1 AUGUST 2014
Here's some good news: the young cosplayer found bloody on the side of the road and hospitalized was not assaulted, according to police.
The story is still ambiguous because only the girl knows the entire story - and while she's regained consciousness in the hospital, her memory is fuzzy. But the police are considering her injuries the result of a fall, thanks to security camera footage.
We know a little more about what happened and some of the details are heartbreaking: it was her 17th birthday and her first Comic-Con, and she wound up in the hospital with skull and eye socket fractures and brain hemorrhaging. The man arrested was charged with sexual contact with a minor and "contributing to the delinquency" of a minor - and he's denying both. That would be Justin Kalior who runs Project Cosplay on YouTube. Apparently the two came to Comic-Con together.
Police are saying there could be other suspects and would like to talk to anyone who saw the girl or Kalior around the Marriott between 11 p.m. Saturday and 2 a.m. Sunday. If you have information, please email sdhpiwatch@portofsandiego.org.
Still a dismal story, but not quite as violent as was originally reported. It sounds like the girl has a long recovery ahead of her, so let's support her and her family in any way we can, including by honoring her privacy.
ETA: The Mary Sue has posted an update.
Showing posts with label 2014. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2014. Show all posts
Comic-Con 2014: what first-timers have to say
1 AUGUST 2014
Amber. Amber and her husband possibly set a Comic-Con record: they spent less than an hour in line the whole weekend. Their secrets included skipping Hall H and Ballroom 20 and exclusives and magically getting their Friday badges at 8:30 in only 15 minutes. (That's one thing that has improved; with the higher number of people attending Preview Night, Friday, Saturday and Sunday badge lines are much better than they used to be.) That said, they did hit a huge number of panels and had a generally well-rounded Comic-Con experience. That included a post-Eisner party, the Masquerade, the Nerd HQ Orphan Black panel and the Playback Room at the Omni to watch some of the biggest panels there. Their one disappointment was the Game of Thrones: Survive the Realm experience, the lines for which ultimately proved impossible.
All in all they had a great time, made friends, and called the Con-goers "overall such a happy, considerate crowd." True, that. Also noted: "We couldn't have made it without Twitter and our back-up battery for our mobile devices." Next year they intend to buy Thursday if possible, submit faster for the hotel lottery, and hit the popular outside events on Thursday when the lines aren't quite as long. And take Monday off work because "Comic-Con felt like a cross between Disneyland and Vegas to me, and we were exhausted when we got home."
Final tally: "We had a BLAST!"
And that wraps up 2014. I’m now shifting to an off-season posting schedule. Thanks for reading and I hope that whether you stayed home or saw the show, you got something out of Comic-Con this summer. I’ll be back with updates on Pre-registration and any other news that washes up. Until then, stay nerdy - and try not to miss me.
A
week ago we were at Comic-Con. By now you’ve unpacked and done your laundry, probably regretted a few
decisions, and made at least two or three resolutions for how you’ll do
everything different next year, should the lottery gods smile upon you. There's always a slight feeling of relief when it's over, isn't there? Especially when you've logged in quite a few summers at the convention center.
For
a different perspective, here’s how some first-timers experienced Comic-Con.
Abbas. While
he knew to expect lines for the big panels, the fact that there were lines for
the exhibitor booths, for the toys, for the outside events, and even to pick up
his pre-paid SDCC shirt was less expected. And the panel lines were “a huge
shock. Yes, you read about them over and over again but you never quite expect
the enormity of it all.”
While he successfully attended Ballroom 20 on Thursday (with an arrival time of
7 am), Saturday for Hall H was a different story. He arrived at 4 am and
discovered that all 6500 wristbands had been handed out and there were another
2000 people in front of him without a wristband. So he did the wise thing and
went to breakfast. His overall conclusion is that the number of attendees need to be reduced
or there should be lotteries for attending panels. He was also surprised at the
number of times a staffer directed him to the wrong place and was disappointed that
he had to “work” for freebies by watching a demo or sending a tweet, etc. I’ve
heard a number of people complain about this.
On the positive side, he was impressed by the good
energy among attendees and the civility that tends to prevail even when we’re
all feeling hot, crowded and tired of waiting. “The level of courtesy and
patience was amazingly high.” He also loved watching the cosplay.
Final tally: “While the experience did not match my
expectations, it was still a fun thing to do.”
Fred. His first response was a common one: “All of
my planning went out the window when I actually was in the thick of
things. I had to rearrange my schedule on the fly in response to the
crush of humanity in the lines.” Yep, that happens. He did make some panels,
including The Last Ship, Falling Skies, and the NASA one. He didn’t try
for the big room panels based on my comments but says he preferred watching
them at home anyhow because the sacrifices to see them live wouldn’t have been
worth it. I feel slightly guilty about this.
As a comic book nerd, Fred “really enjoyed the comic
publishers' booths. It was fun to meet some of my favorite artists and
pick up a few of their SDCC exclusive variants of the books that I collect.” That said, his
exclusives experience was less ideal. “I didn't like how the purchasing
procedure for the Lego exclusives seems to be rigged by the vendors. I
saw vendors briefing their "employees" that they had hired to be
place holders in the line. So by the time the sale went live, the
exclusives were already sold out each day. I later saw these same vendors
on the exhibition hall floor selling the exclusives at double and
even triple the original price.” Again, this is something I’ve
heard from multiple people.
Final tally: “Besides the Lego fiasco, I enjoyed
SDCC very much. I met a lot of great people whom I hope to see again next
year.”
Kristen. Interestingly she is a non-nerd who was
dragged into this by friends. (I always wonder about those people who don’t
even care they have a Comic-Con badge and so I'm glad one has reached out to me.) I’m happy to report she converted to our ways
on the spot; the siren’s song of weird toys and flashy footage and new video games pulled her in.
She made it into Hall H on Saturday but one of the
people in her room didn’t get a wristband in time and got shut out, which
caused a riff in their group and cast a shadow over the weekend. That can
happen when you’re with a group of friends. They stayed in Hall H all the way
through Gotham; she was very into the Batman vs Superman footage and though she’s
“not a sci-fi person at all” she was intrigued by Jupiter Ascending. I don’t
know, Kristen, I’m sensing the seed of sci-fi fandom in you. Just let it happen.
Final tally: “I’m glad I went.”
Ferd and Gail. Overall they had the most positive
experience of all my attendees. They got many of their exclusives and hit many
panels, including Battlestar Galactica, Under the Dome, Scorpion (which they
rated highly), Reign, iZombie (another favorite), Inside the Writers Room, The
Whedonverse, and Rulers of the Realm. They also met Jane Espenson, a major SDCC
goal, attended Evangeline Lilly’s signing and got autographs from George RR
Martin and Anne Rice, along with others.
They couldn’t do everything; while the lines for the
Game of Thrones panel was predictably insurmountable, the outside events like
the Gotham zipline and the GOT Survive the Realm had too-long lines as well.
Ferd wanted to attend the creative how-to panels but there wasn’t time. Next
year, Ferd.
Their tip for other attendees: they brought along lightweight (12 oz) tripod camp stools that “really
came in handy” during long waits in line.
Final tally: “It was awesome fun!”
Tanner. Tanner got a badge as a gift from his grandparents after wanting to go to SDCC for years. He and his friend had "an amazing time" but "got into trouble at one point" - he didn't elaborate. Apparently he didn't wind up in Comic-Con jail or anything because he managed to get into the Sons of Anarchy panel on Sunday and he also scored some free video games. The girls were also hotter than he expected. Glad the women of SDCC exceeded your expectations, Tanner. Maybe you can put together a calendar next year.
Final tally: "Definitely going next year."
Nina. She came with her boyfriend. They did two
separate shows, as couples sometimes do; he vanished into the flashy world of
gaming panels and tournaments and she went to the cosplay panels and the voice
acting panels. She expected “more real opportunities” to “meet people” and find
out how to break into the industry. “These panels give advice but that is as
far as it goes. I didn’t find out anything I didn’t already know.” Fair enough.
While I do think the creative tracks offer value at SDCC, they aren't the place to be discovered. To make connections, you need to be at the right bars and parties. (And not reek of desperation and professional failure.)
Unfortunately her own costume failed her, so she was
unable to carry out her first major cosplay adventure as planned. I can see
where that would be a huge disappointment. Left to her own devices, she found a
few TV panels to go to but they were all inaccessible. She and her boyfriend
did make the Fight Club panel and she was bored.
Final tally: “It wasn’t very helpful.” She doesn’t
know if she’ll be back.Amber. Amber and her husband possibly set a Comic-Con record: they spent less than an hour in line the whole weekend. Their secrets included skipping Hall H and Ballroom 20 and exclusives and magically getting their Friday badges at 8:30 in only 15 minutes. (That's one thing that has improved; with the higher number of people attending Preview Night, Friday, Saturday and Sunday badge lines are much better than they used to be.) That said, they did hit a huge number of panels and had a generally well-rounded Comic-Con experience. That included a post-Eisner party, the Masquerade, the Nerd HQ Orphan Black panel and the Playback Room at the Omni to watch some of the biggest panels there. Their one disappointment was the Game of Thrones: Survive the Realm experience, the lines for which ultimately proved impossible.
All in all they had a great time, made friends, and called the Con-goers "overall such a happy, considerate crowd." True, that. Also noted: "We couldn't have made it without Twitter and our back-up battery for our mobile devices." Next year they intend to buy Thursday if possible, submit faster for the hotel lottery, and hit the popular outside events on Thursday when the lines aren't quite as long. And take Monday off work because "Comic-Con felt like a cross between Disneyland and Vegas to me, and we were exhausted when we got home."
Final tally: "We had a BLAST!"
