With this years San Diego Comic-Con fast approaching, we here at The Nerd Element decided to write about our favorite memories from past Comic-Cons.
Dan Berry‘s Favorite SDCC memory
In 2010, I was in Hall H for the Cowboys and Aliens panel when all of a sudden in the next section over there was a lot of commotion and security started running to the area. Soon after Hall H was on lockdown, due to a violent incident involving a pen. After a delay of around 30 minutes (I think, it may have been longer) the next panel started. Jon Favreau was introducing people and then he introduced…well I’ll just let you watch this video. To date the applause that followed that introduction, is the longest and loudest I’ve ever heard. Needless to say, this is my favorite memory at Comic-Con.
Natty Willy‘s – Fave Memory (or 2) at Comic Con
There are so many memories that have come from San Diego Comic Con. From meeting several fellow nerds on my first year, to meeting stars of my fave TV shows randomly while one my way to line up for panels, it has been a wonderful two years of attending and this year will be no different.
My favorite memory so far is being in Hall H all day on Saturday with my friends last year, it was such a joy. All of the panels were better than the last as the day wore on. Everyone screamed with joy when Superman vs. Batman (I don’t care what the title currently is, it should be this) movie was announced. Seeing the majority of the X-Men Days of Future Past cast on stage was amazing. I have a huge crush on Michael Fassbender, so being in the same room with him just made my day. When Tom Hiddleston came out as Loki I screamed with joy and cursed myself for not filming it! Yes I did scream his name (get your head out the gutter)! Marvel’s panels were the best ones as we got to see the Captain America: The Winter Soldier cast and Guardians of the Galaxy main stars! Even though they just started filming they gave us a little trailer which was great.
If I could pick another memory it would be getting a photo with Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk at Nerd HQ. I had a few goals, and one of them was getting a photo with Nathan Fillion. I was disappointed that I was not able to get tickets to Fillion’s Nerd HQ panel, which was taking place at Petco Park on Sunday (the last day of con). As soon as several us saw the tweet that a photo-op was happening at Nerd HQ we immediately dashed to Petco Park and lined up. We got a good place in line and told some of our friends who were in his panel. Mission accomplished and I got a bonus with Alan Tudyk being there! I am so looking forward to making more memories at Comic Con this year!
What’s yours? Feel free to leave in comments. We’d love to hear (or see if you have a YouTube video of it).
Kimberly’s Favorite SDCC Memory:
2012 was the first time I decided that I would camp out in the Hall H and Ballroom 20 lines to try and get in for the major panels Friday and Saturday night. Saturday night I was treated to several celebrity surprises as Nathan Fillion, Joss Whedon and Sir Ian McKellen came out to the lines to greet fans. It truly was a great experience as I was able to get Joss Whedon’s autograph and a photograph with Nathan Fillon.
This was also the year I met some of the greatest people I hope to call friends for a long time. Without this year The Nerd Element may not exist. Cheers to Comic Con!
Michelle’s favorite SDCC memory:
One of my favorite memories from Comic-Con is in 2012. It was my first year going for my boyfriend Jordan and I. On Thurs we were walking along the con floor enjoying the sights and sounds (mayhem?) which is SDCC. I saw a long line and thought to myself maybe it’s for an awesome exclusive, I didn’t care what the line was for, it was just something. However it turned out to be for the official SDCC t-shirt. I was cool with that being I really wanted the Batman one. So Jordan and I were in line chatting it up having a great time meeting people, when this lady walked up to us and asked “What is this line for?”. I replied it was the SDCC t-shirt and she said thank you and that was that. After she left I asked Jordan why do I know her did she use to work with us? All of a sudden Jordan yells MAXINE!! As soon as he did that I was like OMG that is Erika Alexander from Living Single!!!!!, and she asked me a question! The best part is she must of heard him because she came back and chatted with us, took pictures and gave me a hair clip which was promoting her husband’s (Tony Puryear) graphic novel Concrete Park. It was an awesome experience that I will never forget. That is one of the great things about SDCC, you never know what will happen!!
