For the last two years, Alex Johnson's been the number two guy in line for Comic-Con's “Preview Night.”
But this year he wanted to be first.
So the North Park video-game enthusiast got to the Convention Center at 1 a.m. Wednesday – even though the exhibition hall didn't open until 6 p.m. – to finally secure that number one spot.
“I thought there'd be more of a crowd. All four days are sold out, but it seems like there's less people waiting in line this year,” he said, voicing an opinion shared by few others at the Convention Center.
Johnson, 18, didn't bring snacks or a folding chair or even a bottle of water. Just a laptop and lots of anticipation.
“I ate last night before I got here,” he said.
Like so many of the hundreds of people in line, the superfans were fueled by adrenaline. Who could eat with so many collector's items waiting just behind the doors?
Johnson, a recent graduate of San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, was waiting over 17 hours to get an exclusive Metalocalypse figurine and to check out the new Street Fighter video game.
“I play video games about five hours a day,” he said. “Probably more.”
So now that Johnson was the first in line, the number two position went to San Francisco's Jaime Burgos. He drove all night and got in line about an hour after Johnson.
“I've been collecting figurines for about 16 years,” he said.
Burgos was excited to check out the He-Man and G.I. Joe figurines and didn't mind the lack of sleep and food in order to get them.
“If I could, I'd eat toys,” he said.
– NINA GARIN
