Guest Post!!~ San Diego Comic Con: Nerds of a Feather Flock Together!

Hello fellow nerds! My name is Bethany and NerdLush recruited me to write a blog about my San Diego Comic Con experience this year. First, a little bit about myself- I am a book nerd, TV junkie, and general superhero fan. I have been attending Comic Con the last 7 years, and it’s always been an adventure. This year was no different.

Thursday-

I started off my Thursday getting there a little bit later than planned. Instead of checking out the exhibit hall floor (usually called The Floor) first like I initially planned, I decided to get in line for the dreaded Ballroom 20. It’s the second biggest room which holds a number of popular panels and the line to get in is intense. It is wise to show up a couple hours early before your panel to get in. I wanted to get in line to see the Legion panel (a show I had become a fan of this last year as well as a chance to see the wonderful Dan Stevens). I happened to get in the room a little early, so I caught the tail end of the Battlestar Galactica Reunion panel and The Strain panel. I was not fans of either shows, but I got to see a few actors from other shows I recognized such as Tahmoh Penikett (who I recognized from Dollhouse), Michael Trucco (who I recognized from Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother),  Kevin Durand (who I recognized from Dark Angel, one of my favorite TV shows ever in life which no one is nearly obsessed with as much as I am), David Bradley (famous for being Filch on Harry Potter and playing the Doctor), and Corey Stoll (the villain from Ant-Man). Although I can’t always relate to a panel of a show I don’t watch, I love the energy in the room. There is something special about a room full of fans, laughing at inside jokes and excited to see the cast of their favorite show.

Then the Legion panel came out and the whole cast was there! (Dan Stevens, Rachel Keller, Aubrey Plaza, Bill Irwin, Jeremie Harris, Amber Midthunder, Jean Smart and the creator Noah Hawley) They announced that we were getting free t-shirts at the Comic Con merchandise room. I love getting Comic Con swag! (I also got a keychain from The Strain). Exclusive News- they announced the second season was set for 10 episodes. Unfortunately they have barely started writing the second season, so there was really nothing to tease. However the cast was fun, Dan Stevens was delightful, and I was excited to be part of a room of fans who loved the same show I did. Jeph Loeb made a great comment about the Q&A session from the audience members, who were mostly female. He stated it was great to see women here interested in the show, “proof” to him that superheroes aren’t a “boys” thing, but a human thing. It was an important statement considering the recent success of the blockbuster hit Wonder Woman.

Next, I stayed for the Inhumans panel. I wasn’t planning on staying, but I decided to check it out. I started talking to a couple next to me who were very excited about the show, so their excitement prompted me to stay. The whole cast was there- (Sonya Balmores, Isabelle Cornish, Eme Ikwuakor, Ken Leung, Mike Moh, Anson Mount, Iwan Rheon, Serinda Swan, and Ellen Woglom). They showed some exclusive scenes, which actually made me more excited for the show. There was one particular fight scene where I thought “okay, now I’m intrigued”.

After the panel finished (which ran long), I rushed to my next panel to support my wonderful husband Dr. Billy San Juan and some of our friends at the Successful Gaming Tournaments. Dr. San Juan moderated the discussion with panelists Cary Kazmaier, Tim Shields, Doreen Kamada-Fujii, Angela Chandler, and Damyan Brunson. They discussed how to successfully run Pokemon and Magic the Gathering tournaments to make it the best experience for everyone involved.

Immediately following, I attended the panel in support of my husband (again) and some of our wonderful friends at the Psychology of Cult TV panel, including psychologist Dr. Janina Scarlet, psychologist Dr. Travis Langley, Dr. Lynn Zubernis, Travis Adams, and writers Jose Molina, Christine Boylan, and Deric Huges, moderated by Jenna Busch. It was a great discussion about what makes a cult tv show and how television is used to support mental health. Dr. Janina Scarlet told an amazing story of working with a client, who was a fan of Veronica Mars, to discuss her mental health openly with her high school.

The best time of Comic Con is also the night, when we hang out with our nerdy friends who we might only see a few times a year. I ended the night by having dinner with some dear friends and cheesecake.

Friday-

Unfortunately, I was not able to attend. I took the day off for Thursday, but could not take time off for an additional day. I was especially devastated by this because I wanted to attend the Ducktales panel, which featured the one and only David Tennant. However, I felt having a day off con would help rejuvenate me for a fun filled day on Saturday.

