The guide has been a great resource in year’s past, and this year is no different. You can select a specific company from a drop down and get the lowdown on all of their exclusive merchandise, including price and limited run.

It doesn’t look like it’s complete yet – for example, no HasbroToyShop or MattyCollector as selectable companies – which means they’re probably holding back until as more exclusives are announced. Keep this bookmarked, and make your checklists now!

Comic-Con isn’t just for comics anymore, this much we know. But over the past couple of years, video games have been taking a more prominent role on the show floor. With E3 just past and video game companies prepping for a big push into the second half of the year, expect this year to be no different.

Let’s take a look at some of the video game companies we might expect to see at this year’s con.

The Big Three

Sony had a huge presence last year. Their console business was demoing the Playstation Move motion controller and games, and at a separate booth Sony Online Entertainment was showing off games like Clone Wars Adventures and DC Universe Online. Now that the PS Vita has been announced, expect to go hands-on with demo units, as well as continued support for SOE MMOs that continue to draw the Comic-Con crowd. Also expect to see some of their bigger first-party releases such as the God of War: Origins and ICO & Shadow Of The Colossus collections.

Nintendo was also at the con last year with two booths on the floor. One was a slime-designed booth promoting Dragon Quest IX for the Nintendo DS where they offered SDCC-exclusive downloadable quests to attendees. The other was to promote their Pokemon franchise, primarily the card game. Expect Nintendo to return to the show with the 3DS, but don’t get your hopes up expecting to get your hands on a Wii U. In the same way Nintendo wasn’t pushing the 3DS last year ahead of its release, I’m afraid they won’t be bringing the Wii successor to the con this year.

Microsoft had a tiny booth last year, and instead opted to set up shop across the street at the Hard Rock Hotel. This allowed attendees to experience the Kinect motion controller with a more generous space without the show floor’s huge crowds. If E3 was any indication, then they’ll probably be pushing Kinect hard this year as well. That’s okay by me, because between Mass Effect, Star Wars and Forza 4, there’s plenty of Kinect-ready titles that I’d want to play. Plus, there’s new Gears of War and Halo titles due this fall that should have playable builds on-hand. Whether they decide to bring a bigger booth to the show floor or once again maximize the available space outside of the convention hall, I’m certain they’ll be back big.

Third Party Companies

EA also set up across the street in the Gaslamp Quarter, giving attendees a “behind closed doors” look at Dragon Age II, complete with required NDAs from those eager to get an early peak, and playable kiosks of Dead Space 2. This year, they’ve got the aforementioned Mass Effect 3, plus their answer to the Call of Duty juggernaut, Battlefield 3, and the forever-in-development Star Wars MMO The Old Republic. With show much riding on the success of their upcoming titles, I would expect them to return to the con and its crowds in order to generate some good press and positive word of mouth.

Harmonix had a big stage for Rock Band 3, but with the music game genre all but drying up last year, a return should not be expected. The same canot be said for Capcom, who set up a fighting ring to promote their Marvel vs. Capcom 3 with fighting tournaments throughout the weekend and exclusive character reveals. Expect a rematch in the ring for their new upcoming Street Fighter vs. Tekken game. Capcom also gave attendees early access to Fortune City, with kiosks of a playable Dead Rising 2. There’s more Dead Rising to come this year, but more exciting is the return of franchise favorites Resident Evil and Devil May Cry. Expect Capcom to have a big presence with a return appearance on the show floor.

THQ pushed their new entry to the Red Faction series last year with a stunning booth sporting a giant posable mech and regular developer-led demonstrations for attendees. This year, fans would go nuts if the collaboration with Red Faction-developer Volition and con-staple Guillermo del Toro had a presence, either with some lifesize models of his signature creature designs, or better yet an appearance by the man himself. At the very least, Volition could show their newest entry to the multi-million selling Saint’s Row series.

Activision had exclusive Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions reveals during the con last year. Now that the Spidey series is an annual franchise, look for them to demo the new Spider-Man: Edge of Time for lucky True Believers. Another Marvel title, X-Men Destiny, is due from Activision this year, so you can bet that will be at the show, too. And a recent tweet from Marvel Studios games division indicates there will be more surprises in store:

Telltale, leaders of the modern-day adventure game genre, had a small booth last year but weren’t showing their most anticipated title, Back To The Future, ahead of its winter release. Now that they have the upcoming Jurassic Park, as well as games based on comic favorites The Walking Dead and Fables, it’s expected they will return, hopefully with more to show this year.

