Look … I admit:

Year in and year out no matter how many times I venture to San Diego (“America’s Finest City”) for Comic-Con, it’s always a thrill. Always. I’ve equated the weeks leading up to it with a child’s anticipation of a trip to Disneyland.

Truly, it’s that exciting.

The planning. The scheduling. The approach of the event does nothing but ramp everything up to a frothy, effervescent headiness. And then? The head-spinning, giddy feeling of being right smack dab in the middle of it all with thousands of others (tens of thousands, truth be told), all vying for that collectible or that panel or that photo opportunity with “Holy crap! Did you see who that was?!? It’s (insert any popular personality here) from (insert any popular or cult television program or film here) … !!!”

Here’s a little taste of what’s in store this year:

• I get to sit face to face with Mohandas Gandhi! (Well … Ben Kingsley who played Gandhi in the titular film and who is featured in the upcoming The Boxtrolls.)
• Fellow Clacker Ivey West and I will be taking in a brand new Star Trek film. (Details to follow.)
• I get to angle for position in a press room announcing the highly-anticipated release of television’s 1960s Batman series. Adam West and Burt Ward will be there in the flesh.
• I’ll be grilling the cast of Falling Skies about their thoughts on the current season as well as their just-announced 5th and final season.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg where The Con is concerned. (Yes, I’m bragging. Wouldn’t you be if you were on the receiving end of all that? Yeah … that’s what I thought.)

Add partying, hobnobbing, joking with and sharing cocktails with cast members from lots of television shows and films, picking up exclusive collectibles available only at Comic-Con (which will inevitably show up on eBay, etc. at obscenely inflated rates), bumping into old friends and acquaintances (and making new ones) and my personal Con tradition of smoking a cigar in public in a luchador mask. (I know. “What a freak.”) Add it all up and that will fill anyone’s Con experience quickly. *whew*

Cryptic stuff from last year’s Godzilla Experience

But! You have to dig deep, take a breath and dive right back in because, as stated, that’s only the beginning. Unexpected stuff comes up. Four days of Comic-Con simply isn’t enough to take everything in. But you hunker down and you do your darnedest.

Some of you out there might be wondering: “Michael … is it all worth it? The crowds and the lines and the long-assed days and the rude people and the $9.00 pizza slices and, holy guacamole, all those NERDS. Is it really worth it?!?”

First of all, I don’t like pizza, let alone pay nine bucks for a slice of the stuff. So no problem there. As to the question at hand:

• When you can walk down a vacant hallway off the main drag, realize someone in a white suit is pacing you at your left shoulder, glance over and realize it’s Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead, Army Of Darkness, Bubba Ho-Tep) and carry on a 3 minute conversation with him while he’s on his way to a panel despite body guards being in tow? (Bonus: He was amiable as all get out.) Damned straight it’s worth it.
• When, of a sudden, the opportunity arises to meet some of your heroes such as Marvel Comics and film storyboard artist Mike Ploog, animator / stop-motion master Ray Harryhausen (RIP), Forrest J. Ackerman (“Famous Monsters Of Filmland” magazine, RIP), voice over actor extraordinaire Chuck McCann (Sonny the Cuckoo Bird, Cool McCool, various Powerpuff Girls characters, voice of cartoon’s Oliver Hardy and hundreds more), actor/writer/director/voice over artist Stan Freberg? And one on one? Face to face? Damned straight it’s worth it.
• When you’re waiting in line for an autograph from the yummy Princess Leia/Carrie Fisher of Star Wars legend (hokay, this was years ago … but I still have a thing for her) and she keeps eying you the entire 45 minutes you’re inching along with the others to where she sits and you’re getting more and more uncomfortable as you reach your goal? Then, once there, she asks what you’re doing at Comic-Con because she thinks you’re an old boyfriend of hers she hasn’t seen in ages, the reason she’s been staring at you all this time? Well … you do what I did. You respond: “No, I’m not him. But, if you like, I can certainly fake it …” and you make her blush several shades of red? Yeah … damned straight it’s worth it.
• When you’re standing at a men’s urinal minding your own business and Jason Gann (Wilfred from Wilfred) unzips next to you and strikes up a conversation? Damned straight. And when critic Leonard Maltin does same at the Hard Rock Cafe the next evening? Ditto.
• When you get called on to meet, say, Reggie Lee of Grimm (as Keith and I did last year) in a casual restaurant/bar and chat about anything you want (television, family, favorite vacation spots) for a few hours while nursing beers and munching french fries? Yeah. Damned straight it’s worth it.
• When you’re as close to Gillian Anderson (The X-Files) as the picture featured above? Damned. Straight. It’s. Worth. It. Period. *swoon*

But let’s get grounded for a moment. I want to explain why my geekdorknerdness has become a little more respectable. (Kinda. Somewhat. A little bit. Oh, shut up.)

