It's time to spin the Nerd Wheel of Fate: SDCC Open Registration is here

16 NOVEMBER 2019

10:17 am

So that was a pretty balanced badge sale, I feel. Patterns I noticed:

• People who did well in Returning Registration did not do well in Open Reg. I'm in this category, although I did get picked while there were still Thursday/Sunday badges live.
• A decent number of first-timers scored good badges. While this may not feel positive for those of you who got nothing, it's fun to add new blood to the community and see SDCC through fresh eyes.
• Preview Night seemed harder to get than ever. If you really wanted it and didn't get it, remember that recent Preview Nights have featured amazing offsites like ScareDiego. You'll find plenty to do.
• People seem less dismayed about getting Thursday/Sunday. I attribute this to the greater interest in offsites - attendees know they'll stay entertained in or out of the convention center. And veterans know that taking a break mid-Con can save their sanity (and their feet.)
• But overall, an SDCC badge sale is a tough challenge and you really can't count on a victory.

If you didn't get a badge today, you may feel pretty miserable. Give yourself a few days to lick your wounds, then start making Plan B. Emerald City STILL has all 4 days available. New York Comic Con is attainable (mostly) and just as big and fun as SDCC. Dragon Con is a great alternate for a summer Con. You have lots of options so don't be myopic and think SDCC is the only show in town. It's not.

If you just got your first SDCC badge today - congratulations. The hotel sale is still months away so all you need to do right now is learn about the Con and make some friends. Visit digital communities like the blogs, Friends of Comic-Con, etc. and ask all the questions you want - someone will help. But also read up on available resources because you can learn a lot that will help you get the most out of your Con. Yes, just being there is fun but it can also be chaotic - so figuring out the lay of the land in advance will help you have a great time.

It's only the middle of November.  Whether today was good or bad for you, we're a long way from SDCC - so I hope you have a beautifully nerdy winter.


9:26 am

Tough sale for me and everyone who's checked in with me. Not one of us out of at least 30 sessions has gotten picked. Brutal!

How are you faring?


9:01 am

And we're on. CCI has dedicated this badge sale to late president John Rogers, which is very sweet. 


8:23 am PST


It ends today - your uncertainty as to whether you'll attend SDCC 2020. Remember when we thought 2020 would mean a massively expanded convention center and enough badges for everyone? Obviously that didn't happen. Which means we're still battling as fierce odds as ever.

A few last minute tips - stay in the game to the bitter end. Even if you're watching all badge types sell out and you are outraged at the idea of you, an A-level elite nerd, possessing merely a Sunday badge - just grab it. Make a weekend out of it, do the offsites, and then swing back into Return Registration next fall for a victory march. Also important: if you're working with a group, don't bail just because you secured your badge. Stay in and see if you get picked so you can help out your mates.

Finally, screenshot everything if you have a problem. CCI is pretty reasonable if you can prove you were a victim of a glitch. And double finally - pay people quickly if they buy you a badge. Don't take advantage of our little community's goodwill, because it's one of the nicest things about SDCC.

Regardless of how things pan out for you today - please remember there is always another Con. San Diego Comic-Con can be magical but it can also be frustrating, expensive, humid and tedious. If you don't get a badge today, it's natural to feel devastated. But please remember there are other great Cons you can go to.

That said - good luck. I'll post what I hear.