Hey, all! I’m back from the San Diego Comic-Con, and although I’m exhausted physically, drained mentally and spent emotionally, I gotta say: I miss it already and would go back and do it all over again if I could!
This con gets so much media coverage and is so well-known the world over by so many geeks that I won’t rehash just how big this event is or post exactly how many people and comic book/media/video game/toy companies converge on San Diego, California every year to participate in it (but click here if you want the L.A. Times Hero Complex’s Top 10 Moments of SDCC), but I will tell you just how much fun it is and how much of an honor it still feels to have a table there and to be a part of it. It started last Tuesday (gods, that seems so long ago now) when I packed up the BOTmobile, drove over to Mombot’s (yep, she came to Comic-Con this year!), picked her up, made the 4-ish hour trip to San Diego and then started setting up the BOTbooth until we were kicked out around 9pm, at which time we checked into our hotel and started walking around the already-semi-crowded city, to forage for dinner.
Now, unfortunately, there was a mix-up with our hotel and there was only one king bed in the room for my mom and I to share instead of two queens like I requested, so, needless to say – the trip already started off on an awkward foot. Due to Comic-Con, there were no available hotel rooms in a 20-mile radius, so we had to make due with what we could, even though I was like, “Dude. It’s like, one bed for me and my mom,” to the woman at the hotel check-in. Their one brilliant suggestion was that they could give us extra pillows to divide the bed between my mom and I. Gee, thanks. What was to make this situation even more awkward, was that my sister Laura (Lor, in the comic) was arriving to the convention to help out two days later, on Thursday night (you can see my mom and her above in image #3 from the left.) We tried some hypotheticals about sleeping positions with the three of us on the bed but after, say, 10 seconds of mental placements, I decided it would be best if I slept on the floor and left the bed to my mom and sis for the rest of our stay. The floor wasn’t all that bad, especially sleeping on a folded up bedspread, and I was too tired after the con each day to really even care. While it wasn’t exactly fun at the time, it worked, and will surely inspire some future (awkward) JEFbot comics, methinks.
Anyway, the con was awesome, as expected. While Wednesday and Thursday weren’t amazing as far as sales went, things started ramping up on Friday, and by Sunday sales had gotten so heated, I’d completely sold out of some print designs and nearly ran out of 8×10 backing boards. Weird that Sunday was my biggest sales day, as Saturday tends to take that crown at each con, but I’m not complaining. A number of JEFbot readers stopped by the BOTbooth, which – as always – is supercool. As much as I love conversating with you guys in the comments, it’s always fun meeting y’all in person and getting to know you face-to-face. And although I was very stingy with the free BOTtons I give out at every con, and only gave them to true readers this time, I only had a few left by the end so will be saving them to give to friends (or maybe a reader or two? Hmmm… [UPDATE: See end of post.])
While I do already miss the convention and the crazy, kinetic atmosphere the thousands of fellow geeks bring to it, I’m happy to be home and am nearly ready to start writing and drawing JEFbot again! Between all the paperwork, unloading, errands, inventory, and shipping of orders that have accumulated over the past couple of weeks (sorry, peeps who are waiting on orders! I’ll give each of you something special – a little sketch or BOTton or something – for the longer-than-usual wait time) I won’t be able to get back to drawing the strip until late tonight or tomorrow, which means a new strip won’t be up until Friday. I’ve said it in a previous post, but I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all your patience during the times I put the strip on pause! You BOTreaders are, awesomely, eternally, The Best, and I don’t take that for granted.
I think that about wraps it up, as I just wanted to let y’all know I’m back and about to continue where we left off in the previous strip! I love where this storyline is headed and can’t wait to get back to sharing bot and Mu’s journey with you. See you on Friday!
Related links:
• San Diego Comic-Con 2012 + JEFBOT
• Back from SDCC (2012)
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SDCC BOTton GIVEAWAY! [UPDATE: Contest over.]
