Thursday Morning Superhero: SDCC 2019 Recap

What may have been my final San Diego Comic Con wrapped up on Sunday and I was fortunate enough to share it with my kids (my daughter joined me on Sunday). SDCC celebrated its 50th birthday with some amazing panels, surprises, merchandise, and off-site events.

Best Panel:
Locke and Key Spectacular
Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez returned to SDCC to talk all things Locke and Key. The two friends discussed the new one-shot issue that was released last weekend, the upcoming Netflix series, and potential upcoming comics. Hill spoke about a series that would follow the Locke family set in periods of wartime and then cut to the present to see how the past still influences the present. The series is called World War Key and the first book, Revolution, is due out in 2020.  The Locke and Key series has wrapped filming season one and Hill has watched the first eight episodes. You can even search Locke and Key on Netflix! There is a lot of great news for us Locke and Key fans and it is always a delight to see Hill and Rodriguez together.

Best Offsite:
Brooklyn 99
NBC pulled off one of the most immersive and entertaining off-sites that I have ever experienced. Teams were first led into a briefing room where they were tasked with a heist similar to the Halloween episodes on the show. After receiving instructions, teams entered the Brooklyn 99 office. After a brief tour of the desks of Captain Holt, Boyle, and other 99 favorites, the teams raced to complete a series of tasks in order to open a safe that held the heist championship belt. In addition to the great cast of supporting characters that were sprinkled throughout the office (one actor in the holding cell offered to watch my son as we competed), the Brooklyn 99 cast made special videos that we enjoyed throughout the offsite. Boyle dressed up as Detective Pikachu was especially entertaining. It didn't hurt that my son grabbed the winning flag seconds before another team did, but this one was worth the wait and was a truly memorable experience.

Hottest Merch:
The Loyal Subjects
If you went to The Loyal Subjects booth during one of its limited drops you were sure to be met with a line. While I was most excited to finally get my hands on the new TLS Hot Wheels, Ghostbusters and My Hero Academia brought the crowds that led to most of the exclusives to sell out quickly. If you were unable to catch a Ghostbusters or MHA drop it was likely sold out by the time you made it to the booth. I have been collecting TLS for a few years and it is great to see it get the reaction it had at SDCC.

Best Escape from the Chaos:
Stern Pinball Lounge
I once again had the pleasure to visit the crew at the Stern Pinball Lounge and my son and I enjoyed some free games of Pinball on some of the best boards in the market. The big announcement from Stern related to its new Star Wars machine they are calling Star Wars Pin. The new machine is designed for home use and has had some of the mechanics for accepting coins removed to allow Stern to give people an arcade pinball experience at a lower cost. I had the chance to play this machine and the art and video features are pure retro glory. I got nostalgic just walking up to this game and had it not been pointed out to me that there were some slight modifications made to the machine I would have never known.

Biggest Surprise:
Top Gun: Maverick
My son needed to have at least one Hall H experience at SDCC so we decided to file into the room for the 20th anniversary of Batman Beyond.  We got there early, as all good con attendees should, and were pleasantly surprised to see Conan boasting about a huge celebrity we would soon encounter. This ended up being Tom Cruise and we got to enjoy the world premiere trailer for Top Gun: Maverick with 8,000 of our closest friends. It was an electric moment and my son is now hyped about seeing this film. Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

Top Three Exclusives:
I ended up with quite a few items from various booths around the floor, but my top three are my Toucan Funko Pop!, my Loyal Subjects Hot Wheels Bone Shaker, and my SDCC exclusive Locke and Key book Nailed it.  While the comic is brief, it has insights on other Locke and Key rumblings and I cannot get enough of Rodriguez's art.

Final Thoughts:
After around 12 or so trips to SDCC I am officially calling it quits. It has nothing to do with the enjoyment I get from attending or the quality of the programming (I think CCI and its employees and volunteers do an amazing job), but more that I am simply tired. Being able to bring my son the past two years has been great to experience it through his eyes. My daughter even joined us on Sunday and we met DJ Lance!! It will be tough to watch from the sidelines moving forward, but I look forward to getting a bit more sleep during the summer months.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Holiday Gift Guide: Toys and Collectibles

