COMIC CON 2017 IS HERE!!!

IT'S HERE!!! COMIC CON 2017 IS A GO!!!  So make like Bubble Fox and Pepper and get down with your nerdy self!  So much to discuss today!  So much so, we're posting two days early even!  Figured any tips and info I have will be a lot more helpful prior to SDCC than the first day of it when most of you are gonna be too busy being at it to look at my silly little blog!  So right off the bat, the Web Comic Meet-Up!

As of this writing, still no word on a location, day or time.  Every year we've done it, it has been in the early evening hours of Thursday, so it'll likely continue this year as well.  Your best bet is to keep an eye out on my and Jimmy Purcell's Twitter handles (@JonsCrazyTweets and @beenbettercomic) for up-to-date info as we update there frequently!  Fear not though, we WILL have something this week!

And now, as we have the past six weeks, we delve into Comic Con's not too distant past for a fun look back at SDCC 2015!  I've also tried to throw in some helpful hints and tips (Highlighted with a bold TIP for convenience) for those of you going that will hopefully make the con a bit more fun and pleasant for you all!  There are a LOT of pics today since it's con week, so sit back, slip on a clean pair of Batman Underoos and put a coaster under your Code Red Mountain Dew!  It's time to go to the Con!  Enjoy...

I think it's a rule by this point that if you go to Comic Con, you have to get a pic of the iconic Con logo through the concrete support circles!

Tin Fish Square in the Gaslamp Quarter getting it's annual makeover for the NBC promotional blitz!

TIP: This is a FREE event!  No SDCC badges are necessary to enjoy this or even most of the events held in the Gaslamp Quarter during SDCC!  So go nuts!  Or as nuts as the law allows!

The Sharknado crew keepin' it real in the Gaslamp Quarter!  For four years now, they've turned Downtown San Diego into a feeding frenzy as swag hunters swarm all over them for free stuff, and this year looks no different!  If memory serves, this was the year they gave out foam hats!

TIP: PLEASE be courteous when collecting free swag at outdoor events.  Yes, it's free and yes, some of it is limited.  But is it really worth trampling a little girl or knocking a man in a wheelchair over just to get something you're likely gonna throw away as soon as you go home?

Kuzco is living large by the fan tables!

TIP: Many con goers tend to overlook the Mezzanine area on the old (North) side of the convention center.  If you're into table top gaming or even wanna learn more about local fan groups in Southern California, you might wanna take a stroll up the stairs out of the back of Hall B and take a gander!  The Star Wars fan groups in particular are always a lot of fun!

Jurassic Park cosplay was pretty big that year!  I love the movie, but it's an odd choice for cosplay!

Snoopy's Dog House at the Petco Park Interactive Zone, where I learned the hard way that denim does not glide down an inflatable, vinyl slide very smoothly.

TIP: This one's another freebie that DOESN'T require SDCC badges!  Lots of cool stuff goes on in this zone and it's super easy to get to!  Just cross the bridge across the street from Hall H over Harbor Drive and you're there!  Easy, no?  This is also a spot where plenty of food trucks happen to set up shop, so if you're looking for affordable food, you're in luck!

Plenty of awesome events happen at the Interactive Zone, like this impromptu cosplay contest!  I've long admired the skill and detail these kids put into their costumes.  Simply amazing!

TIP: If you're going to dress up at Comic Con, remember that it gets VERY hot in San Diego in July!  Water and lightweight materials are a must!

FLASH!!!  AAAAAAAAAAAH!!!  SAVIOR OF THE UNIVERSE!!!  It sounds much better when Queen sings it!

Here we see Jem exploring the IDW booth.  This kid was more faithful to the character than the actual movie was!

The always awesome Nerd HQ at the Children's Museum!  This truly was an awesome thing for people without badges to still have some con fun!  It was free for all, but for an extra $20, you could see exclusive panels!  Best of all, the proceeds went to Operation Smile, a most worthy cause!

 TIP: Barring a miracle, there will be no Nerd HQ this year.

Conan looms high above Comic Con at the Marriott Hotel as the FX Zone brings out the masses in the foreground!

TIP: This is another FREE event that requires no badges!  It is outdoors though and, as any local can tell you, it gets very hot here in San Diego.  So water and sunblock are a must as are good walking shoes.  Seriously!  Don't where sandals to Comic Con!  Your toes will appreciate it!

