Sorry, all. The Con crap hit B.L.A.R.D. hard this morning and it was all we could do to get to the Dave Stevens memorial. After that, we chatted with various folks and started uploading our Flickr photos here.

Big news today, Gaiman on Batman, Humanoids at Devils Due, and big sales EVERYWHERE. Despite the increasing Hollywoodization of Con, comics continue to do very, very well. COMIC BOOK TATTOO was one of the big hits of the show, selling out in 20 hours. D&Q reported their biggest sales ever; UMBRELLA ACADEMY is sold out everywhere, and in general, comics did quite well.

We’ll have more photos, reports and linkage when we’re not quite so under the weather.

We’re sitting through the CHUCK panel right now. These TV casts are so funny and banter-y. Someone just asked if the two male leads would demonstrate a position between 68 and 70. They declined. We have never watched CHUCK and this panel will not persuade us to do so, but the actors all seem quite personable. They keep referring to the Nerd Herd…is that what we are?

Coming up next JJ Abrams will show some FRINGE footage…and maybe answer some “Star Trek” questions.

Luckily, we were able to amble right into Ballroom H on this occasion, but we’ve been hearing complaints from reporters at outlets such as Variety, the LA Times, and TV Guide about not being able to get into panels they were assigned to cover. We thought it was just us, but as we were told, “If there’s a secret password, I’d know it.”

The press list for the show numbers some 5000 outlets, so managing them is definitely no picnic, but the studios and networks that control access to their presentations may need to get a little more inclusive about certain things. Granted, press whining happens each and every year, but since it’s so clear that the entire show is now just a means to get publicity for every show on TV, with the increasing hubbub of the press scrum, perhaps it is time for a reevaluation.

In the meantime, although Tom told us not to live blog about how big the show is, with all the security and access issues, not to mention 100k people…this is bigger than the Super Bowl.

Anne Thompson covers the Webmasters panel:

When asked how Latinoreview got its hands on so many early scripts six months before they go into production, Kellvin Chavez said: “We clean your offices.”

Today, these once unassuming fanboys are courted by studio flacks and granted early access to set visits, star interviews and marketing materials. “Studios are paying attention to sites and fans as part of the online community,” said Sanchez.

“To be honest it sort of makes me jaded a little,” said Brad Miska of Bloody-Disgusting.

More here.

BTW, Viz has broken the comics industry wide open, debuting their incredible YELLOW BAGS at this show. Demand is high.

PW has the deets on Charlie Kochman’s new imprint at Abrams, Abrams ComicArts, which will publish a variety of comics and comics-related books:

Kochman will direct the new imprint, which will launch with four new titles: The Art of Harvey Kurtzman: The Mad Genius of Comics by Denis Kitchen and Paul Buhle; The Art of Jaime Hernandez: The Secrets of Life and Death by Todd Hignite, designed by Jordan Crane with an introduction by acclaimed cartoonist Alison Bechdel; Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman’s Co-creator Joe Shuster by Craig Yoe; and Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow? by Brian Fies, the creator of the award-winning Web comic/book Mom’s Cancer.

Damn, it had to happen. We’ve been having so much good luck — great hotel rooms, fast cabs, money on the floor — that something bad was bound to happen and for the first time in our 20+ years of con going, we’ve caught con crud, a sore throat severely hampering our communication efficiency, and general stuffed up nose providing lowered endurance, but higher tolerance on the show floor.

We’re live blogging from a spot on the floor in front of the escalator in front of Hall B. Why this spot? Well, at least there’s a Velvet Rope in front of us.

From here we can watch a parade of Emma Frosts, Ghostbusters, half-naked girls and camera crews. As well as fans, fans and more fans. Is the marketing message of the various entertainment companies here reaching the target audience? The city of San Diego has become one immense billboard…last night, skywriting promoted something or other (we had to go inside before we found out what) and street teams aggressively leafleted and handed out bags. At night the streets are littered with the detritus of the days’ efforts.

