 "Photo: David J. Olender, Photo Editor")
Every summer Fan-icons from around the world line up outside the San Diego Convention Center to visit the largest comic fan convention of its kind. Whether you want to meet writers, creators and artists of your favorite comics, or if you just want to arrive in your best Chewbacca suit to take part in the Masquerade costume contest, there is honestly something for anyone who has a little nerd residing in his or her heart.
For San Diego, being the growing city that it is, Comic-Con is perhaps one of its biggest claims to fame. Starting here 38 years ago by Shel Dorf and other native comic-lovers, Comic-Con quickly spread like one of the notorious fast-moving California wildfires. With the popularity of Superman movies during the '70s and '80s, the birth of the uber-popular Batman franchise, humble Comic-Con was hoisted to heights that probably seemed unimaginable to the people who created it.
After making several visits to various venues throughout San Diego, from the U.S. Grant Hotel to the University of California, San Diego, Comic-Con finally landed at the San Diego Convention Center in 1991.
Comic-Con attracts more and more attendees each year. Just four years ago, there were 100,000 people in attendance, and this year's convention touted 135,000. The increasing popularity and overcrowded situation at the Convention Center have many hardcore fans becoming nervous: Will Comic-Con move and if so, where to?
Word is that Comic-Con will be staying put in San Diego until 2012, at least according to The Daily Transcript. Sighs and growls of relief from "Star Wars" and "X-Men" Wolverine aficionados can be heard from every palm-tree lined San Diego street corner.
During Wednesday's preview night, one aging Comic-Con veteran had this to share.
"Comic-Con is really unique because it combines pop art with pop culture and technology; it has a little something for all ages and most creative professionals too."
This sentiment seems to ring true, as there was definitely a complete mishmash of people there, ranging from creepy old men wanting to glimpse live versions of their favorite Anime characters to cooing babies who apparently came to just drool on the display cases holding priceless figurines.
Indeed, it looks as though the film industry has cashed in on this bulging cash cow as 2008's largest displays came from Warner Bros. and other big film companies. This year's Comic-Con is leaving many die-hard comic junkies wondering if comic books are the real reason anyone is coming anymore, or if it is the big blockbuster arrivals that have hoards of visitors flocking.
Either way, it's one helluva of a circus.
If you're new to San Diego or a rare native, Comic-Con is a must-see event that is part of San Diego's eclectic history. Just make sure to get your tickets early for 2009. This year marked the first year ever that four-day passes sold out weeks in advance. So iron your Princess Leia garb, brush out the curls in your Chewbacca suit and get ready for another wild year at San Diego's own Comic-Con.
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