If you purchased badges for Comic-Con International but haven't received an email directing you to the Travel Planners hotel reservation website, it's time to begin frantically searching your spam folder. That's because, as we noted Friday, the annual free-for-all for discounted rooms begins this morning at 9 PT. That's, oh, two hours from now ...

If you didn't receive, or can't find, that email with the website link, the URL should appear on the Comic-Con International hotel page after 9 a.m. At that time you can also call 1-877-552-6642 or 212-532-1660 for assistance.

More than 70 hotels, from Downtown San Diego to the airport to Mission Valley, are part of the convention block, this year, an increase of 10 or so from 2013. Another increase: the price, if only slightly. Room rates range from $152 to to $375 per night for the July 24-27 convention.

If you haven't already done so, you better familiarize yourself with the list of participating hotels; you're required by Travel Planners to provide six choices in order of preference. You'll receive an email within 48 hours listing your selections (for you to review and correct, if necessary); a reservation-confirmation will arrive no later than Thursday.

Reservations require an advance deposit equal to two nights' stay plus tax, due within 72 hours. Those deposits are fully refundable if canceled by April 30. Cancellations between May 1 and June 1 will be charged a fee equal to one night's stay plus tax. Anything after that? Well, you're out of luck.