K Keep
**Tip there are some good sites with great information out there so have one or two that you will keep checking back on right up to the show. For all the “official” information you can take a look at the San Diego Comic Con Site.
Keep Calm Yes, this is one of the biggest shows out there, it is constantly evolving, people try for years to get in, try to get the golden ticket. All the things happening in such a short period of time can make your head spin. Just remember to keep calm and relax, chillaxe, take a breath whatever you do don’t use code green (Hulk Reference) If the seat is taken there is another one, if the line is taking forever to move, talk to someone, if you missed the giveaway time there will be another one.
**Tip Just remember the keep calm mantra when you feel like everything is chaos SDCC is organized chaos but the best kind. You are somewhere, where hundreds of people would not mind switching places with you and you were the lucky one that scored a ticket.
L Lines
and ask what is this line for and they have no idea. I have no time to waste at
SDCC standing in a line that I have no idea what it is for is something I can pass on. Could it be for
something awesome? Maybe, could it have been something you could have went without, probably. Look on twitter but don’t just stand in one to stand in one, there is so
much to see at SDCC and no time to waste!
exclusive, or the awesome swag they are giving away make friends connect with
people, this goes back to the letter Engage and Connect be patient and have fun.
ups/Marvel/
**Tip: Take time to think about what it is you want to do this year, does not have to be anything drastic especially if you are new to the SDCC scene but something you would like to say mission accomplished to and those that have been attending for awhile now, what is a mission you can continue to grow on?
important during the convention however you can have just as good as a time
without it. Well a lot of it at least. I recently wrote a post Keep Calm and Save, there are ways you can save all year, or need that last push before comic
con, and tips on how to maximize the hard earned money.
there or at least pace yourself in spending it all at once. Set a daily budget
for yourself such as $50.00 for Friday and so on. Then depending what you have
left for the days you did not spend as much go crazy! It only happens once a
year and you save that money specifically for this event.
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| First MTV2 Party in the Park 2013 |
the first year that I am going with a friend although I am excited I am nervous
as well. For the past years I have always flown solo and have been on my own
meeting people hear and there, but this is a great time to make memories. Take
the pictures, go to the events, and enjoy being at one of the biggest vents of
the year with people you care about, love and cherish. Things don’t last
forever so make it count. Where else would you get a picture with Olaf and Deadpool together
experiences, do something you have not done before, this is the time to make
memories that will last you through the con depression and for a lifetime. SDCC
is full of these moments so make the best of them
Meet ups. During
SDCC there are many meet ups, fan parties of shows such as Agents of Shield
Agent Carter, Blogger meet up like letter G for the Game Of Bloggers, Cosplay
photo shoots, with fans of Disney, Marvel, DC and more.
something you like. Be sure to check everything out before hand and
if they are paid events and follow the website or twitters of the events so you
can get up to date info for the event or any changes.
Nerd HQ Discovering Nerd HQ in 2013 was one of the best things that happen that year. I had heard about the panels,
the fan party and best of yet the Serenity Screening they had at Petco Park
with Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk introducing the Movie and hanging out till
after the showing. Nerd HQ is the brain
Child of Chuck actor Zachary Levi. This Event is free, you do not need a SDCC
Badge to get in, and if you did not get an SDCC Badge this is a great
experience. The Conversations for a Cause panels and the Smiles for Smiles
panels are the only things you have to pay for really and its affordable $22
for panels and $20 for smiles (pictures with celebrities) You would be multi
tasking with this as all funds go to the charity Operation Smile. This year it
will be at the new Children’s Museum.
follow Nerd Machine and Zachary Levi on Twitter as surprises will show up such
as last minute panels and celebrities that decide to show some Nerd HQ Love.
Diego Comic Con has an official status. They offer official t shirts, have
an official website that was previous mentioned in C for Comic Con site. For
more official information visit there site and pick up an official SDCC t shirt
before they are all gone. I am thinking about getting the one with The Flash.
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| Offsites SDCC 2013/2014 |
Patience/ Preview Night/Parking/Panels/Program Guide/Photos/Power
been home to numerous offsite events during comic con, last year it was the home Nerd
HQ, the MTV2 Party In the Park/Fandom Awards. This year it will be home of MTV Fandom Fest, Zombies, with the Walking Dead Escape and the Walker Stalker Fan Fest.
to bring plenty of it there will be something of 130,000 people and that is not
including all the ones outside everyone will try to be getting somewhere. This
is one of the biggest shows of the years and will have quirks that need to be
done, last minute changes and anything could happen.
fun and a good time, with things that may come up the people of SDCC, the
volunteers and all those that are there to make sure things run smoothly are
just like you and me (just with a lot more pressure to get something done)
had something more then I don’t use parking to type here but I don’t. I try to
avoid parking let alone driving my car anywhere downtown during SDCC. I have
always been dropped off or have taken public transportation. Which I highly
recommend. If you do take on the parking beast I bow to you as you are brave.
center, throughout the day you can go and drop of your things so your hands
will be free and wont get tired so fast. There are public places that you can park and
take the trolley or another mode of transportation in.