So, no real surprises here. Some people had a great time,
some people didn’t. Again, Comic-Con isn’t for everyone. And despite all of the warnings about the lines, there was no way to fully grasp their extremity until viewed in person. I think it's like seeing a dinosaur in person - it's not an experience you can be adequately prepared for.
And that wraps up 2014. I’m now shifting to an off-season posting schedule. Thanks for reading and I hope that whether you stayed home or saw the show, you got something out of Comic-Con this summer. I’ll be back with updates on Pre-registration and any other news that washes up. Until then, stay nerdy - and try not to miss me.
What can we do better?
30 JULY 2014
Comic-Con was a good one for me this year, but there's no denying it ended on a dark note for many in the community. Three incidents have been the topic of much conversation:
I realize that to an outsider, the last one may sound trivial compared to the other two. But it's stirred up a lot of enmity among dedicated Hall H nerds and serves as an example of how SDCC is cracking at the seams. In any case, in the absence of perfect solutions, probably the best thing we can do is ask ourselves as a community: what can we do better?
The cosplayer incident has caused a lot of people to throw shade at CCI for their failure to institute a stronger anti-harassment policy this summer. While I feel CCI should have made more of an effort in that direction, I don't think we can lay this crime at their feet. All the posters and policies in the world probably wouldn't have stopped this assault from happening. (ETA: It wasn't an assault as reported but an accident - but police have arrested a suspect for other reasons.)
What we can take from this are 2 things. One, some people really do have a frightening attitude toward cosplayers (or sexually attractive women in general.) It doesn't matter if they're a small minority - it only takes 1 person to grope, harass, follow or worse. Let's stop trivializing women's complaints. Two, it's important to be cautious in regard to who we trust. Let me be clear, I'm not blaming the victim in any way. But when the arrest report was published, and people saw the arrest took place at the Marriott Marquis, there were way too many reactions of, "No way was it another attendee!"
People seemed shocked at the idea that our friendly little community might harbor a few monsters. Whether it was an attendee or not, we all need to realize that there are 130,000 of us. It's easy to become instant friends with the people next to you in line or bond with strangers in the elevator. That kinship is one of the main things people love about the Con.
But given our numbers, it's statistically likely that we have sociopaths and criminals in our midst. Another attendee grabbed my chest in my hotel bar. Do you think he cared that I was a fellow nerd, someone in his community? No, he saw a woman rejecting him and he lashed out. Comic-Con isn't a magical safety zone where only good people can enter on their best behavior. So let's take this as a reminder to not place too much trust in the strangers around us. And if you do see anyone acting offensively, speak up.
As for lines - we all know how bad it was this year. I feel somewhat guilty because the advice I gave on when to get in line proved woefully inadequate. But I also wonder how complicit I and other outlets are in creating this level of insanity. When we all tell the world how horrible Hall H lines are, and how early you have to get there, are we in fact making it worse? Are we helping people get into their dream panels - or are we acting as carnival barkers, driving people to create the thing we complain about? I would feel as if I was lying by omission if I didn't warn people about the lines. At the same time, I know I'm feeding that panic.
I don't know the solution here. Tickets and room-clearing are one, but right now we have to deal with the situation as it is. I never thought anything could top the Twilight fans and their multi-day campouts but the arguments and bitterness over this year's lines were truly depressing. As someone who simply gave up on Hall H years ago, it's easy for me to ignore this but I know that many of you live and die for Hall H panels. At the very least CCI should provide a fair and orderly mechanism for lining up. The feuds and blaming that followed this weekend have been destructively ugly.
All in all, I believe SDCC is still a mostly safe place. People get assaulted everywhere, after all. But before the community is poisoned by arguments and distrust, we need to find whatever solutions we can, whether it's amongst ourselves or by asking CCI to do better.
Comic-Con was a good one for me this year, but there's no denying it ended on a dark note for many in the community. Three incidents have been the topic of much conversation:
- The ZombieWalk accident in which a woman was hospitalized with a broken arm
- A brutal incident where an underage cosplayer wound up hospitalized with bleeding on the brain
- Immense anger around Hall H lines and accusations of line-jumping and special treatment
I realize that to an outsider, the last one may sound trivial compared to the other two. But it's stirred up a lot of enmity among dedicated Hall H nerds and serves as an example of how SDCC is cracking at the seams. In any case, in the absence of perfect solutions, probably the best thing we can do is ask ourselves as a community: what can we do better?
The cosplayer incident has caused a lot of people to throw shade at CCI for their failure to institute a stronger anti-harassment policy this summer. While I feel CCI should have made more of an effort in that direction, I don't think we can lay this crime at their feet. All the posters and policies in the world probably wouldn't have stopped this assault from happening. (ETA: It wasn't an assault as reported but an accident - but police have arrested a suspect for other reasons.)
What we can take from this are 2 things. One, some people really do have a frightening attitude toward cosplayers (or sexually attractive women in general.) It doesn't matter if they're a small minority - it only takes 1 person to grope, harass, follow or worse. Let's stop trivializing women's complaints. Two, it's important to be cautious in regard to who we trust. Let me be clear, I'm not blaming the victim in any way. But when the arrest report was published, and people saw the arrest took place at the Marriott Marquis, there were way too many reactions of, "No way was it another attendee!"
People seemed shocked at the idea that our friendly little community might harbor a few monsters. Whether it was an attendee or not, we all need to realize that there are 130,000 of us. It's easy to become instant friends with the people next to you in line or bond with strangers in the elevator. That kinship is one of the main things people love about the Con.
But given our numbers, it's statistically likely that we have sociopaths and criminals in our midst. Another attendee grabbed my chest in my hotel bar. Do you think he cared that I was a fellow nerd, someone in his community? No, he saw a woman rejecting him and he lashed out. Comic-Con isn't a magical safety zone where only good people can enter on their best behavior. So let's take this as a reminder to not place too much trust in the strangers around us. And if you do see anyone acting offensively, speak up.
As for lines - we all know how bad it was this year. I feel somewhat guilty because the advice I gave on when to get in line proved woefully inadequate. But I also wonder how complicit I and other outlets are in creating this level of insanity. When we all tell the world how horrible Hall H lines are, and how early you have to get there, are we in fact making it worse? Are we helping people get into their dream panels - or are we acting as carnival barkers, driving people to create the thing we complain about? I would feel as if I was lying by omission if I didn't warn people about the lines. At the same time, I know I'm feeding that panic.
I don't know the solution here. Tickets and room-clearing are one, but right now we have to deal with the situation as it is. I never thought anything could top the Twilight fans and their multi-day campouts but the arguments and bitterness over this year's lines were truly depressing. As someone who simply gave up on Hall H years ago, it's easy for me to ignore this but I know that many of you live and die for Hall H panels. At the very least CCI should provide a fair and orderly mechanism for lining up. The feuds and blaming that followed this weekend have been destructively ugly.
All in all, I believe SDCC is still a mostly safe place. People get assaulted everywhere, after all. But before the community is poisoned by arguments and distrust, we need to find whatever solutions we can, whether it's amongst ourselves or by asking CCI to do better.
What you didn't like about Comic-Con
29 JULY 2014
Stories from my first-timers are still coming in so those won't be up for a day or two. In the meantime, I'm going to answer a few questions and observations from disgruntled attendees who were clearly surprised by Comic-Con and what they found there. The lines. The unfairness. The failure to dazzle. Everyone has expectations and sometimes those expectations go down in flames.
Why do they let so many people in? It's too crowded. No kidding. First off, while everyone would like more breathing room in the convention center, it always seems to come at the assumption that other people would be losing their badges in return - not them. Fewer people = a smaller chance you'll get a badge.
Yes, the convention center is being expanded but it's not going to double the space, as people keep saying. We don't know the number of extra attendees that could be accommodated. We do know the plan is to add 740,000 square feet to the 2.6-million-square-foot center IRT exhibition and ballroom space, along with a 5-acre rooftop park and a 500-room expansion of the Hilton Bayfront. That's all well and good but it's not going to admit an extra 80K people.
Why doesn't it just move to Vegas? Every year talk of Vegas comes up. But they have virtually no reason to fill their hotel rooms with our stingy selves instead of gamblers and business people who will pump cash into their economy. According to the NYT, we only spend $603 per person at Comic-Con. San Diego, on the other hand, adores us and wants to hang onto us. And CCI is very much a Cali organization.
The system is rigged against people with single day badges. I know. My dream is that they keep the Town & Country open Weds-Saturday and let everyone get their badges a day in advance. I don't understand why they can't make this happen.
Where are all the comic books? Back in 2006, I'm guessing. It's been 80% Hollywood for quite a while now. Everyone knows that if you need space on the floor, you head over to the comic book area - it's nice and spacious over there. You can still pick up books and get them signed at Fantagraphics, Last Gasp, Drawn and Quarterly, Top Cow, Image, Boom! and such but it's not the place to hunt for back issues or discover indie artists and writers.
The lines make it impossible to see anything. It's true that investing in one line comes at the expense of other panels - along with sleeping and eating sometimes - which means you really need to decide whether it's worth it. And ultimately, whether Comic-Con is worth it. I'm always accused of "negativity" on this blog but I am just trying to realistically prepare people for what awaits them. If you think SDCC is going to be a four-day dream of panels of all your favorites shows and movies, you're going to be very chagrined when you realize you can fit in maybe one panel or one day of panels, half of which won't be to your taste.
The staff was rude. Some of them are. Some are pretty nice. I've already heard a few "a security guard ruined my show" stories and I'm always sympathetic but at the end of the day, there's not much redress here. That's why I always advise attendees to suck it up and be as charming as possible. I'm not a particularly obedient person and I quite understand the impulse to tell off a fascist guard - but it is always, always better to take the long view, swallow your gall and preserve your SDCC freedom. You won't achieve anything by challenging them in a belligerent way. You have to be smooth about it.
