Answers to common SDCC questions

13 JULY 2025

It's that time of year when questions about San Diego Comic-Con reach fever pitch. It's hard to anticipate what might confuse you when you arrive, so here are a few answers to some common questions.

Can I cancel my badge or hotel?

Not entirely. If you have a really good excuse (say, medical) you can contact CCI and plead for mercy. But the refund deadline passed a while ago.

If you booked your hotel on your own, it's a matter of whether it's refundable or not. If you went through the CCI hotel sale, you've already paid 2 nights and that deposit isn't coming back. However - right now at this moment - you can probably still cancel the other 2 nights.

When do I get in line?

The ultimate Comic-Con question. Here's my unsatisfying answer: it depends. Don't just assume you can play it safe by lining up days in advance - people have tried this and been forced to disperse, or staff have started an official line elsewhere and those people have had to join the end of that line. 

If you're trying to get in Hall H, pay attention to the wristband rules and ask yourself how important it is to you to sit up front. Hall H is huge. Your best bet is to work with a group and pay attention to the Hall H line twitter account. 

While Hall H has a fearsome reputation, it is walk-in at times - and this year that will probably hold true. Sunday's George Lucas /Guillermo Del Toro panel will probably be the line monster of the year so build your Saturday plans with that in mind.

For the Exhibit Hall, it depends on how desperate you are to buy certain items. I haven't lined up for this in years so I can't speak precisely to this, but hardcore collectors line up early. If you are dying to be in the first few hundred who get into Preview Night or the Exhibit Hall, you'll need to join these people and sacrifice a fair bit of time.

Can I bring tents/sleeping bags/coolers?

CCI does not want anyone erecting a full-scale shanty town - but sleeping bags, umbrellas (to block the sun), blankets, and chairs are fine. Remember that whatever you bring will need to go into the panels with you unless you have a very good friend who will come unburden you at the right moment.

You can use the Lobby G restrooms overnight.

Will offsites have standby lines?

Some will. Your best bets are early in the morning or end of day. But before you decide to fully commit, ask around online and see how long people have been waiting. Also look online for commentary on these offsites. You'll often hear people saying they're not worth it.

Can I barter in the Exhibit Hall?

It depends. When the Con first gets started, prices are usually as marked. You can ask for volume discounts (or the seller proposes one) but if you go in and try to haggle aggressively, you probably won't be successful. The exception is Sunday, when 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. Just be respectful about it.

Will booths have standby lines for people who didn't get picked in the lottery?

Most will. Some won't. I don't want to promise anything, so I'll just say that you should approach the desired booth, ask nicely, and be as charming as possible. Treat a "No" like a "Not right now" and say, "So maybe we could try again at end of day?" unless the volunteer/staffer seems angry at you. Then swing back when someone new is working. 

I accessed my favorite small, high-demand booth last year only by being stoic, friendly, patient, and desperate all at the same time, eventually leading to the staffer (who kept banning me from even being in the area) allowing me to join a capped line. Bring all your soft skills to the Exhibit Hall because you will need them.

Can I buy exclusives anywhere else?

Quite often you can. Mattel and Funko are notorious for selling through multiple retailers, though some items will truly be Con-only.

Should I bring cash or card?

Both. Cash used to be king in the Exhibit Hall but most people take cards now and some don't take cash. Have both on hand.

Can I take pictures of cosplayers?

Sure. 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, things get more nuanced. Remember that you're often going to be in a humid, crowded environment; cosplayers may not want dozens of sweaty strangers pressing up against them. (Would you?) So if you do take a photo with them, don't try to squeeze in. Be respectful; I shouldn't have to say this, but don't be one of those gross attendees making crude comments, groping, or even licking male and female cosplayers.

Where can I charge my devices?

Getting a good charge can be tough in the convention center. The easiest answer here is bringing battery packs and power bars. You can usually find free outlets upstairs in the room 27 area - one of the most spacious, coolest areas of the center. And you can bring a splitter to increase the odds. But if you're desperate to get some good charging action and the outlets at the convention center aren't delivering, walk over to the hallway lounges in the North Tower at the Marriott. 

