Highlights and lowlights of the Con:
7/24
9:30am. The convention center opens. Geeks run wild and bum rush our booth, where we are handing out the coveted Fox poster tubes. In an effort to keep up the mob at bay and avoid an impending riot, I am pulling poster tubes off the pallet as quickly as possible when one flies off the top and hits me square in the eye socket. My first black eye ever, and it is both self-induced and caused by an inanimate object. Poster tubes - 1, Chen - 0.
7pm. Stargate screening aboard aircraft carrier, USS Midway. Red carpet duty, DIY candy bar, a photo with Richard Dean Anderson aka RDA aka MacGyver, and three goes in the flight simulator where my combat score was 0 but I completed at least 10 unintentional and intentional flips. All in a day's work, all in a day's work.
7/25
7pm. Futurama screening. Never underestimate the power of free popcorn and soda to fill some seats in a theatre. That and several girls standing on street corners waving tickets and yelling at the top of their lungs.
9pm. BEL bar night. Never underestimate the power of free shots to fill up a bar.
7/26
A long day full of panels, signings, interviews, more signings, and more interviews. The night ends with dinner at a joint that serves chili cheese fries and plays no holds barred fighting on all of its TV screens (classy) and then bottle service on the roof of the Ivy (slightly classier). I fall asleep instantaneously after I get back to my hotel room and wake up in the morning on top of the covers, still in my street clothes. And still sitting up.
7/27
One final visit to the booth. I watch in amazement as people hoard the free posters as if they are stockpiling for some sort of glossy paper shortage. A tearless goodbye to the crowds and the poster tubes. And not a moment too soon, we high-tail it out of Dodge.
Key observations:
1) Some people who attend Comic-Con should not be allowed to interact with other (non-costumed) human beings. Ever.
2) It's always the biggest people who wear the biggest costumes and are completely unaware of the amount of floor space they occupy. It is these same people that suddenly turn on a dime and knock you across the floor with their Ghostbusters proton pack. Do not tailgate anyone carrying large backpacks or props.
3) It does not matter if you are a child, senior citizen, or handicapped individual. There is equal opportunity for pushing all around.
4) Some people spend way too much time on their costumes. And sadly, some people spend way too little time on them. FYI, wrapping your body in aluminum foil is a poor substitute for a real costume.
5) People like anything that's free. If you left a half finished coffee on a booth counter, guarantee it would be gone in 30 seconds. Bad way to lose any valuables you may have, good way to get rid of trash you don't want to hold anymore.
