“As proof of the unimaginable possibilities in the Marvel multiverse, we give you the one person who could play Victor Von Doom.” said Joe Russo, who along with his brother Anthony, directed four films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Inside the prestigious Hall H of the San Diego Convention center, a man in a green suit walked up through the crowd of costumed performers all wearing Dr. Doom masks.
He lifted his own mask up to reveal himself as Robert Downey Jr — much to the surprise and delight of the thousands in attendance — many of whom had waited an entire night to see this very reveal. It was one of many surprising and exciting moments throughout the amazing convention.
This year, the event took place from July 25x-28 and attracted 135,000 people, and I attended on July 27.
The convention has a strong appeal as one of the most popular entertainment events in the U.S. because it brings writers, producers, actors and artists all together in one place. For me, I went simply as a recreational activity to pass some time while on vacation in San Diego.
In addition, Comic-Con features some of the most exclusive events, collectibles and panels such as Marvel, DC, Lego as well as panels belonging to YouTuber “Mr.Beast.” All of these panels are extremely important to see for someone who is interested in or a fan of a certain franchise or genre, because you can often buy or receive exclusive collectable items or find out new information about an upcoming project. These are usually in the forms of panels, held in large meeting halls inside the convention center.
The majority of Comic-Con attendees go for the thrill of learning about or seeing new things from their favorite movie or TV series. There are also exclusive collectibles sold at Comic-Con — such as Mattel’s Exclusive Batman Collectables — some of which sell out within days.
On my day inside the convention, I got in line with my family friend at 6 a.m. to enter the center by 9 a.m. I only expected a small number of people to be there that early in the morning, but was extremely surprised by the crowd of almost 1,000 people.
When we finally got inside, there was an intense moment of people pushing and shoving to get to the “ticket line,” reminiscent of a middle school lunch line. The ticket line was to purchase one of only a few special tickets which could be redeemed for a $100 exclusive Star Wars collectable trading card pack. I didn’t buy it because I’m not an ardent Star Wars fan, but my dad’s friend said he could sell it for double the price on the resale market. The majority of the collectable items sold at Comic-Con are exclusive and therefore have a strong resale value, which adds to the appeal for people to go.
I went to Comic-Con because my family and I happened to be in San Diego and we had heard great things about it. While we didn’t originally plan to go, I still enjoyed it as a fun family-bonding activity and we’re even planning to go again next summer. Even though I am not an avid comic fan, I still found the convention an extremely entertaining and fun experience because of the amount of booths you can visit, even in one day.
The majority of the booths inside belong to different entertainment studios, independent artists and collectible sellers. Almost all of these booths sell art, collectable items or other merchandise which usually also relates to Comic Con in some way.
Some of the notable booths belonged to “The Walking Dead,” “Marvel,” “Lionsgate,” “Lego,” “Hasbro,” “DC,” “Lucasfilm” and “AMC.” My personal favorite was the Lego booth due to the sheer number of Lego sets as well as the amazing pre-built figurines on display there. There were also many popular panels, events in which a large crowd is invited to see actors, producers and hear sneak peaks or reveals about the studio, show or movie throughout the convention. Notable panels included “Transformers: One,” “Avatar,” “Spongebob,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “The Lord of the Rings,” “Star Trek,” as well as the famous “Marvel” Panel. Lines for the Marvel Panel began forming 24 hours before the event began, stretching throughout most of the San Diego Marina and into the surrounding areas. Walking around, I remember wondering, “What would I wait 24 hours for?”
At the Marvel Panel, it was revealed that Robert Downey Jr. would be taking on a new role as Doctor Doom in the Marvel Universe. Panels can definitely be something worth waiting for if you are a big fan of the featured presenter, but some panels may be almost impossible to go to. The final exhibits of the convention weren’t held indoors and, in my opinion, were some of the most interesting events throughout the convention despite being open to the public.
Featured on the outside were several fun events such as Ava Fest, a carnival-like event similar to the one held in TV show “Abbot Elementary.” Other events included a “Hulu Animayhem”-themed event.
Inside the Hulu Animayhem tent.
All in all, San Diego Comic-Con was an extremely fun experience that is worth attending at least once in your life. Even if you are not a giant pop culture buff, you will enjoy hearing about certain series or movies. At the very least, it’s worth following the convention to see some of the biggest announcements and reveals of the entertainment world.