Where can I put my stuff?

Bag check. It's in the lobby near A and E and lets you roam around free and unencumbered. But I believe you can't leave your items overnight.

If you've accrued a lot of books/art/plushies/swag and you aren't local - ship it home and keep your hotel room tidy. There's a FedEx in the convention center and at the Marriott next door, with some other options in the Gaslamp. 

How do I meet people?

This used to be the #1 question, before lines became our prevailing obsession. I don't think it's just about romance (though that does seem to be on many attendee minds) but also making friends and building community. If you go to enough Cons, you eventually come to treasure seeing Con friends as much as the panels and parties. 

The answer here is really simple, it's.... talk to people. Wherever you find yourself, there will be something to talk about. There's always a rumor about a celebrity cancelation or a fight breaking out at a booth or a scandalous cosplayer costume or some other salacious detail of Comic-Con life. Attendees tend to be pretty friendly and laidback, so just turn around and get it started. Ask about a surprise offsite or live art show. SDCC is one nonstop information exchange. 

If you are looking to hook up (and I admire your having that energy after a long day of Comic-Conning), your best bet is to go to events and bars and hit the apps just like you would normally. I'm currently dating someone who's convinced SDCC is a hedonistic Spring Break nerd orgy; this seems to be a common perception but it's an untrue one, in my experience. The unglamorous reality for many of us is that we limp back to our hotels on sore feet at the end of the night, too tired for anything else.

How do I meet famous people?

Here's the law of Comic-Con: you run into all the celebrities your mom or coworkers or roommate care about, while someone else runs into the celebrities you care about. 

A few exceptions include my running into Zach Woods in the lobby of the Omni at the crack of dawn; my ex-partner ran into Angelina Jolie and her guards behind the convention center by accident; my friend and I encountered James McAvoy at 4 am in a hallway in the Hard Rock. You can't plan that kind of thing. But I know people have their bag of tricks for this, like waiting in certain areas to see celebrities and their handlers emerge or lingering by certain booths after signings are over. Gaslamp bars will produce at least a few drunk actors, which leads to some amusing photos.

This should go without saying - but always be polite and respect whatever signals they're throwing up. I've seen abominable treatment of celebrities at the Con. Early in my SDCC days, I was swept into a Jack Black Exhibit Hall vortex that was terrifying. People pressed me against him (I apologized and he was very nice about it) and I saw the fear in his eyes as dozens of fanboys surrounded him. 

I feel like I'm going to miss out on everything. How do I know what's happening?

Check social, check YouTube reports, check the blogs and forums, and check mainstream nerd media. It might seem odd to read articles and watch videos about the Con when you're already there, but it's your best bet for finding out about things you'd otherwise miss. I am constantly hearing about booths/items on the floor that I somehow didn't notice or learning about screenings and events that were announced last minute. It's worth devoting time to this, because it feels horrible to come home and read about it all when it's too late.


I didn't get a badge. How can I get one?

You can pay $1900 to join the Comic-Con Museum or you can register yourself on comic-con.org and wait for Open Registration this fall. Next summer might seem far away but it does go quickly. In the meantime, join all the online communities, ask questions, make friends, and be ready for summer 2026.

What you shouldn't do: fall victim to some huckster who promises to sell you their badge. The odds are painfully high that you'll be taken for a ride.

Listen. Comic-Con is a bewildering, glittering monster that is way large to completely explore or master. But if you do a modicum of research and show up with your badge and a comfortable pair of shoes, you're guaranteed to have a good time. Stay tuned!

Let's appreciate the controversy and ambiguity of "Comic-Con Special Edition"

 29 MARCH 2021

CCI stepped up today and shared additional information about their in-person November event. (Which by the way, should NOT be called SDCC and is instead named Comic-Con Special Edition. You know CCSE-emblazoned swag will be major collectors' items one day.) This message was somewhat in response to the three main reactions to their Saturday night announcement:

• Why are they trying to hold an in-person Con when this pandemic is still out of control and we don't know if the vaccines really work and this one event could undo all our precarious progress?
• Yes, I want to go but Thanksgiving was an idiotic choice between travel chaos and family obligations and they should have tried harder to pick a different weekend.
• I'm going no matter what, holidays and pandemics be damned.

