San Diego Comic Con is perhaps the biggest and most prestigious of geek gatherings the world may ever see. Big movie, comic book, sci-fi, video game, and even technology news springs forth from SDCC every year. It’s not just one of the biggest conventions, though, it’s also one of the most expensive to get to. Fret not just about everyone who couldn’t attend, we’re giving you some of the best of what SDCC had to offer.

 

 

Marvel blew just about every major publisher out of the water with movie news. Not only did Robert Downey Jr. make an explosive guest appearance Saturday to get everyone hyped about Iron Man 3, but the new suit of armor wasn’t the only thing to get excited about. SDCC was the place Marvel revealed a total of 5 new movie titles, some of which avid comic readers thought they’d never get. Iron Man 3 (5/3/13) and Thor: The Dark World (11/8/13) are sequels we expected, but the three others threw us for a pretty spectacular loop. Marvel finally confirmed that the Captain America sequel, Captain America: Winter Soldier (4/4/14), will follow a character audiences thought was long gone in the first movie. Winter Soldier is a character. While comic book fans rejoiced, Marvel also snuck in the announcement for an Ant Man move and a movie for Guardians of the Galaxy (8/1/14). That’s a pretty stellar line-up after some major success with The Avengers, but that wasn’t the only card up their sleeve. Crashing the Marvel video games panel and taking over an Amazing Spider-Man billboard was Deadpool, announcing his own video game developed by Activision’s High Moon Studios coming in 2013.

 

 

 

In contrast, DC only had the new Man of Steel movie to tease. Though it isn’t quite the gift basket of goodies Marvel dropped, footage from the film looked really good and Superman’s new costume even seems like something a modern and older audience could get used to. DC also made way for one new live-action show and two new animates series. Arrow, premiering on the CW in September, follows Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow. Green Arrow is known for being a more street level, social conscious hero than Batman, so it could be a pretty refreshing look at heroes all around. Beware the Batman, DC’s new CG show is also an interesting take on Batman himself. He’s set up as more of a detective this series and Alfred Pennyworth is a more combat oriented butler who trained Bruce. In lieu of a Robin or Batgirl in this show, the main sidekick is Katana, a hero known for her blade wielding skills. It seems like a really refreshing change to the Batman formula but for those who like classics, DC was happy to announce that it would be bringing back Teen Titans: Go! along with its original cast for a series of animated shorts.

 

 

 

 

Not much that really blew anyone’s minds comic-wise from the big two were announced last weekend, save for one crowning victory. Neil Gaiman not only announced that he would be working on Sandman comics again, but that the series would feature artwork from the brilliant J.H. Williams III. Image, with its announcements of a new series from Greg Rucka called Lazarus, Satellite Sam from Matt Fraction, Happy, a project between Darick Robertson and Grant Morrison, and so much more, nearly swept every other comic book publisher with the sheer amount of great titles coming out. DC fumbled with talks of continuity change and Marvel focused on its movie franchise more.

 If that's really not enough SDCC news, readers can check out ComicsAlliance as it updates on the latest from projects that were announced last weekend!