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Tips for navigating the madness at Tampa Bay Comic Con

 
Customers shop for comics, artwork, memorabilia and apparel at the 2013 Tampa Bay Comic Con at the Tampa Convention Center.
Customers shop for comics, artwork, memorabilia and apparel at the 2013 Tampa Bay Comic Con at the Tampa Convention Center.
Published July 28, 2015

Tampa Bay Comic Con drew some 44,000 fans in superhero regalia in 2014, shattering attendance records at the Tampa Convention Center. This year could be poised to topple last year's record, with Saturday alone expected to draw close to 30,000 people. � Here are some tips to help you navigate the scores of merchandising booths and catch your favorite events.

• Buy your ticket online in advance, and print it out at home. This will save you the long line to get your ticket, leaving only the long line to enter the comic con. New this year: You can pick up the tickets you have ordered online at will call from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the second-floor box office of the convention center.

• Wear comfortable shoes. There are long lines, many of them in the heat outside waiting to get in.

• Bring cash since autographs and photo ops are cash only. But there will be multiple ATMs on site.

• Check out the event schedule in advance at tampabaycomiccon.com. The celebrity lineup also is on the website, under the Celebrity Schedules tab.

• Get there early, especially Saturday when Star Wars fans will be converging on Tampa to spot Princess Leia. Doors open at 8 a.m., and parking lots, which generally cost $5 to $12 a day, are expected to fill up fast near the convention center. See tampagov.net/parking for parking locations and maps.

• Expect to line up at least an hour early for the most popular celebrity panels.

Celebrity panels

Carrie Fisher: The author, actor and Princess Leia in the original Star Wars is reprising her role in the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII. Panel is at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in Ballroom B. Lineup begins at 11:30 a.m. in Ballroom D.

Lea Thompson: Mrs. McFly from Back to the Future will talk about her extensive acting career, especially as the mother of time-traveling Calvin Klein, well, Marty McFly, at 4 p.m. Saturday, Ballroom B. Line up at 3 in Ballroom D.

Linda Hamilton: Sarah Connor will talk about her time with the Terminator franchise at 1 p.m. Sunday in Room 24.

Jena Malone: A star in the The Hunger Games and Donnie Darko, Malone will talk about her time in Hollywood. May the odds be ever in your favor at 6:15 p.m. Saturday in Ballroom B. Lineup begins at 5:15 in Ballroom D.

Xavion Shelton: The creepy twin boy walker on The Walking Dead will talk at 3:30 p.m. Friday in Room 18 about the making of Season 5's Episode 9. Learn more about the walker transformation and what it's like when the cameras are rolling.

'Futurama' and 'Space Ghost' voice actors: Voice actors Billy West (Ren & Stimpy, Futurama) and Dunedin-born Hernando High graduate George Lowe (Space Ghost, Cartoon Planet) will take questions about their repertoires of cartoon characters at 5 p.m. Friday in Ballroom B. Lineup begins at 4:30 in Ballroom D.

'SpongeBob,' 'Futurama' and 'Space Ghost': Voice actors Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants), Billy West and George Lowe will take questions at 10 a.m. Saturday in Ballroom B. Lineup begins at 9 in Ballroom D. They also will talk at 1 p.m. Sunday in Ballroom B, with lineup at noon in Ballroom D.

Freema Agyeman: Best known as Martha Jones from Doctor Who, she will talk about what it was like to be part of a massive fandom. 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in Ballroom B. Lineup begins at 12:30 in Ballroom D.

'Game of Thrones': Jessica Henwick and Keisha Castle-Hughes, of the Sand Snakes, talk about their experiences in Game of Thrones at 5 p.m. Saturday in Ballroom B. Lineup begins at 4 in Ballroom D.

Event Highlights

Slave Leia group photo: Listen for the chorus of clanging metal bikinis Saturday afternoon when everyone at Comic Con in a Slave Leia outfit is invited to line up at 3:30 p.m. for a group photo in honor of Carrie Fisher. Meet at the Exhibitor Hall by Booth 1402.

Zombie Walk: All things undead will moan and groan in the halls of the convention center at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Meet at 1:15 in Room 10 to grab a place in the parade.

Cosplay Contest: Register by 3 p.m. Saturday at the Exhibitor Hall Booth 110 to compete. Then, see who wins $150 to $500 in top prizes at 5 in the Exhibitor Hall Room 13.

The Game Cave: With 8,000 square feet of board games, card gaming and more, play from morning until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and until 5 p.m. Sunday in Ballroom A.

League of Little Legends Kids Zone: The area for kids ages 10 and younger offers free crafts and activities each day in Room 17.

The Grid: Electronic Gaming Arena: Find pickup tournaments, fighting games and shooters. From SMASH 4 to Halo, the free game library is hosted daily by Gamerz Vault.

Geekapella: The geeky a cappella group from Orlando, with a repertoire from Star Wars, Harry Potter, anime and more, performs at various times daily.

Tampa Bay Comic Con's Cosplay Parade: The parade has no judging or signups and starts at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Just show up by 1:15 in Room 18 to join.

Tampa Bay Comic Con Film Festival: New this year is the film festival from 1 to 8 p.m. Friday, with several categories for the audience to vote for, such as Most Shocking and Best Visual Effects.

'Rick and Morty' marathon: See a marathon of Adult Swim's newest hit show Rick and Morty. The Season 1 marathon begins at 9:30 a.m. Sunday and ends in the premiere episode of Season 2 at 3 p.m. in Room 23. It's rated PG-13.

Contact Sharon Kennedy Wynne at swynne@tampabay.com. Follow @SharonKWn.