Getting and staying healthy for Comic-Con

23 JUNE 2019

It's a Sunday afternoon in June. Maybe you're sprawled on the sofa watching horror movies or at the lake getting sunburned, or maybe you're hosting some massive barbecue or sleeping off a hangover. There are a variety of ways to spend your summer weekends. But there's a thread that connects many of us: overdoing it. Whether you're partying too much or traveling or you have a lineup of weddings to attend, it's really easy to burn yourself out in summer.

If you're a first-timer, you probably don't realize how tiring Comic-Con is. It's not just the long lines (which people usually do expect.) It's the staying out till 3 a.m. and then getting in line at 4 a.m., or walking to the wrong hotel for the fulfillment room and then walking all the way to the right one. It's eating too much bar food and not drinking enough water, and sleeping on a slowly deflating air mattress on a hotel room floor.

We're weeks away from SDCC still, but many people will be partying over the four-day 4th of July weekend and then there's only one weekend left before SDCC - so keep your health and general peppiness in mind. A few ideas:


Boost your immunity.
Some people always get sick at Comic-Con. I never have but if you're the type who catches every virus going around, indulge in all your faux-medical voodoo like echinacea, bee pollen, Emergen-C, a B-12 shot, etc. Get adequate sleep, massages, eat properly, take vitamins, etc. If you've been ill or overworked recently, really try to take it easy or you might become one of the SDCC fallen. Also remember that SDCC is all about surfaces, with potentially filthy people touching books and action figures and escalator railings moments before you touch them, so wash your hands before eating and follow other precautions.


Bring drugs.

SDCC is a lot. There are the booming video displays of the Exhibit Hall, the hot sun on your neck as you wait for a restaurant hostess to call your name, the cosplayer drink specials. Bring some ibuprofen, muscle ointment, moleskin, arnica oil or even hardcore painkillers, especially if you're prone to stiff necks, headaches, sensitive stomach, etc. Also bring a portable chair/support if you're going to be in line for the long haul.

Eat sensibly.

I know, how boring. But I've seen people live off soda, bar snacks and a box of donuts at SDCC and then they wonder why their energy levels are wonky. Try to eat decent meals and bring snacks into the convention center so your blood sugar levels don't crash. If you have a very ambitious programming agenda, you may have to choose between holding your spot for a panel or eating with your friends.


Ask for help if you need it.
I am more familiar than I ever wanted to be with SDCC's first aid offerings, thanks to my ex who had some kind of issue almost every summer. I think a lot of attendees aren't aware of the extent of on-site support resources, including medical professionals, private areas for nursing mothers, ADA resources, wheelchairs, ASL interpreters, rest areas, etc. If you need help - from getting your wheelchair on a shuttle to treating an asthma attack - just ask for it.


Stay hydrated.
Obviously. But buying bottled water on site adds up fast so invest in a good water bottle to get you through your camp-outs and Exhibit Hall prowls. I follow the "If you're halfway through your water, you're halfway through your hike" rule for SDCC.



Think about any behavioral meds, AA meetings, therapy visits or other emotional resources.

Plenty of nerds have behavioral health needs that can get exacerbated by SDCC: the crowds, the noise, the disappointments, fights with roommates, feeling socially isolated. If you think any of that could be an issue, see if you can do a virtual visit with your therapist or ask your bestie at home to be there for you; bring any meds you need and find sober activities you can do if you're in recovery and the rest of your friends are going to hit it hard.

Take breaks.
For introverts, SDCC is a lot of humanity. (Maybe even extroverts.) I know I often hit a point where Comic-Con stops being fun. I always get my bounce back by removing myself from the chaos for a while. Luckily that's really easy to do. You can go to the beach, the zoo or one of the anime / IFF / movie festivals or playbacks and isolate in a dark room.


24 days!

3 tips for Comic-Con first-timers

29 JUNE 2017

We're just days from July; the official panel schedule is right around the corner. With that in mind, I want to stress 3 dynamics to be aware of now in your Comic-Con journey, especially if this will be your first time.


You need to start paying attention now to really be prepared.

Every year I hear from people who complain that no one told them to wear comfortable shoes or line up in advance or where to eat. And it's so frustrating because there are approximately 463 Comic-Con blogs that cover all of that practical stuff - in repetitive, grinding detail.

The fact is, if you start your SDCC research a few days before the Con, you're going to miss a lot of announcements - bands playing, exclusive pre-sales, tickets for limited events and such. You also will miss out on the tips that can take your Comic-Con to a higher level. There's just too much information needed to rely on a single "Surviving SDCC" article. And you'll need to dig into your specific fandom or interest if you want to find out where your tribe is holding a meetup or special event.

I'm not saying SDCC has to become your life mission for the next month.  But if you're a first-timer, I'd recommend making a dedicated area of SDCC resources and going through it daily. I'd also start documenting your agenda now, if you haven't already. So many announcements will flow through your brain that you'll forget even things that seem like a priority. Start some kind of system so nothing falls through the cracks and then convert it into a kind of daily dashboard for the Con so you hit the right panels, events and booths and activations. Because once you arrive, the overarching grandeur can easily daze you into a passive spectator.