Antonio’s Favorite Memories
My first time at SDCC was in 2013, and it was pretty overwhelming, I made many great memories one being helping my make-up artist friend Thomas E. Surprenant with a Defiance promo, doing make-up for the off site location at the Hard Rock. Right after this, when I was leaving the hotel room I ran into Sam Witwer and Meaghan Rath from Syfy’s Being Human in my sorta werewolf costume. I geeked out and was at a loss of words, and all I could do was point at both of them and Meaghan copied me and was laughing. We took a picture together and they really liked my costume. I also got to meet Grant Bowler during the Defiance panel, he is really nice. I think one of my absolute favorites was running into Kevin Grevioux on the exhibit floor, I best know him from the movie Underworld and Underworld: Rise of the Lycans as the werewolf Raze. He also voiced Black Beetle in Young Justice season 2.
Melanie’s SDCC Memory:
I have only been to SDCC once, last year. Most of it was an exhilarating, exhausting blur. The awesome people I met, especially our CEO Kim, are a given as awesome times. My memory is less a moment that happened to me and more of a moment that stuck out for me. Fellow blogger Jimmy and I were wandering the floor and were stopped by security. Turns out the cast of The Originals was about to leave their signing and needed a path through the crowd. Claire Holt, and Daniel Gillies walked through, waving to fans as they walked by. Joseph Morgan (Klaus, the series star) walked through right after. The little girl in front of us was jumping up and down, reaching out to him. He started to walk through, saw her, jogged over, gave her a hug and took a quick picture with her. This girl’s day was clearly made unforgettable because of him. The security guard was stunned, saying “That never happens. NEVER. No one EVER does that.” I tend to judge celebs by how they treat their fans and Joseph Morgan went up quite a few points just for taking a quick minute from his day to make her day.
Photo courtesy of Jimmy David
Jimmy David’s SDCC memory:
There are many, many things that make each and every SDCC special for me. Memories upon memories. But, if you ask anyone who knows me, they will all pretty much answer with the same thing. The instance that makes me (in)famous among many. It was Sunday of SDCC 2012. Me and my friends, Ian and Melissa were at the Nathan Fillion Nerd HQ panel. We thought this was going to be your normal every day panel. Yet, it turned out to be a charity auction for his personal belongings that he had with him at con. Everyone got excited, especially me! I made quite an impression during this panel. Near the middle he pulled a Harry potter Quidditch jersey out and the bid was instantly at $300, that I outbid in a second at $320. I had already won a Harry Potter scarf for my friend Melanie earlier, so Nathan asked me if I would let the original girl have the jersey and there was something better coming up. I told him that I loved the jersey and wanted it, and if I liked the thing coming up, I would bid on that too! Which he said, “that’s fair.” So, here I was about to win the jersey when a girl stood up and said, “I will give her $40 so that he(me) doesn’t get it!”, to which I replied “$350!” This started out a war…it was me versus a room full of nerds at Nerd HQ. Zachary Levi even said right then, “Oh wait, this is going to be awesome!” Zachary started asking people what they were donating to the girls cause…$40 more came in, then another $20! The energy in the room was at a high, I felt the need to win! Before any more could possible come in I thought I would “buy the pot” per se and yelled out, “$500!!” Next thing you know, the room just started filling up with bids to help this girl beat me! As if I was some evil entity. $100 here, $40 there, another $100 for her if Nathan signed the donators lanyard? Zachary called it that she was at least at $600. I knew what was coming up later and I knew I wanted it and also knew that this room of nerds were not going to let me win. So, I gave in and let her have the jersey….with much regret. But, then came something that would make any nerd proud. Out of Nathan’s mouth straight to me came these words, “You are awesome!! Look what you have done. You united all these people…against you. That was fantastic what you just did.” This is what has become my claim to fame. I was able to unite a room of 200+ nerds against me in a common cause. Now, you might think that this was enough for one panel, but no it wasn’t. Nathan told a story of getting to a from his trailer on set. How every minute counts and if you can shorten that time, those minutes become yours. He then grabbed his scooter that he uses to shorten that time and started to describe it. He entered the panel riding it and I had known the whole time that he would have to put it up for auction and I was going to win it! Nathan jokenly said, “I think this is worth five bucks.” I had to strike before anyone else, not knowing where to start at, I yelled out, “$500 opening bid!!” Zachary was astonished that I would go that high, but not surprised since the commotion I had made just a little earlier. Someone tried to donate to not allow me to get it, yet Zachary would not allow it. One person had to beat me. Then came $550. I went straight to $600 without missing a breath. Shortly came $650, which I counter with $700 and a little reminder that I might not go higher, so bid with confidence that you will take it home. Yes, I would have gone higher, but you have to play the game or fold your cards! It was sold at $700! To me! In the end, I made quite an impression during this panel and was even allowed to go back stage after to take a picture with both Nathan and Zachary.
