quote:

Originally posted by nz_genis:
Hey there, I'm going to the San Diego con for the first time this year and got a 4 day pass with the preview night. I'm staying in a hostel near the convention centre cos I can't afford a hotel and want to be able to just walk over. But I was hoping you guys could help me out with a few questions....
1-Do you have to pay extra to get autographs from guests or is everyone different? If so, what is the average price?
2-Do the comic artists charge for sketches?
3-Is it best to buy something you want as soon as you see it as stock normally goes quick or maybe wait til Sunday for discounts?
4-What are the queues like for general comic panels compared to the movie ones?
I'll prob have more questions to come, but any help would be awesome. I'm flying over from New Zealand for a month and going to a WWW PPV and Raw, UFC100 and the UFC expo in Vegas then finishing up in San Diego for the con......

All auto's I've ever got were for free but I've never went looking for a particular one.

All artists will charge for sketches. Many will have a sketch book for $10USA or so and will include a quick sketch for you while you wait.

My advice on buying is to not wait. It's surprising how fast things go especially the show exclusives.

Lines for panels are mostly huge. Hey it's the SDCC so there are big lines everywhere. :-)

1.Technically they are not allowed to charge for an autograph. But they can ask you to buy a photo from them before they give you an autograph. 2. Most artists do charge but some will do it just because they are nice. 3.Buy it if the price is right. 4. Panels are sometimes bigger and sometimes smaller. It depends on what it is or who it is.
Ace

In my experience:

1. Each guest is required to sign at least once for free (SDCC program book in most cases). Most have 8x10's they sign and charge $20.

2. Comic artests at DC, Marvel, Dark Horse don't charge but lines are long. Topps has free artests throughout the week but I here they will not be there this year. Independent artests do charge based on color or B/W and number of subjects, prices vary.

3. It depends on the number there selling and how popular. If you really want something get it when you see it. I have never seen discounts offered on exclusives.

4. I've never had problems getting into comic panels. Other panels on TV or Movie subjects can get long lines. If you have a must see panel sit through the one before it! They do not clear the rooms after every panel.

1. There are a few "guests" that charge for their autographs, they are usually in the "Autograph Area" which will ahve assigned tables for people and set times they will be there. They often have 8x10 photos for sale and will sign free if you buy the photo, hence you are really paying for the photo, not the autograph. I do recall reading in the convention literature that all the people in the Autograph Area are required to sign the convention program, or "a similar agreed upon item" for free. I have never tested this rule as my convention program usually gets very dog eared! Down in the exhibit hall you can get autos for free if you stand in line. The Warner Bros booth has signings every day, for example. You must get in line very early for these, somtimes the end of the line is capped even before the "stars" get there.

2. Each one is different. Many will have signs at the booth stating their policies. Some will do a quick sketch with a purchase. I always approach this situation tenderly. If they don't have a sign posted with sketch prices and I'm planning on buying something then *after* I have paid I ask "Would you be willing to do a quick sketch of {insert character name here }?" Also, for this I suggest a small sketchbook, not the big 8"x10" ones, it appears less dautning. Some folks, for whatever reason, just don't sketch for free, and others will gladly.
3. I go for the "buy it right away" theory forseveral reasons; it might sell out, you might not be able to find the booth again, you might be too busy to get back to the booth and discounts seem not all that common. That said, depending on the type of person you are, you might have to set yourself a budget, or pick a certain "type" of thing to look for. If you go in there as a "Hellboy" collector (for example) and just start buying any and every Hellboy item you see then you'll be broke very quickly. However, if you decide "OK, I want Hellboy sketch cards of Abe Sapien" then you have a reasonable goal!
4. Every panel will most likely have a line, even if you think it won't. It's best to check about 45-60 minutes before the start time to see if the line has started. For big panels you might have to get in line at 10:00 for a 3:00 panel. Or for a REALLY big panel, the night before. One thing to note is that the panel rooms are not cleared between events, so you could go into a room before your desired panel and just chill.