Relatively speaking, it wasn’t that long ago when Hollyweird shoved its big, fat, greedy paws into the Comic-Con pie with all its high-falutin’ media and “WowZah!” sneak peeks and premieres and events and spectacles, forcing The Con into what it is today: A “must-attend-at-all-costs” event for many. The “suits” … they know how to jump on a bandwagon when opportunity rears its head.

And what, pray tell, set all this hoo-hah in motion? Well … because of those little things called “comic books” and the creators who create them, of course. At its core, comics have always been the backbone of Comic-Con. And they always will be. Want proof? (Really? You need proof? *sigh*) Ever hear of a little film called The Avengers? How about Iron Man? Or Thor? Captain America? Batman? Superman? Each and every one had humble beginnings in the once-lowly comic book format. Hollywood caught on and realized they could promote the bejeebers out of new properties and programs and more. And maybe — just maybe — with some experimentation comics could be turned into celluloid gold. They could directly feed the “audience” they were shooting for in one fell swoop. An audience who had the power to “word of mouth” an up-and-coming something or other and propel it into the stratosphere.

That audience? Nerds, of course. And that’s a major reason you can’t walk up to The Con as previous, say 10 years ago, and plop down $50 and get in to all four days of the event effortlessly. Today? Because of Hollywood Comic-Con tickets sell out in a few hours of going on sale. (We’ll see what happens next year when The San Diego Convention Center puts the finishing touches on a major expansion. Stay tuned.)

CliqueClack’s big wheel Keith McDuffee (right, as “The Blue Demon”) won’t be attending this year.
So, sadly, this sort of monkey business won’t be taking place. *sniff*

Regardless of the changes that have taken place over the last decade, overall, is it still worth it? Absolutely. If you can get in.

And if you can’t, the cool thing is this: Over the last few years, tons of events have been added outside the confines of The Con itself. Exhibits and interactive experiences and programming and parties and concerts and more. Many things you don’t need a Comic-Con ticket for in order to attend. It’s become that massive and popular.

This year? As in year’s past, my friend and colleague Mr. Ivey West and I will be scouring the convention floors, planting our asses in seats at numerous panels, maneuvering through the crowds, jockeying for position in press rooms, venturing to parties, giving blood (I do it every year) and participating in clean, close shaves (Really! Details for follow) as well as other things sure to come as a surprise not only to our readers but to us, too. We’ll be reporting live from The Con via Twitter (CliqueClack: @CliqueClack / Ivey: @Dorv / Michael: @RuprechtReal) and posting highlights to CliqueClack.com as often as possible. (I’m swiping a page out of Ivey’s book and following his lead from last year.) In addition, Ivey and I will log in-depth interviews, video, wrap-ups and more during the week following Comic-Con.

In the event you can’t attend The Con? Well … you can. Through us.

And no one will call you a geekdorknerd. We’ll take the brunt of that for you. We’re giving that way.

Dana Delany’s most recent foray into television, Body of Proof, ended its run on the network this spring, and now the final season is available on DVD. Continuing series with new seasons right around the corner include Drop Dead Diva, Workaholics, and Wilfred. As Stephen King’s new series, Under the Dome, is about to premiere, catch up on past King TV classic on DVD: The Stand, The Langoliers and Golden Years. The long awaited Mel Brook’s comedy that’s become a cult classic, When Things Were Rotten, finally comes to DVD this week as well. To see all of the June 18 releases, have a look at our shopper’s guide and click on a link to make a purchase or to get more information.

As some TV shows come to their end and others prepare to begin a new season, now is your time to catch up before the new or final seasons begin. Among the big new releases June 4th are the past seasons of Breaking Bad, Falling Skies, and Pretty Little Liars. The third season of The Big C hits video just as the final “season” completes its run. If you’re a fan of FX’s Wilfred, then check out the complete series release (or just the first season) of the original series for comparison. Also on tap, animation for kids and adults alike, and some classic TV gets a little DVD love too. To see all of this week’s releases, have a look at our handy shopper’s guide and click on a link to make a purchase or to get more information about a title.

