Titled: AKA Paul Get's to Sit in Air Conditioning That Works DayThis was the first year attending San Diego Comic-Con, working fully for my own site on my own dime, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to do what most normal folks do at this show...STAND IN LINES!! Actually, the plan was to score some exclusives for friends and myself, but what I didn't realize is there is an art to scoring your favorite toys. The previous morning, I had attempted to snag some goods first thing in the morning and only succeeded in being giggled at by booth girls or shoo'd away by security insisting my press badge was more a hindrance when it came to a fair shot at those items that sell out quickly. At Hallmark, someone who lines up right when the show opens is capable of making two passes at the exclusives (of which you can buy one of each and get one exclusive pin a day). Hallmark has no bags so planning for this is key, unless you want to juggle them all day. I was lucky and scored a duffel bag around the back of the booth, of which there are plenty at the show if you know where to look...or use the force or some similar brain power. Stuffing a couple with flat bottoms in your bag for the day is a great idea. At Mattel, the diesel biker security dude tells me the line is capped and to come back "after I take a couple of laps". I assumed that was just a saying so I went to seek out Jessica Smiley at the Mimoco booth, but she's ninja-like and super fast so I missed more often than made a connection. I did manage to get a My Little Pony crown to her through her friends at the booth, creating this awesome face...
