Now I like Mythbusters, but obviously not as much as the next guy, as in the guy standing next to me in that line! Who knew? Apparently, Mythbusters knows because they’re running a Superfan contest and first prize is a trip to Comic Con!

On Monday, January 18, Discovery Channel will be running an all-day marathon of Mythbusters, the series that aims to uncover the truth behind popular myths and legends by mixing scientific method with gleeful inquisitiveness and plain old-fashioned ingenuity to create their own signature style of experimentation. (That’s from the press release – great sentence, don’t you think?)

During the marathon, you’ll be given a chance to Tweet your way to Comic-Con and meet the Mythbusters. To enter, you should follow the Mythbusters Twitter (twitter.com/mythbusters) to get inside scoop on the show along with details on how you can win a trip for two to Comic-Con 2010 in San Diego. Open to U.S. residents only, the sweepstakes will be promoted on-air on Monday, January 18 at 9AM ET/PT; sweepstakes full rules will be posted at discovery.com/mythbusters at 12:01 AM on Monday, January 18.

Remember, this contest is being run by Discovery, not SFUniverse. So visit their website for full details and good luck!

Aren’t familiar with the Mythbusters? Then take a look at this:

Photo: Discovery Channel

Post from: SF Universe

First, on June 13, McCreary will conduct the music from Battlestar Galactica to kick-off the 2009 Grand Performances Series at California Plaza. It’s a free concert in downtown Los Angeles so all you have to do is show up and enjoy. Not going to be in the area? Then mark your calendar for June 16. That’s the day La-La Land Records will release the soundtrack for Caprica on CD.

Next, on July 23-25, McCreary will be performing at the House of Blues in San Diego just for all you Comic-Con fans. That concert will celebrate the July 21 release of a special 2-CD set, Battlestar Galactica: Season 4. The first disc features music from seasons 4.0 and 4.5, with the music from “Daybreak”, the stunning series finale, featured on the second disc.

Two concerts and two new CDs. It’s music that will inspire you. Get more information or order your CDs at the La-La Land Records website.

CD cover: La-La Land Records

Post from: SF Universe

In order to win the prize, you’re going to have to prove that you have the pop culture knowledge, the on-camera charisma and that special brand of G4 geek chic.

Here’s how it works:

Between now (May 15, 2009) and June 22, 2009, fans must submit a video that demonstrates their knowledge and love of pop-culture. Videos must be at least 30 seconds in length and no longer than 10 minutes. Contestants will be judged on overall knowledge of all things pop culture, creativity and on-screen charisma demonstrated in their videos.

The winner will receive airfare and accommodations for themselves and 1 guest to Comic Con ‘09, an opportunity to act as “Special Correspondent” for G4, a Dark Horse grab bag valued at $600 and special access to all Dark Horse related events and signings.

G4 and Dark Horse Comics want to find the ultimate pop culture fanatic and stand-out personality who deserves this special Comic-Con opportunity.

For official contest rules and to submit videos please visit http:g4tv.com/comiccon and good luck!

Post from: SF Universe

If you look around the net today, you’ll find dozens of interviews and articles about the new Friday the 13th movie starring Jared Padalecki of Supernatural. Not to be outdone by all of them, I present to you some of my favorite quotes from the Friday panel at this past summer’s Comic Con.

It’s interesting to note, that unlike the fans who packed the house for the Supernatural panel, the Friday the 13th panel was not only light on attendees, even the ones that came weren’t easily swayed making for some awkward moments.

Jared and Derek Mears (Jason) did their best to liven the crowd up with a little humor.  Jared went for the usual “Thursday the 12th prequel” gag while Mears went straight for the female fans in the audience.

“Have you guys seen Jared with his shirt off?”

To which Jared adds, “by shirt he means pants.”

Okay, now the Supernatural fan girls are happy let’s see what we can do for the Friday fans.

On Derek’s Portrayal of Jason

Jared Padalecki: [Derek is] an absolutely incredible Jason. I’ve seen the movies and just from having filmed with him, there’s a whole new level of scare than just ‘grrrrr, I’m big and I’ve got a weapon.’  It feels very real. It’s not just like, ‘there’s this slow walking guy that’s going to find us’. Now you feel like, ‘oh my god, this guy’s the real deal and he’s after me!’

It’s a very real, raw scare, it’s not like, argh I’m going to turn around and he’s going to be there. It’s like the difference between fighting a hippo and fighting a lion. The lion’s going to get me wherever I go, it’s not like ‘ah I’ll just get out of the water.’

On the Physical Demands

Amanda Righetti: It was physically and emotionally demanding but going into it I kind of looked on it as an endurance game, knowing what was going to be asked of us as actors.  What you don’t realize is how much your body can take.  When you’re in it you don’t feel it, and then you wake up the next day and you realize how many times you were thrown around the day before and how your body’s suddenly not working in the same way that it was the day before.

Jared: There were times when I know I woke up and I was sore and I was like, ‘who kicked my ass?” ‘Oh yeah, I filmed yesterday.’ It’s not like, ‘Oh my life is so bad, I’m in a movie, but when you go from doing one fight scene and you’re just dead and you want to sleep and you’re shooting from like 6 pm to 6 am so you wake up at noon because the sun’s coming in and you’re like, ‘I’m not rested enough,’ and the sun’s up and so I’m up and then you know that you’re going to shoot another 12 hours of running around and fighting and Derek’s a big guy um so… yeah, its very physically demanding.  

