I have relatives that have been to Comic Con many times and have urged me to come. It was through their efforts that I got my badges in November 2025, and on lottery and I got a good deal for a hotel that had shuttles to the event. Then I booked my flights -two one ways were cheaper than round trip! Anyway, I was set and planning for the trip, and I was able to get in partial shape with cardio and weights in the two weeks leading to the event.
My
flight arrived on time and I took my first Lyft ride to the hotel for early
check in and rest. The shuttle was no
problem, and I lined up to get my badge and freebies like a bag/backpack and
program booklet. The exhibition hall was
massive and the displays and merchandise was simply overwhelming. Granted, much
of the characters and items were either unknown to me or held no interest. I
mean, how many types of Funko dolls could there be? However, there was
something for everyone. I first checked on things requested like a friend of
friend asked me to look up Tom Richmond who was a caricaturist and did some
work on Mad Magazine. I also looked up William Stout who designed record album
covers and movie posters including the movie Wizards in the 1970s He signed my
mini poster. I also walked more than
ever since Disney World! There were
World War Z books that could be signed later by Max Brooks. The cast of Aliens was
there to sign for the 40th anniversary on the classic.
On
the official first day, it was waiting in line again and an enormous crowd
(estimates of 135,000 attended) littered with cosplayers dressed in amazing
recreation of favorite characters from Star Wars, Marvel, and many other
franchises. There were tables for the
cast of Aliens to celebrate its 40th anniversary, and several
creatives behind classic comic books including Mark Waid who did the first
issue of World’s Finest recent run and signed my issue. There was Robert
Kirkman who created the graphic novel of The Walking Dead and gave tickets for
free signed comic issues of Terminal. I wasn’t so lucky getting a lottery for
signings by Frank Miller or Todd McFarlane.
I got into the Hall H line for the cast of Stuart Fails to Save the
Universe and then a directors table with Zach Cregger of Weapons fame showing clips
from his Resident Evil and Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley and their
film Mayday. Also, Johnny Depp made a surprise appearance in makeup as Scrooge
for the upcoming Ebenezer film. I also
stopped by to see a friend of my stepdaughter named Cate Berry whose boyfriend
was a prop designer/supplier Tony Swatton who provided weaponry and props for
hundreds of TV shows and films like Hook and The Last Samurai. His panel included several performers and
artists including makeup artist and Oscar winner Ve Neill.
The
next day was another wait to enter the exhibition hall where I found Gordon Purcell
who was artist on many comics including The X Files which he signed one of my
issues Ground Zero #1. Then I waited with my cousin Linda, cousin Lucy’s elder
son Ryan, and friend Susan and some of their friends for the legendary Hall H
wristbands. Mine was the 11:30-4:30 shift and had shirt and towel to protect me
from the sun, and stopped by a closing panel with writer/director J. Michael
Straczynski. When they started giving
out bands at 7:30 they checked ID and badges and threw a curveball by having
special bands handed out 1 AM and allowing two extra people per band holder. Some
of us did not get regular bands and had to go to the end of the line! It was a
horribly long line broken up and continued by the waterfront. Fortunately, Susan and I were in touch with
Linda and Ryan who got us food and their friends were up closer in line and
they joined other friends even closer in line.
It worked. Despite head counts being made by our line and staff, we were
likely among the last ones to get wristbands green D bands not orange A
bands. I caught one of the last shuttles
to my hotel and slept only couple hours exhausted.
On
Saturday, instead of the 7:30 am deadline for Hall H, I left early as possible
and got there and walked up to a still long line before 6 am, but we beat a lot
of other green and even purple bands. Eventually the lines moved under canopies
away from the sun. We were lucky that Ryan and Linda saved sections in Hall H
for us and Susan and I got great seats easy to locate by the camera stand. We were committed there all day and the panels
were fine through interesting animations, Apple TV and its two-hour
audio-visual blowout presentation of its major shows like Silo and Widows Bay. Star
Trek celebrated its 60th anniversary with representatives from each
major TV show like George Takei and Michael Dorn headed by creator Gene
Roddenberry’s son Rod. Strange New
Worlds had its own panel with its cast. Finally,
at 5:30, the long-awaited Marvel presentation gave masks and green capes to
everyone as Dr. Doom. The event was headed
by Kevin Feige who introduced the new Ghost Rider star Ryan Gosling, Jon
Bernthal of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the Russo Brothers and their December
film, Avengers: Doomsday. The introduced
backrow stage with logos of Avengers and X Men with several stars like Robert Downey
Jr (Dr. Doom), Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans, Haley Atwell, David Harbour, Paul
Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Simu Liu, and several others. Ryan Reynolds made surprise appearance as
Deadpool in gray. They showed a clip of Doomsday. Ryan Coogler and the cast of
Back Panther 3 introduced the new Back Panther actor David Jonsson. Then it was
over, but what an hour! We walked out
and caught a few vehicles with stars leaving that excited the crowds. I was so
sleepy and tired but satisfied back at my hotel.
Sunday
was a day to chill and check out anything of interest in the exhibition hall or
any panels. I went to the nearby Gaslamp Quarter with activities and a giant
Avengers logo. I missed Guillermo DelToro,
the panels for Lanterns, and other shows due to scheduling conflicts and
waiting for the Hall H event, I did sit in on panel with Star Trek writer David
Gerrold who I later tracked down in the exhibition hall to buy his Trouble with
Tribbles script and have him sign it! I
caught the end of a Jack Kirby panel followed by some of the Steve Ditko
panel. I checked out Impound Comics
panel at suggestion of a friend who likes their stuff and even spoke to one of
their owners, Brent Sands. I paced myself and rested and snacked. I can’t
believe I walked more than Disney World. One day I walked over 16,000
steps! After a panel on online critics,
I did a podcast in front of a Comic Con backdrop and took one last look at an
emptying exhibition hall. I met my relatives and friend for dinner at nearby Roy’s
and then Lyfted back to my hotel for packing up. I left the next morning ready
to come down from a high and exhausted with lots of stories and a reconnection with
family and making new friends. Maybe Comic Con 2027?
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