Think of Comic Con as a bigger yet somehow more organized version of Celebration. Last year brought 100,000 visitors so you can expect crowds and for some events, lines. But CC runs fairly smoothly for a convention so don't worry about spending literally all day in some line to nowhere.

Getting passes--Most people who have their four-day pass pick them up on Wednesday's "Preview Night." This is when the lines for passes are the longest (Saturday's lines are the second-longest). Only those with four-day passes can get them on Wednesday. Otherwise, you have to wait until Thursday morning or whenever you plan on coming. If you are picking up your pass for the first time or you need to buy tickets at the window, you will have to get in line to head upstairs. The line tends to move quickly, especially on a Friday. At the top of the escalator, people who have pre-purchased passes are separated from those who need to buy them, making the wait even shorter. Last year, as a pre-purchasee, I had to go to a computer, enter in my confirmation code, and get my pass from a volunteer. It took less than 15 minutes from getting in line to walking out with my badge.

What Not To Wear--Actually, anything except for real weapons and XXX-rated costumes goes. But if you're not costuming, wear comfy shoes (this is a biiiiiig convention center) and if you plan on catching the SW Spectacular in Hall H, bring a jacket. It's freakin' cold in there. Last year I spent two hours shivering while waiting for the Spectacular.

Events--Most of the really popular guests and panels are in Hall H. I'd advise looking up the schedule for this year's events on CC's website and as you would with Celebration, plan your day around the panels you want to attend or the guests you want to see. The annual Lost panel is extremely popular. Kevin Smith's appearance will also be one of the highlights. There are people who come mostly to see the parade of Hollywood stars who slum with the rest of us to pimp their upcoming movies; Samuel L. Jackson will be onhand right after the SW Spectacular to promote Snakes On A Plane. So it's not unusual to find people parked in Hall H literally all day. However, you can only leave to get food (there are restrooms inside the hall). My advice is plan to get a seat at least two hours in advance if not more. For a program at the beginning of the day, you'll have to get into line really early to enter the convention center, then wait in line outside of Hall H.

Exclusives--The earlier you can get 'em the better. Exclusives are magnets for eBay scalpers who will buy up as many as they can. Sideshow was smart to allow attendees to reserve exclusives, which means less time in line and anyone who really wants an item will get one. CC used to be more generous with freebies and you can still get a lot of them, but the exclusives market has cut back on the giveaways.

Artists' Alley--Don't miss out on this! You can find scores of comics artists and illustrators, many of whom have done SW art, selling their work. Last year I got a beautiful print of Padme in her wedding dress for 20 bucks. Many of the top artists have their own booths elsewhere.

Rules--Some panels won't let you take pictures and they don't want you waving lightsabers around...unless it is a SW panel.

Food--Unfortunately, you're a captive audience. The concession stands charge about the same as any concert or sports venue, so be prepared for $6 hot dogs and $3 sodas. My advice is to stick with the concession stands. The Mrs. Fields stand upstairs is expensive ($3 for a pretzel??), unless you want a cookie. If you want anything approximating fast food elsewhere, you will have to hoof it three or four blocks through the Gaslamp district to Horton Plaza, a big mall with a food court. And even those places aren't that cheap. Ditto for nearby Seaport Village. There are plenty of sitdown restaurants in the vicinity of the convention center to grab some chow afterwards though.

Parking--Bwahahahaha! Don't make me laugh!! There is a parking garage inside the center but it fills up by 8 a.m., if not earlier. There is no parking across the street. Since there's almost always a Padres game at Petco Park nearby the same time, don't count on the parking garages downtown either. Traffic near the convention center is HORRIBLE during the con. My advice is a) walk if you're staying downtown b) take a cab c) take the trolley (there's a stop right across the street) or d) have somebody give you a ride.

People Watching--Half the fun of CC. Nowhere else will you see so many different fandoms represented by such...interesting people. You'll feel utterly normal by comparison.

That's my quick and dirty guide to survival. Have fun and maybe I'll bump into you.