Guess which category I'm in.

The Plus ca Change of CCI

I've really enjoyed all the cynical coverage and teeth-gnashing of the last 2 days, because it's quintessential Comic-Con. CCI is blamed for their fumbling ineptitude and lack of clarity on an important subject; fans, vendors and reporters have weighed in with sulking, enthusiasm, and confusion; attendees have jumped into action to start plotting new badge sale strategies. It all feels so comfortingly familiar!

Or maybe not, for you. I've heard from people who are genuinely annoyed and they have a right to their opinion. But I do think we need to remember 2 points:

1. This isn't taking the place of some other, bigger SDCC we would otherwise get. It's just a bonus event that happens or not. So you can't really feel robbed if it's impossible for you to go, or if it doesn't roll out the same pageantry and splendor of real SDCC.
2. CCI needs money. They admit, no surprise, they've lost $$$$ because of this pandemic, and I fully support them creating new revenue streams any way they can. The same applies to the hotels, vendors, restaurants, artists, etc. who've lost income. David Glanzer referred to "reduced work schedules and reduction in pay for employees" which is very sad and I'm sure you want CCI to put on a beautiful show in 2022 - so this show would be a step in helping them recoup their losses.

So will Thanksgiving ruin Comic-Con Special Edition?

I don't think so. It may cast a shadow, but not a fatal one. Will travel be tough to book and ungodly expensive? Sure. But other than that, I think plenty of people - attendees, studios, exhibitors - will happily prioritize this event over turkey and football with the family. By November, many of us will have already caught up with distant relatives, and others have been cooped up with family members they're desperate to get away from. People are feverish to travel, see new faces, drink in bars, blow money on pretty toys that are right in front of them. 

Maybe I'm overestimating this because I don't celebrate Thanksgiving or care about Black Friday, but I do know many people are craving adventure right now. "Comic-Con Special Edition" is kind of perfect in that it will dish up both excitement and nostalgic gratification.

If it happens. Their statement today admits they don't know if "having this event in November is even feasible." So, as has happened so often in our Comic-Con histories, we will wait for more information, tantalized and jaded at the same time. I, for one, am enjoying the return to normality.

San Diego Comic-Con 101: a primer

17 JUNE 2017

Sometimes I think these are the most frustrating weeks of the Comic-Con calendar. A month out from the Con, all the announcements on panels, exclusives and events make it seem like we should be walking into the convention center any minute now - but we still have these final weeks to get through. Time slows to a crawl.

So below is a list of tips on navigating SDCC for first-timers (or those of you who still feel you're getting the lay of the land.) I know you're smart, I know you can figure it all out on your own, but here's the thing - San Diego Comic-Con is really complicated. And figuring it out takes time. Yes, you can just show up and amble around but you'll miss out on so much magnificence if you do. To make sure you hit the right events, meet the right people and find the right nerd treasure, you'll want to make sure you're prepared on a number of practical levels. The SDCC devil is in the details - ask anyone who got derailed by a headache from Exhibit Hall noise or got incorrect directions and spent an hour in the wrong line.

These below posts can help you know what to expect and get the lay of the land in advance. Some of the particulars are outdated,  but you'll get the gist of navigating the Con.


Common questions about the Con

The size of the convention center

Transportation at SDCC

Advice for first-timers

Doing SDCC on a budget

What people haven't liked about Comic-Con in the past


Why you should ask attendees for help

The care and feeding of security guards

Staying healthy at Comic-Con

Is SDCC summer camp for creatives?

Portfolio Review and other marketing opportunities

Designing your Comic-Con agenda

Eating well at Comic-Con 

13 Tips for Getting in Line 

Packing for Comic-Con




And if you're one of the people fuming over all the excited tweets and posts you're seeing, because no one told you about the badge sale! - here's how to join us next year.

On the much delayed SDCC badge sale

21 FEBRUARY 2017

Let me get this out of the way: I don't know when Return Registration will be.

