Advice from SDCC first-timers for first-timers

 18 JULY 2025

When I moved out West, one of my immediate goals was to hit up San Diego Comic-Con. I still remember clearly my first impressions (and oddly, the first person I spoke to was one of my favorite artists who remains a friend today.) But that was a long time ago and so much has changed! So in that sense, some of the best advice a first-timer can get will be from other first-timers - or second- or third-timers.

Here's one big difference for modern tenderfoots: when I lived in NY, my impressions of SDCC came from photos I saw in the back of comic books. Few non-nerds had heard of it and my expectations were minimal. In fact, I had to persuade my girlfriend of the time that it wasn't just stacks of back issues in a civic building basement. Today, the SDCC brand is massive and first-timers usually show up with many expectations. They also have a lot of rich and well-informed resources to prepare them.

Nevertheless, nothing teaches like personal experience. Here's a round-up of tips from first-timers.

Learn the basics and read the Toucan blog. 

A few years ago, I remotely mentored a friend's daughter. I tried not to be smothering but in retrospect, I wish I had been more hands-on with her - because she and her friends thought the Con was just walking around and looking at cosplayers. They had no idea they were supposed to go up and get their bag and books - or that CCI had a website with a helpful blog or that there was a huge SDCC online community.

I hate to criticize CCI but I do think their website-first comms approach is a little outdated. A lot of people these days, especially younger, expect information to be fed directly to their phones and socials. They don't always make the effort to proactively go to a website. You have to be where your audience is and for that reason - along with a surprising number of first-timers who don't follow CCI or SDCC influencers - I think they could massively elevate the attendee experience through more frequent email and SMS micro-campaigns and graphic-driven social campaigns. Today, for instance, I asked a first-timer if they'd seen CCI's helpful Hall H video and they were baffled. Yes, they should follow CCI but they don't and you don't know what you don't know - like how overwhelming SDCC is until you show up.

Okay, I'm done making unwanted suggestions. First-timers - look at CCI's website and check out their many resources on A) programming and B) the convention center. You don't have to memorize every room location but understanding the location of Hall H, Ballroom 20, Indigo Ballroom, and the Exhibit Hall and Marriott will go far in helping you understand where to go. Otherwise, it's easy to get turned around and frustrated.

Build your day around 1-3 must-haves.

Sometimes it might even just be 1 if you're chasing an SDCC white whale. It's adorable when first-timers fill up their schedule back-to-back with activities because they think it's a 3-minute walk between panels and locations. But you'll be walking long distances and the lines are ungodly. Just because Panel 1 ends at 1:00 and the next one doesn't start until 1:30 doesn't mean you'll get in. You might - but if it's a hot ticket panel, you might not.

Pick your top priorities and then forever hold your peace. If you try to be the ultimate SDCC achiever, you're setting yourself up for failure.

But don't be afraid to pivot.

This isn't a contradiction! Sometimes your dream panel turns out to be a dud; go ahead and seek greener pastures. Or sometimes someone opens the door to a better offsite or event. SDCC is volatile so don't be too rigid.

Learn how to navigate the convention center.

That includes A) going in the evening hours when it empties out B) choosing the bathrooms at the back, as they are often less crowded and C) using the lobby to make your way from one end to the other, rather than trying to push through the crowds. Also: don't clog the aisles! Keep it moving. Finally, if you see an item you want to return to, take a photo of the booth floor number.

Order groceries.

Now that we live in the glorious age of Insta-cart and Whole Foods delivery, it's really easy to fill up your room with things for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Not only will it save you money, it more importantly saves you oodles of time - the most valuable currency at Comic-Con.

Read the Panel Descriptions

One first-timer noted that a lot of great panels suffer from bad titles. This is true and I'll admit I am guilty of moving right past a boring panel title, only to be startled when my friends mention someone amazing I missed in the programming. 

Put yourself out there.

2 of the happiest first-timers I ever spoke to had a mindblowingly successful Con - all the right parties, incredible celebrity photos, generous swag. Their secret? Speaking up, asking questions, asking for advice, being friendly. Doing this opened a lot of doors for them. I'd be remiss if I didn't add that they were both gorgeous, which I suspect played a role in their good luck - but it's good advice to follow.

Follow line etiquette.

Study the Hall H rules and understand that while you can hold spots in line for a few people, you cannot be by yourself for hours and then have 9 people join you just as you're walking into the room.

Ultimately Comic-Con is what you make it - but preparation is your friend. Be open to adventure, be flexible enough to let go of whatever isn't working out, and make the most of what does happen. If you can do that, you'll have an incredible time.

Advice for SDCC first-timers

14 JULY 2023

In all the griping about SDCC programming this year, it's easy to forget that this will be some attendees' first Comic-Con ever. I know 6 first-timers, ranging from age 16 to 50something, and I vacillate between wishing they were walking into a better Con and thinking at least they won't know the difference. 

This year also seems to have brought back a lot of people who stopped going a decade+ ago. I'm guessing that's a delayed pandemic effect - maybe these people yearned for a big splashy event during lockdown and last fall was the first badge sale they could access.

If you're going to SDCC for the first time or the first time in a long time, here is some advice.

There will be plenty to do and see and buy.

Ignore all the dark mutterings about this Comic-Con. (Including mine.) You will experience an Exhibit Hall that seems jam packed with treasures, have your choice of screenings and tournaments and exhibits and panels and parties. Just let the experience take you.

But set priorities - and don't try to see everything.

It's really easy to get distracted at Comic-Con. Make a plan now that details your top panels, events, and exclusives, organize it by day, and then build each day around your top 2-3 things. First-timers often roll up ready to go gangbusters on SDCC, with full page checklists for each day - but that is setting yourself up for frustration. Rank your objectives and let go of the less important stuff.

If you want to change your hotel arrangements, you can - sort of.

You won't get your deposit back. But you can cancel the remaining nights. This might be an attractive option if you dislike your hotel and you're seeing rooms open up at closer hotels like Hilton Bayfront, Omni, Hilton Gaslamp, and Hyatt. 