Panels Comic Con offers a great variety of panels everything from Hollywood movie panels, how to, spotlights, panels of your favorite TV shows with the actors. Some of these panels have Q&A Sessions, some give out swag, some give tickets to go pick up free swag, and some offer surprises that you would not be able to see anywhere else and be able to say only at San Diego Comic Con.
**Tip: Some of these panels require much effort to get into and some of these can offer some some life changing advice, career changes, insight and just pure fun. Take time to at least check out one or two of them and see if it would be something you would like.
Program Guide This will become one of your best friends over the course SDCC if you have a lot of things planned this would be something to have handy with you. It has everything, from the special guests, panels, autographs, maps and where all things are located within the convention center.
**Tip: Sharing is caring, if you take an awesome picture don’t be afraid to share it, Instagram is the best platform I believe to share photos especially ones with those having a geektastic time.
Quick think of something for Q I would refer to the letter Z for Zen
Pass
always do some research before you go whether its your first time, 8th
time or 100th time there is always something new at comic con every
year and it only continues to grow. How they do the badges, how to get in next
year, how they manage the lines.
to remember save it in your favorites, bookmark the site, or write it down and
where you got it for future reference.
convention is all said and done there will be some, well I should have done this
or that. My biggest regret is saying no to an Avatar Autograph ticket someone
asked me if I wanted it and I said no. At the time and the poster they had I
did not know who was really going to be in it and one of my favorite directors
who did one of my favorite movies (I like the actual story of the ship) and
become one of the biggest movies of all time. Biggest regret of my so called
life and lesson
come across another attendee that would like it and willing to trade with you,
or a friend back home that would make there year if you go it from them and who
knows you can become a fan of whatever it is to because of that experience.
rooms often have a re-entry pass when you leave during a panel, they do not
clear out the rooms in between panels. If you need to step out for a minute be
sure you get the pass and return before that panel is over or you risk the
chance of not be let back in and all hopes are lost, just kidding but make it
back before that panel is over.
get a pass just in case, they change colors and what is on them so you can not
use them multiple times.
Pavilion/ Souvenir Book/ Social/ Shower
Swag the swag at
this convention has become some what limited to what it used to be back in my
early years of 2006-08 the swag has changed. Now days they are more exclusive
and stand in line to get. They are harder to come by but well worth it. Like
the Hunger Game Mockingjay pin, Star Trek Tribble Stark Industries access card
and so on. Other type of swag is the
giveaways like the Lego mini figures and those are usually ticketed items. I
never go for those but think this year I might after releasing an Arsenal from
Arrow Mini Fig.
be handing out swag, and be sure to ask before you just take anything. If you
see something you like don’t be afraid to ask where they got it from help each
other out.
seating, registration, art show, and where you can see some great cosplays and get some
good pictures.
**Tip: If you don’t have anything planned for the Sail Pavilion, be sure to at least go up there once or twice, there are great cosplays, and access to beautiful scenery that San Diego has to offer, as well as stairs down to Seaport Village behind the convention center.
cherished the souvenir book like I do know, I only have a couple of the books
since I started going in 2006. Now I make sure I bring a few of them home now
and for family and friends last year I got a whole box. These books are filled
with anniversary specials and commemorative art last year was the anniversaries of
Marvel, Daredevil and Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtles.
pavilion where you checked in, on Sunday you can ask if you can get some
more, last time I got a whole box.
Carrying the box around and on public transportation is a different story. If
all else keep it and give it to someone who would want it that was unable to
attend SDCC.
ability to connect, with fans, actors, artists, friends you are able to find
out information you probably would have not heard about otherwise. There are
many platforms to do so such as I for Instagram if you are a picture taker and
the next letter T for Twitter.
social media sites be sure to use hashtags # if you want other people to see
what you are posting, by doing this it organizes news feed, and you can see
what other users are talking about of said topic.
Sanitizer that thing you touched, at least 1,000 other people touched it, sanitize! Always have a little bottle with you.
**Tip: Sanitizer comes in all shapes and sizes, the best one are the little ones that you can hook on your bags.
Shower did not want to but seems like it is a must just in case, this also goes along with D for Deodorant. Be sure to shower, even though with all the hustle bustle find time to take a shower and some fresh clothes.
**Tip this is a must and you will feel a lot better especially with the weather that San Diego has to offer. You will feel better.
