Excerpts from SDCC website and story Tentpoles, newbies out at Comic-Con 'Iron Man 2' makes splash; obscure titles seek pickup By Borys Kit on July 26, 2009

San Diego Convention Center .

In the Beginning:

It all started in 1970 with a one-day minicon (think of it as "Comic-Con Zero") at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego. The first guests were Forrest J Ackerman (Famous Monsters of Filmland's famous editor) and Mike Royer, best known for his work inking Jack Kirby's "Fourth World" books. That one-day event tested the waters -— and raised funds —- for the first ever San Diego Comic-Con (then called "San Diego's West Coast Comic-Con") in August of the same year, which featured comics legend Jack Kirby and science fiction authors Ray Bradbury and A. E. van Vogt. And the rest, as they say, is history -— including Kirby, Bradbury, and Ackerman going on to become three of Comic-Con's favorite guests over the years (both Ray and Forry were present again in 2008).

That first show and its logo set the groundwork for what would become, over the next 39 years, the country's leading comics and popular arts convention. From the very beginning the event has focused on "comic art, films, and science fiction."

This years show was the 40th year for San Diego Comic Con - and every year gets bigger.. This year the show expanded outside the confines of the Convention Center. Spilling into the Bayfront Hilton and even into the Gaslamp District.

The 40th edition of Comic-Con International, which devoted much of Friday and Saturday to TV panels, wrapped with film back in the spotlight as "Iron Man 2" staged a strong, buzz-building presentation.

IronMan 2 - Robert Downey Jr & John Landis.

Director Jon Favreau and the Marvel crew were understandably nervous going in, as "Iron Man 2" had to overcome the hurdle of the high standard set by last year's hit movie.

But during Saturday's presentation, which combined star power, Robert Downey Jr.'s charisma, and masterful showmanship, Marvel showed a fake, subpar sizzle reel before unveiling footage that wowed -- not only meeting the high
expectations but surpassing them judging by chatter from the convention floor to Saturday night's parties. It was a textbook example of what a Comic-Con presentation should be.

Monogram exhibited in Booth # 3945.

            

Customer in front of MII Booth "Hey Man you better get over here quick, Monogram has these great Marvel Figures, I'm right in front of their booth - it's 3945, Hurry!"

New properties caught fire - Most notably, "District 9," a human-vs.-alien action movie based on an original idea that Peter Jackson produced and godfathered, was among the breakouts of the film presentations. Despite no stars, an obscure title and a $30 million budget, the pic, which will be released in August, generated strong buzz -- first among media during a private screening and then among fans at a Jackson-led panel.

That the movie enjoyed such success at Comic-Con underscored another emerging film trend: studios' increased willingness to bring pics that will be released within the next few months, and hesitancy to bring next summer's
films.

Outside of "Iron Man 2," all the big film titles will be out in this year, a list that includes "District 9" as well as November-December pics "Sherlock Holmes," "Avatar" and "2012."

                

Customer in front of MII Booth side "What to choose, What to choose, I'll just take one of everything..!"

The Con, which again operated at capacity, grew out of the San Diego Convention Center for the first time. Several panels, notably NBC's"Heroes," took place at the newly opened Bayfront Hilton.

Disney, meanwhile, made a promotional move that portends the future. The studio took the bold step of taking a viral campaign for "Tron: Legacy" into the city's Gaslamp district instead of setting up shop on the convention
floor.

The studio, working with 42 Entertainment, re-created a 1980s arcade with actual period games and a new Tron game that revealed a secret passage filled with the new movie's concept art and ultimately led to a Lightcycle -- a special motorcycle seen in the movie -- revolving on a platform.

The setup, named "Flynn's Arcade," drew hundreds of fans who lined up for more than an hour and showed that awareness could be launched from beyond the confines of the cramped convention center, something Hollywood and
Comic-Con need to consider if the conclave is to continue growing.

Our products were well received by all who stopped in.

Actor Johnny Depp waves to fans as he makes an appearance at a panel held for his new movie "Alice in Wonderland" at the Comic-Con International 2009 convention held in San Diego Thursday, July 23, 2009. The annual comic book and popular arts convention attracts over 100,000 people and runs through Sunday July 26. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

Stay tuned Alice in Wonderland will be coming soon!!