The entire set-up is unfair. There are a lot of small (and considerable) injustices. One set of doors opened first so those people got in ahead of you and got your exclusive. People with inside knowledge or access seem to be beating out normal attendees. Parties are advertised that then shut everyone out. Part of this is the chaos and size of the Con and part of it is The Powers That Be not particularly caring.
I wasn't impressed. Great, now you know not to come back. I don't mean that sarcastically. It's good to know that SDCC isn't for you. Despite the ravenous demand for badges, many, many people have walked away from San Diego Comic-Con over the last six years because it just doesn't do it for them anymore. It's a valid feeling. For me SDCC is currently more about the experience - finding weird things like shirts with Vampira and the dead Shining twins on them and the occasional rare comic book, seeing friends and hearing artists talk about their work. I'm done bemoaning the lack of comics and have accepted what SDCC is. I'll be at Emerald City and other Cons to get a taste of what it used to be. I suggest everyone look elsewhere too if San Diego was a vast disappointment.
At some point, you have to accept that the halcyon days of SDCC are gone and they're not coming back. We just have to make the best of what's out there. That said, I'm sorry for all of you who had a bad experience this year. Remember, Cons are going to keep mutating and we shouldn't think the current state of San Diego will last forever. In a few years, it may break into 2 Cons, look wildly different, or fall into the shadow of a more popular competitor. Anything's possible for our future.
Stories from my first-timers are still coming in so those won't be up for a day or two. In the meantime, I'm going to answer a few questions and observations from disgruntled attendees who were clearly surprised by Comic-Con and what they found there. The lines. The unfairness. The failure to dazzle. Everyone has expectations and sometimes those expectations go down in flames.
Why do they let so many people in? It's too crowded. No kidding. First off, while everyone would like more breathing room in the convention center, it always seems to come at the assumption that other people would be losing their badges in return - not them. Fewer people = a smaller chance you'll get a badge.
Yes, the convention center is being expanded but it's not going to double the space, as people keep saying. We don't know the number of extra attendees that could be accommodated. We do know the plan is to add 740,000 square feet to the 2.6-million-square-foot center IRT exhibition and ballroom space, along with a 5-acre rooftop park and a 500-room expansion of the Hilton Bayfront. That's all well and good but it's not going to admit an extra 80K people.
Why doesn't it just move to Vegas? Every year talk of Vegas comes up. But they have virtually no reason to fill their hotel rooms with our stingy selves instead of gamblers and business people who will pump cash into their economy. According to the NYT, we only spend $603 per person at Comic-Con. San Diego, on the other hand, adores us and wants to hang onto us. And CCI is very much a Cali organization.
The system is rigged against people with single day badges. I know. My dream is that they keep the Town & Country open Weds-Saturday and let everyone get their badges a day in advance. I don't understand why they can't make this happen.
Where are all the comic books? Back in 2006, I'm guessing. It's been 80% Hollywood for quite a while now. Everyone knows that if you need space on the floor, you head over to the comic book area - it's nice and spacious over there. You can still pick up books and get them signed at Fantagraphics, Last Gasp, Drawn and Quarterly, Top Cow, Image, Boom! and such but it's not the place to hunt for back issues or discover indie artists and writers.
The lines make it impossible to see anything. It's true that investing in one line comes at the expense of other panels - along with sleeping and eating sometimes - which means you really need to decide whether it's worth it. And ultimately, whether Comic-Con is worth it. I'm always accused of "negativity" on this blog but I am just trying to realistically prepare people for what awaits them. If you think SDCC is going to be a four-day dream of panels of all your favorites shows and movies, you're going to be very chagrined when you realize you can fit in maybe one panel or one day of panels, half of which won't be to your taste.
The staff was rude. Some of them are. Some are pretty nice. I've already heard a few "a security guard ruined my show" stories and I'm always sympathetic but at the end of the day, there's not much redress here. That's why I always advise attendees to suck it up and be as charming as possible. I'm not a particularly obedient person and I quite understand the impulse to tell off a fascist guard - but it is always, always better to take the long view, swallow your gall and preserve your SDCC freedom. You won't achieve anything by challenging them in a belligerent way. You have to be smooth about it.
The entire set-up is unfair. There are a lot of small (and considerable) injustices. One set of doors opened first so those people got in ahead of you and got your exclusive. People with inside knowledge or access seem to be beating out normal attendees. Parties are advertised that then shut everyone out. Part of this is the chaos and size of the Con and part of it is The Powers That Be not particularly caring.
I wasn't impressed. Great, now you know not to come back. I don't mean that sarcastically. It's good to know that SDCC isn't for you. Despite the ravenous demand for badges, many, many people have walked away from San Diego Comic-Con over the last six years because it just doesn't do it for them anymore. It's a valid feeling. For me SDCC is currently more about the experience - finding weird things like shirts with Vampira and the dead Shining twins on them and the occasional rare comic book, seeing friends and hearing artists talk about their work. I'm done bemoaning the lack of comics and have accepted what SDCC is. I'll be at Emerald City and other Cons to get a taste of what it used to be. I suggest everyone look elsewhere too if San Diego was a vast disappointment.
At some point, you have to accept that the halcyon days of SDCC are gone and they're not coming back. We just have to make the best of what's out there. That said, I'm sorry for all of you who had a bad experience this year. Remember, Cons are going to keep mutating and we shouldn't think the current state of San Diego will last forever. In a few years, it may break into 2 Cons, look wildly different, or fall into the shadow of a more popular competitor. Anything's possible for our future.
Comic-Con announcements part 2
28 JULY 2014
On Friday I posted a few of the announcements broken in panels, but the last few days were full of even more revelations. Curtains were pulled back, movies were announced, possibilities were teased, and everyone came away with something to look forward to - though some of us have longer waits than others.
First off: out of nowhere, we got wind of a new King Kong movie called Skull Island. I love it when panels blindside us like this. Legendary also announced a Godzilla sequel, which wasn't quite as much of a surprise, but still welcome news.
Also on the new movie front, Guillermo del Toro showed a new trailer for Crimson Peak. I pretty much adore every thought that emerges from del Toro's brain, but given my love of haunted houses, del Toro and anything creepy, I feel like he made this movie just for me. I have to give similar kudos to his "Book of Life" - not only is it about the Mexican Dia de los Muertos but it seems like it will transcend the cookie-cutter storylines and aesthetics of so much recent animation.
We saw Wonder Woman's new costume. The general consensus seemed to be Gal Gadot looks great and the footwear is... problematic.
Batman Vs Superman was a subject of much discussion leading up to the Con. My friends at the panel said it felt flat but everyone else seems genuinely hyped so I don't know who to believe.
That said, everyone I know felt the same way about the premiere of Gotham: they'll give it a shot but they're not on fire for it.
Outlander was huge at the Con. I knew there was a considerable fan base for this but didn't quite expect to see so many kilted people wandering around.
The Mad Max trailer whipped everyone into a frenzy.
While fans were disappointed that Eric, Jason and Alcide didn't make the True Blood panel, they did find out that Jessica is a true-life cosplay nerd and once appeared anonymously on the cover of Time magazine in costume.
On a similar note, Daniel Radcliffe did the floor anonymously in a Spider-Man costume.
Quentin Tarantino is gestating a sci-fi movie in his brain because of course he is.
Chuck Palahniuk excited everyone. I always say that Palahniuk is the go-to answer for "Who's your favorite writer?" among a certain social set to hide the fact that they don't read. But that isn't to detract from his talent - and I think the demand for this panel points to a hunger for literary authors. SDCC attendees have interests beyond fantasy, paranormal and sci-fi, and given the rise in interstitial fiction, I hope to see more lit fic represented in the programming.
The Hobbit trailer got mixed reactions. Remember when anything Hobbit-related was a huge Hall H deal? Now only the die-hard fans seem stirred.
If you were wondering how Helix is going to continue season 2 in its arctic setting, it's not: it's going to an island.
We also found out there will be a Guardians of the Galaxy 2 in theatres 28 July, 2017. Which means more Rocket Racoon merchandise everywhere, I suppose.
Maybe this is just my friends being die-hard Nathan Fillion fans, but I saw a lot of people get excited by Firefly Online.
Avengers: Age of Ultron got a very favorable response; I've heard more people talk about that than Batman vs Superman. Ant Man seemed to inspire less talk.
Warcraft will focus on the conflict between the humans and the orcs - but anyone can walk into this and enjoy it, no background required.
Jack Black says there will be an "official bucketload" of monsters in the Goosebumps movie. This seems to be one of those films that didn't especially inspire people going into the Con, but now is getting positive buzz.
The earlier Evil Dead talk from Sam Raimi mentioned Bruce Campbell - and it's been confirmed that it would be in a starring role.
Normally there are a few new TV shows that come out of Comic-Con with major buzz. This year, I would say that Ascension (Syfy's space show), iZombie (CW, light-hearted but potentially clever) and Intruders (BBC, ominous paranormal mystery) stirred up an impressive level of interest.
And now for a TV show that never was: after showing a much-hyped panel at Comic-Con, Locke & Key is going to be a trilogy of movies! Now we just need Y The Last Man to become an AMC series.
What we didn't get much of: new comic book news. Comic-Con magician Grant Morrison talked Multiversity and the Spider-Verse panel was a hit, but we didn't hear about too many new titles, if you don't count Image Expo. Then again, everyone was hyped for Sandman last year and we got 2 whole issues in the year following.
In fact, most of the interesting comic book discussion centered on creative decision-making. The Saga panel discussed the death of characters and how we've gotten used to seeing our favorites survive all the time because company interests are financially invested in keeping them alive (and feeding us stories without any real risk.) James Tynion at the Gay Comics panel discussed the tension of being a bisexual writer and having the plotting and development of licensed DC characters in his hands. Maybe these issues only interest writers - it's possible. But I like considering the forces in play in any storytelling.