When you check in, ask for a room on a lower floor if your priority is to quickly get in and out. The higher up you are, the longer your elevator rides are. And it's fine to try to upgrade your room at the desk and even ask about booking a room with no deposit for next summer. Will it work? Probably not but I'm surprised at how often the front desk people accommodate me.

Save your feet for when you need them.

Comic-Con is so active. There's no shame in popping open a chair when you're in line or taking a pedicab or even a Lyft across the Gaslamp. Save your foot power for getting around the convention center.

The Exhibit Hall is a battlefield, so armor up.

You'll want to:

• Approach "deals" with a healthy dose of cynicism. Check on your phone and you can often find the same thing cheaper online. That includes everything from "out of print" books to Funko Pops to trades. 
• Bring a lot of cash. Yes, most (not all) vendors take cards but sometimes it won't go through and a lot of vendors will drop their price a bit for cash.
• Barter politely but cunningly. I've seen attendees assume everything is up for negotiation and it's just not. Don't be abrasive, thinking you're showing the vendor how street smart you are. It's fine to ask about volume discounts (and if you pretend to hesitate between buying 2 or more items, often the vendor will propose one). Sunday is your best day for big markdowns.
• Visit toward closing hours if you hate crowds. Early hours used to be good, but now tend to get pretty busy. The middle of the day is an enochlophobe's nightmare, and an affront to olfactory senses everywhere.
• Keep it moving. When friend groups or families clog up the aisles to talk or take photos, they are bringing movement to a halt, which starts a backward domino effect. It's best to go by the restrooms for a conference, and to go out to the lobby and walk down from Lobby A to Lobby E.
• Ask if all the cute postcards and buttons and bookmarks on small press/artist tables are actually free. They're usually for sale - so don't just grab them! This is a complaint I hear from many artists.
• Because this year might be congested, I'd advise snatching up what you want when you see it. If you absolutely can't buy it at that moment, photograph the booth with number visible.
• Support artists and vendors if you can. The pandemic+ has been economically tough on creatives and this Con might be hard too. If you can afford it, ask for a commission or buy some nice framed art. There are so many wonderfully creative people at Comic-Con and while you won't like everything you'll see, you'll definitely like something. I skipped the early Halloween Bath and Body Works sale this morning precisely because I'd rather buy little gothic knickknacks that are actually unique and put revenue in the artist's pocket.

Take advantage of bag check and shipping. 

Your arms - and your hotel room - might fill up quickly with bags of heavy stuff, so use bag check in the convention center lobby (not overnight) and ship things home via the FedEx/UPS offices onsite, at the Marriott, and in the Gaslamp.

Stay connected.

Hopefully you bought a portable charger on Amazon Prime Day. Trying to charge at the convention center is a fool's dream, but if you must, head upstairs in the room 27 area or over to the Marriott hall past the Starbucks. It's usually easy to find a chair and an outlet there. But really, it's just easier to bring extra batteries and power packs.

Don't hurl yourself at celebrities.
Not that you'll see any this year, but you never know. The Hard Rock lobby will be a ghost town and the Gaslamp bars late at night will feel incomplete; but should you spot a famous face, it's fine to ask for a photo. Just respect their boundaries.

Don't spend your entire night in line.

We do that enough in the day, right? And the reality is that many parties will accept your "registration" and even send you a confirmation email, but will never let you in unless you're Someone. Just keep it moving.

Respect cosplayers.

Cosplayers get groped, harassed, sweated on, and generally invaded in a hundred different ways so be respectful of their space. They pose with a lot of people and it can get kind of gross for them to have stranger after stranger pressing up against them. Remember they're people, not props. That said, it is acceptable to address them by their character name. You'll often hear people calling "Catwoman! Leia! Facehugger!" to get someone's attention and the cosplayer will usually answer to that name.

Eat well and go outside the Gaslamp.

Attendees seem to promote the same mediocre places over and over out of... nostalgia maybe? Try to set aside time to eat proper meals (shouldn't be difficult this year) and look for real restaurants instead of the gimmicky places that offer a bunch of Con specials. You may pay a little more but you won't spend nearly as much time in line and you'll have a better meal.

Also stay hydrated and try to get at least 1-2 good nights' sleep.  There's nothing like finally getting into Hall H and sleeping through 2 panels. This year, you can probably afford to sleep in without missing anything, so there's that.

Make an effort to make friends.
As I alluded to in my post about going to SDCC alone, if you find yourself in line, you'll find yourself in conversations. "Friends for a reason, friends for a season, and friends for a lifetime" applies here - you can meet all 3 categories at SDCC. Generally speaking, talking to other attendees is a great way to find about things, swap tickets, get invites, and generally expand your Con consciousness.

As far as hooking up goes, I've never found SDCC to be the big nerd sexfest everyone thinks. For some people, obviously, it is. For most people - eh. In general, whether you're looking to make friends, join a new buying group, or meet your soulmate, my advice is the same - talk to people.

Check media coverage.

Even when you're in the thick of things, you'll still miss events and collectibles and surprise guests. Check your favorite sources every day to find out who's having a sudden concert, who got heat stroke and cancelled their panel, or what the hit exclusive is.

Follow panel etiquette.

This has really gone downhill in recent years, but here goes: 

• If you get up to the microphone at a panel, be succinct. Don't get lost in the moment and keep talking and talking - this happens a lot!
• Don't hold your iPad or camera above your head for a prolonged period, blocking the view of the person behind you. 
• Don't try to save an entire row of seats for your friends. Usually people are understanding about 1 or 2 seats with your bag/jacket on them.
• Most rooms will give out bathroom passes. If you don't want to negotiate that in the dark, locate the bathroom pass person before the lights go out. Note where people come in and go out because it's often on opposite sides of the room.

Make sure you're standing in the right line.

Last weekend, I was at a small horror Con with a really long line on my way out. I asked what it was for and multiple people said "the X signing/buying a ticket." Yes, two different lines had somehow merged into one, creating a longer wait for everyone. Always check that you're joining the proper line. 