The most important piece of advice I could ever give is that it's much bigger and busier than you could ever expect. Try as I might, I have been unable to properly explain it to friends, the exhibit floor has to be seen to be believed. Get your bearings, use booths as landmarks, be patient and try not to become overwhelmed. If you go knowing that, for whatever reason, you might not be able to every single one of your "first choice" events then you won't be disappointed.

I think you whole trip sounds like an amazing adventure and the Comic Con is a great way to cap it all off!
[QUOTE]
1-Do you have to pay extra to get autographs from guests or is everyone different? If so, what is the average price?
2-Do the comic artists charge for sketches?
3-Is it best to buy something you want as soon as you see it as stock normally goes quick or maybe wait til Sunday for discounts?
4-What are the queues like for general comic panels compared to the movie ones?
QUOTE]

Thanks for all the info, its greatly appreciated Just a couple more questions if thats cool:
-How many panel rooms do they have and is there a lot of crossovers? so you have decide between one or the other?
-With the preview night, can you actually buy anything? or is it just to have a look around, get a scedule of events and get your bearings of the floor?
-Is the Sunday pretty much dead for panels and what not? is there anything you should just leave til the Sunday?
Also any other general hints about the con would be awesome as I really want to make the most of my time there as I have no idea if I'll ever make it over again. Cheers!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: nz_genis,

Hi nz_genis:

quote:

Originally posted by nz_genis:
-How many panel rooms do they have and is there a lot of crossovers? so you have decide between one or the other?

There are quite a few panel rooms. Not sure how many but a bunch. They have different sized rooms ranging from ones for 40 or 50 people to ones for 1,000 and even one (or two?) for even much larger audiences. They generally have most of these going at all times so that you'll have one HUGE panel, one or two big ones, and then some smaller ones.

Your best best is to study the panels once they are announced (which will not be until a week or two before the show) and plan your strategy. And do realize that you will probably not get in to everything you want to see. I think it's important to realize you will probably not be able to do everything you want to. Regardless, you will have a LOT of fun. And probably even more fun if you are needlessly kicking yourself because you didn't get into the XYZ panel.

quote:

Originally posted by nz_genis:
-With the preview night, can you actually buy anything? or is it just to have a look around, get a scedule of events and get your bearings of the floor?

You can buy EVERYTHING on preview night. It started out as more of a "preview" thing with some dealers and exhibitors not even set up for Preview Night. Now it's a day just like any other day of the Con. One of the only differences is that they do not have panels on Wednesday night (Preview Night), though last year, they did show Fringe in one of the panel rooms. From what I remember, it was shown twice back-to-back.

quote:

Originally posted by nz_genis:
-Is the Sunday pretty much dead for panels and what not? is there anything you should just leave til the Sunday?

While Sunday is definitely slower for panels, I would not say "dead" by any stretch.

Have a great time. Wear good shoes!

Hiking Boots

The biggest piece of advise I can offer is to plan on not getting done everything you want to get done. With the size of Comic-Con, the number of things to do and see, and the overlapping of panels and autograph sessions, it's really not possible to do and see everything.

Before you go, pick out the handful of panels you want to attend, the autographs you must get, and the items you have to buy...and stick to that. If you happen to find spare time to do other things that interest you, all the better. There are a lot of people who completely stress out trying to do it all. I unfortunately stood in line with someone who was actually angry that he had to choose between the panel for which we were in line and something else he wanted to do. He commented how poorly Comic-Con scheduled events, as though the schedule should reflect his needs and wants.

You could spend 4-1/2 days running around like a lunatic trying to do it all. Or you could focus on the few things that really interest you and actually enjoy Comic-Con.

quote:

Originally posted by Kennywood:

You could spend 4-1/2 days running around like a lunatic trying to do it all. Or you could focus on the few things that really interest you and actually enjoy Comic-Con.

Amen!!

nz_genius

We have similar taste lol! See you at UFC 100 and at the Con!

There's been some great advice given already but I just wanted to add a couple of things.

If you see something you want then buy it immediately. Not only may it be sold out later, but you might not remember where you saw it and there might be a huge line if you go back to buy it later.

