ECCC tickets go on sale in mid-October

18 AUGUST 2016

It's coming: your next hotly anticipated badge sale.

Right now you might be prepping for DragonCon or NYCC, pining over your SDCC memories or just coming down from Boston Comic Con bliss. But today Emerald City Comicon announced their ticket sale will be held in mid-October - which means you have about 2 months to make your next Con decision.

I'm quite smitten with this Con and you can read last year's rhapsody of reasons here, as well as a brief Q&A. I'll summarize why you might want to go: you'll get to see major comic book talent (not just the same names and faces that get trotted out at major Cons, but emerging talent who are making the comics that matter), stunning cosplay and your favorite Hollywood actors - and you'll be able to see all of it without the frustrations and ginormous hotel bills of SDCC.

There was a time when I would have dissuaded non-comic nerds from attending ECCC, but that time has passed. I think this Con has a lot to offer almost everyone. So if you're looking for a fun Con in a great city - one many of your Comic Con friends will be at - consider this one.

And yes, it's pretty much a sure thing. Tickets have been selling faster and faster each year - here's a bit of history on its ticket sales - but last year all four single day badges were easy enough to get, even if the VIP and full badges went quickly. That said, there was a fair amount of whining from attendees about how they couldn't afford the minor price difference between a full badge and the collection of single day badges. So here's your reality sandwich:

• Yes, Emerald City is a big deal these days and tickets will go fast. 
• You have almost 2 months to save money, so there's no excuse for complaining that you can't scrape together 100.00 or whatever the full badge costs when the sale rolls around. Technically, you've had months to save up. I don't know why attendees act like these badge sales come as a surprise.
• Hotel rooms are pretty gettable as well. Last year there was some fluctuation - hotels would appear sold out, then new rooms would be available - but overall if you acted fast, you got the hotel you wanted. 

The key word is fast. You don't need to panic; you do need to be diligent. The world in which you could yawn and stretch for a few weeks before getting around to your ECCC preparations is gone. If you're new to this Con, assume the same vigilance you would for any big Con. Watch the ECCC site and especially pay attention to their Tumblr. Be ready for Zero Hour. If you're a Seattle local and ECCC veteran who resents this new brisk pace, suck it up and be ready like the most zealous superfan. Or you might miss out.

To be very specific, here's how tickets sold out last year:

Day 1: When the sale went live, 4-day badges sold out in under an hour. Celebrity Fast Pass and Special Access sold out later that day.
Day 2: 3-day badges sold out.
For almost the entire next month: All 4 single day badges stayed available. Then Saturday sold out.

So I don't think you need to stress too much over getting a badge. I already bought my plane tickets and I know other people have too.

If you're intrigued but still on the fence about ECCC, read up on it, read my posts and get a feel for whether you'd find a home there. And don't worry that you don't know anyone else who's going; a lot of SDCC regulars will be there, you'll have plenty of fan meetups and other events to make friends at, and I and some other Con people will be holding a get-together that you are personally invited to. And of course, remember that having an Emerald City ticket in your pocket will go far in soothing any bad luck during SDCC Pre-reg.

Stay tuned.