After I wrote up this post, I thought it’d be fun to do a little giveaway with those extra BOTtons I mentioned, as these kinds of pins aren’t normally available outside of a convention, so here’s the deal: all you have to do is leave a comment on this post, and I’ll do a drawing sometime at the beginning of August and randomly pick three commenters (I’ll have someone honorable like Mombot do the picking) to receive an exclusive San Diego Comic-Con + JEFbot BOTton. And yes, I’ll make this open to any BOTreaders around the world and will just keep my fingers crossed that the mailing expense isn’t too high. Just make sure you put a distinctive name into the comment field (i.e. don’t leave it as Anonymous) and I’ll announce the winners in another blog post the first week of August. Anyway, comment away, and good luck! [UPDATE: Contest over. Winners have been randomly picked and will be revealed tomorrow. Thanks for playing!]
awesome, thanks for sharing for those of us who don’t/can’t make the venture!
it’s certainly a venture, theBean! everyone should experience it at least once. 😀
It was great to meet you, Mombot, and Laura at the convention! Thanks for the pics here, by the way. When I got home I checked the one I took of the three of you and…well, I don’t think you were that fuzzy lol. (Doh!) Camera phones are a pain. Thanks again!
thanks for stopping by the BOTbooth, Chessasaur! and funny you should mention it, but so many of my pics came out blurry at Comic-Con – not sure if it was the indoor lighting or the constant motion, but i had to keep the phone more steady than normal when taking pics at SDCC!
Wish I could’ve been there and met you. Sounds like it was a blast
(I’m off to camp in a few days, so if I don’t respond to me possibly winning a BOTton, dont worry. Also, looking forward to the comics about the awkward moments)
(SIDE NOTE!(I’ll be at camp for two weeks, no tech allowed and no wifi. Not sure how I’ll do, but wish me luck! ))
Any chance that’s a CISV camp? 😀
Gasp! How’d ya know!? Are you coming?! Omg omg
hahaha no, just got back from a Youth Meeting in Honduras I was camp director. Where are you going?
Finland. Though its not too far, I live two hours from the town we’re staying in 😀
Have fun at camp! Glad to see a fellow CISVer in here! 🙂
A happy surprise! You never know where you’ll find fellow CISVers.
i had to google CISV to find out what it was, DressesAreStupid and flame_fingers, but it sounds like an awesome organization and event. hope you’re having fun, DAS!
SDCC was definitely a blast, DAS! have fun at camp, and no worries – if you win a BOTton, i’ll keep it safe for you until you get back. 🙂
Glad to hear you had a blast and hopefully Mombot will pick me hehehe
Hopefully one day I’ll be able to make it to a con and meet you in person 😀
I’ve been dying seeing all of the tumblrs I follow and looking at all the awesome stuff going on at the con
heh. i don’t think Mombot can be bribed, f_f, but you never know. 😉
and, yes! meeting at a con would definitely be cool. SDCC’s such an awesome experience. overwhelming, but awesome.
One of these years I have GOT to go there! Looks like a fantastic time, glad sales were good! And yes, sleeping with a Mombot and sisbot would be awkward, I would have gone for the floor too. haha Take some time, catch your breath, have a beer, we’ll be here when you’re ready. 🙂
if you can make it to san diego and get tickets before they sell out, SDCC’s definitely a convention worth going to, Richtpt! it’s like no other convention out there, and not only due to its enormous size. i finally got a strip up but i’m still exhausted – might take your advice and have a beer or two this weekend. 🙂
So, did Mombot try to fix you up with any of the cosplay girls? “He’s such a nice boy, and surprisingly easy to share a bed with.” 🙂
OMG I CAN’T STOP LAUGHING!!!
Imagine if she said that to a Cel cosplayer… XD
that’d be crazy, DAS!
Uhh…, that’d be embarrassing for Mombot as well.
indeed.
heheh. i’m not even gonna touch that one, GB! the situation’s just too Oedipal already!!!
Ahhh looks so fun! I know I said this last year, but I swear I’m going next year!!! >_<
the prep work, getting there and setup weren’t fun, but the actual con was once it started going, Natalie! you should definitely go next year – hopefully, i’ll have another booth there!