MMO Heaven

NC Soft bought the latest installments of their Guild Wars and City of Heroes RPGs in their booth, during panels and even throwing a big offsite event at the Hard Rock. They’ve already confirmed they’ll be back promoting City of Heroes (at booth #5345, to be exact) and an NC Soft Meet & Greet at the Hard Rock Hotel. No further details yet as of press time. But they will have an SDCC-exclusive Mk-VI “Victoria” costume code for those who stop by the booth and meet the developers.

To answer the SOE’s DC Universe, Marvel has two MMOs to cover a wide spectrum of players. They have their Super Hero Squad Online MMO for younger fans, but more interesting is the long-rumored and recently-confirmed Marvel MMO from Secret Identity Studios. The latest on this project is that its being written by Brian Michael Bendis, so it has some real star power attached. It would be nice to see Marvel finally give some more information on this project, either at their booth or, even better, at the aforementioned Marvel Games panel (which yours truly will be there covering, natch).

And Panels, Too!

And it’s not all about the show floor – throughout the weekend, expect scattered panels on some upcoming video game releases. Last year, David Jaffe was on hand for Twisted Metal, Warren Spector pushed the much-hyped Epic Mickey, Cliff Blezinski was showing an early build of Gears of War 3, and Bungie and 343 Industries had Halo: Reach panels. It’s a sure bet video game developers and publishers will return to the panel schedule to promote their 2011 releases and use Comic-Con to connect with fans ahead of September’s Penny Arcade Expo.

What games are you excited about that you want to see at the con? Tell us in the comments below, or shoot me a tweet at @SpotAnime.

Even though we’re still three months away from the con, this is about the time that collectors are likely to start saving up. A few dollars here, a couple quarters there, then when SDCC finally rolls around they have a big stack of change to spend on some of the coolest and most collectible items around. Today Mattel announced a lot of their slate for SDCC and as one would expect from a huge comic-themed retailer, they’re pretty great. Read on for the details!

As with cons in the past, these will eventually be available on the Mattel website. Still, convention goers will have them both first, and in ample supply, as opposed to the limited quantities that are later put online. The entire collection is large so I thought I’d run down them down from must get to most easily skipped. Agree/Disagree? Leave a comment.

Ghostbusters Stay Puft Marshmallow Man ($70) This behemoth is over 20″ tall and earns the awesome record of being the largest item Mattel has ever sold at SDCC. The limbs articulate, the material is soft foam, and the package even includes an NYC diorama! As a huge Ghostbusters fan, this is a dream come true. That is, if you have the Stay Puft themed dreams I do.

Voltron Blazing Sword Voltron ($30)

I’m not a huge Voltron fan but with bright and fun colors, 22 points of articulation and a flaming sword, this definitely makes me want to go watch a few episodes.

Hot Wheels Back to the Future Vehicle ($35) No picture needed. Just the thought of a Hot Wheels Delorean has me excited.

Masters of the Universe Classics Queen Marlena Figure ($25) Accessories galore make the Queen a must buy for any MOTUC fan. Any figure that comes with a sword, wand, and space suit is okay in my book. DC Universe Swamp Thing (plus Un-Men in SDCC packages) ($30) The face may be a bit rough, but the figure itself looks pretty cool. The addition of the inlet definitely bumps this up a notch. Young Justice Superboy in Cloning Chamber ($20) I can’t say I’m a big Young Justice fan, but the packaging is impressive nonetheless. Click the link here to check out the rest, which range from Frankenberry (the cereal) Hot Wheels to MOTUC Polly Pocket Collections (little dolls). In other words, nothing too exciting. Finally, Bif Bang Pow just announced their first big SDCC exclusive. It’s a Lost Polar Bear Bobble Head, and in my opinion, pretty awesome. Also a plus, only $15. Check it out below and pre-order it here if you won’t be at the con.

I’m not a Comic-Con shopper. Outside of a few shirts and posters I don’t go around the con hunting for exclusives and collectibles. Still, I love free stuff and getting to try out video games and the chance to get my picture taken with awesome stuff makes Preview Night a must for me. So this year I braved the exhibit hall for a full hour and fought babies, wheelchairs, and annoying booth employees to bring you my thoughts.

