tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43921593415501962502024-03-18T02:47:38.909-07:00 Comic-Con GuideAn honest and practical guide to San Diego Comic-Con.Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.comBlogger1493125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-72533297603271044452023-11-18T08:23:00.000-08:002023-11-18T10:38:37.836-08:00How Open Registration goes is anyone's guess<p> 18 NOVEMBER 2023</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs49RLdmhWOQvt_PoYS-ToofVS4V1fgGWI4-RtXAnhXQ9ayBI8Aj8j26aRxsPwt-ArkDpfgkgVMnEXbXyESxj-iEnenOoXK2AUvkvoeS4zdkatuWDB76LZMJlZFkX7tnUnsvv9ajo2Qc_CnM1KXbH2QRgGu2o5pNrxW6N4MoQSt_PJHxiDFOw7k3lAFivm/s3776/SDCCEVE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2845" data-original-width="3776" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs49RLdmhWOQvt_PoYS-ToofVS4V1fgGWI4-RtXAnhXQ9ayBI8Aj8j26aRxsPwt-ArkDpfgkgVMnEXbXyESxj-iEnenOoXK2AUvkvoeS4zdkatuWDB76LZMJlZFkX7tnUnsvv9ajo2Qc_CnM1KXbH2QRgGu2o5pNrxW6N4MoQSt_PJHxiDFOw7k3lAFivm/w640-h482/SDCCEVE.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>10:25 am<div><br /></div><div>And it's over. So sorry for those of you who were unable to claim a badge. My observations...</div><div><br /></div><div>Overall, from announcement to finish, CCI's badge sale culture has vastly improved. I like the clarity of the instructions, the new site design, the communication overall. People say CCI doesn't listen to its base but I think they do. </div><div><br /></div><div>That said, the UX still needs work. They really need to just treat Preview Night like another badge day. Stop putting it in weird places with strange processes. Have it appear Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. It creates chaos for us and I'm sure it was more work for them to create that strange new option for people who had 4 days. Can this really not be streamlined?</div><div><br /></div><div>The sale was less glitchy than most I've been in, but some people did experience strange things. Passwords (copy pasted) not working the first time, then working the second time. People deemed ineligible even though they had less than the full package. Me with a session refusing to show me any days though they were all available. </div><div><br /></div><div>On the whole, I suspect that demand for 2024 has dropped. I say that because I see a far higher percentage of "I got all 4 days" and only a few "I got nothing." The wails of getting shut out used to reach a fever pitch. This year - of course I still feel terrible for those people but they don't seem as legion as they used to be.</div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe I'm wrong. How did you do? Was today a day of tragedy or victory for you?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><p>9:35 am PST</p><p>So far - a much smoother sale than Returning Registration. </p><p>I got in fairly quickly but my session would not show me any badges. Nada. Just was not there. Someone else at the same time bought Preview Night for me and all 4 days were available.</p><p>Next snafu - those of us with 4 days could buy Preview Night at first. Then some of us with 4 days couldn't - but we could buy Preview Night for other people who had nothing.</p><p>So that was annoying, but on the whole, this sale went far more smoothly. How did you do?</p><p><br /></p><p>8:17 am PST</p><p><br /></p><p>It's finally here, the last badge sale for 2024 San Diego Comic-Con. Presumably CCI will do more badge auctions next year - but that's expensive so realistically, today is your last chance to attend.</p><p>My prediction: I think the sale will go slowly but more smoothly than Returning Registration. I still think someone cranked up the pace at one point and a lot of us got screwed in the process; if that's true, they won't do that this time.</p><p>Still, I'm not feeling confident. Not only is Open Registration more competitive, it will have quite a few people who crashed and burned in Ret Reg.</p><p>I am sort of one of them, in that my Preview Night session got bounced at the finish line, but I did manage to get 4 days in another try. I want to get Preview Night today but my first priority is helping friends whose sessions died and so they currently have nothing.</p><p><br /></p><p>What are you hoping for today? Are you hopeful?</p></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-52728399775060235962023-11-14T17:57:00.000-08:002023-11-14T18:02:09.082-08:00Don't get too excited about the Preview Night Email<p> 14 NOVEMBER 2023</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHo7qesm26jmKy_cHssE7vpd8h0ahwXqHBzfYU86azpIEqUOn6QFEvTEsBFrl-clIOwZV18597YGu9JKMWMJXbWuZRMT2HEbhcGg3QRoXZKcIGXw0mShPJxQFYQuFeqfBie97XbAB5Ie_p6mlN8auHq12y9ZLzg9srDoX1kIrOzg10v7teWQBMN2fL6RBF/s2048/crossing%20the%20street.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHo7qesm26jmKy_cHssE7vpd8h0ahwXqHBzfYU86azpIEqUOn6QFEvTEsBFrl-clIOwZV18597YGu9JKMWMJXbWuZRMT2HEbhcGg3QRoXZKcIGXw0mShPJxQFYQuFeqfBie97XbAB5Ie_p6mlN8auHq12y9ZLzg9srDoX1kIrOzg10v7teWQBMN2fL6RBF/w640-h360/crossing%20the%20street.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Today some of us received a surprising missive from CCI. With the heart-skipping subject line of "<b>Are you interested in Preview Night?" </b>(the silliest question ever asked), the email congratulated me and my brethren on obtaining all 4 days of SDCC in Returning Registration. It then reminded us we could still try for Preview Night this weekend. </p><p>We know, CCI! But what we didn't know was the somewhat oblique process to obtaining it. You have to click the Preview Night option in the top menu bar, confirm you're eligible, etc. And then you can buy for others. I can't replicate the whole thing here so please study the email closely if you received it.</p><p>Most importantly, the email specifies "If you are selected for a session and if inventory is available" - so please don't jump to the conclusion that Preview Nights will be handed out like party favors, which some people seemed to think. The sale will be as competitive and stressful as always. It's just guiding you through the process if you have 4 days already.</p><p><b>Why did we get this email?</b></p><p>Now. I'm not entirely surprised this email went out, because I know of a few people who were confused on how to buy Preview Night in Ret Reg. (Or in my case, how to remove Preview Night before it would let me check out, only for my entire session to go down in flames like the Hindenburg.) The process wasn't clear in the moment to everyone.</p><p>And - this is still theoretical - many people have speculated that because some people who DID get Preview night originally (like the person who tried to buy for me) wound up in limbo, a number of Preview Nights went off the shelf but were never actually attributed to anyone. So there may be a slightly higher number of Preview Nights for taking. I repeat, this is theoretical. And probably just false hope.</p><p>If you didn't get this email today, you probably are not in the "All 4 Days But No Preview Night" club that I'm in. In that case, don't worry your head about it and proceed as normal.</p><p>Are you ready for Saturday?</p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-45708298444727918972023-11-08T07:11:00.001-08:002023-11-08T07:11:19.105-08:00Open Registration is November 18<p>7 NOVEMBER 2023</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCYiWVXYZIvUVdMGcxQ81ooFRwEuQgQlYZQ5WOiDih5FTpNB5lssZZ21uOGHdAbuChMCmeX2sYhZHYZsPmgl2tbMAXMONC7NWBdx1bZ_5HwVigakDGSdDqWLD7h1_poFLuiNu8Vz35Ct5lM_6meHSDgYJSkRvdDHJ90z8nEZDUpkTkg8CZyTMf1FyQ8ns/s2048/convention%20center.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCYiWVXYZIvUVdMGcxQ81ooFRwEuQgQlYZQ5WOiDih5FTpNB5lssZZ21uOGHdAbuChMCmeX2sYhZHYZsPmgl2tbMAXMONC7NWBdx1bZ_5HwVigakDGSdDqWLD7h1_poFLuiNu8Vz35Ct5lM_6meHSDgYJSkRvdDHJ90z8nEZDUpkTkg8CZyTMf1FyQ8ns/w640-h360/convention%20center.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>While many of us are still waiting for CCI to answer our emails on the shitstorm that was last Saturday, they have announced <a href="https://www.comic-con.org/cc/open-registration/" target="_blank">Open Registration: November 18!</a></p><p>As always, anyone with a Member ID can buy a badge, whether they attended SDCC this past summer or not - so if you thought Saturday was competitive, this round will be worse.</p><p>I don't really have a lot of encouraging words. I think the best thing you can do is plan a good strategy but also prepare emotionally for not getting the badge you want - or not getting a badge at all. </p><p>Also, please remember there are many good Cons out there. If you don't get into SDCC, you've got so much time to make alternate plans for 2024. It's only November.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-58628525666318871492023-11-06T21:24:00.002-08:002023-11-06T21:24:41.271-08:00Early Bird hotel sale is REALLY early this year<p> 6 NOVEMBER 2023</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg262Q_DZBLPqb2GmoBO__tqNPnj0ZNCLCTg1NxSQ_ITZlYAqAuOJlXoQenG4opE5YKgqvGLRgCZp0QvFpTMMJIlTbWwqyA9pDmqPBBL784wMFXMabXudcTwJGFRZZIzZh74ZJJfzTNvwRN-nSrFHt3lfGyEl2Ltl77Xp6u5pYgS4jRA_yZPoeYgcluFdx4/s5312/Hotel%20room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2988" data-original-width="5312" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg262Q_DZBLPqb2GmoBO__tqNPnj0ZNCLCTg1NxSQ_ITZlYAqAuOJlXoQenG4opE5YKgqvGLRgCZp0QvFpTMMJIlTbWwqyA9pDmqPBBL784wMFXMabXudcTwJGFRZZIzZh74ZJJfzTNvwRN-nSrFHt3lfGyEl2Ltl77Xp6u5pYgS4jRA_yZPoeYgcluFdx4/w640-h360/Hotel%20room.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>I know you all remember last year's hotel sale. It was especially tough IMO - so perhaps that's why CCI has served up <a href="https://www.comic-con.org/cc/plan-your-visit/hotels/the-comic-con-early-bird-hotel-sale-is-back-for-2024/" target="_blank">the Early Bird hotel sale </a>so soon for SDCC 2024. They want to get these rooms booked while the frustration of last spring's hotel sale is still fresh (or at least present) in our minds. Or maybe they're trying to be responsive to the complaints of, <i>why can't we just book our rooms right after getting our badge like other Cons?</i></p><p>If you've not done Early Bird before, it's an opportunity to serenely book the non-downtown hotel room of your choosing, albeit for an upfront and nonrefundable payment. Is it worth it?</p><p>That's your decision to make.</p><p>Full disclosure: this summer I paid upfront for a downtown (non-CCI) backup hotel for next summer and I <i>hated</i> doing it. And my room is fully refundable up to July something. It's just not fun to hand over $1K-2K a year in advance. So I frankly can't imagine paying up front for some Mission Valley room now when you know that money will never come back even if you need to cancel. </p><p>And let's be honest: after the hotel lottery, there will be the usual deluded tweets that say "Looking to trade Town and Country for Hilton Bayfront." Lots of people who get Mission Valley rooms dump them back in the pool. It's just not that tough to cough up a distant room, so I'm not sure why people will plunk down their cold hard cash so far in advance.... but I'm sure some of them will.</p><p>As always, my pick for this is <b>Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina.</b> It's a quick shuttle ride from the Con and you won't feel as stranded in terms of coming home from a late night or going home from the Con and then coming back to the Gaslamp for dinner. That's honestly the only hotel I think is worth it if you really want to escape the agony of the 2024 hotel sale.</p><p>Which, speaking of, might be a little early as well next year? We can only guess. CCI is a wily minx that keeps their cards close to their chest - so for now, we'll just focus on getting through Open Registration.</p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-5359151877381459052023-11-04T08:20:00.009-07:002023-11-04T15:03:19.542-07:00Returning Registration is here<p> 4 NOVEMBER 2023</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvARbfGlMdWB6PTNx_ZB-6tBfmykq8gx3Rygh7zyEOF9LRlrCqJOqltLMDKPGN63_UwlJJQJq15cN5oBG2XgwBKstPuQGCAa8e85mOzwHn9jcqprgddab7WjtkHIeiliLEgGMtxb-BAm3auV3JszRcTNj1bIKqIzWaCGfh04KnZAT_yKtRlCUp-c1lKAyd/s4000/Interview2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvARbfGlMdWB6PTNx_ZB-6tBfmykq8gx3Rygh7zyEOF9LRlrCqJOqltLMDKPGN63_UwlJJQJq15cN5oBG2XgwBKstPuQGCAa8e85mOzwHn9jcqprgddab7WjtkHIeiliLEgGMtxb-BAm3auV3JszRcTNj1bIKqIzWaCGfh04KnZAT_yKtRlCUp-c1lKAyd/w640-h360/Interview2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>12:40 pm PST</div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, several people have told me they had passwords not working; others got in at the Thursday/Sunday portion of the sale and still got bounced out.</div><div><br /></div><div>Others have said they didn't see as many tweets/posts claiming Preview Night badges as usual and are speculating that the "sold out" figure included those people who got bumped at Process Payment - that their carts with PN badges were floating in limbo, essentially, but never fully processed. This may just be a last stab of hope that Open Reg will have more PN badges than usual available.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have no idea. I was drowning in tech glitches and frantic Discord voice chats through the whole sale so I have zero idea how many people posted what. </div><div><br /></div><div>And I have zero idea if CCI will honor anyone's screenshots; I'm not holding my breath. I do know they need to correct the system so it is one Member ID, one session. Not a free for all where people can get dozens of bites at the apple. </div><div><br /></div><div>Open Registration will likely be a bloodbath. Gird your loins for badge sale battle!</div><br /><p>10:01 am PST</p><p><br /></p><p>Wow! Worst badge sale in a while. And I don't have a Preview Night badge for the first time since 2008. </p><p>I'll summarize our technical difficulties:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Deeply slow, "page unresponsive"</li><li>Showing Preview Night for some people, not for others</li><li>Wiping out 2 of 3 people I completed badge choices and then when I redid them, it wiped out the first person and I had to go back and re-do them</li><li>The billing address I entered kept getting wiped out, and I had to re-enter several times</li><li>While it USED to hold your badge choices in your cart, I was told to remove "Wednesday Attendee" and when I tried to do this, it bumped me back to the badge choices instead of letting me just take it out of my cart</li><li>Process Payment was a monstrosity, hanging me and others up for minutes. Several people timed out at this stage. I didn't time out but after hanging for about 3 minutes, I was kicked back to beginning with a wait time of more than an hour.</li></ul><p></p><p>I suspect there was a period where they let too many people into the system because the people I know who got right in, had a smooth experience, and when I got in a second time after Preview Night sold out, it was also smooth sailing. </p><p>In other words, I blame CCI/Configio entirely.</p><p>Multiple people assured me that the Process Payment aborted sessions still went through. Our current status: the session someone else did that included me did not go through, and I was able to buy for all 3 of us in another session. However, my own initial session that got kicked out may be in limbo as we're unable to buy for them. </p><p>What a mess! How did you do?</p><p><br /></p><p>8:25 am PST</p><p>It appears the lack of a link/email has stymied some people, who've been watching their inboxes. You just need to go into the Member ID section, possibly complete an annoying Captcha, and then you're in.</p><p><br /></p><p>8:09 am PST</p><p>Well, here we are, ready to lock down our fate for San Diego Comic-Con 2024 - the Part 1 of locking it down, anyway. By now, you're probably in the waiting room and feeling your heartbeat accelerate, your palms sweat, as you wait to see what hand you're dealt.</p><p>Remember to have your credit card at the ready if you didn't put in your payment details yet; make sure everyone in your buying group has their information updated; get your drinks and snacks ready and sequester any pets who might jump on a laptop and send your SDCC plans to hell.</p><p>I feel like today will be calm. How do you feel?