It's happening: after saying badges would ship out 3-4 weeks before SDCC, we're finding out that our badges are already in the mail! CCI, you wily minx, you are so unpredictable. First you make us wait what felt like 8 years for the badge sale; now you're catching us off guard with this early badge mailing.
This is good news for several reasons. One: it gives people more time to rectify any problems like "Oh crap, I moved and forgot to update my shipping address." You'll have time to have your mail forwarded to you. Ditto if you weren't sure where you were going to reside this summer and listed a more stable residence as an address. And in what is probably my favorite CCI email address ever, you can contact undeliveredbadge@comic-con.org if you don't have your badge within 10 days of your email.
Another benefit: it jolts us all out of our holiday weekend "I don't have to think about Comic-Con yet" daze and makes us realize it's almost here. It's time to get the wheels moving.
A few words of advice:
- Last year our badges came in the most spam-like envelopes ever. (See above.) It was an envelope that practically screamed "Sketchy house buy offer" or "Fake charity solicitation." I don't think we'll get the exact same envelope this year but we do know it will be "a plain, non-descript package for confidentiality." So you won't have to worry about your postmistress starting a side hustle of stolen SDCC badges... but you will need to be careful you don't chuck it in the trash.
- That said, this year's badge is coming in a pretty box with a special Comic-Con pin. So I don't think it will be easy to overlook as last year. (The badge theme is still Walking Dead, starring a grizzled Rick Grimes.) There's some question as to whether everyone gets the pin; I certainly hope so. It feels rotten enough to not get a full badge. Being deprived of a pin would just feel too classist.
- Don't post pictures of your badge with your name showing. Devious criminals stole some badge photos last year, used them on Ebay and other online sites, and those innocent badge-holders got in trouble. Obviously you want to brag hard about your badge on Instagram, but block out your name first.
- Find an expert hiding spot for your badge, especially if you have any parties or houseguests planned. True story: my friend's friend stole his badge as a joke last summer, intending to give it right back after watching him have an epic meltdown - but then he forgot where he hid it. They did find it in time for Comic-Con but barely. Make sure your dog can't chomp on it, your most vengeful sibling can't kidnap it, etc.
Badges will be mailed in batches, so don't worry if you didn't get an email yet. Just be alert and watch your inbox and your mailbox.
They might as well send the whole package (lanyard, magazines, schedules etc) = 1 big pre-comic con loot crate :}
ReplyDeleteIt would be fun to open for sure, like a big Comic-Con Christmas present.
DeleteThat said, I like the annual rite of pouring through the guides on my first day there.
I agree, but I expect the bags (and possibly the lanyards)) aren't printed yet. Plus the whole point of the bags is to see people carrying them about at the con. If they were sent to people's homes, precious few of them would make it to San Diego.
ReplyDelete