Oh, and Archie continued its ascent from near-extinction. They announced the launch of a new app on Saturday (with 1000 books accompanying the download) and some new titles, including a Betty and Veronica title where the girls leave Riverdale, go to Europe and exchange identities. They also previewed the upcoming Sabrina title, which will be modeled in the same gothic vein as the best-selling Afterlife title. I was also told some classified info that I absolutely cannot reveal, so I'll just say that 2015 should hold some surprises.
So yes, there was a lot to take in - but most of it wasn't that much of a stunner. Maybe we're all jaded or maybe the news cycle makes it harder to surprise any of us. Maybe it's the fact that so many trailers follow the same formula. But while some panels can still hit like a rush, that feeling of discovery seemed to be missing this year.
On Friday I posted a few of the announcements broken in panels, but the last few days were full of even more revelations. Curtains were pulled back, movies were announced, possibilities were teased, and everyone came away with something to look forward to - though some of us have longer waits than others.
First off: out of nowhere, we got wind of a new King Kong movie called Skull Island. I love it when panels blindside us like this. Legendary also announced a Godzilla sequel, which wasn't quite as much of a surprise, but still welcome news.
Also on the new movie front, Guillermo del Toro showed a new trailer for Crimson Peak. I pretty much adore every thought that emerges from del Toro's brain, but given my love of haunted houses, del Toro and anything creepy, I feel like he made this movie just for me. I have to give similar kudos to his "Book of Life" - not only is it about the Mexican Dia de los Muertos but it seems like it will transcend the cookie-cutter storylines and aesthetics of so much recent animation.
We saw Wonder Woman's new costume. The general consensus seemed to be Gal Gadot looks great and the footwear is... problematic.
Batman Vs Superman was a subject of much discussion leading up to the Con. My friends at the panel said it felt flat but everyone else seems genuinely hyped so I don't know who to believe.
That said, everyone I know felt the same way about the premiere of Gotham: they'll give it a shot but they're not on fire for it.
Outlander was huge at the Con. I knew there was a considerable fan base for this but didn't quite expect to see so many kilted people wandering around.
The Mad Max trailer whipped everyone into a frenzy.
While fans were disappointed that Eric, Jason and Alcide didn't make the True Blood panel, they did find out that Jessica is a true-life cosplay nerd and once appeared anonymously on the cover of Time magazine in costume.
On a similar note, Daniel Radcliffe did the floor anonymously in a Spider-Man costume.
Quentin Tarantino is gestating a sci-fi movie in his brain because of course he is.
Chuck Palahniuk excited everyone. I always say that Palahniuk is the go-to answer for "Who's your favorite writer?" among a certain social set to hide the fact that they don't read. But that isn't to detract from his talent - and I think the demand for this panel points to a hunger for literary authors. SDCC attendees have interests beyond fantasy, paranormal and sci-fi, and given the rise in interstitial fiction, I hope to see more lit fic represented in the programming.
The Hobbit trailer got mixed reactions. Remember when anything Hobbit-related was a huge Hall H deal? Now only the die-hard fans seem stirred.
If you were wondering how Helix is going to continue season 2 in its arctic setting, it's not: it's going to an island.
We also found out there will be a Guardians of the Galaxy 2 in theatres 28 July, 2017. Which means more Rocket Racoon merchandise everywhere, I suppose.
Maybe this is just my friends being die-hard Nathan Fillion fans, but I saw a lot of people get excited by Firefly Online.
Avengers: Age of Ultron got a very favorable response; I've heard more people talk about that than Batman vs Superman. Ant Man seemed to inspire less talk.
Warcraft will focus on the conflict between the humans and the orcs - but anyone can walk into this and enjoy it, no background required.
Jack Black says there will be an "official bucketload" of monsters in the Goosebumps movie. This seems to be one of those films that didn't especially inspire people going into the Con, but now is getting positive buzz.
The earlier Evil Dead talk from Sam Raimi mentioned Bruce Campbell - and it's been confirmed that it would be in a starring role.
Normally there are a few new TV shows that come out of Comic-Con with major buzz. This year, I would say that Ascension (Syfy's space show), iZombie (CW, light-hearted but potentially clever) and Intruders (BBC, ominous paranormal mystery) stirred up an impressive level of interest.
And now for a TV show that never was: after showing a much-hyped panel at Comic-Con, Locke & Key is going to be a trilogy of movies! Now we just need Y The Last Man to become an AMC series.
What we didn't get much of: new comic book news. Comic-Con magician Grant Morrison talked Multiversity and the Spider-Verse panel was a hit, but we didn't hear about too many new titles, if you don't count Image Expo. Then again, everyone was hyped for Sandman last year and we got 2 whole issues in the year following.
In fact, most of the interesting comic book discussion centered on creative decision-making. The Saga panel discussed the death of characters and how we've gotten used to seeing our favorites survive all the time because company interests are financially invested in keeping them alive (and feeding us stories without any real risk.) James Tynion at the Gay Comics panel discussed the tension of being a bisexual writer and having the plotting and development of licensed DC characters in his hands. Maybe these issues only interest writers - it's possible. But I like considering the forces in play in any storytelling.
Oh, and Archie continued its ascent from near-extinction. They announced the launch of a new app on Saturday (with 1000 books accompanying the download) and some new titles, including a Betty and Veronica title where the girls leave Riverdale, go to Europe and exchange identities. They also previewed the upcoming Sabrina title, which will be modeled in the same gothic vein as the best-selling Afterlife title. I was also told some classified info that I absolutely cannot reveal, so I'll just say that 2015 should hold some surprises.
So yes, there was a lot to take in - but most of it wasn't that much of a stunner. Maybe we're all jaded or maybe the news cycle makes it harder to surprise any of us. Maybe it's the fact that so many trailers follow the same formula. But while some panels can still hit like a rush, that feeling of discovery seemed to be missing this year.
2014 trends and controversies
28 JULY 2014
Hopefully you're home and rested by now. If you're like most people, you're sick to death of anything SDCC at this point and aren't reading this - but you might also be catching up on all the gossipy Con news you missed, as it's hard to see everything when you're in the thick of it. In which case, read on.
Let's start with Saturday's ZombieWalk accident. Allegedly several zombies began banging on a car that allegedly honked/yelled at them, the zombies allegedly smashed its windshield, and the car definitely accelerated and hit a 64 year old woman (not part of the walk.) She was hospitalized with a broken arm. There are several versions of this story going around, hence all my "allegedly"s, but it's safe to speculate that this will impact next year's ZombieWalk, just like the Twilight fan who was killed running to the Hall H line a few years back generated stricter line guidelines.
If you chose not to think about it, the harassment controversy that dominated spring coverage wasn't a major factor in the Con - but it was there simmering beneath the surface if you did look for it. In addition to the CYA email sent out a few days before the Con, the harassment policy was posted in the restrooms and outlets ran articles like "Comic-Con's Dark Side: Harassment Amidst the Fantasy." Were cosplayers harassed at the same rate? I don't know. I got groped quite egregiously in the Hyatt bar by a drunk attendee who also said gross things to another woman and made a classic "what do you expect" comment. Neither of us were in costume but we were dressed like many women dress on a summer night, which apparently justified it in his mind. I'm including this story only to tell you that yes, this mentality does exist among attendees and it's not some hysterical fantasy made up for attention. Which is what many people have suggested.
But at least we know why CCI didn't want to create a new harassment policy: their lawyers were too busy creating a cease and desist order for Salt Lake Comic Con. This is a real thing. CCI is saying that Salt Lake Comic Con cannot use the term "comic con" for any event, logo, trademark or website moving forward. (So if one day this blog vanishes into a black hole, now you know why.) Salt Lake is challenging this by calling it intellectual property infringement and pointing out that hundreds of Cons already use the generic term "comic con." Team Salt Lake on this one.
Hall H wristbands seemed to exult some people and piss off others. I don't do Hall H, so I'm relying on other accounts here. Some people claimed to be robbed of their wristbands as they slept, which if true is a new low in Comic-Con world. Anyone who did this, I hope you fail at every future badge sale ever.
I also heard the general informal camaraderie of camping out seemed cooled by rules on where and how you could wait. Unpopular opinion: I don't have a problem with this. I remember well the tents and tiny grills people used to have, and how chaotic and uncontrollable it all got. And at the end of the day, we are on the convention center's property, at an event hosted by CCI, not at Burning Man. We're obligated to follow their rules.
In any case, the Saturday line seemed to blow everyone's mind and kick the mythos of the Hall H line into another dimension, from which it will hopefully boomerang back and settle into some kind of reasonable status. Because beginning your campout the afternoon or even morning of the day before the panel is just silly. It creates panic and then everyone has to get in line. I honestly don't even think it's that much about seeing the panel anymore - it's about the social experience and bragging rights. Enduring the Hall H line is running with the bulls for nerds. And the fact that people like Joss Whedon and Mischa Collins come along and feed the campers with coffee and attention doesn't help.
The outside events drew a large crowd, like we knew they would. However, while GOT was a big hit, I have to give Assassin's Creed top honors here, because that was almost as fun to watch as it was to do. (I'm guessing. There was no way I was going to even try.) Many of the events in and out of the convention center were social-based, which got old fast. It also seemed to be the year of Oculus Rift, which was employed by Fox/X Men, Sleepy Hollow, Pacific Rim and others. Minor gripe here: even though the X-Men experience had its own booth, it only gave out 75-100 passes a day and they seemed to be gone as soon as the Exhibit Hall opened. Offering an activity to only 100 people out of 130,000 is not the best planning.
