes about different topics. There was also a large gaming area in one of the rooms and there were set up by different eras of gaming consoles. There was also a costume contest that I enjoyed and different vendors of comics as well. I hope in 2019 I can cover it again!

New York Comic Con

I have covered NYCC every year since 2012 and each year I love it more than the previous year. New York is a flooded city where it does not sleep but what did sleep this year, was the MTA as the 7 Train was not running the entire time during NYCC weekend and that frustrated me a lot. Other than that, I bought a large amount of comics at this show this year other than interviewing celebrities.But the day before NYCC began, I was invited to attend the red carpet event of DC’s Titans along with a screening of the first two episodes. Also, E! Network had a truck outside where they were giving away free donuts to attendees after they place their vote on the upcoming awards show at the time. I have went to that truck at least five times per day during that week. Celebrities I have interviewed ranged from shows such as Batman:The Animated Series, The Gifted, Legacies, Lore, and The Man in The High Castle. I also did my 200th episode of my podcast there with guests Jason Solomon of The Solomonster Sound’s Off, Jon Draper of Wrestling Soup, and Ray Flook of BleedingCool.com. I also ran into Brandon Davis of Comicbook.com and Kirsten of Insider many times during the week as we talked about various news about the show. If you are in New York, NYCC is the place to be during the fall.

My first show that I will cover will be C2E2 2019 so I will report from there

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @julianexcalibur for more content and subscribe to The Wrestling Court as we talk about the latest in pro wrestling, pop culture, and comics along with our live watch reactions to past matches.

Julian’s San Diego Comic Con 2018 Roundup

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

This year, i was approved for a press pass to cover San Diego Comic Con. That is right, the “Comic Con” of all Comic Cons and the show is big as its name is. If you were to tell me how big the convention center is, i would tell you that from one end to another, it will take you a whole 10-15 minutes to walk through it. I did that on Wednesday morning on preview night to get my idea of where to walk to and where are the offices. The place is massive and even without attendees there, i still felt like there was a crowd there. Before I went to the convention center, I seen the line for the Conan taping outside the studio and it was very very long even at 7AM in the morning. This was not compared to the massive lines i have seen inside and outside the convention center. There was a line for everything raging from getting a ticket for the autographs from select celebrities, to trying the escape rooms for South Park and Jack Ryan, and lets not forget about the dreaded Hall H line which ended all the way to the IMDB boat. That line itself looks very intimidating and i do not think i will ever attempt to wait on that line for a few days just to see a panel.

The show floor was flooded with attendees and cosplayers walking to different booths and vendors or taking pictures. You could not look around to not see a cosplayer at all as there were a few each second. Many vendors that were there was Hasbro, Funko, Mattel, AMC, ABC and much more. I have seen many people in these booths trying to buy exclusive merchandise. The indoor panels were upstairs from the convention center and as much as people hated it, they close off the entire room (or in some cases the floor) if all the room’s lines are capped and that is good that they did that to prevent over crowding.

But i enjoyed the show floor along with going to the Jack Ryan escape room. I was given a chance to preview that area before it was open to the public and that escape room done something i do not think i have ever seen and that is, re-enact the first few minutes of the pilot episode of the show. I was in a group of 10 people trying to solve puzzles and go to the next room. The first one featured money and a code, the second one tasked you to stop an enemy attack, the third one showcased an interrogation scene as the actors gave you clues to how to escape the room. This was an interesting twist to an escape rooms and i loved it.

I was also invited to attend the Amazon Fire TV showcase to see their upcoming TV devices and features and there was a few themes inside that tent. It was a very good sight.

AMC Network also had an attraction area for their shows Fear The Walking Dead and The Walking Dead and i was able to preview the attraction before it was open to the public and i have seen Jadis’ grinder machine, The Sanctuary (along with inside The Sanctuary where a guy demoed The Walking Dead: Our World mobile app game), the SWAT truck, the water slide with a pit of Walkers, and The Kingdom’s training area. That area always draws the attention of curious attendees and i believe that they were giving away Shiva Funko Pops to attendees once it opened.

