Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics.misc
From: [k--h--i] at [sdcrsi.cray.com] (the Rev. Mom)
Subject: Re: San Diego Con
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1993 07:45:32 GMT

> [w--r--n] at [stsci.edu] (Windsor A. Morgan) writes:
>I believe in 1991 the San Diego con was held in July instead of its
>usual August, because of a scheduling conflict at the convention
>center in San Diego.  It may have been on the same weekend as the
>Chicago con, or a week later or before.  August is the usual month for
>the Sandiego Comic Con.

It was the July 4th weekend.  And while August is now the regular
month for the SDCC, there was a time when it used to be known
unofficially as Julycon.  But that was back when the offical con hotel was
the Hotel San Diego (back before they yuppified it and got rid
of the roaches), and when the attendance was in the mere
four-digits. [God, I feel like an old fart.]

After a few Comic Cons, the tips I have are these: 1) pre-register.
If you don't you'll *really* regret it.  Going for a single-day
membership on Saturday will require you to stand in a line
outside the SD convention center in August for at least an hour,
possibly two or three.  It is not fun.  Also sticky.  2) If you
are there for four-days, try and do all your pro-meeting on
Thursday while you and they are still fresh and happy,
bright-eyed and bushy tailed.  Come Sunday, you will be red-eyed
and bleary from all the fun parties and/or shopping you've done
in the dealer's room. 3) do not scorn the map of the dealer's
room. You will get lost.  They're making it even bigger this
year. 4) Learn to let programming go by.  With six-track
programming, you're bound to run into conflicts.  Go with the
flow.  5) Try to get out of the convention center sometime on
Saturday.  Half an hour at the beach is a great way to recover
from the flourescent lighting and crowd of bodies.  I personally
recommend Scripps Beach. 6) the best parties aren't necessarily
the biggest.  Most good parties are impromptu.  Remind me
sometime to boast--er, tell you about the night I played 5-card
Nancy with Scott McCloud, Kate Worley and Larry Marder. [Kate won.]
7) San Diego has two convention centers.  You want the *new* one
on Harbor Drive, with the sails and the Marriott.  Not the old
one downtown. 8)  Try and get a room at the Doubletree if you can
afford it: they'll have all the after-hours programming, since
they're the Con hotel. 9) Don't worry about getting from the
hotel to the convention center: they've got shuttle buses set
up.  If you're not at a hotel, worry about parking; last year
it was $7/day no in-and-out at the convention center.
Actually, a good deal when split with a friend. 10) Never plan a
social event for the Sunday night after the SDCC. [:-) for
Elizabeth who knows what I'm talking about.]

Other than that, you're on your own.  I've always found it helpful to
bring a camera, a tape recorder, an autograph book, a pen and a
highlighter, bottled water and snack food.  I've ditched the post-its,
flashlight and splice-eez since I quit the projectionist gig. :-)

The membership this year is $40 until July 10, and will be $50 at
the door. Half-price for kids 7-16 and adults over 60.  Under 7
free with a paying adult, and there's children's programming as
well..

Official Guests:

Murphy Anderson
Jerry Bingham
Jack Kirby
Jerry Scott & Rick Kirkman ("Baby Blues")
Marc Silvestri
Vincent Sullivan
Charels Vess
Michael Whelan
Robert Williams
Roger Zelazney.

These are people that the SDCC is paying for, and is not by any
means the complete guest list.  Usually the pros list goes up
into the hundreds.  The next progress report is due out in May
and will give a more complete list of guests.  I'll try
and remember to post it.  [mutter mutter. Buy a scanner....mutter.]

Events:
Inkpot Awards Banquet: Friday Night (Doubletree Hotel) as usual.
Masquerade: Saturday Night (Symphony Hall) as usual.
Eisner Award announcements: Thursday. [Will Eisner will be there.]
Expo: Tuesday, Wednesday.  As usual.

One last word.  The SDCC is a non-profit organization.  While the
membership is high, none of it goes to line anybody's pockets.
It's run entirely by volunteers, and it's a really good time.
so who's up for meeting at the Masquerade? (I promise to lead
everybody astray again. :-)

--Kathy Li, 12-time SDCC-vet and *terrible* native guide.
-- 
------------------------| Here it's easy; there intense.
[k--h--i] at [sdcrsi.cray.com] | It tries so hard to please.
------------------------| But in the end it makes no sense.  That is...
"A Man"--WEIRD ROMANCE  | Unless....oh geez!    --You made a man!