Of course this tale isn’t taken from the pages of the many different X titles out there, but it does a very good job of pulling together the reasons why Magneto and Charles Xavier went their separate ways and how they crossed paths.

What turned me away from the film was the strange roster.  Including Darwin and Azazel were at the top of the list for most unused X-Men characters.  Adding Scott Summers’ brother Alex, was also strange considering that the previous films already used Scott Summers.  Maybe they were going to state that in this timeline Alex was Scott’s father?

Another thing that turned me away from seeing this film was the CG work.  Especially the work on the battleships.  The crystal form on the White Queen was also very strange looking.  Deep down I was wishing that they went with more of a snow/ ice look instead of the crystal form.

What makes this film so great is that it doesn’t need to cater to comic fans.  It’s a tale of one person’s revenge and the characters they meet along the way that join him or hinder him in his quest.  Don’t think of the film as a piece of the X-Men trilogy, but a reboot of sorts.  If you can make time to hit the theaters, you should give the film a look.

• Parking: If you plan on getting to the San Diego Convention Center anytime after 7am, you will have to find parking somewhere besides the convention center.  Yes, it fills up that quick.  Especially on Thursday morning and Saturday morning.  If you need to park at the convention center, get there at 5:30am-6am.  Park your car and then walk to one of the many breakfast locations downtown.  Fortunately, Comic-Con has a free shuttle service from most popular downtown locations to the convention. http://comic-con.org/cci/cci_shuttle.php You can also purchase passes in advance for $20 a day at various ace parking structures http://www.thepermitstore.com/comic-con/event/
• Food: Convention food is very expensive and isn’t the most palette pleasing.  Expect to pay around $10-$15 for a meal inside the convention and be stuck several minutes looking for an empty seat, since most tables are filled with con-goers.  The best advice I can give is to hit up Ralph’s in the morning before the convention opens and stock up on some quick eats and drinks there. It’s a quick 3 blocks North of the Convention Center and if you can’t walk it, you can take the free shuttle to Horton Plaza, (across the street from Ralph’s). Keep a small cooler in your car and make quick stops there whenever you’re feeling a bit peckish.
• Lunch/ Dinner: When you want a hot meal, then head to Westfield’s Horton Plaza Mall, where you can score food from over 10 different food court spots usually for under $10.  Places in Horton Plaza vary from panda Express and Mongolian BBQ to Philly Cheese steaks and pizza.  Once again, take the free shuttle, or walk there.  There is also Seaport Village a few blocks Northwest of the convention center.  You can once again take the free convention shuttle, walk it or take one of the bicycle cabs.  The food offered at Seaport Village isn’t as good as what you’ll get at Horton, but it’s another option.  Just a bit further North of Seaport is Anthony’s Fish Grotto where they offer a quick outside restaurant called the fishette. Just across the street from Seaport Village is a a BBQ spot famous for where they filmed the movie Top Gun.
• Breakfast: Downtown offers a great variety of breakfast places.  Unfortunately, most of them will break the bank on most convention goers.  If you’re like most of us, you’re going to want something quick and cheap, that will get you going all day.  I’ve always hit up Ralph’s.  That way I get my groceries in the morning for the entire convention and I can also get some pastries/ donuts/ breakfast sandwiches/ coffee for around $5.  If you’re interested in spending more money and want a memorable breakfast, then hit up the all you can eat buffet at the Marriott Hotel called the DW.  It will run you in around $20-$30, but if you have the money for it, it’s worth a try.  Something to kill the time waiting for those convention center doors to open. There are also tons of great little breakfast shops scattered in the Gaslamp area.

More Comic-Con survival tips coming soon.  Look for part 2 before the end of June.

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Almost 10 years later, we’re still out there bringing convention coverage to the masses. Unfortunately it’s something that no person could successfully tackle on their own.

Current staff:
Mike Hash – Founder, Filmmaker and Photographer.
Piyaporn Poonperm - Camera Operator and Photographer
Alex Ma – Photographer

Staff in the past:
Huy Pham – Photographer
Stephanie Yanez – Interviewer
Alexis Camp – Camera Assistant
Alison Campagna – Camera Assistant