Wow, it took me awhile to finally get around to posting this, but here’s a very brief summary of my Comic-Con 2010 experience! Comic-Con isn’t just about comics; it’s a celebration about the popular arts, which is what we’re all about here at CrunchyCo (even though it seems like we’re only obsessed with chiptunes at the moment!). There really is something for everyone at the con, and if you haven’t gone before, you need to. This was my third time attending, and it will certainly not be my last. Click below to view the full post!

TUESDAY
> Left Seattle by car around 10pm. Drove on through the night.

WEDNESDAY
> Drove through the entire day. Arived in San Diego around 9pm.
> Went to Japanese bars to drink soju and flirt with hot Japanese waitresses.

THURSDAY – Comic-Con Day 1
> Missed the Tron panel because the lines are too damn long.
> Went to the X-Play panel and saw Adam Sessler, Morgan Webb, and other G4 people.
> Went to a panel with Larry Marder about BeanWorld (It’s a comic you’ve probably never read).
> Attended the Expendables panel only so we could see the panel after it. The movie looks like crap. BUT we did get to see Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, and a bunch of other testosterone-filled famous people. Manliness out of control.
> Stayed in Hall H for the Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Panel. Edgar Wright and a ton of the cast members were all there. Michael Cera was dressed as Captain America (Full story here).
> Attended the private Playstation cocktail party at the Hard Rock Hotel across the street from the convention. Talked to game developers, tested out upcoming Playstation titles, and enjoyed free catering.
> Late-night ramen. Yum yum!

FRIDAY – Comic-Con Day 2
> Went to the Scott Pilgrim Vs Comic Con event. Got a sweet one-of-a-kind t-shirt screenprinted on-the-fly!

One-of-a-kind Sex Bob Omb t-shirt!

> Went to the Adult Swim Panel, featuring Seth Green, Jackson Publick, Doc Hammer, and Brendan Small.
> Went to The Goon film panel (Full story here).
> Attended the world premier of the latest DC animated film, Batman: Under the Red Hood. A bunch of the cast and crew were there.
> More bar-hopping with cute Japanese waitresses, soju, and karaoke ’till 4am!

SATURDAY- Comic-Con Day 3
> Went to the Venture Bros panel. Saw Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer again, along with James Urbaniak and Patrick Warburton. Urbaniak and Warburton sound just like their characters in real life!
> Caught a signing by Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer. Had them sign my limited Venture Bros poster! (Full story here).

Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer of Venture Bros. fame

> Apparently, someone got stabbed in the eye with a pen in Hall H over a seating argument. I wasn’t there, but we caught word of the incident all the way downtown.
> Attended a free pre-screenings of Scott Pilgrim vs The World at the Balboa theater in downtown San Diego. After the movie, Edgar Wright and the entire cast came out on stage and thanked us for attending. Epic WIN. Best way to end our convention adventures.

Edgar Wright and the cast of Scott Pilgrim

> Had one last meal at some fancy-pants Italian place. I paid sixteen dollars for like 5 raviolis. Shit.
> Hopped in the car and started driving home.

SUNDAY
> Drove all night, all day, and back into the night.
> Stopped at Black Bear Diner in Oregon for breakfast, a yearly tradition.
> Arrived back in Seattle around 10pm. Happy to sleep in my own bed.

GENERAL CONVENTION FUN:
> Exploring the wonders of the exhibit halls, admiring the spectacular booth displays and statues, eating delicious food in San Diego, observing and taking pictures of cosplayers, wandering the convention collecting free stuff and shopping for merch to buy, keeping my eye out for celebs, checking out the new toy lines, play-testing games that won’t be out for another year, and just enjoying the vibe.

THINGS I MISSED:
> There was so much going on it is impossible to do everything. There are far too many things I missed to list here, but one thing I really wanted to do but didn’t was meet Bruce Campbell. I also wanted to get my copy of Umbrella Academy signed by Gerard Way, but didn’t. And I also wanted to find James Rolfe (the Angry Video Game Nerd), who was just there as an attendee wandering around somewhere. I never did find him. Also wish I got a signature from Patrick Warburton, but I didn’t bring my live action Tick DVD with me!

BEST COSPLAYER:
> Cyborg Raiden from Metal Gear Solid 4.

I liked Raiden before he became a cyborg.

MOST ATTRACTIVE FEMALE:
> Ellen Wong! (plays Knives Chau in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) I just wanted to bring her home with me!

I guess Michael Cera is pretty cute too...

TOTAL TRIP SPENDING:
> Food and Drink: $160
> Con Merch: $125
> Gas: $70
> Karaoke: $20
> Parking: $15
> GRAND TOTAL: $390 (not bad!)

TIPS FOR CONVENTION NOOBS:
1. Get there early. And I mean EARLY. If not simply to get the most out of your time there, at least consider parking. Imagine spending money on a three day parking pass and then showing up only to find every single stall filled. That almost happened to us, and the lot we were in was already several blocks away. Get in quick, get parking, and get in line before everyone else does, or you will lose out on both time and money.

2. Anticipate wait time. Expect to wait in lines. Long ones. Sometimes for hours. Bring something to do while you wait. If there’s a panel you absolutely have to see, the only way to gaurantee entry is if you sit through the panel before it and do not leave the room.

3. Don’t be a microphone douche. If you get the chance to ask a question at a panel, don’t waste everyone’s time with shit like, “OMG, I just wanted to say I love your work so much!” No one wants to hear that shit. Of course you love their work, so does everyone in the room, that’s why they’re all at the panel in the first place! Don’t ask for personal favors, don’t ask something that’s an inside joke, and don’t ask something completely unrelated, or something that is for your own sick amusment. Be quick and to the point. Ask a meaningful and well-crafted question that everyone can enjoy the answer to.

4. Don’t take everything people hand you. Everyone is trying to hand you free stuff at the con. Some of it is cool, but most of it is just advertisements for things you probably don’t care about. Look before your grab. Otherwise, you will literally be weighted down by a ton of freebie garbage.

5. Don’t let people rip you off. There are a lot of great deals at the con, amazing deals actually (like 50% off all trade paperbacks at some booths!), but some people will try to rip you off. If you have a computer or phone that can go online, look up prices of items before you buy them. Also, be cautious about buying items that are promoted as being special, exclusive, or rare. Do your research, and ask a lot of questions so you know exactly what you are spending your money on. Otherwise, you’ll be broke very fast and left with a bunch of junk.

6. Don’t buy food at the convention. There are so many great places to eat downtown that are more delicious, and more affordable. Explore the eats around the city, they are fantastic.

7. Have fun! Don’t let long lines and hot weather get you down. There is so much fun to be had at the convention and even more if you simply walk down the street in downtown San Diego. The city is alive, so enjoy it! Pick out some things you want to do, but keep your options open too because you will certainly run into the unexpected.

PICTURES:
> I took a lot of photos with my crappy phone, but here are some of the more interesting ones.