What Convention Exclusives Are Hot?
Two of the biggest books this year are the convention variants for Void Rivals #1 and the Transformers #1 Ashcan. These two books represent the start of the new shared universe of G.I. Joe and Transformers called the Energon Universe and the tremendous fan excitement over this new world has carried over into the con.
Trinity Comics has quite a few hot books at this convention, but the most popular is the Peach Momoko variants for The Mandalorian Vol. 2 #1.
Significantly adding to the excitement is the opportunity to get the books autographed by Peach herself! Peach rarely makes convention appearances and is one of the industry's hottest artists right now, so many attendees are jumping on this rare opportunity.
Finally, J Scott Campbell unveiled the final book in his pop variant set featuring Spider-Man's three primary love interests: Gwen Stacy, Felicia Hardy, and Mary Jane Watson. These three women are among Campbell's most frequent subjects and it should come as no surprise that Campbell's fans cannot wait to get their hands on it.
How Have The SAG and WGA Strikes Affected The Convention?
So the biggest effect of the strikes by far is the sheer number of canceled events and appearances. Several different panels and programs had to be canceled, including several scheduled for Hall H.
With so many programs canceled, attendees have had less of a reason to leave the main exhibition space. This has simultaneously infused the hall with a lot more energy but also led to longer lines for experiences and exclusives.
News And Announcements
With so many big names skipping San Diego Comic-Con this year, the expectation is that major news and announcements will be few and far between. That being said, there were a few reveals today worth mentioning:
- Marvel Comics had a few announcements today, including a new volume of New X-Men. The title graphic is very similar in style to Astonishing X-Men from Age of Apocalypse. This could be a sign of what's to come in Fall of X, but it could just as easily be a font throwback and nothing more.
- At the Between Two Toms panel, Tom Taylor indicated numerous times that DC comics fans should expect some big announcements in the next 24-36 hours.
- Nickelodeon announced that they had secured the rights to the original animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series. Nickelodeon is owned by Paramount, meaning Paramount+ subscribers could / should soon be seeing this iconic series showing up on the platform.
- Sony dropped a new story-focused trailer for Marvel's Spider-Man 2, the highly anticipated follow-up to the smash hit Marvel's Spider-Man.
Interesting Panels
Spotlight On John Romita Jr
In this wonderful panel, JRJR and his wife sat down with fans for a nearly hour-long question-and-answer session. The panel was phenomenal, particularly the numerous moments where fans expressed their deep love and appreciation for John's recently departed father.
Comics Writing: What Makes A Great First Issue
Hosted by Andy Schmidt, the editor extraordinaire who shepherded the 2nd golden age of Marvel Cosmic, this panel was filled with interesting tidbits on the craft of comics and how important it is to nail the first issue. For those interested in learning more, I highly recommend checking out CEX Publishing.
Magic The Gathering
At my last panel of the day, Wizards of the Coast showed off some of the intriguing ideas and mechanics that will underscore their upcoming Doctor Who expansion. As an avid fan of the Doctor who grew up playing Magic, I cannot wait to get my hands on these cards.
