Informed Art - Comic-Con Revealed

Rick DeMott reporting from the Comic-Con floor. The first Wednesday programming in Comic-Con history started with a jaw-dropping beginning, literally. Via a taped video introduction, exec producer J.J. Abrams treated the Comic-Con faithful with the world premiere of his new TV series, “Fringe.”

The new sci-fi series follows an investigation into the mysterious deaths of the passengers on an airplane. When one of her fellow agents is infected with the same disease as the passengers, special agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Trov) locates the institutionalized Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble) whose earlier work may lead to a cure. However, Bishop is restricted to family visits only, so Dunham tracks down his estranged son Peter (Joshua Jackson) and blackmails him into helping her. The series, which should fill a space in the hearts of “X-Files” fans, mixes the FBI with the supernatural. The 80-minute pilot successfully mixes action twists and turns with humor. The dynamic between Trov, Jackson and Noble is engaging and could provide for entertaining possibilities from week to week.

For the visual effects, the pilot features a gruesome opening sequence upon the plane that featured the literal jaw-dropping that I mentioned earlier. Some great visual effects were employed in making a translucent look to the infected’s skin.

The fans in the crowd seemed very receptive to the latest offering from the reigning king of action and sci-fi on TV, Mr. Abrams.

Now I’m off to the convention floor. If you’re planning on attending the Con, make sure to stop by the Digital or Not booth, #5022, on Thursday from 2-3 pm for the Bill Plympton signing. He’ll be signing his two films – “The Fan and the Flower” and “Eat” – that are featured in the Animation Show of Shows box sets, which will be on sale at the booth. Come by and say hi.

If you’re not able to make the Con, or if you just want to find out what you may have missed, keep checking back throughout the week for more on the floor updates from AWN.

This is AWN’s Rick DeMott reporting directly from Comic-Con in San Diego. Thanks to DreamWorks, free WiFi is available from the convention center, allowing us to bring quicker updates right from the panels to you our readers. Keep checking back throughout the week for the latest announcements and impressions from the Con.

Tonight we have the preview screening of J.J. Abrams’ new TV series “Fringe,” starring Joshua Jackson of “Dawson’s Creek” fame. The new series debuts on FOX Sept. 9th, and Comic-Con attendees are getting the first public look at the new sci-fi series, which follows the strange investigations of a FBI special agent, a mad genius, and the genius’ estranged son.

Check back at around 7:30 pm for impressions of this new series.