As a hardcore Transformers fan since day one (or G1 aka Generation 1), when I heard about Skybound & creator of The Walking Dead and Invincible, Robert Kirkman not only getting the IPs for Transformers and G.I. Joe but expanding onto the shared universe with a brand new series in Void Rivals, I was sold. 15 months and close to 50 issues collectively later, Energon Universe is nothing to sleep on (especially!) for the nostalgic Transformers/G.I. Joe/Hasbro Universe fans out there.

Check out interviews below for each of the three series that make up the Energon Universe:
More info on the Energon Universe can be found at: https://www.skybound.com/tag/energon-universe

Special thanks to Justin Cavender, Brian Chen, Bandai-Namco, Shannon Meehan, Skybound, Robert Kirkman, Paul Nomad, and New York Comic-Con.

Cosplayers

Booths & Displays

Panels

I had the pleasure of witnessing this first hand at Des Moines Con, where I shadowed a first timer. As many who have listened to my podcast know, I was a nanny for a family for a very long time, and I got to join that family in attending Des Moines Con 2024 this past May, which was the first convention for the youngest member of the brood.

Noah (they/them) at the time was a fourteen year old deep in the trenches of fandom, tumblr, shitposts, discord servers, the whole nine yards. On our way to pick up badges I asked them what they were feeling about seeing the exhibit hall for the first time and they simply made a sound similar to a delighted squeak. And while I have an outside perspective of witnessing everything, I took time to talk with them about their first con experience after the whole convention was over for this feature.

Rilo: So how would you describe the feeling you felt when you first entered the main hall?
Noah: Awe. Mostly awe.

Rilo: You cosplayed?
Noah: Yeah!

Rilo: Can you tell me what that was?
Noah: Madoka from Puella Magi Madoka Magica.

Rilo: Did you meet others who knew who that was? Because I sure as hell didn’t.
Noah: I actually met another Madoka who got her cosplay from the same website as I did!

Rilo: What surprised you the most?
Noah: Just how good everyone’s cosplays were and how nice everyone was too.

Rilo: Are there any cosplays that stood out to you?
Noah: There was someone who had like a giant puppet of a rock troll from the Hobbit and the head was bigger than my entire body! It was really cool.

Rilo: What panels did you go to?
Noah: I went to a toy collecting and toy panel. I went to the cosplay contest, which was extremely cool. I went to a puppet panel with that guy [who had the rock troll puppet] and he just told us how to make puppets for cosplay. They were all really cool.

Rilo: Did you meet any of the guests?
Noah: Me and my family actually got a private photo shoot with Steve [Burns] from Blue’s Clues. It was really cool. Yeah I was dressed up as a Madoka and you just took a photo together. I was feeling kind of overwhelmed by that time, but going into that room I instantly felt calmed by his presence. It was magical.

Noah was also kind enough to indulge me on our first day there and happily held the rather cumbersome cosplay prop I had while I met Alex Brightman, of BeetleJuice the Musical and Hazebin Hotel fame. 

Rilo: What was something that surprised you most?
Noah: Like I said everyone was just so nice, I also was surprised that people liked my cosplay. I got a lot of photos. I got a photo with a lot of people who had much better cosplays than me, which was surprising.

Rilo: I know you bought some items, what did you get?
Noah: I got some posters, most notably I got a poster for us that had some really good Smiling Friends fanart on it. I got a Madoka keychain and I got a Madoka Magica art book.

Rilo: If you had to describe your first con experience in one word, what would it be?
Noah: Amazing.

Rilo: Last question, do you plan on going to any cons in the future?
Noah: Yes!

A brief history of the brand(s), Bandai (which originated in the 1950s) made its name as the creator of Tamagotchi as well as figures and collectibles for such franchises as Digimon, Kamen Rider, and (until recently) Power Rangers. In the mid-2000s, Bandai acquired Namco (another company originating in the 1950s) the brand behind classic video game franchises such as Pac-Man, Tekken, Ridge Racer and many more. Since then, Bandai-Namco has been a powerhouse in entertainment, and their booth at AnimeNYC proves that they’re continuing that trend.

Here are some of the features that Bandai-Namco had to preview:

TAMASHII NATIONS

The pinnacle of Bandai-Namco’s collectables have to be the Tamashii Nations brand. Not only their figure and replica prop lines (such as S.H.Figure Arts, S.H. Monster Arts, Proplica, and many others) but also their recent debut as a full-blown store in the heart of Times Square, New York. The store touts a vast array of exclusive figures that you won’t find anywhere else (unless of course, you were at AnimeNYC – I ended up buying an exclusive Spy x Family Anya Forger for my wife).

