As we prepare to take over San Diego at Comic-Con 2012, I thought it would be a good time to unleash the annual San Diego Comic-Con Survival Guide!
This looks like it's going to be an awesomely badass year at the ultra rad geek convention! There's going to be a ton of great panels to attend that include The Hobbit, Iron Man 3, Man of Steel, Looper, Elysium, The Walking Dead and a lot more stuff worth checking out! Click here to see our top 15 picks of 2012. The fact of the matter is, this is going to be a great year, and everyone in attendance is sure to have a blast!
The GeekTyrant team will be at Comic-Con in full force, giving you the best coverage you will find on the internet... I'm serious. We couldn't be more excited and happy to cover the event for those of you who can't go, or happen to miss some panels. We got your back, and we're gonna have a hell of a fun time kicking ass while eating ice cream.
If you were lucky enough to obtain a pass to Comic-Con, then we'll see you there! If this is your first year at the con, there are a few things that you need to know about attending Comic-Con. If you've already been, then you know the insanity that awaits you. Comic-Con is such an amazing event, but the amount of people that are attending these days can cause the fun to become very frustrating and hard at times.
Here is a little survival guide that I put together to help you in your Comic-Con adventure.
If You Didn't Get Tickets… You Lose:
Sorry, but it's true. If you didn't get your tickets way in advance, then you're screwed my friends. Passes sold out faster this year than any previous year. And by now we've gotten used to the fact that the convention is going to be completely packed to capacity. However, if you don't have a ticket, there are ways of getting them… illegally. Thankfully, we will be there to cover everything for those of you who won't be making it.
Comfortable Shoes Are a Must:
I hate blisters on my feet, and so do you. You will be doing an insane amount of walking, and unless you've already attended the convention, I don't think you realize the amount of walking you will do. I've lost weight every year I have gone. It will be the best work out I get all year. Wear comfortable shoes! They will save your life... I promise.
Plan out Your Geek Adventure:
Comic-Con will be extremely overwhelming. Try to plan as much as you can before you get there. It's a lot harder to plan in the middle of the madness. Make a list of everything you want to see, including panels, autographs, movies, and at least 3 or 4 backup plans to fall back on. You most likely won't get into every panel you want to see, unless you're insanely hardcore. We will spend the night in line if necessary.
You Won't See Everything You Want:
Unfortunatley you most likely wont get to see everything you'd like, unless you're willing to sacrafice time, money, and possibly your life. Make sure to make back-up plans in case you don't make it into an event or panel. Hell! make several back-up plans just to be safe. If all else fails, go grab some food or ice cream. The big panels and events will fill up fast, so get in line early for panels you want to attend. Speaking of lines...
Insanely Long Lines:
Comic-Con is home to the longest lines ever! The line for Hall H (pictured above) is literally miles long! It also runs off to the side and behind the convention center. I can tell you that if the line is as far as the Marriott Hotel and Marina you will still get in Hall H which holds 6,000 people. But if you really want to get in Hall H then you have no choice but to wait in line, and you will need to get in line a few hours before the event to make sure you get in, especially for the popular panels like Twilight. But for you it will be The Hobbit and Iron Man 3 type panels. You will spend so much time waiting that you should bring food, reading material, and an ipod, iphone, or ipad. We usually have a couple of GT team members spending the night in line to make sure we get in tot h stuff we want to see and cover. That's just how we roll. If you see us, please stop by and say hi!
Be Social:
Since you'll be spending a lot of time in line and mingling with other people, you might as well make some new geek friends! Don't be afraid to talk to people standing around with you. Chances are you'll meet some awesome people and have some great conversations about the things you love. Remember, you have a lot in common with the people attending Comic-Con. You never know who you'll meet either; you might be surprised by who is standing in line with you.