Good to see it was a fun experience for you even if the hotel screwed up. I have friends who work at hotels during horse racing events, its horrible the kinds of mistakes they can make and get away with just because every other hotel is so full. In the future, try calling an hour or two before you arrive and asking if the extra beds etc have been moved into place. Remember, the hotel staff is as overworked during a con as you are. 😀
Really glad to see that Comic Con was fun and successful for you Bot!
funny thing, Descolada – i did call the hotel earlier in the day to make sure the reservation was still on (i had learned the hard way during Comic-Con a few years back, that – as was made clear in a Seinfeld episode – taking a reservation isn’t the same as keeping a reservation) and did get the confirmation that my reservation was still on, but i didn’t think to make sure the 2-bed i had reserved hadn’t been downgraded to a 1-bed, a mistake i won’t make again next year! but other than that, the con (and the hotel, actually) was pretty great. 🙂
Wow sounds like you had fun. Your mom is so cute.
fun was definitely had, Kris! and yep, Mombot’s cute. i’ll have to get her to help out at these conventions more often!
Looks like you had a blast. More than anything I like all the genius cosplays people come up with.
agreed, wayne – i love the cosplayers, too! funny thing, tho, at SDCC the ratio of cosplayers to “normals” was much higher than at other cons i exhibit at (Emerald City, Phoenix, Anime Expo etc.) probably because more normals attend SDCC than the hardcore geeks that attend the other cons.
I have a friend whose daughter has always wanted to go to SDCC. My friend wanted to surprise her daughter this year with a road trip down there and wanted me and my husband to tag along. I agreed but didn’t hold my breath. Sure, enough she complete missed out on tickets, she had thought I was joking when I told her to make sure to buy them the *moment* they went on sale. Good thing she never mentioned this to her daughter!
Also, I’m *super* stoked to see you’re on the list for Rose City CC!! 😀 See you in September!
yup, you weren’t kidding – the tickets sell out within minutes, which is kinda ridiculous. still, it’s such an “event” i can see why, and as such, it’s made me feel honored to have a table there for the past two years. hopefully i’ll have another in 2014.
re: RCCC – YES! i love portland so can’t wait for that con! glad to see you’ll be there. i’ll save a RCCC BOTton for ya. 😀
Get a haircut hippie
my hair’s the shortest it’s been in years, Nanteen!
Oh well. I missed the con this year. Ill just hae to go to the renaissance festival here in Kansas in September. I need a better form of travel. lol
when will they invent teleportation for humans, Viodarcher!? i’m so over driving.
Hopefully soon or find a way to allow us to use the Speedforce.
Man… Making it to a large Comic-Con is on my bucket list, or it would be, had I a bucket.
(They took my bucket!)
you need to get that bucket back, Lord Trychon! (before you kick the bucket. heheh.)
I’d soo love to attend a San Diego Comic Con some year. Perhaps that’ll be my plane trip next year.
Anyway, speaking of hotels, once I was speaking to a clerk at my favorite comic book store (who also happens to be a sci-fi fan) about how I like to attend Philcon every year but because I’m recovering from expenses I might not be able to attend this year. These sentences occurred during the conversation:
Me: If I do attend the Philcon this year, I’ll probably save money by sleeping at the “Steel and Glass Hotel”.
Clerk: Where is that?
Me: It’s currently sitting in the parking lot out front.
heh. ya know, my Honda Fit has a big enough cargo area when the seats are down for me to sleep in there, Rainey. hmmm… something to consider for next year’s convention if plans go awry again. 😉
Oh man, such a sweet prize. I hope I win one.
your name’s in the drawing now, Michael Hunt. good luck!
Thanks for giving those of us who couldn’t make it to SDCC a chance to get a souvenir.
no prob, C_S – they’re just little souvenirs, but i’d rather they go to the BOTreaders than get lost in a drawer somewhere!
I want one!
🙂
I’m glad you had so much fun at the Daddy of all Cons. Some day I’ll make it out there for it. After getting my family to go to Denver Comicon this year, I think they are hooked.
Oh, and it goes without saying that I’d love a BOTton to add to my collection. 🙂
i’m still contemplating the Denver Comicon, Shanna (and still contemplating your offer!) so i’m happy to hear you’ve already hooked the family into your convention geekery. you should definitely try and get out to the SDCC, tho – it’s just SO big and crazy, you gotta experience it at least once!