Vance - For anyone and everyone

Funko Pop! Vinyl

It probably seems weird to recommend something that has become so ubiquitous, but a new crop of Funko Pop! figures made me step back and really appreciate these things more than I had before. In the early 2000s, when I first became aware of designers producing toys specifically intended for adult collectors, things like McFarlane Toys' Edward Scissorhands and Ash Williams action figures and Simpsons Treehouse of Horror sets began decorating my bookshelves. But while each figure was cool enough, the assemblage quickly began to look ungainly. There was a lot of aesthetic disconnect, and the options for affordable collectibles of nerdy things I liked were pretty limited. Funko Pop! vinyl figures changed that, with a bewildering array of licensed properties and figures -- and at only $10. While I liked them (I mean, come on, they're stinkin' cute), it was sort of easy to make a punchline out of "Well, of course they have a Funko for that now." But here's the thing: I really like Warner Bros. Animation. And when Duck Dodgers, What's Opera Doc? Bugs and Elmer, Gossamer, the Animaniacs, Pinky & the Brain, and way more suddenly showed up over the last few months, I realized that there had been a Looney Tunes-shaped hole in my heart, that only adorably big-eyed collectibles could fill. And with even PBS (Bob Ross!) added to the lineup as well, I know that there's now a Funko Pop! for pretty much everybody on your list. 

Mike - For the nostalgic collector

Action Vinyls by The Loyal Subjects

The Loyal Subjects has really been upping its game lately. Featuring a line-up that included Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, G.I. Joe, and Masters of the Universe, the crew at TLS has recently added Dragonball Z, Thundercats, My Little Pony, How to Train Your Dragon and more! These fun little blind boxes would make excellent stocking stuffers and each figure features articulation (so you can actually play with them!) a collector's card, and most include an accessory. I have quite a few myself and I love it when my kids take them down off the shelf and play with them. It allows me to share a part of my childhood with them.

Mike - For the comic book fan with good taste in comics

Saga toys by Skybound

I would be lying (sorry) if I didn't say that I want all of the Saga toys.  I mean all of them.  Look at The Will and Lying Cat! Look at them! In addition to this amazing pair, the Skybound shop has other action figures, a Ghus plush, and Lying Cat statues in multiple colors! Won't someone please buy me a pink Lying Cat!  I think I've been pretty good this year.

Mike - For the Star Wars fan

Anything Porg by Funko, Hasbro and others

If someone on your shopping list is a fan of Star Wars then you owe it to them to give them all of the Porgs.  There are amazing Porg stuffed animals, a Porg Pez dispenser, Porg bobbleheads, talking Porgs, Porg pillows, Porgs that you stick on your car window with suction cups, and more! Porgs are the best and everyone on your list will see their quality of life improve with one (or more!) of these cute little birds in their lives.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Holiday Gift Guide: Toys and Novelties

Welcome to our annual Holiday Gift Guide where the flock takes a break from talking about all the awesome and not so awesome things to, well, talk about some more of the awesome things that you might want to consider for your Holiday shopping this year. Today we'll talk about toys and novelties, but throughout the week you will see other things to consider as well (games, apps, movies, and more).

And, as you can see from the first item on this list, everything is awesome and Legos are still the best!

Dean: for the gift to put under your tree

Lego: The Batman Movie set pictured, but any Lego set will do.

LEGOS

by The Lego Group

I say this every year, but you can't go wrong with Legos (shaddup about "the plural of Legos is Lego"). No, seriously, you can't. For anyone under 15, and a large number of people over, this is an easy gift. You can get some perfectly good kits for under $20, or if you want to put yourself in someone's good graces forever, anything from the Ultimate Collector Series is sure to impress, with myriad options in between.

Mike:  For the practical collector

Action Vinyls

by The Loyal Subjects

There are a wide range of vinyl collectibles on the market and they are great for the budget conscious collector who doesn't want to spend an arm and a leg.  What sets The Loyal Subjects apart against the competition is the "action" aspect of its vinyl figures.  Each blind box includes multiple accessories, and there are multiple points of articulation to boot.  Not only do you get the thrill of opening a blind box (who doesn't!), but you get a high quality figure that will really bring you back to your childhood.  They pull on all of your nostalgic heartstrings as any good collectible should, featuring Masters of the Universe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, G.I. Joe and more.  In addition to looking great on the shelf, they are a blast to play with!  One thing my son enjoys on a daily basis is hanging out in my office and playing with my toys. He is particularly fond of my MOTU vinyls.

