Hello Dojo members from the 2009 SDCC! What a madhouse it was on preview night...fortunately I was able to get in and explore the massive exhibit hall a few hours before the doors opened. Some of the highlights included an awesome Iron Man display, featuring all 4 full-size suits! Transformers' BumbleBee was also on display...a life-size robot plus the Camaro! The Star Wars booth was rocking with full size Clone Wars figures. There was also a very cool life-size Wolverine bearing a striking likeness to one Hugh Jackman. Over at Stan's booth, fans could get ahold of the latest UY Hardcover (Book 23), Sketchbook 6, and tons of portfolio art. Over at SideShow Collectibles (one of my all time fave exhibits) there were some extremely cool maquettes on display...including new Aliens/Predator, GI Joe, Star Trek, Star Wars, and Marvel/DC heroes. I also got to see the new "classic" TMNT action figures (very cool looking), as well as a full size Batcycle replica. Awesome!
Full photo coverage is on the UYD's 2009 SDCC photo album. Here are a few highlights and commentary from Day 1 - PREVIEW NIGHT:
The Mighty Stan at his booth
Stan's booth featured tons of UY stuff for sale
Another shot of Stan's booth
A new UY fanatic is born.....
The Dark Horse Booth
The Hasbro-GI Joe-Transformers booth was rockin'!
Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes at the Hasbro booth
Star Wars booth and Clone Wars life-size figures
This isn't really Hugh Jackman...honestly. I figured that out after pleading for an autograph.
Super-sized Bumblebee from the Transformers plus the all new Chevy Camaro. Marketing at its finest.
Yoda stabs a Clone Trooper with his lightsaber....SWEET! (From SideShow)
Alien Warrior maquette from the movie Aliens...I HAVE TO OWN THIS FOR MY HOME THEATER...only $800!
The PredAlien from AVPR...TERRIBLE movie...AWESOME life-size bust.
The new classic TMNT action figures! I gotta get these....hopefully a classic Usagi isn't too far behind. Peter Laird are you reading this?!?!?
Actions figures from...A Christmas Story??? YES! It's finally going to happen! Ralphie, Randy, and the gang from one of my fave flicks. Even the Old Man gets a figure!
The Batcycle! What I wouldn't give to take this baby for a spin....
Full size Iron Man suits....unbelievably cool...
PORTFOLIO ART FROM STAN'S BOOTH
Someone commissioned Stan to do a re-creation of the cover from the UY Summer Special! UNFRAKKINBELIEVABLE!!! AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!!!
TMNT by Stan in watercolors
Usagi vs Dino-Tokage
The Woodcutters! Generic Peasant Couple! Deserving of their own comic book series....
Usagi and Leo!
More portfoilio art in the 2009 SDCC PHOTO ALBUM!!!
Day 2: Thursday
Today was a long day! I roamed the exhibit hall for about an hour and a half before it opened, snapping a few shots of stuff I missed before. Once the crowds moved in made my way over to the Hobbit panel, only to turn away because it was full...went to the Astro Boy panel instead. They showed some footage of the new CGI movie, and it looked good. The only qualm I have is the supporting human characters are too Pixar/Disneyesque (think Incredibles, TMNT, etc), save for Astro Boy himself, who is very much Tezuka-influenced. Kristen Bell was there as was Freddie Highmore (voicing Astro Boy). The footage they showed looked very promising!
After Astro Boy I went back down the the Exhibit Hall (WHAT A NIGHTMARE), to see if Roel had set up the UY Maquette showcase. On my way I saw Bruce Campbell, one of my fave actors (mobbed by fans of course). As I was approaching the Usagi Booth, Stan called to say that Roel had arrived! YES!!! The Usagi maquettes look absolutely amazing in person. The photos do not really do them justice, that's for sure. I took lots of close-ups of the figures and display. What an awesome setup! Shoji screens, lanterns, and a lighted backdrop with Neko Ninja silhouettes... Photos below!
