Ohhhhh, so tired, but had so much fun!
Headed over on the Tuesday before Comic Con, with fab Science Fiction Author Gini Koch (Alien/Kitty Kat series) and favorite press guy Joseph Gaxiola. Drove from Phoenix to San Diego, rocking to tunes and jabbering the whole way. We stayed at a nice inn called Mudville Flats, way roomier and nicer than a little hotel room.
This was my first year going to the largest GeekFest in the world. I'm not saying that as an insult. I've come to embrace and wave my own inner-geek flag.
To say SDCC started out wild and got insane, is an understatement. Hearing tales from veterans, this event started out in a tiny hotel meeting room, back in 1970. It now encompasses the entire San Diego Conference Center, as well as most the available floor space in a 10+ block radius.
Walking is the biggest challenge, since it covers such a VAST area, and because you have to navigate through the 130,000 recognized participants, exhibitors, press and professionals, people who show up without passes, people hired to hand out promotional materials and street performers. Almost every street corner you turned, you found lines of people to see a show or get into a bar or restaurant.
All said, locals figure crowds up to 250,000. It's exhausting just thinking about the numbers.
For those of you who know me, I have a new knee, so it got a workout too. But I played it smart and used a taxi or pedicab, reserving my strength for the real challenge. It was also more fun watching people rather than watching my steps. Inside the Center the throngs of people moved in waves. You learned quick to flow with the crowd and to watch for the breaks to slip free, or you got stepped on. Usually you got stepped on anyway.
Wednesday was preview day. We got in and made a quick round of the exhibit hall, gathered up some free goodies and made our escape to watch from a sidewalk café. Thursday was the first official day of Comic Con and made our early arrival worth it. Friday night, Saturday and Sunday had the town rocking. Sitting in on panels, the walls vibrating with TV/movie/comic previews.
Vendors sold everything from pins to exclusive productions. There was the little guys to mega-corps. I like the little guys, like Museum of Robots. Love my new necklace. Artists sold their wares and gamers introduced the greatest and latest.
I'd love to go on and one, but basically there's just too much for one person to see in 4 days. So, guess I need to go back next year.
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