This is as close as I'll be getting to Comic Con this year

If you never been to Comic Con International in San Diego, its an experience you'd have a hard time imagining. It's totally unlike any other comic convention -- you don't have a chance at getting some personal time with anyone working for the major publishers and the crowds make it impossible to browse through the dollar comic bins that seem like a good value anywhere else. Movie studios and TV networks have as dominant a presence as the major comic publishers and toy makers.

Last year's Comic Con boasted 123,000 attendees -- that's about the population of a small city, so just imagine a small city populated entirely of pop culture enthusiasts appearing for four days. The exhibition floor is 460,000 square feet -- you can easily fill a half day just browsing through the aisles. Getting a hotel room is now a greater challenge than getting Madonna concert tickets and Comic Con is now a key part of promoting a TV show (in fact, there were some ruffled feathers this week at the TCA tour when it turned out that ABC was holding back a Lost announcement for Comic Con attendees, instead of the TV critics at the press tour.

The one booth every gay comic reader should seek out at Comic Con is Prism Comics' booth. Prism is an organization dedicated to supporting gay visibility in comics, taking very direct action by making it easier for gay comic fans and gay comic creators to find each other, boosting the market power of both groups. To that end, every year Prism puts out the Prism Guide to Comics, which contains a directory of out creators, information on how to learn more about those creators along with articles and interviews, with the new Guide debuting at Comic Con. Prism also puts out "The Gay Agenda" -- their guide to the Comic Con for LGBT fans. Most importantly, Prism offers the space to LGBT creators, helping them to keep from getting lost in the flood of Small Press and Artists' Alley booths.

Some of the notable events for gay fans at Comic Con include yesterday's Torchwood panel as well as a preview of Lionsgate's upcoming films where Clive Barker was expected to promote Midnight Meat Train, a film based on the short story of the same name.

Tomorrow's panels start with a screening of Pushing Daisies followed by a Q&A session with series creator Bryan Fuller and the cast of Pushing Daisies, including Kristen Chenoweth. I understand the first 300 people in line will get some free pie. Hmm, pie for breakfast. If anyone reading this will be attending the panel, please send Bryan Fuller a "OMGIloveWonderfallsandDeadLikeMesomuch!" on my behalf. Tomorrow's panels end with the annual Gays in Comics panel, which is followed by a social mixer. Saturday night programming includes a screening of The Sarah Silverman Program followed by a Q&A with the entire cast, including Brina Posehn and Steve Agee, who play her gay neighbors. There's also the incredibly popular Masquerade Ball which a friend aptly described to me as "straight people's version of a drag show."

Of course, that's just a tip of the iceberg. Comic Con has become one of those experiences so huge you don't really have to try to fill your schedule, but instead learn to prioritize your day.