Another vital part of the San Diego Comic Con ensemble is the backpack. As you enter the convention you'll be handed a swag bag branded with whatever doomed network TV show is being premiered on preview night, but that's not going to be anywhere near enough. It'll be big, yes, but it's also just like one of those bags for life you get at a supermarket. Those handles will dig into your fingers, especially when you fill it with badges and busts of Thanos, They're also pretty unwieldy when you're navigating the crowded hallways of the con floor, plus you'll have to bring a fair amount to the convention with you. So really, wearing a backpack just makes sense. You can keep all your purchases, food, emergency items and changes of clothes in there, strapped to your back like you're at a music festival with less mud and - somehow - less people who have showered. It leaves your hands free for pushing through the masses, grabbing exclusives and taking selfies with Stan Lee. The latter of which is another essential part of your SDCC experience and, if you fail at it, will mean you have failed the entire thing. Sorry.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
