Comic-Con returned with a vengeance this year. The San Diego Convention Center was bursting at the seams with film/TV stars, cosplayers, and an avalanche of fans for the first time since 2019. The pandemic had forced everyone to attend virtual versions of Comic-Con in the summers of 2020 and 2021, and a mini in-person version last November. This year, fans jammed into the star-studded mega-panels held in Hall H, which showed off trailers and footage from upcoming films and TV shows like DC Universe’s Black Adam, featuring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. As required, nearly everyone wore masks.
In a special San Diego Comic-Con-only event, legendary actor and would-be astronaut William Shatner celebrated his career and immortalized his stature as an icon with a handprint ceremony in the lobby of Theatre Box San Diego.
To prepare for an Untitled William Shatner Documentary where fans can invest a share of any revenue the movie earns, the handprint ceremony commemorated the illustrious journey of William Shatner. Special guests included Paul Wesley (“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” “The Vampire Diaries”) and legendary film critic Leonard Maltin.
I was later invited to the WeAudition VIP Talent Party at San Diego’s WestBrew. While sipping wine and meeting talented young actors, I talked to Darren Darnborough and Richard Cambridge about their groundbreaking platform designed to help actors be more efficient and productive. WeAudition is used daily by top casting directors, agents, managers, and filmmakers around the world. Most auditions and meetings are “invite only.” WeAudition provides an online video-chat solution for the entertainment industry, giving casting directors, producers, agents, and managers the tools to hold efficient online auditions and meetings with actors. Actors can connect with other actors and industry professionals through high-quality video chat to rehearse, get advice, self-tape, and audition.
At the WeAudtion party, I also ran into Erica Barry, an entertainment industry pro, author, and digital content creator. She studied economics and media studies at Pomona College, where she discovered her passion for media, entrepreneurship, and representation. When she realized that more mainstream creators were getting their starts on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, she wrote a guidebook, Don’t Wait, Create: How to Be A Content Creator in the New Digital Revolution.
To help celebrate Den of Geek magazine’s latest print edition featuring Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam, I was invited to the Magazine’s Release Party. Guests and media enjoyed specialty cocktails, giveaways, photo ops, and surprises at San Diego’s Ultimate SkyBox rooftop bar. The views from the 15th floor were spectacular, overlooking the convention center, ballpark, and bay at sunset.
Later, I ventured outside the convention center and discovered FX’s 100,000 sq. ft. outdoor space full of interactive experiences from many FX hits. Not the least of which was American Horror Stories’ Garden of the Dolls. Many fans took advantage of the chance to receive a makeup look by the artist who helped design the American Horror Stories dolls.
With the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon coming to HBO Max in less than a month, I wanted to experience the immersive “House of the Dragon: The Dragon’s Den.” Situated across the street from the convention center, costumed performers helped pass the time while I waited to enter.
Once inside, I passed through a room filled with the gaping jaw of a huge dragon. Next, each person in the group of 12 was allowed to grab their individual dragon egg from a fiery altar and drop it into a fog-filled pool to eventually hatch.
We then groped our way down a long dark hallway and faced the glistening teeth of an angry dragon to emerge into the throne room. There, a pair of musicians played the Game of Thrones theme as we were led, one by one, to the photo op in the King’s Chair.
Saturday was press room day for the increasingly popular sci-fi series The Orville, Seth MacFarlane’s epic space adventure. I joined fellow journalists at several roundtables.
Participating talent included Penny Johnson Jerald (‘Dr. Claire Finn’), Scott Grimes (‘Lt. Gordon Malloy’).
Also joining in were Peter Macon (‘Lt. Commander Bortus’), Chad L. Coleman (‘Klyden’), J Lee (‘Lt. John LaMarr’), Mark Jackson (‘Isaac’), Jessica Szohr (‘Lt. Talla Keyali’), and newcomer Anne Winters (‘Ensign Charly Burke’). The Orville’s Brannon Braga (Executive Producer) and Tom Costantino (Co-Producer) provided details about show specifics.
Later that day, I sat down with StarShip Troopers star Casper Van Dien. We talked about his acting career and his latest project, Salvage Marines. The series takes place in a grim future of corporate tyranny where factory laborer, Samuel (Van Dien), is determined to provide a better life for his wife and their unborn child. Signing up for the hazardous job of a salvage marine, Samuel embarks on a grueling tour of duty in a war-torn universe.
See you next year!
Alex A. Kecskes is a published author of "Healer a Novel" and "The Search for Dr. Noble"—both now available on Amazon. He has written hundreds of film reviews and celebrity interviews for a wide variety of online and print outlets. He has covered red carpet premieres and Comic-Con events for major films and independent releases.