In the not to distant future, this lady made my day with some Mystery Science Theater 3000 cosplay!

Wow.  Jessica Rabbit needs to lay off the 'roids!

The notorious Battletoads!  One of the greatest, and hardest, video games ever!  It remains one of the true standouts of the NES era with many a gamer still doing battle with these toads to this very day!  This wound up being the final year of the Xbox Lounge at the Hyatt Hotel.  In 2016, they opted to sponsor the free Nerd HQ instead.

TIP: As of this writing, there is still no word on whether or not the Xbox Lounge will return in 2017 now that Nerd HQ is on hiatus.  With a new console coming out this Fall, and Nintendo already having a huge head start on them with the popular Switch console, I can't see Microsoft sitting still at one of the last big public forums to show off at before the holidays approach.  Stay tuned to social media for updates folks.  This one could get interesting!

 The Monster and the Bride!  What better place for these two lovebirds to honeymoon at than Comic Con?  Am I right?

The always great Nintendo Lounge!  Some of the coolest swag I've collected over the years has been at this place!  It was also a Pokemon hotbed last year!

TIP: The Nintendo Lounge HAS been confirmed for SDCC 2017 and, as always, is FREE to ANYONE, badge or not!  It can be found in the San Diego Ballroom on the second floor in the north tower of the Marriott Hotel, right next door to the Convention Center!  As such, with the Switch lighting up store shelves and the recent SNES Mini announcement, expect some pretty big crowds.

 Adam and Barbara were trying to scare everyone out of the exhibit hall, but they wound just becoming party favors!

This must be what happens when you feed them before midnight!

The Steven Universe crew!  Someone needs to be Greg!

And finally, what better way to end this week's post than with my niece Kristen petting some Hero Corgis?  Is there any dog better suited for such outfits?

And that was Comic Con 2015!  Lots of great moments that year!  Star Wars had the big concert at the Pops Site behind the Convention Center, Disney pissed off EVERYBODY by withholding Marvel film content and I learned that bees are jerks!  That's another long story that's better told than written though!  It was special for me though because I built the Lucasfilm booth, which for many local stagehands is a right of passage of sorts.  It was just an awesome thing!

And now, before I sign off, I offer you a few more tips and tricks for a wonderful time at SDCC:

TIP: Bring LOTS of water!  It gets very hot and staying hydrated really can save your life at the show!  Also, use sunblock!  You WILL be outdoors quite a bit!

TIP: Bring cash!  Although most booths can take credit cards now, it's not always very secure and you're likely safer using actual money!  Also, bring it in increments.  Set a daily budget!

TIP: Research early what big ticket purchases you'll want.  If it's con exclusive, limited edition or something that's wide release but never gonna come down in price, you're better off getting it that first day.  Conversely, many booths do offer great deals on Sunday, especially as closing time nears, because it's simply cheaper for them to get rid of stock as opposed to shipping it back.  Point is, keep an eye out!

TIP: Bring deodorant and/or body powder!  We are all in this together and smelling nice never hurts!  Further more, taking an hour out of your day to bathe every night isn't gonna kill you!  Hand sanitizer is also a must!  It's cheap and makes a HUGE difference.  Con Crud is one of the nastiest airborne illnesses out there.  Keeping clean goes a long ways to keeping from getting sick!

TIP: Speaking of airborne illnesses, stock up on vitamins and super foods!  Good hygiene + strong immune system = not getting sick at cons!

TIP: Many Downtown restaurants have deals for con goers, so be sure to have your badge with you when you eat out!

TIP: If you're gonna go to panels, you're gonna be in very close quarters with total strangers.  It can't be helped.  The sooner you accept the fact that you're gonna be sacrificing personal comfort for a chance to see an early peek at a movie, the easier your viewing will be!  And if someone's causing trouble, get a security guard!  No jerk's worth going to jail over!

TIP: Finally, take advantage of the trolley and hotel shuttles.  They all drop you off right in front of the Convention Center or close to it!

And that's all she wrote!  I do hope you enjoyed the pics and found my tips to be somewhat helpful.  We'll be back next time for a look at Comic Con 2016!  Until then, take care and have a fun, happy and SAFE time at Comic Con and I'll catch y'all later!