TN at Comic-Con: Saturday – Hall H Takeover and Goodbyes

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When it’s your last day at Comic-Con, you either go big or you go home. Of course, by the time you’re reading this, we are going home. But our Saturday at Comic Con was big. How big you ask? Hall H big, baby.

To get into Hall H is a science I don’t pretend to understand. There’s waiting in lines that form what I’m pretty certain is a crop circle pattern. Then you get a wristband and you can leave or stay in the crop circle pattern. Next, you give up your first born child to sit in the front row. Okay, so that last part is false, at least I hope it is.

But I really understand why people spend an entire day outside in the heat and humidity, waiting for that wristband because Hall H on Saturday is an experience that fills your Instagram with posts to make everyone who follows you jealous with Hulk rage.

Warner Brothers and DC Films

After fueling up on much needed coffee, Beth and I crammed into the green line train and headed to Hall H. I think we both deserve medals for not spilling our hot drinks on people dressed like The Green Lantern whenever the train came to a sudden stop.

After dodging grown adults dressed like Powderpuff Girls and men screaming at passersby that they would burn in eternal damnation for attending Comic-Con, we finally made it into Hall H. I’m thoroughly convinced that this part of the convention center was designed specifically for panels like Warner Brothers and DC Films. Rather than just the Jumbotron in the front center of the room, there’s a massive panorama screen that gives you whiplash from looking back and forth, and if the reverberation from the speakers doesn’t make you pee your pants a little, they’ve failed.

When Nik and I attended last year, Warner Brothers rolled out so many upcoming movies, it was hard to keep track. This year, they trimmed the number of films shown, but what they did show made me fangirl all the way.

Ready Player One

Note to all other panels, this is how you kick if off…

…with Steven Spielberg and Ready Player One.

Based on the popular 2011 novel of the same name, the trailer was everything you wanted and that which you didn’t know you needed. Seriously, guys. This movie made Beth and I scream, and I may have had tears in my eyes. It perfectly captured the dystopian world created by Ernest Cline – also at the panel – and made all of us pop culture junkies who still consider blowing dust in their Atari cartridges as cleaning cry tears of joy. And who better to capture that world than the man who made us travel back to the future or walk with dinosaurs than Steven Spielberg.

The best part of the trailer? Um, all of it but try to spot the DeLorean.

Blade Runner 2049

Go ahead and be jealous. I understand.

Harrison Ford returns to the future, this time with Ryan Gosling. Quite honestly, this panel went by so quick that I forgot what they discussed but the highlight came when a fan asked Harrison Ford if he was planning on rebooting all of his old movie franchises. His answer? “You bet your ass I am.”

Oh, Harrison. We’ve missed you.

Also, insert humble brag:

DC Films

Closing this panel was what many were waiting for and essentially cosplaying for: The Justice League. Opening up this panel was Aquaman himself, Jason Momoa and his trident – not a ephumism. Yes, I screamed and yes, you may go ahead with your puns about getting drenched when seeing him, you heathens.

They showed a brief scene from the still incomplete Aquaman. Guys, I’m a little torn: on the one hand we have Jason Momoa shirtless and with forever sex hair. On the other hand, there seemed to be mechanical sharks. Mechanical. Sharks. I’m reserving judgement, but the struggle is real, people. It’s real.

But Jason was just the hype man for the rest of the Justice League.

First impressions: I want Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller to have a buddy cop comedy. Their bromance is beautiful and needs to be immortalized. Second, Ray Fisher is all of us and made me smile. Third, it is clear that Ben Affleck is still attempting to get over Sadfleck and constantly reminded us that he loved being Batman because when you have to say it over and over, it must be true. Um, sure. But who got the most love out of all of them?

This amazonian goddess.

But get ready for the DC Film universe to expand: we will see a solo Batman film, Shazaam, Batgirl, Wonder Woman 2, Suicide Squad 2 (Why?), and Justice League Dark just to name a few.

Stranger Things

Beth and I took a Hall H break and refueled (i.e. found lunch and Beth found a Coke), but we reconnected with Bekah and Nikki just in time for the Stranger Things panel.

