One of the more exciting Comic-Con experiences this year is the DC Comics Pennyworth Experience. This was one of the highlights at Day 2 of Comic-Con for me as it got me out of the heat and delivered a very fun and interactive experience.
EPIX, the network bringing Pennyworth to television, brought this immersive experience to Comic-Con and over the three-day period and has taken over the Oxford Social Club at the Pendry Hotel (435 Fifth Ave). The line for the experience isn’t that long compared to some of the other activations around the Gas Lamp so its definitely something that should be added to your list of things to do.
Pennyworth the show will take us back into Alfred Pennyworth’s life, many years before he became Batman’s butler. Here you’re transported to 1960s era London as the series comes to life around you.
The experience begins even as you wait in line to get into the Oxford club where you must answer questions to uncover the secret password that grants you entry into the Scarlet Rope, a high society lounge filled with gambling, drag performances, and sounds from a 1960s band.
The Library at the Pennyworth Experience at Comic-ConThe entry into the club through the coat check room is quite dramatic and you’re are promptly greeted by cocktail waitresses offering you a snack. Don’t forget to catch a drink at the bar while relaxing in the lounge and enjoy the LIVE entertainment complete with glittering cabaret dancers.
Cabaret Singer at The Pennyworth Experience at Comic-ConIn the lounge you can try your hand at a round of blackjack for a chance to grab a Pennyworth poster. A waiter may even stop by while you are lounging, offering you a cigar (chocolate cigar) while you enjoy the entertainment. There are two photo opportunities, one with a camera set-up and a Pennyworth sign while the other requires you to pull out your camera and have fun with selfies at the make-up tables.
Get a handwritten poem just for you in the Library at The Pennyworth Experience at Comic-ConAfter you finish up drinks and snacks you can make your way to the library where members of the mysterious Raven Society will be roaming around, trying to convert anyone who listens by enticing them with gifts. You might even run into a poet who will write you poem for you to take on your journey. After taking in the posh life of the Raven Society, get a sneak peek at the Raven Society Headquarters just behind the library.
The Pennyworth Experience at Comic-ConThe high life of the Raven Society has a dark side… Soon you’re led into a dungeon where some of the more unpleasant elements of the association will be revealed. This is another photo opportunity where you can be tortured in the dungeon.
The Pennyworth experience at Comic-Con is located in the Oxford Social Club at the Pendry San Diego, found at 435 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101. Opening hours:
- July 18: 11am – 5pm
- July 19: 10am – 7pm
- July 20: 10am – 7pm
ABOUT PENNYWORTH
Set to premiere July 28, Pennyworth is a 10-episode, hour-long drama series from Warner Horizon Scripted Television is based on DC characters created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger. It follows Bruce Wayne’s legendary butler, Alfred Pennyworth (Jack Bannon), a former British SAS soldier in his 20s, who forms a security company and goes to work with a young billionaire Thomas Wayne (Ben Aldridge), who’s not yet Bruce’s father, in 1960s London.
In addition to Jack Bannon (The Imitation Game, Ripper Street) and Ben Aldridge (Our Girl, Fleabag), cast members include multi-award-winning recording artist Paloma Faith, Jason Flemyng (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Ryan Fletcher (Outlander), Hainsley Lloyd Bennett (Eastenders), Emma Paetz (Gentleman Jack), Dorothy Atkinson (Call the Midwife), Polly Walker (The Mentalist, Rome) and Emma Corrin (The Crown). Pennyworth is from executive producer/writer Bruno Heller (Gotham, TheMentalist, Rome) and executive producer/director Danny Cannon (Gotham, CSI series).