by pandazack Tuesday 4th August 2009

BEST…COMIC CON…EVER!!!

Hey everyone, Zack here, and I’m finally fully recovered from Geekscape’s take over of Nerd Fest ’09. Now that I am now out of the bacta tank I have been living in for the past week, I feel like I am in the right state to share with you all how much fun I had at Comic Con this year.

So this was my first year going to Comic Con with Geekscape and right away I felt like it was a much different experience than years past. Mostly because this trip wasn’t purely to walk the floor and obtain Con exclusives. No, boys and girls, I was there to work! Work at Comic Con for Geekscape consisted mostly of interviewing awesome celebrities and comic creators, so to me it really doesn’t sound much like work; more like a vacation to Nerd-halla first class. That by no means is necessary to fully enjoy Comic Con, but it WAS a departure from fending for myself year in and year out with all the crazies that inhabits the convention floor! Also, this year was different because I got to celebrate my geekdom and go to a bunch of parties.

Just one hall of Comic Con

Yes, it always looks like this in the hallways of Con…

True Blood Happy Hours and the Astro Boy breakfast were the parties that stood out to me the most. The TB Happy Hours happened on three of the nights of the convention and man were they fun. Admittance into these things granted you free food, Fang Banger t-shirts, and True Blood pint glasses. I am a huge fan of both the books and the show so it was fun to collect schwag of that caliber. Now I guess the Astro Boy breakfast wasn’t exactly a party but it was fun none-the-less. Mostlly it was fun because of the fact that we were treated to a delicious breakfast on top of the Ivy Hotel after a night of heavy drinking. I mean, who wouldn’t enjoy something like that? The only downside of it was the nearly endless supply of free mimosas and Bloody Marys that combated against the curative properties of the amazing food. Other than that aspect, I thought it was a cool event that Imagi Studios put on for their new CGI-fest. But obviously there is so much more to Comic Con than just the parties. I actually had some work to do in the form getting all the hot news from many of the attendees behind some of my favorite films, comics, TV shows, and video games. Oh yes, I got to do some interviews and oh man was it fun!

The bartender put fangs in my drink, random but I'll take it

I don’t care about the TB glass, just give me the plastic fangs!!!
I’ve done plenty of interviews before during my time at my last publication, but this was my very first time interviewing people on camera. So I guess it’s appropriate that when I was at my peak of nervousness that I interview fucking Superman himself. My first ever interview was with the cast of Dead of Night. It was a lot of fun because I got to talk to Brandon Routh, Sam Huntington (Jimmy Olsen from Superman Returns and Fanboys) and Anita Briem (Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D). To be completely honest, I personally felt like it was a tough first interview to go through. It was my first on camera solo interview so I was a little jittery and I only had a few minutes to get my questions out there before they had to move on but oh well, it’s over and now I feel like it was a fine first interview to cut my teeth on. Yet, that doesn’t compare to the travesty that is my interview with Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero of The Room fame…

Imagine how surprised and excited I was when I left the Behemoth booth and saw just next door there was a poster for The Room. I then see Tommy, wearing twelve belts like he always does and mumbling to himself. I have to say though Greg was a really nice guy and I felt a little sorry for him since he seems to take this whole cult thing pretty seriously where I think Tommy is just one giant joke. I won’t go into too much more detail because I believe you should just check it out for yourself on the site. I’m a huge fan so that was a lot of fun regardless of how big a TOOL Tommy Wiseau is. I recommend you check out the Comic Con episode on the podcast if you haven’t already to see just what I’m talking about. Regardless, I was happy to see The Room at Comic Con primarily because I think that is a perfect audience for Tommy and everyone and their mother needs to see that movie so I think it works.

The only booth babes worth mentioning at Con this year didn't actually have a booth 
My favorite booth babes this year at Con, and they didn’t even need a booth!
While I do love The Room and True Blood I spent all weekend in anticipation of feeding my addiction of Doctor Who. I have enjoyed the new series so much and, in my opinion, David Tennant is one of the greatest actors for the role other than Tom Baker. So needless to say, I was in complete awe when the man himself walked past me outside of the BBC interview location. You have most likely already read Stephen Prescott’s article about The Doctor (lucky bastard) but I will say that it was so much fun getting to go see the panel on Sunday. It was literally the only panel I had the chance to see all Con, but man was it worth it. Not only were Tennant and Davies in attendance, but we were also treated to a teaser of Tennant’s last episode as the Doctor. Needless to say, my geek-ass was nearly in tears, which would’ve gone perfectly with the visible goose bumps I was rocking on my arms at the time. While I am still sad to see Tennant leave the role of the Doctor, I felt like the panel was an adequate send off.

 

Tennant just loving the packed house

Tennant loving the packed house

In retrospect, the ultimate highlight of my Con was going to the Brutal Legend/GWAR concert on Thursday night. My big mistake, though, was taking too much advantage of the open bar. But hey, what do you expect from a nerd who’s spent his day braving the elements of Con? A low point was going to the Warner Bros. booth during a shirt giveaway and hearing high-pitched screams coming from in front of me. No, they weren’t coming from the insane Twitards… the screams to which I am referring to were emanating out of the mouth of a fucking infant whose mother totally disregarded her child’s safety solely to possess a Where the Wild Things Are shirt. It was an unsettling example of reckless Comic Conning. That right there was disgusting because if you’re familiar with Comic Con, you know that people go nuts for schwag, but no shirt is worth having your baby squished by nerds while it is being held helpless in one of those baby back pack things. Other than that though, there weren’t really any other low points I can think of. Obviously I had a blast.

This year’s was, by far my, favorite Comic Con. It’s only the fifth one I have been to, but it was the most fun and I suspect it will be tough to top in the future. I don’t want to come off like I am kissing too much Geekscape ass here, but I just have to say that without those guys I don’t think I would have had as much fun. Granted we were packed into a hotel room full of 8 guys, but I wouldn’t have been able to pick a better group of people to spend this year with!

Geeks always stick together, it’s almost like a code we live by. No other mantra can better describe what it felt like hanging with all the great people at Geekscape. I feel like this group is just one giant family and I am happy to now be apart of it. So here it is guys, my second official article for the site, but the last time I feel like I am some sort of outsider. Now, I feel like have finally been baptized as a true Geekscapist because of this journey to San Diego.

So in closing I think it is only fitting to include one more picture of a Stormtrooper… Since those bastards are just everywhere in San Diego:

No Comic Con article is complete without atleast one obligatory Storm Trooper pic