Traffic Jams, Panel Overload, and Long Lines: Comic-Con 2008 Wrap-Up
First of all, true confession time: I was so exhausted from the last few days at Comic-Con that I drifted off to sleep on the couch last night before the start of Mad Men's second season opener, so we'll sadly have to wait until tomorrow to talk about that. (Trust me, I was bummed when I woke up with a crick in my neck and realized that I could barely keep my eyelids open enough to catch up with the gang at Sterling-Cooper.)Comic-Con 2008 was certainly a convention to remember. One fellow press attendee remarked to me that it was a year in which everyone seemed to be unhappy. I can certainly understand the frustration, from the six and a half hour car ride down from Los Angeles on Thursday (thanks to that overturned Vons semi that flipped over, spilled food all over the I-5, and caught on fire) that tested my patience and sanity (though did allow me to send some emails while I remained motionless for several hours), to the technical glitch at the Fringe press room that all but made the event pointless, to the lines everywhere: for panels, restrooms, food, parties, and escalators. (Yes, there were mammoth lines for the escalators.)
Lost, was of course, a highlight for many a fan, particularly those--I would assume--who camped out overnight (and the several thousand who waited a good seven hours that morning) to get a glimpse of the Lost panel... after they had sat through the one for Heroes in the behemoth Hall H. Damon and Carlton were in fine form, as always. (Earlier, I spied them at our hotel discussing whether or not they should stay on the line for coffee, with Carlton insisting, "This is not the best use of our time." Even creative visionaries have to wait for their caffeine fix at Comic-Con, it would seem.) And nothing will top that one guy's spot-on appropriation of Jorge Garcia's Hurley. Wait, that was a costume, right?
Missed the convention? Here's a handy catch-up of the panels, with interviews with the cast of Chuck and Battlestar Galactica to come (along with a few other tidbits), once I get around to transcribing them: