This past weekend you may have noticed that we at Arrow in the Head and JoBlo found ourselves in what could be called geek paradise. San Diego Comic Con is an incredible event where superheroes and mythical figures can be found everywhere you look. And while the focus is not necessarily horror-centric – genre specific conventions aren’t terribly hard to find – there was plenty of groovy scary fan fun to be had. Whether you are talking horror in comic books, television or movies, it was all represented in some creative and perhaps even super spooky ways.
For starters, if you walked (or attempted to walk along the crowded streets outside the San Diego Convention Center) there were a number of fun things to try. While not all of it was straight-up horror, the sci-fi fantasy department was covered. You could check out some of the art behind GODZILLA in a display set up behind the convention center with photo ops and giveaways. If you wanted to have a little fun with the upcoming Fox series “Gotham” you could try a zipline which ran 130 feet long and 30 feet high. Fans of “Game of Thrones” could immerse themselves in “Game of Thrones: Survive the Realm Experience” with costumes, props and a chance to “virtually” clime The Wall. For those haunted by the Headless Horseman, “Sleepy Hollow” proved that classically inspired horror is alive and well with a virtual reality experience.
Out of the genre loving opportunities offered, the one that kicked my ass in the best of ways involved running for your life. Serious flesh eating undead fans had the chance to enter the world of “The Walking Dead Escape.” Held at Petco Park, this near thirty minute run was more intense than I had expected. Maybe I’m crazy, but the idea of trying to survive a zombie apocalypse has always fascinated me. This was one way to do that very thing without having someone eating you alive. Whether you watch the show or not, this exhausting fun run with loads of zombies, and a surprise – albeit a little obvious – twist, is a Comic Con must do. Keep your eyes open for our very own video account creeping up very soon.
If you happened to make your way onto the convention floor, there was a ton of horror cosplay haunting the hallowed ground of the Con. Zombies and ghouls were lurking everywhere you look. And for HALLOWEEN fans, Anchor Bay had the brilliant idea of advertising their upcoming Blu-ray box set with a “Michael Myers” representing each film. And yes, HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH was also in the house. One of my favorite photo-ops of the entire four day event was actor Erik Preston (who starred as “young Michael” in HALLOWEEN 4: THE RETURN OF MICHAEL MYERS) posing with this motley crew. From GHOSTBUSTERS to CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, fans paid tribute to their beloved horror icons in a number of imaginative ways.
The list of genre panels was a huge draw for those in attendance. Among the feature film presentations that grabbed my attention was MAD MAX: FURY ROAD which cannot come soon enough. Holy hell the trailer is beyond badass. Kevin Smith’s latest feature TUSK also surprised me at how damn freaky a movie about a human walrus looks to be. For fans of campy SyFy goodness, SHARKNADO 2: THE SECOND ONE was there to celebrate and yes, the audience seemed to be keen on witnessing sharks rain down on New York. You could also find “Constantine”, “The Walking Dead”, “Penny Dreadful”, “Gotham”, “Under the Dome”, “True Blood”, “American Horror Story” and so much more representing an exciting new age of horror on television.
Maybe it’s the booze talkin’, but you can never get enough genre goodness at Comic Con! Don’t get me wrong, I loved seeing the hundreds of CAPTAIN AMERICA t-shirts and comic book inspired cosplay, but a gang of Michael Myers, cool EVIL DEAD masks and a flood of horror inspired sights made me feel right at home. San Diego Comic Con is a place for fans to celebrate pop culture, movies, television, and of course graphic novels. Thankfully horror is a huge part of this world and always will be. For those of you that showed your genre pride at this year’s Con, we here at AITH salute you!