BTW, in case you didn’t know it before, AT&T SUCKS BOLLOCKS.

Woot! We’re doing it again because we’re NUTS. Jackie Estrada is introducing Bill Morrison. This year’s theme is MAGIC and every table is covered with magic tricks. Maybe the big trick will be finding the comics at Comic-Con!

Bill has introduced the keynote speaker, Frank Miller, who is folding a newspaper to illustrate the importance of comics and newspapers and Max Gaines.

“This is the first opportunity in a very long day to talk about the subject of comic books,” says Miller. Miller recalls his youth and the tribal past of San Diego. “A bunch of people in a vast field holding onto an artform thinking it would soon be forgotten.”

After talking about the importance of Eisner, Miller segues to the topic of comics and Hollywood. “As we work with new expanded horizons and new people and new money the biggest danger we face to my mind is of splitting our focus. So my advice if you’re setting out to do a comic book is forget the movies, forget the games, Just do a damn good comic book and in time who knows what will happen. Here’s to comic books and here’s to Will Eisner.”

Applause!

The always lovely Kaare Morrison is the award girl in a stunning green sequin ensemble. Jackie introduces the judges to muted acclaim and the sponsors to great acclaim, especially Comic Relief. She also explains the voting procedure, including the CALL FOR ENTRIES, which if our email is any indication, a lot of publishers forget about.

Bill Morrison claims to have forgotten the envelopes in a suitcase backstage. Some shtick ensues involving a bowling ball. Wait — how did that fit into that suitcase?

The RENO 911 guys are back and they say how shameful it is that TV people are coming to Comic-Con and associating themselves with work. They say last year’s ceremony was a beautiful event which just ended at 2 this afternoon. The first award is Best Penciller/Inker Team. The winners are Pia Guerra and Jose Marzan! Woot! Woot! Woot! Oh, and she thanks…uh, someone named Heidi MacDonald. Yay, Pia! You are class and I love you.

Next up…Best Painter, and it’s Eric Powell! Eric says he poured his blood, sweat, and years into CHINATOWN and he’s very gratified.

Best Cover Artist…James Jean…big shock! No one saw that one coming.

Our next presenters…adorable Paul Dini and Misty Lee! But Misty isn’t here — what the….Paul goes off to call her…and brings out a big giant empty box…and next thing you know….MISTY LEE was in the box all along? How did that happen? Is it…MAGIC?
(more…)

Have we linked to Chris Butcher’s Flickr Photostream yet? Well, now we have. Check often!

The keynote event of this year’s Comic-Con had to be the WATCHMEN panel. EW’s Jeff Jensen led director Zack Snyder, co-creator Dave Gibbons and the entire cast of WATCHMEN plus Carla Gugino through a Q&A. Snyder showed some re-edited footage expanded from the trailer with a bit more violence (Dr. Manhattan in Vietnam) and character moments — Dan Dreiberg sitting sadly next to his Nite Owl costume. References to the graphic novel as the “bible” of the shoot were rife, with the entire cast speaking to the richness and depth of the characters. There were also several references to many Easter Eggs throughout the movie.

Gibbons reveals that although he doesn’t make a cameo, ala many comics creators, his signature “G’ is seen as graphitti throughout the sets.

In interviews afterwards, Snyder admitted that though the very enthusiastic response from the 7000 people in Hall H was gratifying, it didn’t entirely relax him. There’s still much editing to be done, and it is the greatest graphic novel of all time. He mentioned the difficulties of making a movie based on such downbeat and nihilistic material at a major studio. “Of course I want Warners to make money,” he said. “But when they wonder why something violent or sexy or disturbing has to be in, I say, that’s the reason why people want to see this movie.”

Gibbons said that the experience of seeing his creations brought to life was overwhelming. He was also asked about Alan Moore’s dismissal of the film. “I see there is an elephant in the room. I wish that Alan could feel the same excitement and joy I’m feeling right now.” After the panel, he said that the last time he had spoken to Alan, Moore asked him not to bring up the Watchmen movie with him again, and he doesn’t expect to. Gibbons was also asked if there would be any new Watchmen art — a portfolio if you will– to coincide with the movie’s release, but there are no real plans at present.

