Is the in-person panel experience better than just watching it on YouTube the next day?
I mean I think it's great to be there. And you can ask your own question and sometimes if your lucky get free toys. The panel alone isn't worth the time and expense of going to the show, but if you're at the show it's great to be at the panel.
Question: No Way Home Electro and Lizard. When? We haven't forgotten!
I got my badge in the mail today! All 4 days plus Preview Night! I'm so excited!
It's the first time since 2004 that I'm going as a regular attendee. No press pass, no staff badge, no volunteer badge, no professional badge. Just me going as me. Like I was actually on vacation or something.
Who'd a thunk it?
Is the in-person panel experience better than just watching it on YouTube the next day? Are they fun to be at or is it a struggle for a good view?
I've been to SDCC a number of times and only ever attended panels for shows I liked where a number of the celebrities were going to be in attendance. This was back when you could arrive and buy your ticket at the door/line from the Marina and just walk in. Now they give first dibs to people who are already in attendance to buy tickets for NEXT year. So between that level of shenanigans and the fact that it seems to be more a pop culture expo and cosplay parade anymore than anything to do with comics, I've since stopped bothering. Once you've been 2-3 times I think most people get the gyst of it and it's "been there done that" territory. I remember to go to the beach plenty rather than spending all weekend in the convention halls. Stuff like toy reveals and waiting in line for hours for Hall H just to watch a movie trailer that debuts online 15 min after the hall empties out doesn't hold the appeal for me. But if you've never been you may enjoy it.
That's still how I remember con too. Just going to the door and getting a badge. Just wandering into any hall and checking out a panel. The last two I went to weren't that way at all, but I have to keep reminding myself that when I consider going again.
But I remember when I was a teen, I'd get the four day badge and while waiting for it to open the first day,going through the schedule and highlighting everything I was into to plan my days out. The last time I went, I got into one panel and that was the entire day. I walked the floor once then got in line for several hours, saw an hour panel, then wandered a bit on my way out.
And part of it's my priorities and such. When I was young, I could jam a ton into each day, then hang out all night and catch a movie or two at night. Now I'm checking the time before sunset and thinking about grabbing dinner and making sure I get to bed at a decent hour heh. I got lame.
I've the fortune of having a son who's worked for SD ComicCon for the past seven years and he's been able to get passes for his family. I discovered after the first visit, though, that I don't really care for the crowds and noise (and the general air of sadness) and since then just drop off the missus and Junior.
That was before I started collecting toys, though, so I'm waffling on going with the family this year to see if having an interest changes my experience.
I don't really care for the crowds and noise (and the general air of sadness)
And the deodorant failure. I know that's snotty to say but it can be a factor.
Maybe someone should encourage a deodorant company to get in on the attendee bags that everyone gets? One badge, one bar?
I haven't been since Twilight took over in 2008 or 2009, but I remember my first one - I volunteered all four days for my favorite comic company and I still have the poster they all signed hanging over my head right now. 🙂
Question for TPTB: What is the plan for MCU figure offerings moving forward? We've been starving this year - what hope is there for us outside of new movies *next year* and Deadpool/Wolverine? Do you see yourselves going back and filling in big gaps - High Evolutionary, Darcy, etc - or are they on us to customize?
Now that we've gotten Zabu, I would like it if someone asked the team again about other non-human figures like Lockjaw and Aragorn.
Maybe someone should encourage a deodorant company to get in on the attendee bags that everyone gets? One badge, one bar?
Whether you are joking or not, that's completely brilliant. Solid marketing, helpful, win win.
I haven't been since Twilight took over in 2008 or 2009, but I remember my first one - I volunteered all four days for my favorite comic company and I still have the poster they all signed hanging over my head right now. 🙂
Ah man. That Twilight one was the penultimate Con for me. I don't remember the Twilight presence but I firmly recall people running up and down the escalator shouting "Twilight has ruined comic con!!!!"
Question for TPTB: What is the plan for MCU figure offerings moving forward? We've been starving this year - what hope is there for us outside of new movies *next year* and Deadpool/Wolverine? Do you see yourselves going back and filling in big gaps - High Evolutionary, Darcy, etc - or are they on us to customize?
I'd love for the answer to this to be anything other than the most obvious one. Surprise us, hasbro. Make us eat some words here. Lord knows I've got the room from my involuntary no-figure diet this year.
Even if they included deodorant with the bags, how many people would use it. It's not like deodorant isn't available to masses. Some/many people just don't care enough to use it. What you need is to have the entryway spritz people when they scan their badge. Whether or not you like it, you're getting some scent sprayed your way. Or make the lanyards scented. Only half-joking.
Mandatory:
-Deodorant
-Mouthwash/tic tacs
-Proper support/undergarments for cosplayers so their "web shooters" aren't on full display
Wow, I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed....
Every badge should have a car freshener attached. At least that would help.
One of the more fun aspects of Comic Con is the obvious "theater of the absurd" as you're walking around. I remember filing in with the initial rush when the doors opened one year and some morbidly obese volunteer coordinator was shouting "Make way, official Comic Con volunteer coming through" as he split through the crowd using his belly like one of those Russian arctic icebreaking freighter ships. Then he stopped and began chastising the crowd about something. As I flowed past him I shouted out "Make way peasants, King of the Nerds coming through. Show some respect!" Which elicited a "WHO THE F*** SAID THAT?" By then I was already past him and could only chuckle while people were starting to laugh at his imperiousness. I hope someone found a Burger King crown for his coronation. But seriously, most of the volunteers are just other fans who want to get a couple days free etc. But passing immobile elderly women in motorized carts who sit at waist level and drive around videotaping the entire exposition hall, you get the impression that a lot of folks in attendance haven't been out of the house since the previous year.
I passed Jonah Hill when he was larger in size loudly complaining to the guy with him about the inaccuracy of Transformers toys that were on display. Quite literally bumped into Seth Green while walking. Was washing my hands in the bathroom when the original cast of Ghost Adventures was in there. And wasn't able to move for nearly 30 min because I had mistakenly selected the wrong aisle to walk down when a crowd surrounded a table because Megan Fox had just arrived, and no one would move including her security. It is amusing though when you see various adult actresses taking pictures after their careers have mostly ended and they're there promoting some sort of magazine or comic book they're "launching." They take the money for a picture with the unwashed masses and then when one of the unwashed puts their arm around them at the booth, the looks on their faces can be quite comical. Overall I've always had fun at SDCC, but it IS much more of a pop culture cattle call than before. And I personally only went for a single day so as not to get bored. But I hope all who are excited to go this year enjoy themselves and the gauntlet for the senses that is the exhibition hall. Large bodies crammed together in July will surpass even Mephisto's most pungent whiff of sulfur.
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