Comic-Con

It’s that time of year again.  Time for pop-culture’s annual migration to San Diego for Comic-Con International, the world’s largest pop-culture convention.  Comic-Con takes place over four days in July at the San Diego Convention Center, a 615,000 sq. ft. facility squeezed onto a thin piece of harborside property between downtown San Diego and San Diego Bay. Comic-Con outgrew the convention center years ago resulting in a loud, crowded, chaotic, and mind-numbing experience - I mean that in a good way.  There is nothing like it.

Shel Dorf - Founder of Comic-Con
1933-2009

Comic-Con began in 1970 as the Golden State Comic Book Convention.  Founded by Shel Dorf and his fellow San Diego comic fans, the three-day event was held at the U.S. Grant Hotel and drew 300 people.  In 1973, it became known officially as San Diego Comic-Con.  As the show grew, it moved around the city from hotel to hotel and the subject matter expanded beyond comic books to include television and movie popular culture.  In 1976, a preview of Star Wars was shown, a year before the movie’s release.  In the 80’s, the venue was the Convention and Performing Arts Center.  Attendance doubled from about 5,000 in 1980 to over 10,000 in 1989 with the guest list that included increasingly notable artists, directors, and stars.  Comic-Con moved to the San Diego Convention Center in 1991 as the floor now had to accommodate video games, movie collectables, animation cels, books, t-shirts, and studio pavilions in addition to comic books from every ‘age’.  The name of the event was changed to Comic-Con International and the “eye” logo was introduced in 1995.  Attendance grew through the decade to 45,000 in 1999.  During the 2000’s, Hollywood arrived in a big way.  The convention center expansion allows enormous crowds in Hall H where each studio trundles out its coming attractions for early approval by Comic-Con fanboys.  In 2004, J.J. Abrams showed the pilot for his new series called Lost.   The stars of movies and television make the trek to San Diego to appear before the Hall H faithful who show up in droves.  In 2008, for the first time, all 4-day and single day tickets sold out weeks in advance.  In 2010, attendance was topped 130,000.

Sailor Moon meets Deadpool at Comic-Con 2010

The great thing about Comic-Con is that it’s so huge and the fare so varied that every attendee’s experience is different.  I’ve been to Comic-Con on and off since the early 90’s and I’m always amazed and delighted by what I find.  One year, I first heard of a little book called Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, due to be released in the U.S. that fall. Another year, I shook the hand of one of my idols, Stan Freberg.  Digging through the boxes on the main floor, I once found the animation cels from the little Mr. DNA movie in Jurassic Park.  I’ve watched my step-daughter sign autographs with her fellow cast members of the award-winning web series The Guild.  But that’s just my Comic-Con.  The devoted Twi-hard camps out in Hall H for days for her next dose of True Blood.  The comic-book devotee rummages through the acres of comic books, some with $1000 price tags.  The budding artist waits for his turn to have a pro look at his portfolio and then heads down to the Artist’s Corner to chat with up-and-coming artists.  Slave Leias, Klingons, wookies, X-men, and Sailor Moons stroll down the halls, stopping every few yards for a photo or two.

The Comic-Con Exhibit floor

Unfortunately, the whole operation is overwhelmed.  The lines for Hall H and Ballroom 20 can be hours and hours long.  For some reason, they fill these enormous rooms with a single line!  It’s kind of like filling a swimming pool with a garden hose.  Just getting to the Convention Center takes time as downtown parking is non-existent and the trolleys are jammed.  The convention floor is often elbow-to-elbow with some areas coming to a standstill.  All ticket sales are on-line now - that is, if the servers don’t crash.  This year’s tickets went on sale three times; the first two times the system was so overwhelmed that they had to shut it down.  Aware that the San Diego Convention Center is holding them back, Comic-Con’s Board of Directors has considered moving the convention to another city with more room. They recently voted to keep the Comic-Con in San Diego until 2015 but beyond that is anyone’s guess.  I suppose moving the show to Anaheim might restore some sanity and would allow it to grow - but it wouldn’t be ‘The Con’ anymore.

Question of the Day:  If you have ever been to Comic-Con, what was your favorite experience there?