Hello fellow Comic-Con fans.
I know it has been over two months since it ended, but we still feel the fantastic excitement from our favorite convention. I am reflecting on the amazing panels I attended and some of the great interviews I had the opportunity to conduct. This year, I am happy that Comic Con is back in full swing. Despite the two strikes in 2024 that severely impacted the event, it did not seem to have any lingering effects. It looked improved than ever. Every year, Comic-Con continues to grow, with more panels, more independent artists, and an even greater selection of amazing things to buy. And every year, I find myself loving it more. I have been attending since 2012, and each year feels like my favorite. It is always a pleasure and something I eagerly look forward to whenever Comic Con arrives. The fun and informative panels, along with the intriguing and surprising interviews I get to conduct as a member of the press, make it even more exciting. I always look forward to discovering new and exciting information about current projects that specific stars are working on.
The Toxic Avenger:
One panel I really enjoyed this year was The Toxic Avenger panel featuring Director Macon Blair, Peter Dinklage, Elijah Wood, and Taylour Paige. The panel was held in the famous Megalithic Hall H on July 24, 2025 to a rave fan reception. There were lots of laughs, and a trailer for the film, a remake of the original The Toxic Avenger from 1984, was also shown.
I was never familiar with that comic or movie before, but this version looks incredibly fun and funny. I am glad to see that. Hopefully, this Toxic Avenger will attract a whole new audience to both the film and the older versions. Elijah Wood mentioned that he was thrilled when he saw the conceptual drawing of what his character, Fritz, would look like.
It was nothing like Elijah had ever played before, and he stated that the chance to transform into that character was fun. Peter Dinklage mentioned a point about how, with The Toxic Avenger, the message of environmental concerns and climate change can be discussed using satire or humor to bring those issues to the forefront. Peter feels that The Toxic Avenger is necessary and needed, especially now that the environment is under a deeper threat than ever before. We include the full panel below courtesy Troma Entertainment.
Legion M:
I also had the immense pleasure of interviewing the production team behind Legion M, which is producing a graphic novel and hopefully a movie called ‘Defiant’ about Robert Smalls that I recently reported on. If you do not know who Robert Small is, look him up by clicking the links included above. Smalls was an incredible individual who lived during the United States Civil War era.
Legion M is such a fantastic company when it comes to independent films and filmmakers. I had the pleasure of speaking with them, and they provided me with some insight into what it takes to get a movie produced and off the ground.
Stern Pinball:
One of my favorite parts of attending Comic Con is connecting with companies I genuinely admire and respect. One of those companies is Stern Pinball, a renowned manufacturer of gaming machines that specializes in creating highly unique pinball machines.
I have been covering their remarkable machines since 2022, when I had my first interview with them. I have been a fan ever since, and this year I had the opportunity to conduct another interview with Matthew Geyer, the VP of marketing for Stern. Matthew discussed their newest pinball machines, namely Dungeons and Dragons and King Kong.
But the highlight is their latest launch, the Jaws 50th Anniversary Premium Edition, which they are incredibly excited about featuring many innovations and awesome artwork. I also had the pleasure of playing not just with the new JAWS machine but a full range of their different machines, which include games of every type and everything! It was also a lot of fun to see a life-size statue of the Quint character right next to the Jaws pinball machine! He kept a close eye on it, ensuring that everything was going smoothly. Matthew told me that they usually launch about three to five games a year, with three major releases. These are always tied to pop culture, like rock ‘n’ roll or comic books. It is always fun to watch YouTube videos of these incredible machines being built and played, and to see the cool features Stern includes in them.
OverPower:
The appeal of Comic Con also introduces attendees to a variety of genres. On July 26, 2025 I learned more about comic books and card games to fantasy novels when I attended the **OverPower** Press Room courtesy of the SuperPR Guy Gary Miereanu. OverPower is a game where two players battle with teams of four heroes and villains. “Unlike most other collectible card games, OverPower is not a resource management game, which makes its gameplay unique and both strategically and structurally different from Magic: The Gathering“. I must admit that I am unfamiliar with this type of card game. I did not participate in any of it, so it was a little daunting for me to take this interview when I knew nothing about the product. However, upon learning about OverPower and sitting down with the creative team, I gained a whole new perspective and respect for what these gentlemen do. The artwork is incredible, and it is an immensely popular card game, similar to Magic: The Gathering. However, it features darker characters and richer artwork.
I sat down with Casey Parsons, the ongoing staff artist for OverPower, who says he is creating “3 cards a week on average.” He is working on Flaxons and Alien Invaders. He is given a specific block of time to complete the project and deliver what the company requires. A highlight for him was receiving the call to draw Cthulhu; he loves drawing monsters the most. Having his Cthulhu published was a childhood dream come true. Some of Casey’s artistic influences are George Pratt and Bill Sienkiewicz; he loves the old-school artists. He mentioned how he loves art history, and one of his major influences is Rembrandt; he loves to “create through that filter.” Casey said he is not a very technical artist, which makes drawing machines more challenging for him. “I enjoy drawing monsters and organic elements. However, I prefer not to use rulers. I like to draw all my lines freehand. So, all the buildings are done freehand, and I work traditionally.”
Next, I spoke with an artist known as Ito. We discussed how AI might influence the design of characters in this type of game. He was not concerned about that because he knew fans could tell the difference and prefer their art to be hand-drawn with oils and watercolors. “The number of gigabytes you cannot replicate. I hand-draw without using a lot of gigabytes, and AI is not there yet.” One of Ito’s influences outside of comic-book artists is John Singer Sargent, known for his portraiture and free, carefree brushstrokes. Lawrence Alma-Tadema and, of course, Michelangelo. He was wearing a Bob Ross T-shirt, and I mentioned Bob as well, and he noted Ross’s carefree style.
It was wonderful for me to sit down and talk with these gentlemen about their art and their passion for it. They still had enthusiasm and passion for drawing and painting, preferring to use real watercolors or oils instead of digital methods. There is nothing like pencil to paper. Sorry. And it really is effective, especially as someone who tries to oppose AI as much as possible; having the actual touch of an artist makes an enormous difference.
As a result of interviewing with the gentleman from Overpower, I have a new respect for that genre and those types of card games. I wish them the best of luck with their current iteration and hope it performs exceptionally well. Unfortunately we could not interview the entire creative team in the SDCC Press Room. Instead we include interviews with OverPower courtesy of our friends at ThatsMyETV.
Overall, it was a successful Comic Con, 2025. A few bumps and glitches here and there, as has been the case since I started all these years ago. But you go with the flow, enjoy yourself, and have a grand old time. I do not think I will ever grow tired of attending Comic Con, as it is a celebration of art, artists, comic books, pop culture, and things that bring people joy, and we need that now more than ever.
Thanks to Kenn for video and image embedding for my feature article and many thanks to you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency. I will be back reporting in the future with new analysis about the series we are covering before the next Team WHR adventures at San Diego Comic-Con 2025!
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Until next time,
Regards,
