It’s time for the SDCC planning to begin in earnest, with the release of the exhibitor list and the floor map. There’s some changes of note, some of which can be determined at a glance by clicking through the picture (the one above takes you to the magnifiable PDF, the one below merely to s more legible, larger PNG):

Did you see it? It might take you a moment. DC Comics isn’t in the center section with the other publishers. They are waaaaay down at the southern end of the hall¹ next to Warner Bros. This should alleviate some of the center-section crowding and aisle clogging, while simultaneously answering the question How many people will travel an extra 30 aisles to stand in an enormous crowd for sneak peaks at whatever “Crisis” DC has dreamed up next?

Also, What happens when that crowd can’t overflow into the areas of surrounding aisles, but is instead constrained by a structural wall right over there? Also also, How badly will the small vendors at the 4500-5000 end of the hall hate DC by the time Thursday is over? Answers on a postcard.

Except For DC, It’s Mostly The Same
The Webcomics, Small Press, and Independent Press Pavilions remain reasonably accessible from the “B” lobby. Let’s break ’em down.

As in previous years: centered roughly on booth #1332, you’ll find a majority of the webcomickers who will be at the show within about a 1.5 aisle radius; some are slightly outside the orange area, but not too far. Those that return are all in the same spots, barring any changes to the map and listings.

Notes:

• No news yet on which TopatoCo creators will be along; we’ll update once we know.
• Hachette (1116), Harper Collins (1029), and Simon & Schuster (1128) remain in Publisher’s Row; :01 Books (2800) and Macmillan Children’s Publishing (2802) continue to colonize the corner with the bend, where their lines will not obstruct main aisles.
• 1232 and 1235 remain, as last year, assigned to Flex Comics (muscle bros hang out there) and Pulsar Entertainment LLC (whose home page prominently features the words MONETIZE YOUR BRAND!), respectively. Inertia, I guess.
• Dumbrella this year will only be Andy Bell because Rich Stevens has decided it’s more important to support his wife in making modern life less stressful pffft, whatever. Another exhibitor will be sharing the space, but the name is not announced yet.
• Penguin/Random House will be taking a chunk of space (1514, 1515, 1623) close by; this is where Gina Gagliano’s new Random House Graphic enterprise will most likely be found.
• Jim Zub will be back for the first time in three years. Citizens are urged to remain vigilant, but calm.

Small Press Folks Are Awesome Folks
Right by the Webcomics section is Small Press. Here you should find:

From the Small Press section, you’re close by:

Notes:

• Gallery Nucleus is closer in than previous years, and will feature arty types when they aren’t hanging out at Mondo down in booth 435. Keep an eye out for your Scotts C, your Beckys and/or Franks, and alumni of the various Flight anthologies. Oh, and they’re listed in the guide as Nucleus.
• No confirmation yet on which webcomickers will be at the BOOM! booth when, but I’d expect a pretty strong rotation.
• For all the drama around the acquisition/merger with Oni, Lion Forge will be over at 5543, which is along the front wall, by entrance C (tucked between Diamond and the wall).

Now head back toward the “B” Lobby into the Independent Press area and you’ll find Terry Moore at Booth 2109, which is split (in accordance with tradition) with Jeff Smith (who remains the best).

Scholastic (that means the Graphix imprint, and that means Raina, Amulet, BONE and other megasuperstars) is in 2115.

Going back to that larger map of the northern half of the exhibit hall. Wedged in between the Marvel and IDW megabooths you’ll find Keenspot in Booth 2635.

The Far End Is Actually Kinda Different
There’s still some neat stuff if you keep wandering past the video games, Star Wars, Legos, and suchlike.

Give yourself time to make the trek, what with DC bringing more folks than usual to the high-numbered end, and you’ll find both Udon Entertainment (4529), and The Hero Initiative (5003). Katie Cook will be at table HH-17, but she’s one of the holdout folks in Artists Alley — it’s mostly comic book types these days. Jim Zub might be found at Udon at some point, or hanging with his Skullkickers partner, Edwin Ironpinky Huang (EE-06).

Know what’s not down this way for the first time in forever? Copic. Their longtime distributor stateside, Imagination International, reportedly lost their license this year, and Copic no longer appears on their list of marker brands. Maybe content yourself with a visit to the Moleskine booth, way back towards the Webcomics Zone (1621)?

Offsite
Every year for the past half-decade the amount of stuff you can see outside of the exhibit hall has grown; I’m guessing we’re only a year or so away from complete parity. If you know of anything especially good, let us know and we’ll add it here. Otherwise, just wander the city and see what you got.

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¹ Also the end of the hall closer to Mexico and the CBP immigration station that is illegally preventing asylum-seekers from presenting themselves at a port of entry as the law and international treaties require them to do. Just saying, if anybody should happen to have a misadventure with some earth-moving equipment over some CBP/ICE vehicles, pretty sure it gets you a straight ticket to the heaven of your choice.