“What up, bitches?” – SDCC 2016, Part I

Posted by Kim and Sage

The travel gods TRIED to prevent us from getting there but Team Head Over Feels refuses to be kept from the Super Bowl of Geek Culture: San Diego Comic Con. (Always build a buffer day into your Con Travel if you can. ALWAYS. You’ll feel better about things, I promise.) We arrived in San Diego Wednesday Morning, exhausted from close to 24 hours worth of airline travel. Our spirits had been broken by American Airlines but after a shower and a long lunch, we were revived and ready to tackle the most intense and most wonderful Con on the planet. It’s the most wonderful time of the year! –Kim

Preview Night

We like to use preview night as our chance to walk the floor and familiarize ourselves with our home for the next 4 days. (It’s one thing to look at panel rooms on a map, it’s another to actually WALK the distances. We highly recommend doing this.) It’s exciting EVERY day going into the convention center but there is a special kind of buzz going through the crowd on preview night as everyone gets ready to see the floor for the first time. Whose displays and installations are going to be the most spectacular? Which exclusives are going to be the hardest to get? Which vendors will be the hidden gems that make you automatically hand over all your money? Just how many free buttons can you snag? These are all the questions floating around on preview night. There’s nothing like walking into the exhibit hall for the first time. It’s like coming home. (A home you share with thousands of strangers/soon to be friends but still a home.) It’s a feeling of relief and it’s a shot of adrenaline all at the same time. You’ve made it to San Diego Comic Con. Enjoy. — Kim

Happy Happy Joy Joy aka the Classic Nick Animation Panel

This year happens to mark the (prepare yourselves) 25TH ANNIVERSARY of the mighty NickToon. (“If you don’t feel old yet, you will real soon.” – our mod, in introduction.) And as anyone whose formative years fell in the ’90s knows, the three originals (Ren & Stimpy, Doug, Rugrats) paved the way not only for more bizarre, soulful, and innovative cartoons on Nickelodeon, but everywhere. This panel was moderated by Nick Animation podcaster Hector Nevarro; panelists were Craig Bartlett (Hey Arnold!), Butch Hartman (Fairly OddParents), Arlene Klasky (motherfuckin’ RUGRATS, y’all), and Jhonen Vasquez (Invader Zim.) Our expectation was correct: the room was strong with Millennial energy as well as respect for some trailblazing animators and the network that let them loose. –Sage

• “This is cartoon royalty up here!” A good moderator is SO KEY though. Clearly our Nick mod has huge appreciation, and knowledge of the subject. No matter what your other credentials are, it’s that love that makes all the difference.
• The panelists were asked which other NickToon they would have liked to have worked on and Ren & Stimpy was definitively the most popular answer. (I still don’t know how that show got made. For KIDS.) As Kim said in our live-tweet, “They’re way existential.”

• Nickelodeon was lauded for “taking a lot of chances” when they launched their animated originals. Each show had a different look than the others and indeed a different look from other kids cartoons on TV. That rough-around-the-edges style pulled kids in immediately.
• Hey Arnold!‘s Craig Bartlett continues to be impressed by the fan art he’s sent and the now working animators who were inspired to take that path BECAUSE they grew up with NickToons. “I want to hire everyone!”
• Bartlett also proudly took credit for the Rugrats line, “TAKE A NAP, CYNTHIA” which our moderator revealed is his “you’re being grumpy” mantra. We’re stealing it, if that’s okay.

• P.S. Arlene Klasky would really love Rugrats to come back SO SAY WE ALL.
• Lots of love for the studio from the animators, but Arlene did have to push back against Nick suits who kept giving her notes to make Eliza Thornberry “prettier.” Klasky wanted her to look like a normal girl. And she won, so there.
• Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie will probably be a Thanksgiving 2017 TV event. Bartlett showed us some character designs for the movie and promised to answer tons of fan questions through the course of the story. (#1: Where are Arnold’s parents?)