</p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-92177801811125251752023-11-02T11:33:00.004-07:002023-11-02T11:33:58.241-07:00Returning Registration is almost here<p> 2 NOVEMBER 2023<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqkm8ced2FqUI5c8KWUmWgoO1UzhZOapMOfnfbjXejwIQ4uF-9UWn5-d0gS6rqc-dHNatQuEjom8KiJWPENGlBHTyTeV_qPDHLe_B-xfgGr9e07ZmRNKO_PZaVRRTanKgDiVYtwlFfQrf_ECh-ItLafPtW6Jy7ygFLYIVfxrEaMnquJQq1aZmnn4ZQSY9/s1280/dont-panic-6955181_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqkm8ced2FqUI5c8KWUmWgoO1UzhZOapMOfnfbjXejwIQ4uF-9UWn5-d0gS6rqc-dHNatQuEjom8KiJWPENGlBHTyTeV_qPDHLe_B-xfgGr9e07ZmRNKO_PZaVRRTanKgDiVYtwlFfQrf_ECh-ItLafPtW6Jy7ygFLYIVfxrEaMnquJQq1aZmnn4ZQSY9/w640-h360/dont-panic-6955181_1280.png" width="640" /></a></p><p>Maybe it's me, but there seems less fanfare about <a href="https://www.comic-con.org/cc/badges/returning-registration/" target="_blank">Returning Registration for SDCC 2024</a>. Are we all just inured to the process? Maybe so, but CCI's email today did hit on 3 good points - test your Member ID access, pre-save your payment information, and slap your buying group into shape. (They didn't put it that way but this IS the time to make sure your most scatterbrained friend has shared an accurate version of their Member ID name.)</p><p>San Diego Comic-Con 2023 wasn't the splashiest Con of all time, but don't let that lull you into a false confidence. This Saturday morning <b>will</b> be competitive, stressful, and disappointing for many. Prepare as carefully as you normally would - and don't try to cheat the system. Last year (I think it was last year) people shared their waiting room URL if they had a good spot in line - and their badges got cancelled.</p><p>Good luck!</p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-91841322772372975232023-10-11T11:00:00.006-07:002023-10-29T20:20:51.620-07:00Do you want to visit Salem? Maybe you do.<p> 11 OCTOBER 2023</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtl_-6iILmMMXXtJG1Q9zQTlYnqXaSaSZSJgVB8iMVJ_ymHupyNp0eCicAjoSaX24BAHe-vOflYQpyhCnb65LhATUeIIfiXdZpXQwoULgqgTjvcNCv-eypw5zkOgGjj99F50csL5fl-a0LUfK1oAR0-8dGN4wkgNag2oiIbxMiBZuB20eBXRqn-130tSiU/s3840/MVIMG_20201021_124156.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtl_-6iILmMMXXtJG1Q9zQTlYnqXaSaSZSJgVB8iMVJ_ymHupyNp0eCicAjoSaX24BAHe-vOflYQpyhCnb65LhATUeIIfiXdZpXQwoULgqgTjvcNCv-eypw5zkOgGjj99F50csL5fl-a0LUfK1oAR0-8dGN4wkgNag2oiIbxMiBZuB20eBXRqn-130tSiU/w640-h360/MVIMG_20201021_124156.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Welcome to a non-Comic-Con post. It qualifies as nerdy only by the barest of margins - that being relevance to <i>horror nerds. </i>If you've ever contemplated a visit to Salem, Massachusetts, particularly during the crowded, expensive, yet glorious month of October - something that is becoming more of a mecca every year - read on.</p><p>I don't remember when Salem became so crazy, but it was already pretty bad years ago when I lived in Boston. Back then, Salem was a favorite destination of mine in the summer, when its brick sidewalks, tree-lined streets, yet ominous air gave off a small-town-in-a-Ray-Bradbury-story vibe. But I would inevitably get dragged up in October by friends, at which point the carnivalesque chaos would make me nuts.</p><p>But here I am, going back. And it's become something akin to Comic-Con in some ways, in that it requires planning almost a year in advance, and many more people want to go than actually can. Whenever I say, "No, I can't go to NYCC, I'll be in Salem," some people get a faraway look and say, "Maybe I should go next year!"</p><p>This year, an astounding number of people I know have expressed envy, interest, and determination - so I thought I'd provide some guidance.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpGuay1mee6hNFJ2rYWDKg6Gi_GLjFZKFw3KtPGrSlxueVNjE-8mrYJo3iposRGGcmSbIsKKLumnAaYSBpCb41lCz3w1t_xppHdqEBqQX8FfdOLArg5g-NNg3h833b1M1F8-AXxTnXcP02XJQhrshuLawwVZQ0n-bOpr91NLHeY6ppxTVyMp9dtpvBvIx/s4000/talking%20board.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="4000" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpGuay1mee6hNFJ2rYWDKg6Gi_GLjFZKFw3KtPGrSlxueVNjE-8mrYJo3iposRGGcmSbIsKKLumnAaYSBpCb41lCz3w1t_xppHdqEBqQX8FfdOLArg5g-NNg3h833b1M1F8-AXxTnXcP02XJQhrshuLawwVZQ0n-bOpr91NLHeY6ppxTVyMp9dtpvBvIx/w640-h338/talking%20board.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Talking Board Museum</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Why you might want to go to Salem</span></b></p><p>Overlooking the fact that the Salem Witch Museum was recently pronounced <a href="https://www.newsbreak.com/salem-ma/3165232034366-the-no-2-biggest-tourist-trap-in-the-world-is-in-salem-according-to-usa-today" target="_blank">the #2 tourist trap in America</a>, which to me announces something magnificently tacky, Salem does have a lot to offer for the right people. Are you one of them? You might be if you're interested in...</p><p><b>American history in general and the witch trials in general. </b>You'll have to travel round to surrounding towns like Peabody or Danbury (the site of most of Salem Village back in 1692) to see some sites and ruins of interest, but Salem itself (once Salem Town) does offer some interesting sites. The Witch Dungeon Museum made a huge impression on me when I was young, the aforementioned Witch Museum is a horrifically vulgar affair of wax figures and strange voiceovers, there's the "Witch House" (where Judge Corwin lived - in a different location) and a plaque announcing where the condemned were actually judged. And there are the memorials, the newer one at the recently determined hanging spot behind the Walgreens. The Peabody Essex Museum is offering an exhibit of actual objects from the trials. Point being - you'll find plenty to interest and intrigue if the trials are your thing.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9YU7VV7AlKhJ-EnJ2lOmmiDrU4vbqhmPk5r0FQWyVYbI9GuEWV5q4zBcpG4eKclwKlS2M8gSf93FrTUQUYDG9XaBL4VpSI4LPazOR45Z0HPsDnmjBbHMj8gZNwz8v7XY0ctJ9yww16I3hC9K3d8h-53vmk9Ixbaz2VWr2lChVxq8XdLSEe_dklqHgNDRq/s1591/Proctor's%20Ledge%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="1591" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9YU7VV7AlKhJ-EnJ2lOmmiDrU4vbqhmPk5r0FQWyVYbI9GuEWV5q4zBcpG4eKclwKlS2M8gSf93FrTUQUYDG9XaBL4VpSI4LPazOR45Z0HPsDnmjBbHMj8gZNwz8v7XY0ctJ9yww16I3hC9K3d8h-53vmk9Ixbaz2VWr2lChVxq8XdLSEe_dklqHgNDRq/w640-h298/Proctor's%20Ledge%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Proctor's Ledge, site of hangings</i></p><p><b>Paganism and witchcraft. </b>There are so many witch shops in Salem. Also a Witch's Ball on Halloween, plenty of public rites, and for tourists, the occasional "ritual" involving just watching, mostly. I'm not sure if paranormal/ghost hunting falls in this category, but this is another draw for many people - the holy grail being to stay in a "haunted" hotel room. This is an entire YouTube/TikTok genre.</p><p><b>Halloween, horror, and Hocus Pocus. </b>I'm blending these together. Salem has a Halloween museum, several horror museums (with some gorgeous gift shops), the local theatre will play horror classics and some more obscure old films (where else can you see Dracula in Spanish?), and of course there are the Hocus Pocus filming spots. This last seems to be a huge attraction for die-hard fans.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCRFbxrg387F6xTRZpC5wY3lL71Q1fpfFXFfxWQudWONBuSxT1xbWTjGh8AFZE6YW9PxnT_O10LjbGA3ldiQSwtZlPeyYdPZwdZTMo_lXg_QC6-x0eMgJPFBai4SZvn-cljvVXHd8vxBnuNLMsh9ynoNGt4wo8_uCEwI_KxwzVx0odaaNv4u_QFosJWpUI/s3560/Halloween%20museum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2699" data-original-width="3560" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCRFbxrg387F6xTRZpC5wY3lL71Q1fpfFXFfxWQudWONBuSxT1xbWTjGh8AFZE6YW9PxnT_O10LjbGA3ldiQSwtZlPeyYdPZwdZTMo_lXg_QC6-x0eMgJPFBai4SZvn-cljvVXHd8vxBnuNLMsh9ynoNGt4wo8_uCEwI_KxwzVx0odaaNv4u_QFosJWpUI/w640-h486/Halloween%20museum.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Halloween Museum</i></p><p><b>Cosplay. </b>If you've always wanted to strut your stuff on a cool fall day or crisp fall night, rather than a humid convention center, this is your chance! People do dress up as whatever they please, but the majority align with the witch/horror/spooky theme.</p><p><b>Parties and events. </b>Salem and the surrounding areas offer some unique events. You might catch a candlelit seance summoning the ghost of Edgar Allen Poe, a Wiccan burlesque show, true crime dinner theatre in a nearby castle, a Hocus Pocus drag show, a reenactment of the witch trials, etc. These vary year to year. And there are the good old-fashioned parties across town every night, which tends to feel like Goth Mardi Gras every night in late October.</p><p><b>Fall/New England. </b>Maybe you hunger for the type of falling-leaves-and-cider sweater weather autumn shown on TV shows. Maybe you grew up somewhere like that but moved away, like I did, and you wistfully dream of revisiting autumns past. The North Shore of Massachusetts is gorgeous in the fall (so is Vermont) and Salem itself offers some beautiful streets of old Victorian houses decked out with glowing pumpkins for Halloween. </p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqO9RDwV0FeEKKSw2Db_sOyPEyeEAX9Q1hLYSD_hOt5LjQRkyVVSEroyMlIZjoSnpx8k4fFydEA8Kb8Etf56Iv270rBEavD3SyY-H7dCEzaYyR6C8FZTEbqwq8nL4PxIz3k2pj-ndDMFb6Hzo8kxOeiRGSRasqIIMpAPCIrNm-a5Q7zQA_MKlupBCyGFE/s4000/essex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqO9RDwV0FeEKKSw2Db_sOyPEyeEAX9Q1hLYSD_hOt5LjQRkyVVSEroyMlIZjoSnpx8k4fFydEA8Kb8Etf56Iv270rBEavD3SyY-H7dCEzaYyR6C8FZTEbqwq8nL4PxIz3k2pj-ndDMFb6Hzo8kxOeiRGSRasqIIMpAPCIrNm-a5Q7zQA_MKlupBCyGFE/w640-h480/essex.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Essex Street</i></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Why you might hate going to Salem</span></b></p><p><b>The crowds.</b> Oh my god, the crowds. If you want to do the witch trial stuff and that's it, don't go in October. Go some other time and save your soul. The traffic alone can trap you for hours in your car. And parking? Forget it. Every year they beg people to take the train and not drive in. You can wait hours outside a restaurant. Museums and attractions can sell out within a minute of going live.</p><p><b>It's expensive.</b> Hotel room rates go way up (last year at the Hawthorne was about 400 a night for me; this year, I'm paying about 1000 for 3 nights at the Salem Inn, which isn't terrible, and the bed and breakfasts can hit 700-900 a night or higher) and even things like Ubers can get crazy expensive because traffic is slow. </p><p><b>It's tacky.</b> If you recoil from neon-colored sideshow exhibits and wax figures and torture museums and overpriced spell kits, you may be too refined for Salem! Be proud of your good breeding and leave the vulgarity for the rest of us plebians.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjlnX4R_BlB2FG7ZhrgoWDNatoUCW2tv46Wkf9yJpWx10qlwLTpssY-f_VOLMh9Q1P5T2pPKE4t-haxEJEb9ygYMMso4xeRY9j_ahaMUEXd1hVxWIEE6nzQY3TQFV9jugAjjr6pja7pO2d-fPxQscMbnOn41_3KNc06HxyEYNVYZ96yEmgr3MhKHrOe-_/s3000/museum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2983" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjlnX4R_BlB2FG7ZhrgoWDNatoUCW2tv46Wkf9yJpWx10qlwLTpssY-f_VOLMh9Q1P5T2pPKE4t-haxEJEb9ygYMMso4xeRY9j_ahaMUEXd1hVxWIEE6nzQY3TQFV9jugAjjr6pja7pO2d-fPxQscMbnOn41_3KNc06HxyEYNVYZ96yEmgr3MhKHrOe-_/w398-h400/museum.jpg" width="398" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Salem Witch Museum</i></div><p></p><p><b>It's exploitive.</b> Is it? I don't know. 1692 was a long time ago. There are valuable lessons to be learned from the trials, lessons about nonconformity and profit-motivated magistrates and scapegoats and misogyny and religion as a political cat's paw and well, I could write a whole essay on that. But there's no denying that the town - which for centuries tried to duck its shameful past - now leans in hard for tourism dollars. Maybe not every citizen, but the town collectively has lurched in that direction. </p><p><br /></p><p>So if you want to go? Treat this like a popular Con; plan well in advance, and that includes booking a Salem hotel as soon as you can. Popular hotels like the Hawthorne or the more luxurious bed and breakfasts like the Merchant House sell out immediately and can open reservations a year in advance. Once you have your dates and hotel locked down, study what you want to do so you don't waste time on the more tasteless attractions (unless that's your thing.) Your best resources: <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Season-Witch-Mayhem-Halloween-Massachusetts/dp/1581573391/ref=sr_1_1?crid=17TDR03E0KK1H&keywords=season+with+the+witch&qid=1698635977&sprefix=season+with+the+witch%2Caps%2C418&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Season with the Witch</a></i> by JW Ocher; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwSsPjKjhus" target="_blank">Derek Millen videos on YouTube</a>; and the Spooky in Salem group on Facebook.</p><p>As you get within a month or two, book restaurant reservations where you can (so you don't spend 2 hours in line) and identify the museums, tours, and parties that sell tickets online only. (So many people show up only to discover that everything they wanted to do is already sold out.) </p><p>Is it worth it? If it's always Halloween in your heart, if you love a classic New England autumn or vulgar tourist attractions or wax figures of Old Hollywood film monsters - yes, definitely. And consider this selling point: you can blend a Salem trip with a NYCC trip quite easily. Personally 2 days of Salem is enough for me and many others, so if you're a Con nerd and a Halloween/horror fan, consider that action for next fall. </p><p>Happy hauntings.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1m_ikjCgB9iclpnWVcVDE1ehyphenhyphenyvyu7ijAI8M_iNeIC_vgj8OPdbPSVVWxm6GPDcJi3CGKxgWJq-m7fDNCel1IEDU64MHmsu14s2c9YgIBvylSg2DJBF2Co5p6hVrfkQCNKFYEEbtUxhurRCZmBb1VAzDmlDhFnsnsqhTrro5ETezfFOAHtHMcbFQh0y_/s3654/EAP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3654" data-original-width="2983" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1m_ikjCgB9iclpnWVcVDE1ehyphenhyphenyvyu7ijAI8M_iNeIC_vgj8OPdbPSVVWxm6GPDcJi3CGKxgWJq-m7fDNCel1IEDU64MHmsu14s2c9YgIBvylSg2DJBF2Co5p6hVrfkQCNKFYEEbtUxhurRCZmBb1VAzDmlDhFnsnsqhTrro5ETezfFOAHtHMcbFQh0y_/w326-h400/EAP.jpg" width="326" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-57478097444665463592023-10-10T19:13:00.003-07:002023-10-10T19:13:55.145-07:00Returning Registration is November 4<p> 10 OCTOBER 2023</p><p><br /></p><p>Did you breathe a sigh of relief today? It seems no one was ready for Returning Registration quite yet - so having a few weeks to prepare for the November 4 badge sale was a nice revelation.</p><p><a href="https://www.comic-con.org/toucan/comic-con-2024-returning-registration-first-look-faqs-and-date-announcement/">CCI offers up detailed instructions</a> on its pretty new site, and basically it seems like not much has changed. So go ahead and indulge yourself in the Amazon Prime sale or at NYCC - you've got a few weeks to get your money together. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-27010816629051772502023-10-09T19:17:00.006-07:002023-10-09T19:17:46.995-07:00CCI updates SDCC badge prices, hints that badge sale is "soon"<p> 9 OCTOBER 2023</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpThu_aezAgZxKVUmk8rZZsoQRW4c6Kq1iAcHJGnGh9pRUg354pp86E7Z2qKxRFskG8j11BY8_DEQOZ0rn5CpP_EVAwMUPtDsGuJQpMIztaIMrjiXP0tuSQaTAdrT-yHvrhcbiywv8ftowr1irajPUckZXlcOTjJB13EQAcd_g2NGphlaW2IxBlzd0K8h/s575/Ret%20reg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="138" data-original-width="575" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpThu_aezAgZxKVUmk8rZZsoQRW4c6Kq1iAcHJGnGh9pRUg354pp86E7Z2qKxRFskG8j11BY8_DEQOZ0rn5CpP_EVAwMUPtDsGuJQpMIztaIMrjiXP0tuSQaTAdrT-yHvrhcbiywv8ftowr1irajPUckZXlcOTjJB13EQAcd_g2NGphlaW2IxBlzd0K8h/w640-h154/Ret%20reg.png" width="640" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Courtesy of comic-con.org</i></div></i><p><br /></p><p>Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day! If you're looking for something to focus on besides the distressing weekend news, you will want to visit comic-con.org and check out CCI's latest hints that Returning Registration is almost upon us. </p><p>While it's merely listed as TBA, they do say "on sale soon" and point out that new attendees still have time to create a Member ID account (hint, hint.) They also list the new prices: $350 for a full Preview Night badge.