Wondercon 2009

Movie Previews
By Ron Graves

This year's WonderCon featured previews from Watchmen, Terminator Salvation, Alien Trespass, 9, and an exclusive look at the new Star Trek movie.

I had a chance to preview Terminator Salvation and Up. The McG had the crowd in a frenzy with his salty tongue and teasing clips. Some of the footage was very rough, but it gave a clear picture of a bleak post-apocalyptic landscape. It looks like a dedicated effort was made to bring back the spirit of the first two films, but let's see if a lower budget and a director that is clearly not James Cameron can pull it off.

Up was a sweet family film, about what you would expect from Pixar. Interesting premise, lovable characters, and impeccable artwork make this a sure hit. There was an interesting topic brought up about what Pixar looks for in animators. In addition to good fundamental art skills, what separates the Pixar artist is being able to capture the nuances of human motion and incidental movements. So kids, if you want a career in digital animation, put down the pencil and start observing the motions people make without thinking about them.

Floor Features
By Jsin Diablo

The floor was packed even more this year than last. There were swarms of people that made getting from one section to another difficult. Timing was key to getting a clear look at all the floor had to offer. By showing up early or skipping the bigger previews you give yourself a good chance.

The highlights of the signing booths were Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher. However, one low-light was having to pay $100 for Mark Hamill's autograph! Doesn't he get royalties from the Star Wars series? Why does he want to bleed his fans even more? No matter, we saw him and it was cool. Next time bring the zoom lens and skip the fee!

The art work was absolutely amazing, with highly talented artists showing their process in addition to the final products. The toys and collectables for sale were also of top quality and many "must-have" items were seen.

The fan costumes were also great. GI Joe was a new craze, with the new movie coming out it is no mystery why. There were also the staples of Star Wars, Predator, a very cool Bumblebee outfit, and other assorted nerdy icons.

Make sure you get to the show next year if you can, we'll be there!

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