Can't Make It to Comic-Con? Geek Out with Netflix
Where did Comic-Con come from? The convention dedicated to comics and "related art forms" has been going on since 1970, but in the past few years it's really exploded into more than just a conference of geeks. It's now where major movie franchises and studios hold panels and reveal big news about their upcoming projects.
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The convention is being held this weekend in San Diego, and even if you don't have money for a flight, you can feel like you're there by hunkering down with comic-inspired picks on . Here's a few of your options!
MOVIES
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
In Marvel's superhero slugfest, Steve Rogers volunteers for a secret experiment during WWII after being deemed unfit for duty. Transformed into super soldier Captain America, he takes on his Nazi-created counterpart, Red Skull, and the evil Hydra.
Hellboy (2004) – Celebrate Hellboy’s 20th Anniversary!
Based on Mike Mignola's cult comic book series, this fast-paced live-action film tells the dark story of Hellboy, a charismatic demon who's put on Earth by the Nazis to terrorize the rest of the world. But Hellboy has other plans. Deciding to fight for good instead of evil, he vows to rid the world of supernatural monsters and the powers that rule them.
The Hunger Games (2012)
In a dystopian future ruled by a totalitarian regime, resourceful Katniss and her partner, Peeta, represent their district in the lethal Hunger Games, a televised survival competition in which teenage contestants fight each other to the death.
Thor (2011)
In this Marvel Comics-inspired action flick, thunder god Thor finds himself banished by his father, Odin, and forced to live among humans on Earth to learn humility. Can Thor regain his powers and return home?
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) – Celebrating its 25th Anniversary!
Director Robert Zemeckis seamlessly mixes live action with animation wizardry in this cinematic groundbreaker featuring Bob Hoskins as gruff gumshoe Eddie Valiant, who agrees to take the case of Roger Rabbit, a zany cartoon star framed for murder.
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TV SHOWS
American Dad!: Seasons 1-7 (2005-2011)
"Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane strikes again with this animated comedy about politically conservative CIA agent Stan Smith and his eccentric brood, a family unit that includes a talking goldfish with the brain of an East German athlete.
Archer: Seasons 1-3 (2010-2011)
Sophisticated spy Archer may have the coolest gadgets, but he still has issues when it comes to dealing with his boss -- who also happens to be his mother -- in this wicked animated spoof of spy flicks and the sex-crazed agents who populate them.
Battlestar Galactica: Seasons 1-4 (2003-2007)
Deep in the universe, cybernetic Cylons have all but wiped out the human race, laying waste to the Twelve Colonies of Man. Cast out, the few survivors aboard the Battlestar Galactica search for a so-called 13th colony: the mythical planet Earth.
Being Human: Seasons 1-2 (2011-2012)
Boston roommates Aidan, Josh and Sally are your average twenty-somethings -- except that they're also a vampire, werewolf and ghost, respectively. All three struggle with their supernatural identities while trying to get by in the human world.
Bob’s Burgers: Seasons 1-2 (2011)
In this animated series, hamburger restaurant owner Bob Belcher, his happy-go-lucky wife, Linda, and their three rambunctious kids try to outwit a rival eatery and overcome their own family dysfunction to get their greasy spoon off the ground.
Bones: Seasons 1-7 (2002-2011)
Socially awkward forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan teams up with intuitive FBI agent Seeley Booth to investigate crimes that have left scant evidence behind: namely, the bones of the deceased.
Breaking Bad: Seasons 1-4 (2008-2011)
Emmy winner Bryan Cranston stars as Walter White, a high school science teacher who learns that he has terminal lung cancer and teams with a former student to manufacture and sell high-quality crystal meth to secure his family's future.
Family Guy: Seasons 1-9 (1999-2010)
In Seth MacFarlane's no-holds-barred animated show, buffoonish Peter Griffin and his dysfunctional family experience wacky misadventures, from kidnapping the Pope to being forced to put up scythe-bearing Death for a few days after he breaks his leg.
Futurama: Seasons 1-9 (1999-2012)
Pizza boy Philip J. Fry awakens in the 31st century after 1,000 years of cryogenic preservation in this animated series. After he gets a job at an interplanetary delivery service, Fry embarks on ridiculous escapades to make sense of his predicament.
How I Met Your Mother: Seasons 1-7 (2005-2011)
This sitcom details desperate bachelor Ted's epic search for his soul mate, told through flashbacks as an adult Ted recounts to his kids how he met their mom. As Ted bounces from one red herring to another, his best friends help keep him grounded.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Seasons 1-7 (2004-2011)
Narcissistic friends Charlie, Mac, Dennis, and Dennis's sister, Dee, run Paddy's Pub, a downtown Philadelphia Irish bar, where everyone's judgmental (and juvenile) behavior usually brings situations from uncomfortable to hysterically horrible.
MAD: Season 1 (2010)
America's favorite lowbrow magazine comes to the small screen in this animated series, which amps up the rag's cutting wit with spoofs of ridiculous hit movies, parodies of overblown TV shows and other outlandish segments.