And on the topic of bad planning, yikes to the Hasbro line. My sympathies if you were embroiled in that mess. You needed a ticket to stand in line, so people lined up in the pre-dawn hours to get tickets, and new attendees or anyone with a single day badge was out of luck. The line itself was poorly managed and while Hasbro said they were trying to eliminate resellers from the equation, I suspect the system gave resellers an advantage over regular attendees. Mattel and Funko looked hellish as well.
Nerd HQ is bigger than ever. Remember when it was just an appendage to Comic-Con? Now it feels like a threatening upstart - a sort of private club where you can sidestep the publicity nonsense and hear actual conversations with your favorite stars like Tatiana Maslany and Norman Reedus. I feel like a lot of people are skipping SDCC panels in favor of that option.
Which brings me to cosplay. I think the humidity shut a lot of cosplayers out of the Exhibit Hall, which at times felt like a Florida swamp. But I did see, in addition to the usual DC ensembles and Disney princesses and evil queens, some interesting trends. Namely Vikings, multiple Daryl Dixons (some with awful wigs), multiple Khaleesis (also with wigs), a few Helenas, and some amazing Saga cosplay.
My favorite cosplay photobomb was Maleficent below, if only for her predatory expression.
Finally, I can't believe how many people panicked over Stan Lee skipping the Con . A whole bunch of "Well, I heard..." sprung up but it was because of laryngitis, nothing more. You will see him again, I promise.
I'll post news and announcements in a bit.
Hopefully you're home and rested by now. If you're like most people, you're sick to death of anything SDCC at this point and aren't reading this - but you might also be catching up on all the gossipy Con news you missed, as it's hard to see everything when you're in the thick of it. In which case, read on.
Let's start with Saturday's ZombieWalk accident. Allegedly several zombies began banging on a car that allegedly honked/yelled at them, the zombies allegedly smashed its windshield, and the car definitely accelerated and hit a 64 year old woman (not part of the walk.) She was hospitalized with a broken arm. There are several versions of this story going around, hence all my "allegedly"s, but it's safe to speculate that this will impact next year's ZombieWalk, just like the Twilight fan who was killed running to the Hall H line a few years back generated stricter line guidelines.
If you chose not to think about it, the harassment controversy that dominated spring coverage wasn't a major factor in the Con - but it was there simmering beneath the surface if you did look for it. In addition to the CYA email sent out a few days before the Con, the harassment policy was posted in the restrooms and outlets ran articles like "Comic-Con's Dark Side: Harassment Amidst the Fantasy." Were cosplayers harassed at the same rate? I don't know. I got groped quite egregiously in the Hyatt bar by a drunk attendee who also said gross things to another woman and made a classic "what do you expect" comment. Neither of us were in costume but we were dressed like many women dress on a summer night, which apparently justified it in his mind. I'm including this story only to tell you that yes, this mentality does exist among attendees and it's not some hysterical fantasy made up for attention. Which is what many people have suggested.
But at least we know why CCI didn't want to create a new harassment policy: their lawyers were too busy creating a cease and desist order for Salt Lake Comic Con. This is a real thing. CCI is saying that Salt Lake Comic Con cannot use the term "comic con" for any event, logo, trademark or website moving forward. (So if one day this blog vanishes into a black hole, now you know why.) Salt Lake is challenging this by calling it intellectual property infringement and pointing out that hundreds of Cons already use the generic term "comic con." Team Salt Lake on this one.
Hall H wristbands seemed to exult some people and piss off others. I don't do Hall H, so I'm relying on other accounts here. Some people claimed to be robbed of their wristbands as they slept, which if true is a new low in Comic-Con world. Anyone who did this, I hope you fail at every future badge sale ever.
I also heard the general informal camaraderie of camping out seemed cooled by rules on where and how you could wait. Unpopular opinion: I don't have a problem with this. I remember well the tents and tiny grills people used to have, and how chaotic and uncontrollable it all got. And at the end of the day, we are on the convention center's property, at an event hosted by CCI, not at Burning Man. We're obligated to follow their rules.
In any case, the Saturday line seemed to blow everyone's mind and kick the mythos of the Hall H line into another dimension, from which it will hopefully boomerang back and settle into some kind of reasonable status. Because beginning your campout the afternoon or even morning of the day before the panel is just silly. It creates panic and then everyone has to get in line. I honestly don't even think it's that much about seeing the panel anymore - it's about the social experience and bragging rights. Enduring the Hall H line is running with the bulls for nerds. And the fact that people like Joss Whedon and Mischa Collins come along and feed the campers with coffee and attention doesn't help.
The outside events drew a large crowd, like we knew they would. However, while GOT was a big hit, I have to give Assassin's Creed top honors here, because that was almost as fun to watch as it was to do. (I'm guessing. There was no way I was going to even try.) Many of the events in and out of the convention center were social-based, which got old fast. It also seemed to be the year of Oculus Rift, which was employed by Fox/X Men, Sleepy Hollow, Pacific Rim and others. Minor gripe here: even though the X-Men experience had its own booth, it only gave out 75-100 passes a day and they seemed to be gone as soon as the Exhibit Hall opened. Offering an activity to only 100 people out of 130,000 is not the best planning.
And on the topic of bad planning, yikes to the Hasbro line. My sympathies if you were embroiled in that mess. You needed a ticket to stand in line, so people lined up in the pre-dawn hours to get tickets, and new attendees or anyone with a single day badge was out of luck. The line itself was poorly managed and while Hasbro said they were trying to eliminate resellers from the equation, I suspect the system gave resellers an advantage over regular attendees. Mattel and Funko looked hellish as well.
Nerd HQ is bigger than ever. Remember when it was just an appendage to Comic-Con? Now it feels like a threatening upstart - a sort of private club where you can sidestep the publicity nonsense and hear actual conversations with your favorite stars like Tatiana Maslany and Norman Reedus. I feel like a lot of people are skipping SDCC panels in favor of that option.
Which brings me to cosplay. I think the humidity shut a lot of cosplayers out of the Exhibit Hall, which at times felt like a Florida swamp. But I did see, in addition to the usual DC ensembles and Disney princesses and evil queens, some interesting trends. Namely Vikings, multiple Daryl Dixons (some with awful wigs), multiple Khaleesis (also with wigs), a few Helenas, and some amazing Saga cosplay.
My favorite cosplay photobomb was Maleficent below, if only for her predatory expression.
Finally, I can't believe how many people panicked over Stan Lee skipping the Con . A whole bunch of "Well, I heard..." sprung up but it was because of laryngitis, nothing more. You will see him again, I promise.
I'll post news and announcements in a bit.
2014 programming trends
15 JULY 2014
Two weeks from today, we'll be exhausted, happy and broke. And now that all of the programming has been announced - well, most of it - we have a good idea of how we'll get that way. We know what the Con will look like this year and for the most part, it's business as usual. But there are a few changes.
The nightly replay is not nightly anymore but all day. It's not in the convention center either - it's now at the Omni's 4th floor Ballroom. This lets you see the panels from Ballroom 20 and Hall H but without the trailers and footage. You'll need to check the schedule for what panels are shown when because this will run:
Thursday and Friday 10:30 AM–10:00 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM–10:00 PM.
The Horton Grand Theatre is a new satellite location. I like this idea - but it's not as simple as just walking in like you'd walk into a panel. You need a ticket. Drawings for the tickets are held at 9 am in the Autograph Area in the Sails Pavilion on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Each winner gets 2 tickets. Then there's a second drawing for “stand-by seating tickets.” The stand-by seating tickets are limited and do not guarantee you access to the panel.
You need to be in the theatre at least 15 minutes prior to showtime.
The My Schedule feature is back. It seems like a lot of people don't know or use it but it is helpful. You mark off whatever you want to attend right from the schedule pages, and you can print it off or sync it across devices and share it with your friends. Even if you decide not to use this, I recommend making some kind of list and keeping it on your phone - it's just not possible to remember all of the panels, rooms and times once you're at the Con, and the guide you'll be handed upon walking in is too massive for fast consulting.
As far as the programming goes, I expected more DC. Instead DC seems to be focusing on Batman's 75th anniversary and not much else in terms of comics. Marvel seems to be bringing a more diverse program.
I also noticed the absence of those old-timey panels we used to get - Comics of the 60's and 70's, the Silver Fox Collector's Club, things like that. I didn't see any of those this year. Maybe that demographic hangs out at San Diego Comic Fest now.
I also saw that most comic panels are from established names, with a very minimal small press/indie presence. Given how light Sunday is, and how many rooms are going unused, it would be cool if Sunday could become Indie Day in addition to being Kids Day, and have new, small and indie creators holding a few panels. I realize many can't even afford booth space anymore but that doesn't mean they can't be on a panel.
As for the how-to panels, I've said before that networking questions are #3 most common question I get these days. It's not surprising that there's more content for artists, writers, actors and other creatives than ever before. It's only a matter of time before non-nerds hear about this and create 8000 new Member IDs.
That said, I counted at least half a dozen panels on breaking in, and very few for managing established careers. There will always be more people trying to break in than people who broke in, but it would be good to have content that addresses the reality of maintaining a career post-launch, or trying to jump from mid-list to A-list, or coping with changes in the marketplace (some of the digital panels are doing the latter.)
Is everyone happy with the programming? The people I've spoken with range from underwhelmed to ecstatic. As always, if you had your heart set on meeting one specific celebrity or seeing a certain movie panel, you might be disappointed. But there's so much to do this year that I think anyone can find something that captures their interest.
Two weeks from today, we'll be exhausted, happy and broke. And now that all of the programming has been announced - well, most of it - we have a good idea of how we'll get that way. We know what the Con will look like this year and for the most part, it's business as usual. But there are a few changes.
