My adventures at Comic Con 2003

[chucks888]

I got a few nice pics of the WETA Gollum and Ringwraith display if you're interested. Along with a bit of write up:<P><A HREF="http://chucks888.freeservers.com/reports/comic-con03.html" TARGET=_blank>http://chucks888.freeservers.com/reports/comic-con03.html</A><P>Long story short, I chatted it up with Richard Taylor, caught up with 'Gollum' and grabbed alot of free stuff. Oh, and the much hyped "ROTK" preview at the panel wasn't all that. It didn't show very much footage (though there WAS some) from the actual film, but that's ok with me since I really didn't want to get spoiled too much<p>[ July 24, 2003: Message edited by: chucks888 ]

[Gorwingel]

Hey you were there too!<BR>I just got back <BR>It was crazy wasn't it?<P>It is a long story, but it was so much fun. I too got to meet Andy and Richard, and my mother "grabbed" Sean Astin as he was walking away to get his autograph after we were left in the group that never made it up to the LOTR actors that were signing after the New Line panel.<P>I will be back though. Thursday, Friday and Sunday were great! Saturday was so crazy though.

[Beruthiel]

Wow you guys are so lucky! My gosh it must have been great! Have you guys got anymore pics? I'd love to see em!

[elven maiden Earwen]

So so so so so lucky!!! No fair. I'm so amd at myself for not going because I live in San Diego and could have easy gone. To lucky.

[Arwen Eruantale]

Ah! I wish I had been there....

[Gorwingel]

The day that the LOTR actors came was the most busiest with the convention center filled to bursting. Lines to get in (because the first panel was Halle Berry at 10:30 in the morning) started forming at 2 in the morning, and by the time I got there I bet there was about 5 thousand people waiting outside in line.<P>The main thing that day that all of the LOTR fans just had to attend was the New Line panel. First they had a half an hour where they showed things about "Freddy vs. Jason" (another New Line film) which was rather boring for me because I am not really into the horror genre of films. Then they finally got into LOTR. First they introduced Richard Taylor and a whole bunch of the people from Weta to show us how the actors got into the different costumes and armour. We got to see three people turn into an elf warrior, a soldier of Rohan, and a hobbit (with feet) right in front of our eyes. We then watched this for a while and then they brought out Dominic so that he could check out if they had done a good job with the feet. After that the brought out Andy and a guy from Weta digital who talked about how gollum was created, and they also showed a short film about the evolution of the charater. After that Elijah and Sean came out (much to our surprise), and they talked a little bit about how it was acting with Gollum, and then they shifted our attention to the screens where they showed a small clip of Sean's film, and then they showed 3 minutes of the ROTK preview from TTT dvd.<P>After this Sean, Dominic, Elijah, and Andy signed autographs for about an hour and a half, even though they were only supposed to be there for an hour. I was in the line, but at the very end, so I never made it up. That was probably the worst part of the day because the security guards kept coming up and telling us that we should maybe just leave because we had no chance of getting up there, but we stayed. And there was about 100 people still in the line when they cut it for the final time, and there was about 500 people around just trying to get in. It was so wild, but I was lucky just to get Sean's autograph as he was leaving.<P>It was really fun though. If anyone decides to attend next year, please tell. Because there were many fans who were doing things like shouting out to their forums and things like that. And it would also be fun for the Barrow-Down people to try to find eachother in the massive crowds.<P>I sadly don't have any photos. I accidently erased all my photos on my digital camera, including the ones of me with Andy and Richard <p>[ August 02, 2003: Message edited by: Gorwingel ]

[Nehani]

And I thought being a hermit couldn't get any worse. WAGH! I just <I>pretend</I> I was there. <P>Nehani of the Lonely Forest

[Genevieve]

I wish I had gone!! . I am sad now. You guys are so lucky! I'm sorry you erased the pictures on your digital, that is sad. You'll have the memories though.

[Gorwingel]

<B>chucks888</B> I finally read your report. Your report and site is very lovely. I am so sorry you missed the signing, and additionally I understand your gripings about the way they organized it. Which days did you go? Because Sean was there on Sunday, and Richard was there almost everyday. I got his autograph on Thursday, and Andy's on Friday.<P>Another question... How did you get all those signatures? It must be because you live in California. I live in Washington so the people from the films never, ever come here. When I was in the line everyone was like "Oh, I have met him already at the premiere" and stuff like that. Oh how comments like that made me feel like I live in a cultural wasteland.<P>Yeah, recently I have gotten really sad about erasing my photos because they were really beautiful. The one of Richard, the Gollum head, and I, was the best. I have met four people from the film and I have no photographic proof that I ever met them All I have is their signatures (which actually isn't that bad)

[chucks888]

Hey thanks for checking out my site Gorwingle. I went Thursday and Saturday. Being that the Andy signing wasn't announced at all, I didn't go Friday. If I knew, I would've. The Sean signing <I>was</I> announced, if you read TORN. But being as I've met him before, I didn't go on Sunday. I live in L.A. so it's a 2 hour drive down each way you see.<P>Regarding my other autographs, yes those were all events/appearances in the L.A. area. The premiere was a wild card, because it's not like that's a booksigning where the stars are supposed to meet you. I lucked out and met 3 stars there. Sorry to hear about your pictures being erased- I know that would be a truly awful feeling.

