WE DID IT!!! WE MADE IT TO COMIC CON 2023!!! Oh my I gotta get ready! There's so little to do and so much time! Wait a minute... That's totally opposite! Let's just all calm down and agree that some pretty awesome things are happening this week! The CRAZY COMIC CON COUNTDOWN is peaking! To tie y'all over until Wednesday, we're heading back to 2019 for a trip down Memory Lane! So hold on to your Spider-man Underoos and Code Red Mountain Dews, because its time to head to the con! Enjoy...
*Note: Any paragraph that starts with TIP means a helpful tip or trick coming your way!
Amazon certainly didn't disappoint that year. With a massive offsite that took three weeks to build, they really went all out and impressed the hell out of everybody! And haven't done an offsite since.
TIP: As of this writing, no word yet on whether or not Amazon will be back with an offsite. With the current writers strike, there could be a lot of scaling back this year as well.
Macho Madness was coming at us!
My nephew Dante and I tried our darnedest to get our surfboard back, but Sharkzilla just wasn't having any of it!
The Hamburglar's daughter carries on the family legacy!
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Seinfeld, KCOP, a TV station in Los Angeles that nobody in San Diego has had access to since 1999, set up a display with some props honoring the show's most memorable moments in Tin Fish Square!
TIP: Though the Tin Fish no longer exists, Tin Fish Square still remains and several of the restaurant's more popular menu items, including the legendary clam chowder, were retained by the new tenants, Baja Rick's! It is also still expected to host some offsites this year, though nothing as of this writing has been announced. And if you just HAVE to have some Tin Fish food, head south about 10min to the Imperial Beach Pier where the original Tin Fish still stands strong!
It's the Juggernaut bitch!
TIP: The Gaslamp Quarter just across the trolley tracks from the Convention Center is not only a great place to eat, it's also an awesome spot to find cosplayers for photo ops! Not to mention some hidden offsites and parties!
Another look at the Amazon offsite which featured a really cool Carnival Row activation! Very immersive and lots of detail in the sets and props!
TIP: The best days to do offsites are on Thursday and Friday of the con. Although there are still thousands of folks walking around, many people are still at work or even school until late afternoon. There's still a wait, but certainly not as long!
After years of trying, I finally got into the Adult Swim Carnival! It was totally worth the wait and everything I'd hoped it would be! The highlight was the Adult Swim Cosplay Contest where these Meeseeks were met with chants of "Camel Toe" the whole night!
TIP: As of this writing, no word yet on whether the Adult Swim Carnival will return. Last year's prank gives us at least some hope they may return.
Dave's not here man!
It's really hard to put into words just how immense SDCC really is!
TIP: A good spot to get shots like these is on the Mezzanine Level between Halls B and C along the bay side of the Convention Center. It's also a where all the fan tables are located and a great place to find some cosplayers for photo ops!
Hawk People on the Trolley!
TIP: With almost NO parking during the show and several of the closest streets closed off completely, take advantage of San Diego's public transit system! The Trolley's affordable, offers multi-day passes and drops off in several spots near the Convention Center. The Blue Line goes to 12th and Imperial near the Petco Park Interactive Zone while the Orange and Green Lines drop off at 1st Ave, right across from Hall A and the Marriott, and again at 5th Ave, directly across from Halls D and E!
A sure sign Comic Con is coming is the incredible wrap-arounds that go on the Trolleys! This one features The Dark Crystal prequel series, a show that deserved much better than it got.
If this In-N-Out Burger cosplayer could've found a way to make this work, he could've retired after the weekend!
The much missed SyFy Street Team. They didn't come back last year and it ain't looking too promising for this year. But there's always hope!
2019 was the year of the Macho Man folks!
If you don't know who these two are, then your ass needs to get cultured!
It just isn't Comic Con without a massive wrap on the Hilton Bayfront.
An Ewok Carebear! If Disney ever buys out American Greetings, this is so happening for real!
Even the greatest of enemies can get along at Comic Con!
Finally, getting a badge for SDCC can feel like finding a Golden Ticket. Going to the con oddly enough is probably pretty comparable to visiting Wonka's factory too!
And that was Comic Con 2019! Without question one of the best I ever attended! I didn't want it to end I was having such a great time! Didn't even care that I caught pneumonia from somebody while I was there! From start to finish it was an amazing experience and one of those rare occasions where everything just plain worked! Hopefully this year's show will rank up there too.
For those going, here are some final, common sense tips for a more enjoyable experience:
TIP: Wear comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes! Last year we really lucked out on the weather, but San Diego is a tourist haven for a reason: It gets hot! So wear clothes that are lighter colored and not heavy. Sandals and flip flops are a terrible idea and unless you want bloody toes, don't wear them!
TIP: Bring water bottles and refill them as needed! Traditionally, the San Diego Convention Center used to simply provide water coolers for all to enjoy but now charge for them per show. SDCC took some heavy hits financially during the pandemic, so some things they aren't paying for anymore, like carpet in the exhibit hall and POTENTIALLY water coolers in the rooms, so prepare accordingly. Most of the hotels still have water coolers strewn about, so take advantage at those spots if you can.
TIP: There are many incredible restaurants near the Convention Center, but they will fill up fast, so earlier the better in some cases. However, if you don't mind the walk, some great dining spots can be found towards and past Market Street with minimal crowds.
TIP: If cosplaying, take weather, sitting down and eventual bathroom breaks into account. Can't begin to tell you how many cosplayers I've encountered in restrooms that were set to burst because they couldn't reach the zipper! Make sure your costume is easy to get out of if need be and maybe have a pal tag along in case you can't get out of it!
TIP: Cell phone reception is spotty at best during SDCC, even with the best service provider, so try and be sparing with phone use. Also, plenty of booths offer free WiFi, but it comes at a risk, so choose wisely.
TIP: San Diego Convention Center concessions ARE cashless now, so bring a credit or debit card. HOWEVER, almost all the booths still take cash and most prefer it as the Convention Center WiFi is spotty as all get out.
TIP: Sunblock is an absolute must! Although it's entirely possible to spend the whole con indoors, it's not very likely, so be sure to block up!
TIP: Keep an eye on your surroundings. San Diego does a good job of keeping things safe during the con but, sadly, accidents happen. And in some cases, attendees can be their own worst enemy (See the 2013 Twilight Panel tragedy). Point is, no panel or exclusive is worth dying for, so just be careful.
TIP: Stock up on vitamins and other immunity boosters! And, more importantly, bathe every night! Nothing worse than being stuck behind somebody that smells like they haven't washed in a year because they just can't miss that Hall H panel! Believe me, taking an hour every night to clean up won't kill you!
TIP: Lastly, be kind. It's hot, it's crowded, sometimes it smells... It's easy for tempers to flare up. If somebody's being unpleasant, just ignore them. And if they're really being that bad, just tell security. Believe me, the rent-a-cops they bring in are itching for action!
Well folks, that's all for now, but more Comic Con fun is coming next week as we recover from the current one, so be sure to come back and check it out! If you're going to SDCC and spot me, be sure to say hi! I'll try to check in on Twitter as much as possible, but it'll be tough as reception is rarely good with so many people inside! Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!
