Editors’ note: Hey! TV stuff! With Revolution premiering on NBC this very evening, why not journey back with us to our own world without power – way back in July when we wrote about the show’s pilot episode as part of our Comic-Con coverage. This feature was originally published on July 16, 2012. NBC’s new television series Revolution was everywhere at this year’s Comic-Con, from a giant skin covering the side of the Hilton Hotel (a skin that was unavoidable if you happened to be near the San Diego Convention Center and you happened to have your eyes even slightly open) to a large scale set piece stationed in the middle of the hullabaloo of the Gaslamp District, so it’s not shocking that the series’ panel and pilot premiere was positively packed. The original series is a good fit for the ‘con – a new hour-long drama that takes place in a world without electricity and populated by people just trying to survive, people trying to seize (metaphorical) power, and people trying to figure out why the lights went out (and the planes went down and the cars stopped working and the water stopped running). Creator Eric Kripke is a known name to a niche audience of TV fans – he also created beloved long-running series Supernatural – but it’s the more marquee names that Revolution might be trading on to lure in fans for the show. Both J.J. Abrams and Jon Favreau are executive producers on the project (along

Hearing Guillermo Del Toro speak is a thing of blazing beauty, not just because of the creative way the man curses, but because he’s a breathing ball of insight into how movies should and can be made. He’s a superfan who has the talent to build what he’s passionate about. That latest passion is giant robots and the world of Pacific Rim. Comic-Con attendees lucky enough to get into Hall H (meaning they got in line by 3:30am or something) got an ear-full at the Legendary panel, but even though this video doesn’t feature the exciting footage shown at the convention, it still features almost half an hour of Del Toro and company geeking out on sci-fi.

First of all, everyone at the “What’s Hot in Young Adult Fiction” panel knew each other. And if they were not busy pre-panel exchanging hugs and stories, they had their nose buried in a book (only a few of them were the books by the authors we were about to meet in the panels, having been torn through by these voracious readers already). There’s little question that the popularity of The Twilight Saga film franchise kickstarted a major surge in interest when it comes to both other YA series and in adapting those new series to the screen, but if this particular lit genre owes anything to Hollywood, it’s just that the rise of the YA movie has given way to other YA books to be published (and happy that is, as these readers are hungrier than ever for more stories to read and to love). As author James Dashner commented during the panel, held on the last day of this year’s Comic-Con, “there was no YA section when I was a YA.” But now that’s changed, and in a big way – of the eight authors who served as panelists (along with moderator Nathan Bransford, also an author), seven of them have written YA books that are certified bestsellers, and most of them have already sold the film rights to their biggest YA hits. But just which of the many books represented on the panel stage by their respective authors is going to be the next Twilight or Hunger Games?

Having never previously covered the behemoth known as Comic-Con, I’m currently feeling woefully unprepared (underprepared?) for the experience. But years of monitoring and reporting on the news coming out of the ‘con has prepared me for something – the incredible flood of tangible marketing material that accompanies the convention. We’re not talking about panel chatter, rumors, or announcements, we’re talking hard stuff like posters and banners, material spotted out in the wild of the convention floor as often as it’s released before Preview Night even kicks off that you may one day be able to possess for yourself (and your walls). After the break, feast your eyes on every poster and banner (within reason) released at Comic-Con, an ever-evolving gallery of both pretty pictures and essential information, including such highly anticipated fare as The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Pacific Rim, Dredd, and some very special original works by the likes of Mondo and Gallery 1988.

The final day of Comic-Con has traditionally been the most quiet one – a good time to catch up on more low-key panels, spend time with friends, and buy a metric ton of cool stuff on the convention floor. This year at Comic-Con, however, proved to be one of the most busy and wild, so even Sunday afternoon didn’t provide much relief, even on the floor. But such a still-bumping last day did provide plenty of still-awesome material for your eyeballs. After the break, check out a (somewhat) quieting San Diego, new NECA toys for The Dark Knight Rises, Gremlins, and The Hunger Games, a wall of Tribbles, and – you better believe it – Avenger Playboy Bunnies.