There were several people in costume who asked questions during the panel, including a Batman, a Joker, and a Rorschach. The last named led to a great comedy moment after he asked about whether movies like THE DARK KNIGHT would lead to even more mature comic book movies. Snyder smiled a moment and said, “There’s something funny about being asked about mature comics from someone in that costume!”

The Beat’s opinion? The footage looks fantastic — rich, detailed and faithful to the spirit of the book — somewhat pulpish but dark at the same time. Of course, we haven’t heard any dialogue yet, but let’s remain optimistic. The cast seems very much on board with the spirit as well. Let the countdown to 3/6/09 begin.

Well, here we are live blogging from Hall H. Although we never received our fabled pass to the hall, there also wasn’t any line to get in, either. So we’re stuck here for an hour listening to fans behind us quoting lines from Venture Bros.

The Warner Bros. booth and its bag giveaways continues to be the biggest logjam on the floor. When they give out bags, there is a feeding frenzy reminiscent of the fire ant scene from the last Indiana Jones movie. When the bags are gone, people continue to mill around waiting…waiting…

Whatever the mayor says, it’s clear the con has engulfed the city. At least one of the elevators at the Marriott is tricked up like a cloud to promote some Disney movie. Cardboard Spirits peep from hotel cornices around town. The plaza in front of the Gaslamp Hilton has been filled with ceramic Chinese warriors. Nearly every bar and restaurant has a sign welcoming the Con, proving the nerd dollar is still strong in this place.

The Wall Street Journal joins the parade of Comic-Con exclusives with Stephen King’s latest foray with Marvel:

In a promotion expected to be announced Friday at Comic-Con, the big comic-book convention in San Diego, a previously unpublished story by Mr. King has been transformed by Marvel Comics into an animated video. The 25 episodes will be distributed in a variety of online and mobile channels ahead of the book’s publication Nov. 11. Starting Monday, new episodes will be released daily, five times a week, through Aug. 29.

The story couches the venture in terms of the increasingly creative ways of marketing books to an increasingly visually-literate readership.

Twitter your anonymous snark!

Okay, so it was just the pipe and drape collapsing.
Still…CONMAGEDDON LOOMS.

Our con kicked off with a press conference for Darwyn Cooke where he announced a series of four graphic novels adapting the first four PARKER novels by Richard Stark, aka Donald Westlake. Publisher IDW gave out a series of sweet duo-tone promo cards by Cooke that look as hard-boiled and crime-tastic as you would like. We’ll have a fuller story on the books in an upcoming issue of PW Comics Week.

In the spirit of full disclosure, we acted as a sounding board for IDW editor Scott Dunbier in setting up this event. As we’ve mentioned repeatedly here, it’s baffling that comic book companies don’t hold more press-only events at Comic-Cons. We asked a couple of other participants if they had been asked to any other comic book press conferences and no one could think of one (or else our acquaintances just aren’t asked to the right places).

Anyway, the books look very entertaining, and Cooke was born to draw amoral crime fiction. He also teased an announcement of his own creator-owned property later this year at Baltimore Con.

Over at THR, Borys Kit notes rampant shark jumping with a piece called Comic-Con’s geek chic fading? as he notes vacant socialite P**** H***** and starlet Kim Kardashian, who is known apparently just for having a big-ass ass, will be bringing their own special brand of magic to the show:

There is talk that despite the high numbers of conventiongoers, or maybe in spite of them, Comic-Con as a measure of geek cool may have reached a tipping point.

Critics are pointing to the scheduled appearances by tabloid mainstays Paris Hilton, who will join Thursday night’s panel for Lionsgate’s “Repo! The Genetic Opera” as well as host a party, and fellow party girl Kim Kardashian, who is supposed to hit DC Comics’ party Friday night before appearing at a “Disaster Movie” panel Saturday. When Comic-Con becomes fodder for the Us Weekly crowd, has the event nuked the fridge? Folks wonder.

