Under The Tents Early Edition: Toucan, Spike TV, DreamWorks Animation, Jack Black, The Walking Dead Escape, Swag, The Sidekick, Archaia, Honest Tea, Falling Skies

We’ve started a new, quasi-regular column on the Blog titled “Under The Tents”. The title is symbolic, as it’s representative of the times we all line up under the tents waiting for those big moments to happen inside Hall H or Ballroom 20.

You can read yesterday’s Late Edition here.

Here’s the rest of the stuff you might have missed for today:

We missed it yesterday, but the Toucan Tip of the Day #29 is worth going back for. “Make Someone’s Day!”

The best part of Comic-Con is the camaraderie and the spirit. At least once a day, try to make someone’s day in a small way: Hold the door open, give a compliment on his or her costume or nerd attire, even just offer someone a big smile. These small acts of kindness will go a long way for them and for you and can be some of your most treasured memories of the show!

G4 may be gone from the convention this year, but Spike TV will be picking up the slack. The cable network’s Comic-Con All Access coverage will have Katie Linendoll, Geoff Keighley and others reporting live from the con throughout the weekend and will air a highlight show when it’s all done, on Monday July 22. In addition, the network announced it is partnering with Nerd HQ for 2013. Guests on the program to include Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Kick Ass 2), Vin Diesel (Riddick), Bryan Cranston (Godzilla), Jeff Bridges and Ben Barnes (Seventh Son), Samuel L. Jackson (Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Robocop), Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead) and other surprise guests.

DreamWorks Animation will be passing out limited edition collectible cards with promo codes for free animated shorts. A different card will be available each day.
- Wednesday, July 17: B.O.B.’s Big Break
- Thursday, July 18: Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon
- Friday, July 19: Dragons: Riders of Berk (first episode)
- Saturday, July 20: Megamind: The Button of Doom
- Sunday, July 21: Puss In Boots: The Three Diablos

These cards will be available at the FOX booth, #4229, as well as handed out by the M-GO street team, all weekend long. M-GO street team members wearing purple M-GO branded capes, masks, wristbands and T-shirts can be found outside the San Diego Convention Center.

To promote the upcoming DVD release of Dragons: Riders of Berk, the Deadly Nadder from the How To Train Your Dragon live show will be roaming the streets outside the convention center for everyone to take pictures with.

We were informed a “surprise celebrity guest” will be joining Jack Black for the Ghost Ghirls panel, that attendees won’t want to miss. The panel is on Thursday July 18 from 1-2PM in the Indigo Ballroom.

Purchase an All-Night Spectator pass for The Walking Dead Escape and watch the apocalypse all night long. Gain access to outstanding photo opportunities, merchandise and the Escape Party. The first 2000 all-night spectators to sign up online will not only receive an exclusive The Walking Dead Escape: San Diego poster, but also an exclusive copy of The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor novel.

We talked about the panel, “The Musical Anatomy of a Superhero: Bringing a Comic Book Character to Life” on our schedule breakdown, but now we know another reason to attend the panel, on Thursday July 18 at 10:30AM in Room 6A – free CDs, posters and more!

Exclusive Limited Edition Comic-Con O-cards will be handed out at the Robotech X booth, #MZ-11, and talent will be on-hand at the booth for signings Friday through Sunday, 2-3PM.

Jason Ritter has joined Lizzy Caplan, Ron Livingston, Jordan Peele and Martin Starr for The Sidekick panel, Thursday July 18 from 3-4PM in the Indigo Ballroom.

Archaia has announced its booth signing schedule for Comic-Con 2013.

Stop by the Crown Publishing booth on the exhibit floor, #1515, and get a free bottle of Honest Tea to promote its new graphic novel Mission In A Bottle, about the history of how Honest Tea came to be.

Toucan’s final tip for 2013: “Have a Great Show!”

Whether you come for the comics (programs, publishers, dealers), or movies, TV, and animation or to go to the programs or cosplay or people-watch or the Masquerade or the Eisner Awards or Anime or Games or the offsite events or just to hang out with like-minded friends and fans and bask in the glow of the stuff you love most … your Comic-Con experience is what you make of it. YOUR show is different from any other person’s show, even the friends and family that came with you.