San Diego Comic-Con.
It’s my favorite and least favorite time of year. So much fun! So much stress!
Going to Cons for almost 15 years couldn’t even prepare me for the madness that is Comic-Con. Luckily, I’ve learned to relax, take it all in stride, and not try to do every. single. thing. Every year I go is a completely different and unique experience and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Here is some general information, tips, lessons learned, where you can find me, and people/panels I feel deserve to be seen. I’ll be posting Con coverage on my social media during the Con (so be sure to follow!) and some wrap ups afterwards.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/hotnerdgirl
Twitter: @hot_nerd_girl
Instagram: www.instagram.com/hotnerdgirlofficial
May the Con be ever in your favor!
Panels I’m thinking about attending:
My list is much longer than this but here are a few panels that I plan to attend that have nothing to do with a TV show or movie. I’m a bit biased because I have friends and acquaintances involved in each of these but they definitely deserve some attention and if you want to meet me there’s a good chance you’ll get a chance at one of these panels! Again, I can’t guarantee (things happen, one must be flexible at SDCC) but I’m going to try my best! Either way, these are panels and topics that are definitely worth checking out!
Thursday:
10:00am – Wrath of Con Bloggers (Room 14A)
12:30pm – Roddenberry Entertainment Presents (Room 24ABC)
2:00pm – Greenlight Your Passion Project (Room 7AB)
7:00pm – PodCRASH with That Chris Gore Live (Room 25ABC)
Friday:
10:00am – Geek Wars: The Nerds Awaken (Room 14A)
12:00pm – Star Wars Goes Steampunk (Room 14A)
Saturday:
11:00am – Andre the Giant: The Man Behind the Legend (Room 29AB)
4:00pm – Oddball Comic Live! (Room 7AB)
Where you’re guaranteed to see me:
I’ll be at the Game of Bloggers meet up on Wednesday night at the Dragons Den next to Petco Park 9pm-12am hosted by Tony Kim of Crazy4ComicCon fame
For more information on how to attend go HERE!
People to visit in the Exhibition Hall:
I-07 – Sergio Aragones (one of the nicest people you will ever meet)
1915 – DC Entertainment (great photo op! The photographer with the spiky white hair is my friend Tre Ridings. Everyone be sure to tell him that I say “hi” 😉 )
4037 – Hollywood Sci-Fi Museum (great photo op!)
4016 – Ivy Doomkitty (she’s hosting a bunch of your favorite cosplayers, check out her Twitter for a schedule)
1947 – NASA (because…NASA…)
1309 – National Cartoonists Society (specifically Greg Evans and Karen Evans)
2543 – Roddenberry Entertainment
The single most important piece of advice I can give you:
At Cons I shake a lot of hands and am touched by a lot of people. I’m a hugger and a touchy-feely person who puts my hands on people while we’re talking. I’m also Obsessive Compulsive and I get sick VERY easily. Therefore…
Hand sanitizer, hand sanitizer, hand sanitizer.
I cannot emphasize this enough. Even if you’re pro-germ, anti-anti-bacterial (I get it, I use good old fashioned soap and water at home), make this the ONE time of year that you use tons and tons of the stuff. The more alcohol the better (none of the “all-natural” stuff). You WILL get Con Crud. Frequent applications of healthy-sized dollops (none of these little mini squirts) of hand sanitizer will help prevent Con Crud. I promise. Get one of those little bottles that hangs from your backpack. Everyone has them, no one will think you look like a dork. Hand wipes also work but are harder to use on the sly. But get some becuae you will use them, often. And wash your hands with soap and water as often as you can.
TMI WARNING:
Girls, if you’re surfing the crimson wave, RUN and get yourself a period cup. Moon Cup, Lily Cup, Whatever Cup. Doesn’t matter what brand (they’re a personal preference thing anyways). You will not regret it. I’m convinced that it is the single most important item a woman can have in the zombie apocalypse as well.
Other helpful advice based on my experience:
Relax. For real. There’s NO WAY on God’s green Earth that you’re going to get to do everything you want to do. Pick and choose and make a plan. Want to see the Doctor Who panel in Hall H? Plan to camp out that night.
Which brings us to Hall H. Frakking Hall H. It used to be so simple. Not anymore. I’m older and wiser now so it would take a lot to persuade me to camp out (the need to camp out is a relatively recent phenomenon I’ll point out), especially with the new wrist band requirement. I used to get with a group of friends and take turns, I could go shower, eat, brush my teeth, etc. We were all there for some part of the night and weren’t letting in a huge group of people at the last minute – usually just my Mama but she’s tiny and doesn’t count. It was a very non-douchy way of helping each other out. With the new wrist band requirement you can still do that but say goodbye to any parties, meetups, premiers, or evening activities that night. If you’re not there when they hand the bands out, you’re not getting in. Unless you’re between the ages of 18-25 and can handle night after night of it, camping out sucks. Decide which day is most important to you and do it once. I’m not gonna lie, it’s a huge rush to be in the Hall and to see everything first. It’s also where I first saw Tony Kim of Crazy4ComicCon and the Button Lady. I have some amazing memories in Hall H. Now they pretty much release most of it online immediately after so I’m over the camping. That being said, I was in Ballroom 20 for the 10 year Firefly reunion and you can bet your ass I’d be camping out for the 20th. If you can’t live without it, camp for it. Otherwise, don’t bother.
Where to drink according to Discover SD:
*Disclaimer: I’ve only personally been to a few of these so I can’t vouch for them personally
Best downtown bars
Comic-Con specialty cocktails
Things to do around Comic-Con if you couldn’t get tickets:
Find ideas HERE and HERE.
Links to last year’s SDCC coverage by yours truly:
2014 Part 1 (Panels and Floor)
2014 Part 2 (Costume Contest and Cosplay)
2014 Part 3 (Joss Whedon Nerd HQ and Outlander Premier)
My two favorite Comic-Con insider blogs:
Crazy4ComicCon
The Nerdy Girlie
Stay tuned for more San Diego Comic-Con coverage!
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