40 Years

It's hard to believe that it's comic-con time again, yet here I sit in sunny San Diego at a bar not far from the madness. Already it's apparent that this year is bound to be crazier than the last. Hordes of people pored into San Diego last night and this morning and will continue to pour in throughout the next few days, scrambling to see the TV, movie and comics panels, eager to make sure their finger is firmly on the pulse of pop culture.

And that's my job here, to make sure that my Book Soup finger stays directly on the pulse of what new things are going to be huge, which aren't worth getting involved with and which small little gems there are to me found in the melee of the display floor. There are a few certainties this year, Twilight is a big fucking deal, shockingly. Iron Man 2 is being buzzed about. Dexter and True Blood are big hits. But what I look forward to every year is the new discoveries. Last year that discovery was Twilight and the madness that seemed to come out of nowhere surrounding that franchise (hang on kids because it's not going anywhere; the 6500 capacity room was full hours before the panel even started). This year is still to be seen. Though as one walks around comic-con and it's virtual orgy of geek currency certain excitements and bastions of pop culture start to make themselves known. Through the millions of potential phenomena comes one or two that, by the end of the weekend are practically legendary. I guess we'll find out what they are soon enough.

Happy Reading,
Julia