Comic-Con International used to be a small comic books expo in San Diego. Then it grew. And grew. Now, about 130,000 people come from around the globe to check out not only the hottest comics, but the hottest action movies, anime, video games, anime, toys and more! We sent manga expert Deb Aoki to report on the panels, the booths and of course, the devoted fans for all four days of Comic-Con International! From the infamous stabbing at a panel discussion (see Saturday’s report!) to the wide range of manga comics on display, Deb captured it all…

San Diego Comic-Con 2010: Wednesday Scene Report

Day 2 Scene Report (Fri., Jul. 22)

Day 3 & 4 Report (Sat & Sun., July 23-24)

After a busy Preview Night, things really kicked into gear on Thursday morning, the first official day of San Diego Comic-Con International 2010. From the time the doors opened to closing time and beyond, the San Diego Convention Center was buzzing with fans, some in fantastic costumes, and more than a few celebrities who were there to take in the pop culture fan fest.

For many fans, the place to be was Hall H, the biggest venue at Comic-Con for major movie previews and celebrity Q&A’s.  But getting into the hottest events of Comic-Con comes at a price — an often hours-long wait to get into the hall, which is almost always packed. So what makes it worthwhile to endure the lines? For many fans, it’s the opportunity to experience the most talked-about movies and TV shows in person, to hear the directors and stars of the show answer questions in person, and to get a promotional freebie like a T-shirt, bag, poster or pin at the end of the event.

The first big buzz event of the morning was the preview of the Disney movie Tron: Legacy, which drew a full house of fans to Hall H who were into the remake of the original 1982 sci-fi film about a computerized video game dimension. The new flick (due out in December 2010) stars Jeff Bridges, one of the original actors, and it continues the story with some very slick modern CG graphics. The other bonus attraction? A performance by French electronic dance band Daft Punk, who contributed suitably cyber-sexy songs for the film’s soundtrack.

Another Hall H event that got fans talking was the Sony Pictures panel, featuring Battle: Los Angeles and Salt. Salt star Angelina Jolie lit up the joint and chatted about her role as a mysterious super spy.  Battle: Los Angeles star Aaron Eckhart and director Jonathan Liebesman were also on hand to showcase their upcoming action film about an alien invasion.

The other big deal premiere of Thursday’s Comic-Con line-up? A preview of the upcoming Scott Pilgrim vs. the World movie, directed by Edgar Wright (Shawn of the Dead, Hot Fuzz). Ever since its trailers hit the web, fans have eagerly awaited the mid-August release of this quirky romantic comedy about a clueless guy and the girl he’s keen on. To win her heart, he must battle the seven of her “evil exes.” At the end of the panel, Wright invited fans to join him to see the entire movie at the Balboa Theatre up the street, and many took him up on the offer.

Meanwhile, outside the convention center, a group from the Westboro Baptist Church protested Comic-Con’s focus on pop culture instead of well, Jesus. But they were quickly drowned out by fans who parodied their protest with some very comics-centric counter signs, like “God Hates Jedis” and “Odin is God, Read The Mighty Thor #5.” Comics Alliance was there, and took some great photos.

While movie premieres draw the biggest crowds at Comic-Con, the real heart and soul of the show is still comics, and there were plenty of comics creators in the exhibit hall.

Astro City and Avengers comics scribe Kurt Busiek chatted at a panel about his popular superhero creations. At the end of the panel, Busiek met two costumed characters dressed as his creations, The Confessor and Citizen V, both from Astro City.

Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O’Malley was on hand at the Oni Press booth (#1833) signing copies of his graphic novel, Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour, the latest and final volume of this hugely successful series. Also at the Oni Press booth: the debut volume of Super Pro K.O.!, an action/comedy comics series about an aspiring pro wrestler. According to Oni Press marketing director Cory Casoni, Super Pro K.O.! was heavily influenced by Japanese manga like Dragon Ball as well as the over-the-top theatrics of American pro wrestling, said Oni Press marketing director Cory Casoni at the booth.

For manga and anime fans, one of the must-see panels included the “Manga for Grown-Ups.” The panel featured Sean Michael Wilson, the editor of avant garde manga mag AX: Alternative Manga Vol. 1 and Ryan Holmberg, the curator of a recent NYC exhibit of Garo magazine, one of Japan’s most influential (and now defunct) avant-garde manga magazines.  Comics publisher Top Shelf also announced the 2011 release of Cigarette Girl (“Tobacco-ya no Musume”), a collection of short stories by Masahiko Matsumoto, one of the fathers of alternative manga in Japan.

Other manga and anime panels included  “The Best and Worst Manga,” featuring comics critics Jason Thompson, Shaenon Garrity, Carlo Santos, Chris Butcher and Deb Aoki (me), as we picked the most interesting and the most wretched U.S. manga releases of the year. Naoki Urasawa’s sci-fi suspense series Pluto and 20th Century Boys. Oishinbo topped the list, along with foodie manga by Tetsu Kiriya and Akira Hanasaki,  Twin Spica by Kou Yaginuma, Chi’s Sweet Home by Konami Konata, A Drifting Life by Yoshihiro Tatsumi, and Peepo Choo by Felipe Smith.

The year’s worst manga? The panel picked Orange Planet by Haruka Fujishima (a shojo manga story about a girl who’s so pretty she has two boys vying for her affections. Boooring.) They also singled out Togainu no Chi, a pretty boy suspense series that didn’t make a whole lot of sense, and Red Hot Chili Samurai by Yoshitsugu Katagirl, a manga series that made even less sense.

Bandai Entertainment announced two new anime series for 2011 called Turn A Gundam and Tales of the Abyss, as well as a new manga, Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens. Turn A Gundam is one of the latest installments in this mega-popular mecha anime series and was directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, one of the creators of the original series. The series features robots designed by Syd Mead, the conceptual designer for Blade Runner.

Tales of the Abyss is a 26-episode fantasy action series based on the video game from Namco Bandai. The story focuses on a young man who, after seven years of captivity, is dragged into the center of a massive war.

On a lighter note, Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens is pretty much what the title suggests: a quirky comedy about a pretty goddess who is awakened from her long slumber and sets out on a mission to “cleanse the world of impurities.”

That was my Day 1 at Comic-Con, but Day 2 promises even more fun, as even more celebrities, costumed characters and top comics creators came out to play. More to come!

–Deb Aoki

Top Photo Courtesy of Deb Aoki