I can understand why that would be awkward for you. I wish were I lived we had some good cons and great web artists like you. Your stories are what draws me into the comic along with the art.
awww, thanks for the kind words, Twolf! hopefully, you’ll get a con near you and i can get a booth there. 🙂
How does SDCC compare with ECCC? I’m hoping to make to SDCC at some point in the future, until then it’s all about Seattle and Portland cons :). Glad you had fun and hope to see you at the Rose City Con 🙂
i LOVE SDCC, Fenmere, but ECCC’s still my favorite con – i love the city, love the people, and i always have an awesome time. SDCC’s just BIGGER and more crowded, and the congoers spill out into the surrounding area at night after closing. SDCC’s also not as comic-centric as ECCC and the media and videogame companies have large presences in and around the con, too.
and, woo! i’m already signed up for Rose City, so hopefully i’ll see you there! 😀
Glad you had a blast, ‘bot! Perhaps I’ll go next year… when does online registration happen? (Gotta know when, or even 1-day badges will be gone in minutes…)
not sure when the online registration happens, Insectoid. i usually start seeing people talk about it on Twitter right before it goes down, but yeah – you gotta get ’em quick before they sell out.
I can vouch that the carpet in a hotel room is indeed pretty comfy. As such I don’t mind sleeping on the floor in a hotel.
I am glad to hear that you enjoyed the con Jefbot! One of these days once I have some money I’ll start attending cons. Hopefully that’ll just be a year or two from now. If I ever get to go to a con that you’re at I’ll most definitely say hi! (and buy something too)
Now, let’s see if I’ll have good luck or bad luck with winning a BOTton. Who knows? My lucks been on a see-saw as of late.
the only problem i had with the hotel floor was that (probably due to the dust or other icky things i don’t want to think about) it made my nose start to get all itchy and leaky before i fell asleep. other than that, i was fine!
and, yes! i hope you make it to a con i’m at when you can so we can trade high fives and talk in person.
good luck on the BOTton!
Always wanted to go to Comi-Con. I used to go to EquiCon, a Star Trek convention back in th 70’s, and they were a lot of fun. ComI-Con almost looks a bit over-whelming. Still I want to experience it, or maybe Dragon Con in the future.
Thanks for sharing the photos!
it is a little overwhelming, P-C, but totally worth it to experience, even if you only do it once. and i’ve been looking at Dragon Con as a potential home for the BOTbooth in the future! we’ll see.
OOOo pick me pick me! I haven’t been able to hit SDCC since you’ve started going there. I only get to love you up in seattle
and i appreciate all the love you bring when i’m in seattle, Kendra D! Emerald City Comic Con is still my fave. (also: can’t wait for portland!) 😀
I suspect you guys do comic cons better your side of the Atlantic. Just looked up the main one here in UK and it seemed to be made up of special guests whom I had never heard of! Glad yours was fun. Do you ever consider attending overseas cons?
i’ve thought about going to overseas cons, rodlane, but i have no idea which ones to hit or if i’d have enough readers coming to make it worth it! still, i could probably write off the whole trip… 😉
I wish I was able to go to Comic-Con. Maybe next year.
hope you make it, Fusano! and hopefully, i’ll be fortunate to have a table there again next year. 🙂
I wish I could go to Comicon, unfortunately it’s so far away. Stupid oceans acting as barriers =(
hopefully, they’ll invent cheap, available, teleportation devices soon, Omegatronacles! would make it sooooo much easier. 🙂
I couldn’t go b/c I’m working in Iraq. One day I will get to Comi-Con… oh yes. One day. Whether as a sightseer or as an aspiring Webcomic’er. One day!
Still my #1 fav Webcomic. Even if I don’t get a BOTton. =D
wow! i hope you’re staying safe in Iraq, Relique77! what are you working on, may i ask?
and, yes – i hope you make it to Comic-con, and if you do, make sure you stop by the BOTbooth if i’m there! and BIG thanks: i’m honored to be your #1 fav webcomic. that’s awesome. 😀
It must be fun to go to Comic-Con. I really wish I could go.
Maybe I’ll get to go someday when I’m older. That would be great. =D
it is fun, Blunz. exhausting, but fun. hope you make it there in the future! (and i hope i’ll be there!)
I hope you’ll be there, too. It would be amazing to get to meet the creator of such a great comic. Just the thought of possibly winning a BOTton brings a dorky smile to my face.
awww, shucks. :”) thanks, Blunz! and sorry you didn’t win this time, but stay tuned for more contests in the future!