Don't antagonize a security guard.

Security guards come in a variety of personality types and need to be handled strategically. Some are quite nice. Some are probably nice 99% of the time but are currently frustrated by their Con interactions and now they're about to snap. Others are on a major power trip. 

All you need to know is this: you will not win a confrontation with an SDCC security guard. If one is rude or controlling with you in a way you think is unfair, don't engage - just walk away and find another way to get what you want. Asking an attendee is often more helpful, given our encyclopedic knowledge of Comic-Con.

I don't entirely know what to expect next week, but I do feel safe making one prediction: that Comic-Con is mostly what you make it. You have the power to make connections, attend events, organize your Exhibit Hall hunting, and take the extra steps to enjoy those offerings just outside the convention center. Be open to adventure, be flexible enough to let go of whatever isn't working out, and make the most of what does happen. If you can do that, you'll have an incredible time.

Is this your first SDCC?

 19 JULY 2022

How many first-timers are going to San Diego Comic-Con this week? I suppose the Open Reg badge sale that took place in 2019 scooped up the same number of first-timers as is typical, but somehow it's difficult to imagine that someone finally gets a badge to SDCC and then has to wait 2 1/2 years to go. But those people must exist, right? - and this is for them. Or you, rather.

First of all, if you're new, you may have been told that "this year isn't going to be a full SDCC" or something similar. Don't listen to that. It's going to be a great year and you will have a great time. That said, here are a few things to know.

Hotels

If you arrive early enough that the your sky-high hotel is still fairly empty, ask for a room on a lower floor - you won't want long elevator waits or rides, and being able to take the stairs can be a blessing. Never mind the view. Also don't be afraid to inquire about upgrading your room. I've known people who went from a single bed to two beds, for instance, just by checking in on Tuesday and asking.

Power and Connectivity

Don't count on being able to charge at the convention center. (Your best chance of finding a free outlet in upstairs in the room 27 area - but not guaranteed because a lot of people sprawl around up there to hide from the chaos.) Bring power packs or extra batteries. If you're absolutely out of luck, head over to the Marriott next door and look for an outlet in the corridor with the Starbucks and couches.

Bag check and Shipping

There are different ways of managing all the loot you'll accumulate. In the convention center, take advantage of Bag Check so you can roam free and unencumbered. Just pick up your items by closing. You can also ship things home at any of the local hotel FedEx/UPS offices - so don't worry about buying too much for the plane trip home.

Walking and Riding

You'll have your choice of Lyft, Uber, cabs, pedicabs, buses and trolleys. You can also take the ferry to Coronado to get in some beach time. My advice is take transport whenever you can instead of trying to walk - because you want to save your foot power for getting around the convention center and Gaslamp. Also realize that the ferry isn't 24/7.

Celebrities
There's a firm law of Comic-Con that you will only run into the celebrities other people care about while they will run into your favorites. It's just how it is (with some exceptions.) The most likely places to see them: the lobby and halls of the Hard Rock, in hotel elevators, and in the Gaslamp very late at night. It should go without saying to be polite, non-creepy, and respect their wishes if they shun you.

Parties and Events
If you registered for a party online, have a "confirmation email," yet find yourself in a long line that hasn't moved in an hour - move on. It's a deplorable practice but some event organizers let literally everyone sign up while only letting VIPs in. Don't waste your night.

And on that note - if you really want to attend a certain event, show up on time. This isn't like a bar where you want to sashay in at a glamorously late hour. There's always the risk you may get edged out.

Cosplayers

You will see many cosplayers, some quite comely. Obviously you know better than to grope, harass, or whisper something creepy as they're smiling for the photo (right?) but what you might not be as conscious of is making physical contact. Cosplayers pose with a lot of people and it can get kind of gross for them to have sweaty stranger after stranger pressing up against them. Try to honor their personal space. 

Restaurants
The Gaslamp isn't the be all and end all of Comic-Con dining. Skip the lines and head for the Headquarters on the other side of the Hyatt, with restaurants that can usually seat people relatively quickly, or go to Little Italy or even Coronado Island.

Exhibit Hall

Bring cash. Lots of it.

Be cynical. The floor is not (in most cases) where you're going to find an amazing deal, unless it's Sunday, when vendors want to unload as much product as possible. You can often find the same stuff for a lower price online. Check your phone and see if that book is really "out of print" or if that toy is selling by the dozen on Ebay. What the floor can be good for is locating a long-lost back issue or rare artifact from your childhood, or discovering brand-new work.

Barter strategically. This is something you get a feel for over time. It's fine to ask about volume discounts (and if you pretend to hesitate between buying 2 or more items, often the vendor will propose one). You'll see lots of markdowns on Sunday, but go ahead and ask about getting a deal if you don't see anything advertised. Just be polite about it.

Also be gracious when someone steps on your feet, knocks your head with their cosplay, or swings their enormous bag into your ribs. It's just what happens in such a crowded space. You'll probably accidentally do the same to someone else.

If you find the item of your dreams but can't buy it at that moment, photograph the booth with number visible so you can remember where it was.

Don't clog up the aisles with long photograph sessions or multi-person conferences - take it out to the lobby or the back terraces. On that note, it's almost always faster to go out to the lobby and walk down to the part of the floor you're trying to reach, rather than move through a torpid floor crowd. 

Before you grab what looks like a free postcard or sticker off a table, ask if they're for sale. Some vendors make their income off those.

This year we have lounges on the floor - how crowded will they get? I don't know if they'll be like the husband chairs at the mall, where middle-aged men look disgruntled while their wives shop, or if they'll be hives of activity. Either way, it's probably best not to monopolize them for too long.

Meeting People
As I alluded to in my post about going to SDCC alone, you're going to make friends. They may be 2-hour friends that you talk to in line or turn into friendships that span years. Panels, MTG tournaments, cosplay photo shoots, offsites and parties tend to encourage friendly conversation. Now - hooking up is a different story. There's a common perception that SDCC is a big nerd sexfest but I haven't found that to be true. Obviously people do get together, but not as much as your partner back home worries. In general, whether you're looking to make friends, expand your SDCC circle, or meet your soulmate, my advice is the same - talk to people.