The nightly replay is not nightly anymore but all day. It's not in the convention center either - it's now at the Omni's 4th floor Ballroom. This lets you see the panels from Ballroom 20 and Hall H but without the trailers and footage. You'll need to check the schedule for what panels are shown when because this will run:
Thursday and Friday 10:30 AM–10:00 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM–10:00 PM.
The Horton Grand Theatre is a new satellite location. I like this idea - but it's not as simple as just walking in like you'd walk into a panel. You need a ticket. Drawings for the tickets are held at 9 am in the Autograph Area in the Sails Pavilion on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Each winner gets 2 tickets. Then there's a second drawing for “stand-by seating tickets.” The stand-by seating tickets are limited and do not guarantee you access to the panel.
You need to be in the theatre at least 15 minutes prior to showtime.
The My Schedule feature is back. It seems like a lot of people don't know or use it but it is helpful. You mark off whatever you want to attend right from the schedule pages, and you can print it off or sync it across devices and share it with your friends. Even if you decide not to use this, I recommend making some kind of list and keeping it on your phone - it's just not possible to remember all of the panels, rooms and times once you're at the Con, and the guide you'll be handed upon walking in is too massive for fast consulting.
As far as the programming goes, I expected more DC. Instead DC seems to be focusing on Batman's 75th anniversary and not much else in terms of comics. Marvel seems to be bringing a more diverse program.
I also noticed the absence of those old-timey panels we used to get - Comics of the 60's and 70's, the Silver Fox Collector's Club, things like that. I didn't see any of those this year. Maybe that demographic hangs out at San Diego Comic Fest now.
I also saw that most comic panels are from established names, with a very minimal small press/indie presence. Given how light Sunday is, and how many rooms are going unused, it would be cool if Sunday could become Indie Day in addition to being Kids Day, and have new, small and indie creators holding a few panels. I realize many can't even afford booth space anymore but that doesn't mean they can't be on a panel.
As for the how-to panels, I've said before that networking questions are #3 most common question I get these days. It's not surprising that there's more content for artists, writers, actors and other creatives than ever before. It's only a matter of time before non-nerds hear about this and create 8000 new Member IDs.
That said, I counted at least half a dozen panels on breaking in, and very few for managing established careers. There will always be more people trying to break in than people who broke in, but it would be good to have content that addresses the reality of maintaining a career post-launch, or trying to jump from mid-list to A-list, or coping with changes in the marketplace (some of the digital panels are doing the latter.)
Is everyone happy with the programming? The people I've spoken with range from underwhelmed to ecstatic. As always, if you had your heart set on meeting one specific celebrity or seeing a certain movie panel, you might be disappointed. But there's so much to do this year that I think anyone can find something that captures their interest.
18 weeks until Comic-Con
19 MARCH 2014
So now that your major life question of 2014 is answered - yes, you're going to San Diego Comic-Con - you no doubt wish it was July right now. Instead we're headed into that dead zone between the winter anxiety of registration and the early summer drumbeat of media coverage. But Preview Night is only 18 weeks away, and there are things you can do now to get ready.
Design your Comic-Con strategy.
If you've been to SDCC before, you know how easy it is to lose entire days in a blur of Exhibit Hall thunder and outdoor lines. And then you get home and read about all the parties, panels and exclusives you missed, and realize you just blew a ton of cash without experiencing half of what you hoped for. Instead of squandering another trip, think now about the kind of Con you want to have. Do you want to market your creative talents? Do you want to cosplay? Do you want to be more social? Figure out how you'll make it happen.
Save money.
You know you're going to spend, spend, spend this July, so start putting away money each week now. Your credit card bills won't look quite as monstrous in August.
Get in shape.
This is not a statement on general nerd fitness. It is a statement on the grumpy people you see sprawled around the Convention Center, rubbing their blistered feet and looking tragic.You'll be walking and standing more than you realize, so get ready.
This is not a statement on general nerd fitness. It is a statement on the grumpy people you see sprawled around the Convention Center, rubbing their blistered feet and looking tragic.You'll be walking and standing more than you realize, so get ready.
Join your hotel’s
rewards program.
If you land at a major chain hotel, join their program. It's not about the accumulating points as much as benefits like free Wifi and continental breakfast - little perks that can save you a nice sum over 4 or 5 days.
If you land at a major chain hotel, join their program. It's not about the accumulating points as much as benefits like free Wifi and continental breakfast - little perks that can save you a nice sum over 4 or 5 days.
Unload your old stuff now.
Pro tip: the Exhibit Hall is not the place to make a fortune on your back issues and unwanted action figures. Put all of it on Ebay now, hold out for the right price, and clear some shelf space for the prizes you bring home this summer.
Pro tip: the Exhibit Hall is not the place to make a fortune on your back issues and unwanted action figures. Put all of it on Ebay now, hold out for the right price, and clear some shelf space for the prizes you bring home this summer.
Plan your costume.
If this is the year you decide to dress up, plan it out now. I realize true cosplayers had their look planned out months ago, and are willing to sacrifice comfort for aesthetics; I'm speaking here to regular attendees. First of all, know that cosplaying is not de rigeur. Most people wear street clothes. And costumes can be hot, unwieldy, prone to disintegration and uncomfortable to travel around in, so factor that into your plans.
Finally, if you do knock it out of the park with a great costume - say, a mindblowing concept of the Yellow King (please someone do this) - realize you will be stopped constantly to have your picture taken. If you're not prepared to be courteous and patient about this, or prefer to roam the Exhibit Hall without interruption, wear the same frumpy clothes as everyone else.
If this is the year you decide to dress up, plan it out now. I realize true cosplayers had their look planned out months ago, and are willing to sacrifice comfort for aesthetics; I'm speaking here to regular attendees. First of all, know that cosplaying is not de rigeur. Most people wear street clothes. And costumes can be hot, unwieldy, prone to disintegration and uncomfortable to travel around in, so factor that into your plans.
Finally, if you do knock it out of the park with a great costume - say, a mindblowing concept of the Yellow King (please someone do this) - realize you will be stopped constantly to have your picture taken. If you're not prepared to be courteous and patient about this, or prefer to roam the Exhibit Hall without interruption, wear the same frumpy clothes as everyone else.
Open Reg is Saturday, 15 March
13 MARCH 2014
Be nerdy on the Ides of March, for that is when you will find out if you're going to Comic-Con or not. That's THIS Saturday, as you already know if you're eligible - because if you are, you got an email with your individual registration code and link.
I didn't see any special videos released to commemorate Open Reg 2014, but the Pre-reg video is worth viewing, just so you know what to expect from the system.
Once again, this is how it will go:
Part I: The Waiting Room
Be nerdy on the Ides of March, for that is when you will find out if you're going to Comic-Con or not. That's THIS Saturday, as you already know if you're eligible - because if you are, you got an email with your individual registration code and link.
I didn't see any special videos released to commemorate Open Reg 2014, but the Pre-reg video is worth viewing, just so you know what to expect from the system.
Once again, this is how it will go:
Part I: The Waiting Room
You'll log into the waiting room between 7 am -9 am PST.
Do this on a laptop and not a mobile device. Use a Chrome, IE, Safari or Firefox browser, Javascript and cookies.
ETA: Regarding mobile devices, someone brought this to my attention: on the Toucan blog someone asked if they could use their ipad to buy a badge and the answer was "Yes! The EPIC registration waiting room has been tested on an iPad. However, please keep in mind that the registration system is not formatted for an iPad or other mobile devices."
That answer is the reason I started this blog. Yes should mean yes, but the whole "waiting room tested but system not formatted" nonsense doesn't really bolster confidence, does it? Use a desktop or laptop.
Have a good credit card at the ready. (But if it fails, your registration will still be held for you while CCI contacts you and asks for a different card.)
ETA: Regarding mobile devices, someone brought this to my attention: on the Toucan blog someone asked if they could use their ipad to buy a badge and the answer was "Yes! The EPIC registration waiting room has been tested on an iPad. However, please keep in mind that the registration system is not formatted for an iPad or other mobile devices."
That answer is the reason I started this blog. Yes should mean yes, but the whole "waiting room tested but system not formatted" nonsense doesn't really bolster confidence, does it? Use a desktop or laptop.
Have a good credit card at the ready. (But if it fails, your registration will still be held for you while CCI contacts you and asks for a different card.)
Have your game plan mapped out with your friends - who's buying for who. If you're with a large group, and some of you are getting in at different times, you'll need to track shifting priorities. Have your friends' Member IDs and last names.
Part II: The Sale
At 9 am PST, over a 10-15 minute period, you'll all be randomly sorted into order - a secret order. You won't know where you place in line. I know, how maddening. You'll have to be as Zen as you possibly can about this.
Do not refresh or go back, no matter what.
Once you're selected, you enter the number of people you're buying for (up to 3) and their last names and Member IDs. Again, you don't have to be one of them.
Once you get in, you have 15 minutes to get the badges. It'll look like this:
Click Preview Night and every day is clicked for you. Otherwise click the days you want or can get. After paying, you'll get a confirmation page - if you're as paranoid as I am, go ahead and screenshot it.
Having lived through this during Pre-reg, the only real advice I can give you is to not get rattled by the passing minutes. Also, CCI is sticking to their one-hour prediction; I say rubbish to that, but regardless, don't feel defeated if you fail to get picked right off. My friend got four day badges at the one-hour mark. Don't bounce just because some jackal on Twitter is claiming that everything's sold out. And if you wind up with a less than ideal combination - say Saturday is gone but you can get Friday, Thursday and Sunday - don't feel too deprived. The surrounding non-Con attractions are worth a day out of the convention center.
