What Does it Take to Make a Comic-Con? Here's a Peek
By Lora Grady
The hours just before Comic-Con kicks off are a flurry of activity in downtown San Diego. A stroll around the Gaslamp Quarter, Petco Park, and the areas near the Convention Center on Wednesday afternoon proves to be pretty entertaining.
There are lots of areas still under construction, people are busy with last minute load-ins, and everyone's working to meet an immovable deadline. Throngs will descend upon this venue in the greatest pop culture event of the year and every sponsor, exhibitor and vendor wants to make sure their Comic Con presence is the best it can be.
How can you describe what Comic-Con looks like? It's just...it's like...well, there's lots of BIG STUFF everywhere! Most of the promotional banners are in place by Wednesday, and it's a good day to check them out before the crowds really set in.
And, as a press attendee, Wednesday is a good day to practice for the real Comic-Con. You can figure out where (and where not) to park, learn to navigate the crowds and pedestrian by-ways, and make sure you'll avoid any unpleasant entanglements with the law.
Have fun, everyone! Here are a few of my Wednesday highlights.
At Comic-Con you learn to cross over the trolley tracks using the Petco footbridge or you spend a lot of time waiting in crowds like this...
NBC's "Heroes" is making a comeback, and waging a colorful campaign this year at Comic-Con.
By Thursday this space will be transformed into the Museum of Impractical History. More info coming soon!
The crowd control staff may have the most important job of all at Comic-Con.
NBC is making sure pedestrians get an eyeful of their new show, "Blindspot".
Got a boring old parking garage? Comic-Con can fancy it up with a great big banner!
"Once Upon a Time" brings another gorgeous ad campaign to Comic-Con.
These gentlemen were on a well-deserved break from load-in for an installation at Petco park.
Here's one interactive experience you don't want to have at Comic-Con.
Is it another crazy Comic-Con pop-up exhibit? Nope; just a regular footbridge, San Diego-style.
You'll see plenty of these signs at Comic-Con. They're not kidding.
Everyone can stop working on clever promo slogans because "Vikings" just won it all with this one.
Hard at work on a "Scream Queens" Ultimate Scream Drop ride. Do you dare...?
"Adult Swim" is bringing the party to Comic-Con!
