San Diego Comic Fest bills itself as the “friendly, intimate Comic-Con experience," and it's back for a fifth year at the new location of Four Points by Sheraton on Aero Drive.
Four Points by Sheraton boasts a theater that will allow the organizers to host a mini film festival for the first time. Gabriel Diani and Etta Devine will present their latest film, "Dani and Devine Meet the Apocalypse," an epic saga of two struggling comedians who find that surviving the end of civilization is almost as bad as making it in Hollywood. Producer Michael Ravine will be on hand for the black comedy "Nobel Son," starring Alan Rickman. Also screening, are "The Concessionaires Must Die" about a one-screen movie theater threatened by a multiplex about to open just down the street and "Kill Me, Deadly," a film noir spoof.
The centerpiece of this year's convention will be a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Jack Kirby, who created such iconic comic book characters as Captain America and the X-Men. There will be panels paying tribute to the comic book innovator as well as a Kirby Cafe.
The X-Men also get attention in a panel celebrating the 25th anniversary of the animated TV series and in a mock trial being held at the convention.
"A trial about whether or not it is constitutional for the government to restrict mutants and to send the sentinels out to round them up, and is it constitutional to discriminate against them based on their DNA?" Mike Towry, Comic Fest founder, explained.
That sounds pretty timely.
Comic Fest runs Friday night through Monday with badges available at the door. Towry said attendance is growing, but growth is not their goal. Instead, they want to keep the event intimate with a high ratio of guests to attendees.