“This may be the 2012 of Comic-Cons,” said one comic writer-turned-screenwriter, referring to the year on the Mayan calendar that signals the end of the world.

We’re finally ensconced here at the Beat Local Action Rapid Deployment HQ, aka B.L.A.R.D., aka the Horton Grand. We’ve even managed to score a room with a balcony, excitingly enough. We were all set to enjoy a steaming cup of Vietnamese coffee out there when we realized the room comes with fan, shower cap and historic plaque, BUT NO COFFEEMAKER. The woman at the front desk informed us that only mini-suites have coffeemakers. We may have to send an operative on a run to the mall for one of those instant water heater thingies. Or we may have to bribe housekeeping to bring us a spare.

By the way, if you are looking for an ocean of calm and peace, or just to recreate your favorite scene from THE SHINING, stop by the lobby of the Horton Grand at just about any hour of the day — aside from the hotel staff and Future Mr. Beat, the only other person we’ve seen is The Incredible Hulk. Maybe he can get them to give him a coffeemaker?

Seriously, this place is supposed to be haunted and we can see why — while everything else in San Diego is buzzing and bursting at the seams, the hotel lobby is fit for a Scooby Doo inspection.

In social eventing, we had a nice dinner with some foreigners last night before heading over to the Sony party for the new DC Online game. The party wasn’t crowded — perhaps because of a competing Marvel/Activision soiree? — but it was odd to be in a place where people asked us blankly, “So what brings you to Comic-Con?” The only other people we recognized were Chris Butcher, Scott Robins, longtime Beat pal Paul from Action-Figure.com, who already has all the toy news from the show up, and of course the man of the hour, Jim Lee, who spent many hours designing the game. We’re not getting a full-on demo until Sunday, but the game looks to be a big success for DC, and another example of how DC is successfully licensing its stable.

Despite boycott hopes, it sounds like everyone else was over at the Hyatt, but we decided to get some vital supplies at Ralphs and call it an early night for tonight’s party-thon — there are at least six competing bashes, and probably many more.

The WB booth has a life-sized model of the Owlship from WATCHMEN.

This is a pretty shitty picture but the model is cooler than dirt.

Man, these iPhones really do have lame cameras. Could only snap this surreal composite. Better photos later.

Well, we managed to make it across the floor. Once. Warner Bros. is once again giving out giant bags — this time with Wonder Woman AND a shoulder strap for crossbody styling. There’s practically a riot going on in front of the WB booth. A harried guy with a headphone told everyone, “There is no line. Nothing is going on. Go away.” That’s only one hour in.

For some reason, we feel particularly calm and detached. There is so much happening on any given second that no one could be expected to make sense of it.

The show kicked off with a press conference announcing Darwyn Cooke’s new series of PARKER adaptations. There was a grand unveiling of the art and a card giveaway for the press.

God only knows where we go from here. More later.

Presumably, this news will help THE BEAT recover from any travel-related mishaps that may have occurred on her trip out to SD.

Empire magazine caught up with Sir Ian at THE DARK KNIGHT premiere and said his returning to play everyone’s favorite wizard is all but a done deal.

Well, I haven’t had the contract yet but it’s everyone’s intention that I play Gandalf so yes, I will be returning to the role. Although it’s not until 2010, I’m very much excited about returning.”

Posted by Mark Coale

Variety reports that WATCHMEN will be adapted as a series of downlaodable games . Two are planned with one coming out when the movie does and the other with the DVD release. The games are being developed by Danish developer Deadline Games, and will star Rorschach and Nite Owl, hurm hurm.

WBIE execs said that by producing shorter downloadable games, rather than a full-priced disc version, they’ll have more flexibility to produce high-quality titles on a tight production schedule of just more than a year.

“We don’t want a low-quality console game that will get lost at retail,” said WBIE senior veep of production and development Samantha Ryan. “A downloadable game allows us to deliver the experience that fans expect.”