ComicCon has become a launching pad for entertainment in all forms. What was once a convention for fans of comic books has become a media spectacular, chalked full of celebrities, movies and, of course, video games. Here are ten things for fans of MMOs to keep an eye on this week.

Olivia Munn

1. G4’s coverage of the show. Okay, say what you will about G4 however, they do cover events very well. If you cannot make it to San Diego this week then simply watch G4 each night to get your full taste of the event. My only issue here is they will focus more on the geek than the games or comics being shown, but that is what pop culture is all about. I guess the big question here is will Olivia Munn go Slave Leia again for all the fan boys out there?

2. Bad Sci-Fi Channel panels and series being shown off like they matter. Okay, what has happened to the Sci-Fi Channel in recent years? Yes they picked up Stargate, yes they gave us Battlestar Galatica, but what else? Bad B-movies with bad acting and geez who pay’s for this stuff to be made? Okay enough ranting about Sci-Fi Channel and their program choices, perhaps we will hear something about their MMO in conjunction with Trion Network. It is doubtful, but I for one am hopeful that someone will finally link an MMO to a TV series and make it work. Stargate Worlds was going to try and do it, that’s now gone, so we have hopes and rumors left to go on. Perhaps Sci-Fi Channel will give us something to look forward to this ComicCon.

3. Bad Costumes: Some people should just not wear spandex. Let’s be honest here. One of the funniest things I have ever seen at a ComicCon was these ripped guys dressed as Spartans from 300. They were all the rage, then out of the crowd comes this giant fat guy who looked like he was wearing a sweater (he wasn’t) dressed as a Spartan in 300 as well. This dude left nothing to the imagination and it was funny. Just think of that classic Chris Farley male stripper sketch from Saturday Night Live. He kept running around yelling, this is SPARTA! It was hilarious. The costumes will be out in force at ComicCon this year, the good, the bad, and most of all the ugly. The online pictures will still get more hits than this list, because who can turn away from a train wreck? Two words, fat vampires, how much blood do these people drink?

4. Odor: That’s right odor, smell, the stink! When you pack over one hundred thousand people into a convention center it can get ugly. When fans would rather spend their hard earned cash on the latest Spiderman spin off than a stick of deodorant it can spell trouble. Just ask those B-movies stars charging $20 for an autograph what its like to get charged by the unwashed masses. But hey, who the heck are they charging $20 for anything. Get ‘em fanboys!

Everyone's in costume!

5. Daddy Issues: Thanks for having them girls, and dressing up like Asian school girls, Harley Quinn, Vampirella, and any other scantally clad comic heroine, villainess, or geez, just an excuse to wear next to nothing and be photographed.

6. City of Heroes /City of Villains fans will be pleased to know the game is going to be represented in full force at ComicCon. The surprise no show from Champions Online leaves room for the super hero game that started it all. Matt Miller and crew will be on hand to talk about the game and where it has gone over the years and what players can expect for the future. CoH has proven that MMOs can stand the test of time and it is great to see them at the largest ComicCon show in the U.S. reaching out to fans.

7. James Cameron’s Avatar screening - The talk of Hollywood, the man who made the largest money making movie of all time, but who cares about that… Titantic was a date movie I did not score on, damn him. Cameron will always be the one who brought us Terminator and Aliens. Remember those movies back in the good old 80s. Both still stand up today as amazing works of sci-fi entertainment and are just awesome. So Cameron is set to show off Avatar this summer at ComiCon, from what people are saying the film is unbelievable and pushes special effects to new heights. I expect nothing less from the guy who first put a cyborg death machine on film and made it cool to the masses. There has been talk of tie-ins with an MMO so we’ll have to see how it all plays out. Now that Cameron is done exploring the ocean floor let’s hope this film really take sci-fi in a new direction for the next decade.

8. Angels and Demons, and by saying that I mean Aion! NCSoft’s game has been in development for a while and has launched overseas in Asia. Come this September we will be getting to choose our sides and battle it out in this unique fantasy world. Aion pushes the boundaries of graphics and the game is stunning to the eye. But will the game play meet the high standards set by the amazing visuals? Again we expect to have an interview with the folks at NCSoft to give you all the details.

The Empire strikes back annually.

9. DC Universe Online, the game, the myth, the legend… can SOE be the first to pull off a super hero MMO based on the huge known universe of DC Comics? We have all seen reports and interviews that the game does a great job of getting players into the action with their favorite DC heroes and villains. However, rumors of difficult game play and the cross over between PC and consoles continue to haunt the project. If SOE brings the star power that they did to the presentation they gave at NY ComicCon, this will be one panel not to miss. With folks like Jim Lee and Marv Wolfman working on the game, SOE has brought in comic legends to handle the story and lore. Running missions with the Joker look like great fun for villain fans, while what would-be hero can ask for more than fighting Doomsday with Superman by your side?

10. STAR WARS! STAR WARS! STAR WARS! In terms of MMOs I would have to say the unveiling of Star Wars: The Old Republic to the public this Friday is big news. The LucasArts/Bioware crews are expected to give an open panel about the game. Media was able to see the game at E3, but behind closed doors. Let’s see how the panel goes and what questions fans might come up with for the game. Our own Carolyn Koh will be on the scene to talk with the teams after the panel. so expect some good reports on The Old Republic here soon.