San Diego to die for: A Comic-Con 2014 diary

As a lifelong reader and collector of comic books, a trip to San Diego for the annual gathering called Comic-Con was bound to be embarked upon at some point. So, when the stars aligned, so to speak, I got my precious four-day pass courtesy of the great people at BleedingCool.com and I was on my […]

As a lifelong reader and collector of comic books, a trip to San Diego for the annual gathering called Comic-Con was bound to be embarked upon at some point. So, when the stars aligned, so to speak, I got my precious four-day pass courtesy of the great people at BleedingCool.com and I was on my way. Disembarking from the plane, I was greeted by the splendidly warm weather of San Diego, California, which is quite similar to the type I’m used to in now-faraway Abuja. One breezy hotel check-in and pizza lunch later, I unleashed myself upon the Gaslamp District, which hosts the four-day extravaganza called Comic-Con.
In the beginning
Being Wednesday (as well as ‘Preview Night’) and with the convention yet to be officially open to the public, I had a bevy of things I could choose to do. Special screenings of new TV shows? Hollywood parties? Long luxurious walks wandering the delightfully crowded Gaslamp District? I could do any of those but in the end I decided on the halls of the convention centre.
Artists and gentlemen
Within one of the main halls, publishers, artists, writers, retailers and Hollywood types were busy setting up stands, tables and all kinds of spectacular displays. And that became a problem: As a first-time Comic-Con visitor, nothing prepared me for meeting, one after another, famous comic-book creators whose work I’ve revered since childhood. Famous artist Jim Steranko, who never takes photos with fans, agreed to several snaps when he heard I came all the way from Nigeria. He also regaled me with the story of the time he punched Bob Kane (co-creator of Batman) in the face, “for being an arrogant egomaniac.”
The excitement of my Steranko encounter was yet to wear off when I literally bumped into José Ladrönn, famous artist and probably the nicest guy in the comic book industry. My enthusiasm for his work must have showed, because he ended up signing a copy of The Final Incal for me, as well as making a detailed sketch of me as a Metabaron inside.
I could go on and on, as I bumped into, greeted and even high-fived hero after hero of mine. And Comic-Con hadn’t even officially begun!
Hollywood boulevard
Over the next four days, I had amassed talk time (and dozens of selfies) with Hollywood people including Kiefer Sutherland (‘24’), Manu Bennett (‘Spartacus’ and ‘Arrow’), Kelly Hu (X-Men 2), Clark Gregg (along with the entire main cast of TV’s popular ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D’) as well as Melissa McBride, Steven Yeun and Danai Gurira (Carol, Glen and Michonne in ‘The Walking Dead’) and many, many more.
There also were special screenings (some in the famous and equally infamous ‘Hall H’) of much-anticipated new TV series like Constantine, Flash and Gotham based on the DC comics. The excitement around Comic-Con is palpable, almost rock solid as fans and professionals mingled in shared enthusiasm.
Comic book looks
Comic book publishers Marvel had a fortress of a booth, with really cool signing areas where the entire cast of the Avengers 2 movie chatted with fans, snapped selfies and signed autographs cheerfully. DC Comics, too, boasted of a breezy, well-designed booth and professionals and guests were actually quite accessible there. Dark Horse had probably the most easily accessible one, and the publisher’s media guy Aub Driver worked tirelessly to please everyone and I like to think he succeeded. However, my favourite booth has got to be IDW’s, where creators signed and sketched away for fans in an extremely friendly atmosphere.
Artists Alley
I roamed around the patch of goodness called Artists Alley and realised how friendly comic book illustrators are. Jim Cheung, Arthur Adams, Jae lee, my friend Keron Grant and countless others generously shared their work with fans and engaged them in conversation, too. I also got to pore over the original art of one of my favourite Marvel series of all time, ‘Avengers: The Children’s Crusade’.
Because it’s Cosplay
No decent comic convention is without cosplayers, who dress up in beautiful, bizarre, splendid, crazy and even out-of-this-world costumes based on their favourite character of fiction. There was everything at Comic-Con! Swamp Thing, Superman, Iron Man, Batman, Spider-Man and so many more I can’t mention. The costume-wearers are extremely friendly and always cheerfully pose for anyone asking to photograph them or take pictures with them.
Zombie apocalypse
Robert Kirkman’s insanely popular comic book ‘The Walking Dead’ is also an insanely popular TV show and I’m an ardent follower of both. Chronicling the lives of survivors of a zombie apocalypse, it was sheer genius that the property was developed into The Walking Dead Escape, an event during which a good chunk of Petco Park (San Diego’s mega-stadium) is turned into a ‘course’ where participants or ‘survivors’ try to get to safe haven while battling zombies and infection. While a ton of fun, it’s not for the faint-hearted. I know: I ‘survived’ it.
Sweet Con
Well over 100,000 people attended Comic-Con 2014. Not too shabby for a gathering that debuted in 1970 when a group of about 300 comics, movie, and science fiction fans came together to put on the first comic book convention in southern California. Beginning as a one-day affair called San Diego’s Golden State Comic-Minicon, it has grown to become the focal point for the world of comic conventions and has evolved into the definitive popular culture event in the world.
San Diego to die for
Between the fans, the professionals, the cosplay, the tons of free stuff, the merchandise on sale and the host Gaslamp District itself, Comic-Con is certainly an incredible experience. Comic book readers, aspiring writers and artists, Hollywood TV and movie stars, journalists and more are guaranteed a great time in this, the biggest gathering of geeks in the world. My first slice of Comic-Con (and San Diego in general) is one I’ll never forget and will always hope to replicate in the future. Next year, to be precise.