For a long weekend during July, Downtown San Diego is crawling with chaos and craziness.
Individuals ranging between Game of Thrones characters, Star Wars Droids, anime personas, True Blood vampires, zombies, furry animals, and every possible type of mystical or fantastic creature can be seen roaming the Gaslamp Quarters from Wednesday through Sunday. During Comic Con International, the streets in Downtown San Diego become a scene out of a comic book, a graphic novel, a fairy tale, a sci-fi movie, or even popular television shows. Hardcore fans and curious inquirers essentially meet for a full-blown, versatile, creative madhouse, celebrating alternative interests in a variety of fields. It’s no wonder, some call Comic Con: a massive conglomeration and jubilee of “nerd culture.”
But what exactly happens at Comic Con International besides the amazing costume presentation? Comic Con was founded in 1970 in San Diego and the Convention continues inside the San Diego Convention Center. Around 130,000 fans flock to the convention center in hopes of showing off costumes, meeting professionals in the comic book field, listening to actors during panels, meeting fellow fans, and participating in a culture that they truly cherish.
The Convention Center houses screening rooms, exhibitors, gaming programs, comic book merchandise, new movie and TV show reveals, and other components of pop culture. During the 2013 Comic Con fest, the cast of How I Met Your Mother sat on a panel discussing the show, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul from Breaking Bad were on another panel, actors from the X-Men movies showed up, Andrew Garfield and Tom Hiddletson made memorable appearances….and many more.
Besides the famous actors and general fandom paraphernalia, Comic Con International is known for incredibly long lines and wait times. Tickets sell out astonishingly quickly and ticket sales for 2014 will most likely be announced in the next coming weeks. If you want to buy a Comic Con ticket, make sure to sign up on the Comic Con website and join the Facebook page. This way, you will be informed immediately when tickets go on sale and can hopefully buy your ticket on the same day.
There are, however, alternatives for those who want to get a taste of the Comic Con experience without paying. There are those who sign up as volunteers and work for a certain amount of time during the convention. After work is done, they can explore Comic Con on their own.
I enjoy walking around Downtown San Diego on the Saturday of Comic Con. Especially, getting the chance to view some awesome costumes and join in on the funny, geeked-out atmosphere. Many restaurants and bars in the Gaslamp Quarter cater towards the bustling Comic Con crowds and have themed events organized inside of them.
Moreover, in the evening, right outside of the Convention Center, San Diego hosts a zombie walk that anyone can participate in. Hundreds of individuals dress up like zombies and walk the blocks of Downtown San Diego in insane attire. Actors will also often have autograph signings in some of the local stores.
Comic Con International is truly fantastic. Whether you have the opportunity to participate inside the convention center or the opportunity to people watch from the streets, you will definitely see extraordinary sights!
