Every week from now until San Diego Comic-Con, we’re celebrating you: our readers! So let’s meet this week’s Attendee of the Week:
Shannon Miller
Where are you traveling from for San Diego Comic-Con?
Rancho Bernardo
How many years have you been attending?
Sixteen! First year was 2008!
What was your favorite panel and why?
Can I pick one from each year if I have one?
2008: Dr. Horrible (The first panel I went to!)
2009: Chuck (Jeffster and the rest of the cast came out singing Fat Bottomed Girls and it was EPIC)
2010: Psych (Dule Hill tap danced. He’s AMAZING)
2011: I think it was Torchwood. For me, this one wasn’t about the panel, it was about who was on it. Bill Pullman. I have had a crush on that man for SO LONG.
2012: Firefly Reunion
2013: The farewell Warehouse 13 panel
2014: Agents of Shield/Agent Carter
2015: Con Man or Doctor Who
2016: The Hall H Marvel panel(s)
2017: The Guild
2018: Clone Wars
2019: Supernatural (bittersweet, since it was their last one)
2020: (Yes, I still attended online) Dragon Prince!
2021: (Another online year) Dragon Prince!
2022: The Sandman
2023: A tie between LEGO Masters and The Hillywood Show
What is your favorite exhibitor or artist booth and why?
Exhibitor: Yesterdays Pins, I love their exclusive SDCC heart pins!
Artist: Karen Hallion. Her artwork is gorgeous and she’s so kind!
What is your favorite item you’ve ever taken home from the convention (swag, exclusive, merch, etc.)?
My husband! We met in the Hall H line for Doctor Who in 2015, and we’ve been together ever since! Also I’ve been making a giant scrapbook since ’08 for each year, so I love bringing home things I can fit in it.
What was your favorite autograph session and why?
I’ve been to a few, but I have to say the cast of Castle in 2010. I loved how they gave out water bottles as we walked into the room for the panel, and then some of us found out we had won the autograph session via a paper inside the bottle! The whole cast was so amazingly sweet, but my favorite, Stana Katic, was absolutely wonderful. We weren’t supposed to ask for them to personalize it, but she asked me for my name and signed it “To Shannon, XOXO, Stana”.
Tell us about your most memorable celebrity encounter at the convention.
Meeting Zachary Levi outside after one of his Nerd HQ parties in 2011. My best friend and I were leaving, and we saw him walking a little ahead of us. We weren’t going to bother him, we just wanted to say hi, so we did, and he stopped, turned around and talked to us for a good few minutes. He high-fived us both as well. Such a sweet guy!
What was your favorite offsite and why?
One of them doesn’t really count as an “offsite”, but it took place during preview night in 2011… there was a production of Doctor Horrible happening on Tenth Avenue and my friend was in it as Moist. It was fantastic!!! As far as official offsites, though, I loved What We Do in the Shadows in 2019 and The Good Place in 2018!
Where is your favorite place to eat during the con?
I usually bring snacks and food for the day, but I really miss the Tin Fish. That place was awesome. Also when [Maryjanes] IHOP had a Good Place theme, “The Interdimensional Hole of Pancakes”.
What is your favorite thing about San Diego Comic-Con?
I love the excitement in the air, the newly found camaraderie between people in line, the chance to “fangirl” with so many people who share my interests, the chance to show so many artists/actors/directors/
What is your best tip having a good con?
If you know which panels, artists, etc. you want to see beforehand, make a list/plan, always have a backup plan, and if any of it doesn’t work out, just enjoy yourself! Just be prepared for minimal personal space, and if you plan on sleeping over, make sure you have all of the supplies you think you’ll need. Get as much rest as you can, too. Take care of yourself.
Do you tend to do the convention solo or with friends?
I’ve been solo a few times, been with a friend a couple of times, but since 2015, I’ve gone with my husband, and we meet up with friends when we can.
How would you describe SDCC to someone who has never been before?
CROWDED! 😉 Seriously though, it is the most amazing fan experience. Even if you don’t go to panels, or get all of the exclusives you wanted, it still feels magical.
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