Comic Con changes every year, and this year was no exception. One of the biggest – and in my opinion, most welcome – changes this year was the number of “immersive” experiences that were offered. Usually called ‘activations,’ these were buildings or tents transformed into the world of the television show or film so that you could not only hear about it but experience some of it yourself. I kicked off this year’s Comic Con with a press preview of The Tick Experience, a multi-media experience with some fun and games built in.
You got a wristband with a chip when you entered the Experience, and that allowed you to unlock various little contests scattered around the building. Then we were treated to a viewing of the pilot episode, which is quirky and funny and exciting all at the same time – which is exactly what you would expect from the brilliant mind of co-creator Ben Edlund, who also created the popular comic on which the show is based (and wrote some of my favorite episodes of Supernatural!)
The Tick is the story of an unassuming accountant who is the only one who realizes that his city is being controlled by a super villain who everyone else thinks is long dead. His only ally is a rather unusual superhero who calls himself The Tick. The banter between the two unlikely allies is quick and witty and really fun to watch, and the special effects aren’t too shabby either. I was drawn in just with one viewing, and can’t wait to see more.
After we had enjoyed watching the pilot, we were ushered into a second building, this one entirely decked out like the world we’d just seen on screen. The challenge now was to uncover the clues that would help us survive, which resulted in a truly amusing scavenger hunt by a bunch of press people suddenly turned into surprisingly competitive hunters! We overturned photo frames, dug through trunks full of stuff, opened bureau drawers and generally wreaked havoc in our search, only to be hurried out of the room and into the next one. It was a fun way to spend fifteen minutes, and at the end, we got to take a photo that became a gif of each of us as a superhero flying across the skyline of the city. Yes, I looked ridiculous, but damn, it was fun!
Photos: Lynn Zubernis aka FangasmSPNWe also got our very own Tick headgear, a Tick phone case and a tee shirt with one of our favorite Tick slogans on it. The immersive experiences were generous with the swag! If you get a chance to try out some of the immersive experiences at Comic Con next year, it’s worth waiting in line for.
The Tick premieres on Amazon Prime on August 25th, so be sure to check it out then!