Comic-Con 2011 Exclusives - Our Faves

Comic-Con 2011 is two weeks away, so we're sending Jason on his annual trip to San Diego to report on the convention, panels, premieres, masquerade and after-parties. When he's done canoodling with girls dressed like the cast of Sucker Punch, he'll be stocking up on the exclusive toys, giveaways, art prints and comics to ensure that Hands in the Air headquarters looks like it was decorated by 12-year-old Star Wars nerds.

So what should convention geeks spend their money on besides deodorant, food not found in a 7-Eleven and etiquette lessons? Don't get your metal bikini bottoms in a bunch -- our picks for Comic-Con International 2011 exclusives are listed after the jump.

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Up, Up and Away Art Show

Halloween is coming up, but before your senses get overloaded with sweet candy and naughty outfits for every random vocation under the sun, take in some culture by visiting Monkeyhouse Toys in Los Angeles. This Saturday from 5pm - 9pm is the opening reception for Monkeyhouse's group art show, "Up, Up and Away," which, believe it or not, has nothing to do with the Balloon Boy. Instead, it's a superhero-themed show, and here's a preview of my painting of The Thing:

"Clobberin' Time"
acrylic on 8" x 10" canvas


Up, Up and Away group art show
Monkeyhouse Toys

October 24th - November 29th, 2009

Opening reception October 24th 5-9pm

I'm listed on the art show postcard as "and more..."

Happy Valentine's Day

So it's Valentine's Day, and if you're anything like me, then you're sitting at home alone watching The Notebook with tears in your eyes, pain in your heart and whiskey on your breath. Or maybe not. In any case, to cheer my single self up, I've created some special Valentines to share with the people I love the most -- those entertainment-starved saps who read our blog. Happy VD!

(Be sure to check out my Valentine posts from last year, too.)

Spoiler Theatre: Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer

With so many blockbusters coming out this summer, it's just hard to know which movie to spend your money on. A brand new Die Hard movie? Reserve my seats! Another Pixar cartoon? Sign me up! A new comedy with Robin Williams and Mandy Moore? Change my pants! A sequel to Daddy Day Care? Kill me now!

As a public service, I'm presenting the first installment of "Spoiler Theatre," in which I'll ruin the plot of an entire movie by re-enacting it with toys in a comic strip. Luckily, I can't "ruin" the plot of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer since the screenwriters were nice enough to do that beforehand...

Click on each page to see it in its full-blown glory, all big-like.

Happy Halloween

While you sort your Halloween haul into piles of good candy (Snickers, Peanut M&M's) and bad candy (does anyone really eat Heath bars or Bit-O-Honeys when it's not Halloween?), treat yourself to some pictures of us in costume and our lists for the season of the witch.

Spider-Man and his greatest foes
Chris as Sandman, Steve as Spider-Man, Jason as Green Goblin and Jenni as Doctor Octopus

Jenni's Top 5 Trick-or-Treat Goodies She Throws Out

1. Fruit
2. Black licorice
3. Candy corn
4. Toothbrush
5. Nickels
   

The Fantastic Four
Steve as the Thing, Jenni as Mr. Fantastic, Jason as the Human Torch and Chris as the Invisible Woman

Steve's Top 5 Halloween Movies

1. Halloween 3
2. Halloween
3. Halloween 2
4. Halloween 4
5. Halloween: Resurrection

Hobbits
Steve as one of those Hobbits (maybe Merry?), Jason as another one of those Hobbits (maybe Frodo?), Jenni as another one of those Hobbits (maybe Pippin?) and Chris as another one of those Hobbits (maybe Dumbledore or that dude from Lost?)

Jason's Top 5 Trick-or-Treating Pet Peeves

1. Replying to the phrase "trick or treat" with "trick"
2. Parents who trick-or-treat for their babies
3. Saying "nice costume" to people who didn't even dress up
4. Teens who want candy but think they're too cool to dress up
5. People too lazy to answer their door who leave out a bowl of unattended candy

Star Trek
Steve as Spock, Jason as Sulu, Jenni as McCoy and Chris as a pile of Tribbles

Chris's Top 5 Sexy Halloween Outfits

1. French maid*
2. Naughty nurse*
3. Sexy schoolgirl*
4. Horny cheerleader*
   
5. Naked chick*
   

* With big boobs

A Few of My Favorite Things

From left to right: Things