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Where I Will Be and Won’t Be For Comic-Con 2012

Image courtesy of Before the Trailer

I’ve been going to San Diego Comic-Con continuously since 1996,  and I’ve come to anticipate and enjoy each and every year.  When I first started going, they were still small in the department of promoting movies and TV shows, but it has certainly revolved into a gargantuan epic event full of thrills, surprises, and fandom fulfillment.  This year will be no exception.

Anyway, I just thought I’d give you an idea of what I go through during this week.

First off, is the planning of my schedule.  Comic-Con usually sends out the programming schedule for each day around 2 weeks prior to the con.  Basically the programming shows you what’s happening, where it’s happening, and who’s going to be there (somewhat).

This year, I’m planning on doing things a little differently in that I actually don’t plan on staying in Hall H for a lot of the programming.  If you know me, which you probably don’t, this is somewhat of a shocking plan.  My life has revolved around knowing what’s on the up and up in movies, and Hall H is the place for the movies.  Many big name actors come to promote their upcoming movies, which is what makes Hall H such a popular venue at Comic-Con.  The hall seats about 6500 people.  Well, when you consider that over 100,000 people attend the event, 6500 doesn’t sound so massive.  It’s not.   Many people line up well before the panel they want to go see… if they’re smart enough to do so.

But recently, I’ve gained an interest in books…  lots of books.  And I want to attend panels about these books.  So, I’m going to sacrifice my regular routine of Hall H for panels that hopefully will help add to my repertoire of fandom-ish things.

Okay,  blah blah.  Enough of that.

Let me just start off with what big or popular panels I’ll most likely be skipping out on in Hall H and/or Ballroom 20:

  • WEDNESDAYThe Special Sneak Peek Screenings in Ballroom 20 – basically, it’s preview night, and this will be one of the times that I can spend some decent time in the Exhibit Hall.  I won’t say which booths I’ll be attending,  because basically, I want to try to prevent as many people from not going there.  Selfish of me?  Well, yes.  Many booths have giveaways, and some of those giveaways are on a first come, first serve basis.  It doesn’t matter that I have piles and piles of items from Comic-Cons of years past, I like my “junk” as my mom calls it and I plan on keeping it as long as I can.
  • THURSDAYDisney Studios Panel in Hall H – I may or may not be at this one, because of a panel I have an interest, an interest that came about within the past year.  Who will I miss in there?  No specific person, really, but it’s a Disney panel and they will be promoting Frankenweenie, Oz the Great and Powerful, and Wreck-It-Ralph, which I’ll definitely be seeing in theaters.  I’ll basically be missing exclusive clips.
  • THURSDAYEverything else in Hall H after the Disney Panel – including CZ12 with Jackie Chan, The Expendables 2, and some Virtual Drive-In thing I don’t feel in interest in at all.
  • THURSDAYEverything in Ballroom 20
  • FRIDAYFirefly 10-year Anniversary Reunion in Ballroom 20 – This pains me.  It truly does.  When I found out that they were having this in Ballroom 20 with only a little over an hour after to spare before the Game of Thrones panel in Hall H, I knew I would have to choose between one or the other.  I love Firefly, I truly do.  I don’t love Game of Thrones half as much as I do Firefly, and yet I’ve decided to skip out on Firefly.  2 reasons for this is a) I’ve committed myself to get pictures and be there for the Q&A with the cast for a particular GoT site, and b) I will always have the precious memory of meeting the entire cast, along with Joss Whedon himself, about 10 years ago when the show was actually still on Fox.  I shook Nathan Fillion’s hand as he introduced himself to me, and I to him.  It was a moment I hope to never forget.  I was there when both Nathan and Adam Baldwin pulled out Alliance credit bills from their wallets and handed them to me (which I still have to this day)!  So, I figured, even this reunion will never top my personal experience in meeting them.  I could live with missing this panel.
  • FRIDAYEverything else in Ballroom 20 – I have some interest in what’s going on there, including the Bones panel, and the new series, Arrow.  I’ll just have to watch the show when it comes out.
  • FRIDAYResident Evil: Retribution in Hall H – I’ve watched them all.  I can’t say the last one was great – actually, I didn’t like it at all.  But it’s just become a staple to see Milla Jovovich get all fangirlish about this movie series.  I’m not sure there’s much hope of this one being better than the last one, because I’ve already seen clips.  Too much slo-mo fighting.
  • FRIDAY Sony Panel in Hall H – Total Recall, Looper, and Elysium is what I’ll be missing, but Elysium is the only one I haven’t seen any clips on.  Plus Matt Damon and Jodie Foster are scheduled to be there.  Why would I miss it?  Because I have a date with Captain Tightpants, that’s why!
  • SATURDAYMarvel Studios & Iron Man 3 in Hall H – This is one panel that I fear I may regret not going to.  Major surprise guests are bound to show up, most likely to include Robert Downey Jr.  I can’t see this panel being any more marvelous than when the whole Avengers cast surprised us 2 years ago, so I’ll be really shocked if they blow us away with something bigger than that.
  • SATURDAYQ&A with Kevin Smith in Hall H is more like a “let’s see how many swear words I can say in a panel.”  He’s funny, no doubt, but I can deal with missing him no problem.
  • SUNDAYEverything in Hall H, including my beloved Supernatural.  This has been a staple for me for however many years Supernatural has been there (I mean, these are my boys!), which is all the more reason I feel I can deal with not being there this time around.  Besides, I have a date with Moose man himself, Mr. Jared Padalecki, later that day.  I’ll be fine.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed that he’ll persuade Jensen Ackles to join in.  And dare I say, I’ve never watched Doctor Who in my life, so I’m okay with skipping that?  Or will I be taunted as not being a true geek?

As for the big panels that I plan on attending:

  • THURSDAYTwilight: Breaking Dawn 2 in Hall H – I wouldn’t mind skipping it since Lee Pace is not scheduled to appear, however, my hope is that since it’s a Lionsgate panel, they will be generous to offer some news on The Hunger Games’ Catching Fire.  Fingers crossed!
  • FRIDAYGame of Thrones in Hall H, because, you know…  Jon Snow and Robb Stark!  Oh, and because I have to.
  • SATURDAYDjango Unchained with Quentin Tarantino, Open Road Films including End of Watch and Silent Hill 3D, and Warner Bros & Legendary Pictures Review with Pacific Rim, Man of Steel, and The Hobbit  in Hall H – It should be obvious why I might be camping out Friday night in the Hall H line for this.  Oh yes.  This will be the epic highlight of this year’s con. 

With that being said, this will be an interesting year for me.  Of course, I wish I could clone myself or procure a time turner, but alas, I’m not fictional so I’ll have to deal with just being a real human being.  I hope that my changes in routine will not be regrettable, at least to some extent.  But basically, the whole point of Comic-Con is to have fun and be glad that you’re able to be a part of it all, and that’s what I intend on doing.  I plan on posting pics and stories and such of each day when I have time (which might not be much), so if you want to keep up, follow me here or on Twitter.

By Nat, the Geek Girl

Southern California native who likes movies, books (Shadowhunter Chronicles, NA, YA fantasy, Red Rising series), TV shows (The Sandman), and San Diego Comic-Con. I also like to write, but don't get to do much of that aside from on here. I fell into the BTS rabbit hole, and I refuse to leave.