• Apparently Rugrats was inspired by a childproofing gadget. As she baby-proofed her bathroom, new mom Klasky started to wonder what would motivate a baby to try to get into a toilet and she worked on defining that voice. As a creative person, Klasky says she couldn’t turn her brain off when she was at home with her kids (bless), so they became the subject of her next venture. Nick accepted the pitch immediately.
• Before the panel ended, we were treated to a clip from Hartman’s new Nick show Bunsen Is A Beast, a tolerance allegory where a monster enrolls in people school, makes a human best friend, and has to deal with the wrath of a beast-hating hall monitor. Lastly, we saw the world premiere of Vasquez’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles short, Don vs. Raph., six minutes of which is more entertaining than both recent TMNT movies combined.

Moana

This is why you REALLY study the schedule when it is released: One would think that a major studio like Disney would push for a marquee spot for the highly anticipated Moana but lo and behold it was given a spot at 12:30 on Thursday Morning in room 6A (the 4th largest room after Hall H, Ballroom 20, and Room 6BCF). We chose this panel on the off chance that composer Lin-Manuel Miranda would emerge from his much deserved vacation after closing his run in Hamilton to make a surprise appearance. (Our logic: how could a massive geek like Lin resist the call of San Diego Comic Con?) While we DIDN’T get Lin in the flesh, his presence was large in the room (where it happens) as the writers, head animator, and directors gave us a sneak peek at the next Disney Princess. It will surprise NO ONE that we got real emotional about the whole thing.  –Kim

• Surprising no one, the room went bananas any time we saw Lin’s name on screen or when he popped up in the taped packages. He’s gonna get the EGOT with this movie, you guys. I feel it.
• Disney always takes care to make sure the cultures in their films are depicted with loving care and as much accuracy as possible. Directors John Musker and Ron Clements took a research trip to the South Pacific to immerse themselves in the culture and traditions of Moana. The footage of their trip was DELIGHTFUL (Grandpa types in matching Tiki shirts FTW). Also the writers and animators were more than a little bitter that THEY only got trips to Burbank.
• “Lin mentioned he had this musical in development and we were like ‘Good luck with that!!'” HAHAHAHA.
• Musker described Moana as a bad ass and said the film is really about Moana’s quest to find herself and her place in the world. The room erupted in cheers when he emphatically said that Moana was NOT a love story and there would be no love interest in the film. (THESE ARE THINGS WE LIKE TO HEAR.)
• We got to see the first three minutes of the film and it’s a little reminiscent of Frozen in how the prologue is underscored with native chants and a driving downbeat, immediately immersing you in the world of the film.
• Co-head of Animation Amy Sneed is the first woman at Disney to hold that title. YAY FOR LADIES BREAKING GLASS CEILINGS.
• Moana’s sidekick Pua is quite possibly one of the cutest Disney sidekicks we’ve ever seen. I already want the stuffed animal.
• We were shown footage of Auli’i Cravalho finding out that she had been cast as Moana and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Then she joined the panel and she emanates such warmth that your automatic response is “Of COURSE she’s a Disney Princess.” Her passion and love for the character was evident in everything that she said.
• We got to see another scene with Baby Moana discovering the Ocean. The animation is SO BEAUTIFUL. They make water a living character and it will absolutely take your breath away.
• “We cast a demigod to play a demigod.” The casting of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Maui is beyond perfect. And HE’S GONNA SING Y’ALL.
• There was a massive sense of nostalgia in the room as Musker and Clements were behind classics like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Hercules. “I think I can speak for all of us when I say ‘Thank you for our childhoods,'” one fan said. “And you all turned out so well!” Musker quipped.

Colony

Having attended it two years in a row, the Colony panel is now apparently a Head Over Feels tradition. (KUDOS to the scheduling people at SDCC placing it before Orphan Black last year and Mr. Robot this year.) Now that Colony has a full season under its belt, the panel was able to delve more into the world of the show rather than parade out those actors from Lost, The Walking Dead, and House like they did last year. Both Sage and I watched the pilot when it premiered and we enjoyed it but Colony got lost in the overwhelming amount of shows we watch (NO TIME. THERE’S NEVER ANY TIME) so it was nice to check back in with the show a year later. In true Carlton Cusian fashion, we still don’t know too much about what’s going on as far as the big picture, so it’s like we were spoiled but not REALLY spoiled in case we decide to go back and binge. That’s the best kind of panel really. Plus, we got to stare at Josh Holloway for an hour, which is just an added bonus. –Kim (HE STARTED IT. — Sage)