Rorschach’s Journal: July 13th, 2012 I don’t sleep, not by current definitions. I lie still, lie silent, but my eyes do not close. Vigilance is the price of order. Sleep is a breeding ground for vulnerability. I tend to be grumpy in the morning. Suiting up for my second day of the maddening orgy of nerdom that is Comic-Con, I don my mended face. The tensile strength of my haphazard handiwork proves adequate. On the train, local law enforcement commence inspecting tickets. I remain calm. Costumed freaks of all ilks populate this speeding geek wagon. I should not draw much attention. My admittance is confirmed. They do not leave; maintaining uncomfortable proximity. Fists clenched, I will not go quietly. Stop reached, I am not accosted. The badged grunts turn a blind eye as I step off the train and vanish into the crowd.

When I arrived to check out the RAW Studios Panel, the brainchild of actor/writer/director Tom Jane and master illustrator Tim Bradstreet, I was a bit early and took a seat for the 10th Anniversary of something called Courtney Crumrin, which from what I could tell, was an innocent enough book as they talked about there being no real cursing, no sex, and a children friendly Victorian something or other. As they went on and as the RAW panel came closer and closer, the room got decidedly more rock and roll as guys dressed as The Punisher came in with girls in tight mini-dresses and the number of beards in the room roughly quintupled. Once our rough and tumble crowd of around 250 people took over the room, it was time for the RAW panel to begin – though some technical difficulties shifted the schedule around and we started with an announcement that the 1980′s anthology series Alien Worlds was being relaunched by the team, with master fantasy artist William Stout on board to rock out one of the first stories: Before & Afta, which will feature dinosaurs!

There is no such thing as allowing “too much time” for your line-waiting needs at Comic-Con. A newbie to the ‘con, I learned that the hard way; four and a half hours and one brutal sunburn (oddly, only on one half of my body) later, I jumped the Hall H line ship to walk around the Convention Center, San Diego’s beautfiul Gaslamp District, and the exhibition floor to bring you dear readers a fresh look (and, heck, even a few things you’ve seen before that are still the talk of the convention) at the madness, mania, and magic of Comic-Con. After the break, check out a look at Jem stuff, My Little Pony stuff, more Batmobiles than you can shake a stick at, comic books (live! and in person!), members of the Science Patrol from Ultraman taking a coffee break, and even yours truly with a Care Bear (because of course). We also got an up close and personal look at the new Iron Man suit for Iron Man 3, which you can check out in the gallery, though you might want to also take a peek over at Neil’s in-depth look at Marvel and the suit.

One of the areas that has absolutely blown up at Comic-Con — as evidence by the filling it did in last night’s Comic-Con News After Dark segment — is the world of television. With shows crossing into the fan bases of film and comics more and more, there’s plenty of demand for the small screen on the big stage in San Diego. One such show that found a great response was Breaking Bad, which just so happens to be premiering its fifth season on the final night of Comic-Con 2012. With the appearance of creator Vince Gilligan and stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul at the Con, there come several choice quotes about what we can expect in season five as well as a spine-tinglingly good final trailer for all to watch and enjoy.

Guillermo Del Toro with his ‘giant monsters vs. giant robots.’ Zack Snyder and his fresh take on one of the most iconic superheroes in history. Peter Jackson returning to Middle Earth. There’s a reason why fans stood outside Hall H at the San Diego Convention Center for hours-on end, many not getting in after waiting 9-hours in the sun. Today was the big day of movies at Comic-Con 2012, and the Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures panel was its centerpiece. To get you up to speed with everything that happened, we take a tour around the web with our favorite blogfriends to see what everyone had to say about the high-expectation pieces and the big surprises alike.

Earlier in the week, it was teased by Devin Faraci at Badass Digest that Mondo would soon make a “game-changing” announcement. And as Comic-Con rocked on for its first few days, Mondo made plenty of announcements. But all of them were the standard fair: really amazing, exclusive run posters to be sold at their SDCC booth. What’s “game-changing” about that? Today they let loose the big gun: a licensed poster for The Dark Knight Rises by Olly Moss, arguably their most popular artist, whose artwork sees unbelievable aftermarket prices. His recent Doctor Who print has been going for upwards of $1000 on eBay. There’s something special about his next release, though. If you’re not caught in a time warp, you can definitely get one. And here’s how…

The above image shows off Tony Stark’s latest creation, the Mark VII (I think that’s what we’re on) Iron Man armor that will be seen in use for the upcoming Marvel Studios film Iron Man 3. In the wee hours of the Comic-Con morning, it was unveiled at Marvel’s booth, where Stark’s Hall of Armor has been standing guard all weekend. Later in the day, the likes of director Shane Black, producer Jon Favreau and star Robert Downey Jr. took the stage to show off the first footage from their movie. They also brought Marvel’s Kevin Feige along with some other special announcements up his sleeve.

