San Diego Comic Con 2017 starts this week with Preview Night on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, and here are some of the things we’re most excited about!
Voltron
Have you heard about Voltron: Legendary Defender? If not, this must be the first thing you’ve ever read by me! Voltron is totally my jam and they are coming to SDCC in a big way. You can also check out my coverage of Voltron at last year’s SDCC.
On Thursday at 10:30am, DreamWorks is hosting a Voltron: Legendary Defender panel with executive producer Joaquim Dos Santos, co-executive producer Lauren Montgomery, Bex Taylor-Klaus, and Tyler Labine. They will be premiering the first episode of Season 3 at the panel! Attendees will also receive an exclusive poster that joins up with the NYCC poster. At 2pm, following the panel, there is also going to be a Voltron cosplay and fan meetup at the FANDOM Fest at the Petco Interactive Zone.
Then on Friday at 10:30am, Joaquim Dos Santos, Lauren Montgomery, Bex Taylor-Klaus, and Tyler Labine will be signing autographs in the Autograph area in the Sails Pavilion.
And if you’re a fan of Hunk and his green goo, Hunk’s Food Goo Replication Station (a food truck) will be at Petco Interactive Zone all weekend serving up goo!
You can also stop by Lion Forge Comics at Booth #1903 to get free Black Lion masks (while supplies last), a massive 22″x34″ 4-Color poster (while supplies last), and a 4-color bookmark. They’ll also be selling Voltron Legendary Defender Volume 1 which collects issues 1-5 of the miniseries.
And lastly, Entertainment Earth at Booth #2343 will be selling the all-new die-cast Voltron: Legendary Defender lions! These toys won’t be on sale in stores until the Fall!
The LAIKA Experience
I am a huge fan of everything LAIKA does, and even got to attend a press conference and screening with some of the cast and creators of Kubo and the Two Strings last year. I was sad to have missed out at the LAIKA Experience at Universal Studios, so I’m very excited to be able to see the SDCC version of it. The LAIKA Experience will be in the Gaslamp District (520 Fifth Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101) from July 14th-23rd (yes, this means anyone can attend, even without a badge!) In addition, characters from Kubo will be at the LAIKA photo booth at Balboa Park during the PRIDE festival handing out LAIKA headbands. Lastly, Travis Knight, CEO of LAIKA will be doing a Facebook Live Tour of the LAIKA Experience on July 21st at 2pm followed by an autograph session.
Recoil
This new game coming to stores in August allows you to turn any outdoor space into a digitally-enhanced multiplayer battlefield–an IRL first-person shooter! Recoil will be taking over 10,000 square feet near SDCC to allow early access to try the game out before it’s release. I already have my time scheduled to try it out myself, and I can’t wait! A game typically lasts about 5 minutes and is sure to be fun, exhilarating, and a bit of a workout too! In the meantime, check-out this fun video they made to advertise the game.
Cosplay
By now, most of our readers probably know how much I love cosplay. It’s my favorite part of any convention I go to. Not only do I love seeing all the great cosplay and watching the competitions, but I love wearing my own and showing off my costumes and props since its what I do for my “day job”. This year I’ll be bringing Keith from Voltron: Legendary Defender, Ashitaka, Pirate Kanan, and maybe a surprise or two if I can get them done in time (con crunch is real!) I’m also looking forward to the masquerade again this year.
Exclusives
I already mentioned it above, but in case you missed it, Entertainment Earth at Booth #2343 will be selling the all-new die-cast Voltron: Legendary Defender lions! These toys won’t be on sale in stores until the Fall. This is my biggest exclusive want.
Just like last year, Hasbro also has a slew of great exclusives. But the only one I can’t live without is the Revolution boxed set. I’m really not even sure where to start in this. Jetfire has always been my favorite Transformer. I loved M.A.S.K. and have toyed with the idea of doing a Matt Trakker cosplay. I also missed out on the last time a Matt Trakker toy was made. I purchased it on eBay TWICE and both times it never arrived. I took it as a sign. Apparently a sign that I had to wait many years for this version to come out! I had ALL the Visionaries. I read ROM religiously. And while I could never get into the way Roadblock spoke, I probably watched and played G.I. Joe more than anything else. A plenitude of cheap action figures goes a long way! Action Man and Micronauts are also in here which I never followed. For more details, read GeekDad’s detailed description of the Revolution set.
And that’s not the only Transformers exclusive! Paul Rodriguez’s Primitive brand themed Optimus Prime is stunning in black and gold. He comes in a skateboarding shoe-inspired box, and includes hoverboard-riding Titan Master figure, Shreddicus Maximus.
The only exclusive I actually purchased at SDCC last year was the Marko and Alana Saga figure set, so it’s a sure bet, I’ll be picking up this cool The Will and Lying Cat set to complement them! Also, I just realized that not cosplaying The Will is a definite missed opportunity for me, but I am planning a different Saga based cosplay for later this year. Thank you, Skybound!
Blizzard
If only Blizzard were bringing some nice cold weather with them… Well, they are bringing the next best thing! To celebrate the recent announcement of the Hearthstone expansion, Blizzard is bringing three Knights of the Frozen Throne-themed events to SDCC.
Hearthstone Tavern
Join Blizzard for complimentary food, drinks, a variety of games, including Hearthstone’s Tavern Brawl and corn hole. Photo ops with Hearthstone esports team, Tempo Storm, Lich King’s Frozen Thrown, and his pet dragon, Sindagrossa, modeled by cosplayer Jessica Nigri.
WHERE: Knotty Barrel, 844 Market St, San Diego, CA 92101
WHEN: Saturday, July 22 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Ice Cream Citadel
The villainous Lich King’s Ice Crown Citadel is now the Ice Cream Citadel! Enjoy free liquid nitrogen ice cream and take picture with Blizzard’s most infamous villain, The Lich King on his Frozen Throne. Meet cosplayer Jessica Nigri dressed up as the Lich King’s pet dragon, Sindagrossa, for a photo op on Thursday, 7/20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. PT
WHERE: Petco Park, 100 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101 (across from the SD Convention Center)
WHEN: Thursday, July 20 – Sunday, July 23, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. PT (9 a.m. – 5 p.m. PT on Sunday only)
Knights of the Frozen Throne Pedicab
Catch a ride on Hearthstone’s Knights of the Frozen Throne pedicab from the convention center to the villain Lich King’s Ice Cream Citadel and Blizzard Tavern (Saturday only).
WHERE: San Diego Convention Center (Lobby C and Lobby F) to Ice Cream Citadel (Petco Park) and the Blizzard Tavern (Knotty Barrel, 844 Market St, San Diego, CA 92101)
WHEN:
Thursday, July 20: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m. PT
Friday, July 21: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. PT
Saturday, July 22: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. PT (will take riders to the Blizzard Tavern)
If you see as at the convention, feel free to stop us and say hello. What are you most looking forward to about SDCC 2017?
Very cool! This will be my 5th year going, and the excitement never wanes. I’m looking hard at that Revolution box, too! No cosplay for me this year (I’ve joined the 501st as a sand trooper in previous years), but looking forward to Hall H Saturday and Doctor Who Sunday! Hope to see you there!
Please say hi if you see me! My only Hall H plans currently are the Preacher panel!