Two days ago, the official word came down through the trades that Marvel was bailing on this year’s San Diego Comic Con. No Hall H for them this year.
Do you know why?
For starters, it has absolutely nothing to do with D23. If it was all about D23 then Star Wars: The Force Awakens (which just announced it’s making a Hall H appearance) wouldn’t bother with Hall H either. Think about it.
The truth? According to multiple sourcing here in Los Angeles and through my connections at San Diego Comic Con (FYI, I’m an event planner who throws a hot party every year at SDCC), the real reason is that Marvel felt it couldn’t compete with the upcoming DC panel from Warner Brothers.
Marvel found out internally that Warners is going supernova with their DC presentation which will include Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Justice League, and Wonder Woman. Quite a formidable lineup and a really tough act to follow for any other studio.
Last year’s Warner panel was a pricey seven figure activation inside Hall H which utilized massive widescreen monitors and state of the art sound which delivered maximum impact. I was there. It rocked. Expect DC to go even bigger this year.
Sources also tell me that since Captain America: Civil War is currently under production, Marvel won’t have footage ready till August anyway. Also the actor that is supposed to play Spider-Man doesn’t have to report to the Civil War set till July, after Comic Con.
Now I know what you’re saying, Marvel in previous years has shot footage from their movies early on and presented it at Hall H shortly thereafter. The first Captain America: The First Avenger & Guardians of The Galaxy come to mind.
But again, they’re competing with the DC panel and that lineup. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, the Suicide Squad, The Joker, etc., You get my drift.
So if you can’t step up to the plate and compete, then get back in the dugout. That is exactly what Marvel decided to do. Go back in the dugout and regroup. I wouldn’t sleep on Marvel though because when they do step up to the plate they come out swinging as I personally witnessed at the Marvel presentation at El Capitan back in October.
But for now, DC wins this round and has the unique opportunity to become the con’s uncontested heavyweight champ this year. If Sun Tzu was alive he would proud because “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.“
Well played DC. Well played.
What do you guys think? Chime in below.
