Comic-Con. Just a few short years ago, I would have never dreamed of attending such an event, but in October 2007, I was given my first taste of a convention experience when Telltale Games offered free passes to E for All Expo. That particular event was a bit of a flop, but it still managed to wet my appetite for that following year's Comic-Con. I was excited and terrified at the same time. I had never attended anything of this magnitude. Eventually, I overcame my nerves, though, and found that it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. When I met the Telltale Games crew for the first time, I could feel a certain degree of magic in the air. That may sound weird, but I can think of no better way to describe that feeling.
Well, here we go again.
However, in the years since, I have begun to tire of Comic-Con. First off, the massive crowds are beginning to drive me insane. If someone handed me a lightsaber, I might actually think about using it to cut through some of the excess limbs in the convention center. Nausea-inducing crowds aside, I often times find myself wandering the show floor aimlessly in an effort to find something that sparks my attention. I *could* just hang out with the friendly folks at the Telltale Games booth all day, but sooner or later, I am going to overstay my welcome. Honestly, though, the worst part is that, in the past, I have always made this trip alone, and this year would be no different, but I will cover that in greater detail with the next chapter.
Part 2: An Arrangement Disaster
Well, this year, I made arrangements to attend Comic-Con on Friday, July 23rd, and encouraged a nearby friend to place his order as soon as possible. Friday quickly sold out, and he was unable to obtain his reservation, so instead, he opted for Thursday, July 22nd. Preferring to spend my day with a friend, I reserved this ticket, as well. I then requested a refund for Friday, July 23rd, but boy, am I eating those words now. I later found out that Steve Purcell (creator of Sam & Max) would not be in attendance until Friday afternoon. Still, at least I had a friend to go with... right?
This past weekend, I spotted my friend at Target, and tried to discuss our Comic-Con plans in a bit more detail. It was then that I found out that he (and his girlfriend) were going to be staying overnight in a motel. They gave me the motel information, but I really wish that they had consulted me about it beforehand. After all, I was the one that suggested going to Comic-Con in the first place. This turn of events left me with only a few days to make my final decision. On one hand, I could spend $100 on a motel, or I could spend $20 on a train. Ultimately, I decided that it would be best if I just returned home on a train Thursday evening.
A few days before Comic-Con, my friend stopped answering his phone, and left me hanging. With time quickly running out, I began to seriously worry about whether or not the trip was still going to happen. So, I had no other choice but to turn my train ticket into a round trip. It was at this time that I began to get a little sick. I know now that it was just pre-Comic-Con jitters, but it was certainly not fun. Thursday came and I boarded my train, but the worst was still yet to come. When I finally managed to reach my friend on the phone, his harsh attitude shocked the hell out of me. Apparently, he was busy locating a parking space at the time that I called, but he certainly could have been a little more civilized about it, or simply not answered the phone at that very moment. We exchanged a few words that I cannot repeat here, but needless to say, we did not meet up at Comic-Con.
Up next, my actual Comic-Con 2010 coverage (gee whiz!), and some closing comments.
Back to the Comic-Con (Part 3 & 4)
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