Visitors to Comic-Con International next week in San Diego won’t get much in the way of sneak previews for J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek movie coming next summer — unless it’s the most successful stealth campaign of all time.

But what they will get is one of four teaser posters that, when combined, form this tantalizing image of (clockwise from top left) Eric Bana as the villainous Nero, Zoe Saldana as Uhura, Chris Pine as Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock:

Source: Entertainment Weekly

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ABOVE: Replicas of the Federation starships Enterprise and Voyager hang from the ceiling at the Las Vegas Hilton’s Star Trek: The Experience, just before the attraction opened in January 1998. The exhibit, which is ending in September after more than a decade, transports visitors at warp-speed to a futuristic world of Klingons, Romulans, transporters and turbolifts. (ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO)

After a bold 10-year mission, Star Trek: The Experience, an interactive experience at the Las Vegas Hilton that has been praised even by Disney’s Imagineers, is set to close in September.

It’s the only place in the universe where you can actually get beamed up, visit the bridge of the starship Enterprise and have a drink at Quark’s Bar after browsing the Deep Space Nine promenade. (more…)

Variety reports that Paramount is pushing the release date of J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek back from Christmas 2008 to May 8, 2009, saying it will have greater earnings potential as a summer blockbuster. It’s only logical.

Click here or on the thumbnail at left to see a graphic breakdown of the cast and a glimpse of the new starship Enterprise.

Blogger Wil Wheaton has posted an mp3 of his performance at Phoenix Cactus Comicon last weekend at the Mesa Convention Center. The former Star Trek: The Next Generation and Stand By Me star says of the experience:

He also warns that some of the language in the recording is NSFW.

Photo by Scott Kirchhofer, Tribune

Related stories: My first comic book convention | ‘Dude fest’ Phoenix Comicon gets a feminine touch | Teens drawn to Mesa comic book convention

I’ve been a fan of comics my whole life and a pretty serious fan/collector for the last five years so it’s kind of shocking I have never been to a comic book convention until today. After spending about three hours at the Phoenix Cactus Comicon 2008 in Mesa I’ve got to admit it was a blast. First off I was way too excited to be there and when I was greeted by a bunch of Stormtroopers and Tusken Raiders I knew it would be a good day. As my friend Dana told me, “you’re such a con newb.” It was just so amazing seeing so many writers, artists, tv stars, and most importantly fans, show up in one place to celebrate something we all love. Walking through the vendors/artists area was probably the highlight of my visit. Never before have I seen so much comic book/anime/video game/sci-fi artwork and merchandise on display. It was crowded, loud and full of people dressed in comic book and anime character costumes. For a fanboy like me that’s a recipe for a good time. I actually wish I would have dressed up for the event. Standing in a sea of anime characters, I couldn’t help but feel naked without my Cloud Strife (from Final Fantasy) costume. I think I’ll leave that in my car from now on.

Being a huge fan of both of their works, I was probably most excited to attend the Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness panel. They were there to promote their new run on the (red) Hulk although most of their 45-minute Q & A session was about Heroes (Loeb is a co-executive producer and writer for the hit tv show), the writer’s strike, getting into the comic book biz, favorite projects they’ve worked on together (Superman/Batman), and generally what drives them to be creative and have fun doing what they do.

My only regret is that I couldn’t stay longer, but some of us have to work on Saturday. Here are some photos I took at the convention. Hope you enjoy them. And if you’re not busy tomorrow check out the second day’s schedule of events at the Phoenix Cactus Comicon 2008.

Ed McGuinness and Jeph Loeb signing autographs.

Wil Wheaton (from Star Trek: The Next Generation)

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO SEE MORE PICS FROM COMICON!

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Phoenix Cactus Comicon 2008 is just about to get under way at the Mesa Convention Center. Superstar guest Wil Wheaton talks a bit about that in his latest blog entry.

Welcome to the Valley, Wil!

Other guests include Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca in Star Wars), Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi), comics legends Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness, Lou Ferrigno (TV’s Incredible Hulk) and Scrooge McDuck writer/illustrator Don Rosa, among many others.

For more information about the con and surrounding restaurants, click here.

You can also catch a first-person account of Comicon from Tribune graphic artist and comics guru Scott Kirchhofer.

True to form, J.J. Abrams (Lost, Cloverfield) has launched a viral marketing Web site for his upcoming Star Trek movie. It shows “live” camera footage of construction work on old NCC-1701, also known as the USS Enterprise (which we first glimpsed last week in a teaser trailer attached to Cloverfield).

Speaking of Abrams, Lost returns to television Jan. 31. You can catch up with HD streaming episodes at ABC’s Web site! Like much of America, I’m utterly swept up and thoroughly perplexed by Lost. You can read more about that enigmatic series over at Albert Ching’s Channel Surfing blog.

… same as the old Enterprise?

Image courtesy of Moviephone

Moviephone has posted the first official image of the Starship Enterprise from J.J. Abrams’ new Star Trek reboot, due out at Christmas. (For more sneak peeks, you’ll want to check out the teaser trailer attached to Abrams’ latest release, the monster mash Cloverfield, this weekend.) (more…)

Wil Wheaton, the Stand By Me star who went on to pilot the Enterprise as Ensign Wesley Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation - and was therefore reviled and envied by geeks everywhere as the Luckiest Kid in the Universe - has just announced that he will be at Phoenix Cactus Comicon!

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