I also had the chance to attend press rooms at SDCC which is where the media work began. I spoken with the cast and key developers of different shows such as Impulse, Young Justice, Lego DC Super Villains (video game), BUYBUST, Crazy Ex Girlfriend, and MR. Mercedes. I was also invited to attend the press invited press conferences of Better Call Saul, Fear The Walking Dead, and The Walking Dead. I mentioned those three conferences in different posts in the last few days.

Young Justice

Mr. Mercedes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0x9vllQHDo

Impusle

Crazy Ex Girlfriend

San Diego Comic Con is a great experience and i recommend everyone to check it out in 2019. Try to get tickets the day the sale opens or else you will be out of luck.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @julianexcalibur

SDCC 2018-AMC’s Fear The Walking Dead and The Walking Dead Press Conferences

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

More San Diego Comic Con news came out as I was invited to attend both of AMC’s Fear The Walking Dead and The Walking Dead press conferences. The Fear one started first as the cast and producers of the season made their way to the long table. The cast included Colman Domingo, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Lennie James, Danay Garcia, Garret Dillahunt, Maggie Grace and Jenna Elfman as they all talked about what to expect from the second half of season 4 as the back half of the season deals with more character development and a natural disaster. I also spoke with Alycia and Maggie for a few minutes after the conference to talk about Travis’ death way back in season 3. I also spoke with Scott Gimple as we talked about the comic series of The Walking Dead, his new comic series with Robert Kirkman Die!Die!Die, and future possible storylines of The Walking Dead especially since Volume 30:New World Order just finished not too long ago.

 

Here is the audio

https://youtu.be/ikNbhSCan_Y

 

After that conference was over, The Walking Dead started and we learned more information to the upcoming season and Andrew Lincoln’s departure of the show. That got sad to hear him say it because he loves the show and working with everyone there. The Press conference was very funny also as Norman and Andrew Lincoln had a “stare down” after the rest of the cast arrived, along with Jeffery Dean Morgan stealing the show over there with his very funny humor. Other cast members that were there was Danai Gurira and Lauren Cohan along with Greg Nicotero and the new show runner Angela Kang and Executive Producer Scott Gimple. The panel is a must listen!

Here is the audio from the conference

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huBlQfcTTow&t=6s

Meeting Andrew Lincoln face to face is a dream come true of mines and I am happy that it happened!

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @julianexcalibur

TWC Episode 190-Rampage’s Jason Liles Interview

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

today  i interview Jason Liles from the blockbuster success Rampage. We talk about him growing up in Memphis to moving to NYC and what he likes about it and what he misses about it, His upcomings in acting, his role on Death Note, His Role on Rampage and his favorite scenes from the movie along with stories with working with the cast along with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and The Walking Dead’s Jeffrey Dean Morgan, his future projects and love for video games and nerd culture and much more!

Jason’s in-person Comic Con appearances officially greeting fans in the Sails Pavilion on Thursday, July 19 (10am-2pm) and Sunday, July 22 (10am-2pm) at the week of San Diego Comic Con.

Rampage on Blu Ray will be released on July 17th. and you can follow him on Twitter @theJasonLiles

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @julianexcalibur

SDCC 2018- RED ALERT! “STAR TREK: DISCOVERY” BEAMS INTO COMIC-CON

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

Series Stars Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Shazad Latif, Mary Wiseman, Anthony Rapp, Mary Chieffo, Wilson Cruz, Anson Mount and Executive Producers Alex Kurtzman and Heather Kadin to

Make First Official Season Two Appearance Together

at San Diego Comic-Con International on Friday, July 20 in Hall H

Panel to Be Moderated by Series Guest Star Tig Notaro

Who Will Appear as Chief Engineer Reno

“Star Trek: Discovery” to Also Host Its Second Annual Gallery Takeover Featuring Exclusive Props and Costumes Directly from the Set of the Mirror Universe;

Fans Have the Chance to Receive Limited Edition

“Star Trek: Discovery” Starfleet Pins

Fans Invited to Take a Ride in a Pedicab

Inspired by the Captain’s Chair on the U.S.S. Discovery

LOS ANGELES – July 2, 2018 – CBS Television Studios and CBS All Access invite “Star Trek” fans from around the world to join them in a celebration of over 50 years of “Star Trek” and the upcoming second season of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY with a lineup of events, activations, merchandise exclusives and a panel, all taking place July 19-22 at Comic-Con International in San Diego, Calif.

