Yeah, probably not the early years of The Con, but they were my early years and they were still as magical. I fall under the pop culture fanbase. Not the camping out in Hall H ones, Golden/ Silver age OG con goer, or a collector. I am more of a nomad who took a hiatus and am now a veteran newb. There are so many guides and how to’s that can walk you through how to make the best of The Con, so I won’t waste internet space with that. There are years of memories and Con magic that I would hate to let waste away in my hard drives and wanted to share one of the lesser known con guides: experience. If you’ve never been to Comic-Con, I hope these stories help you feel the magic of why SDCC is so popular.

The Beginning

The Early Years: circa 2009. Let me paint you a picture of a simpler time. Passes were available months after being posted, four day tickets were still available in March, and the cost was affordable. The Twilight saga had not completely overtaken ticket sales, Hall H was still accessible (pre Marvel Studios takeover), and the freebies were flowing. My early days were somewhat unrefined and I’m not sure if I was able to get preview night the first year. The memories are somewhat vague and the pictures are from an old cellphone, so it was rough. If you stick around you’ll appreciate the upgrade.

My interests surrounded many obscure/hipster shows and some extremely nerdy interests. Some highlights included meeting my faves from the cartoon The Venture Bros. They were so cool and even got to do the Venture Bros signature greeting with one of the voice actors. Special note: Adult Swim always had some of the best swag and autographs at their booth.

The first year was all about panels and learning the ropes. Sat in random panels to get a chance to see Stan Lee (because, of course). Also attended some obscure panel featuring Danny DeVito a.k.a. “Frank” and got him to sign my badge.

There were no real plans, my backpack was an athletic one with rope straps, my feet were in serious pain, and I heard how much I missed over the internet. Don’t get me wrong, I had amazing experiences and there was plenty to see, but I needed to go back to the drawing board…

The Upgrade: 2010

This year, my backpack had cushion straps, my shoes were slightly more ergonomic, still no poster tube, and I was loaded with snacks and water. Getting into any adventure was my new hobby. This is the year I learned two valuable lessons: priorities and adventures. The year before I sat deep into the crowd to see It’s Always Sunny. This year I saw the cast up close and personal. They were so kind and of course Charlie Day greeted the crowd including me. This was the start of the magic.

Personalized Merch.

I also did better research and found out that my little brother’s favorite cartoon artist at the time, Matt Groening, was signing copies of his recent comic. It made for an awesome gift for the little bro. I was so excited to be able to get him something fun from The Con for his birthday.

Autographs.

Hate to be the back-in-my-day person, but back when I used to do autographs in the sails pavillion, there were no online lotteries to compete with a billion other people. It was, however just as intimidating. Some of the details are fuzzy but I remember getting in line for a ticket. Much like what I think still happens. I got lucky and drew the right ticket for the signing. That year I got autographs of and pictures with the Mythbusters. They were so nice and thus began my journey of being perpetually star struck.

Intentional Panel hopping.

Another place my hipster nerdy ways took me was the Community panel. This cult classic spoke to my millennial heart and this was one panel worth attending e.g. priorities. My seat was fairly close but to my surprise the cast stayed after to greet the fans. My friend group decided to be brave and go greet them. I believe Joel McHale signed my badge this year and I got this insanely close picture of him. From what I remember, he gave high fives and told everyone something like we were sharing his germs. The memory is almost as fuzzy as the pic, but still pure Con magic.

Seldom explored potential.

Alas, the only time I would attend a Hall H panel. I think the Twilight con goers had already made their way through the venue and there was room to get in. We had to see what this crazy new Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World panel was all about. It was unbelievable to me that so many stars would be in the same place at one time, at least somewhere near me. The panel definitely left an impression and the movie still a favorite hipster rewatch. I read a comment recently that talked about watching a screening which I don’t remember, but I do still have my free pin from that panel. I’ve also added my favorite picture from the panel: Michael Cera dressed as the Cap.

Priorities.

My new focus included favorite artist, actors, and shows who I could support over and over again. This involved proper etiquette and consideration, of course. Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick were some of my Con favorites as well as a few others which you’ll see in subsequent Con blogs.

Marketing.

It was my first time coming across immersive experiences. This is a big part of what makes SDCC a true happiest place on Earth. Admittedly, I had to google the name of the movie they were marketing, Skyline, the experience was etched into my psyche. In the movie people were being taken up by some otherworldly forces. The marketing team set up a machine that released cut out foam humans into the San Diego overcast skies. The “bodies” ascended into the sky in front of their Marriott movie poster ad. It was such an awesomely freaky sight.

Epiphanies.

Unlike my experience in 2009, this year I prioritized very specific interests and found that sometimes adventure finds you. Case in point, I was standing by one of my favorite booths (Adult Swim) and there walked the silver haired man himself, Stan Lee. As close as I could have ever gotten to him, all by chance. This is where I had my ultimate realization: if you prioritize you will never see everything, but if you let The Con do its thing, you will experience magic.

The end??

And now for the crowning jewel of this trip, the irl interaction with these two gents from True Blood. Side note, these are only stills taken from my own video where I stood anxiously waiting to see the cast (which will be uploaded at an later date).

I found myself at the right place at the right time and incomprehensibly close to the cast. If you know anything about how the security works at this place, normally they clear the area and path. This includes various guards standing at either side of the stars. My experience was not a normal occurrence, just to be clear.

The space allowed for two personal interactions one with Joe Manganiello and the other with Sam Trammell. I could not believe what was happening as they walked closer and closer until finally “Alcide” said hi… to me. Wild. I was so glad I recorded it because nobody would have ever believed me. Then Sam walked by one of the members of my party said hi and shook his hand. Although encounters like these were rare, the following blogs will reveal even more unbelievable Con magic. Next blog loading…

*Updated videos below*