Comic Con 2010 – Day 1 Roundup

by Christopher Kirkman · Published July 23, 2010 · Updated February 2, 2016

As with years past, Comic Con grows to be more a pop culture event than a comic book trade show and this year is no different. Movies, games, television, toys and even a few {gasp} comic books can be sampled inside the massive San Diego Convention Center. If you weren’t there yourself, or were and just got too wrapped up looking for Thor #5 and didn’t catch everything else going on around you, here’s a round-up of Thursday’s notable news pieces:

Capcom showed up in spades, appropriately enough to show off Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 due out spring next year. Comic Con is the first change the general public got a chance to play and Capcom carted in a newer build than what we saw at E3 that featured freshly baked new characters Super-Skrull and Doctor Doom of Fantastic Four fame, Trish from Devil May Cry and Street Fighter’s perennial heroine Chun-Li. Ongoing tournaments really got the crowd going. Oh and don’t be surprised if Thor makes it on the list too.
Activision had their own admirers by bringing Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, a game that takes the web-slinger into new territory and literally a new dimension of continuity being written for a new Marvel series of comics. Activision also brought along GoldenEye 007: the upcoming Wii rehash, James Bond 007 Blood Stone, an all new adventure for Daniel Craig’s version of the super spy and some new downloadable content for Transformers War for Cybertron.
LucasArts dropped a 30 second clip on the Con from their upcoming Force Unleashed 2 where a certain green helmeted bounty hunter is asking a certain sith lord for, uh, assets.
Disney brought out the big guns. As if a new Tron trailer wasn’t enough, some privelaged con-goers were treated to 8 minutes of previously unseen footage. Then, just to outdo themselves they announced they’d be giving The Haunted Mansion another shot, but bringing Guillermo Del Toro to stage as the helmer. Then…THEN!! Then they pulled out all the stops when none other than Captain Jack Sparrow himself spoke to the audience, asking if they had any interest in being a part of his new crew, promising “zombies, cutthroats, mermaids and Penelope Cruz”. The new film is dubbed Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and will be in {groan} 3D.

Joss Whedon confirmed suspicions geeks have had for a few weeks now that he would be directing The Avengers movie that will bring Marvel’s golden-ticket film properties together (Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Thor). Even Whedon admitted that it was too soon for even he to have any solid info, so don’t expect a trailer anytime soon.
JJ Abrams talked a bit out his otherwise top secret project Super 8. Just not much, just that they start filming in September and it will definitely NOT be in 3D. I say, good for you J.J.
Obviously, there was a lot more going on. Panel after panel: Salt with Angelina Jolie in skintight leather, The Expendables panel that dripped with manliness and costars Tina Fey and Will Ferrell (in costume) arriving with a cardboard cutout of Brad Pitt who was missing from the panel to watch the kids (according to Ferrel).

Hands down, the oddest story of the day was something of a counter-protest. A few weeks ago the Westboro Baptist Church, widely known for their biggotry as displayed through anti-gay rallies, Jewish institutional protests and funeral picketing announced that they would be forming a demonstration outside of Comic Con to convince attendees of their evil idolatry (for reading comics) and walking with signs saying “God hates America”, “God Hates You” and the ever-popular “Antichrist Obama”.

Little did they expect a response. Con-goers, easily outnumbering the church’s protestors, marched back with signs meant to mock the haters. “God Hates Jedi” and “All Glory to the Hypnotoad” were among the most comedic, but signs ranged from silly to truly sincere. ComicsAlliance.com has the best photos and video.

And that’s all just day one.