LGBT Pride 2013 may be a faded memory of last weekend, but hard on its coattails is none other than Comic-Con International: San Diego, which will be parking itself at the San Diego Convention Center from July 18-21. This year promises to be an exceptional year with plenty of exclusives, giveaways, swag and of course panels of guests ranging from the cast of Big Bang Theory and Grimm, to X-Men and Spiderman 2.
Comic-Con has gone from catering to the comic book crowd, which it still does, to an event that attracts some of Hollywood’s most elite A-list actors, directors and producers. Tickets went on sale some time ago and the event is completely sold out. That only leaves tickets that you may be able to find online, which are not transferable so be careful who you buy them from. Security is very tight and badges will be checked with a fine toothcomb according to Comic-Con sources.
Most of the heavy hitters will be on Friday and Saturday, as expected, but there are more than a few things to keep in mind for Thursday.
Thursday morning kicks off with the cast of the new television show Intelligence starring Josh Holloway of Lost and Marg Helgenberger of CSI, and from the film Enders Game, heavyweight Harrison Ford will make an appearance along with Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine). The film Enders Game is getting a lot of attention, as of late, regarding author Orson Scott Card’s stance on same-sex marriage. Many in the gay community and in gay organizations are asking people to boycott the film based on Card’s openness regarding his opposition to gay marriage. The question on the table is “Does the film deserve to be boycotted based on the author’s feelings or should it stand on its own as a piece of artistic work?”
Friday, cast members from the third Riddick film will be on hand, including actor Vin Diesel. Cult favorite Kick Ass 2 cast members will be in attendance and though its pint sized star Chloe Moretz is slated to be there, that hasn’t been confirmed as of this publication’s printing.
Given the attention surrounding the last Andrew Garfield Comic-Con appearance for Spiderman, insiders are expecting him to top his attention-getting antics this year for Spiderman 2. As to Garfield’s recent comments asking why the character of Peter Parker can’t be gay, he was quoted in an Entertainment Weekly interview as saying, “What if MJ is a dude? Why can’t we discover that Peter is exploring his sexuality? It’s hardly even groundbreaking … So why can’t he be gay? Why can’t he be into boys?”
Saturday, X-Men: Days of Future Past and The Wolverine, settle in with notorious director Bryan Singer, Hugh Jackman and 2013 Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence.
Catching Fire, the next installment of The Hunger Games franchise, with its cast (Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson) and new director Francis Lawrence will also be there. The film Gravity starring recently single George Clooney, will be represented by director Alfonso Cauron and possibly Sandra Bullock, making this her first appearance at Comic-Con.
For those Comic-Con geeks looking for the more alternative panels and discussions, you’ll be happy to know there are a few events geared toward the gay community.
Thursday, from 6-7 p.m., the event Anything That Loves: Beyond Gay and Straight is being described as a new comic anthology. Thirty assembled creators will delve into the complex world of nonbinary sexuality with hopes to expose some myths, offer some new insights and bring together an often-splintered LGBT community in a new way.
And Saturday, from 5:30-7 p.m., Gays in Comics will unravel with a discussion and panel that will explore the next level of authentic LGBTQ storytelling, featuring panelists Shannon Walters (Kaboom), Justin Hall (No Straight Lines) and Leia Weathington (The Legend of Bold Riley).
Take note that most panels and events are done on a first come first served basis, so getting a spot early is a wise decision. Keep an eye out for last minute changes and event parties that usually take place after the day is done.
The San Diego Convention Center is at 111 W. Harbor Drive in San Diego. There is parking in the convention center garage, but it is easier to take public transportation than to have to deal with street parking.
