Nick's Picks

More panels from SDCC have been announced. Here the highlights.

10:30-11:30 10 Years of DC Direct— Celebrate DC Direct’s tenth anniversary
with the creative minds behind your favorite action figures, statues, and busts!
Panelists including VP—design/DC Direct creative Georg Brewer, DC Direct design
director Jim Fletcher, a sculptor Jim Shoop and others discuss the first ten
years of DC Direct and take a look into the future with the DCU, Watchmen movie,
and World of Warcraft. Room 810:30-11:30 One on One with Terry Moore—The creator
of Strangers in Paradise talks about his popular new series Echo and writing the
new launches of Runaways and Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane for Marvel. Q & A to
follow. Room 8.

Over the last two years, Mattel is doing a very sloppy job of articulation with it’s Marvel Legends. DC Direct produces amazing bodies of work from Batman’s utility belt to Superman’s cape.

My only problem is the action figures aren’t fully poseable.

12:00-1:00 Prince of Persia— Jordan Mechner, the creator of the Prince of Persia
video game and graphic novel and screenwriter on the upcoming movie, discusses
the global phenomenon that is Prince of Persia, tying together the comics and
the video game industry. Room 4.

If anything has drastically changed since the first draft, I’m still looking forward to this flick.

12:30-1:30 The Art of Adapting Comics to the Screen— The cinematic
renaissance of comic book-based films continues, and here’s your chance to learn
what it takes to adapt these dream projects to the screen! Creative
Screenwriting magazine’s senior editor Jeff Goldsmith hosts an amazing panel of
Stan Lee (co-creator of Iron Man), Zak Penn (screenwriter, The Incredible Hulk),
Mark Fergus (co-screenwriter, Iron Man), and Gregory Noveck (senior VP—creative
affairs, DC Comics). Room 5AB.

I’ve always found this panel interesting, and it STILL bugs me I can’t be there for the occasion, since Marvel has been trail blazing at the movies, no pun intented.

12:30-1:30 Spectacular Spider-Man— Spend some time with the cast and
creators of the renowned webslinger’s newest animated adventures, The
Spectacular Spider-Man, a Culver Entertainment Production. Ask your burning
questions about the first 13 episodes of Season 1, learn about what’s in store
for the next 13 and catch an exclusive sneak peek at Season 2! Michael Vogel
from Sony Pictures Television Animation moderates a panel that includes
supervising producer Greg Weisman (Gargoyles); supervising producer/supervising
director Vic Cook (Hellboy: Blood and Iron);—character designer Sean “Cheeks”
Galloway (Hellboy animated films); voice director Jamie Thomason (2007’s TMNT,
Spirited Away);—the voice of Spider-Man, Josh Keaton (The Young & The
Restless); the voice of Mary Jane Watson, Vanessa Marshall (Star Wars: Jedi
Knights II); the voice of Eddie Brock and Venom,—Ben Diskin (Codename: Kids Next
Door), and the voice of Adrian Toomes and Vulture, Robert Englund (A Nightmare
on Elm Street). Room 6CDEF.

Since this series has started it rocked from start to finish. The finale ended like another episode, with a hint at what’s to come with Gwen who still has feelings for Peter, despite that the redhead he’s destined to be with entered his life.

2:00-2:30 Universal: The Wolfman— For its upcoming action-horror film The
Wolfman, Universal will showcase new footage and a presentation from the title
monster’s creator, six-time Oscar-winning special effects artist Rick Baker.
Hall H.

Everything I read and seen so far has been good, good, good, this could set itself up to be a….dare I say…Good horror remake.

3:30-4:15 Family Guy— Stars Seth MacFarlane and Seth Green and the producers of
the Fox animated hit give fans a sneak peek at a never-before-seen episode and
discuss the highly anticipated spinoff The Cleveland Show. Ballroom 20.

With the big hit that is Family Guy, but the lamest idea of a Cleveland show, Seth MacFarlane has offically become…A CORPATE SELLOUT!

8:30-10:00 Marvel/Lionsgate: Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow World
Premiere!— Whenever the forces of evil threatened mankind, Earth’s mightiest
heroes, the Avengers, were there to stop them—until they made the ultimate
sacrifice in their final fight with the indestructible robot Ultron. But all was
not lost, for Tony Stark (Iron Man) kept the children of the Avengers safe and
raised them to become the teenage heroes of tomorrow. But it will take more than
five teens to destroy the machine that defeated their parents. If these young
heroes have any hope of winning, they must find the missing Hulk and come
together as…the Next Avengers! Meet Craig Kyle (supervising producer), Gary
Hartle (producer/supervising director), Christopher Yost (writer), and others
involved in this new animated film and watch Next Avengers before its September
2, 2008 Blu-Ray and DVD release. Room 6A.