The franchises are extensive as well… besides SxF they have figures for anime shows such as Dragonball Z, Gundam, Chainsaw Man, Kaiju No. 8, and more. The best part of these figures is the fact that they include both custom hands as well as custom faces, so your figure can be customized to your liking and make it more unique than a standard action figure.

G x Materia

Similar to the S.H. Figure Arts line, the G x Materia figures are smaller, more statuesque, and portable for the collector who either may not have the space or wants more. The displays on hand also made the figures look amazing. I’m seeing more of the domed look as of late and it definitely does justice to figures like these. The figures appear to be limited to the Dragonball Z franchise but tout a number of the characters from the series.

The World of Studio Ghibli

In addition to Anime television properties, Bandai-Namco is the “Official distributor of licensed Studio Ghibli products.” For those not familiar, Studio Ghibli is the home of the library of Japanese Animated films by Hayao Miyazaki such as the Oscar Award Winning Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and the recent film The Boy and the Heron. Ghibli’s products with Bandai-Namco go beyond figures and statues, but also puzzles, beanbag plushies, keychains and much much more. Suffice to say, my wife also got a Calcifer beanbag plush. It was definitely her weekend.

Union Arena

Can you imagine if someone made their own Super Smash Bros-type card game? Bandai-Namco did and made one. Union Arena consists of various Anime properties like Bleach, Hunter x Hunter, and One Punch Man, with many others either announced or forthcoming. If you’ve played other fighting card games, it seems very similar. Create battles from your favorite characters or new ones with a deck of your choosing.

Gashapon

Are you young enough to remember when you’d go to the supermarket or toy store and on the way out, you’d see the gumball machine or something similar where you could get some little toy or nick nack for a quarter or two. Well, Japan hasn’t stopped that trend, in fact it’s been gaining so much momentum Bandai-Namco is bringing their own version here.

Gashapon continues (and amplifies) the classic trend of quarter vending machines with its own iterations of both licensed properties (aforementioned Animes, movies like Harry Potter, and games like Fall Guys as well as the Bandai-Namco staple Pac-Man) as well as non-copyrighted properties which include a lot of wildlife (sea creatures, horses) as well as dogs and cats. Trust me when I say the goodies you can get seem endless. Gashapon will be available in stores nationwide, in the Northeast starting with the Bandai-Namco store at the American Dream in East Rutherford, NJ as well as a few others in the same NY/NJ area.

In conclusion… it’s one thing to say that AnimeNYC 2024 was amazing, as far as showcases the shining star in Japanese and American Collectibles goes to Bandai-Namco for their wealth of collectibles, features, and tons of goodies. My thanks to Justin and the BN crew for giving me a tour of the booths to show everything off, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more in the future.

-= Check out more of our AnimeNYC 2024 Coverage =-

The end of the world began not with a bang (well, there’s that too), but with an audience of thousands of Terminator fans rhythmically clapping in time with the familiar dun-dun-dun-dun-DUN of the franchise theme. These were the people here to get a glimpse of Terminator Zero, the new Netflix anime based on the action franchise, and one that drops, fittingly, on August 29th. The show, a new story set in Japan, is the latest example of an American franchise entering the anime realm, and based on the two episodes shown, the transition went smoothly. Showrunner Mattson Tomlin, director Masashi Kudō, and Design Coordinator Haruka Watanabe took the stage for a lively discussion about the series moderated by Khleo Thomas, while I also attended a roundtable discussion with Tomlin and Kudō prior to the panel itself. The discussion started out with the moderator asking all of them what their top 5 anime were. (Kudō said he was “actually a Disney animation fan” and included two of the company’s classics in his picks.) The panel premiered a new “NSFW” trailer for the series highlighting just how gory this new show would be.

When it was time to premiere the two episodes, Khleo revealed that Netflix had sent over both the English and Japanese versions and had the audience vote on which one they wanted to see. This being an anime convention, the crowd was immediately split, and it wasn’t long before competing cries of “Dubbed!” and “Subbed!” filled the air. Ultimately, it was decided to show it in Japanese. This seemed to satisfy the purists, up until the subtitles actually started appearing on screen. It turned out that the way they had set up the video screens in the auditorium, the subtitles were blocked by the heads of the crowd. (Those sitting in the front closest to the stage likely had a hard time reading as well, due to the angle involved.) The audience revolted, demanding it be shown in English. Others pointed out that this is what a lot of people asked for, with one particularly vocal audience member saying that they had to face the consequences of their actions. Eventually, the screen was shrunk to make the subtitles more readable, satisfying everybody. To say this was one of the more memorable moments at the con this year would be an understatement.