</p><p>I'm resigning myself to an October 14 badge sale, though I really hope I'm wrong. Whether it's next Saturday or not, it's imminent enough that we should all prepare. That means logging into your Member ID account and making sure it all looks good, confirming you have the $$$ to pay for your badge and whoever else you're buying for, and organizing your buying group details. And get your first-timers set up with their Member ID accounts now.</p><p>If it is next weekend and you're going to be at NYCC when it happens (East Coast time puts you right in the convention center with the Con in full swing), I wouldn't count on doing this on your phone. Just my advice. </p><p>We'll see what announcements the week brings.</p><p><br /></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-82682437991704615882023-10-04T21:30:00.004-07:002023-10-04T21:30:39.032-07:00Do you want to become a Legend? And when is Returning Registration?<p> 4 OCTOBER 2023</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSu8q52NfIxN3iv91uuKP86zziopEgfaPF-Q8JYcM3lk6HFOqEQ-2kHXWmtoalSSYUG5p6IaKfFh79xIPNc971W7Ke2Y2fy3O5_sabmO40r5Xv-CXUJg0Ih-Hap0-yVYr_kXcGtd4qqLiqrjSsCmzZOxz6vHKDjIyLmWQmQdYPQFbM5RichTiiFVmwNGi/s4000/museum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSu8q52NfIxN3iv91uuKP86zziopEgfaPF-Q8JYcM3lk6HFOqEQ-2kHXWmtoalSSYUG5p6IaKfFh79xIPNc971W7Ke2Y2fy3O5_sabmO40r5Xv-CXUJg0Ih-Hap0-yVYr_kXcGtd4qqLiqrjSsCmzZOxz6vHKDjIyLmWQmQdYPQFbM5RichTiiFVmwNGi/w640-h360/museum.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>There's been a lot of speculation on which Saturday morning will be claimed by Returning Registration this fall. Because of the Junior Badge email CCI sent out, many predicted an early sale. (Though what qualifies as "early" is debatable: last year it was October 15.) Quite a few people thought we might get Ret Reg this weekend. But if you were waiting for a CCI email today announcing a Saturday, Oct. 7 badge sale, you got something else instead: an invitation to empty your coffers to become a Legend member at the Comic-Con museum. </p><p>A membership which includes a full Preview Night badge. A membership which costs a mere $1900. (Missing the visual gasp of a $2000 price tag by a whisker.) CCI assures us that "the memberships will sell out quickly" (will they, though?) and that you get all kinds of discounts and previews and a docent tour - for one year. Yes, this is not a lifetime membership. That $1900 and the ghost of compound interest floating behind it is an annual fee. Not tax deductible, I believe, but correct me in the comments if I'm wrong. I know museum membership tax rules aren't clearcut. </p><p>It's entirely possible to have the badge sale right before this Legend launch, of course. It officially starts Saturday morning at 10 am and involves museum staff who won't be involved with the badge sale. But that's a lot to pack into one morning so I'm going to assume we can cross Saturday off our Ret Reg list of possibilities. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>Should You Become a Legend?</b></p><p>If I lived in San Diego, I'd probably do this just to be a good supporter (and I really like the Museum) so maybe there are many other people who feel the same. But if <b>you </b>are contemplating this solely to lock down a badge - I wouldn't advise it. CCI will likely put some badges up for auction like always and you can probably pay about the same or less to score one that way. That's just my advice - but if you're one of those luckless people who've been striking out in Open Reg for years, I can see where this would appeal.</p><p>Anyhow. The membership sale starts Saturday morning at 10 am for people with a current SDCC Member ID and runs through Monday night. Then the general public gets their shot on Thursday. Oct. 12.</p><p>I'm hoping CCI then catches its breath, skips over October 14, and serves up Returning Registration on October 21. Or October 28 or returns to November. Anything but October 14 as I'll be enjoying the tacky Halloween pleasures of Salem, someone else in my group will be traveling for the eclipse, and thousands of SDCC people will be wandering around New York Comic Con. It's just not a great day. And it would be pretty savage to schedule an SDCC badge sale during the next best-known Comic-Con.</p><p>But who knows what our cunning overlords will do.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>How to Become a Legend</b></p><p>The process for becoming a top-tier Museum member is strangely analog. You have two options:</p><p>1) Visit the Museum in person on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday.</p><p>2) Watch for an email with a link to an online form where you will not purchase your membership, but "express interest." Then a museum staff member will call you to process your payment. I feel like this is extremely inefficient - will they call right away? Are you supposed to hang around waiting so you don't have to recite your credit card number from yoga class or a screening of <i>The Exorcist: Believer</i> or wherever you happen to be when they call? I feel like there's a story behind their attempt to avoid online payment, but we're never going to hear it.</p><p><br /></p><p>So! Will you become a Legend at the Museum - and the very first verified attendees of San Diego Comic-Con 2024? Do you have any Returning Registration dates you're hoping for? Any dates you're worried about? Share your theories.</p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-2508918751983103122023-09-08T14:10:00.001-07:002023-09-08T14:10:15.425-07:00It's badge sale season. Yes, already.<p> 7 SEPTEMBER 2023</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7EZCnktf8VYq-adLRvaVoHYum6cVg8Z5cCuZ2fBBHqoYGEWvQ43AlhL3pVB9kSRquM89vjYXJyVTjohU6dWKGxsj_LGhhKAWQ-KF-2Fne9l56g_Tf-0Qw6LPBB_myoFOglEvPIqqS5l-8eFhp7BG6R0expzP4dbGL-SiDE9SBKFe20BEb2Vg99K_dh6yJ/s1280/roulette-1253622_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7EZCnktf8VYq-adLRvaVoHYum6cVg8Z5cCuZ2fBBHqoYGEWvQ43AlhL3pVB9kSRquM89vjYXJyVTjohU6dWKGxsj_LGhhKAWQ-KF-2Fne9l56g_Tf-0Qw6LPBB_myoFOglEvPIqqS5l-8eFhp7BG6R0expzP4dbGL-SiDE9SBKFe20BEb2Vg99K_dh6yJ/w640-h426/roulette-1253622_1280.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>If you've settled into CCI-email complacency, thinking you can safely ignore their pleas for donations and mentions of junior badges - it's time to wake up! They casually mentioned in today's email that registration is "right around the corner" and advised us to check our Member ID passwords and credit card information. They referred to this as being "reg ready" which I guess is like when fitness magazines ask you if you're "bikini ready" every spring. God knows it's more stressful.</p><p>So! It looks like an early badge sale is coming - any time after the Fall Equinox, really. Did I say "stressful?" It's time to get our money in order, organize our buying groups, coach/threaten that one person who always gets confused as soon as they're picked to buy badges, and generally steel ourselves to spin the wheel of Comic-Con fate.</p><p>I don't hate it, honestly. As long as it's not October 14, when I am pre-Halloweening in Salem and other friends are at NYCC. (CCI wouldn't be that evil, right? Right?) If anything, it sounds like it might be sooner - Returning Registration, that is. </p><p>So are you reg ready? </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-84908044089201518642023-07-26T20:22:00.003-07:002023-07-26T20:32:52.551-07:00What first-timers thought of SDCC<div class="separator">26 JULY 2023</div><div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvk2jQEsNirr-D64KwIO5-QMaX4e9SkdmJPddnybg4zFlkrFT0WChwKWC2yFeTck_IHKJrXbgbu9ZW5CSyhfFtCgqV_a_js0E1lVoz_tu2gejTiPv6ytwloY9Hebhs9nJ1fLFw-eiAczrp-XGqt4WrtaFD0siPRwWAfBKDSvsFcjRhR91np2aYgSp6664/s2252/Lucifer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="2244" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvk2jQEsNirr-D64KwIO5-QMaX4e9SkdmJPddnybg4zFlkrFT0WChwKWC2yFeTck_IHKJrXbgbu9ZW5CSyhfFtCgqV_a_js0E1lVoz_tu2gejTiPv6ytwloY9Hebhs9nJ1fLFw-eiAczrp-XGqt4WrtaFD0siPRwWAfBKDSvsFcjRhR91np2aYgSp6664/w399-h400/Lucifer.jpg" width="399" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>For years it seemed San Diego Comic-Con attendees were a fixed group of people who steadily accumulated attendance years under their belt. We all belonged to buying groups, we all knew the tricks of the trade when it came to competing for tickets and exclusives and hotel rooms, and so there didn't seem much room for newcomers - though a few got in every year, of course.</p><p>It seems the pandemic reswizzled the mix, though. Special Edition obviously welcomed in many first-timers, SDCC 2022 attendees bought their badges in 2019 (yes, those are the right years) and ... then we had our current Con. Which brought a surprising number of first-timers to my door. Was that just me or did you notice that too?</p><p>A few weighed in:</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Ava </b></p><p>17 years old, Ava is a budding artist who had attended a small city Con before. Her impression was that Cons were largely about walking around and looking at cosplayers. And that's probably what SDCC would have been for her on a large scale had I not intervened. (Sorry to give myself credit, but it's just true in this case.) I know Ava's mother and so I hovered over Ava's SDCC journey like a slightly interfering angel, trying not to smother her while still making sure she got a good experience, and it gave me a great idea of where some first-timers get lost. </p><p>In this case: really not grasping the basics. When I pointed out the CCI Toucan blog and other information, she and her friends had no idea there was anything to learn. They tried to park downtown, then drove back out and took the train in. Somehow they heard Jamie Lee Curtis was there, which they considered a big celebrity get (if they only knew) and then tried to use the Exhibit Hall Map to figure out where her room was. At this point, I realized first-timers can walk right into the convention center without even realizing they're supposed to go upstairs and get their bag and books. </p><p>Their 2 days at the Con were thrilling and included a Great British Bakeoff encounter and some creative panels. Verdict: they returned home exhausted but ecstatic and plan on going back.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Victor and Luke</b></p><p>These two college students are from my area, and I actually hired one on the spot since he had a skill set I need. These guys found the Con underwhelming - crowded, yes, with a lot of choices in terms of panels and activities, but they found most of what they chose to be a little more humdrum than they expected. I think this might be because the two of them have different interests but felt they had to do everything together. I get why people do this but really, it helps to have the freedom to just pursue your dream Con and then meet up for dinner or something. </p><p>What they did like were the Shatner and Star Trek panels. I know for Con veterans, Shatner might seem like he's been at every Con ever but for these two first-timers, it was a special experience. They also learned more about the Star Trek universe and found out what they hadn't seen/consumed; they were especially excited to buy an episode script. </p><p>Their biggest complaint: the food. Too expensive and mediocre quality, and apparently that was across most of the places they went. They were bitter about how much they spent eating out and will be better prepared for next year.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZph2xqJyJjEl_Oz2Jay0b4Vxg6BdJRrg8lCZ_cbavjBV3tr2t2xQohMvxza_KxrhdpwX02n685vBx3ATEKK_PQNfS2PovqSxU7vtM2HbowSTEaziUc3kE9FpIwzhcjxzV753SB5sBBbZrTgXLU15qohCETQly9ir2RL5TYrBehZvhIeH9tQdwdofpKIs/s3280/Floor.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3280" data-original-width="2139" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZph2xqJyJjEl_Oz2Jay0b4Vxg6BdJRrg8lCZ_cbavjBV3tr2t2xQohMvxza_KxrhdpwX02n685vBx3ATEKK_PQNfS2PovqSxU7vtM2HbowSTEaziUc3kE9FpIwzhcjxzV753SB5sBBbZrTgXLU15qohCETQly9ir2RL5TYrBehZvhIeH9tQdwdofpKIs/s320/Floor.jpg" width="209" /></a></p><p><b>Leah</b></p><p>Leah attended with her boyfriend at his request; going was his dream, not hers. But she said she found it "incredibly well organized" which is literally the first time I have ever heard someone say that. She was impressed by the sheer gargantuan size of the Con and how many different nerd interests were represented - gaming, anime, science fiction, comics, etc. </p><p>Leah basically tagged along with her boyfriend all week, which led her to a bittersweet Sunday, when she realized there were many things there she might have enjoyed herself but missed out on. She never bothered to look up the programming, read the guide, or do any research, and wound up kicking herself.</p><p>But now she knows. I think there are a lot of people like Leah, who associate SDCC with hardcore nerddom and assume their own interests are too mainstream to show up there. Wrong! </p><p><b>Unnamed</b></p><p>I met this guy in line for the Haunted Mansion. He came to SDCC by himself for... wait for it... the offsites. Now, I know attendees who prioritize offsites but they're still interested in the Con itself. I didn't realize SDCC offsites had gained such a prominent reputation that people would attend solely for them. And frankly, I don't really get dealing with the stress of a badge sale and the hotel lottery to stand around sweating in long lines for a fleeting promotional experience.</p><p>But this guy loved them! Especially Paramount! He was so pumped talking about them that even the tediously long Haunted Mansion line couldn't dim his enthusiasm. (We separated inside so I don't know what he thought of it.) He liked Jurassic Park and AMC Immortal Universe/Vampire and really just had a grand old time. I asked why he didn't just go to Universal Studios or Disneyland or whatnot but he felt SDCC was in a league of its own.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Also Unnamed</b></p><p>I met an older couple who had come to SDCC as a bucket list thing. Honestly, their feedback was a litany of complaints. I think they were a classic case of assuming SDCC was all glamorous red carpet parties and celebrities, which it isn't even on a good year - but this year was especially disappointing for those expectations. This couple was baffled that SDCC is as popular as it is. I told them it probably just wasn't their scene but they are determined to come back when SDCC is back in the Hollywood saddle.</p><p><br /></p><p>Was this your first Comic-Con? What did you think?</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRjs1dJ0T3bNN3-ikUkUh5t2qGW8l0LcTDBKvUhw-XTaVRRr6grzt_AuxAid0felmtUFTKbSZ_z-09VnC40d_8fdiiD1n2GDDTf-Lvd5Lfa13MA__ogM258sZTxorQ6rsGVqpU0FwpNe9gI2I5v5n23eH1qEmyP2io7GBwHnOEhMUQi5SKn5OIuM6AEx-/s3322/HM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2204" data-original-width="3322" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRjs1dJ0T3bNN3-ikUkUh5t2qGW8l0LcTDBKvUhw-XTaVRRr6grzt_AuxAid0felmtUFTKbSZ_z-09VnC40d_8fdiiD1n2GDDTf-Lvd5Lfa13MA__ogM258sZTxorQ6rsGVqpU0FwpNe9gI2I5v5n23eH1qEmyP2io7GBwHnOEhMUQi5SKn5OIuM6AEx-/w640-h424/HM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-54425794981295521292023-07-23T21:26:00.006-07:002023-07-23T21:44:26.536-07:00SDCC 2023: maybe not the best year ever, but still pretty fun<p> 23 JULY 2023</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjxo9qcV2sRpjAOoDuroiImSMTNbLy2kyPs7YpQu8NntWMnX7WYLUSvRuelO9mj0ht4QKMbeKk5PgHd8ufs3RNPxH-WoeZhinKRnWpWlwFkLYTTjpJAcM2ClYMEcru0BC4IE7cn8Js1aL6KChq2-sFUK0HgAeIvzchkZc5xFwm7Fp049MJ90K0TMU81My5/s2552/Bettie%20and%20Jeannie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2187" data-original-width="2552" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjxo9qcV2sRpjAOoDuroiImSMTNbLy2kyPs7YpQu8NntWMnX7WYLUSvRuelO9mj0ht4QKMbeKk5PgHd8ufs3RNPxH-WoeZhinKRnWpWlwFkLYTTjpJAcM2ClYMEcru0BC4IE7cn8Js1aL6KChq2-sFUK0HgAeIvzchkZc5xFwm7Fp049MJ90K0TMU81My5/w640-h548/Bettie%20and%20Jeannie.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>So the most beleaguered Comic-Con in recent history has come and gone. (I'm not counting the virtual Con of 2020 for obvious reasons.) What did you think? Did you pine for the celebrities who weren't there? Did the empty chairs in Hall H give your heart a pang? Or did you adventure off in other directions that turned out to be kind of great?