[Gorwingel]

I didn't read TORn because I was lacking a computer (Message to parents...We need a Laptop!!!!). I did read a little about what was going on at their booth, but on Saturday I was so busy (and stressed out) that I never got a chance. So it was a complete surprise to me that Sean was sitting there signing the next day (even though I did get his autograph).

[chucks888]

Yeah, it would've been great it TORN had posted news on Andy as well, but all that's past us. Bring on CC04!

[Gorwingel]

Andy was there every day I think. One day both Richard Taylor and him were both at the Sideshow Weta booth just talking and signing with everyone.<P>Yeah, I guess we should look towards next year. I wonder what LOTR related stuff they are going to have next year? I hope that they will be able to get as many people from the movie as they can to come because hopefully they will not be as busy. What do you think?

[Lush]

Mothers <I>grabbing</I> Sean Astin? <P> <P>Almost makes me wish I had been in Cali around that time to bear witness to an such event!

[Gorwingel]

It was only my mother<P>She was in the "darn it, I am not going to let my daughter go home dissapointed" mood. I have to say that after she pulled him over I was utterly shocked. She did all the talking and all I could get out was a very quiet "thank you".<P>We were lucky to get what we got. The LOTR actors where probably the most desired autographs, and probably the most unorganized. Some of the other major ones they had passed out a certain number of tickets and then you came back for the signing. With the LOTR actors it was every man for themselves. It was a madhouse.

[hobbit punk]

Wow, I loved your site and both your accounts. I can only hope that sometime in the future one of these will come to Canada or I will be able to travel to it in the states. I am super jealous of you guys and amused at the antics of your mother. I hope to hear more tales and opinions on it soon.

[Arwen_Evenstar]

Hey, Chucks, whose sig is on the FotR poster on that link?<P>And, you all may kick me for being dumb, but what is comic con? Where was it? And is it only on there, or does it travel...speciefically to Australia?<P>~nat~

[chucks888]

Yeah Gorwingel I have no idea who'll be there next year except I'm sure the WETA people will probably be back(just a guess). I'll be there either way since I get a free pass.<P>Arwen: That is actually the FOTR DVD rather than a poster, it is signed by Viggo. I think he signs with a heart quite often as he did it on my book as well.

[Gorwingel]

Comic-Con International is a convention that happens during the summer in San Diego California. It started out in the beginning as a comic book convention (everything basically revolves around that) but recently it has expanded into movies (because it was found that many comic book fans were also into films) and into other kinds of pop culture. It is a place where basically all the fans of comic books, films that have a large following (such as LOTR, Matrix, Star Wars, etc...), and anime come together, but there is much more than that. Additionally because of the close proxmity of the location of the convention to L.A., it has become a stop for movie studios to shop their future projects and get feedback about them from the fans.<P>I came especially for LOTR because of all of the reports about it on the internet. I had never heard of it before. It dosn't move around though, and it has always been in San Diego.<P>LOTR has such a great presence there, much more than any other film series (yes, even more than Star Wars, in my opinion). In the center of the expo floor they have a LOTR pavillion. This is where the booths for TheOneRing.net, EA games, New Line, Houghton Mifflin, Sideshow Weta, Decipher, Games Workshop, and The Noble Collection are all located. <P>After the convention ended I kind of had mixed emotions about it. There was a part of me that was revolted at the behavior of humans (and security guards), but then there was another part of me that was like that was a blast! I have to go through that again. There is going to be changes though because it has grown so big. I think for some of the movie studios presentations the only way that they could have fit all of the people who wanted to see them was if we had moved over to a sports stadium. On Saturday there was over 65,000 people registered for that one day!<P>I felt sorry for some of the people who had only gone on Saturday, because they really did not get to experience the convention. Thursday, Friday, and Sunday were really great.<P>Maybe chucks888 can add on some more about it since he has been to it more than once.<P>Oh and just remember if any of you decide to go, post on the site. It will be impossible for me to find anyone in the crowds, but I will try. The LOTR fans tend to get to know eachother because we are always at the same panels and events.<P>Additionally if you want to learn more there is many sites who have done great reports about it. They also have a website: <A HREF="http://www.comic-con.org" TARGET=_blank>www.comic-con.org</A><p>[ August 07, 2003: Message edited by: Gorwingel ]

[chucks888]

This being my second year at Comic Con, I can safely say that last year was much more enjoyable. From reading other reports, I would say that's the general consensus. It all comes down to one thing in my opinion: organization.<P>The bigger crowds this year add to it to, but the main difference is organization. Who knows how it will be next year, this con is unpredictable if nothing else!