Every July the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and my heartbeat quickens. I can sense the gathering of nerds from all over the globe. It’s a mecca for the most hardcore geeks. I’m talking about San Diego Comic Con. It is the Super Bowl for the sci-fi/fantasy/horror/pop-culture fan in all of us. Between the days of July 22-25, the San Diego Convention Center houses thousands of vendors selling toys, statues, costumes, video games, movies, memorabilia, and of course comic books.

What many people don’t know is that Comic Con has also become center stage for Hollywood to plug their newest movies. Why? Because those execs know that by winning the hearts of nerds, they win the pockets of America. If you still don’t believe me, notice that the highest grossing movies of the past decade have been comic book/sci-fi/fantasy-related (Avatar, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Dark Knight, Pirates of the Caribbean.)

Many people are too afraid to find out what goes on inside Comic Con. I don’t blame you. It can be overwhelming. From the lights, the thumping bass, the scantily-clad booth babes, to the roar of the crowds, it is enough to make any nerd squeamish. The true essence of the Con is this: showmanship. What do I have to say and how best can I say it? If an entire nation is eagerly anticipating the release of Iron Man 2, what does the Marvel booth do? Display an entire garage of life-size Iron Man suits from the Mark I to the Mark III. That’s what. Or maybe park your giant Na’vi hunting mech in the middle of the convention floor for everybody to take pictures with.

Besides the booths and the vendors, the attendees of the Con are one of a kind. People from all walks of life show off their pop-culture passion and dress up as their favorite costume characters. It’s pretty common to find people dressed up as any array of characters from video games, Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel, or DC universes. There is even a costume ball showcasing the best of the best costumes on the convention floor.

So if you’re in San Diego and you’re able to score a ticket (they sell out every year) then I’d say a trip to Comic Con is definitely worth it. It’s probably the only place you’ll ever get to see and meet a hot girl dressed as Slave Leia.