Playing by the rules at Comic-Con

1 JULY 2017

Every year CCI politely reminds us of their rules for Comic-Con - which used to have to do with photography and normal Con-going behavior. But these are modern times and now we have rules about hoverboards and iguanas and funding hustles.

I suggest reading the policies in full (it's a quick read) because it is important to know what you can and can't do. And if your response to these is "duh," remember that you're talking about a huge and eclectic crowd who don't always grasp basic etiquette. I love SDCC attendees - but we don't always think like other people.

The Basics

No selfie sticks. No hoverboards. No drones, helium balloons or "lighter-than-air objects powered or unpowered," which seems to refer to sorcery.

As much as you want to share Comic-Con with your best friend, no pets are allowed unless they're designated service animals. If you do have a service animal, get him or her a sticker at Disabled Services in Lobby A.

Don't sit in the aisles. I feel compelled to add: don't clog up the aisles with group photo shoots or conversations that go on and on. Take it to the lobby. The policy page says, "Lounges are located throughout the Comic-Con Exhibit Hall" but that is utter hogwash unless they're talking about the concession stand tables. There aren't special areas with couches or anything.

You can't sell anything unless you're an approved vendor. You can't hustle for tips and donations. And if you think you can sneak promotional postcards and handouts onto the Freebies table, you'd be wrong - those have to be pre-approved.

You also can't bring your rolling carry-on in, just like oversized strollers and hand carts are banned. If you're planning on a last Exhibit Hall prowl before going to the airport, have your hotel bellhop check your bags before you until you're ready to leave the area. You also can't bring strollers into panel rooms, but you can park them in designated areas.

You obviously can't record or stream anything, though people do. As a blogger, I am guilty of tweeting during panels, but I do not bust out my laptop or iPad and annoy everyone around me with a giant lit-up screen. I've seen people do this (or just kids playing on tablets) and haven't seen security stop it, but the policies hint this will happen.

No market research, surveys, data collecting, etc.

Onto the important rules.

Weapons! 

After the recent Phoenix Comicon brouhaha, many attendees feared CCI would zealously clamp down on all cosplay weapons. That is not the case! You still can't bring a "functional prop or weapon" like actual swords, rifles, knives or anything projectile. Cosplay weapons must be simulated AND they must be inspected and tagged at the Costume Props Desks (they added another one) in Hall E and C2.

Oh, and if you're wearing an "oversized costume" you might be asked to leave the Exhibit Hall. Harsh, but understandable. Finally, if you stroll around with an uninspected weapon, especially if it looks real, you'll be frogmarched out.

Badges

Once again, you must tap in with your badge and tap out. Fail to do that and you could be denied re-entry. I didn't find this burdensome last year at all (and I was in and out constantly) but other people grumbled about experiencing a few snags.

Harassment

For those of you waiting for a sternly-worded policy against sexual or racist harassment like ReedPOP has - looks like CCI is still sticking to their boarding-schoolesque "Code of Conduct." It says "Attendees must respect commonsense rules for public behavior, personal interaction, common courtesy, and respect for private property. Harassing or offensive behavior will not be tolerated." And that if you do get harassed, find the nearest security or staff member or headmaster so "that the matter can be handled in an expeditious manner."

LOL, okay. Real talk: read the name off your harasser's badge. It's not always possible (I've never been able to when I've been groped) but it's a start if you want to take it up with security. If you're with friends, a menacing discussion can make the person think twice about doing it again. (If you're a first-timer, by the way, don't get the idea that SDCC is a hotbed of sexual harassment. You will see the occasional article about it, but I feel safer there than I do in a bar, show or crowded festival.)

And if you're one of those nervous people who are convinced they'll be falsely accused just for bumping into someone - it's not likely. People expect to be bumped and jostled. But I will say to use extra sensitivity when asking a cosplayer for a photo. Both male and female cosplayers get groped, there's the always popular "I'll put my arm around you and pretend it's an accident I touched your boob" and then just the reality that you might be hot and sweaty and the cosplayer doesn't want 20 people like you pressing into their costume. Just be polite and ask first, and maintain a decent physical distance.



Overall, Comic-Con isn't a terribly strict place. Be courteous, use common sense with things like massive strollers, reptiles, cosplay props and flying drones over the Hall H line, and you'll be fine. 

Masterminding your Hall H strategy & campout

30 JUNE 2015

The Twilight Years. There's a life-size wax statue of Edward Cullen in that picture.

 

 

If any aspect of the Con has attained mythical status, it's the Hall H line. Nerds all over the world know about it; I've had conversations in New York, Seattle and Chicago where people have rolled their eyes and said something disparaging about SDCC and added, "and the Hall H line? Forget it."

 

Along with other veterans, I've watched the Hall H line mutate into an unspeakable monstrosity over the years. I remember casually strolling into Hall H to see Neil Gaiman, no line at all; I remember waiting for two hours in line for a LOST panel and groaning about it; I remember the night I looked out of my room at the Hilton Bayfront and saw the Twilight campers with their tents and blankets and tiny grills, like a refugee camp settled down for the night. And I clearly remember the moment I said "Eff it, I'm done with Hall H."

