Just a quick update from the one KNOWN WiFi hotspot, in the main hall.

To say I “Saw” the “Community” panel would be a misrepresentation… I was so far back it was silly. I was there, live, watching it off the screen, does that count? I feel like it doesn’t. Perhaps I’m spoiled after GREAT seats for GoT, Spielberg/Jackson and Coppola.

Speaking of which the Coppola panel was a mixed bag – Good news and bad. The bad news is, it certainly wasn’t the panel I’D have drawn up, the good news is, it had a bunch of funny moments. Also, the new movie he’s promoting “TWIXT” looks promising… It stars Val Kilmer (who was on the panel) and Elle Fanning. Its got this vampire high concept, mixed with an author (Kilmer) who dreams of Edgar Allen Poe, and somehow talks with a ghostly Elle Fanning. It looked moody and unique… The conversation scenes with Fanning had a “Sin City” look about them.

I’ll post more about it tonight. Plus I got video to share for when I get home.

In the meantime, Saturday is the BEST day for costumes! I have to go take pics! I’ll try to do a dump in a few hours!!

Yes!!!!

There has been a Comic-Con Miracle!!!

In 2009 it was when I got in (read: cut in) line for “Dexter” with only 45 minutes to go. This year, I walked from Hall H to the Hilton and walked RIGHT IN to the Indigo Ballroom, where I’m currently awaiting the cast of Community!!

Got to go…. Lights dimming!!

FULL DISCLOSURE: wrote this over an hour ago and it failed to post. Evil WiFi won that battle…

Greetings from the line for Hall H! I took a slight gamble and came “late” this morning (7am for an 11 am panel). My Comic-Con instincts proved accurate… I have a similar spot in line as I did yesterday, when I wound up with SPECTACULAR seats.

Today’s plan is to catch Francis Ford Coppola, who’s here presenting his upcoming movie “TWIXT”. I don’t know anything about it, but it’s Coppola, so I’m there.

The Coppola panel springs at 12:45. The “Community” panel starts at 1. I’m going to make myself available for a Comic-Con miracle and see if there’s any chance that that panel doesn’t fill up. It IS being held “off-site” at the Hilton across the street. I don’t know how gnarly that line is going to be.

Later in the day is “Fringe”. If I don’t have to sacrifice my entire day on the floor, I’ll suck it up and brave the Ballroom 20 line again.

Speaking of Ballroom 20 lines, people are calling yesterday’s Ballroom 20 line “The longest line in Comic-Con history” of course, that’s just line gossip, but I know Jay quit it after 2 hours, giving up hope. The schedule began with “The Walking Dead”, ended with “True Blood”, and in between was a bunch of geek friendly shows like “Eureka” and “Warehouse 13″. So I guess it’s not surprising. I still think it’s mainly a factor of the lack of a “WOW” movie being presented (like “The Avengers”), so people were like, well, then, there is no WAY I’m missing “True Blood”!

So I’ll be here in line til 11. I’ll be in panels (hopefully) for a couple hours after. So I’ll be radio silent til 2ish (here) at least. But after that, today’s the day the costumes REALLY come out… I’ll be taking loads of pics! You won’t want to miss!

In the meantime, I’ll be roughing it out here in line…

Greetings from the lobby of the Yacht Harbor Best Western, where you have to be if you want WiFi.

Been home for a little while from day 2. Had some pizza already, I’m gonna post this up and CRASH.

As I posted, this morning was all about Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson. It was awesome, but I covered it pretty well, so we won’t revisit it.

I stayed in Hall H for the next panel as well, Relativity Media. Relativity had two movies to present, “Haywire” and “The Raven”.

Click through to read about them, plus a TON of pics from Day 2!!!

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Greetings from a seat on the floor in the main hall…

I’m one of the people who have fallen by the wayside. Too weak to go on. I’m glad I’m not an antelope, I would get eaten.

I’m recharging my batteries. Literally and figuratively. Food for me, juice for my gadgets.

Getting up at 4 for a panel has it’s rewards and it’s costs. I was HANDILY rewarded. Now I’m paying the cost. Jay is in line for Ballroom 20. I don’t think I can take it. I like True Blood, but standing in line for another 3 hours… F—————- THAT.

