I had the advantage of having boots on the ground during San Diego Comic Con 2014. Let me tell you about the whole experience and how one panel was more monumental than all the rest.
I hit San Diego on Wednesday afternoon. Already the crowds were gathering. Hundreds of people were already in line to grab their badges, and rush in to fight for the exclusives during Preview Night. But Preview Night was not my first destination.
I was lucky enough to be allowed inside the Image Expo. Over a dozen creators revealed their new titles that surprisingly had a very common theme, space. After said expo, it was off to an Image cocktail mixer. It’s a very intriguing experience to be talking to independent creators whose work you love in a casual setting. Joe Casey, Josh Williamson, and finally getting to talk to Kurt Busiek face to face with social lubrication has already created a solid memory. Plus I had a hilarious Robert Kirkman encounter that can only be told face to face.
When the first day of San Diego Comic Con open, there was only one goal and panel on my mind, Mark Waid’s Open Pitch Thrillbent panel. I won’t bore you with the details, but you can read about them here. Basically, Mark opened it to anyone to pitch a 30 page story to be published on Thrillbent.com and you had to pitch it in fifteen seconds or less.
I made it to the panel late, and signed the requisite forms. People lined up in the order they signed up. Random people pitching, idea after idea, and the most interesting thing was that most of them were good. I sat silently reciting my pitch to myself over and over because I wanted to be able to look into Mark Waid in the eyes when I said it. I had an interesting hook with a great character; I just had to say clearly and concisely.
The panel came to end, and the panel had not even called my name! Graciously, Mark Waid decided to let anyone that was still on the list to pitch to him in the hallway. So I lined up behind the other hopefuls, and within seconds I was looking Mark Waid in the face. I breathed in, and said the pitch. After I finished, Mark blinked, and said, “Wow. We’re doing that.”
San Diego Comic Con 2014 could have ended after that. Elation had beaten all the toys, art prints, or signed comics that I could have hoped to procure. I ran into Mr. Waid on the last day of the con, and thanked him for the opportunity. “I liked how short and sweet your’s was. Plus I was glad that this year all the pitches were great. I plan to do this every year now,” he said.
I spent that last day of San Diego Comic Con walked around the outside of the convention center spying on the many events outside it. This truly felt like the first year of the convention that you didn’t even need to have a pass to experience the event. The Simpsons, Godzilla, and Gotham all had huge displays outside. I walked through the throngs of people, and just enjoyed the moment.
I know this article may have not had the information that you were looking for about San Diego Comic Con 2014. Like what the show floor was like, or even the Marvel Panel, but I always find that comic conventions mean different things to different people. What you get is what you put into it. What I put into it was an idea for a digital comic that will now become reality. So that makes this the best San Diego Comic Con ever for me. How was yours?
Oh, and what was my pitch you’re probably asking yourself? Well, you’ll just have to read it like everyone else.
Enjoy some more SDCC pictures.
