Who’s excited for comic-con? I am! I know you are! I see the child-like excitement in your eyes! Comic conventions can be a bit overwhelming and Comic-con, being the massive monster convention that it is, will undoubtedly scare and confuse you and might leave you in the corner crying for mommy. So to prevent you from embarrassment, I’ve compiled a survival guide! Yay for me!

1. Pre-register! If you’re going to comic-con, it’s always best to pre-register and buy your passes in advance. The comic-con four day passes are already sold out and Saturday one day passes are almost gone. You don’t want to be that lame guy that travels all the way to San Diego only to get turned away at the door because tickets are sold out (It happened to my friend last year). If you are a procrastinator, I suggest you go on Thursday. Usually tickets don’t sell out for that day.

2. Book a hotel early! Those rooms sell out quick! I put off renting a room this year until about April. I couldn’t find anything in a reasonable price range and even the Motel 6, 3 miles from the convention center, were trying to charge me an astronomical price!! If you need a room, I suggest forcing your friends to room with you. Pile 10 people in the bathtub if you have to! It’s not a convention adventure unless you’re sleeping uncomfortably close to your friends. Also be aware of the convention/hotel shuttle schedule. The shuttles will take you from your hotel to the front of the convention. If the shuttle doesn’t go to your hotel, buy a Day Tripper/Trolley Pass especially if you plan on exploring the city. The trolley runs about every 15 minutes. http://www.sdmts.com/ Check out this site for details on public transportation.

3. Arrive Early! Especially if you’re driving. There’s always traffic and parking is hard to find. Trust me the parking lots fill up early and if you get there late,you’ll be roaming around the city, cursing and screaming, looking for a place to ditch your car. I suggest getting there around 7 am, park, eat, and then get in line. It will help you start off your con experience stress free!

4. Expect to melt! It’s California and it’s summer. ’nuff said.

5. Grab a program and hit up the freebie table! trust me, you’ll want a program. It’ll tell you where and what time panels are being held. It’s got handy maps so you don’t get lost. The convention center is huge so you’ll need it. I got lost last year, then again I get lost anywhere I go. Also, make sure if you are standing in line, it’s the right one for where you want to go. Plan out your day in advance so you don’t miss anything! The freebie table is usually right next to where you check in. Just grab stuff and stuff it in your pockets!! Sort through it later! Oh and make sure you visit the Artist Alley! You’ll find some really great artwork.

6. Bring a backpack! It’s much more useful then carrying around plastic bags of the stuff you buy. Make sure you stuff it with water and snacks. Drinks at the Con are crazy expensive and wouldn’t you rather spend that cash on awesome stuff?

7. Bring cold hard cash and photo ID! I know we all live on plastic but most tables at the con won’t take your credit card. Bring cash and lots of it. Your life savings should be in your pockets, ready to disappear forever.

8. Bring your camera! There are plenty of cool things to photograph and awesome cosplay outfits. Just make sure you ask permission in advance to take pics of cosplayers. And if they say no, don’t be rude. They’re probably tired from posing for people. And if you are cosplaying, be nice and let others take pics of you. I’ve run into some rude cosplayers and no one appreciates that, no matter how awesome your star fleet officer outfit is.

9.Buy large item such as posters or wall scrolls when you’re getting ready to leave for the day. I made the mistake of buying a huge awesome poster of chun li done by Udon early in the day and she was crushed and I poked people in the eye with it. So please, don’t be me.

10. Wear comfy shoes. The convention center is pretty much half a mile long. You WILL be tired. Your feet WILL hurt.You HAVE been warned.

11. Bring your cell phone! You will lose your friends. You don’t want to be all alone…in the middle of a huge convention…surrounded by storm troopers and Jedi’s. No good will come of it.

12.Don’t block the path! Lots of people like to just sit down in the middle of the con floor and block the flow of traffic. Or they like to just stand around having a long convo with their friends while you’re trying to get around them. Don’t be one of those jerks. I will Hadouken you. Don’t test me.

13.Haggle! Don’t be afraid to ask for deals. If someone refuses, try another dealer. Someone will give you a deal. Especially on Sunday at the end of the day.

14.Be on the look out for special events! Last year, I got a whysoserious dollar with a jokerized George Washington. It was word of mouth info what that dollar was for. A special dark knight promotion that took place across the street from the convention center. So listen up and be aware or you might miss out on something cool.

15. Please don’t hesitate to shower daily. The convention is super crowded and hot and stuffy. You will be closer than you want to be to many people who will be sweaty and smelly. Please don’t contribute to the problem by forsaking a shower or deodorant.

That’s all I can think of, but if you think of anything don’t hesitate to put it in the comments! Have an awesome and fun con!Hope to see you there! ^_^