This last section is for those of you who'll be attending the Comic-Con International in San Diego week after next. Here are some tips that may make your convention a merrier experience…
- Dress sensibly and wear comfy shoes, as there's a lot of walking to be done. The AccuWeather people are predicting a high of 80-83 and a low of 69 for the four days of the convention. As the day draws nearer, they'll update the forecast at this link.
- Consult the program schedule in advance and note the events you wish to attend. You can read the whole listing by clicking here and the list of panels I'm moderating (i.e., the good ones) by clicking here. Planning ahead is a very good idea. You'd be amazed at the number of people who arrive, get swept up in the excitement of the main hall and don't consult the schedule until they've missed a program they really wanted to see.
- Parking is always rough. If you get there early enough, you can find a place under the convention center for $4.00 a day. In a message she posted on www.comicon.com, Jackie Estrada (without whom the con would be about as exciting as watching your Chia Pet sprout) suggests that you approach the convention center on Harbor Drive from the direction of Seaport Village and The Hyatt. That should make it easier to get into the parking entrance. If it's full, there are lots around the city where one can park and then grab a shuttle bus. She also mentions a new parking structure at 6th and Market, about five blocks from the festivities.
- Bring money. More than you think you'll need.
- The snack bar in the convention center is traditionally a dreadful place to eat, so here's a dining tip that doesn't occur to some people. You know those shuttle buses outside that bring people to and from their hotels? Well, they're free and they also go all over downtown San Diego, past a lot of good restaurants.
- A lot of fans wonder about obtaining sketches from artists who'll be there. There are two kinds: Free and fee. The free ones are becoming rarer and rarer as more and more artists find them turning up on eBay. If you find an artist who does them, be polite, supply the paper and don't ask for something elaborate. Sketches for money are more obtainable and most are, I think, priced so reasonably that you'll look back years from now and kick your keester for not getting more of them. If your fave artist is sketching for loot, get your "order" in early and if you're asking for something he or she might not be able to generate from memory, supply some reference. (Most artists, doing drawings for money, prefer to supply their own drawing paper, but will draw in your sketchbook, if that's where you want it.) If you feel awkward negotiating with your favorite artist, see if there isn't a friend or spouse helping man the table and talk to them…or inquire of other customers as to what they got and what they paid for it.
Additional info is plentiful at the convention's website, which is at www.comic-con.org. See you at the con!