The discussion continued after the premiere, with Tomlin talking about how the first Terminator film “scared the shit out of him” as a kid, while Kudō was surprised at the offer to direct. In particular, Tomlin cited The Animatrix as a strong stylistic inspiration for both him and the series. (In the roundtable discussion I attended prior to the panel, Tomlin said he hoped to capture the “fuck yeah” feeling he got watching the anthology growing up.) One of the more interesting aspects of the series was how they transplanted the franchise into Japan. The idea was to utilize Japanese customs and designs, though ultimately the original Terminator designs were used to adapt the series. A big part of this was how in 1997, when the nuclear apocalypse began, the bombing of Hiroshima was still in the minds of a lot of people, with the horrors of that being history, but also at the point where it wasn’t quite there yet.

The animation in the series is great and makes full use of the medium, especially in the 1NNO robots and the Kokoro AI. The 1NNO designs were inspired by Honda’s real-life ASIMO robots, and were meant to be “cute, but creepy”, with the idea that something wasn’t right about them. The hologram for Kokoro, meanwhile, utilized a lot of anime and Japanese mythological influences, including the “three goddesses” – heart, mind, and spirit – and it looks spectacular realized onscreen. According to Tomlin, he started writing this series in 2021 when AI seemed like science fiction, but now…not so much. From his point of view, he felt he was late to the party on the technology, but at the same time is astounded and also scared. He believes we’re at a nexus point where it could be incredibly helpful….or start an apocalypse.

During our roundtable discussion, I asked whether or not shows like Terminator Zero meant the tide was turning on more Western non-comedy adult animated shows being made and accepted by audiences. Tomlin said that he has had a lot of conversations with people who still believe that cartoons are for kids and hopes that something like Terminator Zero will be a “gateway drug” into adult animation, if not watched as a result of something else. Kudō, meanwhile, said that since anime is already for adults in Japan, it was “business as usual”, which I thought was an interesting contrast. Finally, both of them said that they hope that Terminator fans, (which they admitted could be quite rabid at times) will warm up to the new series. Based on the reception at the panel of the first two episodes, I think that is a highly likely prospect. I definitely plan on checking out the rest of the series, and I hope you do too.

-= Check out more of our AnimeNYC 2024 Coverage =-

AnimeNYC History

The origins of AnimeNYC can be traced back to New York Anime Festival by the aforementioned ReedPop, who also run NYCC. NYAF’s first three years (2007 until 2009) were kept as a separate event from NYCC, and was decided (likely to capitalize on the latter’s growth) that both could be combined for 2010 as well as 2011 which would be it’s last year, ultimately being folded into NYCC and rebranded as “The Block,” which itself would be phased out after a few years. While the convention itself maintains an Anime aspect, it was certainly not the same as had been during the NYAF years.

By 2015, Tatara had parted ways with ReedPop, helping to embrace and celebrate Japanese culture and entertainment, which would ultimately lead him to partner with LeftField to create and launch the first AnimeNYC in 2017. The event itself, would go on to eclipse the original NYAFs, gathering upwards of 50,000+ attendees by 2023! It was at that point that Tatara would move on from his role at AnimeNYC and become the Director of Film at the Japan Society, maintaining his passion to celebrate and educate the Western world of the Eastern cultures in entertainment. Speaking of, AnimeNYC hosted the first-ever American Manga Awards in conjunction with Japan Society.

The Experience

History of the con itself out of the way, as I eluded to I’d heard from friends exactly what AnimeNYC has become in the last few years… not only as an alternative to NYCC, but something different. Friends had mentioned beforehand that the show utilizes Jacob Javits Center’s floor a bit more liberally than NYCC does, and it shows. Recent iterations of NYCC have used the newer floors in the upper sections of the complex – which make for even more of a trek to locate panels, etc. While not to the capacity of the former (yet!), AnimeNYC continues to use the main section for the exhibit hall and merchandise as well as artist alley, food, and other amenities, also maintaining the lower floor for access to panel rooms (including the main hall), rooms for Professionals, Cosplayers, etc. and also PlayNYC (a formerly separate event celebrating its first year as part of AnimeNYC) touted as “NYC’s premier gaming convention” showcasing indie gaming as well as arcade, console, and tabletop gaming.

