All right, everybody sing along: Here comes Comic-Con! Here comes Comic-Con, right down Comic-Con Lane! I can even hear Elvis singing it!
I often think of San Diego Comic-Con International (SDCC) as an early Christmas (if you celebrate that holiday) for fans of comics, TV, movies, gaming and anything even remotely related. This year, it will be held from Thursday, July 20, through Sunday, July 23, with a Preview Night starting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 19. After an absence of a few years, I will be there again this time!
One of the things that makes San Diego such a big event is all the news and other information released during the con. I know some companies hold their big news until the convention is underway. When I was there a few years back, I found it very tough to even try to cover all the news releases that came out each day. In fact, the people I knew who were NOT there knew more about these things than I did because so many of the information was being sent out via the Internet.
Some folks have already begun sending out news releases, trying to get ahead of the game. But you can expect websites around the world to be spending the next couple of months trying to publish/post news releases from SDCC, as if they could ever get caught up!
I’ve noticed that at least one cable network is going to be broadcasting from SDCC again this year. That’s Syfy, who will be showing Live from Comic-Con, hosted by Zach Levi. Here’s the description: “Zach Levi will host this three-night event, which will be broadcast during San Diego Comic-Con. Expect discussion of all the biggest news coming out of each day of the Con, trailer breakdowns, guests, coverage of the events at the Con, and, generally, a lot of geeking out. Syfy Presents Live From Comic Con will air Thursday, July 20, through Saturday, July 22, at 11/10c each night.” Check your local cable provider for the channel number!
If you can’t be there and your local store is holding a Comic-Con event, I’d go and support them. It’s MUCH cheaper than going to SDCC, after all! To be in step with the people in San Diego, be sure to take only baby steps on Saturday, which they have to do because it’ll be so packed in there!
One of the biggest reasons for attending SDCC is to get your hands on the exclusives available at the event. Granted, these days more and more of them are appearing in local comics shops around the same time (smart move!), but not all! Since I can’t possibly cover them all in one column, I won’t even try!
Of course, MANY more exclusives will be available for those who simply can’t wait!
If you aren’t completely exhausted by the happenings taking place in the convention center and hotels nearby, you can go to parties at restaurants and locations within walking distance.
Again, I couldn’t possibly begin to list them all here, but some come with food and beverages. When I was there a few years back, I attended a horror channel’s event that offered alcoholic beverages and M&Ms, the perfect combination for some folks! They were debuting a new show, and the stars attended, encouraging all in attendance to support this new program. (I haven’t heard anything about it, and in fact forget what it was called now, so it may not have been as successful as they hoped it would be. It happens.)
Many nearby clubs and restaurants get “taken over” by some networks during SDCC. There was a pizza place that was “owned” by Cartoon Network while I was there, and Syfy changed a restaurant into one found on Eureka, a show they were airing at the time. I’m sure fans will find more current restaurant happenings this year! Fun stuff!
If you aren’t there, you’ll find many websites covering SDCC. You’ll also find agencies providing reports that local newscasts will air during their nightly programs. Sometimes they actually report real news, but most of the time, it seems they feel their job is to cover the “spectacle” of it all – meaning, “How weird is this!”
Still, it’s only about days away before the doors open at SDCC 2017, and the cheer rises from the crowds who are there, and even those of us who are many miles away. Can’t wait!
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