Comic-Con 2010: the highlights

Posted: 22nd August 2010 by admin in Marvel Comics
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Cast members of The Avengers appear on stage with director Joss Whedon during a panel at Comic-Con Cast members of The Avengers appear on stage with director Joss Whedon during a panel at Comic-Con Photo: AP

Sneak peek at how a huge comic franchise like Avengers is shaping up for the big screen – good. Identity of the new Hulk revealed (Mark Ruffalo) – great. Full cast turnout including Samuel L Jackson, Robert Downey Jr and Scarlett Johansson – awesome!

After the successful silver screen transformations of Spider-Man, X-Men and Iron-Man, the next Marvel superhero outing sees Iron Man co-stars Downey Jr and Johansson reprise their roles as Iron Man and Black Widow respectively while Jackson plays the formidable Nick Fury.

“I thought [Inception] was the most ambitious project I’d ever seen,” Downey Jr told the cheering crowd. Then I thought, ‘Wait a minute.’ They’re going to combine the biggest heroes of the Marvel universe? That’s the most ambitious project I’ve ever seen.” Comic-Con couldn’t have asked for a better ending.

Tron teasings

A new teaser trailer for Tron: Legacy was one of the highlights of the opening day, despite this being the third consecutive Comic-Con to feature footage from the upcoming sci-fi spectacular. Jeff Bridges, Michael Sheen and others from the cast also fielded questions on Disney’s 3-D sequel to the 1982 cult classic that made blue neon-lit suits super cool. Or super geeky.

Harrison in handcuffs, Helen’s homage

Comic-Con’s best stunt took place as Iron Man director Jon Favreau was discussing his upcoming Western-alien invasion flick, Cowboys & Aliens. As he introduced co-stars Daniel Craig, Olivia Wilde, and Sam Rockwell, a seemingly bewildered Harrison Ford was “escorted” on to the stage in handcuffs by guards. Despite most people not getting the gag (that Ford was being dragged to the gathering against his will), the 6,000-strong audience gave the 68-year-old a standing ovation. Hard to believe, but this was the Indiana Jones and Star Wars actor’s first Comic-Con appearance.

It was also a Comic-Con first for the majestic Helen Mirren. Dame Helen paid a T-shirt tribute to Harvey Pekar, the American Splendor creator who died recently, while promoting her new film Red. “This is how Dame Helen Mirren made Comic-Con fall in love with her,” blogged an excited Warren Ellis, on whose comic book series the film is based.

Oath awe

Comic-Con isn’t just a geek gathering you know, super cute things happen in it too. In what must be the cutest moment of the event, a little boy got to ask Ryan Reynolds, the new Green Lantern, what it’s like to recite the legendary oath. “It sounds a little like this,” said Reynolds. And to the delight of the young man and everyone else in the room, he then went on to make a spontaneous rendition of the whole “brightest day, blackest night” thing. “This is pure. Where a little boy can meet his hero and ask him that burning question that he has in his soul. [The] question that forces him to get up in a room of thousands, to fight his way in line, to reach the microphone…,” was how an overwhelmed attendee summed up the experience.

Stan Lee, superhero

Stan Lee, that unstoppable superhero generating machine, churned out yet another new series – this time featuring himself as one of the major characters. The plot of Super Seven involves the 87-year-old writer befriending seven aliens who crash land on Earth, and giving them superhero identities to match their supernatural powers. Lee is well known for cameo appearances in the blockbuster superhero comics and films like Spider-Man, Daredevil, Hulk and Iron Man. “[But] ‘Super Seven’ is the first time that I’ll actually be a continuing character in a far-out, original superhero series,” the Marvel master said.

And finally…

What’s Comic-Con without a bit of eye-stabbing. A man in his 20s was arrested on Saturday for stabbing a fellow attendee in the eye with a pen after they got into an argument over whether they were sitting too close to each other [watch an amateur video of said man in a Harry Potter t-shirt being led away by police]. The incident took place while the crowd was waiting for Seth Rogen and other panelists to take the stage for Universal’s science-fiction comedy Paul. But hey, what’s a little eye-popping between geeks.