AnimeNYC as a whole definitely had a classic NYCC feel. Crowds (especially Saturday) felt large, but not terribly overwhelming – not sure if that was due to volume (a record setting 101,000!) or me having better control over my anxiety. Exhibitors weren’t too over the top either, ranging from the standard anime (and main sponsors of the event) – Crunchyroll, Aniplex and Viz Media adorned both the main floor and panel rooms, plus an amazing setup by long-time entertainment company Bandai-Namco (which we’ll have a write up specifically about sooner than later this week). Hulu showcased a bit of anime as well as the big deal of the weekend, Netflix revealing the first two episodes of their upcoming Terminator Zero anime produced in a joint US-Japan venture, by Skydance and Production I.G. (will also have some articles soon). I didn’t even get to mention the awesome cosplays/section dedicated to cosplays on the top floor (which NYCC has emulated in recent years, or vice-versa).

In Conclusion

As a first-timer to the convention, I felt it was nothing short of excellent! Suffice to say, it brought me back to my college days watching Toonami (and later Adult Swim Action) and embracing Anime. If you’re looking for an event chock-full of Japanese animation, culture, gaming, merchandise, and all-around entertainment while not having to deal with too much hassle… this convention is for you. Here’s hoping AnimeNYC 2025 is an even bigger success… I hope to be there and experience even more!

Look for more AnimeNYC coverage this week and check out our pictorial of all kinds of cosplay and more!

-= Check out more of our AnimeNYC 2024 Coverage =-

For me, the month of October is synonymous for many events. Halloween, the fall season, my birthday (which is on the 20th – SEND PRESENTS), and most of all New York Comic-Con. In recent years, NYCC has become the unofficial end to the convention season (although now it seems that mantle belongs to Comikaze Expo, which I really REALLY hope to attend this year). To give you all a quick history lesson, NYCC was established in 2006 by ReedPOP (the same company that hosts numerous conventions worldwide such as PAX, C2E2, etc.) and organized by Lance Fensterman.

For the past seven years, the con’s home has been the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, and justifiably so. Much like other conventions (i.e. San Diego Comic-Con), NYCC is growing increasingly each year. However, Javits takes this into account and is consistently adding on sections to its already massive complex, while at the same time, ReedPOP and Lance are coming up with smart ways of how to minimize issues. For instance, this year pre-registered badges were not only mailed out, but contained special RFID chips which not only alleviated any waiting on pickup lines, but also deterred any type of counterfeiting of badges. It also made for an easier way to enter and exit the building, as we had to tap badges on a tablet device.

As magical as Dragon Con is, and as painfully enjoyable as San Diego was when I last attended in 2008, there’s something about NYCC that brings the best of both of these together. It could be I’m severely biased, considering the con is in my home turf, but it comes off as a more relaxed version of what I remember SDCC to be. Sure, the crowds are big and sometimes you’re denied access to panels, but it seems as though there’s always something to do… sometimes more often than others. Believe me, there are plenty of scheduling conflicts. Celebrities seem fairly accessible as well, whether you catch them at a panel or in the autograph area.

Speaking of panels, there’s definitely a variety of panels ranging from the “SUPER DUPER CELEBRI-PANEL…(BROUGHT TO YOU BY INSERT BEVERAGE COMPANY HERE)” to more relaxed panels, hosted by lesser known (but still revered on the internet) personalities. For example, Sunday afternoon I attended the “Comix Chix Live” panel, hosted by Kate Kotler (you may have heard of her). The panel itself featured a vast array of geeky goddesses including Bonnie Burton and “Fangasm’s” Molly McIsaac. One of the main things I enjoyed about the panel was that Kate encouraged audience participation and rewarded fans with pretty cool prizes (something I’m only used to seeing at Dragon Con.) Of course, there’s still plenty of Walking Dead-Robot Chicken-Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star-studded-type panels to attend as well.