</p><p>My answer would be neither/both - I could feel the palpable absence of, well, several elements I wish were there, but I still enjoyed buzzing around the Con. If <i>you </i>were sad, my advice is to set your sights on next year. The dates: July 24-28. And we can probably look forward to panels on the next Alien film, Beetlejuice 2, Captain America: Brave New World, and Joker: Folie a Deux. Well, unless a new global pandemic, industry disaster, or AI uprising has destroyed life as we know it.</p><p>You can also look forward to the Comic-Con Cruise in 2025. More on that later.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-uI6lXrySD_4xJWHVkWct5PTbYF7kysKoURxsmI848CNqgLnSkLlDPnIBZDqExWVs7i7pTo9xnGV-XChcRPJZC8OTLs6_HHTs3uoSIXLlq4FIVEm5zICOj94qT3Abi_JoA9e5NTMFb_qt4qMQa8SI1d7zDJzyqt1LlAA2xXScrmzECOXjPUCbw_rV2pk/s4000/Mosh%20Eisley.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-uI6lXrySD_4xJWHVkWct5PTbYF7kysKoURxsmI848CNqgLnSkLlDPnIBZDqExWVs7i7pTo9xnGV-XChcRPJZC8OTLs6_HHTs3uoSIXLlq4FIVEm5zICOj94qT3Abi_JoA9e5NTMFb_qt4qMQa8SI1d7zDJzyqt1LlAA2xXScrmzECOXjPUCbw_rV2pk/w640-h360/Mosh%20Eisley.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><p>Overall, this wasn't the most groundbreaking Con but I don't think it would have been even without the strikes. I apparently am in the minority in this line of thought, because so many people said to me with heartfelt conviction that if the strike hadn't happened, this would have been the all-time greatest Con ever with stupendous events and record-shattering trailers and big splashy promotional surprises around every corner. I'm not sure what this belief is based on but many people expressed it to me. Are you in this camp? If so, what were you expecting?</p><p>I'll post buzz winners and my report from first-timers in the next few days, along with some guidance on how to apply for your own SDCC panel. Until then - I hope you found something valuable and beautiful this past week, and that it keeps you inspired until our next bigger, richer, and more vibrant Comic-Con.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmULqdz7EsYHQS7RlIFvYz5h4LK2-0u5tmLuPUVi7wGgFydImJPDepXIsECb9lD0cjeWW1wTL9knxbebftmZwsT9hduDmI5AIiJ2TyfMqtRhHmAdmhcVUXK5TII4w4Snl7nCBdXk4j7dwtCH-H3vs9Ijvp4_Mx4Zd9lFm65LXBuXhn2uoR-MJWCiaaDVI3/s4000/Interview2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmULqdz7EsYHQS7RlIFvYz5h4LK2-0u5tmLuPUVi7wGgFydImJPDepXIsECb9lD0cjeWW1wTL9knxbebftmZwsT9hduDmI5AIiJ2TyfMqtRhHmAdmhcVUXK5TII4w4Snl7nCBdXk4j7dwtCH-H3vs9Ijvp4_Mx4Zd9lFm65LXBuXhn2uoR-MJWCiaaDVI3/w640-h360/Interview2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-36073126489737033322023-07-20T14:37:00.003-07:002023-07-20T14:47:56.332-07:00What do you think of San Diego Comic-Con so far?<p> 20 JULY 2023</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1p6G-fknelok0Rmwr-tyyTfRY6GGukuZ6lWNmxdPxSBZnY91a7HxXq5QMjjLGzfxqYHNq6bZp1SWtoI25McqWK4NN-QCE8DmJM2u0P7fECrMQLPAXBXsx_9o7KQVmFjHn6NXMyt6td5OayEjRq-_YFk6AjXj8yJT7PVyEhpCaA1Rl_f6g5Vhc5XlOs2-w/s4000/20230719_182155.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1p6G-fknelok0Rmwr-tyyTfRY6GGukuZ6lWNmxdPxSBZnY91a7HxXq5QMjjLGzfxqYHNq6bZp1SWtoI25McqWK4NN-QCE8DmJM2u0P7fECrMQLPAXBXsx_9o7KQVmFjHn6NXMyt6td5OayEjRq-_YFk6AjXj8yJT7PVyEhpCaA1Rl_f6g5Vhc5XlOs2-w/w400-h280/20230719_182155.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>So we're here, in the thick of it, and all questions have been answered as to what kind of Comic-Con we've been dealt. Some of the answers being....</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Yes, Hall H turnout is paltry. </b></p><p>The photos are out there. It actually makes me a bit sad, and also reminds me of my tender youth when my girlfriend and I casually walked in and took a seat to see Neil Gaiman promoting Stardust. </p><p>Allegedly, as I type, there is a healthy line for the afternoon. Listen: Hall H will be back with a vengeance. I'm sure of it. This is just a weird year. Speaking of....</p><p><b>Turnout overall seems slightly less than pre-pandemic levels, but still good.</b></p><p>That's my perception, at least. All those attendees announcing they weren't coming apparently weren't big enough a group to make their absence felt, not really. I did think last night felt a little too calm in the Gaslamp and there was less late-night activity around the convention center when I walked back to the Marriott. But I think the turnout overall is decent. I also think people may be overestimating it because...</p><p><b>The Exhibit Hall IS the Hall H of 2023.</b></p><p>Yowza. Very, very crowded. Preview Night has been more crowded for years - if you recall years ago when only a portion of attendees got a PN badge, you'll remember how it used to be - so last night didn't faze me in any way but people seemed shocked at the crowds. That's a trend that started pre-pandemic and is now continuing.</p><p>Even Exhibit Hall lines have morphed into Hall H lines somewhat. Remember when everyone used to crowd in front of the doors and then swarm in? Now the pre-dawn line is so intense that everyone is forced to form into a snaked line, which invariably merges into one messy crowd right before they open the doors. Lots of complaints about that this morning. I saw one attendee meltdown and one staffer running up and down a roped-off area like a rat on meth and attendees persistently asking <i>why why why do we have to stand in line </i>to which another staffer cuttingly replied: "To keep you civilized." Zing!</p><p><b>The efficiency level of organization, management, and control does seem to have dipped.</b></p><p>And it wasn't great to start with. From certain observations, I think there used to be security and volunteers who returned year after year, or maybe there were training facilitators who returned year after year and now those people are gone. This whole class of people just seems very inexperienced this year. More so than other years, which also featured new recruits to the world of SDCC management.</p><p><b>The offsites aren't getting quite as much buzz this year but it's still Thursday.</b></p><p>I'm about to head out to the Interview with a Vampire one, which was praised highly to me. For others I haven't heard a whole lot of raves; Jurassic Park turned in mixed reviews, though those might be from pre-Con experience. If it's the same here, it's nothing that would inspire me to do the standby line, though I would do it if guaranteed access. </p><p>By tomorrow morning, we should have a clear buzz winner. What offsites have you done and what did you think?</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGPJI0iYTArJrIRO-80zTo6jFTEUkOsaQobZa9a0q1zhEGASlaIjB2SNuZIcRoILj7tefJ43_49QErEBE3ZMx_pPdokoD0ytlheR8BNXlvwv-T4QywDz4V0zITLUH5fzeDI7QWRZlI5GRJgojY6eX9bEvb6NE6jaS8VwtrrMZ7ADn5YAIrTu4BONxGD33/s4000/20230720_123914.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2252" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGPJI0iYTArJrIRO-80zTo6jFTEUkOsaQobZa9a0q1zhEGASlaIjB2SNuZIcRoILj7tefJ43_49QErEBE3ZMx_pPdokoD0ytlheR8BNXlvwv-T4QywDz4V0zITLUH5fzeDI7QWRZlI5GRJgojY6eX9bEvb6NE6jaS8VwtrrMZ7ADn5YAIrTu4BONxGD33/s320/20230720_123914.jpg" width="180" /></a></p><p><b>Finally, I have encountered more first-timers than I expected. They seem baffled by SDCC culture and practices, so here are a few tips:</b></p><p><b>A lot of things won't seem logical or make sense.</b> You can protest all you want but you're pissing in the ocean. I think people who are more dominant or authoritative by nature tend to balk at their powerless in the Comic-Con flow of things, but it's just an adjustment you have to make. The way lines, exclusives, lotteries, panels, swag, signings, cancellations, etc. are handled can be mysterious and maddening, I agree. But getting angry and belligerent about it will get you nowhere.</p><p><b>If you do run into a roadblock, be gracious and tenacious at the same time. </b>Stay polite but ask if there's a solution. Sometimes there just isn't. Sometimes someone will suggest a workaround or do you a favor, like the guy yesterday who let me join a capped line. The exhibitor selling my #1 wish list thing this year got sick and didn't show up BUT I nicely asked the people who took over her booth about it and they texted her and she asked me to DM her and we worked something out. Advocate for yourself and you might get a break.</p><p><b>Don't get swept away by the grandeur and bombast of the Exhibit Hall and the Con in general. </b>A first-timer last night at dinner gave me one word: <i>overwhelming</i>. Heard that before! We talked about how easy it is to miss things in the Exhibit Hall because there's so much to look at. Go ahead and enjoy that dazzled feeling, but ultimately you'll want to study booths and really look at what they've got, find out on social what other people are buying, and map out some kind of strategy.</p><p><b>And also - look into other parts of the Con. </b>The Exhibit Hall isn't everything. Go check out the awesome gaming and pinball arcade in the Marriott, or the offsites, the screenings, the library panels, the film festival. You might have ignored the events guide but you really should look through it and get an idea of where to go.</p><p><b>Finally, on lines - yes, there are lines for everything. </b>I had lunch at Lou and Mickey's and some people next to me were expressing disbelief that there were lines for restaurants. Yep, those were 2 people who did not grasp what SDCC is really like. There's no shame in that but do realize you are in a small area of the city with more than two hundred thousand people all competing for resources. So bake that into your plans - if you want to eat lunch before a 2:00 pm panel, for instance, account for waiting in line instead of thinking you can easily search for a restaurant at 1:00 pm and make your panel.</p><p><br /></p><p>I hope everyone is enjoying themselves on the first day of SDCC. We're just getting started, right?</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-91670054117907553732023-07-18T18:35:00.001-07:002023-07-18T18:35:11.942-07:00Happy Comic-Con Eve!<p> 18 JULY 2023</p><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvD9RdDtkku-oOpSZ9bY3-ucyOUC8p1dA75U6N4F8VHKiHZ8voRtbe2MyNxmCrQxBZ1oJufLAIHPZ4xZnuYVaN7JWDIxdKhdhOTjb06WELfDCqMrEuOE4UdXtPNnrulw8L4sQhp53irE_x/s1600/the+con+is+near.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1202" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvD9RdDtkku-oOpSZ9bY3-ucyOUC8p1dA75U6N4F8VHKiHZ8voRtbe2MyNxmCrQxBZ1oJufLAIHPZ4xZnuYVaN7JWDIxdKhdhOTjb06WELfDCqMrEuOE4UdXtPNnrulw8L4sQhp53irE_x/s320/the+con+is+near.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal">It's almost here! Despite all the moaning about a celebrity-less Con, I think (or hope) that we're all feeling excited. So here are 4 last-minute reminders.<b></b><br /><br /><b>Set expectations with your family, coworkers, and paramours.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">I think many of us live in a world where our associates expect 24/7 availability, even on "vacation." My advice: ruthlessly cut them off now. Tell them the convention center is so loud you can't hear a phone ring and the connectivity so poor that it's difficult to get texts. Emphasize that Comic-Con is sacred and there's no "downtime" for you to dial into a conference call or check email. If you absolutely must, schedule a daily check-in time and restrict them to it. </div><b></b><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Make sure you have your badge and other documents.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Check 7 times that you have your badge. Make sure you have any tickets, have contact information for everyone you're seeing, and save any emails from coworkers who want you to pick something up for them. Save your boarding pass and online hotel check-in information.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />Get your money in order. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Transfer your funds around, bring a credit card with ample room, and bring a healthy amount of cash. There's no such thing as being too flush at Comic-Con. And paying in cash can avoid those annoying credit card freezes where your bank wants you to verify that you really did just spend $817 in one hour in a new city on vendors with odd names.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Pack appropriately.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Depending on where you live, the weather forecast could look warm or chilly to you. But we will see days in the 70s, nights in the 60s, which I feel represents different sides of the wardrobe spectrum. If you're part lizard like I am and get cold easily, bring a sweater or jacket - and bring a swimsuit since you'll probably have more time for your hotel pool than usual. And don't forget any extra cosplay components - repair tools, sewing kits, zombie makeup wounds, alternate wigs etc.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yIgA-t7ub3nfVSSHC-Nau8WWzYNibeEn49LGzBJEYrYJeNlsBJ3m2jqw_LDznj8WLnXys6pFInj-kd4BeEMCxFSx0_TwUvl5rCsCFfwjIIGTc9WSmxE5FRhuk95XnNxCgjfcNW1-Si-E3lWU0Yp4D2Pp4CSbT6p-fPhfPwdxAJW8VYibToKcpVdRSNlf/s2048/canopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yIgA-t7ub3nfVSSHC-Nau8WWzYNibeEn49LGzBJEYrYJeNlsBJ3m2jqw_LDznj8WLnXys6pFInj-kd4BeEMCxFSx0_TwUvl5rCsCFfwjIIGTc9WSmxE5FRhuk95XnNxCgjfcNW1-Si-E3lWU0Yp4D2Pp4CSbT6p-fPhfPwdxAJW8VYibToKcpVdRSNlf/w640-h480/canopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-55642546181514830332023-07-14T13:43:00.005-07:002023-07-14T13:43:32.594-07:00Advice for SDCC first-timers<p>14 JULY 2023</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdd7_LITW4pXyqvqvcVQb4Eq_zAUXjn6YmaYh7THFj_2DVExtR6xUxTH4qypjvq_j4QwqeS9ZTkBxh0nASMOZO8WfV2m49e-BKGYUmL6MgKhncnQO544QAuhZcjFs0weliai6uEGucSk5Ym3b2YL6eZ5Sweb3xV-kx6MfEJE4dwTVnGimKwiDzCd9xwaA/s400/crossing%20the%20street.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdd7_LITW4pXyqvqvcVQb4Eq_zAUXjn6YmaYh7THFj_2DVExtR6xUxTH4qypjvq_j4QwqeS9ZTkBxh0nASMOZO8WfV2m49e-BKGYUmL6MgKhncnQO544QAuhZcjFs0weliai6uEGucSk5Ym3b2YL6eZ5Sweb3xV-kx6MfEJE4dwTVnGimKwiDzCd9xwaA/w640-h360/crossing%20the%20street.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p>In all the griping about SDCC programming this year, it's easy to forget that this will be some attendees' first Comic-Con ever. I know 6 first-timers, ranging from age 16 to 50something, and I vacillate between wishing they were walking into a better Con and thinking at least they won't know the difference. </p><p>This year also seems to have brought back a lot of people who stopped going a decade+ ago. I'm guessing that's a delayed pandemic effect - maybe these people yearned for a big splashy event during lockdown and last fall was the first badge sale they could access.</p><p>If you're going to SDCC for the first time or the first time in a long time, here is some advice.</p><p><b>There will be plenty to do and see and buy.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">Ignore all the dark mutterings about this Comic-Con. (Including mine.) You will experience an Exhibit Hall that seems jam packed with treasures, have your choice of screenings and tournaments and exhibits and panels and parties. Just let the experience take you.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>But set priorities - and don't try to see everything.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">It's really easy to get distracted at Comic-Con. Make a plan now that details your top panels, events, and exclusives, organize it by day, and then build each day around your top 2-3 things. First-timers often roll up ready to go gangbusters on SDCC, with full page checklists for each day - but that is setting yourself up for frustration. Rank your objectives and let go of the less important stuff.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>If you want to change your hotel arrangements, you can - sort of.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">You won't get your deposit back. But you can cancel the remaining nights. This might be an attractive option if you dislike your hotel and you're seeing rooms open up at closer hotels like Hilton Bayfront, Omni, Hilton Gaslamp, and Hyatt. </p><p class="MsoNormal">When you check in, ask for a room on a lower floor if your priority is to quickly get in and out. The higher up you are, the longer your elevator rides are. And it's fine to try to upgrade your room at the desk <i>and </i>even ask about booking a room with no deposit for next summer. Will it work? Probably not but I'm surprised at how often the front desk people accommodate me.