SDCC attendees have had a tense month. After being told that Returning Registration - itself a change from the label Pre-Registration - would be held in "early 2017," we've been in suspension ever since. Your definition of early 2017 could vary but I think most of us expected it would be in the February timeframe. WonderCon is at the end of March, and a logical mind would assume CCI might want to get both badge sales out of the way before then.

As a reminder, here's the timeline ahead of us - if things go the way they always have:

• Return Registration will happen.
• Open Registration will follow.
• Early Bird Hotel Sale will open up. Usually it's open for a few weeks before shutting down for...
• Hotel Day, where we all plunge into the hellish hotel room lottery.

Based on that timeline, most of us thought Returning Reg would happen around early-mid February - this Saturday, the 25th, at the latest. So far we haven't heard a peep, and that's freaking people out because....


We know registration will be at least a little different this year. 

This makes people nervous because CCI's silence signals that they are struggling to perfect the new system - and that we may be in for a new round of crashes and bizarre tech glitches that unfairly kick people out of the sale. If you're new to SDCC world, you missed the years when entire badge sales would have to be rescheduled - sometimes twice - because of site crashes.

The fact that the system is changing has led many of us to expect some kind of instructional video or other advance preparation, as CCI has done in the past. It seems unlikely they'll send out an email 2 days before the sale saying "Oh, hey, it's all different this year but you'll figure it out." So people who hoped the sale would be this weekend are already getting gloomy over the lack of an email.

(Again, I recommend investigating how WonderCon badges are being sold through the site just to give you an idea of what our sale might look like - even though it won't be identical.)


The delays are forcing people to delay buying airfare and finding hotel rooms on their own.

If you're somewhere in the lower West Coast, this may not be a big deal - but people who need to fly to San Diego or LA want to get their tickets now, before the summer vacation crowd starts buying them all up. And for those of us who are gambling on the hotel sale - a prospect that grows increasingly dire each year - we want to know as soon as possible if we need to make arrangements on our own.


People are succumbing to paranoid theories that Return Registration will be absorbed into Open Registration.

Did I say "paranoid?" That's probably unfair, given that this is a game that changes constantly and it often feels like CCI is capable of stunning us in so many ways - but they did say Returning Registration would happen. It would be a supremely unethical move to cancel it. I think if they were willing to do that, they already would have announced it.

And from a commercial standpoint, it behooves their vendors (and the whole show really) to give the edge to returning attendees. We're the superfans who buy up everything on the floor and blog/post incessantly about all the trailers we saw.  First-timers can be superfans too but they're an untested commodity. Returning Reg stacks the deck with zealots, while Open Reg opens the door to fresh faces. It's a good system in my opinion.

At any rate, there's no point in losing your mind over this horrible scenario until and if it happens.


It's already the season to buy tickets and badges for other Cons - and attendees need to make decisions.

I'm always begging people to look beyond SDCC and find other Cons, because the idea that San Diego Comic-Con is the one and only is just hogwash. Lots of great Cons out there; I'm heading to one next week. In recent weeks, I've been hearing from people who've pretty much had it with SDCC and want to know what I recommend. They'll still try for a badge, but with March around the corner, they're looking at New York Comic Con, Gen Con, DragonCon, Silicon Valley, Denver, Salt Lake and others. This is a smart move.


People are frustrated by CCI's silence and lack of transparency, AGAIN.

"I'm so sick of their crap," someone said to me yesterday. He was referring to CCI, and he was referring to an ingrained pattern of failing to provide basic status updates to attendees. (Again, if you're new - this used to be so much worse.) I know you CCI loyalists will say they're working hard and they want what's best for us and we don't have a right to demand more - but pretty much every other organization values transparency and communication in the interest of good customer relationships.

When CCI launched their Toucan blog, I really hoped they would use it for dialogues (no such luck) or to at least be more candid about this kind of development. All they have to do is put up a post saying a new system is coming, it's taking longer than they thought because they want it to be perfect, and right now the sale might be in March. Instead we get... silence. And it feels like a slap.




