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It’s Friday and I’ve woken up from my post-con coma a week later. The typical coma one recovers from after attending SDCC is just a couple of days, so why did it took me this long to get back into life after spending five days surrounded by cosplay nerds and the constant smell of farts (not necessarily related)? I can’t imagine. But I am alive and well, all of my clothes have been washed, pictures posted at flickr, our two pony-sized dogs are happy my partner and I are back, I feel whole again.

I went to tons of panel discussions, missed out on even more. I’d hear from friends which panel they just went to and feel like I just wasted an hour digging through back issues (which is never a waste of time). My katamari hat was a big success—too big in fact. After four hours of wearing it, I had enough of people wanting photographs. The band of girls who insisted on giving me running high fives were the last ones to see it on me for the rest of the trip. There were lots of friends who I haven’t seen in a long time (they should call it Matty-Con). The Eisners were a bigger hit this year than last year too, which meant more people got to see Steve Rude live up to his name.

All in all, the convention was a lot of fun. Even though a lot of prep work went into getting down to San Diego, and that this isn’t my first time, I wasn’t as prepared for the trip as I had expected. Sure the crowds were thick and smelly, the lines were long, and the food was ridiculously expensive, but how was I supposed to know that people hate it when you say, “Oh sure! Stop right in front of me!” Lesson learned.

Here’s a quick list of what I discovered that I should have known about but hopefully, in sharing it with you, will help others in making future trips to Nerd Mecca better for all.

Comic-con isn’t about comics.

The main convention hall can be view as having two areas: the crowded area and the comic book area. Most folks were in and around the Warner Brothers/IFC/Hasbro/Lego/ [insert any vinyl toy booth here] section of the floor and that’s all they had interest in. Have any doubt? Check out the room used for the Lost panel verses the dinky closet that held both DC Nation and Marvel’s Cup of Joe panels.

Media markets and comics have been crossing over into each others boundaries for years now. It was very noticeable when Tomb Raider’s Angelina Jollee made her appearance a few years back, and it has gotten more blurred ever since. Comic-Con is growing more and more into movie and television while interest in comics remain stagnant.

This year, along with Lost, Battlestar Galactica, they had panels for Spike TV, Cartoon Network, Star trek, Paramount Pictures, G4, BBC America, Lion’s Gate, PC Gamer, Sony, Pixar, Star Wars, and Stargate SG-1 The Movie. Meanwhile, on the comics side, I found an entire run on the original Power Pack. Take that, Skin Walker Movie peep show booth!

Macs rock.

Having to pay for internet access in my hotel room: sucks. Being able to turn my hotel room into a free wifi spot for my roommates: totally awesome. With the exception of Sunday, the day that internet access at the Marriot went legs up for everyone, our room—and probably the rooms next to us—beat the system. My partner and I stayed with another couple who had two of their own laptops. Imagine our delight to learn that the Marriott not only makes you pay for access, it’s on a one per computer basis.

Here’s a tip: buy your access, the turn on Internet Sharing by going to System Preferences -> Sharing -> Internet (tab) and click start. You might want to put up a firewall or turn off other services that would be vulnerable, but there you have it; a must for conventions.

amboy00 at flickr

Star Trek's Marina Sirtis

Celebrities do not look real in real life.

A very quick list of everyone I totally didn’t recognize. Wil Wheton, at Scott Kurtz’ booth embarrassing the hell out of Scott’s sister-in-law just by being there, I didn’t know who you were for a whole minute. I’m so sorry. Stan Lee, I apologize I didn’t realize it was you in the hotel lobby. However, you are a terrific power walker. You must travel 100 feet in six paces! Hal Sparks, your hair grew out! I didn’t know! Mea culpa. Marina Sirtis, only when I heard your voice did it occur to me that the hottie in font of me at Starbucks was my favorite sci-fi empath. Next time the scone’s on me.

Ralph’s and California Liquor Laws are awesome!

Two blocks from our hotel is the most important travel necessity you will ever need: Ralph’s, an Albertson’s food store with an ever-stocked supply of croissant sandwiches and tortilla wraps right by the front door. Genius! Vodka and Tequila are by the meats. Stock up.

Ralph’s is one of the few, if only, places still open after 1am. Keep that in mind after leaving the Oni party and grab some chips and dip.

Comic-con isn’t going anywhere.

This year, SDCC sold out of every day. I don’t know if that’s because they put a cap on the number of tickets, made them cheaper, or the show simply got more popular. I heard from lots of people that they might have to move the show to LA. Ya, I heard that last year too.

They might raise ticket prices or start putting more booths upstairs, but as long as San Diego Comic Con is making cash hand over fist, I’ll still be fighting my way through crowds to escape the giant Pikachu monster and tripping over people’s rolling luggage and baby carriages.

See you next year!

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