The annual 4-day convention officially opened Thursday to a ridiculous number of attendees, professionals and press members. Comic International is a world-renowned event with people travelling from all over the world to jump head first into the mecca of all things nerd. San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) has exponentially expanded its’ guest-list over the years and with that has brought in a whole new fan base.
Hit television shows such as “The Walking Dead” and “Dexter” find welcome homes here at the holy grail of comic conventions. Major studios such as Warner Bros. and Lionsgate take it upon themselves to show off their big gun films that sometimes haven’t even gone into production—or are in the very early stages of it like the remake “Carrie.”
At Comic Con nothing is off limits and fans and exhibitors alike strive to make the most of the 4-day event. Costumes are donned, cameras are charged and free merchandise is ready to be given away. And the free merch is one of the many perks of being a Con-attendee. Posters, buttons, comic books and magazines are all privy to Con-goers and there’s no lack of free merch to be had.
Thursday marked the first day of panels and set the bar for the chaos that comes with attending SDCC nowadays. “The Twilight Saga – Breaking Dawn: Part 2” panel filled the Convention Center’s illustrious Hall H with die-hard fans who for many had been camping for days to catch a glimpse of the awkward cast—and also celebrate the end of Twilight’s presence at SDCC.
Movies aren’t the only panels to have fans flocking to sit in. Toy company Hasbro and their Transformers brand had fans in a tizzy with the unveiling of new toys to hit the market in 2013 and gave fans sneak peeks into future projects and the brand’s latest video game.
Crowds of people fluctuated in and out of the convention all day, but the party didn’t stop in the Convention Center. The Gaslamp District of Downtown San Diego jumped onto the SDCC bandwagon as well. Restaurants, stores and buildings took it upon themselves to cater to the Con crowd by sprucing up menu options—Captain American chicken strips anyone?—and buildings covered themselves with posters and logos supporting Television shows. A few zombies from “The Walking Dead” were even quarantined in support of the wild success of the AMC hit television show.
Day one is over and although feet, shoulders and wallets might hurt already, attendees are at it again today with a vengeance attending more panels, getting autographs, buying more goodies and indulging their inner nerd. Fans are chomping at the bit for Day two, and with it comes an even better line-up. Stay tuned and check tonight for more SDCC coverage.