To subscribe to the below schedule in iCal, copy this link and paste into the “Subscribe…” menu item in iCal. You can also just click it to open iCal or even click to add to your iPhone calendar. The same link will work in a Google Calendar as well! Or see the calendar as a web page (also embedded at the bottom of this post). The calendar will update as new shows are added/changed.

* All times are in EDT PM, unless otherwise mentioned.
* New series premieres are in Bold Italics

SERIES PREMIERES/RETURNS

MAY

Monday, May 20

8:30 The Goodwin Games (FOX)

10:00 Motive (ABC)

Wednesday, May 22

8:00 MasterChef (FOX)

Thursday, May 23

8:00 Save Me (NBC)

9:00 Showville (AMC)

9:00 Toxic Office (FOX)

10:00 Rookie Blue (ABC)

Monday, May 27

8:00 The Bachelorette (ABC)

9:00 American Pickers (History)

9:00 The Glades (A&E)

10:00 Longmire (A&E)

Tuesday, May 28

8:00 Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition (ABC)

10:00 Brooklyn DA (CBS)

Wednesday, May 29

8:00 The American Baking Competition (CBS)

8:00 Melissa & Joey (ABC Family)

8:30 Baby Daddy (ABC Family)

9:00 Dancing Fools (ABC Family)

10:00 Top Shot (History)

Friday, May 31

9:00 Primetime (ABC)

JUNE

Sunday, June 2

8:00 The Killing (AMC)

9:00 The Next Food Network Star (Food)

9:00 Princesses (Bravo)

12:00 The Venture Bros. (Adult Swim)

Monday, June 3

9:00 The Fosters (ABC Family)

10:00 Teen Wolf (MTV)

10:00 Mistresses (ABC)

Tuesday, June 4

9:00 America’s Got Talent (NBC)

9:00 Total Blackout (Syfy)

10:00 Exit (Syfy)

Wednesday, June 5

10:00 Chef Roblé & Co. (Bravo)

10:00 Paranormal Witness (Syfy)

Thursday, June 6

8:00 The Hero (TNT)

9:00 72 Hours (TNT)

9:00 Burn Notice (USA)

9:00 Interior Therapy with Jeff Lewis (Bravo)

10:00 Graceland (USA)

Friday, June 7

10:00 Continuum (Syfy)

Saturday, June 8

9:00 Sinbad (Syfy)

10:00 Being Human (BBCA)

10:00 Primeval (Syfy)

Sunday, June 9

9:00 Falling Skies (TNT)

Monday, June 10

8:00 Switched at Birth (ABC Family)

9:00 White Collar (USA)

10:00 King & Maxwell (TNT)

Tuesday, June 11

8:00 Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family)

9:00 Twisted (ABC Family)

10:00 Chopped (Food)

Wednesday, June 12

9:00 Ghost Hunters (Syfy)

9:00 Royal Pains (USA)

10:00 Necessary Roughness (USA)

Thursday, June 13

9:00 Intervention (A&E)

Friday, June 14

9:00 Magic City (Starz)

Saturday, June 15

10:00 Mistresses (ABC)

Sunday, June 16

9:00 True Blood (HBO)

9:00 Inspector Lewis (PBS)

Tuesday, June 18

10:00 Blood & Oil (Discovery)

Wednesday, June 19

9:00 Franklin & Bash (TNT)

10:00 Futurama (Comedy)

10:00 Hot in Cleveland (TV Land)

10:30 The Exes (TV Land)

11:00 Soul Man (TV Land)

Thursday, June 20

10:00 Wilfred (FX)

11:00 Gigolos (Showtime)

Sunday, June 23

9:00 Crossing Lines (NBC)

9:00 Drop Dead Diva (Lifetime)

9:00 Whodunnit? (ABC)

10:00 Devious Maids (Lifetime)

10:00 Copper (BBCA)

Monday, June 24

10:00 Under the Dome (CBS)

10:00 POV (PBS)

10:00 Under the Dome (CBS)

Tuesday, June 25

9:00 Rizzoli & Isles (TNT)

10:00 Perception (TNT)

10:00 Catfish (MTV)

Wednesday, June 26

9:00 Big Brother (CBS)

Sunday, June 30

9:00 Dexter (Showtime)

10:00 Ray Donovan (Showtime)

JULY

Monday, July 1

8:00 American Ninja Warrior (NBC)

Sunday, July 7

9:00 Endeavor (PBS)

Monday, July 8

9:00 Get Out Alive with Bear Grylls (NBC)

Wednesday, July 10

9:00 America’s Got Talent (NBC)

