Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
A Comic-Con Without Marvel, HBO Gives Others a Chance to Pop
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 7 years ago on
July 18, 2018

Share

Over 130,000 pop culture devotees are descending on San Diego’s Gaslamp District on Wednesday for the annual four-day comic book convention Comic-Con, the big, bright and very heavily branded confab of costumed superfans and the corporate sponsors vying for their attention — and dollars.

Tickets for four-day access plus preview night can set attendees back $276, before hotel, travel costs, food and any souvenirs.
Interested in dining at a working replica of the “Demolition Man” Taco Bell for the movie’s 25th anniversary? Or witness a mock court-martial of Star Wars’ Poe Dameron for leading a mutiny in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”? How about a wine and beer tasting with Neil deGrasse Tyson? Or a “Ready Player One” experience with retro gaming stations and recreation of Room 237 from “The Shining”? If you like pop culture, it’s highly likely there is something tailor-made for you at Comic-Con 2018.
What started as a 300-person event in 1970 has evolved into a massive operation with events year-round. But San Diego Comic-Con is the marquee occasion. Tickets for four-day access plus preview night can set attendees back $276, before hotel, travel costs, food and any souvenirs. And attendees have come to expect exclusive merchandise on the convention center floor, newsy announcements from some of Hollywood’s biggest studios, and screenings of anticipated films and television shows.
This year Warner Bros. is coming armed with stars and footage from “Aquaman,” ”Shazam!,” ”Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” and “The LEGO Movie 2”; Sony is hyping its Spider-Man spinoff “Venom”; and Universal Pictures will be teasing “Halloween” and M. Night Shyamalan’s “Glass.” On the television side, fans will get a glimpse of new “Doctor Who” star Jodie Whittaker and have a chance to check out “Star Trek: Discovery” and “Riverdale.” And streaming services like Netflix and Hulu will be back with properties like Marvel’s “Iron Fist” and the new J.J. Abrams-produced “Castle Rock,” based on Stephen King stories.

A Few of the Major Players Are Conspicuously Absent

But a few of the major players are conspicuously absent from Hall H, the 6,500-seat room in the San Diego Convention Center that boasts the highest-profile presentations and often attracts an enthusiastic fan base willing to camp out overnight in line to secure a coveted seat. Those skipping this year include Marvel Studios, HBO (“Game of Thrones”) and Star Wars.

“It’s a huge deal when major properties like Marvel, Star Wars or HBO don’t show up.” — Germain Lussier, entertainment reporter for io9/Gizmo
“It’s a huge deal when major properties like Marvel, Star Wars or HBO don’t show up,” says Germain Lussier, an entertainment reporter for io9/Gizmodo who has been attending the convention for 15 years. “For the past decade, Marvel Studios panels have consistently been the No. 1 most anticipated thing for movie fans at Comic-Con. Their panels never failed to disappoint with exclusive footage, huge news and big surprises.”
Production schedules are more to blame than anything else, however. Lussier notes that each of the absent brands has a big (and intensely secretive) installment coming in 2019, including “Avengers 4,” ”Star Wars: Episode IX” and the final season of “Game of Thrones.”
“Instead of showing up and disappointing fans, they’re simply bowing out to not bolster expectations,” he says.
Also, other brands and properties could benefit from an unusually open runway.
“Every year, there’s always one or two things everyone is talking about. And if it’s not ‘Avengers 4’or ‘Star Wars,’ what’s it going to be?” says Lussier. “I think this is a huge opportunity for Warner Bros. to steal every headline with major news and exciting footage.”

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Townsizing? Land Snorkeling? A User’s Guide to the Latest Travel Lingo

DON'T MISS

Trump Trade War Has Already Had Huge Effect on California Ports

DON'T MISS

Cambodian American Chefs Are Finding Success and Raising Their Culture’s Profile. On Their Terms

DON'T MISS

Ancient DNA Reveals a New Group of People Who Lived Near Land Bridge Between the Americas

DON'T MISS

FDA Approves Moderna’s New Lower-Dose COVID-19 Vaccine

DON'T MISS

Cabrera, Three Relievers Combine to Lead Marlins to Win Over Giants

DON'T MISS

Spike in Steel Tariffs Could Imperil Trump Promise of Lower Grocery Prices

DON'T MISS

Dodgers’ Mookie Betts Out With Broken Toe After Late-Night Bedroom Mishap

DON'T MISS

California Gubernatorial Candidate Steve Hilton Vows to Repeal Transgender Athlete Law

DON'T MISS

Trans Athlete Competes in California Championships in Clovis Despite National Controversy

UP NEXT

Loretta Swit, Emmy-winner Who Played Houlihan on Pioneering TV Series ‘M.A.S.H.,’ Has Died at 87

UP NEXT

In Marseille, a Shadow Becomes Art in Banksy’s Latest Street Mural

UP NEXT

Taylor Swift Has Regained Control of Her Music, Buys Back First 6 Albums

UP NEXT

NY Times Bestselling Author Celebrating Book Release at Fresno Barnes & Noble

UP NEXT

A Former Aide Says Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Kidnapped Her in a Plot to Kill Kid Cudi

UP NEXT

Ecstasy and Bribery Accusations in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Trial Bolster Racketeering Charge

UP NEXT

Disney’s ‘Lilo & Stitch’ Leads Record Box Office Over US Memorial Day Weekend

UP NEXT

No Yard? No Excuses—You Can Still Grow Your Own Food and Slash Your Grocery Bill

UP NEXT

How to Travel Without a Phone

UP NEXT

Explore the Wild Side of Route 66 With These Natural Wonders

Ancient DNA Reveals a New Group of People Who Lived Near Land Bridge Between the Americas

4 hours ago

FDA Approves Moderna’s New Lower-Dose COVID-19 Vaccine

17 hours ago

Cabrera, Three Relievers Combine to Lead Marlins to Win Over Giants

18 hours ago

Spike in Steel Tariffs Could Imperil Trump Promise of Lower Grocery Prices

18 hours ago

Dodgers’ Mookie Betts Out With Broken Toe After Late-Night Bedroom Mishap

18 hours ago

California Gubernatorial Candidate Steve Hilton Vows to Repeal Transgender Athlete Law

22 hours ago

Trans Athlete Competes in California Championships in Clovis Despite National Controversy

1 day ago

Tim Walz Urges Democrats to Fight Back Harder Against ‘Bully’ Trump

1 day ago

US Defense Secretary Warns Indo-Pacific Allies of ‘Imminent’ Threat From China

1 day ago

Hamas Responds to the US Ceasefire Proposal for Gaza While Seeking Amendments

1 day ago

Townsizing? Land Snorkeling? A User’s Guide to the Latest Travel Lingo

For your next trip, have you considered townsizing? What about choosing a detour destination? And instead of forest-bathing, maybe it’...

3 hours ago

3 hours ago

Townsizing? Land Snorkeling? A User’s Guide to the Latest Travel Lingo

3 hours ago

Trump Trade War Has Already Had Huge Effect on California Ports

4 hours ago

Cambodian American Chefs Are Finding Success and Raising Their Culture’s Profile. On Their Terms

4 hours ago

Ancient DNA Reveals a New Group of People Who Lived Near Land Bridge Between the Americas

17 hours ago

FDA Approves Moderna’s New Lower-Dose COVID-19 Vaccine

18 hours ago

Cabrera, Three Relievers Combine to Lead Marlins to Win Over Giants

18 hours ago

Spike in Steel Tariffs Could Imperil Trump Promise of Lower Grocery Prices

18 hours ago

Dodgers’ Mookie Betts Out With Broken Toe After Late-Night Bedroom Mishap

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend