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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:navy'>I have been to the Motor City Comic Con (Detroit) and the Emerald
City Comicon (Seattle) and had the opportunity to meet Sergio Aragonés at both,
but I have never been to the Comic-Con and have wanted to go for some time. (Being
in Canada makes that a little more difficult.) I tried last year to no avail.
This year the process for me was much like it was for you except I went to directly
to the Comic-Con web site a little earlier, at about 8:08 a.m. My number in
line was about 21000. I was hoping, like most, to get a four day pass, which I
didn’t, but I did manage to get tickets to Thursday and Sunday. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
groop-bounces@groo.com [mailto:groop-bounces@groo.com] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Chris
McCollum<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, March 06, 2012 1:21 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> groop<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Groop] San Diego Comic-Con<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>I
usually buy my tickets for the next years Comic-Con during the first day I
attend the convention. There have never been any lines during the first few
days of the con and I like to get it out of the way. It was very convenient
doing it this way for the last 10 years or so.<br>
Last year the Comic-Con committee took that option away and made that almost
impossible to purchase a on site registration.</span><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><br>
</span><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>You had to wait in line
for hours, at a off site hotel, to get a chance to buy one of 1500 tickets. The
line was forming at 4 am or earlier, and opening the line at 8am,they sold out
in less than a half hour, leaving thousands without anything to show for their
4 to 6 hour wait each day. I decided not to waste my morning like this, when I
was told on line registration would come later. </span><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><br>
</span><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Months later, after
signing up for a twitter account to get updates, I was told I needed to sign up
for a member ID, which I did, and wait for the on line registration. Meanwhile,
I watched their video telling how to maximize my chances of successfully
purchasing a ticket, and down loaded their pdf file, giving further important
instructions. </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><br>
</span><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Finally the day came to
register for a ticket. At 8am on 3/3 I was at my computer and hit the link at
exactly 8am. I got a "site unavailable" or "error" window.
I tried again with the same result. I tried my lap top and hit the link to the
site like I had been shown in their video, again the same result,site
unavailable due to too much activity or site wasn't yet up. I tried my lap top
again with the same results. I went back to my desk top and tried one more
time, same thing. I finally wised up and disregarding the instructions they gave
me, I went to the comic con web site directly, and immediately got through. My
number in line was 30948. It was 8:11am. After staying on hold for a little
over one hour my number came up. I entered my ID number and was informed that
everything was sold out except for a one day Sunday ticket. I quickly decided
that this was the best I could do, so I clicked to purchase and was quickly
told that this ticket was sold as well, and there were no further tickets
available. I was shut out. I've been going to this, my home town convention,
for over 20 years without missing, and I was not able to purchase a ticket.</span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><br>
</span><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> I hate that comics
have taken a supporting role to the movie and TV industry making this their
showcase, taking over our convention. I mostly hate the over crowding it has
created, and the back seat comic books have had to take. But I could still
enjoy the show. I could still attend most of the panels that I loved, Quick
Draw, Voice animators,Sergio Aragones, Scott Shaw!s oddball comics
presentation, all of Mark Evanier's Golden and Silver Age tributes and of
course the Groo panels. </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><br>
</span><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> I had thought
about not attending for the past several years as the crowds grew, but I still
came. I couldn't help myself. I attended every Groo panel with many lasting
memories, but I feel an era has past. The death of the Comic-Con I once loved.
I don't think that will be attendaing another. </span><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><br>
</span><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Chris McCollum, Garden
Grove</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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