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Comic Con 2014: the Con is On!

By Lora Grady

If it's July and I'm in San Diego, it must be time for Comic Con!

Yes, that's right: San Diego Comic Con 2014 is here. Following the Wednesday Preview Night, which features early access to the con floor, first pass at con-exclusive collectibles, and the now-traditional sneak peek at upcoming Warner Bros. pilots (including "The Flash" and "Constantine" this year), things really get rolling on Thursday. For four full days San Diego plays host to an eager army of self-proclaimed nerds, fanboys and fangirls of all persuasions, industry insiders, actors, producers, artists, creators, and hopefuls who gather annually to celebrate their passion for pop culture. Attendance at this year's Comic Con was capped at about 130,000 and passes sold out in March via online lottery in approximately an hour and a half; clearly this is a hot-ticket event.

Comic Con International previewed the cover of their souvenir book last month; it features the art of DC co-publisher Jim Lee in honor of Batman's 75th anniversary. Batman will be celebrated on a number of fronts at this year's con: in a long article in the souvenier book, as an image on one of the official con t-shirts, and at panels and presentations galore. And we're not just talking about the moody and introspective side of the Caped Crusader! Fans of the lighter side of Batman - yes, he has one - will also have opportunities to celebrate the campy 1966 TV series at a panel featuring special guests Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar, who will preview the November release of the remastered series in a special box set.

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"Holy hotel key, Batman!"

Those in search of a new angle on Batman can line up for a one-night only pilot screening of the new Fox series "Gotham" on Saturday night. "Gotham," slated to premier in September, will delve into the origin stories of several characters central to the Batman storyline, including Commissioner Gordon, and a handful of colorful villains.

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The 2014 Comic Con book.

On the promotional front, TNT is emerging as the likely winner in the annual Comic Con marketing scrum. Their campaign to promote upcoming series "Legends" plays on lead actor and genre favorite Sean Bean's propensity for portraying doomed characters, and fans have really picked up on the related Twitter hashtag: #dontkillSeanBean. San Diego-bound travelers are being greeted by signage touting the series as part of a network-proclaimed "takeover" of the airport, and pedestrians and con-goers won't be able to ignore the massive banner adorning the side of the Marriott Marquis hotel adjacent to the convention center downtown.

TNT will premier the series pilot of "Legends" at the Con on Thursday, and cast members and producers will be on site for a panel presentation as well. the series features Sean Bean as an undercover FBI agent who is beginning to question his own identity, and it's based on the work of spy novelist Robert Littell.

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TNT's "Legends" takes overthe San Diego airport...

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...and much of downtown San Diego.

Not to be outdone, the History Channel is pitching its series "Vikings" in unexpected downtown locales, NBC's "Constantine" has an eye-catching interactive setup right across the street from the convention center, and the CW is on board with "Flash-y" photo displays that promo the latest in its superhero series lineup.

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"Vikings" on an elevator? Sure, why not?

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Even the Flash needed reservations for this downtown hotel.

So, what will I be checking out over the next four days? Well, I'd like to say that I'll be spending some quality time in Hall H, which is the 6,000-seat space where the majority of the hugely popular Comic Con panels take place. However, I stopped by the convention center early on and saw that fans began lining up at 7am on Wednesday - that's over 24 hours before programming is scheduled to begin, folks! - so I don't think I'll be starting my day on Thursday by just strolling in to the big hall. Those who do camp out and successfully claim turf in Hall H will be rewarded with major presentations from Paramount Pictures, 20th Century FOX, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Marvel Studios, and panels with casts and creators from "The Walking Dead," "Game of Thrones," "Supernatural," and "The Following," to name just a few.

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First in line for Hall H, these folks are true pros.

Meanwhile, I will be roaming the con, where my plans include checking out upcoming DreamWorks Animation releases, previewing the next seasons of "Hannibal" and "Supernatural", getting the lowdown on "The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies," "Mad Max: Fury Road," "Book of Life," and "The Maze Runner," trying out the Star Trek phaser remote from ThinkGeek, chatting with Anchor Bay about home theater releases of "The Walking Dead" Season Four and an anniversary remastering of horror classic "Halloween." In my spare time, I'll be getting the scoop on as many promos, premiers, and parties as I possibly can. Along the way I'll be soaking up the crazy atmosphere of Comic Con - the crowds, the creativity, the costumes! - and trying my best to share the experience with BPBS readers. So, come with me if you dare!

Lora's Comic Con 2014 Coverage:

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