Selling Funko!: 95 Things Bleeding Cool Learned at San Diego Comic-Con 2018

Thursday, July 26, 2018

95 Things Bleeding Cool Learned at San Diego Comic-Con 2018

The show finished only a few days ago, but San Diego Comic-Con is still fresh in all our Bleeding Cool correspondents’ minds. Here are a few of the things that the women and men of Bleeding Cool learned at the show, from Mike Sangregorio, ER Wilhelm, Joshua Stone, Lauren Sisselman, Ray Flook, Jeremy Conrad, Madeline Potts, Will Romine, Kaitlyn Booth and Jimmy Leszczynski…

Heat Wave really likes Saturday Night Fever.
That Titans’ trailer isn’t a fanfilm even if it looks like one.
I’ll never pass up a chance to miss meeting Nathan Fillion because I’m not paying attention.
Clint Eastwood based his iconic way of speaking on Marilyn Monroe.
“You’re not as quiet as you think you are.”
Not everyone has read Nextwave and that’s a shame.
I should stop ignoring the advice to carry snacks.
There is such a thing as the Southern California Paranormal Society.
Dragon Ball is as absurdly popular now as I remember it being back in the day.
Always compliment someone’s geek shirt. You may be the first person all day to get the reference.
Taking a good picture of John Barrowman’s ass is the best way to win twitter.
Tweeting anything Doctor Who or The Thirteenth Doctor related is the second best way to win twitter.
Talking to Rich Johnston about My Little Pony is probably a lot like Rich talking to anyone else about comics.
Granola bars are the best Con food because they look just the same after being smushed or melted in your bag.
Red Rising author Pierce Brown likes poop jokes.
People really, really like cake, and panels featuring chefs who make geek cakes are harder to get into than you think.
After 20 years, Harry Potter can still fill a room at SDCC.
It is way easier to fill up your water bottle with the coolers in the panel rooms than at the water fountain. It took me an embarrassing amount of time to figure that out.
#clonewarssaved was the best surprise ending to a panel ever.
Tom King does not give an F if the name placard says do not cuss because that F-bomb is coming in the first minute and regularly throughout the panel.
Five panels/press roundtables interviews that involve someone crying while addressing the audience/table can somehow bring even more depth and enjoyment to the SDCC experience, even if it includes myself, a Bleeding Cool writer.
Chris Ryall has no problem ignoring the wrap it up sign and go twenty minutes long if it means more people can share stories and express their thoughts about Harlan Ellison.
Someone did a real crappy job scheduling the time for the memorial panels.
If Conan is doing a Funko of a property created by someone doing an SDCC Panel you may want to go because you may be given a magical blue ticket to pick up said Funko.
Writing an article complimenting a former contributor to Bleeding Cool can lead to you getting messages from that person at 3am if they live in Africa.
Having an assistant was the best choice I ever made.
You can’t do everything. Don’t kill yourself trying.
Eat. Sleep. Listen to your body when it tells you to stop.
Ask for help when you need it.
Sometimes, all it takes is a weird camera and microphone to grab Andrew Lincoln, Dominic Cooper, Joseph Gilgun, and Seth Rogen’s attentions in the middle of a red carpet shoot and press conference.
Speaking of Gilgun, he should definitely do more public speaking on mental health matters because his words are powerful.
One of the best experiences would be on the flight home, convincing a couple who do woodcarving and forging to start looking into making replica “weapons” for cosplayers, renaissance fair attendeees, geeks with cash to burn, etc.
Jeremy and Dan C. have stock in Gaslamp Pizza and the San Diego scooter rental business respectively.
The Hall H convention center staff/security have the patience of a dozen saints when dealing with some of the press. Appreciate what you’re being given, people! They’re trying to be as accomodating as possible – but news flash? You’re not the only media outfit that’s covering SDCC.
Some of those red carpet picture-takers can be a nasty bunch, too concerned about the size of their equipment while they should be more concerned with how they use it.
The line, “Give me a tin can with a string and I’ll still out interview any one of you – even if I was in a coma,” can shut a conversation down quickly.
Twenty-two words does not a post make – hell, that’s barely a tweet.
You can have a really great time at SDCC and never make it into the exhibit halls – it can happen, people
Bryan Cranston really, really likes playing Walter White
If you’re a show trying to gain a little more traction going into your soon-to-premiere second season, might want to have some of the main leads at your panel; or at least come up with a good excuse upfront about why they couldn’t be there, maybe record a video?
As convenient as Slack can be, nothing beats meeting the people you work with throughout the year in-person – and that Kaitlyn’s a friggin’ real-life superhero.
Lyft drivers in San Diego should teach workshops on how not to be an unfriendly d-bag to some NYC drivers.
I’m Pavlovian-conditioned to add the pizza emoji to my messages – don’t even realize it’s happening anymore.
