Couldn’t go to the San Diego Comic-Con? Are you stuck here in New York City like me? That doesn’t mean you can’t have a comic convention of your own in your home with the help of Netflix.
Movies
‘Hellboy’ (2004)
“Hellboy” creator Mike Mignola will be at the convention, but you can check out this cinematic adaptation of his magnum opus, courtesy of director Guillermo del Toro, who will also be at the show promoting his new FX series “The Strain.” This fun flick stars Ron Perlman as Hellboy, a Nazi-fighting demon.
‘Marvel’s The Avengers’ (2012)
It wasn’t the first superhero movie, but it’s one of the most epic. Bringing together all of the Marvel Comics movie heroes thus far – Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Thor – this romp puts the heroes – along with newbies Hawkeye and Black Widow – against Loki and a lot of aliens.
‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ (2013)
There are rumors of a “Star Trek” something coming at the convention, so you might as well get into the final frontier spirit with the second “Trek” flick from J.J. Abrams. Captain Kirk and company face off against a familiar foe, played by “Sherlock” superstar Benedict Cumberbatch.
‘The Expendables 2’ (2012)
There is a third “Expendables” movie coming out Aug. 15, so you might as well catch up by watching the second film again. Sly Stallone and his cast of action movie regulars are out seeking revenge.
TV shows
‘Arrow: Season 1’
With a new “Flash” series spinning – or should we say running – out of “Arrow,” it wouldn’t hurt to immerse yourself in the world of Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), the playboy turned heroic archer who saves the world with a boy and arrow.
‘The Walking Dead: Season 1-3’
The hit zombie series, adapted from the Image Comics series created by Robert Kirkman, is a great way to feel like your at Comic-Con, because after a few days of walking around the San Diego Convention Center, you yourself will feel like a zombie. This hard-hitting series follows Rick Grimes, a police officer leading a crew of survivors in the midst of a zombie outbreak.
Cartoons
‘Adventure Time: Season 1-2’
One of the more common costumes at any comic convention in the past fewyears is the white hat with ears worn by Finn in this absurdist cartoon follow his adventures with his shape-shifting canine pal Jake through the Land of Ooo.
‘Futurama: Season 1-10’
Fry, the pizza boy from our time displaced 1,000 years in the future, and the ragtag crew of Planet Express are some of our favorite cartoon characters ever. These smart sci-fi toons can be both hilarious and heartbreaking and feature a cross-section of geek-friendly guest stars.
‘Robot Chicken: Season 1-2’
This stop-motion comedy series is a fast-paced clip show with parodies of all your favorite TV shows, comics, movies and toys. The best part is that they use action action figures for the animation.
‘Batman: The Brave and the Bold: Season 1-3’
It broke my heart when they canceled this pastiche to the wholesome days of comics from the 1960s. This is a sillier take on Batman, the heir apparent to the Adam West “Batman” series from 1966. Each episode features Batman with a guest star, and I’m comfortable to call the show genius. It is, as Aquaman would call it, “Outrageous!”
‘Transformers Prime: Season 1-3’
If you are going to watch the Transformers, I’d advise you to skip the films and make a beeline to this animated series that has built it’s own mythology. It’s engrossing and, most importantly, not created by Michael Bay.
‘Trigun’
If you’re a big fan of anime and manga, you’re no doubt familiar with this space western about outlaw Vash the Stampede and the pair of insurance agents who follow him around trying to make sure that he causes.