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLcPdeVdZ-cVt0EGqsdLHjOroHAOne11lr6BQgpam3zhDVbWUY23f1ilAxcBeuAK0f4AGE3baz9StJslT6KNhTOFwR5nrqSIN-AG5_u3kvltJYfc6bHLumhvoolIPWhllVMwud6Rb14vcgOeeCOiGcvM-mikoKyN24KwoZ2VuX2Y0jE0AM107oCvpKdEp/s5312/Hotel%20room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2988" data-original-width="5312" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLcPdeVdZ-cVt0EGqsdLHjOroHAOne11lr6BQgpam3zhDVbWUY23f1ilAxcBeuAK0f4AGE3baz9StJslT6KNhTOFwR5nrqSIN-AG5_u3kvltJYfc6bHLumhvoolIPWhllVMwud6Rb14vcgOeeCOiGcvM-mikoKyN24KwoZ2VuX2Y0jE0AM107oCvpKdEp/w640-h360/Hotel%20room.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Save your feet for when you need them.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">Comic-Con is so active. There's no shame in popping open a chair when you're in line or taking a pedicab or even a Lyft across the Gaslamp. Save your foot power for getting around the convention center.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>The Exhibit Hall is a battlefield, so armor up.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">You'll want to:</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Approach "deals" with a healthy dose of cynicism. Check on your phone and you can often find the same thing cheaper online. That includes everything from "out of print" books to Funko Pops to trades. </li><li>Bring a lot of cash. Yes, most (not all) vendors take cards but sometimes it won't go through and a lot of vendors will drop their price a bit for cash.</li><li>Barter politely but cunningly. I've seen attendees assume everything is up for negotiation and it's just not. Don't be abrasive, thinking you're showing the vendor how street smart you are. It's fine to ask about volume discounts (and if you pretend to hesitate between buying 2 or more items, often the vendor will propose one). Sunday is your best day for big markdowns.</li><li>Visit toward closing hours if you hate crowds. Early hours used to be good, but now tend to get pretty busy. The middle of the day is an enochlophobe's nightmare, and an affront to olfactory senses everywhere.</li><li>Keep it moving. When friend groups or families clog up the aisles to talk or take photos, they are bringing movement to a halt, which starts a backward domino effect. It's best to go by the restrooms for a conference, and to go out to the lobby and walk down from Lobby A to Lobby E.</li><li>Ask if all the cute postcards and buttons and bookmarks on small press/artist tables are actually free. They're usually for sale - so don't just grab them! This is a complaint I hear from many artists.</li><li>Because this year might be congested, I'd advise snatching up what you want when you see it. If you absolutely can't buy it at that moment, photograph the booth with number visible.</li><li>Support artists and vendors if you can. The pandemic+ has been economically tough on creatives and this Con might be hard too. If you can afford it, ask for a commission or buy some nice framed art. There are so many wonderfully creative people at Comic-Con and while you won't like everything you'll see, you'll definitely like something. I skipped the early Halloween Bath and Body Works sale this morning precisely because I'd rather buy little gothic knickknacks that are actually unique and put revenue in the artist's pocket.</li></ul><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Take advantage of bag check and shipping. </b></p><p class="MsoNormal">Your arms - and your hotel room - might fill up quickly with bags of heavy stuff, so use bag check in the convention center lobby (not overnight) and ship things home via the FedEx/UPS offices onsite, at the Marriott, and in the Gaslamp.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Stay connected.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">Hopefully you bought a portable charger on Amazon Prime Day. Trying to charge at the convention center is a fool's dream, but if you must, head upstairs in the room 27 area or over to the Marriott hall past the Starbucks. It's usually easy to find a chair and an outlet there. But really, it's just easier to bring extra batteries and power packs.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGyKHlxvDmP6VX7oHQeJOI2-KUnedqPyNzIdiURTaO1ZmkbMLDV1WkUPGjD76KcTuDZeIF9CGAaidjidTNKzTM9D_SFlsDNKHTc8KO9T3RUpj8H3NEHaaKRcmrSkwdBeI1YZRlnaVuC3fOgK2kdwhDDkQAlN0bkB3IIcKr2IAmCLRd_PpnJDGzZdfqQw/s2048/Gaslamp.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1390" data-original-width="2048" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGyKHlxvDmP6VX7oHQeJOI2-KUnedqPyNzIdiURTaO1ZmkbMLDV1WkUPGjD76KcTuDZeIF9CGAaidjidTNKzTM9D_SFlsDNKHTc8KO9T3RUpj8H3NEHaaKRcmrSkwdBeI1YZRlnaVuC3fOgK2kdwhDDkQAlN0bkB3IIcKr2IAmCLRd_PpnJDGzZdfqQw/w640-h434/Gaslamp.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Don't hurl yourself at celebrities.</b><br />Not that you'll see any this year, but you never know. The Hard Rock lobby will be a ghost town and the Gaslamp bars late at night will feel incomplete; but should you spot a famous face, it's fine to ask for a photo. Just respect their boundaries.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Don't spend your entire night in line.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">We do that enough in the day, right? And the reality is that many parties will accept your "registration" and even send you a confirmation email, but will never let you in unless you're Someone. Just keep it moving.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Respect cosplayers.</b></p><div><p class="MsoNormal">Cosplayers get groped, harassed, sweated on, and generally invaded in a hundred different ways so be respectful of their space. They pose with a lot of people and it can get kind of gross for them to have stranger after stranger pressing up against them. Remember they're people, not props. That said, it is acceptable to address them by their character name. You'll often hear people calling "Catwoman! Leia! Facehugger!" to get someone's attention and the cosplayer will usually answer to that name.<br /><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Eat well and go outside the Gaslamp.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">Attendees seem to promote the same mediocre places over and over out of... nostalgia maybe? Try to set aside time to eat proper meals (shouldn't be difficult this year) and look for real restaurants instead of the gimmicky places that offer a bunch of Con specials. You may pay a little more but you won't spend nearly as much time in line and you'll have a better meal.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Also stay hydrated and try to get at least 1-2 good nights' sleep. There's nothing like finally getting into Hall H and sleeping through 2 panels. This year, you can probably afford to sleep in without missing anything, so there's that.<br /><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEEhYKLciv_eSW8lzvqP_fAdcYBMT0elLK4yKhuuLnKB9uuSlRosu1dNakZ7014wZJWR_NXumcb_TPhoDc_PhD1M8nv5rQ8hH_jFwsbX9cs68uWTISW5_JGPcYeiytMJ4rUqN9ldc61zJPCq6J-386BfqQp7GO0CfbKKw-kHJpANmVg7pNND_HiIAy2A/s2048/nerdnie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEEhYKLciv_eSW8lzvqP_fAdcYBMT0elLK4yKhuuLnKB9uuSlRosu1dNakZ7014wZJWR_NXumcb_TPhoDc_PhD1M8nv5rQ8hH_jFwsbX9cs68uWTISW5_JGPcYeiytMJ4rUqN9ldc61zJPCq6J-386BfqQp7GO0CfbKKw-kHJpANmVg7pNND_HiIAy2A/w640-h480/nerdnie.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Make an effort to make friends.</b><br />As I alluded to in my post about going to SDCC alone, if you find yourself in line, you'll find yourself in conversations. "Friends for a reason, friends for a season, and friends for a lifetime" applies here - you can meet all 3 categories at SDCC. Generally speaking, talking to other attendees is a great way to find about things, swap tickets, get invites, and generally expand your Con consciousness.</p><p class="MsoNormal">As far as hooking up goes, I've never found SDCC to be the big nerd sexfest everyone thinks. For some people, obviously, it is. For most people - eh. In general, whether you're looking to make friends, join a new buying group, or meet your soulmate, my advice is the same - talk to people.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Check media coverage.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">Even when you're in the thick of things, you'll still miss events and collectibles and surprise guests. Check your favorite sources every day to find out who's having a sudden concert, who got heat stroke and cancelled their panel, or what the hit exclusive is.<br /><br /><b>Follow panel etiquette.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">This has really gone downhill in recent years, but here goes: </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>If you get up to the microphone at a panel, be succinct. Don't get lost in the moment and keep talking and talking - this happens a lot!</li><li>Don't hold your iPad or camera above your head for a prolonged period, blocking the view of the person behind you. </li><li>Don't try to save an entire row of seats for your friends. Usually people are understanding about 1 or 2 seats with your bag/jacket on them.</li><li>Most rooms will give out bathroom passes. If you don't want to negotiate that in the dark, locate the bathroom pass person before the lights go out. Note where people come in and go out because it's often on opposite sides of the room.</li></ul><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCVb_yWeER5IR-Oc2J10YG-KahX6Wx0HkQHMhzH_MgYAoh5t_S1_NibQWzVZYdJJvLW1z5gu0_tyEamCsa8MaKXMXFBqoFO8xBIOIKUIsWLSWnhYF2TS6qrGm2aInkEX-mNZKiDgSu3VRi7Xp2AIIdz1ugfW0VKNJEKcpOlpd60dtAn9mM5zyM4775Yyw/s1080/cp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="1080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCVb_yWeER5IR-Oc2J10YG-KahX6Wx0HkQHMhzH_MgYAoh5t_S1_NibQWzVZYdJJvLW1z5gu0_tyEamCsa8MaKXMXFBqoFO8xBIOIKUIsWLSWnhYF2TS6qrGm2aInkEX-mNZKiDgSu3VRi7Xp2AIIdz1ugfW0VKNJEKcpOlpd60dtAn9mM5zyM4775Yyw/w640-h360/cp.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Make sure you're standing in the right line.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">Last weekend, I was at a small horror Con with a really long line on my way out. I asked what it was for and multiple people said "the X signing/buying a ticket." Yes, two different lines had somehow merged into one, creating a longer wait for everyone. Always check that you're joining the proper line. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Don't antagonize a security guard.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">Security guards come in a variety of personality types and need to be <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4392159341550196250/4772493030907883274">handled strategically. </a>Some are quite nice. Some are probably nice 99% of the time but are currently frustrated by their Con interactions and now they're about to snap. Others are on a major power trip. </p><p class="MsoNormal">All you need to know is this: you will not win a confrontation with an SDCC security guard. If one is rude or controlling with you in a way you think is unfair, don't engage - just walk away and find another way to get what you want. Asking an attendee is often more helpful, given our encyclopedic knowledge of Comic-Con.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br />I don't entirely know what to expect next week, but I do feel safe making one prediction: that Comic-Con is mostly what you make it. You have the power to make connections, attend events, organize your Exhibit Hall hunting, and take the extra steps to enjoy those offerings just outside the convention center. Be open to adventure, be flexible enough to let go of whatever isn't working out, and make the most of what does happen. If you can do that, you'll have an incredible time.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMvBBHLA465m4fgn32xbhf1wmqbgnW14kWuJmVxCegRX6O2JQUw6ls-TixmfSf5aud-t0wCRCOnWVQ5y8s9Xo5FXLZ9tva9ynuoT7JP0uwFIBOyzRZ-_UQ29haJxemhoBaLTseeqyeFBnjr90U88Fe5x22WgrlfwqbaNzC1IGkeeU6X2Qgv8okZWkupdkc/s2048/sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMvBBHLA465m4fgn32xbhf1wmqbgnW14kWuJmVxCegRX6O2JQUw6ls-TixmfSf5aud-t0wCRCOnWVQ5y8s9Xo5FXLZ9tva9ynuoT7JP0uwFIBOyzRZ-_UQ29haJxemhoBaLTseeqyeFBnjr90U88Fe5x22WgrlfwqbaNzC1IGkeeU6X2Qgv8okZWkupdkc/w640-h360/sunset.jpg" width="640" /></a></p></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-25418994362934186022023-07-13T21:44:00.003-07:002023-07-13T21:49:20.741-07:00SDCC strikes out<p> 13 JULY 2023</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBqU8OF0yzyt34gLd75inv33PyJufU1W4E1zbvbCkkWDLsX1rcdtN6B6bFpHmpJ5ot7upEekSuS4AH62hXFwkPc4yura46A5QdeAtDUBghetFN5cOlzfseoJmIW8rrPgzOiCsaHriIHD_Gi-ohjWIX1gh4cWKPlMe1CJ2T_msxbltHJgTFzj5wDO3Bc-_/s242/despair.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="242" data-original-width="208" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBqU8OF0yzyt34gLd75inv33PyJufU1W4E1zbvbCkkWDLsX1rcdtN6B6bFpHmpJ5ot7upEekSuS4AH62hXFwkPc4yura46A5QdeAtDUBghetFN5cOlzfseoJmIW8rrPgzOiCsaHriIHD_Gi-ohjWIX1gh4cWKPlMe1CJ2T_msxbltHJgTFzj5wDO3Bc-_/w344-h400/despair.png" width="344" /></a></div><br /><p>With the announcement of the SAG strike, and <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/07/13/san-diego-comic-con-panels-back-out-sag-aftra-strike-wga/" target="_blank">the cancellation of many panels</a>, it looks like we are headed into a rather dismal Comic-Con. I want to make it clear I support the strikes - and I'll spare you my accompanying diatribe - but at the same time, the timing couldn't be worse for SDCC. This year wasn't going to be exactly electric anyhow, and now it feels like most of the few remaining lights have flickered out.</p><p>I've seen a few people reminding everyone that Comic-Con should be about comics anyhow, and who needs actors and television shows, but they seem to forget: SDCC mutated into a big Hollywood juggernaut years ago, and now there's little else left. It's not like comic book nerds like me can just shift our attention to the major comic talent/panels because there's barely any of it there. </p><p>And sure enough, we're seeing some attendees simply cutting their losses and skipping the Con - even though they'll lose their hotel deposit. I do understand this decision, especially for people who have suffered a layoff or are simply struggling under inflation and would prefer to take an airfare credit and not spend on restaurants.</p><p>But I still believe the rest of us will have a good time. Gaming, screenings, art shows, the IFF, and a decent number of parties are in play, and so are plenty of panels! This year's spoils will definitely go to those attendees who love discussing arcane topics or playing trivia games or going deep into Star Trek analysis. Or those who decide to just party every night and ignore the days.</p><p>We'll see what tomorrow and the weekend bring.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-57730040127526630862023-07-12T07:00:00.000-07:002023-07-12T07:00:00.154-07:00Going to Comic-Con by yourself<p>12 JULY 2023</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_JJhsSfuylrZbAi5qSZHfgZtYCeff9PAbh4jWTAhEbzHMgADMw6yaIDfT3jo4hht7CUgj2bohppb0riaRD22AUItMklvULxuhVO_9dWu_0XCXYsyyP6Bu4w0SeZf6CfcFGMh0B0Y7qCHaaLxBsJtj0KDJIdN5ZCj0_R2ElhkWmENyeXK4FueXdeleBLv/s655/dr.%20man.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="655" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_JJhsSfuylrZbAi5qSZHfgZtYCeff9PAbh4jWTAhEbzHMgADMw6yaIDfT3jo4hht7CUgj2bohppb0riaRD22AUItMklvULxuhVO_9dWu_0XCXYsyyP6Bu4w0SeZf6CfcFGMh0B0Y7qCHaaLxBsJtj0KDJIdN5ZCj0_R2ElhkWmENyeXK4FueXdeleBLv/w640-h360/dr.%20man.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><i>This is a rerun of something I wrote a few years ago. It seems more relevant than ever with so many people I know going to - or contemplating going to - SDCC by themselves.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>If you've been going to San Diego Comic-Con for years, there's a strong chance you'll eventually wind up attending alone. So often your SDCC friends lose patience with it or gain other responsibilities or move across the country where they attend other Cons. Friends fight and friend groups disintegrate; money, illness, aging, and children can reroute any of us into a Con-less life. Sometimes that leaves people on their own, still enthusiastic about SDCC but reluctant to foot the entire hotel bill and embarrassed to go to dinner or events alone. </p><div>Here's the thing, though. Going to SDCC by yourself can be<b> awesome.