Those of you headed to Emerald City Comicon with me next week: I think we can agree a 4 March sale is a nightmare scenario. I dread the idea of being away from my elaborate command center during a sale, but we'll make it work. See me if you need a place/computer to navigate the sale in Seattle that day, should it happen. I'll try to put something together.

And in the meantime, we'll keep waiting. Maybe we'll get an email tomorrow. Maybe next week. Tighten up your game plan, make sure your credit cards have room on them, and keep your Saturdays open. It's all we can do.

How to go to Comic-Con when you're poor

8 JANUARY 2016

Do you think you're too broke to go to Comic Con?

The last few years I've done "SDCC on a Budget" posts when Con time rolls around. But it's occurred to me that probably quite a few people exempt themselves from even trying to attend a Con - be it San Diego or others - simply because they feel they don't have the cash required.

I'd never try to persuade someone into spending $$$$ they don't have. However, it's my experience that many people assume that going to SDCC or NYCC is going to cost "thousands of dollars." That doesn't have to be true. People love to exaggerate and there are plenty of articles and online comments referring to $700 a night rooms and such that can make first-timers panic.

The reality is a little more nuanced. First of all, know that you'll be paying in installments. For San Diego Comic-Con, for instance, you usually pay for your badge first. A few weeks or months after that, you'll be asked to put down a deposit on a hotel room (or, if you do Early Bird, pay for your entire stay.) Then you'll have a few months more before you arrive at SDCC and pay for meals and the remainder of your hotel bill.

Other big Cons follow a similar path: badge in advance, hotel partly in advance and partly on check-out. If you're not good at saving money, this can give you a few months' breathing room to pay down those initial charges on your card.

On that note, don't forget that doing a partial Con is an option. Maybe instead of buying a full pass and 4 nights in a hotel, you just do Friday and Saturday and 2 nights. You could even arrive at dawn Friday, spend that night in a hotel, camp Saturday and leave at the end of Sunday. Voila, you've gotten 3 days at the Con while paying for only 1 night in a hotel. (If you're convinced a truncated Con would never satisfy the nerdy thirst inside you, don't be so sure. Just 2 days of Comic-Con can thrill and exhaust you more than you'd anticipate.)

So if you'd like to go to a big Comic Con but think you can't afford it, here's how budget-strapped people do it.


Hotels

This is usually the priciest aspect of going to the Con. A few options: you can try to stay in a local hostel; at some Cons you can camp in a nearby campground and take public transportation into town. You can also - if you're up for it - squeeze as many people as possible into your room. I knew one group that slept in shifts, with the morning people sleeping from 10 pm or so till dawn, and the partiers sleeping from dawn to afternoon. Everyone paid about $30 a night.

If you don't have someone - or enough someones - to share your room, ask around online, if you're comfortable sharing with strangers. You will definitely find others who didn't get a room at all or would like to split costs. Another option is bluntly asking people if you can crash with them 1 night. Overnight Hall H lines have been mitigated by the wristbands, but camping is still a thing at SDCC and other Cons and if you think you'll do at least 2 nights outside, you might see if you can sleep on someone's hotel room floor the other 2.

Finally, know that in SDCC's case, they offer up hotel rooms via the Early Bird sale. These aren't for downtown hotels - you will need to take the shuttle - but the rates are lower. Put 4 people into a room for 180 a night and you've got yourself a fairly manageable nightly rate per person.


Badges

Most conventions offer discounts if you're a senior, junior or military; kids under a certain age are usually free. You can also volunteer, which usually gets you full or partial free access to the Con. Just look at the event website and find out their application requirements.

Finally, if you've got connections you can try to come in as a booth worker or a vendor's right hand. Please note: there's generally a huge difference between working for someone you know and answering one of the job ads you see close to Con time. The latter tend to be low-paying with long hours and often only hire people with modeling or acting experience. Don't expect a lot of free time to scamper around the Con and attend panels and events at your leisure.



Meals

This is the element most in your control. I know people who live on a Spartan Comic-Con meal plan and it works for them. Generally, they pack their own food - cereal, fruit, sandwiches, power bars, etc - or buy groceries at a San Diego store like Ralph's, then live off that in their rooms. They don't go out to eat. OR they do that plus a few cheap indulgences, like a slice of pizza in the Gaslamp or the Horton food court or an $8 sub that feeds them all day long.