For anyone wanting to relive my excellent memory, you can revisit it with me below. You can see my moments of the auction at minutes 26:20, 31:00 and 53:00 here
Llana’s Favorite SDCC memory
It was 2012 and I’d just discovered Firefly (I don’t want to hear it, yes I was late). I watched all the episodes more than once and like everyone else lamented its’ early demise. It’s also the year I came out of my shell and met the members of what you now know as the The Nerd Element. Lining up for the Firefly panel with my new friends was the first time I spent the night outside. It was then that I took my first celebrity selfie with…wait for it: Joss Whedon!
After the Firefly reunion panel (so worth sleeping on the hard sidewalk) I wandered the Exhibit Hall and made my way to the Dark Horse booth to buy the Serenity graphic novels. Once there I meandered around until I saw something that would change my life forever…Nathan Fillion signing autographs. I had no wristband of course so I prayed a little prayer and made my way to the front of the crowd.
The crowd manager was choosing people out of the crowd to get an autograph from Nathan. I made eye contact with the little man and his clipboard with a look of hope and innocence and slowly raised my hand. When his tiny finger touched the palm of my hand I floated up to the stage and asked Nathan to sign my graphic novel. He did and I muttered something (couldn’t really talk). Best day ever!
Eleanor Moss‘ Favorite SDCC Memories
2013 was the first year I attended SDCC. I was nervous and intent on doing everything and anything. I very quickly learned that although there would be much that I would miss, I would do some amazing things and make some amazing memories. The first day of the con, I nervously waited in line to draw tickets for the Psych signing. I had no idea how it worked and I was an absolute wreck. Thanks to some kind people in line I felt a little better when it came to the drawing! I was lucky enough to gain a winning ticket on my first try! I was PSYCHED! I got to meet the cast & got to high five Timothy Omundson who is my favorite cast member! Team Lassie for life! I got to attend the Geek & Sundry VIP party that first night with many of the people who work on this site. It was a blast just dancing and talking all while being in this environment surrounded by people who have starred in my favorite shows and movies. I got to meet a good portion of the cast of the Guild, Alan Tudyk joined a photo I had with G&S’s Amy Dallen, and it’s where I really made a strong friendship with my fellow TNE crew! Some of the best moments I had was just walking around Gaslamp! I saw the entire cast of Being Human, I met Richard Speight Jr. from Supernatural and got to take in amazing cosplay and off-site events. I decided to test my luck and tried to get a winning ticket for the Marvel Thor 2 signing. I won! I was fortunate enough to meet not only the director Alan Taylor, but the man himself who portray’s Loki, Tom Hiddleston! It was easily one of the most exciting moments of my life! Meeting celebrities was exciting to say the least, but the best part of SDCC will always be the truly wonderful friendships that I have made!
