Love too but can't... and sadly may not ever again. Partly because it is not the same convention it used to be.
It is an amazing convention and I had a great time both times I went. I do recommend it for anyone who lives close enough to it.
Heck! Even if you don't have a pass you can still hang out outside and take photos of the cosplayers, enjoy the outside promo booths and events, even accidentally run into some celebrities.
Not to mention a ton of off-site events
[link] and of course the creator-owned show TR!CKSTER
[link]. (I do recommend Tr!ckster for those fans of independent artists like me)
Taking into account how much it cost to go to it, the ease of scoring a place to stay and let's not forget the new lottery to get tickets - it really is not worth it for a low-level freelance artist like me to go to - as a fan or professional.
Even professionals are saying how it is becoming too big and impersonal like a trade show rather than a fan event.
I think it is sad that I will have to now look for conventions that are "like SDCC use to be".
Ever since the Twilight panels started, that's when i noticed it was getting far too big and ridiculous. Comic Con is very much like a film festival, but with furrys and bod odor. Some people that i know that are going don't even have foggiest idea who the Flash is!!!
Things will eventually hit a peak and fall back down to basics, but until then i keep going to meet some of the awesome big name artists and the ones from overseas that you wouldn't normally run into at a local con.
Basically too many celebrities and you become a face in the crowd. It's great if you are there to meet other famous artists and friends - but not so easy if you really want to mingle with your fans. Way too many gawkers who keep asking "is that someone famous?"
And my friends have a term for the accumulation of bod odor at conventions... we call it FANK! (fanboy stank)
HAHAHAHA! "FANK" i predict that i'll be using that word quite alot this week.... not looking forward to it.
You should totally draw a picture depicting FANK. Make it a common term with fellow con goers and possibly even eliminate bad hygiene altogether at cons because people won't want to be marked having "FANK"! Think of the movement you will cause
And fan expo of course. I do want to see SDCC again someday but I'll probably be trampled to death.