A variety of panels, screenings, exhibits, gaming franchises, and demos were present at the semiannual Comic Expo at the Long Beach Convention Center on Jan. 11 and 12, with attendees ranging from first-timers and cosplayers who have been consistently attending for years.
The event began with a panel during the ‘Space Expo,’ hosted by volunteers from Cosplay for Science, a nonprofit educational initiative that aims to communicate science through pop culture, cosplay, and outreach, with panels that consisted of paleontologists and anthropologists discussing the role that extinct animals have played in inspiring video game and movie monsters.
There were also franchises of multiple mediums present and the gaming franchises showcased their products, met with fans, and explained how video games can be used as learning tools.
The panel ‘Pop Paleo: Dinosaurs,’ discussed paleolithic creatures throughout pop culture, referencing movies like Spielburg’s ‘Jurassic Park’ and praising it for his attention to detail on the dinosaurs.
Spielburg worked with paleontologists on the physiology of the animals and a member of the panel explained, “It’s one of the most accurate portrayals of the T-Rex in pop culture.”
The panel also discussed one of their favorite fictional creatures, a monster from Capcom’s game franchise ‘Monster Hunter,’ called Anjanath, a character based on a T-rex and in the latest installment of the series, there are feathers added to it.
Kiersten K. Formoso, who holds a doctorate degree in Vertebrate Paleobiology, expressed what she enjoys about the animals depicted in recent Monster Hunter World and Red Dead Redemption 2 games.
“The animals usually don’t attack the player just like they do in real life,” Formoso said.
In the area of retro gaming, Patrick Ferre, the founder of SKG Retrogaming, displayed a console called the Retro Box- a small computer called a Cherry Pi with some modifications in the form of HD display ports, an outer shell, and USB ports.
These consoles have emulation software and several hundred retro games and depending on the version of the console, some include games from Atari Genesis, Playstation 1, and Nintendo 64.
Ferre shared some of his thoughts on the gaming industry’s attitude towards single player games and new consoles.
“They have been saying single player games are disappearing for 20 years,” Ferre said.
When asked about the place of retro games in the modern market, Ferre said, “Young people are increasingly interested. Many people who visit the booth tend to be college or high school students.”
Ferre also shared his thoughts on the next generation of Playstation 5’s logo reveal.
“It’s a PS4 logo with a PS5 on it. It’s a risky design. It’s unique for a console, but most people might not have space in their entertainment setup,” Ferre said.
Industry veteran and voice actor, Carlos Ferro, was present and he is recognized in the gaming community from high profile roles in games like ‘Gears of Wars,’ as Domininc Santiago, ‘Assassin’s Creed,’ as Leonardo da Vinci, and all the Cuban soldiers in the first ‘Call of Duty Black Ops’ game.
He shared his initial reaction to the PS5 logo reveal, as well.
“I thought they were going to reveal something big, like a partnership with Nintendo,” Ferro said.
In the area of virtual reality, Quentin Zuber, of 2113 Labs V.R. and member of techno-electronica band, Spanking Machine, talked about a project called Permission V.R.
It was developed on Unity Engine, an engine popular with independent creators.
The demo involved players walking through an apocalyptic city and through a portal that opens to a peaceful meadow, all while Spanking Machine’s music plays.
“It’s a music video you can experience. It’s supposed to represent the transition from dark to light, the music changes over time to represent that,” explained Zuber.
Long Beach Comic Con, sister event of Long Beach Comic Expo, is set to occur on Sept. 5 and 6, at the Long Beach Convention Center.