A Look Back at Comic-Con 2014

You can put another San Diego Comic-Con down in the books. Over 130,000 pop culture fans from all over the world swarmed the SD Convention Center to partake in the 44th Annual SDCC this past long weekend. The convention juggernaut has grown leaps and bounds since 1970, and it only continues to grow in scale. After the jump, I reflect on my Comic-Con 2014 experience and the past three years at the big show.

Comic-Con was nothing short of exhausting, but really fun to attend yet again. There were a lot of great cosplayers scattered throughout San Diego, many panels to check out, and parties to attend. Being my third year covering the con, I wanted to branch out to other experiences that I had not yet partaken in before.

I’ve attended panels in the past, even Hall H last year to hear Marc Webb, Edgar Wright, and Alfonso Cuarón speak, but this year I made an effort to see the Community panel, which was surprisingly easy to get into. But panels are really not my idea of a good time at Comic-Con. Despite many who stake out a spot in line – almost 24-hours in advanced this year – I don’t feel as though seeing a trailer first on a larger video screen is as rewarding as experience what SDCC has to offer. Especially when the trailer goes online an hour after they show it. I can understand the excitement of being in the same room as celebs, but most people end up waiting in line just to be 100 yards back. And seeing clips of unfinished scenes do not appeal to me; I’d rather see the film in its entirety than out of context.

There are so many people who try to get badges to Comic-Con with no avail and I understand their plight, so I try to take in as much through the eyes of a fan. Along with taking my time to explore the convention floor to check out the cool exhibits and booths, I attend the event experiences that are outside and inside the con like the Assassin’s Creed 4 Jackdaw experience last year, but this year I went bigger. The first annual Her Universe Fashion Show was quite the event to attend, but The Walking Dead Escape was the highlight of the weekend.

Overall, despite the lack of sleep and sore feet, Comic-Con 2014 was a success. I only wish that attendees would make more time to check out the smaller, unique panels and the exhibitors. There are a lot of cool things to do and see and for those who only obtain day passes, it’s a waste of a badge to be standing in lines for/sitting in Hall H all day.

(Click on the images below to enlarge)