“STAR TREK: DISCOVERY” PANEL, FRIDAY, JULY 20, 1:30 PM, HALL H

Over 50 years ago, the world was first introduced to what would quickly become a cultural phenomenon. “Star Trek” inspired developments in science and technology, broke social barriers, and transported viewers around the globe to new adventures and uncharted frontiers. Last fall, STAR TREK: DISCOVERY continued that tradition and followed the voyages of Starfleet aboard the U.S.S. Discovery. Join the cast and producers of this CBS All Access series to look back on season one and find out where the crew is headed as it transports into its second season.

Cast members scheduled to appear include Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Shazad Latif, Mary Wiseman, Anthony Rapp, Wilson Cruz, Mary Chieffo and Anson Mount, alongside executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Heather Kadin. The panel will be moderated by series guest star Tig Notaro, who will appear as Chief Engineer Reno. Friday, July 20, 1:30 PM; Hall H.

“STAR TREK: DISCOVERY” MIRROR UNIVERSE GALLERY TAKEOVER

CBS is creating a fully immersive STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Mirror Universe experience at the Michael J. Wolf Fine Arts Gallery (363 Fifth Avenue, San Diego); Comic-Con badges are not required for entry. The exhibit, scheduled to run from Thursday, July 19 through Sunday, July 22, features a photo opportunity with Emperor Georgiou’s Throne and showcases props and costumes from the series’ Terran Empire. The gallery will also house an official “Star Trek” shop with Comic-Con exclusives.

Exhibit Hours:

Thursday 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Friday 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Saturday 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Sunday 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM

PEDICAB PROMOTION

From Thursday, July 19 through Sunday, July 22, CBS will offer free “intergalactic” rides throughout San Diego’s Gaslamp District in pedicabs inspired by the design of the U.S.S. Discovery’s captain’s chair. The pedicabs will feature the chair’s distinctive stitched black seats as well as video monitors built into its armrests, which will screen trailers for the highly anticipated second season. As an added touch, each vehicle will display an illuminated U.S.S. Discovery delta shield on the back.

About STAR TREK: DISCOVERY

STAR TREK: DISCOVERY follows the voyages of Starfleet on their missions to discover new worlds and new life forms, and one Starfleet officer who must learn that to truly understand all things alien, you must first understand yourself. The series features a new ship and new characters while embracing the same ideology and hope for the future that inspired a generation of dreamers and doers. The first season is now available on CBS All Access, CBS Network’s digital subscription video on demand and live streaming service, and is distributed concurrently by CBS Studios International on Netflix in 188 countries and in Canada on Bell Media’s Space channel and OTT service CraveTV.

About CBS ALL ACCESS

CBS All Access is CBS’ digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service. In addition to its original series, which include STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, THE GOOD FIGHT, STRANGE ANGEL and NO ACTIVITY, CBS All Access gives CBS fans the ability to watch more than 10,000 episodes on demand – spanning current shows from primetime, daytime and late night, as well as past seasons of select series and classic TV hits – and stream their local CBS station live.

CBS All Access is currently available online at CBS.com, on mobile devices via the CBS App for iOS, Android and Windows 10, and on Roku Players, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Fire TV, Samsung Smart TVs and Amazon Channels. For more details on CBS All Access, please visit: https://www.cbs.com/all-access/.

Facebook

Twitter

Snapchat

Instagram

To sign up for CBS All Access, please visit:

www.CBS.com/allaccess