Back in August, you may recall that Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment held a virtual comic con called DC FanDome. If you didn’t get involved with the event (or you didn’t read my review), then no doubt you saw some of the stories that came out of DC FanDome, including the release of the first trailer for The Batman.
A month on from the con and yesterday evening, DC FanDome returned for another helping. The event kicked off at 6pm last night (UK time) and lasted for 24 hours.
As with DC FanDome Part 1, this second con was a non-ticketed event which was free to all. DC/Warner wanted to bring fans together despite the ongoing COVID chaos, and did so via a global event with content for all ages.
I enjoyed August’s DC FanDome so much that I jumped at the chance to indulge in another weekend of DC fun and frolics, and do you know what? I wasn’t disappointed.
For DC FanDome Part 2, the event’s organisers took a different approach to Part 1. Whereas August’s jaunt into the world of DC was largely spearheaded by a seven-and-a-half hour stream of news and product release info (which was then looped for 24 hours), this weekend’s event was largely about providing fans access to a large collection of videos and downloadable content.
All of the content was accessible via the FanDome’s six different rooms. So, if you were one of DC’s young fans, then videos and activities could be found in the Kidsverse, while downloadable wallpapers were available from the Funverse, and fan videos could be seen in the Youverse.
Keen to soak up as much content as possible, I initially took a little tour through all of the rooms to work out what I wanted to watch. DC/Warner were offering over 100 hours of content, so I knew I would only get chance to check out a fraction of what was being served up.
After a little journey around the FanDome I soon found myself in the Watchverse – a room filled with 64 different videos. Straight away I gravitated towards video number 1: Superman: Man of Tomorrow.
To my surprise, I discovered that this video wasn’t a short teaser or a featurette for the new Superman animated movie – this WAS the new Superman animated movie. All 86 minutes of the movie were available to view for FREE and I didn’t need to hand over a penny!
I grabbed a drink, sat down, and watched the movie from start to finish. I then followed this up with a special panel for the film, featuring various members of the cast, who discussed little behind the scenes titbits.
Once these two videos were devoured, I then watched a few comic book panels, which included discussions on Three Jokers, DCeased, and Dark Nights Metal. These were very informative panels, and featured key creators, including writers and artists.
Next I moved onto a video which played tribute to the late writer and producer, Dwayne McDuffie who passed away in 2011. The video featured comments and content from colleagues, friends, and family, and was a moving tribute to a leading industry figure.
As the night played out, I then watched a light-hearted panel featuring actors who have played villains in the DC Universe. The video included input from John Glover, Clancy Brown, and Jason Isaacs amongst others, and was great fun to watch.
Re-entering the FanDome today, I watched yet more videos, I checked out some of the downloadable wallpapers, and I took a flick through some of the comic books. Yep, the FanDome even included a collection of digital comics which could be read online as part of the event.
From here I took a look at some of the short comical videos (Teen Titans, Harley Quinn etc), then had one last look around the FanDome. There was plenty more to explore, but sadly time was getting away from me.
As with August’s trip through DC FanDome, I found this weekend’s con to be an absolute joy. There was so much to view and enjoy, and all of it free and accessible at the click of a button.
While there may not have been any major announcements this time around, I found myself equally as impressed with what was available and I liked the more chilled approach. From the inclusion of a full-length movie, through to the panels, the comics, and everything in between, this was a well thought out, easy to access event.
I hope DC FanDome returns.
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Thanks for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this review of DC FanDome Part 2. For more content be sure to check out the recommended reads below, and don’t forget to take a look around this blog for more reviews.
Read more:
- Whatever happened to the cast of Batman: The Animated Series?
- A big THANK YOU to all the ’90s movies fans
- Batman Forever – Did you know?
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4 Responses to Review: DC FanDome September 2020
I really enjoyed Fan Dome Part 2 as well, it was just as much fun as the first event, perhaps more so even. I didn’t realise it was the whole of Superman Man of Tomorrow as well, thought it was just a clip, so it was a nice surprise to sit down and enjoy the new animated feature as well. 🙂
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Crazy, right? I thought it might be an extended scene or something. The film has only just been released to buy on digital and Blu-ray, so I couldn’t get over it. If FanDome returns again (and I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will), I hope it coincides with the release of the next DC animated movie! 🙂
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It sure was, but a great bonus for the FanDome audience. I think the way of doing this event has worked superbly, and I hope they do more. Not everyone can get to the big conventions so this was a great way for creative teams to engage with fans. 🙂
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Yeah, totally agree. I love a good convention, but I thought both of these events were well put together and they really felt like something exciting and important. I hope we see more, and I hope Marvel/Disney take inspiration from this and consider this as an option, rather than doing San Diego Comic-Con every year. Don’t get me wrong, I would LOVE to go to SDCC, but the cost and the difficulty getting a ticket will always prevent me from doing it. Cons like these virtual events mean everyone can get involved.
On a side note, while I loved the inclusion of a free movie, I would be happy for DC to do this event again in the future, expand it to 2 days, and use it to stream video-on-demand movies. I.e. use this as a platform to release more movies for a small fee, which are exclusive to the event.
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