After meeting Roel (a very cool dude) and showering him with compliments about they stunning work the maquettes represent, I flew up to the Battlestar Galactica #1 panel (#2 is tomorrow). Then it was down to Hall H to catch a 25-minute clip of James Cameron's Avatar. Sweet-looking movie. Definitely going to catch this one! Sigourney Weaver and cast were there as was the man himself James Cameron!
Next up was was the Robotech panel...nothing ground-breaking there unfortunately. A little more news on the live-action movie. After this it was time to call it a night! Tomorrow is Star Wars day, my favorite day of the Con...wooo hooo!
I uploaded more shots from the con in the UYD's 2009 SDCC Photo Album....
Highlights from Today:
Around the Exhibit Hall
The Black Beauty on display from the new Seth Rogen GREEN HORNET movie!
Predator!
Robotech/Macross!
Bruce "THE MAN" Campbell sighting!
Slave Leia and Iron Man!
Freddie Highmore -- the voice of Astro Boy
Kristen Bell -- voice actress in Astro Boy
James Cameron talks about AVATAR!
Little man is passed out!
Photos of the Usagi Yojimbo 25th Anniversary Maquettes -- courtesy of Roel Robles
Roel Robles and Stan
Day 3: Friday (Star Wars Day)
Star Wars day started off with another early morning run through the Exhibit Hall and a few more photos, shopping, and sightseeing. Anthony wore his Jedi livery and had his new lightsaber with him. On the way to Ballroom 20 to catch the Stargate-Battlestar Galactica-Caprica-Big Bang Theory-24 panels, we stopped off so he could spar and take photos with other Jedi and Sith. This little dude proved more than a match for the likes of them!
The Ballroom 20 panels were great. The high points for me were the BSG/Caprica and 24 panels, of which I am a huge fan of both series. BSG's panel included discussion on Caprica and BSG: The Plan, a new 2-hour movie event detailing the Cylon's plan to destroy humanity....Edward James Olmos and Grace Park were there along with Esai Morales from Caprica. 24's panel had Keifer Sutherland, Katee Sackhoff, Freddie Prinze Jr, Mary Lynn Rajkub, and Anil Kapoor (Slumdog Millionaire's Game Show Host). Sweet!
After this it was down to Hall H to catch the Star Wars Spectacular and the Peter Jackson/James Cameron panel. Both were great but the Star Wars panel left a lot to be desired, info-wise. Co-host Olivia Munn more than made up for it though. They announced that Star Wars Celebration 5 was coming next summer but no firm date or location...
After that it was off to the Klingon Lifestyles Presentation and then the Star Wars Fan Film Awards. My personal fave film was "Saber"... http://www.atom.com/funny_videos/sw_saber/ -- as was the fans themselves...this one pulled in two awards!
Photos from Star Wars Day (more in the SDCC2009 Album)
http://usagiyojimbo.com/conventions/gal ... temId=2066
Star Wars Day was in full effect!
What better way to start off SW Day than a pic of everyone's favorite space ship???
Anthony Shogun makes new friends....
Sparring with Obi-Wan Kenobi
More Anthony Jedi/Sith photos
24 panel featuring Katee Sackhoff!
Keifer Sutherland at the 24 panel
Cylons! Old-school!
Star Wars panel featuring Olivia Munn from G4
Anthony and friends at the Star Wars panel
Peter Jackson and James Cameron on the future of filming!
Olivia at the Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge
Seth Green at the Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge
George Lucas!
Clone Troopers, Jedi, Sith, Bounty Hunters and all sorts of scum and villainy amassed in Ballroom 20
Day 4: Saturday (HALL H DAY)
Okay so today we spent the day in Hall H -- up until about 7PM. Then it was off to the Star Wars Fan Film Panel with Olivia and the Comic Con Masquerade! I also wanted to crash the Watchmen Director's Cut screening with Zack Snyder but decided against it (I think you needed tix anyway).
