Grab your cape, charge your phone and start working on that parking strategy. L.A. Comic Con is taking over the Los Angeles Convention Center for Halloween weekend — and this year’s lineup is huge.
The three-day celebration of comics, movies, television, anime, gaming and cosplay runs Friday, Oct. 30 through Sunday, Nov. 1, marking the 15th anniversary of L.A. Comic Con.
I’ve been attending L.A. Comic Con with my family for years, and one of the things I love about this convention is that it doesn’t feel like it’s made for just one kind of fan. You can spend an hour browsing Artist Alley, catch a massive celebrity panel, shop for collectibles, wander through an anime experience and then find yourself standing next to someone dressed as a 7-foot-tall Pokémon.
L.A. Comic Con CEO Chris DeMoulin told me that variety is intentional.
“We always try to have a very eclectic lineup because L.A. has a very eclectic and broad fan base,” DeMoulin said.
Nicolas Cage, ‘Breaking Bad,’ ‘Outlander’ and ‘Star Wars’
This year, that eclectic lineup includes some celebrities who rarely – or never – appear at conventions.
Nicolas Cage is scheduled to appear Saturday and Sunday, while Hayden Christensen will be there Friday and Saturday. But one of the biggest draws may be a Breaking Bad reunion featuring Aaron Paul, Bob Odenkirk, Giancarlo Esposito and Dean Norris.
“Aaron Paul’s never done a convention in the United States and Bob Odenkirk’s never done a convention, period,” DeMoulin told me. “So getting the two of them and Dean Norris and Giancarlo together for a Breaking Bad panel is really fun.”
Outlander fans also have plenty to celebrate. Sam Heughan, Graham McTavish, Grant O’Rourke, Duncan Lacroix and Steven Walters are part of the weekend’s lineup, with special fan experiences planned in addition to the traditional panel.
And Star Wars fans can look for Christensen, Rosario Dawson and members of the Ahsoka cast.
Anime is taking over even more space
One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed at L.A. Comic Con over the years is just how much anime has grown. That’s something DeMoulin says organizers are seeing in a big way.
The convention launched its Akiba Station anime experience last year. DeMoulin says it is nearly doubling in size this year to roughly 60,000 square feet, with an immersive area inspired by Tokyo’s Akihabara district.
“When you walk into that part of the show, you’re walking through cherry blossoms and under torii gates,” he said.
Trading card games are also expanding dramatically, taking over a significant portion of West Hall.
“Our job is to just ask the fans what they’re interested in and listen and then try to make space for that,” DeMoulin said.
Bringing the kids? There’s good news
L.A. Comic Con is very family-friendly, and this year kids 12 and under get in free with a Kids Pass selected alongside an adult ticket. Children under 16 must attend with a parent or guardian.
Saturday also happens to be Halloween, so exhibitors will be handing out candy for indoor trick-or-treating. There’s also a dedicated kids area with LEGO building stations and other activities.
DeMoulin says roughly a third of attendees bring their kids.
“If you’re wondering, is it a good place to bring your kids? The answer is yes, absolutely,” he said.
Do not wing the parking
This may be the most important advice I can give you: have a parking plan before you leave home.
Parking at the Los Angeles Convention Center is expected to be especially limited this year because of ongoing construction. Organizers are recommending Metro, rideshare or researching nearby parking lots ahead of time.
DeMoulin was even more emphatic when we talked.
“No matter how early you come, I always advise people the parking is going to be gone really quickly within a couple of blocks of the building,” he said.
His suggestion: take public transit or rideshare, get dropped off, or park farther away and walk or rideshare the final stretch rather than spending an hour circling the Convention Center looking for a spot.
Security, badges and getting inside
Give yourself extra time to get through the entrance and security, particularly Saturday, which is traditionally the busiest day.
If you still need to pick up your badge, there’s an important change this year: on-site badge pickup is in the South Hall Lobby, with access from Figueroa Street between Venice and Pico boulevards. If you already have your badge, you can skip badge pickup and head to the appropriate show entrance.
Badge pickup begins at 8 a.m. Friday and 7:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. General admission show hours are 3 to 9 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
And remember: getting into the convention doesn’t guarantee you a seat at every panel. Seating is first-come, first-served, so arrive early for anything you absolutely don’t want to miss.
Download the app before you go
Another tip from someone who has tried to navigate this massive convention with a kid who suddenly wants to be on the exact opposite side of the building: make a plan.
The official L.A. Comic Con app has the programming schedule, celebrity autograph and photo-op times, floor maps and exhibitor directory. There are more than 200 panels and live programs, plus hundreds of artists and vendors, so figuring out your must-do list before arriving can save a lot of wandering.
DeMoulin compares planning your Comic Con day to planning a theme park visit.
“Figure out what is the thing I really want to see and where is it and when is it there,” he said. “If there are five highlights they want to not miss, they’re able to get those five highlights.”
Of course, some of the best Comic Con moments happen when you turn a corner and find something you had no idea was there.
Tickets and schedule
L.A. Comic Con runs Oct. 30 through Nov. 1 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St.
Single-day general admission tickets currently range from $42 to $60, while three-day passes are $119. Kids 12 and under are free but still need a Kids Pass. VIP options are currently listed as sold out.
Tickets should be purchased through the official L.A. Comic Con website. Organizers specifically warn fans to use only the official ticket links on the site.
The full panel schedule, autograph and photo-op schedules, maps and exhibitor information are available through the official L.A. Comic Con app.
And if you’re debating which day to go, DeMoulin offered one final piece of advice: Friday and Sunday tend to be a little less crowded, while Saturday is typically the big one.
Whichever day you choose, wear comfortable shoes, have a plan — and leave some room in that plan to get gloriously distracted.
