“Stand, no farther. No escape for you!” Pre-SDCC Tuesday night it was a Tale of Two Sulus featuring actors, writers and activists George Takei and John Cho moderated by composer Michael Giacchino at the University of California San Diego. It was a heartfelt and hilarious evening as Takei spoke about his years in a Japanese internment camp post Pearl Harbor which John Cho had to follow up with and shared tales of being a kid in the 80’s and his Korean parents unknowingly taking him to see Death Wish 2 to take advantage of air conditioning. The duo discussed their mentors, acting journeys, experience with Star Trek and handing of the torch.
Wednesday, July 24 (I’ve been here since Sunday, so I must check what day it is) marked the official start of San Diego Comic-Con with Preview Night, where the exhibit hall is open for 3 hours to a reduced crowd. Con goers got their first look at all the big booths, Marvel featured Deadpool & Wolverine and Captain America: Brave New World costumes. Star Wars, Mattel, Lego, Dark Horse, Image Comics, DC and even AMC Theatres are on hand selling merch and previewing products. On the action front I spotted figures and statues of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Jean-Claude Van Damme from Conan, Rocky IV and Bloodsport. Walking by Flash Gordon actor Sam J. Jones’s booth, I bought him in plastic form from NECA who had exclusive toys featuring Flash, Predator, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Alf.
Outside the show there was a huge line for the Paramount+ Lodge that housed pop ups for Star Trek, TMNT, Ghosts along with Stallone’s returning Tulsa King. One of the activation staffers complimented by JCVD Kickboxer shirt leading to a conversation revealing he worked on JC’s recent Darkness of Man. It’s a small Comic-Con world after all.