There was a time when you could scavenge appetizers and snacks from events and hospitality suites but those sources have dried up somewhat in the last few years.


Transportation

Plane fare is plane fare. Planning in advance and scouting for deals is your only option here, unless you're willing to endure a long bus ride. If you live in driving distance, look around online for anyone else who's driving and see if you can ride along and chip in for gas.


Merch

Some attendees (and shops) make an art of financing their attendance through buying exclusives and selling them at a profit. This has always seemed like a colossal headache to me, and uncertain to boot - it can be hard to anticipate what's going to increase in value and what will be glutting Ebay. If you choose this route, be aware that you will be working for your money, from standing in multiple lines to depending on the occasional ticket lottery to simply not getting to a booth in time.

As far as buying items for your own enjoyment, sometimes you can haggle with vendors and sometimes not. Waiting for the final-day markdowns is your best bet. If you fall in love with something and you're ready to sign over your last dime, check first on your phone to see what it's going for online. It's very rare to come across something at the Con that you can't get elsewhere, but that buzz of Exhibit Hall excitement can make every booth seem like a tantalizing chance of a lifetime.


Events

There will always be pricey events around the bigger Cons - comedy shows, concerts, competitions, private parties - but they're hardly the only show in town. Free events like screenings, gaming, meetups, and more will abound as well. And if you're bringing kids with you and wondering how you'll entertain them, know that 1) they'll be tuckered out earlier than usual at night 2) there are usually kid-specific panels and events at bigger Cons 3) just taking them to see the outside spectacles can awe them 4) they'll probably get a fair amount of kid-swag like free books and games during the day.



All in all, you can pull off a poor nerd's Comic Con if you plan strategically and save well. Of course, even with the above practices, it might still be out of your reach. There's nothing wrong with erring on the side of fiscal prudence, especially if you've never been to a big Con and aren't sure if it's worth the funds. I promise you that every August there are attendees who open their credit card bills and go pale with horror when they see the total of their SDCC spending.

But if you think you can swing it with the right tricks - give it a shot. It could be the best gift you ever give yourself.

Where, oh where, is our Pre-reg email?

5 NOVEMBER 2015



So many questions.

• Did the whole "you may need to have a valid physical address to complete your purchase" thing involve an update to the system? Please god let there not be some new disaster-glitch that'll torpedo the whole thing.
• People are reporting that the Member ID page was inaccessible earlier today. What does that mean?
• CCI says "We will post helpful preregistration tips and information in the weeks preceding preregistration." Rather than take this literally, I'm guessing they meant "days," as in one or two. Right?
• Would they really give us just one day's notice? Is it a strategy to cull the herd? Or have they decided to give us more notice than usual and will soon announce Pre-reg is on the 14th?
• Does CCI enjoy tormenting us?

I think it's still possible (but unlikely) that Pre-reg will be Saturday morning. While they usually say we'll be given at least 48 hours notice, the Pre-reg page and our August emails didn't say anything of the kind. We could get an email tonight or tomorrow morning.

But mostly likely it will be the 14th, which is disappointing. I think most of us have been working ourselves into the right frame of mind for this Saturday; waiting another week feels anticlimactic. And on a personal note, my parents will be visiting, which is going to completely disturb my badge sale mojo.

The 21st would probably be even worse for a lot of people, as it's the Saturday before Thanksgiving and people will be traveling that weekend. Ditto the following weekend. So really that leaves the 14th and... December. CCI doesn't want to ruin Star Wars month, right?

If for some reason they did run into technical difficulties with the address update or some other change, then Pre-reg could be delayed indeed. We'll just have to wait. In the meantime, keep your eyes on your inbox.

Q&A on Emerald City Comicon

29 SEPTEMBER 2015




I know. I can't stop talking about Emerald City and you're so sick of hearing about it. But the last week has unleashed enough weirdness that I've been getting questions and comments from all quarters on random aspects of ECCC. (And a few conspiracies, which are always fun.)

