Comic-Con 2014 kicked off its first full day Thursday with hordes of costumed fans, a blast of summer heat and a zip line behind the San Diego Convention Center.
Not even Jack Bauer was prepared for this.
The hero of FOX television’s “24” was the star of the first big panel, with actor Kiefer Sutherland talking about the successful relaunch of the series, which had its big, cliffhanger ending just a couple few weeks ago.
The hero of FOX television’s “24” was the star of the first big panel, with actor Kiefer Sutherland talking about the successful relaunch of the series, which had its big, cliffhanger ending just a couple few weeks ago.
Sutherland, appearing bemused and appreciative of the big crowd that turned out for the panel, said he enjoyed filming this season’s show in London, which gave the show a unique and historic feel. Responding to fan questions, he described Jack Bauer as a character who has grown meaner and more impatient over the years, said his favorite gun to have shot on the series is a Sig Sauer .337 because it never jams, and chose Gene Hackman as the actor he’d most like to work with.
But the big question about whether “24″ would come back wasn’t answered, although Sutherland said there’s still talk of making a movie.
Like “24,” TV shows were the big draw Thursday.
CBS’s breakout summer hit, “Under the Dome,” had a panel featuring all of the show’s stars. As is Comic-Con tradition, they teased big twists for the rest of the season without giving anything away and talked about Stephen King‘s continued involvement in the series, which is based on his novel.
The stars of another summer series, TNT’s “The Last Ship” talked to the media about their show, which is halfway through its current season, but has already been renewed.
For “The Last Ship,” the enthusiastic response to the show at Comic-Con has been a sweet surprise for the cast.
“It was really great, considering the show has just started airing,” said actress Rhona Mitra, who plays virologist Dr. Rachel Scott on the show. “It’s really welcoming.”
And if you couldn’t get into the crowded panels, there were more celebrations of TV shows outside the convention center, including a “24″ exhibit where you could pilot a drone and a mockup of Gotham City, complete with a zip line. The zip line was so popular that even San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer went down it.
If you couldn’t get tickets to Comic-Con, don’t worry because San Diego is becoming a pop culture haven.
At least three other cons were actually at Comic-Con advertising that they are coming to San Diego in the coming months.
Westercon 68 is a West Coast fantasy and science fiction conference that will be held July 2-5, 2015 at the Town and Country Resort Hotel in Mission Valley.
Conjecture 2014 and ConChord 26 is a joint convention being held Oct. 10-12, also at the Town and Country. Conjecture focuses on literature, media, gaming, science and the arts and will include costuming panels. ConChord celebrates “filking,” a musical culture, genre, and community tied to science fiction/fantasy fandom.
And then there’s the third annual San Diego Comic Fest, which started because of the frustrations that Comic-Con had gotten too crowded and too hard to get into. Comic Fest, which bills itself as the friendly, intimate comic convention experience, will be held Oct. 17-19 at, you guessed it, the Town and Country.
