Every year The San Diego Comic-Con Unofficial Blog reflects on the highlights and the top moments of SDCC. As with last year, we’ve asked each of our team members to come up with their favorites and describe in their own words what made each so special.
Take a look below to see what the Blog’s top moments of 2015 were, and see if they line up with your own.
Ben Kucharski
Trying to pick my one favorite event of SDCC 2015 is impossible, but I will do my best to narrow it down. Being new to the blog, of course Enchantment Under the SDCC and getting to see the readers for the first time was really special. I knew I was working towards something all those months, but to see it all come together and get to meet and chat with the people who like our work really warmed my heart. That and drinks, prizes, old friends, and new, what isn’t there to like? With that said, I had the pleasure of being able to attend the BuzzFeed and The CW’s Super Power Hour party and it was the very best Comic-Con party I had ever attended (aside from ours of course!). I am the biggest CW fan, so this was an absolute dream come true along with having the chance to meet many of the cast of Arrow and The Flash. Pics to follow on my Comic-Con wrap up article coming soon.
James Riley
No doubt about it. The Lucasfilm Star Wars: The Force Awakens panel was my top moment. Or should I say moments. It’s hitting me all over again that I was there to be able to experience a once in a lifetime event. From the intro of Kennedy, Abrams, and Kasdan, to the fully practical creature Bobbajo who walked across the stage, to the 6 new cast, to the big 3, to the concert and the free lightsabers. Plus there was behind the scenes footage and photos. This is what Comic-Con is about for me, getting an experience that can’t be replicated anywhere else. The sheer joy from everyone in the room was palpable and infectious. Every bit of emotion from up on stage to out in the audience felt genuine and amplified as it passed throughout the room. This wasn’t just my top moment of 2015, this was my top moment of 22 years of SDCC.
Kerry Dixon
This is going to sound completely cliche, but honestly, our Wednesday night reader party was everything that I could have hoped for and more. I’m not going to harp too much on how much planning went into this year’s party (months, guys, months), but especially as I live in another state, not being able to see the venue we’d booked or see all of your goodies in person, finally getting to experience that on Wednesday afternoon made it all feel real. And then we got to see hundreds of our readers! I made friends this year at the party that I’m hoping to keep for years to come (looking at you, stalkers!), got to catch up with lots of you who I’ve been chatting with online for months or sometimes even years – and it made all of the blood, sweat and tears poured into party planning feel 110% worth it. That said, I’ve learned that I can definitely cross party planning off the list of careers I might ever be interested in. I’ll only do that for you guys.
Kim Twombly
Kerry summed up Enchantment Under the SDCC most excellently, so I will pick two other moments (yes, two!) that capture the amazement that is Comic-Con: Conan’s show and the cast of Warcraft at Nerdist’s Conival.
I was able to attend Friday’s taping of Conan, with the Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead casts, which was amazing, but it was Saturday’s “mystery reveal” show that blew me away. We lucked out with getting 2nd row seats and had a unique vantage point for the taping of the show. We also had no idea who to expect as guests — there was some speculation of Star Wars — but I was sold when the TARDIS noise began and the blue box rolled out on stage (there may have been a slight bit of moisture in my eyes at this point).
Peter Capaldi was only the first of the guests that evening, and we were also treated to the cast of X-Men: Apocalypse! Check out my quick behind-the-scenes video here on the YouTubes. You can also watch many clips from Conan’s Comic-Con shows on teamcoco.com/comiccon.
My second “How Awesome Is Comic-Con??” moment came just after Saturday’s Conan taping, during which I missed the cast of Warcraft in their Hall H appearance. The cast were slated to appear at Petco Park that afternoon, as a part of the Nerdist Conival, and they held a wonderful panel on the Nerdist stage. It’s what followed that really made my night: Several members of the cast prepared for battle and it was Horde vs. Alliance on the Laser Tag battleground. Words really can’t describe this event, so it’s a good thing I took a video! Now every time I walk through that spot at Padres home games I will remember the epic battle I was witness to.
Lisa McDowell
It’s always a difficult task to pick just one favorite moment from Comic-Con. There are so many fabulous moments that help to make this convention what it truly is — a unique experience that makes it one of the best conventions out there. So choosing a top one is always a rough call. However, this year I did have one moment that stood out above the rest. For those who know me on Twitter, you may already know what my top moment of 2015 will be. It is no secret that I love the History Channel’s show Vikings, and for me this year their panel blew me away. It delivered pranks (with Travis Fimmel on the floor), fan hugs by Ragnar himself, shirts flying through the air, Viking horns, screaming fans, cookies, selfies and so much more. Really, what more could you want? The actors love for their fans truly showed through this year. From the hug that a crying fan received to the actors Clive Standen and Katheryn Winnick staying to greet fans with autographs, selfies, handshakes and hi-fives at the conclusion of the panel. These actors showed that not only can they help create a fabulous television show, but that they will go the extra mile for their fans. This panel set the mood for the rest of my SDCC 2015 experience and it was everything one should expect from a San Diego Comic-Con panel. Although it still doesn’t top last year’s meet & greet with them at the offsite signing, it sure as heck comes awfully close. It will be remembered for a long time to come.
Sarah Lacey
My top moment of Comic-Con wasn’t actually anything with the convention itself. Sure, I loved the iZombie and The 100 panels, but the most fun and memorable moment was my day as a Prize Mule. Kerry and I spent most of Sunday lugging around a large bag of leftover swag and a joke about being the ‘prize mule’ turned into a hashtag and day-long adventure. We would tweet a picture of me with my bag o’swag and the first few to find us got a prize. We were able to talk to a lot of our readers, which meant getting some much appreciated feedback and being able to meet really cool people. Seriously, you all are very cool (and fast!). It was so much fun that we’re officially bring the #AdventuresOfPrizeMule back next year.
Shawn Marshall
On the drive in to the Gaslamp on Saturday morning, we had a very specific plan that involved exclusives, offsites and tons of floor time but that all went out the door when we saw on Twitter that Hall H might be an opportunity. It was 8AM when we took our well-tailored plan and tossed it in the trash at a chance at seeing the WB panel. We got in and spent a total of nearly 13 hours in the panel room, as it seemed like an experience that we’d likely never have again. We saw so much that day: Suicide Squad, Batman v. Superman, Warcraft, Deadpool, X-Men, Arrow, The Flash, and so many more. As many wonderful moments as there are in that room, the great moment was just taking such a different course for the day.
In prepping for SDCC, we always remind those we help that Comic-Con is all about having a plan and being willing to toss it aside when you find special opportunities. Social media has transformed the Comic-Con experience and it transformed our day. I don’t see us camping out for panels anytime soon, because there’s just so many experience that we miss in panel rooms. That said, our Saturday in Hall H will always be a cherished memory. How did the “comic and toy guy” end up spending a Saturday in the capital of Hollywood’s home at SDCC? It was simple. Some awesome attendees tweeted that there were wristbands left over at 7:30 AM and we were willing to change course. The best moments of each Comic-Con are usually unplanned moments…and it’s these surprises that make it such a special show.
What are your favorite moment of San Diego Comic-Con 2015? Let us know in the comments.
