Comic-Con Night One: Yes, Comic Fanatics Party Too

The days in San Diego can get kind of long and tiring with all there is to see and do around the convention. However, it's important to keep some gas in the tank for once the sun begins to set. The nightlife around the convention is, at least to the people here working the convention, as important as the convention itself. The convention is work, the afterparties are play.

Working in comics can be a pretty solitary endeavor. A lot of time spent working from home away from human contact leads to some pent up party energy when Comic-Con rolls around each year. Most decent-sized conventions have a smattering of parties happening at night around the venue, but few events offer the sheer  extravagance and spectacle of a Comic-Con party. There's a a joke that going to the convention is a bit about networking, but also about just figuring out where your friends are heading once they leave the hall.

Some people invest a lot of time and energy into getting into the "right" or the "best" party for the evening. That's not really my scene, but I can certainly understand the impulse. Things tend to snowball, which can lead to some whacky adventures around town. My first night in town I went to the iFanboy cocktail hour, since I write for them every week, which then led us to the Boom Studios party, and eventually to the Image Comics / CBLDF party, which was where last-call finally found us.

Friday night saw both the Warner Brothers (DC Comics) and Disney (Marvel) parties, but the hot party seemed to be the Walking Dead party. Huge outdoor shindig, with panels fof the comic being projected on a nearby building and a performance by Weezer. There are lots of smaller events going on around town the whole night too, so you're never lacking for a cool group to grab a beverage with. Because this convention takes place right up against the waterfront, there's only so far to head to the east into downtown for events, so it keeps even such a large group of people in a relatively small geographic area. I just overheard that apparently there was a Metallica show last night.

Last night also included the Eisner Awards, essentially the Academy Awards of comics. Lots of people spend their evening wading through presentation of award after award to see if they'll win big. I went to the Eisner's once before and it was frankly a bit boring. The stories in comics may be bombastic and outrageous, but sometimes the personalities behind the stories can be a bit staid. In person showmanship isn't always on display. Typically checking Twitter at one point in the night is enough to see the highlights, but if you want to see how the Comics' community does glamour, the Eisners might just be for you.

If you have an in with a publisher or studio you may be able to score an invite to one of the company dinners. The details of these are usually kept pretty quiet, but the rewards can be exceptional and delicious. But barring that, you can utilize possibly the worst kept secret at Comic Con: the Hyatt bar. The convention center is connected to a Marriott, while there's a Hilton to the south and a Hyatt to the north. Traditionally a lot of professionals stay at the Hyatt every year, so the Hyatt bar is a typical haunt for a lot of people you may be interested in rubbing shoulders with.

If you have the stamina, it can be a good place to end the evening, and many in the comics community will be happy to have a chat with you if you'll buy the first round. I have friends who have been told that their comic aspirations will be hampered simply because they don't drink. Possibly a bit of an exaggeration, but the drinks do readily flow here. Early and often.

I've brought friends with me who weren't super familiar with comics' culture who've been surprised to see just how hard we all party, but it is just another facet of what makes this particular madness of SDCC special.