by Nicole Keating
San Diego Comic Con has officially begun!
First things first, I LOVE SDCC. I know people complain about lines and commercialism and the dilution of True Nerd Culture, but OMG THIS IS LIKE SECOND CHRISTMAS! It’s basically a four-day non-stop nerd party, and we started the fun almost as soon as we got offa the plane.
Last night was Preview Night, which I didn’t have tickets for, but it’s really only important if you want first dibs on exclusives. Instead, I picke up my badge offsite (in a place called Fashion Valley, so I’m 99% sure Barbie lives there), picked up some groceries so I don’t have to eat gross con food the whole weekend, and enjoyed a relaxing evening at the hotel pool before heading out to one of my fave San Diego restaurants, Gaslamp Strip Club: A Steak Place, for martinis and grill-your-own steak. (Seriously, go there if you’re ever in San Diego. It’s delish and the walls a decked with Vargas girls. Highly recommend.)
Today is when the con activities truly started. This is my fourth SDCC, but the first year that I haven’t wanted to attend any Thursday panels. In years past, Thursday panels have included Psych, Agents of SHIELD, an X-Files reunion panel, a Q&A with Joss Whedon, and Legend of Korra. See? Unmissable!
This year, even Hall H panels* were just…meh.
Instead, I got to sleep in–which here at Standing-in-Line Con 2014 means 7am–and spend the day on the exhibit hall floor. SHOPPING!
First things first. A large portion of attendees come for the entertainment guests. It’s what makes this particular convention so popular. Purists will lament about that, but it means the comic sellers aren’t super crowded. More for me! Plus any comic store who sends reps to SDCC has insane sales, like 50-60% off trades, so there will always be more comics than you will ever have time to read. Today I picked up Alan Moore’s Promethea, Harley Quinn in Welcome to Metropolis, Adventure Time with Fiona and Cake, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by the author of the original pre-cartoon comics, The Sandman presents The Furies, and Girl Genius.
I also stopped by a booth for a comedy writing collective called The Devastator and picked up two small books that made me laugh: Dungeons & Douchebags and Satanic Baby-Sitters Cult.
I don’t think I’ll have any trouble staying entertained while waiting in line the next few days.
Of course, I did pick up some con exclusives. A plush Rocket Racoon from the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy and a Harley Quinn purse.
Okay, enough materialism. While I love to shop around this big nerdy mall, it’s 100% possible to go to SDCC and not spend a dime on entertainment outside of your con badge. Any large distributor or company or publisher brandishes the big guns. Studios like Weta, companies like Hasbro and Sideshow Collectibles, and publishers like Marvel, DC, and Image set up elaborate and beautiful displays for attendees to enjoy, whether buying stuff or not! Here’s a gallery of some of my favorite sights of the day. Enjoy!
The other amazing thing about the con floor is the cosplayers! Thursday is not the most popular cosplay day, but I still saw my fair share of awesome/hilarious/adorable/beautiful/inspiring cosplays. Even as I type this, in my direct line of sight I see Wayne and Garth, Piper and Alex from Orange is the New Black, Maleficent, the Evil Queen from Snow White, and a steampunk fairy princess Captain America. For Sunday’s recap I’ll be wandering the floor with my camera at the ready specifically to take pictures of all the fabulous cosplayers!
More impotantly, stay tuned for tomorrow’s recap, when I’ll tell you all about the hilarious Adult Swim panels (happening in my hotel #lazy), and Saturday’s, when I’ll be braving the Hall H lines just for you. Well, no, actually it’s for me. And for a screening of the new Gotham show. And for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And for Stephen Amell.
You know, Mr. Green Arrow, Black Canary is my signature cosplay 😉
#nerdiestpickuplinesever
Until tomorrow, live nerdy and prosper!
*Hall H is the largest room in the convention center, holding about 6,000 people, so the really popular panels are held there.