FAN BOY
He's got an itch for popular culture!

Comic Convention Survival Guide
A guide to getting through comic book conventions
from one fan boy of experience!

• Make sure to wear comfortable shoes. Convention Centers are BIG---you will probably end up walking a few miles a day, and you'll probably be on your feet for hours on end.
  
• Bring a backpack, sack, or something easy to carry with you. Whether you are bringing comics for creators to sign, or you are buying lots of stuff, you'll be glad when you have something handy to carry your stuff around in.
  
• You might want to bring a few sodas or bottles of water with you to the convention center. The cost for drinks and other concession items at conventions are horrendous.
  
• Make sure to visit the ATM before you come to the convention center. The line for the ATM at the con is usually very, very long by the end of the day, and you don't want to be stuck in the ATM line for 30 minutes.
  
• If you plan on buying your ticket at the convention center, try to get there as early as possible. The line to get into the convention center in the morning is very, very, very long - several hundred or thousands people--- all standing in line.
  
• Be careful of how much you spend.   It is a good idea to set a spending limit before you enter the convention, and stick to that limit. With most vendors accepting credit cards and personal checks, it is very easy to overspend. Remind yourself that you don't have to buy everything on the first day - stuff rarely sells,  just browse and compare prices, and then come back the next day to make your purchases - that way you won't make any "rash" decisions and hit your limit too early.
  
• If you are an aspiring writer or artist planning on going to the  Con to try and get work, plan your portfolio carefully. Many companies have specified portfolio review times to review your work. It's also a good idea to develop a tough hide, and don't take any criticism personally. Many editors do not have time to review scripts or artwork at the convention, but you can make "portfolio packets" that you can drop off with the editor so that he/she can look over it after the convention. It is also best to go around meeting the companies and editors early in the convention and early in the day - by the end of the convention most editors are sick and tired of being bombarded with portfolios.
  
• Many companies at the convention have free stuff they will be handing out, but do not assume that everybody is handing out free stuff. Ask before taking.
  
• In most cases it is okay to "haggle" on prices. Usually on the first day you will get very few deals, but if you stick around until Sunday afternoon, you can usually get some great discounts. This is for comic dealers, and does not usually apply to publishers.
  
• Bring a list of what you are looking for.  Bring a pen or pencil to mark stuff off. This is also good for writing down the location of a booth that has something you want but can't get just yet. Nothing worse than finding that elusive comic and then losing the booth....
  
• Bring business cards to hand out to friends and dealers. It's easier than writing your name on a scrap of paper.
  
• Go over the panel listings the night before each con day. Plan which ones you have to see, which ones you want to see, and which might be nice to see if you aren't doing anything at the time.
  
• The quarter and dollar boxes have treasures you won't believe, especially if you're looking for Silver Age stuff and don't mind not having mint books.
  
• Don’t use the tables of dealers, publishers, artists or anyone else to sort through your stuff. Remember they paid $100’s of dollars for that table space and probably don’t appreciate you using it.
  
• Be polite when talking to the pros. Don't gawk at the semi-naked women.
  
• And try not to act like a drooling fanboy when you meet your favorite creator; they're people, too.  (Although some times, I can't help myself).