Listen closely and you might just be able to hear the sweet sound of nerds across the world awakening from their slumber. That’s right; it’s almost time for the annual cosplay fest that is San Diego Comic-Con. Whether you were lucky enough to get your hands on the golden ticket of popular culture this year or had to pass up the opportunity because crossing the Atlantic was a bit too much to ask – our Ultimate Guide to Comic-Con is worth a read in the eventuality that you’ll one day be able to enjoy this unforgettable spectacle.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urxVs7NtR68?rel=0]
Panel Pandemonium
Famous for its vast array of big name hotshots from the world of film, TV, comics and pretty much any other medium imaginable, you can be sure to expect the very best from SDCC when it comes to panel guests. We’ve trudged through the expected arrivals and produced a shortlist of our top 10 guests that you can expect to see over the 4 day extravaganza.
Under the Dome (Thursday 24th July, 11:15am-12:00pm, Ballroom 20)
Hannibal (Thursday 24th July, 4:45pm, Ballroom 20)
Penny Dreadful (Thursday 24th July, 6:00pm-7:00pm, Ballroom 20)
The Big Bang Theory (Friday 25th July, 10:00am-11:00am, Ballroom 20)
The Walking Dead (Friday 25th July, 12:20pm-1:20pm, Hall H)
Sleepy Hollow (Friday 25th July, 5:45pm-6:45pm, Room 6BCF)
Grimm (Saturday 26th July, 3:00pm, Ballroom 20)
American Horror Story (Saturday 26th July, 7:00pm-8:00pm, Room 6DE)
The Flash, Constantine, Arrow, and Gotham’s world premiere (Saturday 26th July, 8:00pm-11:00pm, Hall H)
Supernatural (Sunday 27th July, 10:00am-11:00am, Hall H)
[Official dates, times and guests will be revealed 2 weeks prior to the event on http://www.comic-con.org/frontpage ]
Sorting a Schedule
With all the expected guests and the 100,000 plus fellow fanatics, it’s easy to get lost in the hectic shenanigans of SDCC. So before you set sail, it’s important to organise yourself. As much as it may pain you to admit, it’s simply not possible to get round to seeing all your favourites over the extended weekend, so make sure to narrow down your ventures and give yourself plenty of time to get from one location to the next. Plan ahead people!
Accommodation
Of course you’re going to need somewhere to lay your weary head at the end of the night, and of course hotels are fully aware of this, so expect to be paying high prices for rooms. Always try to share rooms with friends to give you extra cash for exclusive goodies (Funko pop vinyls are a favourite of ours here at The Indiependent, so keep a close eye out for those in particular) that’ll be on show all around the convention halls.
Get Stuck In!
Experiencing SDCC for yourself is not something that should be taken lightly, so remember to have an absolute ball and get stuck in. Cosplay as your favourite characters, get photographs with your wonder-wielding icons of the big and small screens and make life-long friends; after all, you’ll be surrounded by people who are as passionate about nerd culture as you are, so it makes sense to make the most of it.
For those of you who are unable to make the event, be sure to check out YouTube and Twitter for complete panels and minute-by-minute updates over the 4 day extravaganza.
Words by Sophie.