</b> You'll never have to compromise, can change plans on a whim, and won't be kept awake by drunken roommates (or won't be tiptoeing around if you are the drunken roommate.) Best of all, you are far more likely to meet new people and have new adventures.</div><div><br /></div><div>Every time I post on this topic, people will email me and say they go solo to Comic-Con year after year. Some definitely prefer it, often because they are intensely focused on gaming or collecting or Hall H and they don't need the distraction of human contact. Some did it once and hated it, saying no one talked to them and they felt surrounded by cliques who ignored them. Watching groups of friends or couples or families having fun only deepened their feelings of disconnection. <div><br />There are really two themes here. One is going to SDCC literally on your own and the other is being isolated when you're there. Let's break it down.<br /><br /><b>First of all, a lot of attendees go to SDCC by themselves.</b></div><div><b><br /></b>You wouldn't know this from the 8 jillion happy group photos all over Instagram, but lots of attendees fly solo. People take the train down from LA or fly in from all over the country, other countries. There are a few reasons for this:<br /><ul><li>Some of us really embody the shy and introverted nerd stereotype and don't have many friends to begin with. </li><li>Some of us have a lot of friends but they don't share our nerdy passions.</li><li>Some of us start out with Con friends but then they have kids or mortgages or just lose interest and one day we're the 40-year-old whose friends think Comic-Con is childish. </li><li>Sometimes we're all set to embark on an SDCC adventure with a boyfriend or girlfriend and then we break up 17 days before. </li><li>Some of us go alone on purpose to indulge ourselves and retain complete control over our schedules.</li><li>Some of us are technically solo but have Con friends we always meet up with.</li><li>Some of us technically share a hotel room with someone but do everything on our own.</li></ul>Regardless of what category you fall into, here are a few tips that might help.<br /><br /><b>Even if you're a lone wolf, Con life is much easier with teammates.</b><br /><br />I'm not just talking about buying groups. I'm talking about line shifts, having someone pick up an exclusive while you're watching Preview Night pilots, or bring you food or hold your seat. A few years ago, I got into my most desired panel only because a friend came down and stood in line with me at dawn after drinking all night, and he won a lottery ticket and I didn't. Yes, most attendees are nice people who will honor your place in line while you hit the restroom but overall, Con teammates are a force multiplier. On that note...<br /><br /><b><br /></b><b>If you don't want to bring someone, consider being part of a Comic-Con group. </b><br /><br />If you hang out online in various nerdy/Con spaces, you eventually drift into these digital tribes where everyone supports each other in badge sales, hotel sales and even panel/offsite access. Consider making this effort even if you're very shy in real life. You don't have to become boon companions once you're at the Con but a little support is nice. It might seem odd to you to become line partners with someone online but these arrangements tend to work out reasonably well once you get there. Give it a shot.<br /><br /><br /><b>But don't bring someone just for the sake of companionship.</b><br /><br /></div><div>You may disagree with this. But if your current paramour says "I want to go!" even though they're not into Con stuff at all - don't listen to them. They're actually envisioning a trip where you do SDCC for a few hours every day and then take off with them to go surfing or visit their college friend in Carlsbad. I've dated so many people who think this is reasonable. Outsiders do not get how all-consuming Comic-Con is and they get impatient when you dive in and don't come up for air.<br /><br />Now - I have seen a few people "flip" their SO during the Con and convert them to the Nerd Side. But the SO has to be willing to explore the possibilities.<br /><br /><br /><b>Talk to people once you're there.</b></div><div><b><br /></b>Oh, you hate small talk? So do I. But SDCC works this mysterious transformation where everyone somehow easily converses with everyone else. There's always something to talk about - your hotel room screwup, a drunk celebrity in your elevator, the inevitable gossip about badge or wristband fraud, the piercing injustice of a Hasbro exclusives line. Just participating in these conversations (and they <b>will </b>spring up around you) can help you make interesting connections. Remember - these people share your interests. This isn't like being forced to talk to your coworkers at the office Christmas party. And there are no burdensome social obligations since you'll never see them again.<br /><b><br /></b><b> </b><br /><b>Look for fandom meetups and happy hours.</b><br /><br />You'll probably feel awkward walking in but remember most everyone else there is a stranger too. This includes people who "know" each other online. Meeting your favorite forum or Twitter friends in real life can feel even weirder than meeting a regular stranger. No one is what you expect! So just roll with it and see what happens. You will usually click with at least one person there, if not several. And don't worry about the "odd one" - it's Comic-Con. We're all a little off.<br /><br /><br /><b>If you're looking for company, be blunt.</b><br /><br /></div><div>I can't count the number of semi-strangers who've outright said, "Can I hang out with you guys?" after some conversation. People like adding strangers to their wolf packs, so just ask. SDCC attendees are pretty casual that way.<br /><br /><br /><br /><b>If you're convinced you have zero social skills or appealing traits, force yourself to make conversation.</b><br /><br /></div><div>Several attendees have confessed to me that they are wretched souls scorned by all, and they're doomed to wander Comic-Con alone. They were sure I couldn't possibly understand how <i>hard </i>it was for them. No doubt they're right on that score, but I do know that socially handicapped people need to practice to get better. And you never have to see any attendees again, even if they flee in horror from you. Which they won't. Use SDCC as batting practice.<br /><br /><br /><b>Appreciate the upside of being alone.</b></div><div><b><br /></b>The first half of my SDCC existence was spent with my ex who, may she rest in peace, put up roadblocks constantly to my Comic-Con joy. She wanted to stay in when I wanted to go to a party. She complained about my panel choices but refused to leave my side. She drank too much and got so sick we had to go home early. Etc. </div><div><br /></div><div>You'll hear far more grim stories from some people in tightly-knit groups: fights, control issues, sacrificed event tickets, stolen exclusives, and missed opportunities. <i>Lasting </i>bitterness. So enjoy your freedom and autonomy, go out on the prowl, and do exactly what you want. You are the envy of many.<br /><br /><b>But of course, be careful. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>I'm going to sound like your mom here, but obviously you should use caution if you're alone in a city where no one knows you. Two weekends ago, I wound up rescuing a very drunk girl who went out alone, drank too much, and ended up in a scary way. It reminded me that some people really do rely on the essential goodness of humanity when some humans just aren't good. That includes attendees. Use common sense if you indulge, hook up with someone, stay out late, etc. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br />Okay, I'm done. Last time I said that attendees have the power to make their Con as social as they want it to be - and some people got miffed and felt I was dismissing their challenges. So I'll admit that's not entirely true, but I still believe attendees have more agency than they think here. Good luck and remember the words of French revolutionary General Danton: <i>Boldness, more boldness, and always boldness</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div> I hope you make a new friend at Comic-Con.</div></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-19451759044538850692023-07-11T06:12:00.001-07:002023-07-11T06:12:00.134-07:0012 things to buy for SDCC on Amazon Prime Days<p>11 JULY 2023 </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tsk0ckJP5ag" width="320" youtube-src-id="tsk0ckJP5ag"></iframe></div><br /><p>Amazon Prime Day starts today. You've probably noticed Target and other retailers are trying to muscle in by offering their own deals. All of which means it's a good time to order the little (or expensive) amenities that make SDCC so much better. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>I have no idea if you'll find an actual Prime deal on any of this stuff - but it's worth looking. Just bear in mind that sometimes their "deals" aren't actual savings at all. But you knew that, right? Anyhow:<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>#1.</b> <b>Orthotics and/or supportive shoes.</b> By now, you probably have your Con shoes ready - but it doesn't hurt to buy some cushiony orthotics or extra support. When it comes to SDCC footwear, a general rule of thumb is that the dorkier it looks, the better your feet will feel.<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>#2. Backup batteries and power supplies. </b>Comic-Con is a vampire that sucks the power from phones and cameras - and it can be hard to get a good charge within the convention center. Bring all the extra power sources you can.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>#3.</b> <b>GoPros, cameras, and phones. </b>If you're going to upgrade anyhow sometime this year, do it now. Give yourself enough time to play with the camera and voice recorder. Also, if your current film gear is heavy and cumbersome, consider getting some smaller, Con-friendly devices.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b> #4. Air hammocks and portable chairs.</b> Brag time: last year I bought an incredible chair on Prime Day with a little canopy. I felt kind of ostentatious unfolding it in the ADA line. But it was a <b>life saver </b>as everyone else burned in the sun. Incredible advances have been made in the world of camp and portable chairs, so go ahead and invest. Same for air mattresses, if you're cramming a bunch of people in one hotel room. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>#5.</b> <b>Earplugs and sleep masks. </b>Speaking of sharing rooms. Roommates creep in and out at all hours at SDCC and some hotels are really noisy, especially Gaslamp hotels with rooms close to street level. A portable white noise machine can be a godsend too.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>#6. Braces, splints and other supports.</b> It's easy to aggravate your plantar fasciitis, bad knee, slipped disc, etc. at SDCC. If you have any kind of structural weak spot, give yourself support before it starts hurting.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>#7.</b> <b>Cosplay components.</b> It's always a good idea to buy back-up wigs, props, theatre makeup, fixative sprays, and sewing kits, just to be safe.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>#8</b>. <b>OTC drugs. </b>At some point in SDCC, it's a safe bet you or someone in your group will have sunburn, constipation, a hangover, blisters, a surprise period, a headache, a stiff neck from a weak pillow, eye strain, or some other ailment. And hotel gift shop prices are pure robbery.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>#9.</b> <b>Good water bottles, coolers, and lunch packs. </b>It's amazing to think of how we all used to bake in the sun for hours in line with just a small plastic bottle of water for hydration. Now insulated lunch packs and tumblers can carry us comfortably through a long day of panels and lines.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>#10. Sketchbooks and journals. </b>I feel like scrapbooking is no longer what it used to be in Con circles; same with collecting artist sketches. But I'm sure some of you still do it.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>#11.</b> <b>Digital business cards.</b> Something like a Popl can make it really easy to connect with people - because pulling out a paper business card feels so corporate and yet "I'll find you on Instagram" hardly ever comes to fruition. You can format it however you want, such as including your social accounts, your online portfolio, and a line or two about what you actually do. It's the fastest way to ensure your new contacts can follow up with you.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>#12. Masks. </b>You don't have to mask up if you don't want to - but it doesn't hurt to bring one just in case someone next to you starts coughing with the Bubonic Plague. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">How ready do you feel?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></div>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-23942137021458791532023-07-10T21:45:00.006-07:002023-07-10T21:48:06.630-07:00If panels are a big yawn, how will that impact us?<p> 10 JULY 2023</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijww5MBB2pQEOyi9glczVcV1E7YWQrClomMYqmAi-P7c0eoEqmJZnnzKspEmm7L3Yyl6JTNNFnEjXun7DtCjwxQ3egeGppvpOid_R4s2sos1AaN8fBzBWr-agjtdDHtYu28cV4DwnMMjasEFDI7vnyUCPBtzCWp_xsGBc32a3sIr9J3P-uwioLX0Pqk6Aj/s4000/sdccover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijww5MBB2pQEOyi9glczVcV1E7YWQrClomMYqmAi-P7c0eoEqmJZnnzKspEmm7L3Yyl6JTNNFnEjXun7DtCjwxQ3egeGppvpOid_R4s2sos1AaN8fBzBWr-agjtdDHtYu28cV4DwnMMjasEFDI7vnyUCPBtzCWp_xsGBc32a3sIr9J3P-uwioLX0Pqk6Aj/w640-h480/sdccover.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>So! We've seen what SDCC has to offer for the most part. I'm not going to bother summarizing Saturday and Sunday because you've seen them, you've seen the summaries, and I don't have anything to add. </p><p>Overall, this is a humdrum year. It's definitely good for certain demographics like Star Trek fans or people who want to talk about mental health or people who prayed Chuck D or Bollywood would come to Comic-Con. </p><p>But overall... let's not pretend this is business as usual, as I've seen some people insisting. It's also not "how it used to be," unless you're going back to the 1990s or earlier. (Wasn't around then; can't say.) This is not a rich or enthralling year, and it's okay to say that. You can love SDCC and point out when a year is less than exciting. Even the people I know who are thrilled with the programming (about 3 so far) acknowledge it's not a great year for most attendees. </p><p>So! What's the real impact of all of this? I'll try to mix in the good with the bad:</p><p><b>We'll have more time to spend with our friends.</b></p><p>I guess this is only a win if you actually have SDCC friends. I know many of you don't, which I will address later this week. But if you do, this is the year to enjoy a long, leisurely get together.</p><p><b>On that note, you can actually see San Diego. </b></p><p>Maybe you've always wanted to go to the famous zoo or take a ghost tour or take the ferry to Coronado Island or go surfing. You should be able to carve out a few hours to do so this year. And don't forget the museum exhibits.</p><p><b>The Exhibit Hall will probably be crowded.</b></p><p>The big rooms draw off crowds in two ways: the people who are inside the room and the people who are waiting to get inside the room. With both those radically reduced (math), I imagine more will drift toward the Exhibit Hall. Will it be capped? All I know is I will be grabbing everything I need on Preview Night. I suspect Friday and Saturday will be unbearable.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDlvo8-OpOfPTR-aNCiEq3qRQmugHqStUFnz_fw1h43okfwO6QyGXzvttJGxrPV1nzuNOFA_MUkIikjy5SVgEk4qxsHaz3KFTgb2pGL9ILKid8phsuBZ2_y0WEAOTrxNV8-C3IizXRvoX0U_-D-kXrYnhbHRhTvzCtaZVfcwEgIThrSzlM_l60rfQkExk/s1965/stairs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1106" data-original-width="1965" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDlvo8-OpOfPTR-aNCiEq3qRQmugHqStUFnz_fw1h43okfwO6QyGXzvttJGxrPV1nzuNOFA_MUkIikjy5SVgEk4qxsHaz3KFTgb2pGL9ILKid8phsuBZ2_y0WEAOTrxNV8-C3IizXRvoX0U_-D-kXrYnhbHRhTvzCtaZVfcwEgIThrSzlM_l60rfQkExk/w640-h360/stairs.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><p><b>Some people will probably arrive late or leave early.