The exhibit hall can easily melt your brain to goo so even though I’ve been out of there for a bit, I’m still a bit blurry on all the details. Thus I’ve made a bulleted lists of the best and worst stuff in this year’s hall that popped out to me. Also, I was so overwhelmed by all the awesomeness I only took a few pictures so I recommend Joblo’s awesome posts to get your picture fix. Part 1 is here and Part 2 is here. Let’s get down to it:

Cheers

• Lots of Free Stuff – Even though I didn’t stand in line for a long time to get a great spot, I still left the convention center with enough free stuff to satisfy just about everyone. Three bags, 4 posters, a poster tube, and much more. Booths seemed to have more of everything this year and few were left empty handed.
• Lots of Collector Stuff – If you’re the spending type there was a ton of great stuff to spend your money on. Everything from giant posters to limited comics to really random figurines lined the hall. Even though the hottest shops had huge lines, you know that Giant Galactus figure was worth it.
• Video Games – Almost every major game studio had a booth with many of the hottest upcoming games. Wait lines weren’t too long and the Playstation Move was surprisingly awesome. Plus they had Kids Bop the Game and some crazy dancing thing at the Ubisoft booth. Attendees + Dancing = Success.
• Marvel’s Booth – They recreated the freaking throne from Thor. It was gold and amazing. See video of it here. It was freaking shiny and epic. DC had a ton of free comics, but none of them were gold or shiny.
• Tons of Props – Thor’s Hammer. Cap’s Shield. The Iron Monger. Lego Hagrid. Etc. There are a ton of awesome things to get your picture with this year. If only there was no such thing as no touching rules.
• Variation – Booths like Fox’s Alien Anthology helped vary up the exhibit hall and give attendees a chance to do something different then sweating and being pushed places.

Jeers

• The Crowds – I know this is always a complaint but in some areas it was really unbearable. I couldn’t tell if people were waiting in line or trying to move. It’s pretty obvious how that could be a problem.
• The CBS Booth – CBS actually had a booth this year. They also hired the most obnoxious lady in the world to be its spokesperson. Then they made people wait in line 30 minutes for a lea. Really?
• The Kids – I’m a very tall person so to look down and see little ones crawling around my legs like insects was a bit disconcerting. If you avoid the more kid-centered booths this might not be problem but I love my Fanboy and Chum Chum.
• The Lines – Some things had very small lines. Some had lines that took 2 minutes to find the end. As expected, much of the awesome stuff was in that second category.
• Too Many Bags – It felt like every single booth wanted to give me a bag. Oversize bags. Plastic Bags. Leather Bags. I don’t need this many freaking bags. I sense giveaways in the future. Also, what was up with 70% of the giant bags being Batman: Brave and the Bold themed?
• Where Are the Shirts? – Walking through the hall multiple times didn’t yield a single free shirt. Hopefully they’ll be a lot more given out during panels since the shirts are my favorite free thing at the con. Speaking of awesome free things, full size posters please?

Thursday is an almighty slog through Hall H so remember to follow me on Twitter for instant reactions and I’ll make sure to update the site with the latest SDCC news and wrap-ups.

This is Part 3 in a series. You can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

This is the reason that people save their money up. This is the reason people invented wallets. This is the reason you cleared out an entire shelf in your house. So that you can walk into Comic-Con and spend $3,000 on a collectible bust of your favorite character.
Shopping at SDCC is an integral part of almost every attendee’s experience and whether you’re looking for all the free stuff you can grab or a wildly expensive Con exclusive, the Exhibit Hall is the place to go. In this post we will cover tips on navigating, buying, and staying alive.

Navigating the Hall -

• Pace Yourself - Within 20 minutes of entering the Hall you’re probably going to feel a bit tired. Sit down somewhere (around the edges or out in the hallway), play a video game at a booth, or take a food break. Most people try to consolidate their time spent in the Hall by moving quickly but this strategy will leave you tired or burnt out. Splitting up your Hall time is a good way to avoid this.
• Don’t Push – Yes, you want a free Iron Man flash-drive. That doesn’t make it okay to elbow people out of the way to get it. Be kind to your fellow attendees and try to keep things in a line. It’s a lot faster and more comfortable then fighting it out with your light-saber replicas.
• Don’t Be Afraid to Wait – Within minutes you’ll start to notice almost everything awesome in the Hall has a line. Don’t be afraid to stand in one if it’s for something you really want. Smaller booths can yield cool stuff without the line though, so be aware of that first time comic publisher with the free shirts.

Buying Stuff -

• Cash – Yes, you will want some. $2,000 is not some. If a booth is selling things that expensive you should just use a Credit Card or Check. Walking around with that much cash is dangerous and nerve-racking. Still, $50-100 is a good amount in the event you spot a Con collectible you really want.
• Wrapping + Shipping – When purchasing something that’s expensive, large, or breakable, ask the booth about their wrapping and shipping options. Telling Southwest that your life-size Hellboy bust is a carry-on never turns out well. If the booth doesn’t have these options your hotel probably will.
• Bag Check – New at this year’s con is a bag check. This is awesome for people that want to shop and then check their bags while they go to panels. Also convenient for attendees hoping to drop off their stuff as they head for lunch/dinner outside the convention center. Just don’t forget to pick it back up.