• Our moderator was our pretend BFF Retta (CALL US) who got STRAIGHT to the point when she kicked off the panel. “You can’t help but treat yourself when Josh Holloway is in the room.” Speaking truth AND making a Parks and Recreation reference. RETTA PLEASE BE OUR FRIEND.
• Speaking of Mr. Holloway, the man has a radar for overly thirsty girls lusting for him 6 rows away. HE KEPT LOOKING RIGHT AT US AS WE WERE TAKING PICTURES AND SMOLDERING. Honestly, I’m surprised he didn’t melt our camera lenses. “I can’t look at him directly anymore, I’m too flustered.” = both of us, halfway through the panel.
• “He says he’s going to tell you something and then he doesn’t tell you shit.” – Josh on Carlton. Good to know things have not changed since Lost.

• As she did last year, Sarah Wayne Callies took the MVP of the panel honors. She’s smart, witty, and incredibly articulate. She’s a Comic Con professional and it SHOWS. When a fan questioned how the audience is supposed to root for the resistance when the fight appears to be completely futile, she replied “Just because a fight is futile doesn’t mean you don’t fight anyway.” QUEEN.
• “I gotta say: this is my first Comic Con. And this is some fun shit.” – Tory Kittles, proving that no one is immune to the wonders of Comic Con.
• “That’s a great question. Or comment. Or criticism.” – Carlton Cuse remains a pro at dodging pointed fan questions.

• When a fan questioned Colony’s ratings, Josh expressed total confidence in USA and how they let their programming BREATHE and grow into itself as opposed to yanking something immediately because of low ratings. “They are ballsy. I have a lot of confidence in them.” Condal and Cuse echoed this statement, saying that USA has given them the freedom to tell the story they want to tell.
• Condal promised that the world was going to open in Season Two with the audiences getting glimpses of Santa Monica and (perhaps) other colonies across the country. Color me intrigued.
• “There is no method. I am a weasel.” – Peter Jacobson, on always playing a shady character.
•  One fan shouted out Adrian Pasdar and Natalie Maines as a power couple before moving on to her question. No, that girl wasn’t us.

• A fan asked Sarah about comparisons between her roles on Colony, The Walking Dead, and Prison Break. “Well…I died in season three of two of them,” she quipped. (QUEEN!!!!) “So talk to me about it if I am not on this panel next year.” She also went on to say that in her search Post-Prison Break that she was looking for a character with more controversy. “I didn’t know the degree to which I had found that with The Walking Dead.” This is when we had to restrain ourselves from screaming “JUSTICE FOR LORI GRIMES” from the audience.
• Josh and Sarah seemed like they wanted to stay for the Mr. Robot panel. We know the feeling.

Mr. Robot

Summer is the season to binge-watch all the buzzy stuff you JUST DIDN’T HAVE TIME FOR during the year. I spent three paranoia-filled days marathoning the first season of Mr. Robot on Netflix and then pestered Kim non-stop until she did the same. It’s a cable series with an independent film sensibility; a hacker thriller that actually makes hacking look exciting; the beginning of our planet’s much-needed Slate-issance (copyright HOF); and the break-out for star Rami Malek, giving a nuanced performance in a role that could easily invite scenery-chewing. Mr. Robot had a huge presence in San Diego, with branded Ubers, pedi-cabs, an fsociety street team, and a popular off-site (more on that later). We couldn’t walk half a block without spotting someone wearing a mustachioed mask around their neck. So the vibe in the to-capacity room was hype af when moderator Chris Hardwick came to the podium in Elliot Alderson cosplay. Turns out, the revolution will be televised. Hello, friend. –Sage

Note: So many spoilers for season 1 ahead. Proceed with caution.