I don't know everything about Emerald City Comicon but I will clear up what I can.


Tickets, Identification and Scalpers

Will my ticket have my name on it? If I bought for my 5 friends and ECCC didn't ask for their names when I bought them, I can just resell them and that means so can scalpers, right?

I bought 4 tickets and I don't know exactly which of my friends can go yet. What happens?

I have no idea what the ECCC 2016 badge will look like. But here's what the ECCC 2015 badge looked like and what the current NYCC badges look like: no names.

I don't know for sure that ReedPOP will put RFID tech into ECCC 2016 badges as they do with NYCC. With NYCC, you are required to register your badge online. (And linking to your social accounts is encouraged.) ECCC's statement on Facebook: "We are shipping badges but there still will be a barcode scan and ID check for some of our passes." So that suggests a similar process.

They're obviously not going to ID everyone and I'm sure we'll still see scalpers slinking around. But overall it's a little more formal and monitored than previous years.


Did they deliberately reduce the number of 4-day and 3-day badges to force people to pay more for single day badges? I think they did.

This seems to be a popular theory, probably because angry people want someone to blame and ReedPOP seems a good candidate for the role of the greedy corporation. We've all noticed the obnoxious ads on the ECCC site. But Emerald City said, "We did not sell less 3-day passes than last year." And they sold 4-day passes this year as well.


Now that only single day tickets are left, I can't afford to go. It's so unfair.

Really? The price difference between all 4 single day badges and a 4-day badge is $40. The price difference between 3-day badges and 3 single day badges is $30. (And Thursday is only half-day - 2 to 7 pm - and focused mainly on comic books, so that should help many of you decide to skip it.)

I do understand that's still inconvenient for people on a budget. (The price difference almost doubled for NYCC tickets when their full tickets sold out, which I got caught in by a nanosecond. So I get it.) And I know what it's like to be cash-strapped at Comic Cons - I was a broke young scrapper when I started going to SDCC.

But I have a hard time believing that $40 is an insurmountable difference for someone attending Comicon when you think of what people spend on meals, their cosplay, the show floor, etc. Maybe that's not you; maybe you're visiting ECCC on a day pass from a Charles Dickens-level orphanage and merely walking around the Con is all you hoped to do on your meager funds. But again, this event didn't rise up out of oblivion. Everyone has had months to save up.

When will single day badges sell out?

"Soon." How's that for vague? What I do know is that you should go ahead and get yours if you want to go. There's no room for dithering in Comicon.


The ECCC Culture

I think one thing you might want to mention to folks is the "Seattle Freeze" issue with Seattle locals. I think a lot of people will be surprised by how reserved/clique-ish/snobbish they can be. I'm not sure if you felt it when you were there, but it's definitely not like SD.

It hadn't occurred to me to mention this because 1) I grew up in a reserved region 2) I tend to socialize mostly with pros and vendors rather than attendees 3) I assume whatever side-eye and frostiness I get at ECCC is based on my being an SDCC blogger. (A not unfounded assumption.)

So yes, I'll say that the ECCC attendee base is not as friendly and laidback as San Diego's, where everyone just naturally chats up everyone and a general spirit of helpfulness prevails. I wouldn't say Emerald City's culture is cold, necessarily, but the people don't seem to connect as easily. At SD, waiting in line can lead to a new best friend, hearing about 2 parties and finding out about a booth giving out secret swag. At ECCC, people seem to ignore each other in line. (Though maybe that's because the lines don't last long enough for our social barriers to break down.) I've never had an ECCC attendee randomly invite me somewhere, though that happens to me at SD all the time. Last year some women invited me to a private party during ECCCC and I had to be vouched for.

On the whole, it's not something that bothers me but a few SDCC veterans might notice the difference. Although with the influx of SDCC and other attendees that seems to be happening, perhaps this will change? At any rate, I might organize an ECCC event for SDCC attendees who don't know many people there or just want to connect with the community, so don't think you'll be alone if this is your first ECCC. You'll be among friends.

How different is it going to be now that it's controlled by NYCC?