Media coverage

No mattter how well you've planned and prepped, you'll still want to check online coverage for events and collectibles and surprise guests you'd otherwise miss. If you're stalking a certain actor, TV show, or fandom, glue yourself to the right Twitter accounts. You may get lucky and hear about a surprise party or meet and greet.

Panels

If you get up to the microphone at a panel, be succinct. Fans can get lost in the moment and keep talking and talking. 

Don't hold your iPad or camera above your head for a prolonged period, blocking the view of the person behind you. 

Don't try to save an entire row of seats for your friends. Usually people are understanding about 1 or 2 seats with your bag/jacket on them.

Most rooms will give out bathroom passes. If you don't want to negotiate that in the dark, locate the bathroom pass person before the lights go out. Note where people come in and go out because it's often on opposite sides of the room.

Security guards and volunteers

You'll see a lot of people in uniforms walking around. Let's clarify: volunteers are usually trained for one specific task (though they often know more than that based on their attendee experience) and convention center staffers can tell you how to get where usually, but don't know programming specifics. Your best source of information is other attendees. We have encyclopedic knowledge of Comic-Con - not every aspect, but our own areas - and we share it generously. If you have a question, you can always ask someone wearing a badge.

Security guards have a variety of attitudes and need to be handled strategically. Some are quite nice. Some are probably nice 99% of the time, but are currently frustrated by their Con interactions and are about to snap. Others are on a major power trip. All you need to know is this: you will not win a confrontation with an SDCC security guard. If one is rude or controlling with you in a way you think is unfair, don't engage - just walk away and find another way to get what you want.


Expectations
Specifically - manage them. The Con will disappoint you in some ways. You will almost definitely fail to get something you really wanted. However, Comic-Con also has the capacity to surprise and captivate you. You're on an adventure - expect the unexpected, summon your inner Zen master, and make the most of what happens. There are some panels I really want to attend this year that I won't be able to make. I also got picked for a Funko exclusives session right during the Sandman panel. That's SDCC in a nutshell. Master the art of letting go, and be flexible enough to enjoy wherever you find yourself.

Good luck. You're going to have an incredible adventure.

Going to Comic-Con by yourself

17 JULY 2022

Below is a modification of something I wrote right before our last SDCC. It occurred to me it's more relevant this year, because I keep encountering people who are going to Comic-Con alone. A lot of them planned on attending with friends who've lost interest or gained other responsibilities over the last 3 years. One person said he didn't want to go by himself and might cancel. Others are going, but facing an SDCC where they have less spending money (paying the entire hotel bill themselves) and no one to go out with at night. 

None of this is a tragedy. Going to SDCC by yourself can be awesome. No compromises, no roommates keeping you awake all night, and full freedom to change plans and priorities at the last second. And best of all, you are far more likely to meet new people and have new adventures.

After the last time I posted on this topic, some people emailed me and said they went solo to Comic-Con year after year. A lot of them disagreed with me and said it wasn't great at all. Some said no one talked to them at SDCC, that they expected to meet their tribe there but felt surrounded by cliques who ignored them. There was considerable sadness, self-blame and cynicism. So I wanted to talk about it again.

There are really two themes here. One is going to SDCC literally on your own and the other is being isolated when you're there. Let's break it down.

First of all, a lot of attendees go to SDCC by themselves.

You wouldn't know this from the 8 jillion happy group photos all over Instagram, but lots of attendees fly solo. People take the train down from LA or fly in from all over the country, other countries. There are a few reasons for this:

• Some of us really embody the shy introverted nerd stereotype and don't have many friends to begin with. 
• Some of us have a lot of friends but they don't share our nerdy passions.
• Some of us start out with Con friends but then they have kids or mortgages or just lose interest and one day we're the 40-year-old whose friends think Comic-Con is childish. 
• Sometimes we're all set to embark on an SDCC adventure with a boyfriend or girlfriend and then we break up 17 days before. 
• Some of us like going alone, usually because we like to indulge ourselves and control our schedules completely.
• Some of us are technically solo but have Con friends we always meet up with.
• Some of us technically attend with someone, usually to share a hotel room with, but do everything on our own.

Regardless of what category you fall into, here are a few tips that might help.

Even if you're a lone wolf, Con life is much easier with teammates.

I'm not just talking about buying groups. I'm talking about line shifts, having someone pick up an exclusive while you're watching Preview Night pilots, bringing you food or holding your seat. Most attendees are pretty nice people who will honor your place in line while you hit the restroom but overall, it helps to join forces with someone. On that note...


If you don't want to bring someone, consider being part of a Comic-Con group. 

If you hang out online in various nerdy/Con spaces, you eventually drift into these digital tribes where everyone supports each other in badge sales, hotel sales and even panel/offsite access. Consider making this effort even if you're very shy in real life. You don't have to become boon companions once you're at the Con but a little support is nice. It might seem odd to you to become line partners with someone online but these arrangements tend to work out reasonably well once you get there. Give it a shot.


But don't bring someone just for the sake of companionship.

You may disagree with this. But if your current paramour says "I want to go!" even though they're not into Con stuff at all - don't listen to them. They're actually envisioning a trip where you do SDCC for a few hours every day and then take off with them to go surfing or visit their college friend in Carlsbad. I've dated so many people who think this is reasonable. Outsiders do not get how all consuming Comic-Con is and they get impatient when you dive in and don't come up for air.

Now - I have seen a few people "flip" their SO during the Con. But the SO has to be willing to explore the possibilities.


Talk to people once you're there.

Oh, you hate small talk? So do I. But SDCC works this mysterious transformation where everyone somehow easily converses with everyone else. There's always something to talk about - your hotel room screwup, a drunk celebrity in your elevator, the inevitable gossip about badge or wristband fraud, the piercing injustice of a Hasbro exclusives line. Just participating in these conversations (and they will spring up around you) can help you make interesting connections. Remember - these people share your interests. This isn't like being forced to talk to your coworkers at the office Christmas party. And there are no burdensome social obligations since you'll never see them again.

