60 Years of Star Trek
My first stop was The Lodge, where I wish I had more time to dance, but the night was young when we got in. We mainly went there for Star Trek, but “The Last Airbender” fans were better served. Our usual activation rounds were lighter than usual, and we especially missed Hulu/FX. FX’s “American Horror Story” opted for timed limited ice cream offerings at specific locations. For Star Trek fans, also outside the convention center was “Star Fleet Command: 60 Years of Star Trek” (The Sinclair on G Street), which displayed authentic on-set props, ship miniatures, and classic uniforms, but also offered a Holodeck VR experience, interactive claw machines, and custom personalized Star Trek trading cards.
After years of trying, I was finally given a press reservation for the Saturday Star Trek presentation in Hall H that featured remarks by Rod Roddenberry, George Takei, Michael Dorn (Worf in “The Next Generation,” “Deep Space Nine” and “Picard”), Robert Picardo (“Voyager,” “Deep Space Nine,” “Prodigy” and “Starfleet Academy”), Dominic Keating (“Enterprise”), Cirroc Lofton (“Deep Space Nine”), Doug Jones (“Discovery”), Michelle Hurd (“Picard”), Jerry O’Connell (“Lower Decks”), Christina Chong (“Strange New Worlds”) and Karim Diané (“Starfleet Academy”).
While some reporters stayed for a chance at the Marvel panel that was hours later, I met with the male panelist for round table interviews where I asked each panelist about their favorite Star Trek episode. Takei, now often seen in a wheelchair, is still sharp and on top of current events. Of course, his favorite is not an episode, but a movie: “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country,” where Hikaru Sulu is a captain in command of the USS Excelsior. Takei wishes that Sulu’s adventures as a captain were further explored, but he conceded that producers have to think about a lot of issues. Takei has used his Star Trek celebrity to help other causes such as spreading the knowledge of Japanese Americans’ World War II incarceration and LGBTQ concerns, and that’s part of Star Trek’s 60-year legacy.
Guillermo Del Toro and Pan’s Labyrinth
On the Thursday and Friday of SDCC, fans could participate in a special interactive scavenger hunt: “The Fetch Quest” as part of a special celebration for the 20th anniversary of Guillermo del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth,” which will be released in theaters later this year in a 4K restoration. That means that some of the excellent SDCC cosplay was professional actors dressed as Ofelia, Captain Vidal, and The Faun. You needed to encounter all three characters in order to qualify for a limited-edition anniversary poster. The first 50 players to successfully complete the quest won access to a private autograph signing session with Guillermo del Toro. Things reportedly got a little aggressive for the final 50, but once lined up at the Parq nightclub, those that got in were able to view the first two tests that launched the 3D conversion of the film. Del Toro introduced the clips, saying, “When the time came for ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’s 20th anniversary, I said, because then I saw ‘Pacific Rim’ on the IMAX 3D … it was amazing. It was like I was watching somebody else’s movie.”
He then said he decided, “I’m going to do a new transfer. I’m going to do a new mix. I’m paying for a new layer of sound for the movie, and I’m remixing it before we launch it again. We’re color correcting it again because the tools are better now than ever.”
The audience got special 3D glasses and the key to a free drink. Del Toro reminded the audience that October 9 was his birthday and that’s the day when the new conversion will be released this year. Love the film? You can record a video to submit to be part of the celebration (#PansLegacy).
His recent Netflix film, “Frankenstein,” also had a brief exhibition in Los Angeles for awards season last year. At SDCC, the visual effects team for that film had a Saturday evening panel that confirmed that working for del Toro means striving for an obsessive level of excellence. They are not only working for a director, but also someone who curates props from his film.
DC Comics Commits to Canines and Community
Ultimately, DC Comics won my heart this year, not only because two of their activations were totally committed to creating an atmosphere of serious fun (Lantern Training Headquarters for HBO Max’s “Lanterns”) and off-the-wall fun (The Comic Center of Pasadena for HBO Max’s “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe”) which were interconnected by portals and DC had an app to alert you to DC fun at SDCC, but also because of their commitment to canines and community.
At the Lantern Training Headquarters, we shot at apples instead of aliens and found a green lantern at a bar after following the clues. Ultimately, we learned to be fearless and got a cool metal (not plastic) Green Lantern ring. “Lanterns” premieres on 16 August 2026 on HBO.
At the Comic Center of Pasadena (much nicer and more spacious than the comic book store I knew in Pasadena), you are helping store owner Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman) and had three chances to fail to save the universe with challenges like:
You land in an apocalyptic universe.
Good news: the Flea Market survived.
Bad news: those are actual zombies, not hipster artisanal collectors.
You’re going to need supplies.
Which stall do you hit first?
Your choices were Dental Floss, Food, or Weapons. We headed to the Weapons stall and were faced with three more choices: a shield, a grenade, or a sword. What you’re really searching for is the quantum interference device that Sheldon Cooper, Leonard Hofstadter and Howard Wolowitz (three of the main characters of “The Big Bang Theory”) made. We found it and learned how “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.” A bonus touch is that Stuart’s store and the Lantern Training Headquarters are linked via a video portal in real time.
On Thursday, DC Heroes and Villains was the focus of the Her Universe fashion show. If you didn’t want to wait in line for the show itself, there was a selfie-ready display of DC heroes and villains, but Her Universe also partnered with Best Friends Animal Society to bring Krypto’s Corner (sponsored by Milk-Bone) to the lobby of the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel, and the local organization Paws for Coronado featured adoptable puppies (Thursday afternoon only).
The show was co-hosted by Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein and Broadway actor and singer Michael James Scott (currently featured as Nurse Francois Dubois in the “Scrubs” revival series), and twenty contestants strutted their stuff to win cash and a chance to design a fashion collection for Her Universe. This year the winners were Sean Quinn of Santa Clarita, CA for “Jokes on You” (Judges Winner) and Ten Wilkinson of Midlothian, VA for “The Beast Within” (Audience Winner). The show ended before 8 p.m., but the contestants stuck around to explain their craft and help inspire future costume designers.
I was already set for the “Air Bud Returns” panel, having attended the press conference on Saturday where I learned four dogs were used in the film, and when the film comes out in January of 2027, there is a chance you can buy those basketball sneakers for your own dog. Director Charles Martin Smith was attached to the 1997 original film, but the reboot is under the direction of Robert Vince, who was first attached to the 2002 “Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch.” Vince was upstaged by his furry star during the panel for the 15th film in the “Air Bud” series.
During the dog days of summer, what better way to end a long weekend? I started by walking my own dogs in cosplay, met and played with other dogs, and then came back to my own walking in the cooling air (while wearing a Green Lantern ring) before heading off for some pizza and back to Los Angeles.