A baby cosplaying as a little Deku from My Hero Academia pretty much broke SDCC for me – in a good way.
When walking near stairs, make sure nobody yells “free t-shirt”.
Rent Air BnB. Having a kitchen makes all the difference.
If walking by a party, it doesn’t hurt to ask the guy or girl at the front of you can go in.
Pick one activation outside the con and make it the first thing you do that day. Otherwise you won’t get in.
You aren’t the only one who didn’t win the exclusives lottery. Stop complaining.
SDCC means lines. If you don’t want to wait in line, don’t come to the show.
Lyft is a game-changer. Just be courteous and don’t force one to try and pick you up where the roads are closed.
The nachos in the convention center are amazing. And filling.
If there is a panel you are desperate to see, get to the room a couple panels ahead. Not only can you rest for a bit, but you will see something cool you might not have seen otherwise.
Pick an awesome 80’s song as your con theme for the year and sing it with your friends constantly. She’s Like The Wind was this year’s.
Aisha Tyler will do anything to get her fans free alcohol
Indigo Ballroom is the new Ballroom 20
Apparently, you can just walk into Hall H
The lotteries were actually… great (but only if you won)
The creator of My Hero Academia is the most adorable human on this earth
The Good Place is really The Bad Place
Don’t steal the entire pillow from a party (just the case)
I was expecting SHAZAM to kinda suck. But I really got turned around on that at SDCC 2018. The costumes on display really look great, except those moon boots maybe, and Zach Levi is channeling Tom Hanks from Big. This might be DCEU’s last chance.
The Aquaman trailer however, flopped out on the deck, looked me square in the eye and said, “Behold your King of Atlantis, your Phantom Menace underwater. Phantom Waterworld Menace. “ The look and feel makes me question my decision to be a lifelong DC fan. Even though Jason Momoa still looks pretty badass as the titular sea king, not even Black Manta will be able to save this, whatever a Titanic in reverse is.
Galaxy Press (Scientology) has a great new approach. “ Hey there young impressionable Nerd, have you read L. Ron Hubbard before?
Bourbon does not rehydrate your body. If I’m being honest, I knew that one already. I felt it was worth mentioning. However my urine is so dark, I thought I was pissing iced tea.
This being my Sophomore turn at SDCC for Bleeding Cool, I am still learning a ton. A Lot of running around, sweating, tech malfunctions, trying to leave a good impression, and trying to represent the Bleeding Cool label. I don’t always realize how much fun it was, until later.
Andy Fish does a lot of the art on Blackwood, not just the lettering.
Still learning how to use email
Harlan Ellison and Len Wein will be missed for not just their work but also because of the people they were.
Steve Ditko will be missed because of his work because people didn’t know him.
The closing of Harbor meant there weren’t buses next to the convention center sidewalk you had to worry about being pushed into.
If someone makes a veiled threat to take your Conan Hellboy Funko Pop, if you make a not so veiled threat to curb stomp them they will walk much more quickly away.
For as much money that SDCC brings into San Diego, it doesn’t slow down the increased homelessness and more empty shops at the mall.
It was weird not having the art show in the Sails Pavilion.
How the hell is there a block and half line for a Taco Bell, even if it is for Demolition Man. I can only imagine the bathroom lines afterwards.
It’s never too early for everything to go to hell but things have a way of working out.
Be nice to your fellow journalists. They’ll be there to help you out if something happens.
Prepare to be insecure if you’re at a party with CW stars because those are some beautiful people.
Pay attention to your surroundings and no footage is worth failing to help another human being.
I’m apparently very charming after a 9AM mimosas.
Taking a lyft to a location a mile away is a good way to save your feet.
Getting hugs from people you only see once or twice a year is the actual best.
Seeing two of the stars from Supernatural forget what happened in a previous season during a roundtable.
There’s no faster way to bond with a fellow journalist than only recognizing each other at a party and proceeding to wolf down food because we both forgot to eat all day.
Sometimes you need to just stay in bed the extra hour and half because it’ll make all the difference.
You don’t need to be invited to a party to attend, you just need to peek at the guest list.
Escape rooms are the new free t-shirt.
The “Reserved” signs on chairs are not swag.
Saturday in Hall H is no place for a movie that’s been in the theaters for months.
If you’re promoting a new season for your show, don’t call a sizzle reel of the last season a “trailer”
Kevin Smith is a national treasure.
SDCC now stocks the press room with hotdogs.
Even industry folks who have publicly criticized him will tell you that SDCC isn’t the same without Rich Johnston.
When you’re moderating a panel and your panelist tell you not to give away all of the t-shirts, don’t go full Oprah!
SDCC knows that bathroom passes aren’t always used to go to the bathroom, and they’ve taken measures against this loophole.