Anticipating Doctor Who at San Diego Comic-Con
Connor Johnston on what we can expect at Doctor Who’s SDCC panel this year.
From hipster Disney princesses to pregnant Wolverines, zombified Chewbaccas to troublingly revealing My Little Ponies… there’s nothing like the International San Diego Comic-Con to open the doors to the weirdest and wackiest mental images one will ever experience. But aside from the continually praised insanity, Comic-Con also offers the creative geniuses behind some of the most successful and anticipated blockbuster movies, cult TV shows and comic book series a chance to connect and interact with fans from all over the globe. Following their absence due to filming commitments and the world tour last year, the Doctor Who team is set to return and invade the ‘mundane’ world of Comic-Con in a couple hours’ time – which is sure to see some stunning revelations regarding the new series grace the internet’s way later.
On top of the news that Doctor Who was returning it was also revealed that the panel will take place in Hall H… which is almost as momentous as it gets. If you’re familiar with San Diego Comic-Con lore, then the phrase “Hall H” probably strikes a sense of awe and terror into your heart. If not, then the simplest explanation is that when you see photos of people sleeping on the floor at Comic-Con, it’s probably because they’re queueing for Hall H, and being the largest theatre at the convention its more than clear Doctor Who will get the attention and presence it truly deserves.
So, in the lead up to the panel this afternoon (San Diego time), join me in exploring the many and various reasons why we should be celebrating the launch of the 2015 SDCC. Whether you find yourself lucky enough to be in attendance or (like yours truly) will spend the week wrapped in a Tom Baker scarf contemplating your own existence and repeatedly refreshing the DWTV homepage for developments – there really is something amazing to be acquired by all.
Fan Culture
There are very few places on earth where one can dress up as a ‘Steampunk-Genderswaped-Ballerina-Absorbaloff’ and be automatically accepted by all around you. It’s the equally stressed insanity and brilliance of Comic-Con that allows different fandoms from across the entertainment spectrum to mingle and converse, indulging in common interests and finding real acceptance and excitement together among ‘fandom families’. Its moments like the SDCC and by extension any Expo or Event that gathers fans from all over the world together that really stresses how much Doctor Who has expanded from being simply a television program.
What an overwhelming atmosphere it must be to experience the unity and mutual joy of almost 150 thousand fellow fans from all different walks of life – united in the love and passion for one television show. It’s through these conventions that the true secret of Doctor Who’s success is discovered – that it brings people together – whether it be on a website or at a sold out special event – its ability to unite and capture so many peoples adorations and affections is what will truly ensure that Doctor Who never dies.
Panels
One of the highlights of the entire structure of SDCC is the ‘panel format’ that offer fans the opportunity to directly pick at the minds of the creative teams behind their favourite series through an extended Q&A session. From a personal point of view, the insights into the creation and production of Doctor Who are one of the most anticipated factors of the panels, being that it’s always exceedingly fascinating to discover as much as we can about the inner workings of the show and the methods of creating it. But aside from all the information that gets extracted, the panels also serve to be incredibly valuable in the fact that it reminds fans and (more importantly silver tongued critics) that these people we adore are, at the end of the day, regular people like you and me – doing their jobs to the best of their ability and loving every second of it – and deserve as anyone does our utmost respect as fellow human beings.
In the past, it’s been the SDCC panels that have birthed iconic cast moments like David Tennant and John Barrowman’s spectacular snog and the Tardis Trio’s inspired rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody. Who knows, perhaps the overwhelming sexual tension between Coleman and Capaldi or the magnificence of Michelle Gomez’s operatic capabilities will erupt into a stunning gif-set on Tumblr to be remembered and adored for all eternity in this years panel! What is for certain however with such a brilliant line-up is that the entertainment factor (soon to be enjoyed by all thanks to an aspiring YouTuber with a camera) will be truly out of this world. (Get it… Because Doctor Who … aliens and stuff)
Exclusives
Apart from the panels and displays, Comic-Con International also prides itself on being a platform to offer exclusive materials and teasers to lucky fans in attendance. For the merchandise collectors among us, SDCC has continued to evolve into a market place for vendors and artists to offer special stock and limited edition products one would struggle to find anywhere else. The offers appealing to wealthy Whovians this year include Limited ‘Funko Pop’ Figures of both the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors, ‘Titan Vinyl’ Figures of the Tenth Doctor, and of course themed ‘Titan Comics’ featuring all the Doctors of the revival. Also on sale by Titan Comics will be an exclusive short story with art by Alice X Zhan (covers pictured) following the Doctor and Clara as they unexpectedly visit San Diego Comic-Con and find themselves intertwined in the mystery of the green-skinned Lady of Neverness who can only be viewed through mirrors, photos and quantum snapshots, and has turned up in the background of photos all over the convention!
However, possibly the most anticipated thing to come out of Comic-Con annually (both by attendees and sad, sad internet refreshers alike) is the exclusive footage released to tease and promote upcoming episodes. Premiering such materials at SDCC offers the BBC probably the biggest global launching pad to advertise the show and no doubt will be taken advantage of once again this year.
One remembers painfully the uproar that escalated last year following the 50th Anniversary panel at San Diego 2013 when the premiere of “The Day of the Doctor” trailer was kept exclusively to the crowds present at the panel on the day. While some slight annoyance is to be expected at the inability of many to attend these conventions and as such ‘miss the opportunity’ to be gifted these sneak peeks, we must always remember that at the end of the day these people that do make up the crowds at SDCC have paid significant amounts of money, travelled from far and wide and in most cases slept overnight on the concrete sidewalks of Hall H to gain access to these panels – and surely those expenses and efforts warrant some kind of reward? Regardless it’s also worth reminding everyone that for this year at least there’s no need for panic – with the BBC already citing in a statement to “Fear not faithful fans – anything we reveal at Comic-Con will be revealed to ALL.”
This Year…
Today, at 2:15pm San Diego time (Around 10.15pm in the UK), showrunner Steven Moffat will lead an all-star panel featuring Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman, Brian Minchin and Michelle Gomez. The panel will offer fans worldwide an invaluable opportunity to discover the ins and outs involved with creating the new series as well as becoming a platform to launch the publicity wagon for Series 9 with some exclusive material. So what exclusive material can we expect to surface? Well judging by recent speculation and historic examples it seems almost inevitable that a Series 9 trailer will be premiered exclusively at Comic-Con before being uploaded online – however given the lack of publicity the quickly approaching new series has had so far one wouldn’t be surprised if this evening’s revelations include an exclusive poster as well as possibly a definite airdate for “The Magician’s Apprentice”… but only time will tell! The BBC have already told fans to keep alert for a very special treat online around 10.30pm…
What material do you think will be gifted through the International Comic-Con today? To add substance to our speculation we’ve included below a catalogue of past Comic-Con line ups and exclusives that have been featured in Doctor Who panels since its first appearance in 2008, what treats will 2015 reveal?