Once again, document any tech problems and let CCI know about them. If you get kicked out of the waiting room after 9 am, or your Internet cuts out, CCI says your registration code is "authorized for re-entry" and will get you back to your original place in line. Which I think is the most technologically sophisticated capability they've achieved yet.
Good luck. While I won't be participating in the sale, I will be on Twitter and taking updates from friends and I'll post whatever I find out. Let me know how it goes for you.
Help make Nerd HQ happen
12 MARCH 2014
This year Nerd HQ needs your help. Zach Levi is crowdfunding the 2014 event on Indiegogo, to the tune of asking for a cool $1 million to cover production costs like staff, security, lighting, crew, venue, etc.
What you can contribute: Anything from $5 on up
Where you can contribute: Indiegogo
Deadline: 24 April
Find out more here.
If you've never been to Nerd HQ before, you're missing out. It's not officially part of San Diego Comic-Con, but it takes place right there at the same time, and offers a different breed of fan experiences, including tech/gaming demos, social events and celebrity panels. If you tend to grumble about Comic-Con going mainstream, or being divorced from its original roots, cross over to Petco Park and plunge right into Nerd HQ. It doesn't look like old Comic-Con, but there's a familiar authenticity and sense of community there that - let's be honest - sometimes gets lost across the street.
This year Nerd HQ needs your help. Zach Levi is crowdfunding the 2014 event on Indiegogo, to the tune of asking for a cool $1 million to cover production costs like staff, security, lighting, crew, venue, etc.
What you can contribute: Anything from $5 on up
Where you can contribute: Indiegogo
Deadline: 24 April
Find out more here.
How Open Registration works
6 MARCH 2014
If you're an attendee from last year who was in the Pre-registration mix in February, you can skip all this. Everyone else, this is how Open Registration works this year. In the venerable Comic-Con tradition, it's changed from other years. (I know you're shocked.)
Mostly likely Open Registration will fall on a Saturday morning in March - the 15th, 22nd or 29th. I can't imagine they'll push it to April when we still have to get through Hotel Day.
In advance
If you're an attendee from last year who was in the Pre-registration mix in February, you can skip all this. Everyone else, this is how Open Registration works this year. In the venerable Comic-Con tradition, it's changed from other years. (I know you're shocked.)
Mostly likely Open Registration will fall on a Saturday morning in March - the 15th, 22nd or 29th. I can't imagine they'll push it to April when we still have to get through Hotel Day.
You'll get
an email at least 24-48 hours in advance of the sale that contains your own
personal registration code and link. That code will also be in your Member ID account, so if you see the date announced on social media, but didn't get an email, check your account. The purpose of the code: banishing all the bots and ineligible people who supposedly caused all sorts of previous mayhem and crashes.
Registration Day
Sometime between 7 am -9 am PST, you'll stroll into the waiting room at your leisure. You'll do this on a laptop and not a mobile device by hitting the link in your email and typing/pasting the registration code. Then you'll get up and distract yourself until 9 am, because if you just sit there and stare at the screen and keep checking Twitter to see what everyone else is saying, you will drive yourself nuts before the starting gun is fired.
At 9 am PST, that gun will be fired and the sale will go live. It won't feel like the clawing, scrambling, cursing chaos of previous years. Instead there will be a looong period (10-15 minutes) in which you and a jillion other people are sorted into a random order. This order will not be connected to when you joined the waiting room. Unless, that is, you enter after the 9 am time. Then you'll go to the back of the line.
Then you'll just wait. Silently. Anxiously. There will be patronizing messages in a yellow box broadcast along the lines of "Please wait while other, luckier nerds get to buy the Comic Con badge you were hoping for." There will also be a weirdly hypnotic blue circle that keeps turning to let you know your "session is active."
(At least this is how Pre-reg went. I can't imagine Open Reg will be too different. It'd be glorious if they assigned numbers to let you know where you fell in line, but I doubt they could have made that change that quickly. And possibly they wouldn't even if they could, because it would come close to answering that eternal question of, just how many people are we competing with?)
Once you're selected, you enter the number of people you're buying for (up to 3) and their last names and Member IDs. Here's the thing: you don't have to be one of them. If your friend got up to bat first and bought your badge for you, you can now buy for 3 other people. This obviously throws the advantage to people traveling in a large group (or people who just see an opportunity to charge a fat markup to 3 strangers.)
Once you get in, you have 15 minutes. Don’t worry about those badges going extinct; if you can see them once you’re in, they’re yours within that 15 minute timeframe. It'll look like this:
Click Preview Night and every day is clicked for you. Assuming that option won't be available for most of you, you'll select the remaining days you want or can get. Then you'll pay for all of it on a Visa, Mastercard or American Express and screenshot your confirmation page, just because you're cautious like that.
That's how Open Registration will most likely go. Here's what you can't do:
Use your Member ID and reg code on multiple devices. One person, one device.
Refresh. Do
it during the sale and you'll go to the back of the line.
Use a mobile device. No phones, no tablets. Just don't.
Use a browser other than IE, Chrome, Safari or Firefox.
And here's what you shouldn't do: give up, because an hour has passed, or because people are already saying Saturday is gone. Just see it through. Twitter is an unreliable narrator. And if, god forbid, you get caught in some nefarious tech issue? Document it carefully and thoroughly and call/email CCI pronto to let them know. Last year they came through for registration victims; there's always the chance they might again.
Open Registration is coming "very soon"
6 MARCH 2014
And it's about damned time. But let's start with the good news.
And it's this - I think. If you got all four day badges during Pre-reg, but didn't get Preview Night, you can still try for Preview Night during Open Reg. Now mind you, CCI doesn't come out and say that, but they do say that "Anyone who has already registered for or purchased a Comic-Con 2014 Preview Night option is not eligible to participate in Open Online Registration." We can infer from that that everyone else can, right? I know this was a concern for people who got some badges, but not their ideal badges, during Pre-reg.
CCI's Toucan blog has a registration tutorial up, but honestly there's nothing new there if you paid attention to all the Pre-reg advice. You'll get an email providing the link and registration code. On the day of Open Reg, you'll have two hours to get into the waiting room, and then the sale will go live at 9 am PST and everyone will be randomly sorted into order for buying badges. I'll post a detailed guide as we get closer, but for now I suggest reading my earlier Pre-reg posts like this and this and this since the process is exactly the same.
I'm also going to advise disregarding this patently false prediction from CCI: "We anticipate that it will take a little over an hour to sell out all badge types." What? Pre-reg sold fewer badges than Open Reg will and it took at least two hours. My friend got all four days (sans Preview Night) at the one-hour mark. I'm emphasizing this because people lost their minds in the waiting room as the minutes ticked on, and I want everyone to understand they shouldn't give up too soon.
(Unless CCI secretly shifted the balance of badges sold, and gave previous attendees the lion's share during Pre-reg. But even so, I think one hour isn't going to cut it.)
So there you have it. Just 20 weeks away from the first Hall H campers unpacking their gear, you'll finally know if you're going to make it into the hallowed halls of Comic-Con. I'll post a detailed tutorial later, but for now check your Member ID eligibility and get ready.
And it's about damned time. But let's start with the good news.
And it's this - I think. If you got all four day badges during Pre-reg, but didn't get Preview Night, you can still try for Preview Night during Open Reg. Now mind you, CCI doesn't come out and say that, but they do say that "Anyone who has already registered for or purchased a Comic-Con 2014 Preview Night option is not eligible to participate in Open Online Registration." We can infer from that that everyone else can, right? I know this was a concern for people who got some badges, but not their ideal badges, during Pre-reg.
CCI's Toucan blog has a registration tutorial up, but honestly there's nothing new there if you paid attention to all the Pre-reg advice. You'll get an email providing the link and registration code. On the day of Open Reg, you'll have two hours to get into the waiting room, and then the sale will go live at 9 am PST and everyone will be randomly sorted into order for buying badges. I'll post a detailed guide as we get closer, but for now I suggest reading my earlier Pre-reg posts like this and this and this since the process is exactly the same.
I'm also going to advise disregarding this patently false prediction from CCI: "We anticipate that it will take a little over an hour to sell out all badge types." What? Pre-reg sold fewer badges than Open Reg will and it took at least two hours. My friend got all four days (sans Preview Night) at the one-hour mark. I'm emphasizing this because people lost their minds in the waiting room as the minutes ticked on, and I want everyone to understand they shouldn't give up too soon.
(Unless CCI secretly shifted the balance of badges sold, and gave previous attendees the lion's share during Pre-reg. But even so, I think one hour isn't going to cut it.)
So there you have it. Just 20 weeks away from the first Hall H campers unpacking their gear, you'll finally know if you're going to make it into the hallowed halls of Comic-Con. I'll post a detailed tutorial later, but for now check your Member ID eligibility and get ready.
Pre-registration timeline
5 FEBRUARY 2014
I'm going to spare you all my usual sarcasm and stick to the facts. Because this is the most complicated any Comic-Con registration has ever been and I want to make sure everyone gets it.
If you attended San Diego Comic-Con last summer and you want to go again this summer, Saturday morning - this Saturday morning - is your chance. Everyone else, this doesn't pertain to you. It doesn't matter if you were there as a pro last summer, or went faithfully as an attendee 2005-2011 - you had to be wearing an attendee badge around your neck in July 2013 to qualify for this Saturday. If you're not sure, check your Member ID. It will tell you.
Countdown to Pre-Registration
Yesterday, 4 Feb:
You should have gotten an email from CCI telling you about Pre-registration. If you didn't, go check your Member ID account and see if you're eligible.
Weds, 5 Feb -Friday, 7 Feb:
Sometime in the next few days you'll get another email from CCI with the link to the EPIC waiting room and your personal registration code. If you haven't received an email by Friday, go into your Member ID account and the code should be in there under the Registration Info tab. If it isn't, email CCI.