 
Look for fandom meetups and happy hours.

You'll probably feel awkward walking in but remember most everyone else there is a stranger too. This includes people who "know" each other online. Meeting your favorite forum or Twitter friends in real life can feel even weirder than meeting a regular stranger. No one is what you expect! So just roll with it and see what happens. You will usually click with at least one person there, if not several. And don't worry about the "odd one" - it's Comic-Con. 


If you're looking for company, be blunt.

I can't count the number of semi-strangers who've outright said, "Can I hang out with you guys?" after some conversation. People like adding strangers to their wolf packs, so just ask. SDCC attendees are pretty casual that way.



If you're convinced you have zero social skills or appealing traits, force yourself to make conversation.

Several attendees have confessed to me that they are wretched souls scorned by all, and they're doomed to wander Comic-Con alone. They were sure I couldn't possibly understand how hard it was for them. No doubt they're right on that score, but I do know that socially handicapped people need to practice to get better. And you never have to see any attendees again, even if they flee in horror from you. Which they won't. Use SDCC as batting practice.


Appreciate the upside of being alone.

The first half of my SDCC existence was spent with my ex who, may she rest in peace, put up roadblocks constantly to my Comic-Con joy. She wanted to stay in when I wanted to go to a party. She complained about my panel choices but refused to leave my side. She drank too much and got so sick we had to go home early. Etc. You'll hear far more grim stories from some people in tightly-knit groups: fights, control issues, sacrificed event tickets and missed opportunities. Lasting bitterness. So enjoy your freedom and autonomy, go out on the prowl, and do exactly what you want. You are the envy of many.



Okay, I'm done. Last time I said that attendees have the power to make their Con as social as they want it to be - and I understand now why some people got miffed and felt I was dismissing their challenges. So I'll admit that's not entirely true, but I still believe attendees have more agency than they think here. Good luck and remember the words of French revolutionary General Danton: Boldness, more boldness, and always boldness.

 I hope you make a new friend at Comic-Con.

10 last minute SDCC reminders

16 JULY 2018

Are we really just 48 hours from Preview Night?

Some of you may be packed and ready to go; some of you may be postponing your SDCC prep till tomorrow night. Some of you may already be there. Or maybe you're in a Putin/Prime Day rabbit hole. If so, remember that Comic-Con is the cure for what ails you - so here are 10 last minute reminders.

1. Bring your badge! There aren't enough panic attacks in the world for the moment you step off the plane and realize your badge is in another time zone. And if you need to pick up your badge, remember you can do so in the Sails Pavilion starting Tuesday.


2. Confirm your hotel. Today I cancelled Saturday night at my hotel. Of course the Hyatt robot effed it up and changed my reservation to Saturday to Tuesday. There's always some last minute drama. If you've had anything dodgy with your hotel room - a transfer, multiple reservations, etc. - it doesn't hurt to confirm your details now, before arriving.

3. Keep checking for Conan and other event tickets. Don't waste a lot of time on this, but remember that people will cancel their plans and give away their tickets. Keep your ear tuned on Twitter and the forums in case anyone has an extra ticket to something.

4. Make backup plans. Veterans know this: a lot of your plans won't work out. Bless your heart if you've designed some tightly plotted schedule, but at least 1/2 of it will fall through. Look through the guide and pencil in backup plans. And don't be too militant with yourself; let your day evolve in unexpected directions, whether that's deciding to sleep in, skip a panel or accept an invitation to a Hall H line effort.

5. Bring extra batteries, headphones and portable chargers. Don't count on charging up when and where you need to. It's faster and more reliable to just pop in a fresh battery or use your own charger.

6. Abandon any half-assed cosplay plans. Every year someone goes into an 11th-hour cosplay panic where they want to be a certain character but haven't actually pulled something together. If you aren't at the finish line yet, forget it. You won't look as convincing or finished as you want to, and it's just more unnecessary stress. If you are committed, make sure you bring adequate repair supplies for sewing, armor, weapons, makeup wounds and anything else that can fail suddenly.

7. Print out anything you might need. I know, we're all so digital now, but devices fail. And sometimes you really need a hard copy of your friends' contact info, your schedule, your hotel confirmation, your Conan tickets, your barcode confirmation, etc. On that note, make sure you have a unified list of everything you're picking up for friends back home. You won't have time to scroll through text messages from 42 people, trying to remember who wanted what and where you can find it.

8. Clarify any murky hotel arrangements. Who's sleeping in what room? Who gets the bed and who's relegated to an air mattress? If you're part of a large group with multiple rooms/roommates, it doesn't hurt to do a final check to make sure everyone's covered.

9. Set expectations with family, friends and coworkers. If people insist on bothering you at Comic-Con, let them know now that connectivity is very faulty in the convention center and you probably won't get their texts, emails and calls! Maybe that's true and maybe it isn't, but it's a statement that serves a greater cause: the potency of your Comic-Con joy. If you absolutely have to be accountable, schedule a daily check-in time and restrict them to it. Having your phone go off all day with work questions and annoyed demands for attention from your SO can really poison a fine SDCC moment. Their neediness can wait until Monday.

10. Take care of any banking transfers now. I'm always surprised by the number of people who show up at Comic-Con without any money. Often they're depending on someone to transfer money into a certain account or they thought their mom would let them borrow a credit card or some other mishap has ensued. If you have even slightly precarious finances, I would transfer funds around now to make sure you have valid credit cards and sufficient cash.

Final advice for first-timers

18 JULY 2017

If you've been to Comic-Con before, you can skip all this. Everyone else, here are a few pieces of guidance for the rest of the week.



If you haven't yet, make a list of the exclusives you want, the booth numbers they'll be at, and the panel times and room numbers. Use the CCI app or make a list on your phone. It's a very safe bet you'll be distracted by the circus around you and forget otherwise. Also make a list of which back issues you need.