</b></p><p>I'm probably going to jet out on Saturday night; I know of other people who cancelled their PTO request and will only come for the weekend. (Remember - you can't get your hotel deposit back but you can cancel the other nights.) This could provide some breathing room but it will also impact the city in terms of lower revenue than normal.</p><p><b>People may cancel altogether.</b></p><p>I don't know anyone who has but I'm hearing about it. This I can't really understand - it's still Comic-Con! There's still a lot to do!</p><p><b>Maybe the 2024 badge sale will be slightly easier.</b></p><p>I don't know about this one. I think most of us understand this lethargic year is tied to temporary factors and next year could look quite different. I'm sure the badge sale will be quite competitive. <i>But </i>if we are trending down year over year, yes, eventually it will be slightly easier to get a badge.</p><p><br /></p><p>Tough times for sure. I hope you're still excited; I hope you dig into the entire sphere of SDCC and find something to covet and crave. I really do think that once we're there, we'll feel differently.</p><p>Maybe.</p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-69597675398058206662023-07-09T16:05:00.007-07:002023-07-09T16:09:38.921-07:008 recommendations to bring back the magic of Comic-Con <p> 9 JULY 2023</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiF_x6SpUGM6y-7NJ4Oh4t3e-SSOp0I6i7hqpMDD7Ww9omlf1asC2G25ICCBcC7tJHIudGpM2CdhANrfbd6HDHxdqcmQ17EUXldOph3d5nyKAsgRsNAGgQYpiVuBEAdzpDreLE41vDm-Kny0E-NnSSFfhelRypjJmw4rcoLRIO_bfJGgRHEfPWNP0bZ8Ea/s299/Ho.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiF_x6SpUGM6y-7NJ4Oh4t3e-SSOp0I6i7hqpMDD7Ww9omlf1asC2G25ICCBcC7tJHIudGpM2CdhANrfbd6HDHxdqcmQ17EUXldOph3d5nyKAsgRsNAGgQYpiVuBEAdzpDreLE41vDm-Kny0E-NnSSFfhelRypjJmw4rcoLRIO_bfJGgRHEfPWNP0bZ8Ea/w640-h360/Ho.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>I'll post on Saturday and Sunday panels later tonight. For now, I want to talk ideas to put the rainforests and exotic animals back in our currently barren desert of a Comic-Con landscape.</p><p>And yes, it's a little audacious to tell Netflix and CCI and Marvel and others what to do. But we're their paying customers! If they genuinely care about staying successful, they should want to hear our feedback. </p><p>So here goes, based on my thoughts and my conversations with current and former attendees this weekend.</p><p><b>#1. No more virtual anything</b>. </p><p>Zoom panels are crap. They really are. We can stay home and see that on YouTube. We bought badges and plane tickets and hotel rooms so we could <b>be there in person. </b>If you think we're going to do all that and wait in line for your panel only to get a talking head on a screen, you've lost touch with what makes SDCC so compelling.</p><p><b>#2. Make exclusives actually exclusive, actually interesting, and available on the show floor.</b> </p><p>When I see "available at Funko and Target. com on July 21," it stops being an exclusive to me. It's something anyone can order and frankly, I probably will order it from Target and get it shipped so it's one less thing to bother with at the Con. </p><p>Also - pre-orders at booths are a let-down. This is like coming downstairs on Christmas morning and opening up an empty box. I know it's easier on vendors not to bring a bunch of merchandise in and then ship it back, but I'm so over falling in love with something and being told to fill out a pre-order card. Going home empty-handed feels wrong.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPTzNW0CjcO1I4gQL2CkKZnCY_BzqF0_dO7fJH1AWcvt6L_06N-Ss8aweTAFOqUMxJESF23sNAQgig6GL4tKPdFnIqlP3EAmpkoTjR8wRP473BJJD_ywRx5lQD5o-ByskIuw6gEknmdcfv1HZSBqrpNIXuXulNRNn633nESZ1_r3DYG3K6A7eLUebTRfzt/s800/Empty%20Hall%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPTzNW0CjcO1I4gQL2CkKZnCY_BzqF0_dO7fJH1AWcvt6L_06N-Ss8aweTAFOqUMxJESF23sNAQgig6GL4tKPdFnIqlP3EAmpkoTjR8wRP473BJJD_ywRx5lQD5o-ByskIuw6gEknmdcfv1HZSBqrpNIXuXulNRNn633nESZ1_r3DYG3K6A7eLUebTRfzt/w640-h480/Empty%20Hall%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p><b>#3. Come up with better events</b>. </p><p>I understand that elaborate offsites like the glorious Blade Runner site a few years back can be $$$$. So come up with something lower-cost and just as interesting. This is where NYCC gets it right, in my opinion - well, they used to, at least. They would have events around the city from poetry readings to live art shows to comics discussions to cosplay contents to drinks with authors and more, often with a few writers or actors or artists sprinkled in, that just felt more intimate and enthralling than what's on tap at SDCC. </p><p>Yes, SDCC does a little of this, but mostly it seems to be big splashy parties that sell pricey tickets for an experience you could basically get at a club in your home city.</p><p><b>#4. Bring back good comic talent. </b></p><p>I'll hedge this one slightly because there are some quality faces showing up every year - but it's not what it used to be. I and other comic book geeks (and yes, we're still buying badges) feel that absence. First certain booths and artists went away, with some telling me they just couldn't make the money at SDCC to justify coming. Then even the panels with today's top comic talent started dropping off the schedule. Sadly, I think this is my most unrealistic suggestion. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYhoCB8toMrKdCpzDrTR77cNgdJa5pRPF4DMGGt7cP-JGVuGGue_SPyeB1s0uJ2vAqTDBI5WRpnpuFL-mAPiz49tGkgUsCueFWw2qsoi4UG_CWTqbKpEtcNmqqzdQeYWRHbE0zCW-3WkxkxSnEoidO2FYWvoCdspCaunEGRCFRzrbUV6JBeUXngwmvmMU/s2048/under%20construction.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYhoCB8toMrKdCpzDrTR77cNgdJa5pRPF4DMGGt7cP-JGVuGGue_SPyeB1s0uJ2vAqTDBI5WRpnpuFL-mAPiz49tGkgUsCueFWw2qsoi4UG_CWTqbKpEtcNmqqzdQeYWRHbE0zCW-3WkxkxSnEoidO2FYWvoCdspCaunEGRCFRzrbUV6JBeUXngwmvmMU/w640-h360/under%20construction.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p><b>#5. Start an annual fundraiser or party at the Comic-Con Museum. </b></p><p>I don't understand why they aren't using the museum more as an offsite. I mean, it's there, and I'll probably go on Wednesday, but they should be having an annual fundraiser with multiple celebrity guests and giveaways. People are already paying $150-300 for certain events - they will shell out for a fundraiser. This could easily become a huge draw on Wednesday or Thursday night.</p><p><b>#6. Work with fandom clubs to create offsites and events. </b></p><p><b></b>I suspect this will evolve naturally after this year, because space rental prices will come down and scrappy attendees will spot the opportunity. Here's the difference between studios and attendees: the former is motivated by money, the latter is motivated by passion. That means attendees are willing to go the extra mile to conceive, organize, and promote events and get-togethers. We already hold cosplay photo ops and contests, Battlestar Galactica happy hours and other events dedicated to meeting the fellow fans of even obscure favorites. I think attendees will take this to the next level on their own because most SDCC attendees are veterans who understand the city venues and rhythms, and the more driven will create more elaborate parties and meetups to make the Con feel special again. </p><p>I know CCI was open to these collaborations already on a small level, but I would like to see more crowd-sourcing that gives attendees a bigger voice in official programming. We're brimming with energy and innovation; use us! Just as anyone can submit a panel, they should be able to submit an event proposal with the understanding that they'll be carrying most of the load.</p><p><b>#7. Decide earlier whether to have an SDCC presence, then announce it and stick to it.</b></p><p>No matter what strikes or sinking economy or cancelled series are happening. I get that coming to SDCC can be expensive but there are ways to cut costs without skipping the Con entirely. I think this somewhat reflects the new mindset we see in cancelling series quickly, removing old series from streaming platforms, and hiring CEOs whose decisions irritate everyone.</p><p>Studios need to decide on a presence months before the Con and find ways to make it worthwhile even if they don't have anything big and splashy to promote. Someone like Netflix or Marvel or DC or HBO or Amazon Prime has many assets in their stable. It really doesn't have to be a big loss for them. </p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDV36DFp5WbGbaoWMG4M5vUe6SIPS7AJy81umftayldIC9xV5stw8iInP7Aowsk1aYpQom9ZClRVgdOIflabm_3R4qGHTvUWgqTKGKjxdY8o-2vPA0muIsCgcxlkVSMh1b1U3qZyUBzWr20eCrO8MtzO32KeIen-WZaf6Uuf4qhkpr0R2uEuMrk_-HvD0/s2048/6a%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDV36DFp5WbGbaoWMG4M5vUe6SIPS7AJy81umftayldIC9xV5stw8iInP7Aowsk1aYpQom9ZClRVgdOIflabm_3R4qGHTvUWgqTKGKjxdY8o-2vPA0muIsCgcxlkVSMh1b1U3qZyUBzWr20eCrO8MtzO32KeIen-WZaf6Uuf4qhkpr0R2uEuMrk_-HvD0/w640-h360/6a%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p><b>#8. Understand that fan passion and loyalty are immensely valuable even when that value is difficult to quantify.</b></p><p>We all get it - the bottom line is the bottom line - but I think we also all sense a creative chill in the air where fans and followings and the magic of Hollywood are simply ignored in business decisions. I'm a writer (not a screenwriter - obviously) who is increasingly hearing clients ignore the low quality of ChatGPT writing. They are willing to sacrifice originality and settle for mediocrity because the people who could make them understand the value of originality are no longer in the room. We've all seen this trend growing for years - the focus on reboots and copycats, the unwillingness to invest in fresh ideas and stories, the hiring of creatives based on their social followings, the checklist approach to plots and characters - but it's going to get more dire before it gets better. </p><p>Again, I think this will partly be solved by the rise of indie creators. Dinosaur studios will produce stale content that goes ignored and they won't understand why; some studios will invest in a few whipsmart fresh series and stories that perform well; indie creators will work outside the system, create something ragingly popular, and become the titans of tomorrow.</p><p><br /></p><p>Okay, I have strayed far from the concept of making SDCC great again. But I think you get how it all comes together. I want to make it clear I don't really blame CCI for most of this; I actually have empathy for them and recognize the market factors assailing them. </p><p>But I also recognize that innovation isn't CCI's strong point. They tend to stick with the way they've always done things, instead of being adaptive and responsive and open to outside ideas. So we'll just have to see what next year brings and who is wily and ingenious enough to seize the SDCC throne and fill the vacuum of 2023.</p><p>What changes do you want to see next year? How would you reinvigorate San Diego Comic-Con?</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-34459446408345883172023-07-07T17:41:00.003-07:002023-07-07T17:41:38.263-07:00What do you think of Thursday and Friday panels?<p> 7 JULY 2023</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl057HIoVuH_HYNxQ6cp-QE6EBB3Ybk39e1At5jR71ktcL7LLrrc2kGjH7JdXe3ME1IN31B8f7C3bIFUyhzU8HiDvAZeVztjQFOC99LcmjTgXAYj4ddRsGyA6pZEsU5L1kyoYhRRbgtuAWG8woLmFieRToKidD6CpB3ufP-Aaz8snInrhCLArOTSYZfGUk/s4000/sdcchallhh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl057HIoVuH_HYNxQ6cp-QE6EBB3Ybk39e1At5jR71ktcL7LLrrc2kGjH7JdXe3ME1IN31B8f7C3bIFUyhzU8HiDvAZeVztjQFOC99LcmjTgXAYj4ddRsGyA6pZEsU5L1kyoYhRRbgtuAWG8woLmFieRToKidD6CpB3ufP-Aaz8snInrhCLArOTSYZfGUk/w640-h480/sdcchallhh.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>We're in those magic days when CCI releases the line-up of SDCC panels. So far we have slightly more than half the Con. Let's review.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Wednesday</b></p><p>Preview Night shows include:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>World premier of <i>Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake</i></li><li>New episodes of <i>Riverdale </i>and <i>Teen Titans Go!</i></li><li>Screenings of <i>Mrs. Davis</i> and <i>Superpowered: the DC Story. </i></li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Thursday</b></p><p>CCI served up some changes this year. Archer is today in Ballroom 20 and not on Friday in the Indigo Ballroom? Tegan and Sara created a graphic novel about middle school? </p><p>Overall, today confirmed that SDCC is moving in a ReedPop direction in terms of offering more pop culture that is not as tethered to traditional concepts of nerddom. Take <i>Cruel Summer</i>, for instance. That's been happening for a while but it feels more and more pronounced as time goes on. Like I can't imagine a <i>Friends</i> or <i>Pretty Little Liars</i> panel in Hall H back in the day when I first went to Comic-Con, but now I absolutely think one would fit right in.</p><p>Ballroom 20 is decent, offering <i>Ghosts, Archer, What We Do in the Shadows</i> and <i>Twisted Metal. </i></p><p>Hall H is scant - that's the only word for it. There are just 3 panels: <i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i>, <i>Project K</i> (which does look interesting) and <b>Spider-Man 2</b>. If you're looking for Kevin Smith, he's in room 6BCF.</p><p>CCI continues their much-appreciated efforts to bring forth marginalized voices, with panels presenting Indigenous, neurodiverse, Indian, and LGBTQ perspectives. Even Mormon gaming culture gets a panel.</p><p>We've always had creative panels on Thursdays, and this year that includes practical advice on freelance tax tips (something I know from personal experience very few tax advisors understand) and financial management for creatives.</p><p>Overall, this feels like a scattershot day. It's good news in that you should be able to access most any panel you want. And if this is your first day in the Con, you'll have plenty of time to ransack the Exhibit Hall and wander off to cross offsites off your list. Maybe even go to the Comic-Con Museum.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYZR3xzqy2IHLqYpV32FuGb7NpyD02S3ORKHfSvM8lzVrIxzaAQo93QvbwTMu_x9Ao4e-IHqc1Xtv-_kPI7fr5muo_Hmj1j00EMdQenGFvvY1Q8zzSl6zO9jtKh-8kb7xW5YX31mPKXKmOm3sCantTnw0Lkqafl2vIBZMSVcrNlb1yU9Zt86cn4qmxNpy/s2048/1500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1307" data-original-width="2048" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYZR3xzqy2IHLqYpV32FuGb7NpyD02S3ORKHfSvM8lzVrIxzaAQo93QvbwTMu_x9Ao4e-IHqc1Xtv-_kPI7fr5muo_Hmj1j00EMdQenGFvvY1Q8zzSl6zO9jtKh-8kb7xW5YX31mPKXKmOm3sCantTnw0Lkqafl2vIBZMSVcrNlb1yU9Zt86cn4qmxNpy/w640-h408/1500.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>Friday</b></p><p>There have been years where Friday offered up riches that made Saturday look tepid. This year is not one of them. It's interesting, for sure; some of the smaller literary and comic panels caught my eye and who knew that Jamie Lee Curtis wrote an eco horror graphic novel or that Disney is collaborating with the ghost of Ernest Hemingway. (Answer - everyone but me, probably.) </p><p>But I can't pretend that this is one of those Fridays where Ballroom 20, Indigo, and Hall H are blazing with beautiful options. I think we can call this a dilettante's Comic-Con, where you can safely weave in and out of panels, the Exhibit Hall, offsites, and social events without committing too much time in any one spot. I don't mean that as a bad thing; I think people might actually come out of this with a higher net satisfaction because they won't be spending 12 hours waiting for just one thing.</p><p><b>Here are a few highlights.</b></p><p>Todd McFarlane, Junji Ito, Ben Templesmith, and Jim Lee all have panels.</p><p>Today offers up good Star Wars and Star Trek content. Special shoutout to my friends' panel, <b>Star Wars Fandom in the Immersive Frontier,</b> which you absolutely will want to attend in your best Sith Lord finery. </p><p>Today seems the official spooky day. A new paranormal series calls <i>Haunted Discoveries</i> premieres tonight; there's also a panel called <b>Mary Shelley Presents</b>, the title of which made my soul twinge, and several horror comic panels. Madelaine Petsch's new film trilogy <i>The Strangers</i> has a panel too, which will be catnip for every Cheryl Blossom fan. Show up early.