This video captures about 1/3 of the Exhibit Hall floor. And the least busy part of it.
As an avid Comic Con attendee, the question that gets asked most often by new people is “What are some good tips for going to Comic Con”? This will be my 30th year of not missing one day of Comic Con (not counting preview night or the Covid year). This is what I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way), over the past 30+ years:
1. Above all else, no matter what you are doing, you are going to be walking. Miles. 8-12 or even more miles. A day. Make sure you have good shoes. Not fancy shoes that look cool, sandals, or high heels. Yes, I see people do this every year. These people don’t last long. You need good walking shoes.
2. Since you are going to be walking. Work out in advance. Get into walking shape. Start walking now. Around the block. A couple miles a day. Then up it. BUT do not run. In fact, train yourself to walk as slow as possible. There is no running at Comic Con. Or even fast walking (some, but not much). If you’re on a treadmill practicing, do not put the speed above 2.0. Yeah, people may laugh at you in the gym, but they’re not going to Comic Con. As someone who’s worked out my whole adult life, I used to go jogging in the months before Comic Con. Then I’d wonder why I’m so tired at Comic Con even though I’m in shape. It’s because I’m not used to be walking so slowly. You got to train yourself to get used to that.
3. PLAN! I do spreadsheets. I have one for exclusives (what item, where, booth #, priority), one for autographs (who, where, time, need a wristband?, etc…), and one for panels (who, where, time, day, priority). Go to sdccblog.com daily (or even more often) to get extra special listings that are not on the official Comic Con website.
4. sdccblog.com is a must. They have more events and exclusives listed than the official Comic-Con website (though you need to go there too). The exclusives listed on the Comic-Con site are official, licensed (i.e. paid), deals with SDCC, which gets them the listings on their page. BUT every booth (if they’re smart) should have some sort of exclusive. sdccblog.com does an excellent job of listing everything and is a must go to resource.
5. Do not expect anything. Waiting in line for 3 hours (or longer) for your item or panel? Fine, but don’t get too mad if you don’t get in. It happens. As one opportunity closes, another one is waiting right there to open. Keep in mind that the more time spent waiting in one line, the more other opportunities you are missing somewhere else. Hall H? You’re going to spend most of the time watching what you came to see on the TV monitors if you are not up front. Which is fine. But you can watch it on youtube the next day anyways. Do you really want to spend a full day waiting in line to get into Hall H? Your favorite actor could be doing a chance signing at a booth that you’ll be missing out on!
6. Keep your eyes and ears open. Some people (myself included), will shut things out when there’s too much going on. Don’t do that. In past Comic Cons, by pure chance, just by walking around, I have met: Amber Benson from Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Greg Nicotero, Bill Moseley from Texas Chainsaw Massacre II, Matt Groening, Peter Mayhew & David Prowse & Kenny Baker (all together in a special booth called “The Men Behind The Masks”; this booth was so secret, that no one was there to see them!), Gene Simmons (just walking around; he’s a fan like you and me), Robert Kirkman, Joss Whedon, Seth Green, and many many others. Once I was talking with a friend at the Dark Horse booth. This guy in the booth next to us came over and said “Carrie Fisher is signing at my booth in 15 minutes.” And sure enough she was. Got an autograph and picture with her. For free. Talk about being in the right place at the right time! Vendors want people to be at their booths, so they’ll often have celebrities there to do a signing. So when someone at a booth says something: listen!
7. Check Autograph Alley listings daily during the Con. The updated listings are at the Information Booth in Autograph Alley and also on every pillar inside the Convention Center before you go into the Exhibit Hall. These change daily. Hourly, sometimes. A big guest wants to do a signing? They’ll sometimes set one up the day of the show to happen right after a panel they’re on. Futurama crew, Matt Groening, Walter Koeing, and others have set up impromptu signings at Autograph Alley right after their panels.
8. Stay hydrated. Eat. Have a good lunch. Breakfast too. Con can be very stressful. Having a cocktail or beer or two during lunch can help deal with the massive crowds.
9. Deodorant. And showers. DO IT! But don’t wear foul smelling “deodorant” like patrouille. You’re just going to stink up the place and make everyone hate you.
10. You are always going to miss something. I can’t remember how many times at the end of the Con, I found out that someone was there whom I really wanted to meet. Keep tabs on your favorite artists/actors/musicians/etc on facebook and twitter and see if they’re going to be there. Then find out where. And if you can’t make that, try to find out where else they’re going to be. Many of these guests aren’t just here for one day, they’re here for the whole Con, and aren’t just doing one signing. I remember watching Ghost Adventures during the Saturday night of Con wondering how come they never come to SDCC. I looked them up to see if they were ever there. Turns out they were doing a signing the next day in Autograph Alley! Got to meet them, signed photo, pictures, and everything. They even took pictures of us!
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