For three hours, thousands of San Diego Comic-Con attendees were given a preview of this year’s massive show floor full of exciting exhibits to experience and more than enough merchandise to bring home.
Preview night feels more and more crowded each year, with the busiest booths filling to capacity and selling out of sought-after items quickly. But it’s always a fun way to get a first look at what the mega convention has to offer.
Outside, a San Diego trolley is wrapped for Disney’s “Agents of SHIELD” ABC TV show.
Inside, the Marvel booth displays Agent Coulson’s car Lola. While SDCC attendees can pose near it, naturally there is no touching allowed.
Marvel is also featuring “Guardians of the Galaxy” at their booth this year, with a large space craft photo op.
The “Guardians” fun continues at the LEGO booth with a huge sculpture of Rocket Raccoon and Groot.
Nearby, another exhibit has an eerily realistic statue of Rocket.
More Marvel can be found in Disney’s “Big Hero 6” booth with a big Baymax statue to take a picture with as well as a display of upcoming toys for the film.
Meanwhile ABC has erected a castle to show off its most popular shows including “Once Upon a Time.”
Though Lucasfilm is leaving “Episode VII” out of Comic-Con this year, Disney is certainly pushing “Star Wars Rebels” with multiple displays including life-sized statues of its main characters.
Mattel’s booth features a full size Darth Vader Hot Wheels car.
Voice of Ahsoka Tano in “The Clone Wars” Ashley Eckstein was showing off her “Star Wars” style for her line of clothes called Her Universe.
Outside of Disney, there were plenty of other celebrity sightings throughout preview night, including three current Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles voices: Rob Paulson (Donatello), Greg Cipes (Michelangelo), and Seth Green (Leonardo).
Unlike the throughout rest of Comic-Con, there’s never too much cosplay on preview night. But those who do show up in costume stand out, including a few Disney princesses and the witches from “Hocus Pocus.”
Famous cosplayer Yaya Han was hanging around the Marvel booth, posing with a particularly impressive comic costume.
Other impressive displays on this year’s show floor include The Walking Dead (with “live” zombies), Transformers, and The Hobbit, featuring a huge animated head of Smaug.
When it comes to merchandise, two of the most popular booths are always Hasbro and Funko. This year Funko is particularly popular for its “Frozen” Pop! Vinyl items. Lines for these booths fill up in a matter of seconds as the show floor opens each day.
This is just a small sampling of what the San Diego Comic-Con 2014 show floor is featuring this year. Add to all that the many panels and off-site events and there’s plenty more to explore over the next 4 days. Keep checking back for more updates!
More photos from San Diego Comic-Con 2014 preview night: