STACK #166 Aug 2018

DVD & BD FEATURE

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SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON STACK ’s fourth consecutive 2018

visit to the mother of all pop culture conventions was every bit as rewarding as our first, albeit much busier. Words Scott hocking

SDCC 2018 felt bigger than last year; the Exhibit Hall fuller; the crowds more difficult to navigate; the exclusive merchandise even harder to acquire; the Wi-Fi networks more congested; and the sheer amount of events and activities threatening sensory overload. But the sense of excitement and

cosplayers, or simply soak up the atmosphere out front. Fortunately, the Con snakes its tentacles deep into the streets surrounding the Convention Centre and Downtown, where a plethora of off-site activations and events await. And of course there is the annual zombie march and a passing parade of cosplayers en route – from rudimentary cardboard Transformers and thrift shop Jedi robes, to 3D-printed Master Chief suits. SDCC 2018 was a non-stop experience this year for STACK . With our inner geek engaged and frozen margaritas to assuage the heat and humidity, we navigated the four hectic days of panels, press conferences, interviews and copywriting with aplomb – living and breathing Comic- Con with the endurance of a veteran and the enthusiasm of a first timer.

community was, as always, palpable; attendees united in their passion for pop culture, Pop Vinyl, comic books, superheroes, anime, movies and television series. The major difference

this year was the closure of Harbor Drive in front of the San Diego Convention Centre to better facilitate foot traffic, increase security, and to stop the riders of San Diego’s ubiquitous shared scooters from crashing into attendees. (These things are everywhere, and we can only hope they don’t make their way Down Under.) The other notable change was restricting access to the Convention Centre area to Comic-Con badge holders only – a bit of a downer if you just want to check out the

We met new Doctor Who Jodie Whittaker in the grounds of the historic Hotel del Coronado; chatted with the stars and directors of Spider- Man: Into the Spider-Verse ; breakfasted among The Walking Dead ’s stars and producers; sipped Scream cocktails at the Scarediego horror night; felt goosebumps when the Godzilla: King of the Monsters trailer roared into the legendary Hall H; and consumed far too many burgers. And we simply had to share it all with you across the next five pages…

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AUGUST 2018

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