We’re all fans of something. Whether it’s Doctor Who, Avengers, or even — God forbid — Twilight, everyone has a passion. But for all fans, the ultimate badge of your dedication and honor to your fandom of choice is San Diego’s exclusive nerd convention, Comic Con. 
When it began in 1970, the convention was exclusive to comics. But now, the Con has expanded to include television, films and anything else that has a fan base.
2014’s annual convention was Con number three for yours truly, so over the years, I’ve acquired a few tips and tools of the trade to share with fellow nerds, whether they plan to attend or not.
Tip #1: Be Prepared
The Boy Scouts were wise when they coined this phrase. Anything goes at Comic Con. Walking the floor is like entering Nerdvana. Over there, there’s a battle suit from “Pacific Rim.” The other way, there’s “Breaking Bad” star, RJ Mitte. You never know what’s going to happen, so prep accordingly. Make sure you’ve got everything you need: phone, wallet, camera and the occasional autograph able item. If you know your favorite star from the CW will be signing, bring something for them. For example, this year, former Pink Power Ranger Alison MacInnis stopped by, so I brought my “Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue” DVD set I won on eBay and got her to sign it. Things like that will go a long way.
Tip #2: Do Your Research
The official Comic Con event schedule doesn’t show up until two weeks from the day the convention starts. That does not leave you a lot of time to plan the adventure. When the schedule does arrive, study it like a madman. Don’t just skim the webpage, look carefully. Nothing hurts more than forgetting that Brain K. Vaughan, writer of the insanely awesome Marvel comic series “Runaways,” had a panel on a day where you had nothing else to do.
Also to remember: The event schedule is only for panels. Autograph sessions, booth giveaways and offsite events are not included in the schedule. To find out what else is going on, do some research. There’s no shortage of SDCC info on the blogosphere. My personal favorite source of info is the Unofficial SDCC Blog. They post updates almost every day leading up to the convention and the information they post reveals a lot. Like their Facebook page for every bit of news you can gather.
Tip #3: Prepare For Disappointment
As fun as Comic Con is, it’s not all roses. Almost everything there is a first come, first serve basis. Just because you got a badge doesn’t mean everything at the convention is at your fingertips. The two biggest rooms that house panels can hold a total of 11,500 people, but depending on how big the fandom is for the panels in these rooms, it’ll be a madhouse to get in. For example, this past year, “The Walking Dead” and “Game of Thrones” were two back-to-back panels, leading to a literal fan frenzy to get in. I was caught in the position of sitting through two back-to-back panels for two of my favorite shows “Agents of SHIELD” and “The Originals.” If you get a spot in either room, that’s a miracle in and of itself. The same could be said for autograph drawings, which are just as brutal, if not more so. The odds are incredibly good that you will be in line all day for the drawing for the cast of “The Vampire Diaries” and come up short — which is actually a true story in the case of my sister. The point is that Comic Con is an incredibly selective and varied experience for the attendees and not everyone will get to do everything they want. If you’re a first time attendee, set your expectations at a reasonable level.
Tip #4: Pace Yourself
It’s impossible to do it all at Comic Con. Believe me, you are going to want to schedule a few breaks in between the fun. If there are a good eight panels all day that you wish to attend then so be it, but there is such a thing as Comic Con fatigue. Most SDCC attendees start their day at 5 a.m. in the morning to secure a good spot in line, so odds are that after an entire day of panels and celebrity sightings, they collapse onto the bed at night. If that’s the case for you, set aside some time for a breather, no matter how brief.
Tip #5: Count Your Blessings
Over 150,000 people attend Comic Con every year. And if you’re one of them, that’s a big deal. You get the opportunity to meet celebrities, see exclusive footage and collect awesome merchandise. Bask in that. Appreciate it. Enjoy it.
Bradley Burgess can be reached at [email protected]