</p><p>While Thursday has also been a ripe day for creatives, this Friday offers lots of good how-to panels on storyboarding, breaking into comics, ghostwriting, comic writing, fiction writing, designing tabletop games, cosplay, podcasting and a whole lot more. Put your genius hat on!</p><p>I haven't watched <i>Invincible </i>but I know people who like it, and I suspect the panel with Robert Kirkman and hopefully Steven Yeun and maybe Sandra Oh will be super popular.</p><p>Hall H offers up 3 panels again - and one of them is from Collider. Ouch. You'll see <i>Haunted Mansion</i> footage and get a Creator poster, true. Then there's the <i>Walking Dead </i>universe and Entertainment Weekly's <b>Brave Warriors</b> which is code for your TV boyfriends.</p><p>The Indigo Ballroom offers up a decent day with <i>Rick and Morty, Bob's Burgers </i>and <i>Metalocalypse,</i> among others. </p><p>The sun goes down and multiple entertainment options rise up:</p><p><i>Justice League Warworld</i> premieres. These DC premieres are a Friday night staple and it's nice to see them continue. If I wasn't going to Mosh Eisley, I would go to this.</p><p>Or maybe I would go to the 8:15 premiere of<i> Sand Land</i> from the creator of DragonBall, which also should entice anime fans. </p><p>The Eisners are tonight and so is a Christian mixer.</p><p>And so is a panel that says it is NOT a special screening of Invincible Season 2. I'm convinced!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjBRkwdVMLBU6I5mJkBSLx42g0okE7awzruJr4HXg0grznAmkrY0RpJSY-SfVOJQXPTTE7XqOVHzM4V5tg7DRjcXBIm5ngDS5BR9wa8SLm_6jT4ITKbajhPft6mS43xCi7flx8w6V-CT6U6F1n6wNWYvesRyOnxVYP53M0Qr4OinsBWEDhnWinlEx5UA6/s2048/Sails.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="2048" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjBRkwdVMLBU6I5mJkBSLx42g0okE7awzruJr4HXg0grznAmkrY0RpJSY-SfVOJQXPTTE7XqOVHzM4V5tg7DRjcXBIm5ngDS5BR9wa8SLm_6jT4ITKbajhPft6mS43xCi7flx8w6V-CT6U6F1n6wNWYvesRyOnxVYP53M0Qr4OinsBWEDhnWinlEx5UA6/w640-h396/Sails.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>So.... there's half the programming. So far I'm seeing about 40% of attendees insist this is as good as every other year and 60% say ".....Oh." And then there are the uncounted attendees who maintain a diplomatic silence.</p><p>The other day I was reminiscing about the years we hustled back and forth between Nerd HQ and Conan and ScareDiego and other events that made SDCC feel like such a rich, nonstop party. I think the absence of those is contributing to a sort of empty feeling many of us have - without them, we naturally look to official Con programming so much more. </p><p>And I think that programming is still quite good, if lacking the "It" factor of earlier years.There's a huge difference between looking at the programming as a whole and experiencing panels one by one. I'm sure the Big Room attendees, who spend the entire Con in Ballroom 20, Hall H, or Indigo, have thoughts about this year. But that just means they now have the time to explore something new. </p><p>And as Ted Roosevelt reminded us, comparison is the thief of joy - so we're probably all best served by focusing on this year for what it is. Once we're there, I think SDCC will feel as emotional and exciting as it always does. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-46904610046477500932023-07-04T20:08:00.007-07:002023-07-04T20:08:56.386-07:00A word on the exclusives portal<p> 4 JULY 2023</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhT7tPCVDlCxd4CfYQyXabM_RJAENaiVzfgnQCqxQgpF3I8sm9ZGSdcaVdJSyqHbK9Fl7u5k4AZ8LXhcpzHPEaN6JjPK3z41jJ-XGf1tjKU4mbJ43hsFSQNP1KDMwG1KpPy5ULDyyEmGD8l1kxR9Wu874x1cMW0gpyTgtJ_0QIz6o4mTHKAnY6_yMF2OW/s1280/Batman%20Wonder%20Woman%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhT7tPCVDlCxd4CfYQyXabM_RJAENaiVzfgnQCqxQgpF3I8sm9ZGSdcaVdJSyqHbK9Fl7u5k4AZ8LXhcpzHPEaN6JjPK3z41jJ-XGf1tjKU4mbJ43hsFSQNP1KDMwG1KpPy5ULDyyEmGD8l1kxR9Wu874x1cMW0gpyTgtJ_0QIz6o4mTHKAnY6_yMF2OW/w640-h480/Batman%20Wonder%20Woman%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Happy Independence Day! I apologize for being MIA but my last week has been death, food poisoning, and other grisly obligations. </p><p>Things are about to get real this week with the panels being announced. Right now, though, I know many of us are struggling with the exclusives lottery. If you're having trouble with the portal or you're dismayed at what's currently on offer, here's my advice:</p><p>Wait.</p><p>There is zero point to committing yourself right away. Last year, if you'll recall, some vendors were added after we allocated our points - and we weren't able to reassign them. That was a bitter pill. Hopefully that won't be the case this year but I wouldn't rush in, just to be safe. The portal is open until 16 July. Wait and see.</p><p>I actually got picked for my favorite exclusive last year (alas, for a time slot during my favorite panel) so don't conclude this is hopeless, as many attendees will insist. I know it's difficult, I know the user interface is terrible, and right now the exclusives on offer aren't appetizing or abundant. But more will be added. I think we're all trained to launch into action the nanosecond something goes live, but this is one time when it pays to hang back.</p><p>For now, keep checking it out and focus more on the exciting information we're about to get:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>The Souvenir Book cover. </b>This is always a fun reveal that signals Comic-Con magic is in the air. Last year it was announced the day before the programming went live, which means we might get it tomorrow. Or maybe not.</li><li><b>Panel and programming announcements. </b>If you're new - panels and such are announced 2 weeks in advance to the day. Thursday panels will be announced this Thursday, Friday panels on Friday, etc. We'll also officially find out Preview Night pilots and some other stuff. </li></ul><p></p><p>After that, we'll get the Exhibit Hall map and other useful information, but I think it's the panels that will really set the tone for how attendees feel about this San Diego Comic-Con. So don't get too frustrated over the exclusives panel - good things are on the way.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLbQHr-y5b4neHFnMfipgQolU54olwV3gKZv8X9uZVoRII1yOBw6reACjngQFjGVXFt1uKsWSj54pC7PclAXVbdqEQqbVAYjYqMyN6r3HOehGCWwr1PDQSZsV1sB_m6xB0NmwZ9byBeAeUzUg-V1b_9YFfvCNNS-4ytOQJnUA40Wmkroco2E73ioW-K1s/s286/Ray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="220" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLbQHr-y5b4neHFnMfipgQolU54olwV3gKZv8X9uZVoRII1yOBw6reACjngQFjGVXFt1uKsWSj54pC7PclAXVbdqEQqbVAYjYqMyN6r3HOehGCWwr1PDQSZsV1sB_m6xB0NmwZ9byBeAeUzUg-V1b_9YFfvCNNS-4ytOQJnUA40Wmkroco2E73ioW-K1s/w308-h400/Ray.jpg" width="308" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-2279316743874537232023-06-28T14:41:00.005-07:002023-06-28T14:42:23.328-07:00Inflation doesn't seem to have hit the SDCC Ebay badge sale<p> 28 JUNE 2023</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieRILRLNGkwzKy-XT1Nc2Qv2gzr5DwmLfp5yYqujrOskNNwGNPnPapMmuvX02kQ8m-RslyaLT5W21vhktmikNz8YurjdVz7XRRqkM7wCyrxZx8P1YufynxngEc2v5uY_Y8gT2s8moD32zoOVZp4hseHunnpUl9UQZW-WJZWEv0RSCqrVXHmC4044N53LJ9" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieRILRLNGkwzKy-XT1Nc2Qv2gzr5DwmLfp5yYqujrOskNNwGNPnPapMmuvX02kQ8m-RslyaLT5W21vhktmikNz8YurjdVz7XRRqkM7wCyrxZx8P1YufynxngEc2v5uY_Y8gT2s8moD32zoOVZp4hseHunnpUl9UQZW-WJZWEv0RSCqrVXHmC4044N53LJ9" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>CCI has released a select number of <a href="https://comic-con.org/toucan/2-comic-con-2023-ebay-badge-auctions" target="_blank">badges on Ebay</a> - and <a href="https://www.ebay.com/str/comicconinternational" target="_blank">the bidding is about what you'd expect.</a> Remember that each sale includes 2 Preview Night badges, so paying $1000-1500 per auction really isn't that bad - more than double the normal price, sure, but you're not dealing with some shady reseller or scalper and the proceeds go to a good cause. That good cause being the Comic-Con Museum.</p><p><b>A few facts:</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>You can't win this and then turn in your current badges for a refund.</li></ul><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>You <i>can </i>win an auction and then assign the badges to whoever you want, as long as they set up a Member ID account. This makes this a nice option for a family where only some siblings got a badge last fall, or someone who has a new girlfriend/boyfriend or parents who'd love to give their kid a killer graduation present. </li></ul><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>On that note, you're allowed to win multiple auctions. So if you're untouched by the ravages of inflation and this unfriendly economy - have at it.</li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><p>We're just a week out from the official schedule posting. Exciting, right? I feel like next week will be the pivotal moment - well, four days - when people decide exactly how they feel about San Diego Comic-Con 2023.</p>Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4392159341550196250.post-37932343664718757512023-06-26T20:07:00.005-07:002023-06-26T20:09:15.175-07:00ADA information, creative connections, and Amazon Prime Day<p> 26 JULY 2023</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZIBeihcrd5idHOi1BNfuINWcOsL3FE8yPAr8anYxReftAGTwBdlqXZfwFf6syWBc73qLO6XS7bQmW3RfQC2Exq2NFS-jgnBlif5LZQRw5oVz-5hF_8hWZuwj_AYt0QSqe7j-BOc7E8AjuUEPxQagsnswg4hVx1KWCnnVv4DtwVlGvvWNHCy9XRhpfSec/s3059/SOI-INDJ5HATPIN01-CP1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3059" data-original-width="3059" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZIBeihcrd5idHOi1BNfuINWcOsL3FE8yPAr8anYxReftAGTwBdlqXZfwFf6syWBc73qLO6XS7bQmW3RfQC2Exq2NFS-jgnBlif5LZQRw5oVz-5hF_8hWZuwj_AYt0QSqe7j-BOc7E8AjuUEPxQagsnswg4hVx1KWCnnVv4DtwVlGvvWNHCy9XRhpfSec/w640-h640/SOI-INDJ5HATPIN01-CP1.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>If there's one evergreen piece of SDCC content you can count on in Comic-Con season, it's "Your San Diego Comic-Con Checklist!" It's the ever-multiplying field mouse of SDCC guidance, when you were hoping more for the rare snow leopard variety that tells you how to book a Hard Rock room and get a front row seat in Hall H.</p><p>No snow leopards here, at least not tonight. But CCI did thoughtfully serve up a <a href="https://comic-con.org/toucan/1-gear-and-get-excited-%E2%80%93-comic-con-2023-prep-tips" target="_blank">listicle of SDCC prep tips and they're pretty good. </a> Here are a few that caught my eye:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"Comic-Con strongly encourages the use of approved face coverings for everyone participating in the event." <i>Encourages</i> means <i>not mandated,</i> so you won't have to cover up your gorgeous visage - unless you bought some very cute masks off Etsy that you want to show off. As someone who has been exposed to COVID a few dozen times and not caught it, I will be going <i>mask off. </i></li></ul><div><i><br /></i></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>They advocate the use of their CCI app - and I agree. I think there's a breed of SDCC attendee, of which I am a member, that scoffs at official apps and guides and prefers to forge ahead powered by their own experience, intuition, and luck - but that's honestly an inefficient way to forge. <a href="https://comic-con.org/apps" target="_blank">The app really does contain a multitude of valuable information that you'll need to consult on the fly.</a></li></ul><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>They also mention the FedEx office in the convention center and another on E Street. What they don't mention: the FedEx office right next door at the Marriott Marquis. This is often much faster.</li></ul><div><br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Finally, they advocate using a translation app so you can chat up international friends in your fandom. Let's be real: ChatGPT and Bard will be doing the translating, line strategizing, and other SDCC cheat codes. Will our AI frenemies do it well? I think this is their first SDCC so maybe not, but we can train them to be of more value next year. Unless we're all crushed under their digital heel by then.</li></ul><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJE5tQMw7asU0RlZSUgfy2uXqrlL6VlkNTtdqDEuNQcZGTHY9cgU6qU6ULJ_R2kIddpB_efe8PW5TGy3wNzNjVndEmAZotbB_Wqd8P2YYfqj4xq7O-c9dK1RS9z88UM1lHYV19FbdqkgNYyo4BogzD_GUypDnoJS1ux3LjWUqodNaZKS211l96gsYBRPQj/s1280/meeting%20collaboration.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="1280" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJE5tQMw7asU0RlZSUgfy2uXqrlL6VlkNTtdqDEuNQcZGTHY9cgU6qU6ULJ_R2kIddpB_efe8PW5TGy3wNzNjVndEmAZotbB_Wqd8P2YYfqj4xq7O-c9dK1RS9z88UM1lHYV19FbdqkgNYyo4BogzD_GUypDnoJS1ux3LjWUqodNaZKS211l96gsYBRPQj/w640-h424/meeting%20collaboration.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Connecting and Creating</b></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://comic-con.org/toucan/comic-creator-connection-returns-comic-con-2023" target="_blank">Comic Creator Connection</a> is back, in which desperate writers swarm inkers, colorists, and pencillers with their unpublished dreams. As always, visual artists are welcome both nights (Thursday and Friday) but writers can only sign up for one night.</div><div><br /></div><div>You might think <a href="https://comic-con.org/toucan/gaming-creator-connection-2023" target="_blank">Gaming Creator Connection</a> runs the same way, but no - this is more of an event where aspiring game devs get advice from seasoned veterans. I wish CCI would do this for writers as well - not just comic writers but novelists, screenwriters, etc. Beginner "how to" panels are fine, but networking is far more helpful in building community.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRrEDp6ATQSor1QnKxif2Yy10qsnEs3B0DweAXiqA7JeK_icLwDdQJF6jFCDCtOWoaCnDOfl5BxqFin7asfwTVACVNPdOAv-yK0wQJ-oCLacItlWIXoccaoIXPHk-76Wrp6L-q7gXLGzNutM2nnfixAJDjgRid-vb3_sln8G8A6rIXLGQYvazN32IVEda/s2048/sdccline.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRrEDp6ATQSor1QnKxif2Yy10qsnEs3B0DweAXiqA7JeK_icLwDdQJF6jFCDCtOWoaCnDOfl5BxqFin7asfwTVACVNPdOAv-yK0wQJ-oCLacItlWIXoccaoIXPHk-76Wrp6L-q7gXLGzNutM2nnfixAJDjgRid-vb3_sln8G8A6rIXLGQYvazN32IVEda/w640-h480/sdccline.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div><b>ADA</b></div><div>Last year was my first year in a Hall H ADA line, due to a friend's freak accident on Preview Night. I learned a lot and saw a lot, my biggest grievance being that they let disabled people bake all the day in the sun even when it was clear they wouldn't make the cut off. Anyhow. I recommend <a href="https://comic-con.org/cci/deaf-and-disabled-services" target="_blank">reading the entire ADA section </a>because there's detailed information on requesting an interpreter, reserving shuttle rides, and other important stuff.</div><div><br /></div><div>A few other things:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>No support animals are allowed - just service dogs. Your therapy hamster has to stay home.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>It says the first half or third of the ADA line is in the nice air-conditioned lobby but "the Hall H line may subject you to many long hours in the sun." No kidding. So bring a fancy chair with a shade visor. Work with friends to do shifts. And if you're wondering why they can't just erect a tent or move the line under a tent, "The Convention Center does not allow tents or structures in that area." I find that answer so unsatisfying.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>All attendants need a badge - and they can buy them onsite! The Disabled Services booth gives your attendant a coupon to take to those RFID booths in Lobby A, and the attendant can buy a badge there. Did everyone know that but me? A select group of attendees can still buy badges onsite. Fascinating. </li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div>Also - they announced Amazon Prime Day(s) and it's July 11-12. That gives you enough time to order <a href="http://www.comicconguide.com/2022/07/12-things-to-buy-on-amazon-prime-day.html" target="_blank">air mattresses, fancy line chairs, sunscreen, coolers, batteries, and other critical stuff.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Depressing thought: a month from today, we'll already be back home and putting SDCC 2023 in our review mirror.</div><p></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289772971099476495noreply@blogger.com0