STACK Aug #154

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Always a highlight on our calendar, the 48th annual San Diego Comic-Con promised much and delivered even more. Words: Scott Hocking

from The Strain , having been replaced by the aforementioned X-Men series. It wouldn’t be Comic-Con without the cosplayers, who are always up for a photo opp or selfie. Not only do they draw appreciative and bemused stares, but they also reflect the most popular screen offerings of the past year. Disney’s Moana certainly made an impact this year, with lots of moms and daughters in grass skirts, while The Joker and Harley Quinn were still championed, even if Suicide Squad was not. This year was an exceptionally busy Con for STACK , with the access to talent including Blade Runner 2049 director Denis Villenueve, Thor: Ragnarok ’s Taika Waititi, Black Panther ’s Winston Duke, and the casts of The LEGO Ninjago Movie and Ready Player One all on our interview schedule. You’ll find all of the above and more in the pages that follow, as we take you inside the panels and press rooms, the offsite attractions, exhibit hall and booths, for a taste of the mother of all pop culture conventions.

Heroes from the DCEU and the MCU mingling with aliens from Star Trek , Disney characters, zombies, inhabitants of Westeros, and Hogwarts wizards – Comic-Con is the ultimate shared universe where everyday lives are put on hold for four days a year in sunny San Diego. The event is more than just a global gathering of pop culture enthusiasts, collectors, artists, filmmakers and gamers. Crossing all genres, creeds and cultures, it’s a unifying experience that has no equal. Even if you don’t have a badge to get into the exhibit hall at the Convention Centre, you can still absorb all the fervour and excitement by osmosis, as there’s plenty on offer in the environs. VR was a big element at this year’s Con, not only with the preview of Steven Spielberg’s new thriller Ready Player One , but also driving offsite attractions like the Blade Runner 2049 experience. Or the Legion MR (Mixed Reality) installation adjacent to the Hilton Bayside Hotel – which incidentally no longer sports the perennial vampire mural

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AUGUST 2017

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