It’s a big weekend for everybody in the film, television, comic book and book world. Basically, if it can be called entertainment, it will try to be represented at Comic-Con. Unfortunately, either because it was sold out or you just didn’t have the money, you won’t be at Comic-Con. So you won’t get a chance to see the latest the industry has to offer or your favorite celebrity.
Below I have five reasons why it’s OK you won’t be going to Comic-Con.
5. The Internet
Exclusives may be great, but with the wonderful invention of the internet, exclusive doesn’t mean elusive. From people twittering word for word what is happening at Comic-con to videos of the panels being posted within hours of them being held, you can learn what’s happening at Comic-con without leaving your house. Plus, with a few days of patience you can see clips, interviews and photos that companies post online from Comic-con.
4. Not Meeting Your Idol
I’ve gone to a few signings in my day. It is almost always awkward. You stand in line from anywhere to half an hour to hours with your merchandise, wishing you had a book, and thinking of what you’re going to tell the person. Finally, you walk up to their table and everything you wanted to say just doesn’t come out. You mumble a few words of gratitude, maybe get a question in (but it’s not the tough one you’re dying to ask), ask the person behind you to get a photo, and then it’s over. You have the photo and the signature and a memory of how uncomfortable the whole experience was. Of course, this isn’t always the case and I’ve had pleasurable experiences with people who make more money than I can fathom, but it’s never lived up to the hype I set up.
3. Queueing/Waiting
In Dr. Suess’ “Oh the Places You’ll Go,” a few pages are dedicated to “the waiting place” where “everyone is just waiting.” Dr. Suess was prematurely talking about Comic-Con. Say you wanted to see a major panel at Comic-Con this week. Be prepared to wait hours for a seat in the auditorium. Once you’ve got your place in line, you then have to deal with line hoppers, bathroom needs and ways to entertain yourself. Other panels don’t stop while you’re waiting either, so you’ve also got to prioritize and hope all your waiting is worth it (i.e. that you actually get a seat).
2. There Are A LOT of People
Ever go to a concert and try to stand within 20 feet of the stage? Have you ever made it out of that concert without a single person touching you? Last year’s Comic-Con had more than 125,000 attendees. This is not an event for people who like their personal space. Supposing crowds don’t bother you, you then have to deal with fandom. You’ve got the age old “Star Wars” vs “Star Trek,” comic books vs movies, and “Twilight” vs anything. Comic-Con is not for people who are just “meh” about their entertainment. Imagine being a moderate fan of “Harry Potter,” but waiting in line next to people who continually bash it. Try reasoning with someone dressed as an ewok that William Shatner is essential to the sci-fi genre. With so many people comes a lot of opinions and with such a crowd you’re bound to not like something someone is head over heels for. Plus, can you imagine trying to evacuate those places if their was an actual emergency?
1. You’re Saving Money
Still feeling down about not going to Comic-Con? Look at your bank account. Now imagine that anywhere from $75 to $2,000 has been removed from your account and you’re not even at Comic-Con yet. You still have to worry about food and merch. Of course, if you live in San Diego or have family there, your expenses are down, but you still have to pay for your passes (hoping that you get a four-day pass instead of having to get passes for individual days), transportation, and any extras you may want. The $2,000 you’re saving can go towards movie tickets, cable bills, and books that are all making face time at Comic-Con and you’ll still have some left over.
Agree? Disagree? Let us know in the comments section.
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Follow Allison Higginbotham on Twitter at http://twitter.com/allisonbh.
All very solid reasons, especially the one about saving money. But I still wish I was there!
The biggest thing for me is the pure number of people there. The lines are way too long and some attendees have some definite hygiene issues.