2006-07-27 - NOT-QUITE-SO-LIVE FROM COMIC-CON: INTERNATIONAL -- DAY FIVE

If you missed yesterday's Comic-Con update, just click here.

Saturday is traditionally the most hectic, most heavily attended day at Comic-Con, and lord knows this year was certainly no exception. Don't believe me? Take a look at the crowds waiting to get in a 8 a.m. Saturday:

And the line didn't end there...

... or there...

I think you see where this is going...

Now that, my friends, is a line. Advice for next year: If you have any plans of attending, get your tickets in advance.

Hasbro gets a hold of the Master Toy License for Marvel Comics in 2007, and at the show announced that the extremely popular "Marvel Legends" action-figure line will continue. They showed off some of their upcoming offerings, including...

...Dark Phoenix from X3: The Last Stand...

...the long-awaited Quicksilver (Cap's Kooky Quartet is complete!)...

...a Juan Bobillo-style She-Hulk...

...another sentimental favorite around these parts, Yellowjacket...

...the Build-a-Figure for one of the assortments, the Blob...

...also shown were Planet Hulk, X3 Beast, Hercules, and the other Build-a-Figure, Annihilus.

This full-size Gigantor was pretty impressive.

the Hasbro booth has this cool Power Droid, which doubled as a poster dispenser. I'm totally stealin' that idea for next year.

DC Direct debuted on Saturday a new line of INFINITE CRISIS figures, which are a little overposed for my taste, but still pretty cool.

Digging that new Firestorm, too.

Nothing says Comic-Con like a tower of turtles...

Artist's Alley was jumping this year (despite this picture to the contrary), with lots of artists seemingly doing excellent business in sketches and original art.

This guy actually had an electrical generator built into his costume, enabling sparks to leap from his fingertips. I'm sure it wasn't at all hazardous. Really.

By contrast, "Bob the Angry Flower" didn't attract quite as much attention with his costume.

The Corpse Bride here had gathered quite a crowd of admirers in the Exhibit Hall main aisle.

That's the line for food. Honest to god.

Saturday was so packed, I had to get out of there for a while, and getting me out of a Comic-Con exhibit hall is a near-impossible task. While the crowds packed the hall, Ryall, SPIKE: ASYLUM writer Brian Lynch and I cooled our heels in a restaurant across the street from the con, while, unbeknownst to us, the crowds got so thick they actually had to stop selling tickets at 2 p.m.

Later that afternoon, it was back to Ballroom 20 upstairs for the VERONICA MARS panel, with nearly the entire cast and show creator Rob Thomas in attendance. Hopefully the show's move to the new CW network will gain it some much-needed exposure, as it really is one of the sharpest-written shows on television.

A trio of Predators hangs out in the hall...

...after one checks his hair, that is.

An anime babe loiters outside the hotel...

The crowd exits the giant auditorium downstairs Saturday night after the Spider-Man 3 panel, which featured not only surprise appearances by Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Topher Grace, Thomas Haden Church and Bryce Dallas Howard along with the scheduled Sam Raimi, but also the world's first look at Venom. Don't feel bad, folks -- I missed it myself. The crowds were just too huge.

Saturday night was another late night, thanks to an invite to the Sci-Fi Channel's party. This was quite the lavish bash, celebrating among other things STARGATE SG-1's 10th season, with an open bar and tasty grub. At one point in the evening, I looked to my left and saw Edward James Olmos, looked to my right and saw original Apollo Richard Hatch, over Hatch's shoulder was the Doctor from VOYAGER, and then Stan Lee walked by.

Only at Comic-Con.

Yes, Scott Tipton would like another lobster quesadilla, thanks for asking. That Sci-Fi Channel knows how to throw a party. Send your questions about comics or Comic-Con here.

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