It's Comic Con time!!

[JayMysterio]

Was wondering if anyone here was going this year after I read this article.
https://apnews.com/d3f87fa43ca44a08af2ec88314a266cc

LOS ANGELES (AP) — No one expected their culture would ever become mainstream when a few hundred comic book and science fiction enthusiasts and creators gathered in the basement of a San Diego hotel 49 years ago for what would become known as the first Comic-Con.

Except Jack Kirby.

For most, the real tipping point for Comic-Con and Hollywood came in 2008 when “Twilight” descended on the Gaslamp District. The “Twihards” took fandom to a new level when they camped out overnight to secure a spot to see the panel. That had never been done on that level.

Since then, Comic-Con has been a madhouse. Nowadays, some 135,000 people descend on the San Diego Convention Center and surrounding Gaslamp District every year. There are lines everywhere for fan needs (panels, toys, autograph sessions, events) and human ones (food, bathrooms, transportation). Tickets are hard to come by, as are hotels and parking, and everything is expensive.

“It’s become so huge now, it’s almost like Yogi Berra said: ‘Nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded,’” Thomas said. “That’s why I stay away. I do like it, but I just feel like maybe it’s better to stick with my memories.”

That closing line sums up my feelings for San Diego Comic Con. We used to go pretty regularly, but as it grew it became more & more a media con, and less a Comic con. That increased presence of Hollywood which has been a boon, has also been the curse that chases away those loving comic books.

As much disgust I have for it now ( At one point, I kid you not, to get tickets for the much desired Previews night, you had to have gone to the last year's previews night. Meaning if you hadn't scored tickets that year, the only way you were going next year was with the aid of time travel ), I whole heartedly recommend any fan to go to ONE SDCC to just experience it. There really is nothing like it. You have to do it once.

Just be warned: It's expensive and you will wait for EVERYTHING.

Anyone have experiences of SDCC?

 

[0388631]

Anyone have experiences of SDCC?

Yes. Very thankful I never decided to settle in La Jolla.

 

[D.T.]

Been to a few big[ger-ish] cons on the east coast, but nothing on the west. This year we took the little G to a local con, the voice actor for one of her fave animes was there, it was pretty epic for her. She even got done up in cosplay, had so many people come up to her and flip out, she was excited to be with "her people", hahaha We got a few things signed (she got this huge tapestry for that anime signed!), some cool photos, really had a blast.

Now we're looking to maybe take her to DragonCon up the ATL this year, though that date is rapidly approaching and we've got like 3 trips still on deck ... !

 

[rhett7660]

Yup, this will be our 20 year going out of 22. Love it and I don't mind the media/movie production companies. It can be at times a little crowded, and a little testy to get into the halls, but we love it and go every year. The two years we missed, one was due to our schedule and the other was we didn't get tickets. The ticket gods were not nice to us that year.

I still go for the comics, since there are a lot of dealers still. I also go to meet a good majority of the creators and to get a few commissioned pieces.

We also go to Wonder-con, Long Beach con, and now LA con. We want to do Emerald con next.

We leave tomorrow and will be there Thur-Sun. We also have tickets to Hop-Con 7.0. Stone Brewery's little geeky-beer festival. It will be our sixth year in a row going to it.

 

[jtara]

Ugh! Traffic snarls the rest of the week!

Never had an interest, even when I was working at Sony San Diego Studio. Was fun to see everybody come into work to show off their costumes though! I might walk downtown just to gawk.

ComicCon actually was hosted in the ballroom on the first floor of my building for several years. (It was the SECOND location for ComicCon - at the time, the El Cortez Hotel, now condos. The first was the basement of the U.S. Grant Hotel.)

Edit: Actually, the El Cortez once had an adjacent convention center (since torn down), certainly nothing like the current San Diego Convention Center which Comic-Con is outgrowing, and much hand-wringing about start/stop plans for convention center expansion... So, assume it was bigger than just the hotel's ballroom, and I read they they "grew into" the space from 1972 - 1981, with some gap years where it was held elsewhere. 1972 attendance was 900, 1981 attendance was 5,000.

I'll upload a picture of the little display case we have with some memorabilia. And perhaps the ballroom. (Probably have to wait for daytime when I can get a good photo and access.)

 

[0388631]

I'd imagine a lot of men from the 70s and 80s enjoy seeing Elvira.

We also have tickets to Hop-Con 7.0

About the only Con I like. That's a good one. I went to the earlier ones, but the weather in San Diego around this time of year makes it unbearable for me. Winter Fest is nice, too.

 

[jtara]

Here's the one bit of ComicCon memorabilia downstairs.Poster from 1975. Tickets were $7 in advance, $10 at the door!

 

[JayMysterio]

One of the drawbacks of Hollywood's increased presence is that with Comic Con staying in San Diego, it's space is finite. Obviously they tried dealing with this by spreading it out, but if you are small press company, you need to be on the con floor. A lottery system has been in place for years, but ( like NY ) it's gotten to be ridiculous if you aren't 'grandfathered' in. Our last few years were literally being told in advance "Nope, try next year", only to get an email a few weeks ahead of the con saying "We have space" ( this also happens in NY with shorter notice ) and you scrambling to decide if it's financial viable to go or if you want to be considered for a spot next year. That's not even including the situation with getting hotel, as that of course is never covered.

Until SDCC, I had never been to a hotel that charged you $100 to hold your incoming mail/packages.

 

[rhett7660]

Once again, had a blast. Picked up a few books that I have had my eye on and was able to see and even touch some comics that I could never afford.

Captain America #1 - had a price tag with a starting bid of $750K and it was a 9.2 or 9.4. One of, if not the nicest copies of the book in existence.

Also got to see the famous Amazing Fantasy #15 that was a 9.4... they were asking a cool 1.1 million for it. Boy did it show nicely!

Overall had a really good time.

 

[0388631]

Once again, had a blast. Picked up a few books that I have had my eye on and was able to see and even touch some comics that I could never afford.

Captain America #1 - had a price tag with a starting bid of $750K and it was a 9.2 or 9.4. One of, if not the nicest copies of the book in existence.

Also got to see the famous Amazing Fantasy #15 that was a 9.4... they were asking a cool 1.1 million for it. Boy did it show nicely!

Overall had a really good time.

When are you going to inform Mrs. Rhett you took out a loan against all your assets combined? And when do you think your funeral will be in that case? I'll drink your beer and wine collection as a favor to you.

 

[rhett7660]

When are you going to inform Mrs. Rhett you took out a loan against all your assets combined? And when do you think your funeral will be in that case? I'll drink your beer and wine collection as a favor to you.

SHHHHHHHHHHHH... As long as she finds out AFTER I am gone all good! I mean I would hate to see all that beer and wine go to waste!!!