Don't Scare the Celebrities:
They'll be all over the place, and chances are you'll run into them. It happens to us every year. If you happen to see one of your favorite actors or directors, it's OK to geek out. Just be cool about it, have manners, respect their privacy, and don't follow them around the convention like a stalker! They know you are following them. Sure, you can talk to them! Just be calm and polite, you know what I'm sayin'? Don't wipe your boogers on them, and make it quick, they're busy. Celebrities are people too. Respect.
Respect the Booth Babes:
Don't stare at the booth babes. I know they are there to look at and draw you in, but if you linger around way too long (staring at them for an unreasonable amount of time), this means that you are scaring the shit out of them. These girls have a hard job, and it is a job for them. There's no need to make them more uncomfortable than they already are. Be cool, guys! They don't want to hang out with you!
Bring Cash:
Cash is king at the con, especially if you want to drop it down on some sweet ass toys, comics, art, autographs, food, prostitutes... oh wait. Some places will take debit and credit cards, but it costs them money to use it, so if you bring cash, everyone wins.
Bring Beverages and Snacks:
You will be glad you did. So much to do, so little time to eat. At least that's my experience, my fellow Tyrants usually have to force me to eat because I just get so caught up in the awesomeness of it all. There's just so much stuff to do, but you've still got to eat to keep the energy level up and drink to stay hydrated. Try to be a little more healthy than the picture above.
Free Swag:
Take it, it could be something cool, if not, you can easily pass it along to someone else or throw it away. There have been many times these free swag handouts ended up taking us to free food, and some really fun movie screenings. There are also free comic books, t-shirts, and posters. If you play your cards right you could be swimming in free swag by the end of the convention.
Free Movie Screenings:
Why the hell not? It's fun, and it's free. There are a lot of movie screenings going on around the Gaslamp District for films that you may not have heard of. Definitely hit up the free movies if you have some time to kill. Every year I've gone, I've attended a screening that turned out to be awesome. This year we'll be hitting up Dredd 3D, Expendables 2, and whatever else comes out way!
Take a Shower:
We've been around some pretty stinky people at Comic-Con. Please take a shower and keep yourself clean. I understand you can't smell yourself, but other people can. Thank you.
Be Patient, Don't Stab People:
You will need patience at the Con. Last year a Harry Potter fan got stabbed in the face by an impatient person. That person went to jail. You will be waiting in line for a long ass time, you will be trying to find seats for panels and dealing with a massive crowd of people. Just keep an eye on that patience meter of yours. If you find yourself ready to explode, enter into Zen mode and just calm the frak down.
Comic-Con Costumes:
Maybe some of you have some awesome costumes to show off at the Con. If you do, be prepared to be stopped by a lot of people so that they can take pictures of you, especially if you are going as Slave Leia. I've seen some pretty incredible costumes over the years, and they seem to be getting better and better, so I will stop you for a photo. Don't wear crappy costumes!
Look at Art in Artists' Alley:
There are a ton of great artists that come to Comic-Con to show of their skills and sign autographs. Every year we walk around looking at these artists' work, and we see a ton of great stuff! A lot of it we've posted as Geek Art on the site over the years. It gives you the chance to meet and greet some of your favorite creators, many of whom sell original art, sketches, and exclusive limited-edition prints and sketchbooks.
Ghirardelli Chocolate Ice Cream Shop:
This is a must-go for everyone who goes to Comic-Con! It's so freakin' good! We will be here every night after a long day at the convention center getting wasted on ice cream. So if you miss us at the meet up, you will be able to catch us here every night where we unwind and let loose. We will throw out a Tweet letting you know when we will be there.
Look for the GeekTyrant T-Shirts!
If you see us walking around, stop us! We'll be happy to talk to you and hang out, no matter how you look! We may even give you a free shirt while supplies last. If you see us in line, maybe we'll let you hang out with us while we are waiting to get in (if you know what I mean), we're all friends right?
Most Importantly… Have Fun and be Happy!
If you're not going to have fun, then there's really no point in going.