 

But I know many of you are all about its hallowed walls. So let's dig into the latest rules and regulations offered by CCI. First, though, let me make a point - Hall H is sometimes quite accessible. Obviously Friday (day) is going to be crazy. Other days will have rabid fans as well. But depending on the day and time and panel, you can sometimes get in with a minimal wait. So don't just write off the entire room as a choice between an overnight campout or bust. It's better to monitor the situation visually, ask on Twitter and see what people are reporting.

 

Onto the wristbands and regulations.

 

In terms of camping, it's the same as before:

• "Camping is not allowed." But you can sleep outside overnight. Tomato, tomahto.
• No "tents, canopies, inflatables, cots, beds" - anything big, essentially. You can have 1 chair of "relatively normal size." And a sleeping bag or blanket.
• You can't have open flames, so no s'mores.
• The bathrooms in Lobby G will be open overnight, if you were wondering how to take care of your needs.

 

Okay, all that's pretty doable.

 

Now onto the wristbands.

 

Wristbands are handed out the night before Hall H panels in the Next Day Line. See the distribution times below. You'll need your badge or barcode confirmation AND a photo ID to get a wristband. Hall H is serious business! So you'll line up with all of your friends - one wristband per person, you can't ask for an extra for a friend arriving later, and you must all be together to ensure ending up in the same color zone. Then you'll receive your wristbands and...

 

1. Either you can bounce at that point and return in the morning, knowing you'll get some type of seat in the first panel - but it might not be a good one. That said, if you don't care about the first panel, you can snooze in the back sections and then work your way to the front for ensuing panels.

 

2. Keep waiting competitively in line, angling for some front row action.

 

3. Install a placeholder in line and swap out with them before 7:30 am. I really feel this is a valid income stream for San Diego residents looking for extra cash.

 

 

Here's what a wristband gets you.

 

It guarantees you a seat in Hall H for the first panel. Wristbands are only distributed for that first panel. So if you didn't get a wristband, you could still get into later panels - as earlier panel attendees exit, more people will be let into the room. There are visual line markers that help you estimate how many people need to leave Hall H for you to get in, which will reduce the chance of you spending 8 hours on a fool's errand.

 

 

Onto distribution times.

 

For Thursday panels: Weds, 8 July at 10:00 pm - the general Hall H line in Plaza Park.

For Friday panels: Thurs, 9 July at 8:30 pm - the front of the Next Day Line. (NDL.)

For Saturday panels: Friday, 10 July at 9:45 pm - the front of the NDL.

For Sunday panels: Saturday, 11 July at 11:00 pm - the front of the NDL.

 

All of this applies to the disabled seating line as well, which will be behind the NDL.

 

 

Remember that these distribution times might sound great - but those are the times that staff will distribute the wristbands, NOT the time attendees will get in line for them. If you show up 30 minutes before distribution time, you're going to be unhappily surprised at how many people are already there ahead of you.

 

Wristbands have sparked a lot of disagreement in the attendee community, as has anything to do with Hall H. This year probably won't be much different, given that each day will appeal to serious (and multiple) fandoms. Whatever your opinion is on the wristbands, or CCI's line management practices in general, try to remember that this is a situation that has gone wildly out of control in the last few years and no one really has an easy and perfect solution that will satisfy everyone. People are doing their best to impose some kind of order and fairness on a situation that's been rife with line-cutting, accusations and many wasted hours for many attendees. My advice: figure out now how much blood you want to spill on this and then make your peace with your decision. Obviously Hall H is a deeply meaningful experience for fans, but Comic-Con offers other memorable experiences too.

 

Control your technology at SDCC

18 JUNE 2015




The Toucan blog came out with more tips today that are actually rules about you and your newfangled technology. Some of these we already know; some are unintentionally hilarious; all are necessary to know. Let's summarize.

No selfie sticks. We knew this. But wait, did we know how extensive the ban would be? I don't think so: "This includes all of the Convention Center: Exhibit Hall, Programming and Event rooms, etc., and on Convention Center grounds outside, and any official Comic-Con events outside the Center, including the Marriott Marquis, Manchester Grand Hyatt, Hilton San Diego Bayfront, and Omni San Diego hotels, the Horton Grand Theatre, and the San Diego Central Library."

So on any hallowed Comic-Con ground, your selfie stick is forbidden.

No livestreaming. Good luck enforcing this one, Comic-Con, although I agree with it. I'll say it here; holding up a device to record your panel is not only rude to the people sitting behind you, it will catch Security's eye. Of course some of you are stealthy enough to pull this off without getting caught; then we have Google Glass, which you cannot wear during footage viewing. They recommend bringing a different pair of glasses to wear if your Google Glass is prescription eyewear. What will Comic-Con do when recording devices are built into our corneas?

