The annual geek mecca that is San Diego Comic-Con is in full swing this weekend. With over 150,000 people in attendance, the convention has become the premier place for the nerdier side of entertainment and pop culture to strut its stuff. (Via KGTV)
There's so much going on at Comic-Con this year that it's hard to keep track of everything. But some things never change, and one of the prevailing themes of this weekend will definitely be the age-old rivalry, Marvel vs. DC.
These days, Marvel and DC have moved their competition out of the comics pages and onto the big screen; each company is going to use SDCC to whip up as much hype as they can for their upcoming superhero films. (Via Getty Images)
And DC's got a very strong lineup to pick from this year. A trailer for the hotly anticipated "Batman vs. Superman" movie would generate a lot of buzz, as would any teasers or character reveals for the upcoming Justice League movie. (Via IMDb, MTV)
We might also get to find out what Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was talking about last month in this Total Film interview.
"This character has the power of Superman. He can throw down. ... Just say the word."
So, that's a Shazaam movie, right? He's talking about Shazaam? He's talking about Shazaam. Cool. (Via Cartoon Network)
But DC's movie slate is up against some tough competition. Marvel's been the king of Comic-Con's movie scene ever since the epic "Avengers" cast reveal back in 2010. (Via YouTube / Rob Salem)
And the Marvel machine isn't slowing down. "Guardians of the Galaxy," "The Avengers: Age of Ultron," "Ant Man," "Doctor Strange," AND five unnamed movies are in the pipe for 2017-2019. That's a lot of opportunities for Marvel to steal the show. (Via Entertainment Weekly)
Which is why DC might be trying a different tactic this year — Deadline notes TV shows have been playing an increased role at SDCC in recent years, as networks pour more and more advertising dollars into the convention to try and prop up their shows.
When it comes to the small screen, DC definitely has the advantage. New shows "Gotham," "The Flash" and "Constantine" will be joining DC fan favorites like "Arrow" this fall, which could stifle any announcements about Marvel's upcoming "Agent Carter" and "Daredevil" shows.
But what about the actual, you know, comics? Well, that particular best in show ribbon might go to a third party this year.
Image Comics and Dark Horse have both separately announced 12 new creator-owned titles they planned to push at Comic-Con. These include Chuck Palahniuk's "Fight Club 2" from Dark Horse, and Warren Ellis' "Injection" from Image.
Marvel's biggest movie announcements will probably come during their 5:30 PM panel Saturday, while DC's TV reveals are scheduled for 8 PM the same day.