Derek Mears: I was really impressed by you two, a lot of times they had stunt doubles, where lots of times they didn’t want to use stunt doubles and I physically manhandled each of them and beat the crap out of them.  They were down and they were all ‘let’s keep going, man’ we were like ‘we can get your double’ and they were ‘oh no no no no it would look better with me so let’s do it.

And Derek Sums it All Up

Derek : What I’m really excited about is that the script is actually smart, it’s not just a regular slasher film. Doesn’t dumb it down, you see the guy walking around killing a bunch of people. It basically takes the best parts of two through four, kind of puts them all together, it brings the series back to reality where you understand what Jason’s actually doing.. .and that it’s.  It’s pretty intense.

Friday the 13th opens on Friday the 13th of February, 2009.

Photos by CBoris

Post from: SF Universe

It’s that Comic Con time of the year again and all you have to do is log on to the Internet and you’ll see it all.  Every major media outlet from Entertainment Weekly to Zap2it, to TVGuide to every small media outlet has some coverage.  G4 is running 3 hour live specials and MTV is in the house.

Halfway into day two, I lost track of all the news that could/should be imparted you all you fine readers of SFUniverse.  Then I realized that you’ve probably seen it all already.  So what you have here is my meager attempt to give you my side of the experience, because it is just that, an experience like no other.

My experience began with my first-ever preview night.  (Bad idea, but live and learn.) Preview night is only open to people with 4 day passes and the press.  You would think that would limit attendance but you would think wrong. After a two and a half hour drive from Orange County, 30 minutes to park, and an hour and half in line to get my badge, I was ready for some fun!  I went with only two goals, snag one of those cool Supernatural Bags from the Warner Brothers booth (as previewed at TVGuide.com) and watch the Fringe pilot.

In the 3 hours that preview night is open I managed to do one and half of those things and that was pretty much it. Bad planning on my part put me in the dealer’s room on the complete opposite side from the studio booths.  By the time I made my way to the Warner Brothers booth is was ten foot deep in every direction with people clamoring to get one of their famous, fabric, con bags.  Want it or not, I was pushed forward by the swell as the booth staff yelled for calm and threatened to sick the fire marshal on us if we didn’t stop pushing.  Bags for all, they declared, but that didn’t stop a small, older women from elbowing her way past me to get to the front of the herd and then out again.  Amazingly, folks were in good spirits about it, laughing about togetherness and a familiarity that usually only comes after a long courtship.

I got my bag.  I got out with my life.  And then I discovered that it wasn’t Supernatural.  It was an ad for the new WB.com network with pictures of Buffy, Angel, The Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars and Smallville.  Nice bag, but not what I wanted.  I don’t know if they’re saving the Supernatural bags for Sunday when the cast is there or they just decided to go a different way.

From there I snuck through the FOX booth, picked up a Bones and Fringe poster, both of which were mangled by the time I got home. I then found myself in the Lost Boys II DVD booth which was made up like the front yard of the house.  Did I take pictures?  No, it wasn’t possible with the crush of people pushing me along.  Maybe I’ll do better on Sunday.  SCI FI Channel, who always had great giveaways had nothing but a Darren Brown button and a Battlestar Tattoo.  I did pick up a Middleman scratch card, a Fantastic Four flying disc game and a couple of dogtags.  Oh and a rubber WWNPHD bracelet.

Don’t get it?  I got the first part but not the last. I had to ask.  What Would Neil Patrick Harris Do?  It’s a Harold and Kumar promo item.

Most of the booths said they were saving the good giveaways for when the con officially opened.  Again, what’s so special about preview night?  I guess it’s great if you’re buying the Comic Con only toys offered by many toy companies. A half hour after the floor opened, Mattel already had signs up saying that the lines were closed.  Amazing.

I gave up trying to see anything else on the tradeshow floor and headed upstairs for the Fringe preview.  I went to the second showing and though the line was incredibly long the room was nearly empty when the show began.  Several people left the room partway in and boo to the con security staff who kept talking through the show!  It was hard enough to understand with the bad con speakers so the extra noise was really annoying.

As for Fringe, I liked it, a lot.  Sure it was cliche in the set up and it was gross, but I really love Joshua Jackson’s character and the actor who plays his father.  Jackson’s Peter reminded me of Alec in Dark Angel.  Along for the ride, swearing he doesn’t care if the world ends tomorrow but then risking his neck in order to help save the day. Love the dry sense of humor on him, too. This show is going to be another one of my favorites.

The bad thing about staying for the second showing of Fringe was that I left when Comic Con closed, which means everyone was trying to leave at the same time.  Oh, except for the Twilighters who were camped out on the sidewalk, prepared to spend the night to make a 1:30 in the afternoon panel THE NEXT DAY.  There isn’t anyone I want to see that badly.

What’s hot at Comic Con?

True Blood, Twilight, Watchmen, and Batman, particularly Ledger’s Joker.

I return on Sunday for the Supernatural panel.  See you then.

Post from: SF Universe