And while I don't want to kill all the joy of Exhibit Hall shopping, definitely use your phone to see if you're being wildly overcharged. Sometimes you'll see books marked as "out of print" when there are 62 used copies available on Amazon or action figures marked as "rare" when there are always a dozen circulating on Ebay.

If you try to barter, do so strategically. If you go in and try to haggle aggressively like you're at a swap meet on Thursday, you'll get a cold reception, unless you're buying in volume. (If you want 2 or more of something, pretend to look back and forth between the items and deliberate; often the vendor will propose a discount.) On Sunday, prices get more flexible because vendors want to unload as much product as possible. You'll see lots of markdowns, but go ahead and ask about getting a deal if you don't see anything advertised.

Also - be prepared for the Exhibit Hall to smell like a biohazardous swamp at some point. If you have a sensitive nose, bring something to dab underneath it

This one might seem weird - but check online SDCC coverage. When you're in the thick of things, it can be hard to spot some of the coolest collectibles or hear the rumors about the best surprise guest ever expected at a certain panel. Tapping into online coverage can help you stay on top of things.

Don't bother with all the tried and true Con favorite restaurants that are spilling over with crowds. I'll talk about this more later in my Eating Well at Comic-Con post - but in general, take a chance on the emptier places. The Headquarters on the other side of the Hyatt can usually seat people almost immediately at various restaurants, and the higher-priced places are always a faster bet. It's mindblowing to me that people will wait an hour outside a crowded, loud, mediocre restaurant to avoid paying the extra ten dollars that the relaxing, more delicious restaurant up the block would cost.



Panel etiquette: If you get up to the microphone at a panel, be succinct and resist the urge to tell your life story or ask 4 questions when each person is allotted 1. A lot of times this isn't intentional; people get lost in the moment and keep talking and talking. Also, don't hold your iPad or camera above your head for a prolonged period, blocking the view of the person behind you.
 

Bring your own chargers and spare batteries when possible. Getting a good charge can be tough in the convention center - and that's if you can find an open outlet. (Try upstairs in the room 27 area - that tends to stay one of the most spacious, coolest areas of the center.) But if you find yourself at a low percentage and have no other recourse, Hilton Bayfront and the hallway lounges in the North Tower at the Marriott can usually accommodate you.

Use Bag Check if you're buying tons of stuff. It's in the lobby near A and E and usually costs just a few bucks so you can roam around free and unencumbered. Be aware that you can't leave your items here overnight. Also take advantage of the local hotel UPS and Fed Ex stores to ship your stuff home mid-Con, rather than letting it pile up in your room.

In terms of meeting celebrities, this is not something you can plan. People will stalk certain areas to see celebrities and their handlers emerge, or linger in the Marriott lobby. These plans rarely work out. Instead you'll get in an elevator on Friday morning and find yourself face to face with some famous old actor your mom would kill to meet and you'll exchange that neutral elevator smile and that'll be it. 

But if you DO run into someone, be polite, non-crazy and respect whatever signals they're throwing out. Don't swarm them, don't follow them, don't make them hate coming to SDCC. Some attendees behave horribly when they see someone famous at Comic-Con. One of my most terrifying SDCC experiences was getting swept into a Jack Black Exhibit Hall vortex that reached claustrophobic proportions. Don't be that fan.

Be polite when getting photos of cosplayers. The general etiquette is to ask first. However, if someone is already posing for 6 cameras, there's no harm in jumping into the mix. In terms of taking pictures with cosplayers, remember that you're often going to be in a humid, crowded environment; if you're damp with sweat, don't press up against the cosplayer.

Be aware that borrowing badges is a risk. The staff does check IDs sometimes and there are penalties for badge fraud. Also be aware that swapping a badge back and forth isn't that easy and nimble unless you're literally staying next door. Just getting inside and either doing the Exhibit Hall or going to a panel is a serious endeavor. Also be aware that most everyone I know who's done this has wound up furious at their partner in crime, because someone stayed at the Con way longer than they promised. It's inevitable.

 

Finally, be prepared for the Con to amaze and surprise you in some ways and to let you down in others. There's always some expectation that doesn't get met, some disappointment or sense of deficiency. At the same time, there's a lot of adventure to be had and most attendees have at least one thrilling surprise each Con. Try to keep an open mind and you'll have a more enjoyable experience.

The trick to a satisfying Comic-Con

18 JULY 2017

Happy SDCC Eve. If you're new to Comic-Con, or coming back after a long absence, you might feel overwhelmed by all of the information that's been presented. There are hundreds of panels to attend, an ungodly number of exclusives, overlapping events, conflicting restaurant reviews, a shuttle map to figure out, gaming tournaments and cosplay contests battling for your attention - it's a lot to take in.

And guess what? It's going to get even worse once you arrive! As your feet or shuttle bus approach the convention center and you see the crowds teeming in like a mass of insects, as you walk into the Exhibit Hall and perceive all the comic books, game demos, photo ops, footage, signings and so on screaming at you like a nerd acid trip - you will almost definitely be overloaded.

Once that happens, you might become so dazed that all your earlier intentions evaporate. It happens to a lot of people. They see 563 things at once that look inviting or they decide to cautiously absorb the whole scene slowly. They become passive and reactive instead of proactive. And later - on the way home - they remember later that one action figure they meant to buy or the pilot they wanted to see. This is why so many first-timers come home with the feeling that they missed something.

So here's my advice: make of a list of 3-5 priorities. These should be your absolute can't-miss events, exclusives, panels, signings, photo shoots, etc. Have them on your phone, have them written down, and schedule your Con around them.

Let everything else go - you can still keep them on the B-list, where if you have the extra time to make them happen, they happen. But if you arrive at the Con with a list of 22 things that you are determined to conquer, you're setting yourself up for failure. There's just too much competition from other people who want what you want, too many long lines, and too many surprises. You'll wind up spending your time and energy on stuff that doesn't matter. Narrow your focus and you're more likely to get what you really want and come home Sunday night in a satisfied state.