So far fans are not looking forward to this next Marvel animated feature, but I beg to differ. The story and premise sounds interesting, the first trailer made me a little iffie but the second erased my worry. It looks to be action packed despite the fact the main characters are kids.

11:30-12:30 Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Screening and Q&A—
Back for a second year at Comic-Con, the producers and stars of this hit
action-adventure drama will debut the trailer for season two and answer
questions from fans during this one-hour session. Executive producers Josh
Friedman (War of the Worlds), John Wirth (The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.)
and James Middleton (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines) will be joined by
returning series stars Lena Headey (300), Thomas Dekker (Heroes), Summer Glau
(Serenity), Brian Austin Green (Beverly Hills, 90210) and Richard T. Jones
(Event Horizon), as well as new series regulars Garret Dillahunt (No Country for
Old Men) and musician Shirley Manson (Garbage). Produced by C2 Pictures in
association with Warner Bros. Television, Terminator: The Sarah Connor
Chronicles returns for a second season September 8 and airs Mondays at 8:00 PM
ET/PT on FOX. Room 6A.

Okay the joke is on me, so this god awful version of The Terminator franchise didn’t go down the tube, which it should.

12:30-2:00 Cartoon Voices I— It’s the first of two gatherings this weekend
of actors who lend their voices to animation, as they discuss and demonstrate
their craft. Co-hosts Mark Evanier and Earl Kress welcome Jason Marsden (Fairly
OddParents, Loonatics Unleashed), Wally Wingert (The Garfield Show, Family Guy),
Phil LaMarr (Justice League, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends), Alicyn
Packard (The Mr. Men Show, World of Warcraft), TV legend Chuck McCann, Tom Kenny
(SpongeBob SquarePants), and a few surprises. Room 6CDEF.

Ever since I saw the first Cartoon Voices on the Comic Book: The Movie dvd, the nostalgia of the cartoons of my childhood came rushing back to me, to witch, I own all the Animaniacs volumes and and of course the entire DCAU, minus Batman: Sub-Zero, which I desire to own and Mystery of the Batwoman, which sucked despite the wonderful Chase Me short.

2:15-3:15 A Look Back and Forward at DC Universe Animated Original Movies—
From the heralded premiere of Superman Doomsday through the unparalleled launch
of Justice League: The New Frontier and the blockbuster release of Batman Gotham
Knight, the DC Universe animated original movies have ignited a new passion for
comic book fare within the made-for-DVD realm. DC Comics, Warner Premiere,
Warner Home Video, and Warner Bros. Animation presents the creative forces
behind these acclaimed films for a glance back at their resounding success, and
the inside scoop on future DCU releases—including a Comic-Con exclusive first
look at the next film in this exciting series! DC Comics senior VP—creative
affairs Gregory Noveck moderates a panel that includes DC Comics president and
publisher Paul Levitz, DCU films executive producer Bruce Timm, director Lauren
Montgomery (Superman Doomsday), voice director Andrea Romano and, quite
possibly, members of the voice talent behind the next superhero to grace the
animated screen—in full color (well, at least red, white, and blue)! Room
6CDEF.

Looking back on it to me, they slipped up with Superman: Doomsday, but then realized their mistakes and succeeded with New Frontier and Batman: Gotham Knight, which we’ll be reviewing on the show soon, and the upcoming Wonder Woman feature looks awsome.

3:45-5:15 Universal: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor and Death Race—
Universal Pictures presents key cast members, filmmakers, and previously unseen
footage from its upcoming slate, including Summer 2008’s The Mummy: Tomb of the
Dragon Emperor and Death Race. Additionally, the studio will showcase talent and
materials from 2009 films such as Land of the Lost and more. Hall H.

Eeck. Need I say more? This franchise died after the second one. Like or dislike it you may, but I’ll stick to watching the first thank you very much.

8:30-10:00 Marvel: Wolverine and The X-Men Animated Screening— When an explosive
event shatters the lives of the X-Men and takes away their mentor, the beaten
heroes walk away from it all. But then they’re given a rare glimpse into the
future, and see a world in utter ruin, ruled by mutant-hunting Sentinels. So now
the most legendary of all X-Men takes the lead—Wolverine! Reuniting these broken
heroes, Wolverine embarks on the ultimate mission—to prevent the world’s
destruction. To rescue us from ourselves. To save the future. Meet Boyd Kirkland
(lead director), Craig Kyle (supervising producer), Greg Johnson (head writer),
and others involved with this new animated series and watch the first three
episodes of this epic new X-Men series before its Nicktoons 2009 premiere. Room
6CDEF.

At first, like with The Spectacular Spider-Man, I was not looking to this series, but once I saw the trailer for this series, it looks Epic as Hell.