Conventions

Comic book cosmetics are definitely on the rise. The M.A.C. line of Wonder Woman makeup a few years back was a sellout, and Sephora's Hello Kitty is still going strong; of course, there was also Spider-Man nail polish and so on. M.A.C. is following up with a line inspired by Archie Comics. While the PR hasn't revealed any shades we'd expect the Archie's Girls line to include bold reds and greens. And to launch the line, Archie's Dan Parent will be at the San Diego M.A.C. store on Fifth, signing and drawing.

A whirlwind tour of what's going on around town...and in the Hall!

Image, Skybound, and Top Cow announce their CCI exclusives! Get there early for The Walking Dead hardcover!

Boom! Studios announces all their awesome stuff, including a very public party on Thursday evening!

Billy Tucci will be at Comic-Con, promoting his new non-fiction graphic novel series about private security firm Blackwater. Previews available below, and a limited number of print previews will be available at CCI!

Comic-Con International is a bazaar of the bizarre, and many exhibitors offer limited editions and convention exclusives to generate interest and buzz! Here are some that caught my eye, and I'm already making a list for eBay after the Con!

Brian Wood and Carlos D'Anda have been announced as the creative team for a new Star Wars series debuting next year, from Dark Horse Comics.

Let's not get into any "it had to happen" stuff here. It didn't have to happen. But it did. A 53-year-old Twilight fan was struck by a car as she rushed across Harbor Drive to get a spot in line for Thursday morning's panel, and lated died from her injuries.

The fire marshal has decided that strollers in panel rooms is not a good idea and banned them -- but only from panel rooms. There will be stroller parking available. Meaning if you must bring your bairn to Hall H you must bring him or her in a sling.

Andrei Molitiu, he of Abstract Comics fame, is moderating afascinating sounding panel, along with Mark Badger. that looks at Jack Kirby and the abstract art.

Three weddings and a free-for-all.

Seriously, the PR is getting so weird it's getting hard to believe. Here's another offsite, this one at 1st street and J, which promotes COMA, a TV mini-series by Ridley and Tony Scott, by helping them go through the torment that people in Michael Crichton's original novel went thought via being "evaluated" for the tour and getting a surgery scar. Make sure you wear your brain-wave activated cat ears when you go through the surgery! We're sure this will not be as fun as it sounds. Why couldn't there be a BLACK JACK carnival at Comic-Con instead?