Sorry to make SDCC into a homework assignment. But the more you prepare, the better time you'll have.


Don't put too much stock in your connections.

People get huffy when I say this, but here it is. I never used to see this when I was a young Comic-Con scrapper, but in recent years I've been seeing more and more attendees who tell me they have inside connections. They "know someone" who can elevate them above the masses. Someone who works for Dark Horse, someone who's a famous game designer, someone with a cousin who's an HBO executive. And they often believe these valuable connections can get them into any panel or party they want.


Maybe that'll happen, maybe not. But know that Comic-Con access is tricky even for "connected" people. And the more powerful a connection is, the more people they have - just like you - asking them for favors. Not to be sour, but it's something to keep in mind. You don't want to build your Con around a "maybe." Build a great Comic-Con agenda that's going to be beautiful whether or not your connection comes through for you.


Focus on making friends, not what people can do for you.

I always say Comic-Con people are the best. Generous, helpful and interesting to talk to; even misanthropic introverts usually pick up a new pal or two at SDCC. And most attendees are always sharing their wealth - Conan tickets, picking up an exclusive for someone else, trading a Hall H wristband. However, the last 2 years I've noticed an increase in entitled attendees who seem to view people solely as favor machines. They don't want to get to know anyone, they don't want to offer anything in return or even do the basic work of participating in a buying group; they just want someone else to hand it all to them.

It can be little things, like when my friend gave away some very popular tickets on Twitter last year - and almost everyone who got them expected him to walk around the Gaslamp hand-delivering them, instead of them coming to him at the Omni to get them. Or the strangers who email me about 4 times a year, requesting I get them a badge, a hotel room, a parking lot or a ticket to a certain party. That just isn't how life works, and it's certainly not how Comic-Con works. Everyone's busy and there's competition for everything. Build a network, be appreciative of what people have to offer and do your part in contributing. You'll be much likelier to tap into the community treasure chest. You'll also meet some great people.


Okay, I'm off my soapbox. If you're a first-timer, you might think this sounds like a lot of work for a five-day event. But you are lucky enough to have a badge to one of the most popular events in the world - so you may as well make the most of it.

Getting ready

18 JULY 2014



Fun fact: a year ago today, we were at Comic-Con. I was, at least. Were you there?
 
If so, then you know how to get ready - what to bring, what not to bring, how to pack and prepare. Such as:
 

• All of the issues and books you want signed.
• Anything you want to trade or sell.
• Contact information for all of the friends and professional contacts you want to touch base with.
• All of your promotional materials, samples for Portfolio Review and Comic Creator Connection, business cards, etc.
• A good, hardcover sketchbook if you're into collecting sketches.
• Your mini-drugstore: sunscreen for outdoor lines, bandaids and moleskin for your feet, aspirin for those throbbing Exhibit Hall thunder headaches, condoms for those late nights behind the Marriott pool, immunity boosters for all the germs you touch on the escalator, extra battery life for your cameras and phones.
• Your mini-grocery: snacks for your room, obviously, and things like fruit or granola bars to bring with you to the convention center. Also bring a ton of water. Comic-Con is dehydrating.

In terms of clothes: you definitely want comfortable shoes, a bathing suit for the hotel pool, and clothes for hot and cool weather. The San Diego climate is variable. And even if you're determined to stay in costume every day, bring clothes for an off-day. You might get sick of everyone taking your picture, or your costume might feel more itchy than anticipated when worn for 10 hours in a row. But don't overpack or bring a ton of shoes and elaborate outfits you won't end up wearing. I used to do this every year and then by Day 2, I would be back to the most comfortable outfit I had. Anyway, you'll need to leave room in your bags for all of your prizes.

Making plans

I know I harp on this incessantly but here it is again: organize your gameplan. If you take a passive approach to SDCC, you'll experience 3% of the Con in total and maybe .5 % of what you hoped to. Use the MySchedule gizmo or make a spreadsheet or list, but document somehow the panels and events you want to go to. No one wants to fumble around with CCI's site on their phone or the event guide once they're there. List the booth #s of the exclusives you want so you know where to go.

If you're looking for some lost childhood treasure at the Con, scope out now what it sells for online. Don't assume a vendor on the floor will give you a "reasonable" price. I saw once what was marketed as a long-lost Edward Gorey book selling for over $100 - I immediately looked on Amazon and similar copies were selling for $8. It pays to check.

If this is your first time, make sure you grasp how ugly the badge line is. You can decide to get in line extremely early and get your badge at a reasonable hour, or join the line later and miss part of the day as you wait. If you're doing Town & Country on Wednesday, pack a day bag and get there early. It's way better to be one of the first to get your badge, then head down to the convention center and take in the sights then spend hours locked in the traffic leading to the hotel.

 

And finally, while I do think it's important to get organized, be open to change. Your Con experience might go wildly off the rails and lead you somewhere you never expected. Sometimes panels don't work out, exclusives sell out, and everything just feels different than you thought it would. Don't get too attached to a specific outcome and you'll have a much better time.