Here’s just a few epiphanies we had during this panel:

  • Stranger Things’ creators Matt and Ross Duffer are twins, and even better – hot twins. Get ready for the slo-motion goodness in 3, 2, 1..

  • We have some new additions to the cast, including Paul Reiser who may or may not be evil.
  • Millie Bobby Brown is still goals all the way and I really want her stylist to dress me. 
  • We’re still not over Barb, and neither is Shannon Purser who surprised the crowd by asking the first audience question: “Will Barb be back this season?” #JusticeForBarb 
  • This trailer has us both scared and ready for Stranger Things’ second season. Get ready for the “Thriller” to stay in your head for the rest of the day.

Elsewhere at the Con by Katy

I’m going to start with a little Friday update, because cosplay is effing exhausting, and I fell asleep before posting. I haven’t read Marvel’s Secret Empire comics, but I’ve seen the twitter drama that erupted over the decision to take Captain America to the darks side. This panel touched briefly on controversy, with writer Nick Spencer defended the choice as a way to explore contemporary questions about what happens when authority isn’t questioned, and what people are will give up for safety.

I can’t speak to whether they were successful, but the upcoming issues look amazing, with stellar artwork from Andrea Sorrentino and Sean Izaakse (a woman) in particular. And look for a Secret Empire crossover in Captain America #25! The Geek and Sundry panel turned me onto what looks like an amazing video game for TNers, called Dream Daddy. It’s a gay dad date simulation game, where you “play as a Dad and your goal is to meet and romance other hot Dads.”

Here’s a trailer:

source

I will be playing this. (Also: look for the Top 5 Moments of the Vikings panel, coming soon!)

On Saturday, Bri, Patricia, and I hit room 6bcf to preview 2 upcoming TV series, Happy (SyFy) and Midnight, Texas (NBC). Happy is based on a 4 issue comic by Grant Morrison, and it tells the story of a disgraced cop (the awesome Chris Meloni), who is brought back from the brink of death after a shooting to find he has an imaginary (?) floating blue unicorn fairy horse (voiced by Patton Oswalt) companion. The unicorn horse is actually the imaginary friend to a little girl who has been kidnapped, and wants Meloni to help him find his girl. The show looks like an insane mix of wackiness and violence, and both Meloni and Oswalt are perfectly cast.

Midnight, Texas brings Charmaine Harris’s (True Blood) book series to the screen. It’s the story of a wayward gypsy necromancer (Francois Arnaud) who relocates to a small town in Texas full of freaky creatures (on the advice of his dead Grandma) to escape a violent creditor. The pilot was very “piloty” (a lot of telling instead of showing), but if the writing evens out it could be entertaining. Plus there’s a hot-Jesus angel played by Smith of SATC (Jason Lewis), which is kind of all I need in a show. Unlike Happy, which will probably premiere next year some time, you won’t have to wait for Midnight, Texas – it premieres tomorrow (July 24th) at 10/9c!

Patricia

Last year, I celebrated my birthday with Clive Standen of Vikings. This year, I helped Parisa Fitz Henley, of Midnight, Texas, blow out the candles on our, er, her birthday cake.

This is turning into a tradition. Which celeb should I celebrate a joint birthday with next Comic Con?

NBC Party

How does That’s Normal say goodbye to Comic Con 2017? By getting the whole #TNSDCC crew together, and partaking in free drinks and food at the NBC party.

That’s Normal Crew with our friend, Robyn Harney. Our eyes are always like that when there’s free mojitos around. 

This is my favorite time of Comic Con. Typically, we’re all busy rushing from one panel to the next in all different directions that we rarely see each other. The NBC party gives us that chance to finally take a breather, have a free drink or five, and be together. I know that I’m biased but this is the best group of women and if you disagree, you’re just jealous.

Oh, and we met Chris Hardwick. Y’know, no big deal.

That’s a wrap on San Diego Comic Con 2017! We came, we saw, we conquered and we found great restaurants. Now, we all need to catch up on our sleep but you know what? It was worth it. 

San Diego Comic Con may be over, but we’re not. Check back for even more #TNSDCC coverage (including Twitter and Instagram), and don’t miss out on our #Hangoutlander Comic Con edition!

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