Dean: For the adult collector

Star Wars pictured, but lines include Marvel, DC, and many more!

1/6 Scale Figures

by Sideshow Collectibles

Let's be honest- those of us on this site (Mike and I, anyway) have not abandoned our childhood love of toys. I have shelves in my office dedicated to them, and am in the middle of a Lego project that is no less than 36"x48". Not every gift has to be of the Lego UCS magnitude, but if someone who likes such things and you want to make their holiday, allow me to direct you to Sideshow Collectibles.  Detailed, high-end figures (read: dolls) for every geeky walk. It will set you back a couple hundred, but I guarantee you, it will be worth the smile on my face. I mean theirs. Whatever.

Mike:  For the gift that keeps on giving

Collector Corps Subscription

by Funko

My love of all things Funko is no secret and I was thrilled when they began to offer a subscription box.  There are other subscription boxes on the market, but only one that includes 100% Funko exclusive goodness.  While I am recommending the Marvel Collectors Corps subscription, they also offer DC and Star Wars boxes as well.  I personally love that these boxes only arrive every other month so you don't get too much stuff, and that if you are a Marvel fan you will enjoy every item.  Other subscription boxes include filler that needs to be tossed each month, but with the Funko boxes you get at least one exclusive Pop!, t-shirt, patch, pin, and more.

Dean:  For the toy to cram into a stocking

Action Figures

by Hasbro

Action figures! There is a certain subset of (sub-)humanity who is boycotting Star Wars because of its emphasis on diversity and multiculturalism. I assume you, gentle reader, celebrate this movement instead of oppose it (if not, you are probably on the wrong website). That said, when The Force Awakens came out, there was a problem in the representation among even the most basic of toys. Rogue One is making efforts to correct that, and for under $10, you can stuff a stocking with Jyn, Saw, Baze or any other of the brave Rebels struggling against Imperial tyranny. That sort of ideal might come in handy. You can up to the $20 range for the larger, more detailed "black" series.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012. 

Thursday Morning Superhero: SDCC Top 3's

Not sure how it all started, but my annual write-up of San Diego Comic Con has taken the form of Top 3 lists in the past couple of years, so I thought I would continue that tradition.  I first of all want to thank the staff and volunteers who help make SDCC as good as it can be.  From the extra police who help direct traffic, to the volunteers who make sure that line integrity is intact, the collective work of these individuals ensures a good time for the nearly 130,000 attendees.

Top 3 Trends:

1. RFID - This year SDCC, after testing it at Wonder Con, debuted badges that were RFID enabled.  Attendees had to scan in and out of the convention center to verify that their credentials were legit.  Fans were worried that it would create delays and that there would be major issues, but I did not see one person who had an issue with the system.  I also noticed that it seemed less crowded and wonder if the new badges helped cut down on counterfeits.  I think it is safe to say the new system worked great and is here to stay.

2. Hall H Wristbands - For the first time in my SDCC career, I joined a group to obtain Hall H wristbands.  While there was minor drama during the issuing of wristbands in our area, the expectations seemed clear, the staff were all very polite and well informed, and the other attendees who camped out near us were a delight to be around.  While some people do camp out all day and overnight, one person can hold the spot for up to five individuals so many groups operated in shifts.  Once you have the prized wristband you are free to return to your hotel and are guaranteed admission the next day.

3. Lotteries - Everything came down to chance this year.  If you wanted a Hasbro exclusive or an autograph at the Warner Brothers booth, you had to line up early, proceed to the Sails Pavilion, and hope for a lucky draw.  This was an effort to prevent camping out for exclusives and to allow attendees the same odds as exhibitors and it seems like it will remain.  I was successful in an online lottery for the Funko booth and also was successful getting a Conan Pop! through this system.  Hooray for me!

Eddie shows off his wand from @noblecollection. Follow Wizarding_World on Snapchat! #FantasticBeasts #SDCC2016 pic.twitter.com/bob67OgIaI

— Fantastic Beasts (@FantasticBeasts) July 24, 2016

Top 3 Panels:

1. Warner Brothers - I was one of the few individuals who went through the effort to get a Saturday badge and bail after one panel.  Despite not getting the most bang for my buck, this panel absolutely blew me away.  Moderated by Conan O'Brien and featuring a line-up that included Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, Lego Batman, Harry Potter: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and more, fans were treated to a series of amazing trailers and brief conversations with the directors and stars.  The highlight was when Eddie Redmayne, who portrays Newt Scamander in the film, helped pass out over 6,000 wands so we could cast a Lumos Maxima spell to brighten up the usually dark Hall H.  I have chills just thinking about the site of the entire Hall H population raising their wands in the air.

