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.

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.

What is Movie News After Dark? The title seems pretty self explanatory, at least where the topic of conversation and timing are concerned. You should also note that it happens every night of the week and is read all around the world. Thanks for joining in on the fun. We begin tonight’s rundown with an image of Ron Perlman visiting Zachary. Who is Zachary? You might ask. He’s a six-year old boy currently undergoing treatment for leukemia, whose Make-a-Wish desire was to “meet and become Hellboy.” The folks at Spectral Motion, the creature effects shop of Guillermo Del Toro, and Perlman were more than happy to oblige. And here’s a tissue…

From the looks of it Django Unchained, Pacific Rim and Anything Marvel Does Forever are topping the list of the most anticipated movies hitting Comic-Con 2012. The question is, with 400 million (number estimated) other movie panels showing up in San Diego, how will you possibly see everything? And how can you see anything if you aren’t going to be there? Since the list of events is massive, we’ve teamed up with 14 other movie websites to make sure that every inch of the convention center is locked down. Consider this your portal, bookmark it, and return often to check out the full spectrum of coverage from ours and other fine sites. To get started, here’s a small look at what all of us are most excited to see.

What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a vicious sonofabitch, back from a weekend of debauchery (and candle-lit research) to bring you news and notes from around the film blogosphere. The best links end up here. If they don’t, you should email them in so that we can include them tomorrow. No seriously, do it. We begin this evening with a first look at Naomi Watts as Princess Diana in Caught in Flight, a film from Downfall director Oliver Hirschbiegel. The film will see Di’s relationship with Dr. Hasnat Khan, who will be played by Naveen Andrews. Because all those blonde-haired dames love a little Sayeed. Also because it really happened, in real life.

What is Movie News After Dark? At all times, it is an attempt to run down 8 or so stories that you should be reading today. Or should have read today, and should be reading tonight. Sometimes it’s helpful. Sometimes it’s silly. But it always is. We begin tonight with a shot from Disney’s potentially very cool 2D animated shot Paper Man. Classy, simple and with little bits of color (look closely, it’s there) and some really great buzz from the animation community are fueling the fire around this one, which will play alongside Wreck-It-Ralph in November.

Two nights ago, Aaron Sorkin’s heavily-anticipated and rather polarizing new show The Newsroom aired its debut on HBO. With the pilot’s central focus on the BP oilrig explosion, the premium cable network has established itself (alongside with their recent TV movies) as the primary venue for dramatizing recent political history. However, other contemporary television shows have addressed political issues well beyond the headlines of the past few years. In this election year, it seems that TV comedies and dramas from several networks have a surprising amount to say about the political process in a way that resonates with this uncertain, often frustrating moment. Here’s how The Newsroom stacks up against a triumvirate of other TV shows with overtly political themes…

Last week, Thomas Catan and Amy Schatz of The Wall Street Journal published an article about the Justice Department’s antitrust investigation into whether or not cable companies are manipulating consumers’ access to streaming competitors of television content in order to reduce competition. The investigation’s central question is this: are cable companies like Comcast and Time Warner setting data caps to limit download time, speed, and amount of content in order to stave consumers off from using alternatives like Hulu and Netflix? Furthermore, the DOJ is investigating whether or not selective data limits applied to certain streaming outlets (like the fact that Comcast’s data limits can apply to streaming Hulu, but not Comcast’s own Xfinity services) violates Comcast’s legally-binding oath to not “unreasonably discriminate” against competitors. According to the WSJ, “Attorney General Eric Holder on Tuesday suggested he had sympathy for those who want to ‘cut the cord’ rather than paying for cable channels they don’t watch. At a Senate hearing, Sen. Al Franken (D., Minn.) said cable bills are ‘out of control’ and consumers want to watch TV and movies online. Mr. Holder responded, ‘I would be one of those consumers.’” What’s most important about this story for TV consumers is not so much the specific outcomes of this investigation (though that will no doubt have wide-ranging but uncertain implications), but the fact that lawmakers, regulators, and the industry will continue to be forced to recognize new distinctions being made between cable companies, networks, and individual shows as citizens increasingly