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| Follow Superheroes.XYZ on Twitter |
Twitter @Superheroesxyz
that is what you call a user handle. Twitter has become one of the most effective
tools during SDCC and has somewhat changed the name of the game with people
using it. Those with special events, roaming on the exhibitor floor, they can
tweet out last minute info or info that people might be interested in like a
celebrity spotting, photo op and so on.
sure that you receive the tweets they put out you can set your phone to receive
there notifications. Every know and then check the SDCC hashtag to see if there
is anything else that is going on you might be interested in.
to me and requires a lot of patience. Luckily there are plenty of ways to get
downtown other then taking your own vehicle. There are things such as the
Trolley, Coronado Ferry, bikes, trams, free shuttle service provided by SDCC,
buses. Numerous ways, if you are a trooper and drive your own car then I give
you props if you have friends that are driving try to carpool when you can.
transportation you want to use, the ones you select make sure you know when
they start and when they stop so you can plan accordingly, keep the info on
your phone or whatever piece of technology you use, or store the information
somewhere where you can not loose it.
Venture
been my pass to get in for the past few years, there were a couple years that I
bought a pass and volunteered. Being a volunteer has its perks, this is one of
the numerous ways to get in all you have to do is dedicate your time three to
four hours and you have a pass to one of the biggest conventions of the year.
After you do a shift you get a commemorative t shirt and the feeling of being
awesome and productive.
you want to volunteer, early and then have the rest of the day to play or play
first and volunteer later. Make sure you schedule it around whatever it is you
plan on doing. They say the more you volunteer the better jobs you get such as
going from line managing and upgrade to panel giveaways.
bad habit of staying on the exhibitor floor all day everyday and never coming
up for air so to speak in my early years of attending. Later after the convention was over I would be reading about all the things that were going
on in other parts of the convention center outside. Now I have been making more
of an effort to go outside enjoy the scenery and see what outside the
convention.
been to the sales pavilion go, or been there 5 times and see they are taking
appointments for the blood drive do it, this is the time to venture out and see
what SDCC has to offer.
**Tip Take care of yourself, try to go in the same way most of the traffic is going, if you are trying to go against the traffic, it will take you a lot longer to get to where you are going. If you have to get somewhere in a hurried pace take the outer areas especially on the convention floor.
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| Bags I scored last year 2014 |
Warner Brother’s Big Bags These have been a staple of SDCC now, before in the early years you
had to race down to the booth to get one or be lucky enough to pass the booth
when they decided to give them out. Now days you get one when you check in, it
went from one to two designs and now there is 14 Warner Brothers
properties represented. If you are lucky enough to get more then one awesome we should
become friends but usually its just one when you check in. At this point the bags for 2016 have yet to be released, here are the options from last year
design or want another one use Twitter or Social Media to ask if any one wants
to trade they may be sad with there bag but yours would make there day and vice
versa. Don’t be afraid to ask I did it last year, feel free to utilize social media and I will send it out as well.
**Tip: With all the waiting this is a great time to Connect Engage, they are all waiting for the same thing you are, take time to make some new friends and nerdy connections. This will make the time go by faster and make the task of waiting for awesome-ness less….annoying.
**Tip Always have you badge facing forward and visible, especially in the convention center. This will make it easier for the security staff and you as well to get from point a to b quicker without staff having to stop you to turn it around.
Y You
**Tip: Just be you, your vibe will attract your tribe which will be even easier considering where you will be!
X Factor Who ever has anything for the letter X on these things? The only thing I could think of was X Factor there will be a few X Factors in your planning and your overall experience at comic con make sure you have backup plans of your battle plans.
**Tip: Always be prepared for something totally random to come up that will alter all of your plans!
Zen There will be times that you find yourself needed to get away from it all, and sometimes it is for the best. Getting away from it all is well worth it, taking the time to recharge, and have a quiet moment to yourself. There are areas around the convention center that you can find, or if you have to leave it completely. San Diego has so much to offer, although one of the best things is San Diego Comic Con, there are great sites, places to visit, and natural beauty to take in.
**Tip: Enjoy yourself there is plenty to see in San Diego, if you have always been there try something new, if this is your first time, make sure you take in the beauty of San Diego as well.
There is the second half of ABCs of SDCC I hope at least one letter has helped and will be part of you having a great time at this year’s comic con and the many more I hope you get to attend as well. If any of these letters and tips have helped you feel free to share, and in case you missed it here are letters A-J for the ABCs of SDCC
If you are going to San Diego Comic Con this year let me know and be sure to follow, Superheroes.XYZ on Instagram and Twitter. I would love to follow you as well and hear about the great time you are having at one of the best times of the year San Diego Comic Con.
Until next time…
Watchtower over and out.