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3) Pre-Con Purchases

Once you know who you are planning to get autographs from, it’s time to get the goods before the show. You shouldn’t gamble that you will find the Funko Pop (or whatever you want signed) in good condition at the last minute for a reasonable price. Here is what was purchased in preparation for NYCC: the Blue/Red/Black Power Rangers will share signing the Megazord Funko Pop (purchased from Big Apple Collectibles for $72); the White Ranger will sign his own Pop ($10 from Amazon); Tara Strong will sign my glow-in-the-dark Harley Quinn Pop ($10 from FYE); both men that voiced Batman will sign the Batman Unmasked Pop that Gotham’s little Bruce Wayne (David Masouz) already signed ($36 on eBay); Jim Cummings will sign a fuzzy Winnie the Pooh Pop ($37 on Ebay); Jason Isaacs gets a Lucius Malfoy Death Eater Pop ($27 on eBay). Those six Pops cost about $200. That’s a lot of money to invest and it would be complete waste to buy Pops and get them signed just to have them damaged on the journey.

Since this year has proven to be my breakout year acquiring as many autographs as possible (as a direct result of Carrie Fisher’s death) and I have struggled carrying bags full of merchandise in the past, I decided this will be my first convention ever bringing… a shopping cart!!! A small, collapsible wire cart costs $25 at Walmart. That cart can hold 23 Funko Pops (three levels of 3x3, minus the space of four for the Megazord) in Deluxe Pop Protectors (average price $8). 23 protectors comes to another $200 after tax. That means prior to the Con I have already spent almost $450 on Pops, protectors and a shopping cart. Oh yeah, let’s add on another $50 for the Thursday ticket itself. $500 pre-Con plus $1,000 at the Con equals $1,500… without Mark Hamill or the exclusive Funko Booth access. And for just ONE DAY.

4) Pre-Con Arrangements

You are now days away from the Con. Double check the celebrity schedule to make sure the Pops you bought are the Pops you’re going to bring. Ask for a few extra shifts at work or some overtime to start earning that $1,500 you’re going to need. Find out what time the Con opens (10am) and work backwards: 20 minute walk from the train station to the Con, 1.5 hour train ride, 15 minutes to park and wait for the train, 10 minute drive to the station. That means just over two hours to-and-from Comic Con. I have to leave by 8am which means waking up at 7am. The Con closes at 7pm which means I’ll get home around 9pm. Decorate and pack your shopping cart in advance, get a good night of sleep and you’re ready to go!

5) Pictures, Pictures and More Pictures

Take pictures of how you prepped because you may never be able to see that hard work again. The posters I attached to my shopping cart can (and probably will) get damaged from walking all day long. The Funko Pops I purchased can (and hopefully will) get autographed and will therefore never look the same again. And, assuming all goes right and you have properly prepared and budgeted in advance, then all you have left to do is enjoy the Con and take hundreds of pictures. Would the story I told you last week about giving Stephen Amell’s assistant $20 worth of herb in exchange for VIP seats to his panel have mattered if there weren’t pictures attached to validate that story? In today’s day and age, nothing matters without pictures as proof. Check my Instagram (@RoseByAnyName) after Thursday October 5 to see my NYCC pics and check back next week to read 5 Ways to Comic Con: NYCC 2017!

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