What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a nightly column that brings together the best entertainment-related stories, Monday through Friday. It spends the weekends thinking about you, awaiting the moment when you’ll be reunited on Monday night. That moment is right now… We begin tonight with a shot from Game of Thrones. Why? Because Game of Thrones is awesome. The other reason would be that Pajiba’s Brian Byrd has taken to analyzing the process that HBO will have to go through in Ending Game of Thrones. It’s a spoiler-free essay that talks about the logistical issues of bringing George R.R. Martin’s massive book series to the small screen. In a perfect world, the series would go on for about 10 seasons and span all of the books not yet written. As characters learn each week on GoT, intentions mean shit in the real world.

What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a vicious diatribe away from being a vicious diatribe. But mostly it tells you the who, what, where, when and why so serious of the movie world. We begin tonight with a cry for help, from a Mother of Dragons who is without the latter half of her title. Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen needs your help. If you see her dragons, send a raven.

There may be spoilers here, so if you haven’t seen the True Blood premiere, you might want to come back after you have. “Turn! Turn! Turn!” the season five premiere of HBO’s True Blood, begins just moments after the events of last season. All necromancers have been defeated, hella people are dead, and everyone’s tense (but no one’s genuinely afraid of the cops, or at least they shouldn’t be, because murder isn’t something that you can be arrested for in Bon Temps). Sookie, Lafayette, Eric, and Bill are dealing with all of the blood and viscera from their respective calamitous situations; shape-shifter Sam is cornered by a pack of growling werewolves; and Jason, who has the thigh muscles of a ninja turtle, is naked per usual. This first episode gave anxious fans a glimpse at what’s going to be this season’s major problem. No, it isn’t Russell Edgington, it’s the ever-growing ensemble. Every character—from Sookie to tertiary, background players—has his or her own elaborate drama. While that may be realistic (most of us aren’t just props in the lives of a small group of inordinately sexy people), there’s too much happening on this show!

Blog of Thrones lives on! Even though we’ve seen the end of Game of Thrones‘ epic second season, that does not mean that we can’t still blog all about the show, the books, the board games based on the books, and lest we forget, rumormongering about season three. The offseason brings us plenty of topics, which shall be addressed monthly beginning in July and more frequently should the topics dictate more discussion. For now, I’ll be closing out the month of June with a few weeks worth of looking back at what has come to pass on season two. Now that we’ve seen the battles, played the game and met all the new faces, it’s important to look at the big picture around season two. We’ll begin with the season’s most defining moments, a collection of scenes that were not just shockers or twists, but moments that greatly impacted the momentum and trajectory of the stories within the second season. And yes, some of them involve big beautiful explosions. As always, Blog of Thrones is written from the perspective of a relative novice to George R.R. Martin’s books. It focuses solely on Game of Thrones the show and assumes that you’ve seen everything up to the latest episode. If you travel down this Kingsroad and find yourself spoiled, the king will know the reason why. 

What is Movie News After Dark? It ain’t playin’, yo. This is about movin’ news, slingin’ editorial quips and makin’ bank. Whatever ‘bank’ is… Tonight we begin with some lovely artwork from Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, a gothic retelling of the classic fairy tale about a puppet who just wanted to be a real boy. If any of you have watched the Disney animated version of Pinocchio recently (or in general, with adult eyes), you’ll know that there’s some seriously spine-tingling creepitude in that story. It’s got puppets from The Jim Henson Company and co-direction from Fantastic Mr. Fox animation director Mark Gustafson. Get excited about this one, kids.

What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a nightly entertainment news column that keeps it brief, kicks it into high gear without mercy and delivers all the news that you may or may not have seen elsewhere, depending upon how hard you’ve been looking. We begin this evening with Zombie Spock. No, there’s not much of a good reason for it. It was found via /Film and can be purchased on a t-shirt, which you can then wear around and show off to your friends. Don’t ever say that we don’t provide valuable public service announcements.

