2008-07-16 - THE CON GAME

We're only days away now from the comics/sci-fi/pop-culture event of the year, Comic-Con International: San Diego. With tickets selling out earlier this year than ever before, and hotel reservations at such a premium that they quite literally booked up the entire town in a matter of hours, this year looks like it might be the biggest one yet, which is saying something.

While a few years ago I provided a guide to Con-Goers (entitled "CONVENTIONAL THINKING," which you can find here), things have exploded at the Con so drastically in recent years, I thought it seemed like time for an update.

First off, go brush up on my previous column. Go ahead, we'll wait for you.

All caught up? Good. First off, as big and intimidating as I described it back in '03, it's even more so now. Which leads us to our first order of business:

1. Relax.

You're supposed to be having a good time. Comic-Con is just too big anymore for anyone to see everything, so remember to just slow down, and really enjoy the things you are seeing. Which brings us to Point the Second.

2. Try to keep a little perspective.

Remember that what seems like the most important thing in the world to see today is old news within a month. And also, let's be honest -- almost everything of note will eventually wind up on the Internet. So if you don't get into, say, the WATCHMEN panel, don't worry about it. Anything they show in there you're gonna see on YouTube or Ain't It Cool by August. In fact, it might not even be worth waiting in that two-hour line to see, and that could be two hours you spend on something you might never see again, like an interview with a favorite writer or artist, or a captivating panel discussion. The movie stuff is transitory -- that clip you see from a trailer will eventually be on the DVD you buy 18 months from now, and the time you waste in line to see it is gone forever.

These folks waited four hours to see three minutes of SPIDER-MAN 3 footage, which was online hours later. Perhaps not the best use of Comic-Con time.

3. Be flexible.

It's impossible to really predict what's going to happen at the show from year to year in terms of crowds. If I were writing this last year, I'd be telling you, if at all possible, to avoid the show on Saturday, because of the insanely overcrowded floor in the Exhibit Hall. However, numerous retailers have told me that Saturday was their slowest day last year, because the folks who run Programming for the show had stacked everything really newsworthy on Saturday, and so consequently there were thousands of people upstairs and in the giant auditorium who never left their seats all day. So most definitely have yourself a plan, but don't be afraid to alter it.

4. Think ahead.

You know what happens every night in San Diego during Comic-Con week? Eleventy thousand people hit the Gaslamp Quarter at the same time and try to get a table at a restaurant. If there are a couple places you really want to eat at, do yourself a favor and make reservations. Nothing's better than enjoying a nice steak while you watch dozens of hungry Stormtroopers trudge by looking for dinner options.

5. Don't give in to the hype.

Those exclusive action figures you want? There will be plenty to go around. And even if by some chance you miss out on one, again, within a matter of months you'll see them on eBay for the same price they were going for at the show. (Except for ours, that is. We always sell out. Seriously.) Now, I'm not saying don't wait in line for the items you want most, but maybe skip the two-hour-long line at the Hasbro booth on Friday and try the 20-minute wait on Sunday instead.

6. For god's sake, get some air.

I've been as guilty of this as anyone in years past, but you really owe it to yourself to get out of the Convention Center for a while. San Diego's a beautiful town, and there's so much to see, so trade the zoo of sweaty humanity for an actual Zoo, or at least get out and sit by the pool for an hour or so.

7. Go and check out Artist's Alley.

Lots of folks skip this area every year, and they're missing out. Not only is there fantastic artwork available for sale at surprisingly reasonable prices (and what better way to spend your money at Comic-Con than on original artwork?), but it's just a great opportunity to meet some of the folks who draw some of your favorite comics you read all year long.

8. Play against the clock.

Don't even think about trying to get in when the place opens at 10. Give yourself a break and go in at 10:30, when you can stroll right in. Have your lunch at 2 p.m. This sounds like basic, dumbass advice, but you have no idea how much of a difference it can make when 100,000 people all decide to get lunch at noon.

9. The Red Line is your friend.

If you're staying someplace that's a little farther than comfortable walking distance from the Con (and judging by how fast rooms went this year, that's most of you), check out how close you are to a Red Line trolley stop. Last year I discovered to my delight there was a station next door to my hotel, and my 12-block walk suddenly became a low-stress, $3 five-minute train ride. By Day 3 of the show, it was the best Comic-Con discovery ever.

10. Don't go home.

At least not right away. If you're not too pinched for cash and vacation days, I highly recommend staying an extra day after the show is over to decompress. It's much easier to enjoy Sunday night knowing you're not going to be fighting that traffic getting out of town, and a leisurely day by the pool or at the mall on Monday is the perfect antidote for the "Con fatigue/flu" that's bound to hit you after four days (or for some of us poor bastards, six) cooped up in the Convention Center.

For an insanely expansive guide to everything you need to know to survive and thrive in the Comic-Con experience, I highly recommend Tom Spurgeon's excellent manifesto on the subject over at his Web site, The Comics Reporter.

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