convention

Dalek Gird at San Diego Comic Con 2009

Today I spent a good bit of the day just roaming, looking over as much of the Con as I could get access to.

I wore my new fedora hat and one of my Season Fourteen scarves.

Ballroom 20, where the Doctor Who and Torchwood panels will be held on Sunday, has changed the entrance to the bay side of the convention hall.

I'm going to the Hayao Miyazaki panel tomorrow morning, so I'll use that as a dress rehersal for Sunday.

I walked the Exhibit floor for several hours, meeting up with several friends from Gallifrey One.

The folks at BBC America were kind enough to tell me that David Tennant was due to fly into Los Angeles, where he was to attend several meetings and then come on down to San Diego Comic Con.

Every year I swear I'm never coming back and every year I do.

San Diego Comic Con is not a convention.  It's a trade show.  It's also a social experiment in frustration.

There's too many people crammed into a huge space.

Someday, something awful is going to happen.  Sure hope I'm not here to see it.

Anyhoo, arrived in beyootiful San Diego, dropped stuff off at our amazing hotel (it's in an old bank building) and then headed down to the Con.

We stood in the 'Professional' line (my DH owns comic book shops) out in the hot sun for over an hour.

Then we got to sit down in an even bigger line to get onto the Exhibit Floor for Preview Night.

It was a zoo.

But the big boys all had their booths rockin'.  DC.  Marvel.  Lucasfilm.  Disney.  Huge.

"My dear Miss Shaw, I never report myself anywhere, particularly not forthwith."

Outpost Gallifrey Presents:
Doctor Who: Podshock - Episode 156
Running Time: 1:10:05

We break away from our usual format for a casual, loose conversational discussion on Doctor Who news covering everything from the Waters of Mars, San Diego Comic Con, Dragon*Con, David Tennant, Matt Smith, and more.

Hosted by Ken Deep, Tara Wheeler and Louis Trapani.

Gallifrey One has announced a date change for the Gallifrey 2010 convention in Los Angeles next year. Due to a hotel booking error, the annual premier North American Doctor Who convention has had to move the date of next year's Gallifrey One: Blackjack 21 back one week to February 26 - 28, 2010.

The Los Angeles Airport Marriott where the convention is being held had essentially accidentally double-booked another event in the same space. Gallifrey One agreed to move the event back a week and by doing so the hotel has reduced the cost of hotel rooms from $114 per night to $100 per night for not only the 2010 convention, but it is locked in for that price through 2013 now to $114 per night for 2010 and further down to $100 per night for 2011-2013. Thus saving money for not only 2010 convention goers, but for those attending for the next few years.

Ken Deep (left) Tony Lee (Doctor Who: The Forgotten IDW comic) (right) dressing alike at Gallifrey 20, February 2009. (photo by Louis Trapani)

Paul Wilson, Stewart (Dr Whoovie) Robertson, Colin (Abersoch) Bordley and Paul's pal (Tim Drury) at the Pub after Who at the Cavern 3 (Liverpool May 2008)

Rocko at OmegaCon Birmingham 2008 wearing his Doctor Who: Podshock / Gallifreyan Embassy shirt

Rocko wearing his Doctor Who: Podshock / Gallifreyan Embassy shirt at Dragon*Con 2007 in Atlanta, GA.

Worth sporting his Gallifreyan Embassy / Doctor Who: Podshock T-Shirt in front of the TARDIS

Submitted by Travis Valente: Travis (in the Gallifreyan Embassy Doctor Who: Podshock shirt) along with the cast and crew members of Doctor Who while at the Gallifrey 2006 convention in L.A., California.

Colin (Abersoch) and James at Who at the Cavern III

Louis, James, and Daphne Ashbrook (Doctor Who: Podshock live on stage at Gallifrey 20, February 2009) (Photo by Mike Doran)

Phil Collinson, Ken Deep, and Paul Cornell ("Just a Minute" on stage at Gallifrey 20, February 2009) (Photo by Mike Doran)

James, Louis, and Ken (Podcasting Panel at Gallifery 20, February 2009) (Photo by Mike Doran)

Underground Toys have released images and descriptions of their 2009 San Diego Comic Con exclusives. They seem to be the same exclusives as the figures being introduced as exclusives to the UK Forbidden Planet retailer (and could not ship outside of the UK, now we know why).

Sixth Doctor with ‘Real Time’ Blue coat - $19.99
This alternative costume was most visibly used in the BBC webcast 'Real Time' (having previously appeared on a few book and audio book covers). It varies vastly from the gaudy coat of many colors normally worn by Colin Baker's sixth Doctor whilst retaining some design elements including the dandy's tie and question mark shirt collar. For many fans this has become almost the preferred costume with it's more muted, less frivolous, colorways. Underground Toys are thrilled to be able to offer this new figure as part of their 2009 Exclusives program.

Doctor Who Producer Phil Collinson with Doctor Who: Podshock correspondent Tara Wheeler in front of her "time traveling" Police Box at Gallifrey 20 in February 2009. Photo by Billy Davis

Doctor Who: Podshock Correspondent Amy Krell (left) with Tom Baker (the 4th Doctor) (right) at his very first US convention in 1979.

BBC America has announced that David Tennant (the 10th Doctor) and Russell T Davies (Executive Producer and Lead Writer) will be joining Julie Gardner (Executive Producer) and Euros Lyn (Director) at this year's San Diego Comic-Con. 

Together they all will be on a Doctor Who panel on Sunday, the 26th of July 2009 from 10 AM to 11 AM PDT at this annual event.

Meanwhile, John Barrowman (Captain Jack) will be joining Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner, and Euros Lyn on a Torchwood panel on Sunday, the 26th of July 2009 from 2:15 PM to 3:45 PM PDT.

Daphne Ashbrook (1996 Doctor Who movie), a surprise guest to Doctor Who: Podshock live on stage recording episode 141 at Gallifrey 20 on February 15, 2009 joins Ken Deep, Louis Trapani, and James Naughton. Photo by Rachel McCauley