San Diego Comic Con 2012 is around the corner and rumor has it that no 2013 onsite tickets may not be sold this year. like old Obi Wan's feeling about Alderaan, I find this very disturbing. (Here and here are some links to other site about the rumors).
I have had the privilege of going to Comic Con for about 10 years now and… My, my, how things have changed. Unlike a lot of fellow Nerd Hooligans, Pappy doesn't mind change if the changes are for the good. Over the years, I've seen a number of changes in the way Comic Con has evolved to what it is today. Most of them have been in security and improvements on how to manage the ever growing interest in the largest convention in the Americas. It was reported that Comic Con had well over 130,000 attendees in 2010. And I am sure that number is low since children under 12 are free with an adult.
These high number attendance records and the many changes they have brought on are relatively recent. It was only 4 or 5 years ago that one could simply walk right up to the registration area where next year’s tickets were being sold and buy a ticket without any fuss whatsoever. Earlier, back in 2006, there wasn't even a line.
But Boy… did that change. Last year the interest for online tickets got so crazy that it took them months to even sell the tickets without the computer crashing within the first 15 minutes; which it did on 3 separate occasions. It was a nightmare. I was online last year refreshing my browser well over a 100 times or so in the 3 hours it took me to get tickets. Luckily, I was able to purchase tickets but only individual tickets for each of the days. Forget preview Night. I missed it. You still cannot buy tickets to preview night alone. I had to buy individual day passes because the 4 day passes "With Preview Night" and "Without Preview Night" were sold out within 10 min or so.
So, last year at the convention, I made sure to buy an onsite ticket for this year. Little did I know that I would spend 3 days of precious Con time just to find a line that had not sold out already. I spent the better part of Saturday in line reading comics and waiting for my turn to buy the holy grail four day ticket.
A strange lady gave me this card to fill out telling me I would need it to register my new Comic Con User Name but she did not know why onsite people needed a User Name since we were paying in person. Later I found out that they were using the same program onsite to buy tickets as the online program they hope to be using this year with their new open online registration.
The new online ticket buying program will not allow you to buy a ticket without an official registered user name and now you can only by one ticket per user name. We were the guinea pigs, I guess. So, After much waiting (which I have become quite Zen about over the past 10 years of waiting in lines at Comic Con) I was happy to slap down my money and buy my ticket for 2012.
A strange lady gave me this card to fill out telling me I would need it to register my new Comic Con User Name but she did not know why onsite people needed a User Name since we were paying in person. Later I found out that they were using the same program onsite to buy tickets as the online program they hope to be using this year with their new open online registration.
The new online ticket buying program will not allow you to buy a ticket without an official registered user name and now you can only by one ticket per user name. We were the guinea pigs, I guess. So, After much waiting (which I have become quite Zen about over the past 10 years of waiting in lines at Comic Con) I was happy to slap down my money and buy my ticket for 2012.
Then I heard how a few weeks ago online tickets for 2012 sold out in about an hour. I felt like Noah on the ark as the flood started. YIKES. Oh well, I thought. I don't mind waiting in line this year at the convention for tickets next year (2013). And the reason I don't mind is because at the end of the wait I always got a ticket. But then I hear that last year may have been the last time they will sell onsite tickets to Comic Con. I screamed like Darth Vader at the end of Episode III (NOOOOOOOOOOoo). Are these rumors True? I hope Not!
If the Comic Con site is any indication, I think it is a possibility until they officially post something about 2013 onsite pre-reg. (Click here to see the Official SDCC "No New News as of yet" page). Until they fill in this page, I will continue to worry.
I do understand how a policy change like this would allow new people who are interested in attending for the first time a fair chance at getting tickets. Yet, I am sad that after 10 years of being able to go, the fact that attending my no longer be inevitable for me is a cold reality. I hope it doesn't come to that. Fingers crossed people!!! I also worry that these possible new attendees will just be a part of the recent fad crowds of fans who have been attending solely to see one panel.... like Twilight! It is sad that the only reason someone would buy a very expensive ticket is not because they love comics or sub pop culture at all but solely because they love only one mainstream pop sensation.
But such is life! And, if I cannot attend Comic Con by purchasing the much coveted 4 day pass, hopefully, I will be able to snag a day pass or two. I am also slightly comforted in the knowledge that Wonder Con has moved to Anaheim for the time being and perhaps this will be were all us "non-golden ticket" rejects will be able to gather for our sub pop fix. (He says, as he tries to convince himself that this is true).
What do you think? Has the last few years of Comic-Con ticket hunting turned you off? Are you worried (as am I) that you might not be able to go next year at all? Or, are you perfectly thrilled with the possibility that they might do away with onsite registration and you may get your chance to finally get a ticket? Let me know! We may talk about it on the soon to return NerdHooligan Podcast!
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