2. Lego Dimensions - While I am a fan of Lego Dimensions myself, I attended this panel to get my son an exclusive Green Arrow figure and bring him the inside scoop of what the future held.  Moderated by Kinda Funny's Greg Miller, the panel was full of laughs and surprises and was a pure delight.  Miller had a great report with the creators and the tone was light and fun, just like the game.  They also brought out a pair of legendary voice actors in John DiMaggio, who I love as Bender, and Roger Craig Smith, the voice of Sonic.  Fans don't have to worry about purchasing another starter kit for at least two more years, and the next year will bring fans the new Ghostbusters, Harry Potter (both classic and Fantastic Beasts), Sonic, Adventure Time, Goonies, Gremlins, and more.  The number of licenses that they are including that will appeal to both parents and kids is absolutely amazing. 

3. South Park: 20th Anniversary - Featuring a clip reel that informed us how many times Stan has thrown up, Randy has been arrested, Kenny was killed, Cartman took a dump, and more, this panel was a pure delight from start to finish.  It was great to hear about how a viral video that was spread through VHS copies in the mail grew to one of the most dominating pop culture forces in the world.  My favorite anecdote was how they already had the perfect story for Pokemon Go, when the Chinpokemon that the boys included tacking chips so that the Japanese government knew where the American children were.  They plan on suing Niantic for stealing the idea for their game from a cartoon from 1999.  They may have been joking about that one.

Top 3 Exclusives:

1. Indiana Jones Funko Pop! - This was my grail item, pun intended, and thanks to my preview night wristband he is all mine.  I barely made the cut as he was down to single digits while the friendly Funko staff was loading up my bag.  He immediately made his way into a protector and is happily on display in my home office.  While it has been confirmed that Disney Parks will carry an Indiana Jones Pop! at its attractions, the one with Indy holding the idol was only available at SDCC.

2. Skeletor from The Loyal Subjects - I started collecting the action vinyls that TLS makes this year and had the good fortune of not only securing this, but attending a TLS dinner that was all about collectors.  It is clear that TLS cares about its collectors and is creating some of the best toys on the market.

3. Saga Action Figures - When I saw that the Skybound Booth was going to carry a two-pack of Marko and Alana I knew I wanted them.  I planned on passing on them as I felt I had spent enough on my annual journey, but as a buddy of mine and as Lying Cat pointed out, I was lying.  I picked this pair up on Saturday and am thrilled to have them in my collection.

Top 3 Off-Sites:

1. Funko Fundays - Being one of the lucky few to get pulled off the waiting list after it sold out in seconds, I was able to attend my third Fundays.  Through the kindness of another Funatic (the term for those who participate in the Funko forums) I was able to join his family and have an absolute blast.  Funko changed the format to keep fans from battling each other over the exclusive prizes, and brought out all of the stops as they entertained over 1,000 of their fans.  The highlight to me was when they passed out Funko bars to the fans, four of which contained golden tickets for a tour of the Funko headquarters.  This all occurred as Oompa Loompas danced down the stage and the Funko CEO was decked out in Willy Wonka attire.  While I didn't win, it was clearly one of the best promotions I have ever been a part of.

2. The Conan O'Brien Show - I had the good fortune to get tickets for the second year in a row for the taping of the Conan O'Brien show at SDCC.  As usual both Conan and Andy were hilarious.  The taping I went to included Nick Kroll, the stars from Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl, with a musical performance from Weird Al Yankovich. This show was made to be taped at SDCC and I think it has been confirmed that it will return for a third year.  I wouldn't be surprised to see other shows follow suit as this has been wildly successful. 

3. South Park: 20th Anniversary - While basic in nature, the South Park off-site allowed fans to take pictures in iconic scenes from the 20 years of this show.  I was able to take my picture on the famous couch, with Awesome-O, in prison at Casa Bonita, and more.  It included fake costumes and props from the show, which was hilarious, and even had a brief shout out to Canada as you exited the event.  Each scene was extremely well made and the workers at the event all happily took your picture and did a great job.  I would love to see other events as simple and effective as this moving forward.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.