7 last minute SDCC reminders

17 JULY 2017

Guess what happened to me today? My SDCC hotel room got cancelled. Allegedly it's been  "reinstated" but I'm still waiting for confirmation of that and on the whole, it's been the exact kind of mess no one wants to deal with when we're under 2 days to Comic-Con.

In that spirit, I wanted to share a few last minute reminders.

Confirm your hotel. If anything even slightly dodgy has transpired with your reservation - a transfer, multiple reservations, etc. - be safe and confirm it now. If I hadn't confirmed my room (or tried to) today, I would have shown up Wednesday morning and found out I was homeless. You might want to double check just to be safe.

Keep checking for Conan and other event tickets. If you've resigned yourself to not going, keep in mind that people will cancel their plans and give away their tickets. Right now I guarantee that for every 25 people excited for their Conan taping, several will decide they're too tired or that another option looks better when the time comes. Don't be shy; ask if anyone has an extra ticket.

Build a Plan B and Plan C into your agenda. Veterans know this but first-timers probably don't. If you have a tightly plotted schedule, you might want to scan the programming again and pencil in backup plans. Things change so swiftly at Comic-Con. You decide to sleep in instead of making a 10:30 panel, which frees you up for a different noon panel you thought you couldn't make, etc. Be ready for your day to evolve in unexpected directions.

Look for ways to meet people. If you're new and don't know many (or any) people at Comic-Con, here's a suggestion - start Googling for meetups in your fandom. I know everyone always talks about how generous and friendly everyone is at SDCC and it's true - but other than talking to people in line, sometimes it's hard to actually strike up an acquaintance. Some first-timers tell me they move through the Con in a bubble, watching everyone around them socialize while they stay isolated. The good news is there are a ton of small happy hours and meetups for specific fandoms, so look for one that reflects your interests. It's a shame to spend every night of the Con in your room.

Exchange contact info with online friends. Make sure you have a number for everyone online who promised to get you an exclusive, meet you for drinks, etc. If someone vaguely promised to get you the details on some party but they won't know until Thursday, connect with them too. It's not always easy to stay in contact with people once you're there.

Abandon any half-assed cosplay plans. Maybe I know a lot of slackers, but every year someone goes into an 11th-hour cosplay panic where they want to be a certain character but haven't actually pulled something together. If you aren't at the finish line yet, forget it. Save it for another year. You won't look as convincing or finished as you want to, and it's just more unnecessary stress.

Keep your badge prominently noticeable. If you stashed it somewhere out of sight to protect it, retrieve it now and put it somewhere you can't miss it. I know, how obvious. But do it anyhow.

Hope your preparations are right on schedule.

So you got an SDCC badge: the next 100 days

10 APRIL 2017

If you survived the extinction event known as Open Registration - congratulations. I didn't want to be insensitive on Saturday by throwing a giant Badge Holder Smugness party, but it's been 48 hours and I think we can all revel in our glorious luck. And frankly, it's time to get down to business, because San Diego Comic-Con is just a little more than 3 months away.

Here's what you should do now.



Take advantage of Early Bird Hotel sale or prep for Hotel Day while arranging a backup plan.

Locking down a hotel room for SDCC has gotten harder each year, and there's good reason to think that this year will bring a radically new process that you won't like. Here are your options: book a non-downtown room now without stress or uncertainty in the Early Bird sale; gamble in the Hotel Day sale; look for an Airbnb or other alternative situation. In fact, I'd partner those last two together, because it's so unlikely that you'll get the downtown room of your dreams.

First-timers, you may think 1) I'm exaggerating or 2) it doesn't matter where you stay. I'm not and it does. Staying in Mission Valley or elsewhere doesn't have to ruin your Con, but it's definitely more convenient to be closer. For those of you who've successfully traded reservations before on the attendee underground market, it's getting increasingly difficult to do that too. With the process changes expected this year, I'm guessing that will hold true.

What I'm saying: be scrappy and do what you can to lock down some lodgings.


Sign up for the parking lottery.

If you think you will be in the unfortunate situation of driving in and out of the area each day, you'll want to sign up for the parking lottery now. The drawing is on 25 April so don't delay. Be aware this isn't an option to drive into San Diego, deposit your car and pick it up Sunday; there's no overnight parking. (If your hotel doesn't have parking or even if it does, consider parking at the airport - it's significantly cheaper than hotel valet.)

 Save money.

I know, I know - you just paid for a badge and now you'll need to make a 2 night deposit on your hotel room. You may also be paying a hefty tax bill this week. No one is in a saving frame of mind. But you will have a much better time at SDCC if you wine, dine and shop as much as you want - and that means having a pretty sum put aside. Now is the best time to start; by June you'll see events tickets going on sale and certain exclusives will go up for pre-sale too. If you're currently having financial struggles, then you should definitely start saving now.


Get in shape.

SDCCfit is a thing now but far too many people still show up at Comic-Con unprepared for its physical demands. You can always identify them by Friday; they're sprawled in hallways with defeated expressions as they rub their feet and beg off other events. No one is ever prepared for how tiring Comic-Con is - all the walking and standing, the unexpectedly vast distances between going to lunch at the Fox Sports Grill at Hilton Bayfront, grabbing swag from the fulfillment room at the Hyatt, then heading back to Hall H. Seriously, pioneers didn't walk this much when their horse and buggy broke down. To make sure you're not sidelined by Day 2, start walking regularly and building up your endurance.

Make friends.

Here's something not many people know: a large percentage of Comic-Con attendees go alone. They don't have friends who share their interests, or their friends have kids/jobs keeping them at home, or they had a breakup when it was too late to invite someone else. There's nothing wrong with going to SDCC alone, but it's definitely more fun to meet up with friends. Start hanging out in the online SDCC communities. Not only will you find out about more events and exclusives, you'll have a better social life when you're there.


Take time off. 

Maybe you were waiting to see if you got a badge before doing this, but request vacation time off from your job now. Make sure you won't be guilted for skipping family weddings or graduation parties or summer trips, and if you need childcare help or some other kind of coverage, make those arrangements too.

Make a cosplay decision.

