With 130,000 enthusiastic, tech-savvy fans in one place, Comic-Con can serve as an important venue for vendors and exhibitors, and many companies have taken advantage of that – even some that aren't normally associated with the comic book world.

Since it began four decades ago, Comic-Con International has evolved from a sci-fi and comic book convention into a major multimedia and consumer marketing event. Entertainment fans from around the world have arrived at the San Diego Convention Center for the ...