Free Stuff -

• Be Grateful – Don’t just grab the stuff and run. Actually acknowledging the booth or the people giving it away is always the courteous thing to do.
• Don’t Waste – Don’t pick up something if you know it will end up never used or in the trash. Hundreds of people picked up life-size 300 shields a few years back. How many actually used them? Probably only 2/3. That’s a lot of wasted awesomness.
• Don’t Haggle – Just get something if it’s free. Don’t ask for 100 to bring back to your friends at home. Asking for one extra is usually fine, but be wary of demand (no one asked for two of those life-size 300 shields).

Staying Alive -

• Avoid the Clumps – Whenever something free and hard to get is being given out, a clump will form in about half a second. Unless you really want whatever is in the center, it’s usually better to wait for it to dissipate a bit or just avoid it completely. Running under people’s legs might get you some cool swag, but it will also mean a lot of bruises in the morning.
• Don’t Stand In The Center – There are a few main aisle. There are thousands of people constantly walking through these aisles. Take the picture from the sides of the aisle and avoid being trampled.
• Strollers/Walkers/Wheelchairs/Children=Bad – Going head-on against any of these will probably end with bruised knee-caps.

Come back tomorrow for a guide to stuff outside the convention center!

Deadline.com just learned that Summit Pictures will be bringing two movies to the con this year. Read on for details on those two and a very exciting confirmation.

The first movie they are bringing is Red; an action/comedy starring an array of interesting actors and actresses. The panel will consist of stars Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, Karl Urban. Mary Louise Parker, director Robert Schwentke, and Warren Ellis, the writer of the graphic novel in which the movie is based. Though the absence of stars Morgan Freemen and John Malkovich are a bit disappointing, any panel that includes Helen Mirren is an incredibly awesome panel. They will premiere a new trailer for the film and I expect an odd but highly amusing Q+A to follow.

The other flick that will have a panel is Drive Angry 3D. I haven’t heard anything about this film but stars Nicolas Cage, Amber Heard, William Fichtner and director Patrick Lussier will be at the panel to present the first clips in 3D. I’m not sure if Nic Cage is enough to make me attend, but it definitely goes a long way. Deadline reports that the film revolves around a “vengeful father who hunts down the people who killed his family.”

A big announcement that isn’t directly mentioned in the article but now confirmed is that the Twilight series will not have a major panel at this year’s convention. Sure, there will likely be some booths promoting the franchise and maybe a fan panel, but the large group of attendees that just came for Twilight will be largely absent at this year’s convention. Great news for many and a big thanks to Summit for helping make many people’s con that much better.

How do you feel about the announcement? Curious about Drive Angry 3D? Bummed about the lack of Robert Pattinson? Excited about Helen Mirren? (Does that last question even need an answer?)

Here are three awesome stories for this Wednesday the 7th. Just click on each descriptions to open it in a new page:

Machina Fatalis has collected all the steampunk happenings at the con! This includes exhibitors, panels, meet-ups, and offsite events. A must-read for any steampunk fan.

Collider has pictures and descriptions of their ten most wanted SDCC exclusive collectibles. They found some really awesome ones that we haven’t featured on the site. In addition, they included helpful shopping tips at the end of the post.

Pop Candy has an SDCC piece written by a long-time exhibitor. It’s filled with interesting anecdotes about attendees and the process of exhibiting at the con.

Do you have any interesting SDCC-themed links? Leave a comment!

Fox Home Entertainment just unveiled the DVD and Blu-Ray sets for Dollhouse Season Two on their Twitter page. Though it suffered horrible ratings and a recent cancellation, Dollhouse has kept a dedicated fan base who have been eagerly anticipating this set.

Attendees will only be able to pre-order the set at Comic-Con (not purchase it), but all the SDCC pre-orders come with a limited edition lithograph that has not yet been unveiled. Sure, most people would be fine skipping Comic-Con lines and pre-ordering it normally, but this lithograph is a cool treat for fans that are attending the con. Kudos to Fox for pleasing the Dollhouse fans at-Con even though the set isn’t released until October.

Will you be picking either of these sets up or are you going to skip the lines and order them after the con?

Here are pics of the DVD and Blu-Ray boxes:

UPDATE: Pricing has been announced and the set is $17. The pack is also available for pre-order here if you aren’t attending the con (in that case they will be delivered sometime in August). If you are attending, you can wait for details on which booth will be selling them. (Thanks to @DeadpoolBugle on Twitter for the tip)

Above are the Minimates that will debut at this year’s con and be released in a set together. The thing that makes these special is that they are specifically built to the original designs that series creator Rob Liefeld envisioned. No details or pricing have been released but all Minimates are made by Diamond (who distributes their products to a variety of sellers), so you can expect the set to be available at many booths during the con. The picture and info all come from Liefeld’s personal blog here.