Automotive stars of San Diego Comic-Con 2011

WHAT else but a Passat for Star Wars. Photo by Jason Ang

Every summer, San Diego, California, becomes Nerdvana: the city plays host to Comic-con, a haven for comic book, sci-fi movie and animé fans from all over the world. Comic-con takes place mostly within the San Diego Convention Center, its massive exhibition halls transforming into a venue for studios, artists and, of course, women dressed as Princess Leia. Among all the costumes and flying pens from the writers and artists, we found a few automotive gems hidden among the cowls and capes.

The Lucas film/Star Wars booth had as its centerpiece automotive art in the making. Taking its cue from the BMW Art Car series, Volkswagen provided a white Passat sedan as the proverbial blank sheet. The Passat was linked to the Star Wars movies thanks to VW’s Superbowl ad that showed a pint-sized Darth Vader using the Force on his dad’s Passat; humorous parental hijinks ensue.

LEXUS CT 200h in the livery of the Namco game Inversion. Photo by Jason Ang

The car began the four-day event as a blank canvas for comic book artist Ken Lashley. The artist then painted his vision of the Star Wars films as a series of images on the car’s exterior. The drawings evoke the emotions of the scenes from the film and are characteristic of the artist’s energetic style. Mr. Lashley has drawn comic series such as JLA and Excalibur, and his own creations, Legends and Octane. He has also designed toys for Hasbro, including its G.I. Joe and Men in Black lines.

One movie that is inseparable from its vehicle—in this case a motorcycle from hell—is Ghost Rider. The sequel Ghost Rider 2: Spirit of Vengeance will roar into theaters in 2012. Following the somewhat forgettable original, Ghost Rider 2 changes the production formula from inserting a computer-generated motorcycle rider with a flaming skull for a head to filming actual stunt work. The directors of the movie, Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, showed the audience their harrowing work on the cliffside roads of Romania. One sequence had a director filming while riding on a skateboard being pulled by a motorcycle at high speed. Ghost Rider himself, Nicolas Cage, assures audiences that, thanks to the innovative directing style, this movie will be worth watching.

The Transformers series was ably represented by an enormous Optimus Prime figure in robot mode. Though Bumblebee was absent, we spotted plenty of full-sized Chevrolet Camaros and Sparks along the city streets, and even a Chrysler 300C with an Autobot badge.

THE unforgettable DeLorean sports car of Back to the Future. Photo by Jason Ang

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year is a sentimental favorite, Back to the Future. No less than series producer Steven Spielberg pronounced the Back to the Future series as his favorite among the films he produced but did not get to direct. The movie involves a time machine built into a DeLorean sports car. On display at the Mattel booth was a full-scale DeLorean time machine, with trademark gullwing doors and stainless steel body. The time-warping flux capacitor was visible behind the front seats, and the audio system was pumping out the clear, crisp sound, and sheen of consummate professionalism of Huey Lewis and the News.

Batmobiles were in short supply this year—at least the full-sized ones. There were several scale models on display. The DC booth was already bursting to the seams with artists and activities, so there was no room for a 1:1 Batmobile. We had to be satisfied with seeing that—and Adam West in the flesh, still looking good at 83.

Outside the exhibition hall, in the surrounding San Diego streets, vehicles became roving billboards. There was a Walking Dead semi-truck driving around the city. With blood stains all over the vehicle, and zombie arms caught in the truck’s rear door, it wasn’t hard to image a horde of zombies just around the corner. We also couldn’t miss the Lexus CT 200h prominently decked out in the livery of the Namco game Inversion.

If you want to get into the spirit of San Diego Comic-Con, National Book Store, with the country’s widest selection of graphic novels, is giving away prizes from SDCC. Every purchase of an imported graphic novel from selected branches until Aug. 5, 2011, gets a chance to win items from this year’s SDCC. Participating branches are Alabang Town Center, Bestsellers Robinsons Galleria, Glorietta 5, Power Plant Mall-Rockwell, Quezon Avenue, SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia and TriNoma.