ReedPOP actually runs Comic Cons all over the world, and I have to imagine those events aren't clones of each other. Plus they said they want ECCC to keep its cultural feel. Obviously the infrastructure is different; how palpable the new ownership will be on the show floor and panels and events is unknown. I expect past attendees will still feel at home while appreciating the expanded offerings.

Speaking of which....

The ECCC Offerings

So is it worth my going or not? My son likes comic books but I don't and you say that's all there is there.


Okay, I'm going to walk this back a bit. I've banged the ECCC drum hard for a few years now and I have repeatedly stressed how great it is for comics fans. Which is still true, entirely. In fact, I expect an even higher level of comic book talent this year - and it was already rather incredible in the past.

But I also expect a higher level of Hollywood talent in 2016. Maybe I'm wrong but I think ReedPOP is going to make a point of bringing in big names and making this Con a don't-miss for the general Con community and not just the comic book nerds. They wouldn't have bought ECCC just to keep it at the same size and profit margin; clearly they saw a business advantage in the sale. (Look at its location compared to SDCC and NYCC. Just saying.) So I would predict 2016 is going to have more Hollywood flash.

It's also worth noting that Thursday is only from 2-7 pm and "focused mainly on comics" so you can probably shave that day off if you're not a big comics fan. If you're intrigued by ECCC, don't let my obsessive prattle about comic books stop you from going. You'll have a good time.

And it's possible that as fast as this ticket sale has seemed, next year will be even faster - so you may want to get in while the getting is reasonable. If ReedPOP really does roll out the thunder next April, you can believe that even more attendees will be dogpiling that 2017 ticket sale the second it goes live.

How many more guests are going to be added? I don't know if I want to commit to this since they've only listed 3 names.

Guests will be added all the way up to the Con. I feel safe assuring you they will be guests you want to see. Again, ReedPOP isn't going to have their first Emerald City feature C-listers. They want to come out with a bang.  That's why they name-dropped Fiona Staples and Nathan Fillion the day of the sale - they knew it would excite both comic nerds and Hollywood fans.

The days of waiting for guest announcements before buying tickets are pretty much dunzo, anyhow. At some Cons like Salt Lake and Phoenix you can afford to wait but most popular Cons sell out months before those announcements get made. It's a leap of faith.

Is it too late to apply for a table in Artist's Alley?

According to pro friends, it is almost impossible to get into ECCC - it's such a huge get for artists that it eclipses even bigger Cons in both sales and prestige. They didn't allow applications for the 2016 show, although there is a waiting list. Probably good networking, though.

And that's it for now. I promise to stop the parade of ECC posts soon.

On volunteers, security guards & staff

8 JULY 2015



In my first few hours of SDCC, I talked to these people:

• A volunteer who might have been named Myron
• A convention center worker who wistfully asked me what the Con was like and said she wasn't allowed to shop in the Exhibit Hall or go to panels
• A security guard who contemplated for a full 12 seconds whether or not I should be allowed to photograph the inside of room 6A
• Two construction workers who had the misfortune to stand in front of the Hall H tent area, which made them the target of multiple questions from disgruntled attendees

The point being: there are a lot of people in uniforms walking around. Some can answer your questions. Most can't. 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. Security guards have a variety of attitudes and power levels and information, and need to be handled strategically.

Generally speaking,  attendees are your best source of information. Witness the Hall H construction workers. At just past noon, there was already a line conundrum - some attendees didn't understand why there was a line under the tents when the wristbands were being given out elsewhere. They zeroed in on the construction guys in red shirts (in the literal sense, not the character sense) and demanded answers. As would anyone confronted by zealous Hall H campers, the construction guys got very nervous. Eventually other attendees answered the questions and they were left in peace.

No one is omniscient, of course, but the collective attendee knowledge base is pretty strong. So if you do have a question and none of the staff seems to have an answer, just ask someone wearing a badge. Eventually you'll find someone who knows.

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:

1. The ZombieWalk accident in which a woman was hospitalized with a broken arm
2. A brutal incident where an underage cosplayer wound up hospitalized with bleeding on the brain
3. 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.