One of the other good points of NYCC has to be the massive Exhibitor’s Room. In years past, the room was split up into two parts, New York Comic Con as well as New York Anime Festival (both were run as separate conventions by ReedPOP until a couple of years ago, when Anime Festival was absorbed into NYCC). This year’s room included “The Block,” which encompasses all kinds of pop culture and entertainment, from TV to movies and more. Possibly one of the coolest areas in “The Block” had to be the Walking Dead section, which looked like an abandoned house with a customized, zombie-killing Hyundai in the driveway. The booth also provided you with the ability to become “zombified” by getting your picture taken and altered. Speaking of photos, another awesome booth at the con was EFX Collectables (known for making cool prop replicas), who were also doing photos for ID cards to put into your very own S.H.I.E.L.D. agent badge (for purchase, of course). I can go on forever about booths and goodies… suffice to say, NYCC had some spectacular ones.

Personally, I think the con itself just keeps getting better and better. For the last four of the six NYCCs attended, I have graciously been accepted to cover the event as press (via my [adult swim] central outlet) and have managed to interview some rather high-profile celebrities that I never would have dreamed about having the privilege to chat with. This year felt even more redeeming in the fact that people I’ve chatted with online or at previous conventions actually recognize me (I met GeekNation’s own Clare Kramer on Sunday and got a big hug in return)!

Overall, I believe if you live in the Northeast and desire the full experience of a Comic-Con, then New York Comic Con is for you. Sure, there are plenty of other conventions in the state or region, but none that I’ve seen that can effectively encompass a vast array of pop-culture, entertainment, merchandise, and all-around fun like this one. I for one can’t wait til NYCC 2014!

Like so many out there, I wasn’t much for public events in my younger years. Parades bored me, concerts and live events overwhelmed me, and I never thought much of conventions…up until 2006, at least. A friend at the time convinced me to hop a train into Philly one day and see a show hosted by my favorite voice actor of my favorite show: “Aqua Teen Hunger Force’s” Dana Snyder. This eventually led to my first visit to the juggernaut known as San Diego Comic-Con. It was there I found out from Mr. Snyder that there was something even more magical and jam-packed with a bigger fan-based experience.

Dragon Con (normally held the weekend of Labor Day), is “the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science-fiction, & fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the universe.” While that may be a mouthful for some to get out, it’s definitely an easier way to put it than “It’s like a Comic-Con,” mainly because 1: It’s vastly different from a Comic-Con and 2: A lot of people still have no idea what a “Comic-Con” is, believe it or not.

To give a bit of backstory on the convention: Dragon Con was established in 1987 by Pat Henry (who acted as chairman of the convention until this year), Robert Dennis, and Ed Kramer, among others. It began as a local meetup for Atlanta-based gamers and RPG-type people. The name “Dragon” came from Kramer’s “Dragon” computer. Since then, the convention built up a following of over 50,000 attendees as well as generating revenue of over $40 million for the Downtown Atlanta area.

It goes without saying, like many conventions, Dragon Con is definitely marred in its internal drama and politics. This year, Henry announced he was stepping down as chairman while Kramer (after making his own waves in recent years, even inciting a boycott of the convention), was cashed out of his stocks this year. Despite that, there’s still an allure to the convention as a whole. I can elaborate on this in three parts:

The Convention – As I alluded to earlier, it’s not so much of a “Comic-Con.” While the biggies (San Diego and New York, respectively), take place in large convention centers from the hours of 10am – 9pm, with the occasional after-parties, Dragon Con takes a different approach. The convention takes place in the Downtown Atlanta area…not in a convention center, but in five “host hotels,” plus a sixth building – a mall that, as of this year, houses vendors and swag you can purchase. I didn’t have the privilege of entering the building this year, but I’ve heard from many people that the floor plan needs work.

These hotels were specifically designed to hold conventions like Dragon Con. Each hotel has been streamlined to host specific things: for instance the Hilton is the place to find guest celebrities like “Walking Dead’s” Norman Reedus, “Incredible Hulk’s” Lou Ferrigno, or even Mr. Sulu himself, George Takei, all who are willing to give autographs and/or photos for your Facebook profile… for a nominal fee, of course.

