Suffering from the Post Comic-Con Blues?

It’s been a week and the high of San Diego is probably starting to wain as we all settle back into our humdrum everyday routine. Special thanks to guest contributor Karen Veazey (@kmyvz) for her suggestions to help us survive in a world after Comic-Con!

NOW THAT SDCC IS OVER…AND I’M SAD

Call it Con-blues, or post-con depression, or connui, many of us are suffering the letdown that follows the best week of the year. The feeling makes sense; even aside from the adrenaline and excitement of seeing celebrities and celebrating our favorite fandoms, it’s terrible to say goodbye to your tribe, to people who wholeheartedly embrace you. As this New York Times writer noted, overall SDCC is an overwhelmingly positive place, a lovefest for creators and stars. For five days we (mostly) get to step away from the judgements and insecurities that we guard against in daily life.

But “When does this depression end?” is a question I’ve seen repeated on social media. So now that SDCC is over what do you do? Thankfully there are many things yet to be explored that can mitigate the Con-blues and keep you plugged into great geek communities.

 

• VIDEOS AND PODCASTS

To alleviate immediate distress, catch up on the videos and podcasts. NERD HQ has thirty-one, almost hour-long videos of panels with everyone from William Shatner to the cast of The Maze Runner. The live podcast from the Nerdist Conival is up, as well as this painfully accurate Comic-Con The Musical from Nerdist and the creator of the Princess Rap Battles. Geek & Sundry has conveniently compiled the trailers shown at SDCC (though the leaked Deadpool is not included because we don’t play that game.) Comics Bulletin has a special SDCC Roundup podcast as well. YouTube has a tons of uploaded panels from Hall H and B20. And check out our very own’s Crazy4ComicCon’s podcast section.

If you know of other podcasts and videos please share them in the comments!

• CHECK THE PROGRAM BOOK

Some of panels will be posting their sessions online so check back for the panels you wanted to attend but didn’t and Google their websites. Marvel has already done so with their Fox/Marvel panel for Deadpool, X-Men: Apocalypse, and Fantastic Four. The Women of Marvel panel – during which they announced a new, female Blade and introduced artwork for Ms. Marvel and the female Captain Marvel – also announced theirs will be up as a podcast within a few days and it is well worth a listen. Some smaller panels record theirs and will post it somewhere, usually by the moderator.

• FIND YOUR COMIC STORE

Visit your local comic store. Nearly every town has them and most – like local bookstores – have suffered in the age of Internet and e-publishing. Even if you’ve never been a comics fan, cruise by a comic shop and see what’s going on there. The staff there is one of the greatest resources about what’s going on in your local geek community as well as what’s new in the comics industry. You may find out about movie nights, meet-ups, or even some new reading material you’ve never tried.

• MEET-UPS

Speaking of meet-ups, check out the Meet-Up app which features tabletop groups, book clubs, cosplay groups, movie meet-ups and more. If you don’t see something you’d like to do you can always start yourself (ex: The So-Cal SDCC FB Community)

• CONS

Check out the full roster of North American Con schedules and start planning for your next one. There are hundreds of Cons around the country for comics, anime, and fandom specific events like Gallifrey One or D23. You can try and look at an overall list on a site like Convention Scene, but nobody seems to have a comprehensive list. Your best bet is to Google what you’re interested in by location, fandom, or artistic style and see what crops up. Start saving now and find out how fun smaller conventions can be; less stress, more elbow room, and more face time with artists and special guests.

• FIND COMMUNITY

Besides the San Diego weather, what many of us miss when we leave SDCC is the sense of community. Facebook has groups dedicated to cosplay, fandoms, artists and authors, and SDCC itself that can provide an ongoing touchpoint to people just like you. This week people are uploading their photos, sharing stories of their favorites moments, comparing swag and making arrangements to swap if they live nearby. Most of these are closed groups, with a rule that postings must relate to Con, so the sense of community remains strong. These groups are also a fantastic way to meet people to have fun with next year!

• THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

Get involved with some ancillary discoveries. I think one of the cool things about fantasy and sci-fi is that it’s connected to real-life things that are pretty intriguing. If, for example, you’re a sci-fi fan, check out the NASA social events that take place around the country. Just for signing up via Twitter you can be invited to a NASA facility for a weekend to learn from their experts and do things like watch a launch attempt. If you like fantasy, check out the Society for Creative Anachronism, dedicated to the world of pre-17^th century Europe. They feature a whole world of Kingdoms which fight and celebrate and they’d love to teach you how to do both, old style. Explore outside pop culture for something you can do year round that will feed your geek.

And don’t forget, there are over 30 superhero/villain movies coming out over the next three years. And while there isn’t a ton of new TV premiering there are so many good shows on right now from Arrow to Once Upon a Time to Scorpion. These weeks before premiere season are the perfect time to catch up on Netflix or Hulu seasons of a show you’ve always said you wanted to see! (I recommend Falling Skies, currently in its last season, but you have to get it on Amazon, Google Play or Vudu.)

Hope that helps you keep the Comic-Con spirit alive and thanks Karen for your great suggestions! Leave your comments below on how you survive the Post Comic-Con Blues.