Mood:
caffeinatedTopic: Comic Cons
TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3189: Now it's only 8 days away until the 2010 Comic-Con International: San Diego, (a.k.a. SDCC), opens its' doors for Preview Night! As stated in this blog series Part 1, Tina & I will be there for all 5 days and 4 nights. Tina has been going since 2001 when we were engaged. That was the year that Hollywood 'discovered' Comic-Con. For those that don't know...I set up as a comic book dealer back at the El Cortez Hotel in 1972 when the SDCC was at that venue. So we both have different expectations about this comic convention. This pre-check off list, which is now in its' 2nd Part, is what we will be preparing with between now and when leave to drive down to the San Diego Convention Center. We are lucky that the Comic-Con is only 35 miles South of us here in Carlsbad, California at this time, (again this blog post is NOT about the possible moving of the Con in 2013). So what was 1st on our personal Check Off List? Here's the list of topics I covered in Part 1, (please see that post for full details): REPAID PARKING: No Addendum. PROGRAM SCHEDULES: Sunday's has been added here.
FOOD & DRINK FOR MEALS & SNACKS: Update: Please note that most con-goers looking for a supermarket for additional food for their hotel rooms will walk over to Ralphs located at 101 G Street, San Diego. ACCESSORIES: No update. Now for the Part 2 topics:
Here's the link to the .pdf of the whole Comic-Con. Note: The Comic-Con has expanded again this year! There are more adjacent locations that are holding programs. Don't think you know where everything is. Even 'old timers' like me should look, as the logistics of getting from the Hilton Bayfront Indigo Ballroom to the other side of the convention center at the Marriott's Hotel and Marina rooms are much farther apart when walking between them then seen on the maps! Plus, for those of YOU that get tickets for the swag that is not given away at the programs, but instead is given out at the 'Fulfillment Room', be advised that the room has MOVED to the Marriott. That's a long ways to get your 'swag'!
Check this option out before hand, and make sure your kids know how important the badge is. I've had to replace my badge once in the last decade, and it takes quite a while to do so. The Comic-Con staff are pleasant, but it is YOUR responsibility to keep track of the badges, not theirs.
Yeah, it may not seem to be 'cool', but the Comic-Con does NOT clear the halls between program. You need to make 'Line Buddies' for self-preservation because of this. Otherwise, You'll be seeing a LOT of signs like the one to the left...
I also use 'flyers' to pass out to comics creators and to persons I meet in line. That's because those flyers promote my Blog: ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com, our online store: ComicBooksCircus.com, our marketing company: MakeItSoMarketing.com, and my personal Facebook Group Page: Hamersky.com plus Tina's company's Facebook Fan Page: MarketingTina.com. So yes, we are always networking at this comic convention, even if we are attending a program just for fun.
Yes there are 'tent' like structures there, but it is hot and uncomfortable when the line is not moving. Be sure to carry a bottled drink for that room. Plus have a small bottle of sunscreen. You'll think you won't get sunburned, but you will sunburn easier than you would think! Note: there looks to be a change in line format for this year 2010, be sure to double check on the Comic-Con web site iteself!
So do yourself a favor and carry 1's, 5's & 10's instead of all 20's and 100 dollar bills on you. A lot of dealers don't accept credit cards for small purchases. You'll save time and hassle by doing this. And yeah, ATM fees too. You won't believe the lines those ATM machines have at times! Plus heading off to an ATM could cause you to miss seeing a movie star, such as the one seen here. Most of them are at a booth for a limited time, so always carry extra cash on you!
That's going to be it for this blog post, as I'm running out of room in this format. I do want to re-emphasize this however: There is NO WAY you are going to be able to do everything that you want to do or see at this comic con. It is too darn big to be at two places at once, especially when something is in Hall H and one end, and then someone signing at a booth in the Small Press Section. You can't be at both. And if you add on the two hotels that have programming in addition at opposite ends of the convention center, it is almost as tough as Disneyland to get from one end to the other! So relax, prepare well on the topics I've blogged about today and yesterday, and enjoy what you can. Just stick to your plan and don't get caught up in what's happening at a booth or table as you go by it enroute to the important program or signing you were enroute to. You may end up missing what you most wanted to see. Yeah, I know..."Be Flexible". Well that may be fine for some, but try doing that for a program at Hall H sometime that you just had to see. Some attendees sit through several earlier programs just to see the ONE they want to see. Because Comic-Con STILL doesn't clear the hall between programs! And most of all...Wear comfortable shoes...You'll be walking many miles during the Con! My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over the 3,185 total posts in number! ~ Michael D Hamersky @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com
http://www.comicbookscircus.com/
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CLOTHING: Updated: Tina and I highly suggest comfortable clothing, especially if YOU are there the long hours that we are. She and I have been shopping this past Sunday and yesterday for what we need for this year's con, including clothing. Because we do a lot of waiting in lines, long pants are best for both of us. Those have been obtained. Again, I'm going to mention that for myself, Tina suggested that I stop wearing comic book character t-shirts and 'brand' myself for easier recognition. Thus if you are attending and run into me, I'll be wearing my signature indigo colored polo shirt with the white lettering 'ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com' on the left pocket area. I've got a half dozen of these, plus new dark blue jeans to go with those. If YOU see me at the Comic-Con, feel free to stop me and say hello! 
MAKE A PLAN ON WHERE TO MEET IF GROUP GETS SEPARATED: That's right! Because cell phones don't work in every nook and cranny of this convention center. So know where to meet up at! 
BADGES FOR KIDS: Yes, each kid has to have a badge to obtain entry to the Comic-Con!
LINE BUDDIES: Because 'Press' is not treated 'special' at this con, we are in lines just like everyone else. So 'Line Buddies' are important. We have certain people we see almost every year at this con, and we trade off with those people.
MAKING CONNECTIONS - Not the same as 'Line Buddies'. I exchange business cards with creators all 5 days of the Comic-Con. It's getting a little late, but if you do anything that is comic book or comic con related, you should have a business card to exchange with. 
BALLROOM 20 IS THE 'NEW' HALL 'H': Tina asked me to include this in the blog post. Last year the Comic-Con changed the line set up for this room. Ballroom 20 was almost as bad as Hall H to get into, because the Comic-Con had moved the line outside of the airconditioned hallway to outside in the sun. 
CASH IS 'KING': Having been a comic book dealer who set up at comic cons, it always amazes me that several dealers here don't have enough currency on hand to make change. 
IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT ATTENDING PROGRAMS, PANELS & EVENTS: Be sure to read 
Note: Our online comic book store carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items at:
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Talking about comics: if YOU are a comics creator, (writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.), OR even a Comics / Magazine Publisher, feel free to contact me regarding YOUR works for a possible mention / review!
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