ETA: These emails have now started out going - Thursday, Feb 6.
Make sure you and your friends have each other's Member IDs and other information, as well as a solid game plan with contingencies that cover who buys for who.
Make sure your browser has JavaScript and cookies enabled.
Saturday, Pre-Registration Day
7 am - 9 am PST: You'll use your Member ID and registration code to get into the EPIC waiting room. You'll do this using a Chrome, IE, Safari or Firefox browser, NOT on a mobile device. You will only use one computer, because if you try to log in on a 2nd device with your Member ID, it'll just cancel out the previous one. According to CCI, it doesn't matter when you get in.
Shortly after 9 am PST: Pre-registration will go live. Everyone floating around the waiting room will be randomly sorted into a line for registration sessions. Don't refresh; you'll go to the back of the line. Apparently this can take 10-15 minutes to complete. Watch for a spinning blue circle on the page that indicates your page is still active.
Once/if you're selected, you'll enter the number of people you're buying for, then your name and their names and Member IDs, and arrive at this kind of screen:
Check Preview Night, and every box is checked for you. Otherwise, just check the dates you want. You have 15 minutes to complete this phase.
ETA: If the kind of badge you want is not available, go ahead and select the days you want that are available. You aren't eternally stuck with what you get during Pre-reg; you can "upgrade" later during Open Registration. So if you want a Preview Night badge, but can only get Thursday, Friday and Sunday badges, go ahead and buy them. You can try again for Preview Night during Open Registration. If you get it then, it will override the day badges you bought during Pre-reg. If you don't - well, you've still got those days at least. So if you're in the "something's better than nothing" camp, don't just bail on the whole process.
Payment: only American Express, Mastercard or Visa are accepted. No Paypal, no multiple cards.
The odds: You're competing against all of the 2013 attendees who want to go again. Despite how annoying Comic-Con can be, that's almost all of us, overwhelmingly so. How many badges are up for sale? No idea. It seems to be more than the number of badges that used to be sold during on-site pre-reg, but that's just my feeling.
Glitches: Like always, this is hard to anticipate. Sure, the waiting room could freeze, you could get booted, the whole system could spiral down into dust, who knows. It could even go smoothly. CCI wants you to know in advance that any snafus are not their fault; many villains could be to blame, from your personal applications to user error to random ISP issues. "We make no guarantees that your efforts will result in a successful badge purchase regardless of when you enter the process." We know, CCI. We know.
If you don't get a badge: you can still take a shot during Open Registration Day, but I know that won't be much consolation this weekend.
Quick Links:
Member ID
Instructional Video
CCI's Pre-registration page
I will be in the mix just like the rest of you and I'll be live-tweeting and blogging it. Feel free to share your pain and your triumphs with me. I like to know what's happening.
I'm going to spare you all my usual sarcasm and stick to the facts. Because this is the most complicated any Comic-Con registration has ever been and I want to make sure everyone gets it.
If you attended San Diego Comic-Con last summer and you want to go again this summer, Saturday morning - this Saturday morning - is your chance. Everyone else, this doesn't pertain to you. It doesn't matter if you were there as a pro last summer, or went faithfully as an attendee 2005-2011 - you had to be wearing an attendee badge around your neck in July 2013 to qualify for this Saturday. If you're not sure, check your Member ID. It will tell you.
Countdown to Pre-Registration
Yesterday, 4 Feb:
You should have gotten an email from CCI telling you about Pre-registration. If you didn't, go check your Member ID account and see if you're eligible.
Weds, 5 Feb -Friday, 7 Feb:
Sometime in the next few days you'll get another email from CCI with the link to the EPIC waiting room and your personal registration code. If you haven't received an email by Friday, go into your Member ID account and the code should be in there under the Registration Info tab. If it isn't, email CCI.
ETA: These emails have now started out going - Thursday, Feb 6.
Make sure you and your friends have each other's Member IDs and other information, as well as a solid game plan with contingencies that cover who buys for who.
Make sure your browser has JavaScript and cookies enabled.
Saturday, Pre-Registration Day
7 am - 9 am PST: You'll use your Member ID and registration code to get into the EPIC waiting room. You'll do this using a Chrome, IE, Safari or Firefox browser, NOT on a mobile device. You will only use one computer, because if you try to log in on a 2nd device with your Member ID, it'll just cancel out the previous one. According to CCI, it doesn't matter when you get in.
Shortly after 9 am PST: Pre-registration will go live. Everyone floating around the waiting room will be randomly sorted into a line for registration sessions. Don't refresh; you'll go to the back of the line. Apparently this can take 10-15 minutes to complete. Watch for a spinning blue circle on the page that indicates your page is still active.
Once/if you're selected, you'll enter the number of people you're buying for, then your name and their names and Member IDs, and arrive at this kind of screen:
Check Preview Night, and every box is checked for you. Otherwise, just check the dates you want. You have 15 minutes to complete this phase.
ETA: If the kind of badge you want is not available, go ahead and select the days you want that are available. You aren't eternally stuck with what you get during Pre-reg; you can "upgrade" later during Open Registration. So if you want a Preview Night badge, but can only get Thursday, Friday and Sunday badges, go ahead and buy them. You can try again for Preview Night during Open Registration. If you get it then, it will override the day badges you bought during Pre-reg. If you don't - well, you've still got those days at least. So if you're in the "something's better than nothing" camp, don't just bail on the whole process.
Payment: only American Express, Mastercard or Visa are accepted. No Paypal, no multiple cards.
The odds: You're competing against all of the 2013 attendees who want to go again. Despite how annoying Comic-Con can be, that's almost all of us, overwhelmingly so. How many badges are up for sale? No idea. It seems to be more than the number of badges that used to be sold during on-site pre-reg, but that's just my feeling.
Glitches: Like always, this is hard to anticipate. Sure, the waiting room could freeze, you could get booted, the whole system could spiral down into dust, who knows. It could even go smoothly. CCI wants you to know in advance that any snafus are not their fault; many villains could be to blame, from your personal applications to user error to random ISP issues. "We make no guarantees that your efforts will result in a successful badge purchase regardless of when you enter the process." We know, CCI. We know.
If you don't get a badge: you can still take a shot during Open Registration Day, but I know that won't be much consolation this weekend.
Quick Links:
Member ID
Instructional Video
CCI's Pre-registration page
I will be in the mix just like the rest of you and I'll be live-tweeting and blogging it. Feel free to share your pain and your triumphs with me. I like to know what's happening.
Pre-reg will be "randomized"
28 JAN 2014
In case the whole single-day-badges-only announcement didn't rock your world, here's a shattering new announcement: pre-registration will be "randomized."
Just typing that word twists my gut with anxiety. Here's the deal; CCI recognizes that current process of everyone trying to get a badge at the same second has been "extremely problematic." You don't say. So they've come up with a solution - a randomized waiting room. We'll all be assigned a time frame in which we can log into the waiting room prior to the sale. Once the sale goes live, everyone inside the waiting room will be randomly assigned to a registration session and processed in that random order. This is NOT tied to the time you entered the waiting room.
In other words, it just got a lot harder to game the system. Having eight laptops blazing away won't do you any good; you can only use your member ID on one device to get into the waiting room, as far as I can tell, and then you'll just have to cross your fingers and hope for the best.
Since you can buy for yourself and 2 others, it's in your interest to team up with two other friends to triple your chances of getting a good session assignment. But that begs the question; if all three of you are hanging out in your individual sessions, can the first one up to bat still buy your badge for you under your Member ID? Even though that Member ID is currently logged into the system? What if two friends get called up at roughly the same time and they both try to buy badges for each other?
CCI states they feel this is the fairest option possible, and even hinted it would reduce the stampede and ensuing technical meltdowns. You'll have to forgive my skepticism on that front. However, I do appreciate that they are trying to fix a problem that clearly has no perfect solution.
So all of you "make it a lottery" advocates should feel victorious - this is your day. The rest of us will put aside our ninja registration tricks and suffer the randomization process. Will it go like this for real Registration Day? It's a safe bet.
As for when Pre-reg will be - all they've said is it won't be this weekend, Feb 1. And so the endless vigil continues.
In case the whole single-day-badges-only announcement didn't rock your world, here's a shattering new announcement: pre-registration will be "randomized."
Just typing that word twists my gut with anxiety. Here's the deal; CCI recognizes that current process of everyone trying to get a badge at the same second has been "extremely problematic." You don't say. So they've come up with a solution - a randomized waiting room. We'll all be assigned a time frame in which we can log into the waiting room prior to the sale. Once the sale goes live, everyone inside the waiting room will be randomly assigned to a registration session and processed in that random order. This is NOT tied to the time you entered the waiting room.
In other words, it just got a lot harder to game the system. Having eight laptops blazing away won't do you any good; you can only use your member ID on one device to get into the waiting room, as far as I can tell, and then you'll just have to cross your fingers and hope for the best.
Since you can buy for yourself and 2 others, it's in your interest to team up with two other friends to triple your chances of getting a good session assignment. But that begs the question; if all three of you are hanging out in your individual sessions, can the first one up to bat still buy your badge for you under your Member ID? Even though that Member ID is currently logged into the system? What if two friends get called up at roughly the same time and they both try to buy badges for each other?
CCI states they feel this is the fairest option possible, and even hinted it would reduce the stampede and ensuing technical meltdowns. You'll have to forgive my skepticism on that front. However, I do appreciate that they are trying to fix a problem that clearly has no perfect solution.
So all of you "make it a lottery" advocates should feel victorious - this is your day. The rest of us will put aside our ninja registration tricks and suffer the randomization process. Will it go like this for real Registration Day? It's a safe bet.
As for when Pre-reg will be - all they've said is it won't be this weekend, Feb 1. And so the endless vigil continues.
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