First of all, the convention center is huge, as long as 5 city blocks and two stories tall. Walking from one end to the other takes about 20 minutes without factoring in crowds. Comic-Con allows 125,000 attendees in each day, not including all the staff, security,exhibitors, special guests and other employees, who number...oh let's just call it 5,000 more.
Outside the convention center there are only 2 places to cross the street from the trolley or the parkades to the convention center. Here is what it looks like to cross the street in the morning.
Once inside the convention center, there are several different "areas". Starting from the left you have the video game areas, then the vinyl toy area, below that the fine illustrators section and above that the "artist alley" section, then the middle is all TV and movie studios, then the "independent" press area, the "small press" area, the silver and golden age comic area and then the general retailers. The aisles are numbered by the 100s from 100 up to 5800 with several giant aisles perpendicular to those.
So, the place is crawling with people, some pushing strollers, some in costumes, some carrying babies, some who have not showered, some who are too young to wipe their own bottoms, some who have a backpack plus are carrying 2 poster tubes and 3 totes and some who just don't care at all where they are going or who is in their way. Most of these people are looking around, not at where they are going but instead looking for free items to grab by the handful and shove in their already over flowing totes.
The throngs are especially thick in the T.V. and movie areas where the studios trot out their "talent" and put them on display to sign autographs and smile for cameras. During these signings it's nearly impossible to pass through without hearing the security staff yell "KEEP MOVING! NO STOPPING!" As if we wanted to be at a standstill ass cheek to crotch with sweaty strangers (weeeelllll, some might like that).
Now, if you want to be lucky enough to get in line for one of these autograph sessions be prepared to jump through hoops. Each studio has their own rules but often they involve getting a paper ticket. That ticket might be given out hours or days ahead of the signing or a certain location, like upstairs a quarter of a mile away from the booth. Even with that ticket in your hand plan on getting on line at least an hour before the scheduled signing time. And don't expect the signing to get started on time either. The talent has to work their way through the crowd too.
It was thanks to this whole autograph signing bullshit that my day, nay my weekend, was derailed. Long before Comic-Con started I knew that I needed to plan one thing to do on Saturday, the busiest day. I picked a signing with the Fox show Fringe, who were scheduled to sign at 5:00 on Saturday.
On Thursday I was told that tickets for the signing would be given out Saturday morning. On Friday morning they had a ticket schedule posted saying that tickets were going to be given out at 2:00 Friday instead of Saturday. When I arrived at the booth at 2:00 on Friday I was told that the tickets were already handed out an hour before and they were all gone. I was not pleased and neither were the other people who had showed up. It's was a bunch of bullshit and I'm still pissed. My Friday was ruined by my anger and now my Saturday was destined to be ruined as well.
I'm sure there is a lesson in all of this, like don't trust a god damn thing anyone associated with Fox tells you. Seriously, don't.
Even so, some good came out of my day. My dear friend Matt Huseman flew in from Denver for his first Comic-Con. Please enjoy these photos of him with some costumed folks.
I got to spend a moment with the incredibly nice and utterly huggable Robert Kirkman. He's comic book royalty.
A couple of celebrity sightings peppered the day;
Adam Baldwin, from Chuck, Firefly and My Bodyguard(which honestly, he gave me the creeps in, can't say exactly why)
Jackie Earl Healey from Watchmen
Robert Englund, also known as Freddy Kreuger in Nightmare on Elm Street
And lastly, the great Kiefer Sutherland, "Ace Merrill" in the fantastic Stand By Me, apparently he's been in some other stuff, some T.V. show or something. It's on Fox, I probably won't watch it (yes I will).
Another great meal is resting nicely in my belly. Red Pearl Kitchen offered up General Tso's Pork Belly and I gladly accepted, thank you very much, I will not be forgetting you soon.
And one last photo that I think will sum up most of the day.
Nighty night puddin'!!
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