Droves of people were in every direction outside of the convention center, all with the same goal of making their way inside to grab lanyards, booklets, and bags. And then, of course, the packed floor with fully setup booths with comic books, figurines, and collectibles. There were many lines throughout the floor, all for Comic-Con exclusives from various vendors.

Navigating through large crowds of people and the stressed out lines were easily overwhelming. The lack of events scattered throughout the convention center meant attendees were concentrated on the main floor; seeing glimpses of the literal ground was a privilege. Trying to scope out all the booths became more of fighting for your life.

Okay, that last part was an exaggeration. It was more just getting glances of booths while moving with and not against the large currents of people.

The night made me reminisce about how preview nights were like in the early 2000s; back before major studios knew there was a huge market for them. Back when the biggest thing there was Smallville. Back when one of the main draws was a Star Wars fan film festival.

Preview night felt like there was an emphasis on “preview”. The crowd felt sparse. Navigating the main floor felt like a behind the scenes look of Comic-Con. Many booths were not set up yet, or were in the middle of setting up. Part of the appeal was seeing with your own eyes how the event was coming together, before the official first day kicked things off.

Do I miss those preview nights? Yes. It felt intimate; it was fun seeing things being put together, and the ease of walking the main floor with only hundreds of people rather than thousands. But as with everything else about Comic-Con, preview night grew into a behemoth. Things change. Preview night is no longer geared towards a nerd like me. And that’s okay. Other people love the thrill of exclusives, and this is their time. My space on preview night is exploring the outside events being set up throughout Downtown. And it’s fun.