comic-con 2012

Without a doubt the highlight of our trip to Comic-Con was The Walking Dead Escape takeover of Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres.

Spanning across multiple levels of the stadium, the 45-minute obstacle course led us through a zombie-filled apocalyptic simulation where "survivors" must outrun the living dead or become infected themselves.

This event was no joke. We were told to stretch out before, wear gym clothes, and be sure to not leave anyone behind. Armed with our head- and chest-mounted GoPros, we documented the entire experience. Of course, not everyone could survive. So who made … Read more

SAN DIEGO -- After several years of percolating, digital comics are about to go ka-boom with marketplace and reader app Comixology at the center of the explosion.

If you wanted to be glib about it, you could describe Comixology's strategy as "divide and conquer." The company has made a series of digital comics "gets" by creating book-specific apps to accompany a number of exclusive agreements to add books to its regular, unbranded Comixology app, that further cement it as the largest digital comics marketplace around.

"Comics stores are like vinyl [record] stores. It's … Read more

SAN DIEGO -- To paraphrase Jack Nicholson's jealous Joker in the Tim Burton 1989 Batman flick, "Where does he get those wonderful cars?"

The answer, apparently, is: on the Warner Brothers studio lot.

To celebrate next week's release of the final Chris Nolan-helmed Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises," Warner put on display the six Batmobiles built for TV and film at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con. From the iconic 1966 Batmobile used in the Adam West TV show to Christian Bale's tanklike Lambo-Humvee mashup "the Tumbler," fans could get up … Read more

Comic-Con is filled with memorable moments, but nothing could prepare The 404 guys going face to face with The Hoff himself, legendary pop culture icon David Hasselhoff.

Hasselhoff was at Mattel's Comic-Con booth to help promote the Hot Wheels 30th Anniversary Limited Edition K.I.T.T. car, which was being sold exclusively at the show. After getting to sit in Michael Knight's magic ride ourselves, we asked The Hoff a few questions about the timeless "Knight Rider" franchise. Just as expected, we got some eye-opening answers.

But before we got to speak with David, we … Read more

SAN DIEGO -- The bad news about Comic-Con Day 2 was that there wasn't the usual, noticeable uptick in energy and chaos from Day 1. The good news is that it gave us a chance to check out some of the cooler homemade costumes from around the show floor.

From a professional seamstress sporting Victorian Wonder Woman threads, to the original suit that Marlon Brando wore as Jor-El in "Superman: The Movie," to the saddest Darth Vader you've ever seen, there was plenty to look at and admire.

SAN DIEGO -- Digital comics went boom last year, driven by as many reasons as there are varieties of Kryptonite. But defying the trend set by movies, music, and TV when they went digital, print comics sales in North America recently have been estimated at jumping nearly 18 percent since last year. How the heck did that happen?

Driven by a saturation of iPads and other tablets among people with disposable income, a massive line-wide reboot by DC Comics that encouraged other publishers to fully "go digital," and the obvious sales benefits of being able to buy a … Read more

The truest of believers spend months cutting, sewing, and taping together the perfect custom costume for Comic-Con in San Diego, and the opportunity to flex our geek cred is too tempting to resist, so The 404 hits the floor on the first day to talk with a handful of our favorite cosplayers.

Along the way, we'll poke around shops with costumes for sale and ask for recommendations on which duo would suit us best: Jay and Silent Bob? Wayne and Garth? Thor and Loki? OK, I just want to wear a blonde wig. Join us for a tour of … Read more

SAN DIEGO--In some ways, the first full day of Comic-Con can feel slower than the Preview Night. While a frenetic vibe feeds the panicked shopping of Preview Night, Day One has too many people for much sprinting.

But that doesn't mean that it's dead. Fan-favorite creator of Robert Kirkman was on the floor signing Walking Dead comics, there was a wide variety of cosplayers, discussion panels revealed the latest twists and turns for comics, movies and TV, and a woman outside the Con was vigorously rubbing her costume with a metal grinder to promote a VH1 event. In … Read more

SAN DIEGO--The first night of the 42nd annual Comic-Con brought in the hordes, giving attendees far more than a mere preview last night.

Originally a chance for exhibitors and professionals to enjoy the Con, fans who buy four-day passes can opt to get a Preview Night ticket, too. In turn, this gives vendors a chance to sell convention exclusives to an even wider audience, but it does cut down on the opportunities for those working the show to enjoy what's on display. Preview Night passes sold out within 90 minutes of going on sale earlier this year.

So what … Read more