CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

Hi~ I'll be attending my very first Comic Con. soon. Its more then just comics, though. There's Anime, Gaming, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Cosplay... the normal stuff. n.n So, anyway, my point was I wanted to know if there are any con. veterans that can maybe give me some advice? Yes, I'll be a blatant newb at it, but I'm still happy. I didn't enter any contest this year. Since its my first, I thought I'd just enjoy it. XD

Anyways, thanks. ^^

*ahem*

1). Bring your own food. Conventions (and especially Comic Con) take advantage of the massive attendance to sell expensive eats. Even if you get food outside, it's still Downtown San Diego, and unless you're planning to walk really far (or if you have transportation), you're gonna pay a lot for food.

2). Make use of any public transportation you can find. San Diego has a (limited) railway system, but it has a special line (the red line, I believe) for special events like this. Parking at one of the major railway stops and purchasing a trolley ticket will ultimately save you time and money as a). you don't have to pay for parking and b). even if you can afford the [horrendously expensive] conv.cen. parking, good luck trying to find a spot.

3). If you are local, just let someone drop you off and pick you up.

4). PLAN. Comic con is bigger and more diverse than any niche convetion (sci-fi, anime, roleplaying, fantasy, furry), so it's easy to get overwhelmed. Find a schedule of events ahead of time and pick what events/panels/whatever because...

5). You will be waiting in a line. A LOT. Some of the really 'hot' events like panels for upcoming blockbusters have gigantic lines that fill up hours before the line actually begins. And picking up your badge is no trivial thing either.

6). If you and a friend are NOT planning to attend the con all four days, get a four-day badge anyway and split the days between the two of. Out of courtesy, split the cost.

7). Cultivate the fruits of the Spirit. You know, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness etc. etc. There will be a lot of impatient, unkind, and rude idiots in the convention center so you want to combat that.

Food? Why would you need to bring that?

I don't eat during cons. I'm totally serious. The only times I've eaten at a con were when A-Kon gave free snacks to Artist Alley (cracker sticks with cheese pack, yum) and there were Dippin' Dots at AnimeBoston; can't resist those Dippin' Dots.

I felt nauseous on the first day of my first con because the energy was insane, so I ended up going home early and sleeping. My word of advice is that if this happens, do NOT skip the rest of the con =D. The next two days were a blast!

[quote="minakichan (post: 1227017)"]Food? Why would you need to bring that?

I don't eat during cons. I'm totally serious. The only times I've eaten at a con were when A-Kon gave free snacks to Artist Alley (cracker sticks with cheese pack, yum) and there were Dippin' Dots at AnimeBoston]

Mina, if she's talking about San Diego Comicon, the sheer size of the center could drop you if you don't eat. The dealers room alone is about 3 football fields long and one wide, or it was the last time I was there, and the rest of the center is even larger. Not bringing food and water to SDCC and not buying any is a one way trip to the medical rooms for heat exhaustion, dehydration and fatigue.

Ingemar pretty much covered everything.

Some more tips:

-if for some reason you have nothing to do, hit the freebie tables. They restock them constantly and you can get started on new comic series if you're so inclined.

-if you see someone in a costume that you want to take a picture of, ASK FIRST. I made the mistake of just whipping out my camera and made someone very angry.

-Don't be afraid to join in conversations or start chatting with other con-goers. You're all in this together, aren't you?

Make sure you wear comfortable shoes, like others have said, you're probably going to be walking and waiting in lines a lot.