The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor took the opportunity to do some last-minute publicity outside the San Diego Convention Center. Courtesy of Janet Hetherington.

"How time flies," Katt commented. "I remember the first time I put the red suit on. I was mortified... but I get it now, how much fans have embraced the show. It's time to resurrect the franchise." The deluxe limited-edition DVD set of the original series hits stores on October 3, 2008, complete with a full-sized cape and a copy of that long-lost instruction manual.

It was also noted that a separate Greatest American Hero feature film is in the works, under the supervision of Stephen J. Cannell. Production is set to start in 2009.

Jane and the Dragon
The floors of Comic-Con International are filled mostly with adults strong enough to fend off the masses and somehow travel from booth to booth, panel to panel, screening to screening. But children are also welcome at the event -- in fact, Sunday at Comic-Con is officially Kids Day. Children with the strength and stamina to keep pace with the action likely have something in common with Jane, the 12-year-old heroine star of the Jane and the Dragon series.

Jane is no ordinary medieval girl. She is a knight-in-training, fearless, bold and effortlessly noble and courteous. Based on the popular children's books by Martin Baynton, the 3D computer-animated series created with motion-capture technology by Weta Workshop (The Lord of the Rings, King Kong) is seen on NBC, ION and Telemundo. The first five episodes of the series become available on a single DVD on Aug. 19, from Shout! Factory.

At Comic-Con, writer Martin Baynton expressed wonder that his highly creative and acclaimed books were translated with such invention and precision.

"It was very humbling, to see what Weta Workshops was able to do with these characters through motion-capture," Boynton said. "I really believe what this project has done is take children's animation to a place it had not been before for television and DVD."

Baynton said the retention of the real drama within the books was essential for him. "The animation captures both the fun and whimsy of Jane's experiences, and also the deeper messages within," he said.

The DVD, retailing at $14.99, boasts extras including a making-of documentary, original concept art, character profiles and a printable coloring page.

As for the current state of children's animation, Baynton says he likes what he sees, and hopes producers will continue to emphasize storytelling as much as technology.

"There's always pressure to spend less, but great art can be cost-effective when it is accompanied by great storytelling," Baynton said. "One puts less pressure on the other. I would say maintain a rigorous discipline when it comes to good storytelling, and the great art will follow."

The first five episodes of Jane and the Dragon become available on a single DVD on Aug. 19, from Shout! Factory. © 2005-2006 WETA Productions Ltd. /NELVANA Ltd.

Do-it-Yourself Animation
As creative types of all sorts wandered the crowded hallways, many of them happened on the small booth at goanimate.com, where they found they could become animators -- in an instant. GoAnimate.com enables everyday users to create their own animations, and share those creations instantly with the online community. The site offers web applications "for a wide and diverse list of sectors, including businesses, advertisers, illustrators, artists, cartoon enthusiasts and especially, the typical online socialite."

In other words, most everybody attending Comic-Con.

"I was a computer scientist who was an animator at heart," said Goanimate.com founder and CEO Alvin Hung. "I realized what a challenge it was for people with limited resources to make animation on their own. Everyone has stories to tell. That's been true ever since cavemen were drawing on the walls. Why not make it easier on people?"

GoAnimate.com is set up for children and adults -- just about anybody with an interest in basic animation. The idea is for animators worldwide to get involved and share their work. "It's set up so that animation with stories in one language can instantly be translated into another language," Hung said.

The site provides a demo and detailed tutorials, and will eventually add familiar animated characters in partnership with the license holders, allowing users to create stories about their own favorite characters.

Production Designers Talk Watchmen and More
Vfx professionals were also well represented at Comic-Con, including at a panel featuring Art Directors Guild production designers. Speakers included Richard Hudolin (Battlestar Galactica, Caprica -- BSG prequel), Alex McDowell (Watchmen, Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Minority Report), J. Michael Riva (Iron Man, Spider-Man 3), John Muto (Species, Home Alone, Terminator 2 3D) and Ed Verreaux (X-Men: The Last Stand, Monster House).