No doubt those of you who are planning to go to Comic-Con already know this and are probably hunkered down in front of your computer (or computers) with your browser (or browsers) already opened and ready to rock. (And maybe Twitter as well, as the excitement has already begun).
That's because badges for the 2013 Comic-Con International in San Diego will go on sale to the general public at 9 a.m. Pacific today.
As I noted earlier this month, you have to have a Comic-Con Member ID to be able to be buy a badge. If you don't have one, you won't be buying badges today -- the site is closed to new registrations and will not reopen until next week.
Also, if you purchased a four-day badge with Preview Night during pre-registration in August 2012, or if you are a professional or guest of professional who has registered for a Comic-Con 2013 professional badge, you are not eligible to participate in open online registration and can’t buy any badges today.
Watch for updates here as badges go on sale (and sell out).
Update, 8:54 a.m.: This might be handy for anyone who has trouble with the system this morning:
Update, 9:05 a.m.: Five minutes in, and lots of folks on Twitter are reporting "server errors" or "the waiting room has reached capacity" messages ... while a few report they've made it into the virtual waiting room.
Update, 9:23 a.m.: Yep.
Update, 9:28 a.m.: Reports on Twitter that people are getting badges; one person said all days are still available:
If you're still in line, or not in line but trying to get in it, keep at it until you hear something official. Comic-Con hasn't updated their Twitter feed since before 9 a.m., and no doubt they'll give official word on when badges are sold out.
Update, 9:50 a.m.: Four day passes with preview night are sold out.
Update, 9:53 a.m.: All four-day passes are gone.
Update, 10:01 a.m.: And now Saturday single-day passes are gone.
Update, 10:12 a.m.: Friday is also gone.
Update: 10:35 a.m.: CCI has called it: badge sales are now closed:
Roughly an hour and a half, which is longer than I expected them to last. Lots of happy people with tickets, lots of really unhappy people who never made it into the waiting room. Now when do hotel sales open?