The Hall H programming included Lost: The Final Season and was by far the best panel at the Con thus far! After Lost I saw the Solomon Kane panel...this looks like a very promising movie. Lots of sword-slashing action, blood, and gore. After that was a panel on Tim Judge's new flick Extract with Jason Bateman and Mila Cunis! Next up was Zombieland with Woody Harrelson, then '2012', the latest disaster flick by disaster movie demigod Roland Emmerich. Then next up was the explosive Iron Man 2 panel with Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johanssen, Don Cheadle, and director Jon Favreau...this one looks amazing...they showed War Machine and Whiplash! Great footage was shown..this one looks to be a real winner. Finally the Hall H fest climaxed with another great panel by Geek God Kevin Smith, one of my favorite film makers and an all round funny-as-hell dude. No clips or guests this time, just 100% Kevin non-stop! What more could I ask for???? I've never missed a Kevin Smith panel at the con nor to I ever plan to!
Afterwards it was off to dress up Anthony in his Jedi costume for the masquerade. Great costumes this year, including a nice Hulk getup, Samurai Jack!, among others.... I also went and saw Olivia Munn one last time at the Star Wars Fan Film panel by Atom Films.
A few highlights, all my photos are uploaded to the album! http://usagiyojimbo.com/conventions/gal ... temId=2066
Hall H Panels:
Masquerade Photos:
Until tomorrow...and photos from the 25th Anniversary Usagi/Stan Sakai panel!!!
Day 5: UY 25th Anniversary Panel Day
Today started off with a bang. Literally. While taking in a bit more of the exhibit hall, I saw a forklift smash a palette full of boxes into the Mezco Toyz booth, toppling a glass case and damaging another one, both of which held a bunch of action figures. The aisle ways at the con in many places are way too narrow and I bet this happens often. I took pix of the aftermath and even posted to my Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3 ... =743912791 More photos appear in the 2009 SDCC gallery.
OOPS!!!!
Sunday is basically kids day so today was spent shopping for Anthony. Didn't take in any panels today. Spent most of the day at the exhibit hall and the Spotlight on Stan Sakai panel / UYD photo event. It was great. Mike Takahara gave a great speech and presented Stan with the gifts he put together that many of you all contributed to. So thanks Dojo Members! The entire award took three books to complete, the likes of which has been reproduced on the web at http://25yearsof.usagiyojimbo.com ...go check it out! I took tons of photos of the award book as well so be sure to check them out in the SDCC2009 Gallery. (BTW Mike's presentation was captured on video and will be available soon here on the Dojo!).
Here are a few highlights I took of the award:
The 25th Anniversary panel was awesome. Stan gave an in-depth presentation on Usagi. It was a bit short (an hour flies by fast), but the room was packed with Usagi fans, young and old! See photos below. Ray Feighery of Seattle, WA also presented Stan with a 25th Anniversary Cake, featuring the cover from Albedo NR 2! It was awesome!
Stan presents an awesome panel on Usagi and his creations
5-minute video clip of Stan's spotlight panel!
A large crowd showed up for the panel
Ray's Albedo NR 2 cake! SWEET! (literally)
Mike Takahara (Maka) gives his speech while I present Stan his award
Ray and his wife present Stan the 25th Anniversary UY Cake
Many Dojo Members turned out for the annual "photo shoot" outside of room 8 overlooking the bay. Diana Schutz also appeared, making this her first Dojo photoshoot! Also in attendance were Mayhem, Glennosuke Masuda, Kim "Leonardo", Rob Kassebaum, Dri "Groosagi" Serna, Cynlee, Buslady, James Fujii, Glenn Bernabe, Tokka, and a few other folks who need to help me identify them!
Maka and Todd Shogun
Tokka and Todd Shogun
The Dojo Gathering after the panel
The Annual Dojo Group Photo
After this it was back down to the exhibit hall to take in more of comic-con and bid farewell until next year....
Anthony and Stan at the 2009 SDCC!
C3PO: Human / Cyborg Relations
More Star Wars! Can't get enough!
Geek Paradise is how you can describe Comic-Con best. Where else can you sit on the bridge of the Enterprise surrounded by hot Orion slave ensigns???