• “WHAT UP, BITCHES.” Rami and his co-stars have repeatedly joked that his actual personality couldn’t be more different than that of my fragile, morphine-addicted son Elliot. He proved it to the room by grinning and bantering throughout the entire panel, starting with this piggy-back off of Hardwick’s Mr. Robot-to-Breaking Bad comparison. Not much, bitch, what’s up with you?
• Creator and showrunner Sam Esmail wasn’t on the panel, probably because he directed EVERY EPISODE of season two and decided to sleep for 100 years instead of going to Comic Con. (The season was shot block-style, instead of episode by episode.) Rami spoke for him when asked about the downbeat start to this sophomore season, the aftermath of the 5/9 hack: “Sam wanted to make something pure and real. Everything wasn’t going to be magical the next day.”
• I don’t envy Portia Doubleday these days, since everybody wants to know what Angela’s deal is this year and it’s her job to keep it under-wraps. “I think Prada shoes really changed her,” she jokingly offers about Elliot’s childhood pal’s new job at E-Corp, before answering more seriously. “She’s in a weird place of WANTING to be productive in this environment and then her guilt for being there.” Anyone else think Angela is going full American Psycho by the finale? Those affirmations are creepy as hell; and, according to Portia, “stemming from something quite explosive.”
• Before we go any further, a moment of appreciation for Malek’s con wardrobe/Harry Styles cosplay. And that jaw.

• Also we got a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to be a guest at Comic Con. When her co-stars mocked Portia for censoring herself, she read us the language warning sitting at every spot on the dais.
• “She’s trying to find the people who turn the lights out.” Grace Gummer plays un-corrupted FBI agent Dom this season, and I hate to say that it’s obvious that most of her work was completed separately from the rest of the cast. The camaraderie among her co-stars was obvious, but Grace didn’t seem super comfortable on the panel.
• Chris opened the floor up for questions and the very first one put the cast on the spot. “Knowing what you know about privacy, who on the cast plays Pokemon Go?” Christian Slater sheepishly raised his hand, and Carly Chaiken (who IS Darlene, minus the heart-shaped sunglasses) called him out: “Do you realize what kind of information you’re handing over?!”

• Rami: “Who wouldn’t want their daughter dating Eliot?”
  Christian: “Elliot in the streets, Mr. Robot in the sheets.”
• Carly and Christian are huge Bachelorette fans and talk strategy for hours. Christian is (was) Team Luke. RIP.

• *Fan walks up to mic in Mr. Robot jacket*
  Rami: “…Dad?”
• Rami and Christian are asked about the psychologically combative, occasionally physical scenes they have to do together. It’s no problem for them, because the trust is there. “I get to work with Christian who is this incredible professional,” Rami said. “The movies he’s done are iconic…I’m talking about you like you’re not here.” And Carly chimed in with the zinger: “He’s not.”
• A very ballsy fan in a Pokemon Go shirt asked how the cast feels about doing this show and being employees of a massive corporation at the same time. Chris: “First of all, typical Team Instinct bullshit.” Rami in particular praised USA for not only airing the show, but for letting Esmail do it exactly as he likes. He points out the supportive USA execs in the audience. (Chris: “Hey, this guy’s got something to say to you!”)

• Asked what character she’d like to play besides her own, Carly goes big. “I mean, playing Elliot would be amazing.” Rami: “Because she thinks she can do better.”
• What role would Rami like to explore? “I think I would like to play Shayla so I can know what it’s like to kiss me.” Listen dude, meet me in the back and I promise I can describe it to you IN DETAIL.
• The panel closes on an empowering note, when the women of the cast talk about what it means to them to play female characters kicking ass in the corporate and tech industries (or underground, in Darlene’s case). “Angela is NOT Elliot’s love interest,” Portia reminded us. Women as independently realized characters was the theme of the day really.

To Party or Not to Party? 

Speaking of independent women, who needs a free party with free booze to have fun? NOT US.

Afterparties are aplenty at Comic Con. And after two years going, we’re beginning to get our strategy down. The Mr. Robot panel was a major priority for us, but it didn’t end until 7:30. We’d RSVPed for a free party that, though the “tickets” were capped, was certainly overbooked. We stood in line for about a hour and abandoned ship for fried fish and beers once we realized our precious food time was being wasted. A good rule for Con parties is that if it’s open to the public, plan to line up at least an hour before hand. Once you’re in line, set a deadline. (“If this line doesn’t move in 20 minutes, we’ll leave.”) It’s so easy to wile away your hours queuing for one thing or another, especially if you don’t want to throw away the time you’ve already spent. But trust us when we say it’s worth it to just take the loss and move on to something else. Every bar and restaurant is hopping around the Gaslamp, pretty much all day. Make your own afterparty…and then get to bed at a reasonable hour. Your feet and tummy will thank you. –Sage

Stay tuned to HOF for our continued SDCC adventures! And comment with your own tips/favorite moments below!

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