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Nikita: Seasons 1-2 (2010-2011)
Nikita is one of the most highly skilled assassins on the planet, and her target is the mysterious corporation that created her. The Division, as it's known, picks up at-risk teens to train as killers, and Nikita will do anything to bring it down.
Once Upon a Time: Season 1 (2011)
Jennifer Morrison, Ginnifer Goodwin and Robert Carlyle star in this fantastical series that follows the travails of a young woman who is drawn to a small Maine town and discovers that it's filled with the mystical elements of the fairy tale world.
Phineas and Ferb: Seasons 1-3 (2007-2011)
Stepbrothers Phineas and Ferb have a knack for inventing, scheming, and staying one step ahead of their bratty big sister Candace. When not helping them out, their pet platypus, Perry, follows his own master plan against the evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz.
Psych: Seasons 1-6 (2006-2011)
Having honed his powers of deduction by observing his police officer dad, Shawn Spencer (James Roday) appears to possess a nearly supernatural gift for crime-solving -- so much so that the police begin employing his services as a psychic. After opening up a detective agency with his best friend (Dulé Hill), Spencer finds that his sleuthing skills, though advanced, don't exactly keep him out of trouble in this comedic mystery series.
Sons of Anarchy: Seasons 1-4 (2008-2011)
Gun-running motorcycle club the Sons of Anarchy seizes control of its town but soon butts heads with rival biker gangs, racist groups and the law. VP Jax Teller finds his conscience torn between protecting his young son and his loyalty to his gang.
Teen Wolf: Seasons 1-2 (2011-2012)
When an animal bite turns socially awkward high schooler Scott McCall into a werewolf, he suddenly becomes the lacrosse team's star athlete and a chick magnet. But his new abilities and popularity also create a whole new set of problems for him.
The Vampire Diaries: Seasons 1-3 (2009-2011)
Trapped in adolescent bodies, feuding vampire brothers Stefan and Damon vie for the affection of captivating teenager Elena, who attempts to unravel the many dark secrets of her hometown of Mystic Falls.
X-Files: Seasons 1-9 (1993-2001) – TV Guide Magazine will be celebrating the show’s 20th Anniversary!
Tracing both their personal and professional lives, this award-winning Fox series centers on FBI agents Scully (Gillian Anderson), a skeptic, and Mulder (David Duchovny), a believer, and their efforts to uncover a government conspiracy to hide evidence of extraterrestrial activity. From voodoo curses to bodies found in California that are missing various internal organs, the chilling show also stars Mitch Pileggi and Robert Patrick.
The Walking Dead: Seasons 1-2 (2010-2011)
In the wake of a zombie apocalypse that desolates the world as we know it, a group of survivors led by police officer Rick Grimes holds on to the hope of humanity by banding together to wage a never-ending fight for their own survival.
Wilfred: Season 1 (2011)
Adapted from the Australian TV series, this unconventional comedy follows the surreal experiences of Ryan, a deeply depressed man who becomes convinced that his neighbor's dog Wilfred is actually a man wearing a costume.
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NETFLIX & COMIC-CON CELEBRATE JOSS WHEDON
The Avengers (2012)
An all-star lineup of superheroes -- including Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk and Captain America -- team up to save the world from certain doom. Working under the authority of S.H.I.E.L.D., can our heroes keep the planet at peace?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Seasons 1-7 (1997-2002)
Despite her desire to live a normal life at Sunnydale High, tough-as-nails teenager Buffy Summers fulfills her mystical calling as a Slayer by protecting humankind from vampires, demons and other malevolent supernatural creatures.
The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
In this surprising spin on a classic horror setup, five friends arrive at a secluded cabin with clear instructions for their anticipated mountain getaway. But when the rigid rules are broken, punishment is swift -- and everyone will pay.
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog (2008)
When he's not busy breaking the law or trying to get close to his secret crush, Penny, supervillain wannabe Dr. Horrible boasts about his exploits via his Internet video blog and dreams of defeating his nemesis, Captain Hammer.
Serenity (2005)
Malcolm Reynolds, captain of the ship Serenity, picks up two fugitives from the powerful coalition ruling the universe. Mal and his mates find themselves at the center of a cosmic conflict, pursued by military forces and space-roaming savages.
ALL THING STAR TREK
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
To escape his desk job, Adm. James T. Kirk (William Shatner) returns to the USS Enterprise, assisting Spock (Leonard Nimoy) in a training mission for Starfleet cadets. But the inexperienced crew is put to the test when escaped villain Khan (Ricardo Montalban) steals a powerful weapon and comes after the admiral seeking revenge. Now, Kirk must use all his wiles and whip the cadets into shape if they hope to defeat Khan's deadly traps.
Star Trek: Seasons 1-3 (1966)
Star Trek: The Animated Series: Seasons 1-2 (1973)
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Seasons 1-7 (1987)
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Seasons 1-7 (1993)
Star Trek: Voyager: Seasons 1-7 (1995)
Star Trek: Enterprise: Seasons 1-4 (2001)
Have you ever attended Comic-Con? Even if it's not your thing, do you have a favorite show or movie on this list? Has the internet made it a little easier to be a dork? Tell us in the comments below or tweet us @OKMagazine.