Geek Syndicate
new Clockwork Watch book Tick Tock IPA is popular enough to leave with a few happy customers. Steampunk has a massive following in San Diego as clearly demonstrated by the number of events planned for the week and the groups dressed up in Victorian hats and intricate trinkets. Seeing as both Yomi and I are dressed up in colourful waistcoats and itchy tweed, it’s like bees to pollen. The scary thing is, as busy as Preview Night is – which is to say, it was as busy as a big UK convention – everyone tells us that it’s going to get three times as crazy from tomorrow onward, to the point where no one will be able to move easily. “Be prepared”, one exhibitor tells us, and I secretly hope he’ll burst into song to complete The Lion King theme of the night. He doesn’t. All in all, it’s an interesting start to our SDCC experience. No big celebrity encounters yet, although plenty of famili ar and friendly faces make our first night an enjoyable one, with promises of meet-ups during the week. Yomi has the (deep breath) Digital Development and Marketing for Your Digital Comic, Web Series, Game, App or Kickstarter panel tomorrow, as well. Let’s see where it takes us…
Day 2
Mornings hurt. Waking up at seven AM after barely five hours sleep is certainly not unusual for people attending conventions of any kind, and I’ve done eighteen-hour days at events like E3 and gamescom, but the slightly lingering jet lag and intense San Diego heat teaming up with being on my feet and selling for hours on end make this experience far more brutal. I’ve a slight headache and my raspy voice makes Christian Bale’s Batman sound like a castrated My Little Pony. Yomi is clearly suffering too – our morning conversation is a mixture of grunts and half sentences. The most either of us can mutter is “shower” and “go”. After the healing power of warm water and fresh clothes have taken their effect, we’re all suited and booted to head out once more unto the breach. Visit a supermarket before you start the con. Food at the Convention Centre is expensive, although not as limited as other cons. If you’re going to be at a table by yourself, a packed lunch (and maybe dinner, too) is essential. Fruit, bagels/sandwiches, water/juice and protein bars are all great to help you push through the day. Also, be aware that there are few ‘quiet moments’ for you to snack away from prying eyes. You don’t have to move all of your Henry VIII style banquet from the table, but try to be discreet and be prepared to have an unobtrusive place you can park your food should a customer want to talk or buy something from you while you’re gorging. There’s nothing more off-putting to a punter than accidentally spitting a Cheeto into their eye.
As promised, the show floor is busier than Preview Night. Not overwhelmingly so, but still manic. The first half an hour is almost a carbon copy of the night before, as people start galloping towards the exclusive toys section. The All-Seeing Eye of Comic-Con does not like this. Soon the All-Seeing Eye of Comic-Con declares, in a booming tannoy voice, that there is no running in the Convention Hall. I await bloodthirsty hounds to emerge from the floors and destroy the law-breakers, although there’s no sound of growling and flesh being torn from bone. Clearly this All-Seeing Eye has a lot to learn. After attending an interesting panel on how small press creators can get coverage for their books (given these blog entries, the irony of this doesn’t escape me) and Yomi impresses at the guest table on the Digital Development and Marketing for Your Digital Comic, Web Series, Game, App or Kickstarter panel, we get into the groove of selling. Clockwork Watch and Magic of Myths are well received, both by people who knew or heard heard about us before and by total strangers chancing upon our table. Our
SDCC Exhibitor Tip
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