Many of the other hotels host specific themes, or “tracks,” as they call them. For example, the Hyatt Regency is currently the home of the Animation Track (which I’m glad to say I’m a part of, having hosted many fan panels in regards to Cartoon Network’s [adult swim]), which features panels from many cartoon creators as well as voice actors. This year featured some high-profile voice acting panels with “Up’s” Ed Asner and also a sort of “reunion” for “Pinky and the Brain’s” Rob Paulsen and Maurice LaMarche. There are way too many other tracks to name, but they range from the usual (Star Trek, Tolkien, Whedonverse), to the outright bizarre (they have an entire track dedicated to “the music of science fiction, fantasy, and horror fandom“). You may be wondering what makes each track unique and pretty awesome. Well…

The Fans – While most of the heavy lifting is done by track directors and guests, many of the panels are organized and operated by the average fan. That’s right, they essentially let the inmates run the asylum…but rest assured it’s a rather fun and enjoyable asylum…if those exist. For those who don’t know me personally, my wheelhouse (outside of classic videogames and Arnold Schwarzenegger films), includes a little block of late-night programming on Cartoon Network (you may have heard of), known as [adult swim]. For the past 5 years or so, the AniTrack has graciously allowed me to host fan panels pertaining to the network, as well as show-specific panels such as “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” “Squidbillies,” and “Venture Bros.”

In addition to panels, fans with followings can also have their own tables. If you command a big legion of fans who dress in Stormtrooper uniforms, furry animal costumes, or a jerkin with butterfly wings, you can contact the Fan Table Dept. and (as long as you’re willing to sit at a table and give out info on your group, some freebies, etc.) you can spread the word on your own little bit of fandom. I have to say, it’s also a great way to network.

Speaking of costumes, possibly the biggest thing that separates Dragon Con from the rest are the cosplays. This is the convention the show “Heroes of Cosplay” was designed for. Not only do you get the most obscure cosplays (one of my first years, I actually saw someone dressed as “Associate Bob” from “Demolition Man”), but also the most elaborate. This year, someone actually took the time out to figure out the patterns in the carpeting in the Marriott Marquis and designed army-like camo suits using said patterns. Astounding!

The Hours – I mentioned at the beginning how “normal” comic conventions have set hours (usually 10a – 8p) with the occasional afterparty thrown after hours from 9p until the early hours of the morning. The beauty of hosting a convention in a group of hotels is…the party never really ends. Your “normal” convention experience at Dragon Con will end around 8p-ish. At that time, the “nighttime” events will begin. You could find yourself from 8p – 10p watching the latest installment of Cinematic Titanic, hosted by some of the cast members. At 10, you’re sitting down watching the “Gonzo Quiz Show,” hosted by Fred Entertainment’s Ken Plume, and starring a slew of convention guests like Sylvester McCoy, James Urbaniak, Adam Savage, Bill Corbett, and more! By the time midnight hits, you may be headed to the Hilton for some late night karaoke or into the basement for some Cards Against Humanity. On the way there, you look in the Hilton’s bar (Southern Elements) and notice James Urbaniak from “Venture Bros.” chatting it up with some drop-dead gorgeous fan ladies. By 2 or 3am, you’re either wrapping stuff up at the bar OR you’re continuing the party elsewhere at the local rave, pub crawl, etc. OR watching people dub over Hentai OR sitting outside the Hyatt with random fans and/or celebs…and personally, this is just the stuff I’m aware of. The events are endless at Dragon Con!

In closing, I can say this about Dragon Con: If you want to go to a convention that lasts easily five straight days, has endless amounts of panels, parties, and other forms of entertainment, and gives you possibly the truest fan experience(s), then Dragon Con is for you. Also, something to keep in mind: things at Dragon Con may not go 100% your way, but you’ll still love every minute of it…I guarantee it*.

*and not in a Men’s Wearhouse-type way either… maybe a little bit.

Check out my walkthrough video of the con below:

The gallery itself featured a bunch of items, including some props used on the TV series, artwork from the comics, and other random memorabilia. On Saturday night, they threw an invite-only VIP party to celebrate the world premiere of a new documentary (also called “A Decade of Dead”), a 20 minute film that chronicles Robert Kirkman’s rise from an average Joe in Kentucky to the creator of a cultural phenomenon which has spawned much of the aforementioned merchandise, the TV show, and even video games. The documentary features chats with Kirkman, artist Charlie Adlard, some of the cast and crew from the TV series, Todd McFarlane (whose company produced many of the toys), folks from Image Comics, and celebri-nerds such as Chris Hardwick and Patton Oswalt. Even the fandom gets some notoriety, as the filmmakers spoke with fans in San Diego who have cool tattoo sleeves and even cooler zombie cosplay.

If you’re into zombies and NOT watching “The Walking Dead,” then you’re probably a zombie yourself. I was glad to have been able to view both the gallery as well as the documentary and to paraphrase Kirkman, I can’t wait to see what’s in store for The Walking Dead in the next 10 years.