None of your e-cigarettes and vaping devices. You can use these outside in "designated areas" but don't try it inside.

And finally...

No drones or "flying devices." The idea of drones flying around the Exhibit Hall is obviously a bad one, but they can't even be "tethered" - inside or outside the convention center. So there go your plans for recording the Hall H line from an aerial view to show your friends at home. Also banned: "helium balloons and helium filled products, drones, or any lighter than air objects either powered or unpowered." And no levitating, presumably.

I think the only one of these that will really impact attendees is the rule against livestreaming - and that fits into the existing rule about not recording. All in all, these are pretty reasonable, right?

No selfie sticks at San Diego Comic-Con

8 JUNE 2015



Sorry. But this isn't that much of a surprise; Coachella, Lollapalooza and countless museums, conferences and stadiums have banned them too.

You can still celebrate the wonder that is you outside the convention center.


ETA: Who knew this would be such a hot button issue? Some attendees are rejoicing and others are miffed. So let me assure the latter category of a few things:

• You'll get plenty of great photo ops outside the convention center. Cosplayers, attractions, weird giant figures and events will abound, all waiting to serve as your backdrop. You're also more likely to run into celebrities outside the convention center than stumbling across them in the Exhibit Hall anyhow - most actors wear costumes or masks when they roam the aisles.

• Inside the convention center you can still take pictures with your phone or camera. The established photo ops arranged by studios - the Walking Dead brings a killer one each year but there are lots of others, like the opportunity to have a photo of yourself in Norman Bates' taxidermy basement - will have staff on hand to photograph you with your camera. And that photo will usually look cooler than one taken with a selfie stick.

• Sometimes, yes, you may want to hand your phone to another attendee and ask if they'll take your picture with Darth Vader. I wouldn't get too paranoid about this. Most SDCC attendees are very trustworthy and willing to help out a fellow attendee with a quick photo. Are there criminals lurking in our midst? Sure, no doubt. It's a ginormous crowd of 130,000+ people. But the odds are overwhelmingly in your favor that the attendee next to you is a decent person.  Personally I wouldn't pass up a great photo op out of fear that someone might make off with my phone.  This is an individual call, of course.

Overall, I just don't think the ban on selfie sticks has to cripple anyone's good time at the Con.

CCI misses the point by a mile on harassment

31 MARCH 2014



You know how sometimes you read an email or web page from CCI and you get the feeling that their version of logic is few degrees off from yours? That sense of skewed perception came through loud and clear in their response to the call for a stronger anti-harassment policy.

I would advise reading this excellent article on the Mary Sue in its entirety, but here are the highlights. The petition from GeeksForCONsent was brought to CCI's attention and Albert Ching of Comic Book Resources (who used to work in my comic shop, hi Albert) interviewed David Glanzer, Director of Marketing and PR for CCI. His responses were unsatisfying on the policy front, but did suggest where much of the general fuzziness in CCI communication may come from.

For instance, this was his central argument against a stronger anti-harassment policy: 1) that it might imply other types of harassment are allowed and 2) that the media might get the idea harassment is an actual problem at Comic-Con. Oh no, not that! 3) He later said he doesn't want to "create a situation" where someone takes a policy as a challenge to push limits.

I feel like David Glanzer might live in a snow globe where real human dynamics are a dim memory. One, policies are written every day that ban all types of harassment. Secondly, Con harassment is already in the news. Putting out a "we won't tolerate such behavior" hard line is the obligatory gesture organizations make to quell any bad press. All of the current petition coverage and CCI's refusal to comply is a thousand times more damning than an actual good policy would be. How does an organization not understand that? As for the fear of a challenge - we're talking about Comic-Con attendees, not angry World Cup fans. Good grief.

When Ching brought up the "Costumes are not consent" posters at Emerald City, Glanzer drifted down another vaguely-worded rabbit hole. "I think we’re comfortable in the policy we have.... I think the precautions that we have, and the elements that we have in place have made it an issue that I think we certainly are addressing."

He ultimately threw in some classic prevarications - "If there are additional specifics that people have, I guess we would address that as it comes up" and, "anyone who feels unsafe — even if it’s one person — is clearly one person too many.” The specifics have come up. There are people who feel unsafe. Write a new policy, CCI. Put up some posters. It doesn't have to be this complicated.

(To anyone who points out the SDCC already has a policy, it's buried in the fine print and quite broad. And honestly, it's not the policy itself that creates the change - it's the dialogue around it. It's seeing signage and hearing official statements in the media that make people think twice about asking cosplayers to bend over. And of course, the threat of being banned from the nerd Valhalla that is Comic-Con.) 

For me the most interesting part of the interview was seeing the CCI mentality in action. Like the part where protecting paying customers isn't nearly as important as conveying a good image to outsiders. Or the part where silence is viewed as more effective than clear communication, and the status quo as safer than change. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?