Aside from Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson, I caught John Cusack on the “Raven” panel – the upcoming movie where he plays Poe. Looks great, more on that later tonight. For now, WiFi is strong… I’m going to do a picture dump!

CLICK THROUGH TO SEE THE REST OF THIS BATCH OF PICTURES!!

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Ho.Ly. Shit.

That was awesome. First of all, not that he needed one, but Steven Spielberg had a “surprise guest” – Peter Jackson.

They talked a lot about Tin Tin, which goes without saying. How they each found Tin Tin, what it was like making it, what it was like using mo cap. They showed… had to be 5 minutes from the film? I have to say, I REALLY like what I see, and I’m not just saying that because I just was given such a special treat. I mean, I don’t know anything about the property really, I’ve never read any. But it looks fun, adventurous, exciting… Like a young Indianna Jones.

Speaking of which, these two were very cool about discussing – or name drooping at least – their older movies. Trust me, not all panel guests will do that. But Spielberg talked about how ET inspired him to have children (his attachment to the young actors), mentioned how he doesn’t want to see anymore “Jaws”. Peter Jackson shared how he was inspired by “Jurassic Park”

The panel kicked off with a Spielberg highlight reel if you will. Just greatest hits montage to get the crowd psyched. And you know? I’ve never really seen anything like that, God did it put some perspective on just how MANY awesome movies the man has given us.

Comic-Con then awarded him their “Inkpot Award” for his contribution to Pop Culture.

Quickly thereafter, Jackson was introduced, and the two of them spent an hour on stage, discussing directing, producing, and being fans of Movies.

Eventually they turned to questions from the audience, and Andy Serkis (Gollum, King Kong) made a guest appearance with a comedic question. Eventually, the panel ended with the last questioner wearing a TShirt that said “I just want to meet Steven Spielberg, shake his hand and say ‘Thank You’”

I think he was speaking for all of us.

But they brought this lucky guy up on stage, let him shake Spielberg’s hand, and He and Peter Jackson took turns taking pictures of the fan with each other, pretending as if they were directing. The crowd went wild.

I’m still blown away to be honest.

I took video, if all goes according to plan, I’ll share with you all at the beginning of next week. And remember, the video will be better than these crappy pictures out of my bad camera…

Greetings from the line for Hall H. The sun hasn’t risen yet, it’s 4:51 am.

I’m in line to see Steven Spielberg present his upcoming movie “The Adventures of Tin Tin: The Secret of the Unicorn”.

I’m not the first in line. In fact, there’s an entire column already full. A makeshift campground… People in sleeping bags who camped out all night, or at the very least, got here before 4:30 am.

Why so early? Well there’s a big difference in the quality of the experience between being on the back of this enormous Hall and being up front. Enormous difference. And of course, it’s Spielberg.

WiFi seems pretty good, so I may make a post or two out of boredom. But the truth is, there won’t be much to report until the show is over. It doesnt even start til 11!

In the meantime, enjoy THIS aspect of the Comic-Con experience with me!

THE WALKBRIDGE LIGHTS UP AT NIGHT!

THEY SHOULD QUARANTINE THIS AREA, THESE ARE SOME SICK PEOPLE…

Greetings from the Yacht Harbor Best Western in San Diego, CA.

Decompressing after a tough, but typical day 1. Got a little sunburn, got a bit of a backache, but I saw two great panels, caught a couple of lead in panels. Got Chewbacca and Lacey Underall’s autographs. Had a really really great Pizza across the street once we got back.

The day started waiting in line, and ended in Hall H watching Jon Favreau and Guillermo Del Toro shooting the shit and talking about movies.

Here’s a few pictures from the floor I didn’t get to upload earlier. I had an hour or so on the floor before I had to pick up my passes for the next three days and get in Line for GoT.

HULK SMASH

Click through for more about my day one experience, plus a bunch more pics!

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Greetings from Ballroom 20, Comic-Con’s home for tv panels. I made it through the line in time to join the “Ringer” panel in progress. “Game of Thrones” begins in 20 minutes.

That line was rough. When you see signs in front of you that say 2500 people in front of you, it might as well say “Abandon all hope all ye in line here.”

For those of you who can’t read what’s written in pen beneath, that’s a comic-con geek reminding the sign makers that “people” is not a unit of time.

It’s a gorgeous setting to wait in though. Here’s a couple of quick pics while I wait for “GoT”