What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a nightly celebration of all that is good and right in the world. Mostly movie and television related stuff. A lot of love for Doctor Who and Game of Thrones, but also some things that you won’t see coming. Like Omar. Because Omar comin’, yo. We begin tonight with a snipped version of the new Magic Mike poster. Since our last edition of News After Dark was headlined by a bikini-clad supermodel, here’s a little something for the equally undersexed female masses that read this column. Hello, all three of you. Welcome.

As HBO’s “Previously on Game of Thrones” reel runs to its completion and the theme rises, it’s hard not to be wistful upon the closing of the second season of this cult hit of a show. For those of you who’ve been following along as I blog my way through season two, you’ll surely find a bit of sadness in this being the last entry into the Blog of Thrones series for the year. And even though it’s coming a few days later than usual, there’s still plenty to talk about. So don’t be too sad when it’s all said and done. Besides, this has been so much fun to write that I wouldn’t be surprised (if I were you) to see Blog of Thrones pop up periodically in between seasons two and three. With reflections on season two, thoughts on season three, thoughts on my readings of the books, thoughts on casting, thoughts on life in Westeros, and many other thoughts brewing around this fine series of stories, there may just be enough to keep Blog of Thrones going on a monthly basis in between now and early 2013, when the show will return for an undoubtedly epic third season. But for now, lets talk about “Valar Morghulis.” As always, Blog of Thrones is written from the perspective of a relative novice to George R.R. Martin’s books. It focuses solely on Game of Thrones the show and assumes that you’ve seen everything up to the latest episode. If you travel down this Kingsroad

What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a nightly entertainment news column returning from the long weekend with but a few items, all of which are like to make you quite happy. In fairness, they make me happy. I can’t say much for the rest of you, but I’ve got a good feeling about it. We begin this evening with another shot from The Dark Knight Rises. (I wonder if Catwoman still knows how deadly a kiss can be.) A number of websites have begun publishing tales of a visit they made to the set of Christopher Nolan’s latest last year. None of the individual accounts are worth your attention, but the folks at ScreenRant have made use of them, pulling out the best of the best for a Dark Knight Rises set visit round-up. Finally, something useful for the reader!

It seems that we are living in a golden age of television. With shows ranging from Mad Men to Game of Thrones or Modern Family to Dexter, Breaking Bad, or anything else garnering epic amounts of hype, one might view Battleship or its ilk and come to the conclusion that TV is better than the movies. James Wolcott at Vanity Fair came to that conclusion, as did the folks at IndieWire (although Cole took a somewhat different stance). Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion, no matter how wrong it is. While there is certainly a lot of great television out there, the theater experience still trumps all. Television will never usurp the cinema just as crude sex robots will never usurp hookers. When someone wants to describe a really great looking television show, they say it “feels like a movie.” No one ever describes great films as “being like television.” Television aspires to be film and in some instances, comes close. Film, safely perched on its tower, has no desire to be more like TV.

They’ve been telling us all along, those fine marketeers at HBO. Winter is Coming. War is Coming. More Winter is Coming. War is Here. There’s No Where to Hide. And throughout season two we’ve peered back at them and said, “ok, but when?” There is no time better than the present, I always say. Especially when episode nine, “Blackwater” is upon us and the battle has raged with massive green flames. Even though there’s one frame left, anyone who has watched last night’s episode has now seen the season’s penultimate chapter. Stannis Baratheon sails toward King’s Landing with a massive army and he will not rest until he has taken the Iron Throne away from the boy King Joffrey. That’s where we pick up the tale as we travel on with our Blog of Thrones… As always, Blog of Thrones is written from the perspective of a relative novice to George R.R. Martin’s books. It focuses solely on Game of Thrones the show and assumes that you’ve seen everything up to the latest episode. If you travel down this Kingsroad and find yourself spoiled, the king will know the reason why. 

What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a nightly movie news column in a hurry. It’s late for a very big date. With you, dear reader. It’s always been you. Our top story tonight, The Amazing Spider-Man and a new look at the film’s villain, The Lizard. He’s looking quite menacing now that he’s got his full CGI on. Thanks to Entertainment Weekly, we now cannot quite look through the blinds of our window out of fear. Thanks, EW, you are useful as always.