Rorschach’s Journal: July 12, 2012 Hotels smell. Not always conspicuously of waste and rot, but inevitably of troubling memories. Our Comic-Con hotel reeked of bad consciences…and fish parts. Nestled in the festering heart of a dilapidated industrial complex, a place where fish are gutted to feed to larger, performing fish in a nearby aquatic prison, the fear of being likewise unburdened of our insides hung thick in the air. Casting off the encumbrances of travel, and feeling the merciful relief of putting back my face, I began the trek to the train station; those who stay in cushy resorts on the convention grounds…they are soft. Boarded the train with bevvies of costumed heroes and villains alike. These people are unafraid of me. Convention center bursting at the seams like a poorly made corset, spilling the fleshy excess into the street. I am recognized; hear my name called in conspicuous whispers.

The Resident Evil series of movies has no special place in my heart and it’s slightly confusing how many there are compared to how many games there are, which characters are which in each installment, and why some characters have developed mental powers. That being said, they’re all pretty watchable in a bad/good battle way. On Friday at San Diego Comic-Con director Paul W.S. Anderson was joined by Milla Jovovich, Mika Nakashima, Boris Kodjoe, Oded Fehr, and Michelle Rodriguez, the latter two who are both returning from the dead for the franchise. What can we expect from what might be – but probably won’t be – the last installment?

While not everyone in attendance at San Diego Comic-Con is the biggest fan of Len Wiseman, tweeting out jokes spotlighting his missing film knowledge and pedigree, it could just be jealousy that he is married to star Kate Beckinsale. That’s enough to make any man, and most women, insane with jealousy. Feelings for the director, and remakes, aside, I didn’t know what to expect from a Total Recall total remake. Would there be boobs? How many? Would there be tiny mutants? How many? Would there be bullets, explosions, and car chases? How many? We have some answers for you now.

When you venture into the multiplexes anymore, one thing becomes abundantly clear: the suits are firmly in control of Hollywood. Sure, movies have been a business since practically the dawn of the medium, but lately the corporate and marketing stranglehold is so tight that the cold plastic from the action figures and the wax from the fast food drink cups can be tasted in the air by the time the first reel gets moving. So with this near insurmountable obstacle of commercial influence, any time an intelligent, well-crafted genre film sneaks through the board rooms and the  farcical focus groups is a victory for geeks like us.

All the cool kids who are too cool for Comic-Con and all about trying to be cool by saying how not cool Comic-Con has become try to be cool by going to the cool comic area and buying cool things. Cool, right? But seriously, I always like to put the “comic” in Comic-Con and take a walk around the all the different comic vendors, big and small, and find cool stuff to buy. This year is no different and I found a few things that piqued my interest and raped my wallet. Have a peek into my barely literate world!

There are many things to be said about director Joss Whedon, especially now that he’s delivered the highest grossing (to-date) comic book adaptation/superhero movie of all-time in The Avengers. But for all his incredible commercial success in 2012, he’s certainly a guy who has not forgotten where he’s come from. Which mostly includes prematurely cancelled television shows. One of which is Firefly, perhaps his most beloved project. This year at Comic-Con, Whedon got together with Nathan Fillion, the rest of the Firefly gang and a room full of Browncoats to celebrate their wonderful show ten years after its lone season. It all ended with a final question for Joss that turned into one of the most emotional moments you’ll see from Comic-Con 2012. And that moment just so happens to have ended up online, where all can view it (just after the jump).

This Friday I took a little meander around the Hall early in the morning and snapped some pictures, which turned out to be a secretly and accidentally smart thing to do since I ended up stuck in line for the majority of the day before seeing about three hours of panels. It was the Hall H line from Hell, but that didn’t stop us from getting a ton of cool pictures for you to check out. Come on in to the gallery and see some cool stuff from GI Joe, Iron Man, Prometheus, Gremlins, and a very sexy pin-up of our very own Rorschach!

What is Comic-Con News After Dark? It’s taking over for a few days while Movie News After Dark goes off into the wilderness to find stories unrelated to Doctor Who. It’s taken focus a little too seriously. Also, Comic-Con News After Dark already has plenty of news about Doctor Who, including… Tonight’s top photo: Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill and Matt Smith, best known as the cast of BBC’s Doctor Who. They appeared today at Comic-Con looking cool. Sunglasses are cool. Also, Karen is my dream girl.