Temptation to Chase the Dragon of the SDCC

I knew that things were going to get bad before they got better, but this week a twist was thrown my way for the forthcoming San Diego Comic Con.  This year's SDCC 4-Day passes sold out way back in November of 2009, but my wife and I were not really planning to go this year anyways.  This is not to say that I was not watching the www.comic-con.org website on a daily basis to see if there were any updates.

Donisssssssst, come join ussssssssss....

As of today, the schedule of programming has still not been announced for the show, but the guest list continues to be updated periodically and there are people that I would like to meet again, or for the first time, such as Matt Fraction, J.M. Straczynski, Sean Phillips, Brian Michael Bendis and Charlaine Harris, but that is currently all.  I have scoured through the exclusive toys that are to be offered, and nothing stands out as a must own item, so why am I so tortured over not going?  It probably has something to do with all of the fun of attending, finding the hidden gems at the multitude of booths, watching the premiere of a show before anyone else and relaxing by the pool for the brief moments of rest.

Dang...Jim Starlin, writer of Warlock

Regardless, it really does not matter what I want, since the event sold out eight months ago, at least that is what I thought up until this past Monday.  I had just put in a request for vacation time that was approved, when I came across a notice on one of the many comic book related sites that I enjoy and there it was: "You can still go to comic-con next month".

Teela and Evil-Lyn together...purrrrrrrrrrrr

Essentially, there are still plenty of hotels in the four miles or farther range that still have availability at the discounted Comic-Con pricing, and with a reservation you also get a 4-Day Membership pass included in the price.  I broke out in a sweat, and my hands began to shake uncontrollably, thoughts of doing what I should have been doing drifted away like fluffy clouds on a soft breeze.  I called Amy in a mad tizzy to relay the good news, but she was already booked for that time and the cost of my going alone was in the $800 range for hotel, pass, and roundtrip train tickets, plus the fact that as far as I know, not much is going on.

I totally had STBX with them 

If I were to go, I would most likely spend my time wading through the masses of tightly packed shambling mounds and getting annoyed that I would not be able to get from one end of the building to the other in a reasonable fashion.  I would be baking hot due to the hot summer air outside coupled with the 100,000+ attendees, and I would be forced to deal with throngs of people that look at a stick of deodorant as a mysterious and unnecessary luxury and a daily shower as a mind-boggling cultural practice.  Good food needs to be sought out and is nowhere to be found near the convention center, and finding someplace quiet and chill is next to impossible.

Okay damn it...which one of you a-holes forgot to put deodorant on!?  Oh, that many?

Then again, I met amazing people, listened to impressive talks (thank you again Straczynski for starting me on the road to writing), saw cool screeners of television shows and movies, and saw Suicide Girls walking around.  Last year, my wife and I went to the San Diego Zoo, a few museums and the Comic Con over the course of a week and stayed at a cool hotel with a nice pool and gym and went for a couple of runs while we were there.  We had a blast, but this year it is just not in the cards.

Hello Mr. Robert Kirkman.  Thank god that weirdo before me left.

Sorry San Diego Comic Con, I will remain strong, I will remain diligent and I am just going to say, "No!"  At least until I flip the fuck out, and make the reservation at the last minute and buy the train tickets.  "Be strong, Donist...be strong...you're better than that...you can do it."

Take us to your Comic-Con

Temptation to Chase the Dragon of the SDCC