10:00 Camp (NBC)

Thursday, July 11

9:00 The Winner Is … (NBC)

10:00 Hollywood Game Night (NBC)

Sunday, July 14

10:00 The Newsroom (HBO)

Tuesday, July 16

8:00 Whose Line is it Anyway? (CW)

9:00 Covert Affairs (USA)

9:00 Joe Rogan Questions Everything (Syfy)

9:00 Perfect Score (CW)

10:00 Notorious Hauntings (Syfy)

10:00 Suits (USA)

Monday, July 22

11:00 Web Therapy (Showtime)

Wednesday, July 24

9:00 The Vineyard (ABC Family)

10:00 Haunted Highway (Syfy)

Sunday, July 28

9:00 Unforgettable (CBS)

Monday, July 29

9:00 Breaking Pointe (CW)

Wednesday, July 31

9:00 The Hunt (CW)

AUGUST

Saturday, August 3

9:00 Hell on Wheels (AMC)

Sunday, August 11

9:00 Breaking Bad (AMC)

10:00 Low Winter Sun (AMC)

11:00 Talking Bad (AMC)

Thursday, August 15

9:00 Owner’s Manual (AMC)

10:00 The Pitch (AMC)

Sunday, August 25

9:00 Silk (PBS)

Tuesday, August 27

9:00 Face Off (Syfy)

10:00 Cosworld (Syfy)

Saturday, August 31

8:00 Saturday Night College Football (ABC)

If you’re a fan of movie musicals and secret agent flicks, have I got a pair of doozies for you! The folks at the Warner Archive Collection have dug deep into the vault to bring some (rightfully?) forgotten films from the 1960s back to glorious life through their Manufacture on Demand DVD program. The Liquidator stars Rod Taylor as kind of a James Bond knock-off, and The Cool Ones is a 60s rock-and-roll musical that seems to be anything but rock-and-roll. Neither film was a success upon their initial theatrical releases, but one of them fares much better today as an entertaining curio than the other.

The Liquidator (1966) is the lesser of the two titles. Aussie Rod Taylor stars as a US soldier who accidentally saves Colonel Mostyn (Trevor Howard) of British Intelligence from an attack in Paris during World War II. Twenty-some years later, a spy scandal rocks Britain so Mostyn and his superior (Wilfred Hyde White) come up with a plan to eliminate the known double agents … in an unofficial capacity. Mostyn remembers his savior, Boysie Oakes, tracks him down in a small country cafe, and offers him a well-paying government job that comes with a swinging bachelor pad. Oakes accepts the offer and the training that comes with it, but is appalled when he learns he is on the payroll as an assassin. Not having the stomach to actually kill people, but not wanting to give up his new digs and all the “birds” that come with it, Boysie hires a real killer to do his dirty work while he tries to put the moves on Mostyn’s assistant, Iris (Jill St. John), something that is strictly forbidden in the employee handbook. Boysie and Iris slip away to the Cote d’Azur, but get entangled in some other confusing caper that totally derails the entire movie with its confusing who is double-crossing whom plot.

The Liquidator was obviously an attempt by MGM to launch another spy movie franchise, particularly as this came about around the time Sean Connery was making his (first) exit from the Bond franchise. Like the Bond films, The Liquidator is also based on a series of books featuring the Boysie Oakes character, but the books nor the film ever reached the same kind of popularity as the Bond novels and films. One of the biggest problems with the film is its star, Rod Taylor. Oakes is supposed to be British, Taylor is Australian, but by that time he’d been working in American films using an American accent, so he insisted on changing the character to an American soldier so he didn’t have to revert to his natural accent (while Jill St. John adopts a Brit accent). This probably did not sit well with the British fans of the books. Another problem is that the film gets pretty convoluted (although it apparently follows the first novel very closely) once Boysie and Iris head to France and more spies than you can shake a stick at are introduced into the story, talking about some major mission that never becomes clear until the last 15 minutes or so of the movie. There was one surprising reveal of a double agent working in the midst of British Intelligence, but at that point it seemed rather nonsensical, and only made the rest of the film even more baffling. In the end, Boysie Oakes is no James Bond, and a legal dispute over the novels and film rights scuttled any further films. If nothing else, the movie is worth a look for some of the surprisingly risque humor and Oakes’ smashing residence. Warner’s DVD looks and sounds just fine, but like most Archive releases this is a bare-bones affair with only a trailer (which gives away most of the movie’s major deaths) as an extra.

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