Every summer, fans of comic books, sci-fi, fantasy, and every other geek property descend
on San Diego to spend hours in line for a chance at seeing their favorite stars, new
announcements, and comic book superheroes firsthand.
But as frustrating as it can get to brave the huge crowds, the studios and stars find
some incredible ways to make it worth the trip.
Here are the 10 Most Amazing Things to Ever Happen at Comic-Con.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Just the idea that Star Wars was finally returning
was enough to send fans over the moon, with JJ Abrams offering a handful of images from
the movie's set.
But few expected the platoon of stormtroopers that filed in, leading everyone in attendance
out of the building at blaster point for a surprise concert.
Kevin Smith was the most surprised, since his panel was the one starting just a few
minutes later.
Scott Pilgrim VS The World When you make a movie aimed squarely at the
geeky, video-game-loving crowd that made Comic-Con what it is today, it only seems fair to let
them see it first.
So that’s what Scott Pilgrim director Edgar Wright did at the end of his panel.
Badges handed out to attendees as they entered the room got them a ticket to the premiere,
taking place directly after the panel, with the movie’s stars on hand beside them.
The New Spider-Man When Andrew Garfield was announced as the
brand new Spider-Man, most American audiences had never heard of him.
The English actor got ahead of the story, showing up to the panel in a cheap Spidey
costume, and reading a heartfelt speech to all in attendance, shedding tears as he promised
to do the hero justice.
The films divided fans, but the credit Garfield won saved him from most of the backlash.
Avatar No one could have guessed just how much of
a blockbuster hit and technological breakthrough Avatar would turn out to be… except for
those lucky enough to be in the panel when director James Cameron debuted a full 25 minutes
of the movie, in fully completed 3D.
These days, it’s hard to imagine any studio doing the same… but let’s cross our fingers
for Avatar 2.
The Joker Strikes Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy
isn’t usually viewed as a comic book movie alongside more fan-focused franchises, but
it most definitely was.
When Heath Ledger’s Joker was still a mystery, Warner Bros. had hired Joker cosplayers filter
through the convention, scattering special ‘Joker’ dollar bills, and even hiring
a plane to spell out the Joker’s laugh in the sky.
Loki Appears Marvel probably didn’t know just how popular
Tom Hiddleston’s villain would be when he was first cast, but they learned quickly,
making him the villain of the first team-up, and returning in Thor: The Dark World.
So instead of just rolling the footage from the Asgardian sequel, Hiddleston showed up
in full costume, mocking the crowd before him, and ordering that they kneel and pledge
allegiance.
Unsurprisingly, most did, chanting the villain’s name, and breaking the wall between fans and
fiction like few others ever tried.
Celebrities in Disguise It’s hard to single out just one celebrity
who donned a costume, mask, or general disguise in order to walk among their fans without
being mobbed.
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe dressing up as Spider-Man is among the most famous
examples, but Bryan Cranston has to take the cake, with the Breaking Bad star concealing
his identity with… a mask of his own face.
TRON: Legacy There are few movies that can claim as much
legitimate nerd cred as the original TRON, which made Disney’s Hall H panel in 2008
one of the most shocking on record.
As their show came to an end, they offered “one last thing” – the first short film
used to pitch a TRON sequel to Disney.
But at that point, the movie wasn’t even announced, meaning the crowd saw a stunning
trailer for a sequel no one knew about, and confirming Jeff Bridges would return.
The film itself may have been a disappointment, but the reveal is a moment that could never
happen again in today’s industry.
The Iron Man Starts it All When Jon Favreau arrived at Comic-Con to talk
to the fans about his new film, Iron Man, nobody knew what to expect.
A second-tier superhero, an actor with a checkered past, and a rocky track record for Marvel
movies in general.
The attendees expected to get a few shots since the movie had only finished filming
weeks before, but Favreau rolled out a trailer instead, winning waves of applause from the
crowd, and convincing them that one day, a quality Marvel Movie Universe could be possible.
The Avengers Assemble These days it's almost impossible to remember
a time before Marvel ruled the shared universe, but back in 2010, fans could still be surprised.
The crowd in Hall H knew most of the Avengers stars from solo movies, but few expected to
see the entire cast of the Marvel Universe assembled on stage - with Robert Downey Jr
the first to reveal Mark Ruffalo as the new Incredible Hulk.
It's the kind of moment that ca only happen once, and for the lucky ones in the room,
it's a moment they'll never forget.
Those are the unforgettable or hilarious Comic-Con moments we remember, but which ones did we
miss?
Let us know in the comments, and remember to subscribe for more videos like this one!