Exclusives: If you want any of the Mattel or Hasbro figures be prepared to wait in line for hours. I had a friend who wanted to get one of the exclusives from them last year and he gave up after standing in a line that didn't move for an hour. This wasn't even the line at the booth, it was the line to get in line at the booth. Many of the other toy companies actually let you pre-order their exclusives so all you have to do once you get there is walk up with your receipt and pick it up.

Autographs: It all depends on who you want autographs from. The signings that are held at the big studio boths like FOX and Warner Brothers are free. You just have to figure out if there are tickets needed or if it's a first in line deal. Many times the people manning these booths are not the ones making the decisions so try to be polite and remember that they may be just as frustrated as you are. A little courtesy can go a long way.

Aside from that, just remember you are there to have fun. If you start getting irritated by it all just go outside and people watch for a while or get something to eat. It'll give you more energy to deal with the crowds when you return.

Something we learned long ago was if there is a panel you must see you should plan on sitting through one or two panels prior to yours.

There is a big hall down stairs that seats over 7,000. This is where the major motion studios make there presentations. People will literally camp out here on Friday and Saturday. Hall H also has bathrooms and food. There is no leaving and comming back without having to stand in line again.

The room 20 seats about 5,000 and is the next smallest. Here you can leave for the bathroom and get issued a ticket so you can get back in. The tickets are colored coded so you can't leave during one panel and return for another. Planning is everything at SDCC!

I spent most of the last two years just walking the floor of the exhibit hall, and I still could heve walked it some more! There are some great items given out for free, (cards, shirts, pens, tatoos, comics, posters, flash drives, etc.) you just have to known where to go and hope that the timing is right. If you can network with friends, it really helps as everyone usually has some good information to share as the show unwinds. Of course, it's always good to have friends who knock people over and take from childern to get the free stuff!

Batman-
I certainly hope you weren't referring to me scrambling to get some fo the Artbox HP exclusives or a free pen from SciFi Channel...

It is always a great time, and the advice that Kennywood and Wanering Rebel have given is spot on. Relax, don't over do it and have fun. The people watching alone is worth the price of admission!!!

No Chris, not you, you are a gentleman, Sherri, on the other hand, ... lol!!! No, these people of whom I speak know who they are! Only two months out, looks like we are in for some fun!

This is all great stuff, I feel better about going now as I will be by myself and the more I know now the better.

Product wise, I'm not really after much specifically. But wouldnt mind the Hasbro Marvel Universe exclusives there gonna have. I just plan on buying whatever I want when I see it, hitting as many panels as I can and grabbing a few TV/Movie auto's. My only real worry now is how much luggage I'll be bringing back

As we get closer, I'm sure we will get together some informal gatherings, at the least. Please join us!

quote:

Originally posted by nz_genis:
My only real worry now is how much luggage I'll be bringing back

The amount you buy/collect sort of creeps up on you. I was making frequent trips back to my hotel so I wasn't lugging loads of stuff about. By Saturday morning, I couldn't get anything else on the twin bed in my room. I ended up posting a rather large box (36lbs) home. This was expensive but still cheaper than airline excess and saved the aggro of trying to carry it.

In regards to making purchases and getting autographs, does one need to bring wads of cash? When can you use credit cards?

What about food? Do people usually buy at the convention center? Or someplace nearby? Or brownbag it?

Thanks in the advance for the advice.

quote:

Originally posted by chen12:
In regards to making purchases and getting autographs, does one need to bring wads of cash? When can you use credit cards?

What about food? Do people usually buy at the convention center? Or someplace nearby? Or brownbag it?

Thanks in the advance for the advice.

For autographs it's cash only.
Other than that it's hit and miss. Some companies can take credit cards, others can't. I would recommend bringing a fair amount of cash. There are ATM's but I'm not sure what kind of fees they charge.

Food: If you don't have much time then grab something at the convention center. Otherwise, there are plenty of places within walking distance where you can go and eat. I found a deli last year with some really good sandwiches, I just don't remember exactly where it was.