Saturday-

I decided to cosplay as the 4^th Doctor on Saturday. I was happy to be recognized as the character I was portraying and several people complimented me on my take. I also happened to run into a Dalek, where there was a battle. But the Doctor saved the universe. Again.

I spent most of the day on The Floor. Highlights of the floor for me included the Netflix booth, the terrifying Walking Dead booth, The Crossing, WB, FOX, DC booth, Nickelodeon, and Star Wars booth. They had the more impressive set ups. As the book nerd I am, I checked out some of the various book publishers such as HarperCollins, Random House, and Penguin. I tried to win a 5 book pack of Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs), but they were extremely hard to win.

I had really wanted to attend the Stranger Things panel, but it was in the dreaded Hall H. Hall H is the largest room which has the most popular panels where people start lining up the night before and camp out. It’s extremely difficult to get in and seems more impossible each year. However, in line to the bathroom I started talking with a girl who just got out of the panel. She told me they released a new trailer and how the whole cast was there. We were able to geek out briefly about something we were both a fan of. I love interactions like that.

I took a brief break from the Floor and attended the Superhero IRL: End Bullying! Panel moderated by the founder of the Pop Culture Hero Coalition Chase Masterson. The panel featured the amazing Nichelle Nichols, Dr. Janina Scarlet, Clare Kramer, Genevieve Padalecki, and Aaron Douglas. It was a great discussion about how these advocates were working to end bullying in their communities.

I decided to return back to the Floor, joining a friend of mine where we ran into a booth which green screens you as a Power Ranger. This was the absolute highlight of my day! We were only in line for 10 minutes. You get to choose your Power Ranger (I was pink, of course!) and you hold the medallion up to turn into the Power Ranger of your choice. It was cheesy and AMAZING! I love finding fun silly things to do at cons.

Another great highlight of the Floor is Artist’s Alley where there are some AMAZING artists doing fun, interesting, and sometimes nerdy art. I always visit my favorite artist Karen Hallion (famous for her Doctor Who/Disney princess crossovers) and I picked up a new print.

I spent the evening with the Horror Writers Association social with my husband and friends.

Sunday-

My Sunday did not go according to plan. I really wanted to attend the Doctor Who panel in the dreaded Hall H. Except I knew I would spend the whole rest of my con in line. I decided to check out the Floor again and to check out the booths I had missed. It was more crowded and busy than Saturday even was, and I was feeling disheartened. I did find a booth selling books for 50% off and I bought 3 for $24. The book nerd in me was satisfied.

While I was still wandering the floor, my twitter feed said a half hour ago people were just walking into Hall H with no line. I rushed over to try my luck. I got in line and waited for 45 minutes, only to be told they were at capacity. I was disappointed. I regretted not lining up. I should have just gone for it. I would have enjoyed it much more than the Floor.

I decided I was done with the Floor and would try to explore some of the offsite experiences. I wanted to try the offsite Stranger Things, which had some replicas of the set and free swag items. I arrived at 3:30, only to learn they closed at 3. Feeling disappointed, I decided to sit and people watch. I saw an amazing Poison Ivy and Wonder Woman cosplayers. I met up with a friend and we headed to one of the hotel bars for a post Comic Con treat.

Despite the day not going as planned, I had a great last Comic Con evening. We sat at a long table close to the hotel bar and started a conversation with our table mates who also attended Comic Con. We shared our experiences, what panels we went to, and what fan moments we had. My husband joined our new friends, and we had a great time. Those are the moments at Comic Con that I enjoy most, meeting new people who are there for the Comic Con experience and sharing it with each other. We stayed there until 10:30 at night, where a friend shared fond memories about meeting and getting to know his childhood superhero. It was a great way to end 2017 Comic Con.

Until next year, San Diego Comic Con!

Tags: Aaron Douglas, Ballroom 20, BattleStar Gallactica, Bethany, Billy San Juan, Chase Masterson, Clare Kramer, Convention Panel, Conventions, CosPlay, David Tennant, Doctor Who, Ducktales, Genevieve Padalecki, Guest Post, Hall H, Inhumans, Janina Scarlet, Jenna Busch, Legion, Nichelle Nichols, Psychology of Cult TV, SDCC, Television, The Strain, Travis Langley, Veronica Mars