Blast From The Past: My Top 5 Favorite Moments Of Comic-Con History
- Abbey Zollo
- Mar 28, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 30, 2020
In the over fifty years comic-con has been around, conventions all around the world have created a large catalog of memorable moments. Between all of the panels, cosplays, and creative minds that attend the conventions, it's no surprise that so many amazing stories come out of comic-cons.
However, one comic-con seems to be the hub for major memorable moments. San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) was the original comic-con and is still the biggest comic-con in the United States. As I've mentioned in my previous blog post "San Diego Comic Con vs. New York Comic Con - What's the Difference?", SDCC provides fans with exceptional content through their panels. These panels are the birthplace of some of the most iconic moments in comic-con history.
Today, we're going to be taking a look at my top 5 favorite moments from SDCC history and seeing just how epic these stories are.
5. Andrew Garfield Cosplays as Spider-Man
At Sony's panel for The Amazing Spider-Man in 2011 , one seemingly persistent fan dressed as Spider-Man took to the microphone and began talking to the audience. Despite numerous attempts to get him to go back to his seat, this fan just would not leave the microphone! He took off his mask and there he was, Andrew Garfield, the next Spider-Man.
Of course, this entire ordeal was planned. The crowd cheered for him and Garfield announced that he was going to be playing Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man. The crowd began cheering again! After that, Garfield began speaking to them about Stan Lee's vision of Spider-Man, giving them all a passionate speech about being a hero. He told everyone how much this role meant to him and how he wanted to bring life to Lee's creations.
Garfield states that he always wanted to come to comic-con and this was one of the best moments of his life. That connection he performed with the fans began a new trend of stars showing up in costume to talk about their upcoming films. I love this moment because it shows the strength that superhero films have in creating a bond between audience and cast.
4. Twilight Take Over
When someone hears about comic-con, typically the first film that comes to mind isn't Twilight. Despite that, Twilight had one of the biggest comic-con takeovers in history that I personally find hilarious. In 2008, Twilight: New Moon was hosting a panel at SDCC's Hall H. Fans of the Twilight series, otherwise known as "Twihards" began lining up outside the venue one day before the panel was even taking place!
To anyone familiar with comic-con culture, this doesn't sound so absurd. Everyone lines up early for panels! Well, the Twihards did it first. They camped out for hours despite the comic-con trying to discourage them from doing so. But these fans were adamant and did not budge (Come on, it's Edward Cullen! I can't miss that!). Even though Twilight fans have always put up with a large amount of criticism and teasing for loving the vampire-werewolf-human love triangle, this group of dedicated fans kicked off the tradition of lining up hours early for panels.
Now, the reason why I love this moment so much is because it's a bit personal to me. Growing up, I was also teased for liking Twilight - who wasn't, though? So for me, it's funny to see that the series everyone teased me about is the reason why their favorite comic-con tradition is in place today!
3. Iron Man (2008) Trailer Premieres
When Marvel fans call Robert Downey Junior the father of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they aren't exaggerating. The power this man has over an audience is insane! And to think, for this moment, RDJ wasn't even there.
In 2007, director Jon Favreau showcased the rough test footage for Iron Man (2008) and the fans went crazy. This was following the success of Marvel hits such as X-Men and Spider-Man. However, this was the first movie in production by Marvel Studios and would become the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Following the test footage, Favreau debuted the first teaser trailer for the film as well. The response to the footage and the trailer were so successful that fans demanded to see it again!
As someone who loves Marvel, this moment is one of my favorites because of the impact it had on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This film was the start of my favorite franchise and it was refreshing to see it kick off with such a successful response.
2. Batman v. Superman Teaser
For the longest time, it seemed like fans were never going to see Batman fight – or even work together – with Superman on screen. Their comics have crossed over plenty of times in the past but the big screen never seemed to be somewhere they would meet.
That was until 2013 when Zack Snyder attended the Warner Bros. presentation to thank fans for their support of the Superman film, Man of Steel. He mentioned that they had something else in store for the fans. Attendees stated they believed Snyder would be announcing a sequel to Man of Steel. However, the lights went out and on screen appeared the Superman logo. Behind it, Batman’s logo appeared, teasing the first movie that the heroes would face off in.
While the movie may not have been the fantastic blockbuster fans expected, the response to this teaser made this announcement well worth it. I love this comic-con moment because you can hear the screams of the fans after realizing they are finally getting the one thing they have all waited to see. Even just watching the logos come on screen sends chills down your spine! The response of this audience truly captures what it means to be a fan.
1. Loki Conquers Hall H
For anyone who knows me, this shouldn’t be a surprise. In 2013, the Marvel Studios panel at Hall H was going to be showing footage from their new film Thor: The Dark World. While Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios, is talking to the audience, the lights go out. Everyone is confused. Suddenly, a voice appears – “Humanity, look how far you’ve fallen…”
After a few more chilling lines, the lights flash back on and there is Tom Hiddleston standing on stage in the full Loki regalia. The fans went wild, screaming, cheering, and eventually, chanting Loki’s name. Hiddleston is thriving on stage, doing his best not to break character amongst the adoring fans. His monologue goes on for about four minutes and includes some of the most beloved Loki lines such as “stand back, you mewling quim”, “the bright lure of freedom”, and of course, “kneel”.
Perhaps one of the greatest moments of this impromptu performance is one man shouting at the end “my wife loves you!”. Hiddleston is visibly amused and ends the panel by telling the audience to feast their eyes on the new movie footage. This moment is so iconic that it tops the ranking lists of comic-con memories for nearly everyone. I personally love this moment because not only does it involve my favorite Marvel character, but the audience's response and the acting from Hiddleston creates such an intense and passionate atmosphere that it truly feels like you’re in the presence of the God of Mischief himself. This moment is the pinnacle of comic-con culture.
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