If you're part of a cosplay group, start working out the details now; if you're going solo, at least make overtures toward getting/making your outfit and props. This often takes longer than you think, and I know so many people who abandon their first plan mid-way and opt for something else. You can avoid getting stuck at the Con in an outfit you hate by getting started now.

Study up.

First-timers! What a journey of discovery awaits you. I know you've seen San Diego Comic-Con on YouTube and you've heard wild stories, and you probably think you have a decent idea of what to expect. You are wrong. It's bigger, louder and more multi-faceted than you can imagine, like a monstrously huge cephalopod that sucks you in and forces you to stumble, lost, through its many tentacles. That's why so many first-timers come home from SDCC dazzled but slightly resentful; they know they were in the midst of something incredible, but they also know they missed a lot of it.

Read up real accounts of people who've gone, and all of the advice on navigating what can be a bewildering experience. Hear what your first-timer ancestors thought - here and here and here and here. Oh, and here and here too.


Pay attention, starting now.

Comic-Con may seem far off but certain developments are already stirring. SyFy announced it will be broadcasting live again for instance; various exclusives will quietly go up for pre-sale and sell out before you found about them (already happened with DC Bombshells figures this year); tickets will be given away but only to people subscribed to a certain newsletter who happen to be online 15 minutes before go time. This takes knowledge and skill, and if you're new to Planet SDCC, it may be really frustrating how everyone seems to know this stuff but you. Make sure your Member ID account is checked to accept third-party offerings and stayed connected on social and the blogs so you find about events and sales in time. The Conan O'Brien tapings are a great example of people not understanding how to get tickets.


The next 3 months are going to whip by. We are firmly in Comic-Con season and there's no turning back - so get ready.

Ready for Open Reg tomorrow?

7 APRIL 2017

It's Open Registration Eve! Tomorrow a massive crowd of nerds will pour into the San Diego Comic-Con badge sale waiting room - and only a fraction of them will emerge victorious.

Veteran attendees, you know the drill - be prepared, get a good night's sleep, convince yourself tomorrow won't really make or break 2017 for you (even though it will), etc.

First-timers, you're a different story. You have no idea what you're in for. (Unless you've tried and failed before.) Here we go.

What You Need to Do Now

Watch the above video.

Make sure your credit card has room on it for your best outcome. If you get picked and you want to buy 3 badges, you'll need to pay just shy of $800. If you're a profligate spender who's constantly flirting with your card limit, call your credit card company and find out where you are. If you're using a card you never use, as I did last month in Returning Reg, you might want to warn them so they don't freeze the transaction. Mine called to confirm the legitimacy of my purchase so it wasn't a big deal, but it's still another way for something to go wrong.

Exchange Paypal information, Member IDs and last names with your buying group. Get very clear on the order you're buying in. Have everyone touch base tonight, especially if someone is acting sketchy. Review the rules.

Make sure your technology is ready.Take the little browser test - better safe than sorry.

Warn your housemates, spouses, parents and anyone else that you require a period of freedom and quiet tomorrow morning, and are not to be trifled with. Make it absolutely clear. They need to know you cannot be interrupted and that interference will have repercussions.

If you have intense social plans for tomorrow night, reconsider. This depends on how well you shake things off, but failing to get a badge will usually sink you into a dark mood.

What to Expect Tomorrow

You'll click the link in your email and go into the waiting room between 8-9 am PST. Is there a correlation between time logged in and who gets picked? Based on my data, no. I had 4 of 8 sessions picked in Ret Reg and all of them had gone live in the waiting room at different times. My 2 Preview Night sessions were - interestingly - the first and second to last ones.

Once the sale goes live at 9 am PST, you'll know. No one can enter the room after this time. It used to be that there was a long period of them sorting everyone but last month the sale started moving people through very quickly.

While you're waiting, you will see a spinning blue circle that tells you your session is live. You'll also see various nerd-themed jokes appear in a yellow bar, along with messages about badge inventory. Let me be clear: this can be one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of your life. I've lived through muggings and car accidents that did not stress me out like an SDCC badge sale. As you see the messages like "Preview Night inventory is running low," your stress level will shoot into the stratosphere.

If/when you get picked, you'll need to calm your shaking hands, type in the right names and Member IDs and make sure you pick the right badges. (One of my greatest badge sale fears is that I'll accidentally click something that undoes all the days I've clicked.) If you click Preview Night, you lucky dog, everything else is selected automatically. Otherwise you'll need to click each day that you want.

Then you'll pay. CCI quite nicely gives you a confirmation screen that spells out everyone you bought for with the days they got and the prices paid. Screenshot this and send it to the other people, then save it for your records.

Then you'll grieve or celebrate accordingly.

 My Advice

I know Twitter is like a community bonfire during badge sales, and we all huddle around it to encourage, congratulate or console each other. But while you're waiting to get picked, it can make your anxiety worse. You will see person after person crowing over their badges and it creates the impression there will be nothing left for you. You'll also hear conflicting reports of what's sold out. Try to minimize social while the sale is actually happening.

If you accidentally get bumped out of the waiting room or session, just use your registration code and you'll go back in - as long as you originally logged in before 9 am PST.

Screenshot every glitch, and your confirmation screen.

One session per browser, and don't crowd too many browsers onto one device.

Don't be a princess about only settling for a 4-day badge. There is nothing wrong with just getting Thursday and Sunday, and even just Sunday can be good.

If you're in a buying group and someone else buys your badge, don't shut down your session - stay in the game and help out your comrades.

Your window to buy badges has a ticking clock, so don't waste time announcing to everyone that you got in, or texting your friend to find out why her Member ID says someone else has already bought her badge. Just move on to the next person who needs a badge.

Come to term with the odds: not in your favor. You're competing with a vast number of people. But remember that there are many, many other Cons out there.



I'll be live-blogging the sale, on Twitter, and sending lucky wishes to all you questing nerds. This is the first year in a while that I nabbed Preview Night in Ret Reg/Pre-Reg, but I'll still be running sessions for other people and nervous on their behalf.  I hope to hear about your victory tomorrow - and to see you at San Diego Comic-Con this summer.