What you need most at Comic-Con International is a magic wand, or an obedient wormhole, or a mutant power that allows you to be in two places at once -- anything to help navigate among the tens of thousands of visitors trying to demo the hot, new video game or catch a glimpse of Samuel L. Jackson or Steve Carell or the latest fanboy favorite.

Short of that, wear comfortable shoes.

That was the best advice I got last year, my first visit to what has been described as the world's largest gathering of geeks but is so much more.

I'll be there again tomorrow through Sunday at San Diego's massive convention center for the annual festival where fans can mingle with their favorite actors, writers, directors, illustrators and others from various entertainment realms, including comic books, video games, toys, movies and television.

What started 39 years ago as a few hundred comic-book fans gathered in a hotel basement has become a must-attend event for almost every facet of the entertainment industry and wish fulfillment for fanboys and fangirls who want to mingle with their heroes, whether they be atop the comic-book world or Hollywood's A-listers.

With more than 120,000 attendees last year and hundreds more turned away because the convention center was filled to capacity, this year attendees were required to register in advance. All passes were sold out as of last week.

Panels, screenings and events begin with Preview Night tomorrow and continue through Sunday. High on my list: Entertainment Weekly's Visionary Panel, with Kevin Smith (director of "Zack and Miri Make a Porno," filmed in Pittsburgh), graphic novel god Frank Miller ("300," "The Spirit"), Zack Snyder (director of "300" and the upcoming "Watchmen") and Judd Apatow, whose comedies have ruled the box office in recent years.

The smart folks at Focus Features, the production company that has "Hamlet 2" coming out Aug. 27, sent press members "The 2008 Comic-Con Survival Kit" in a bright orange messenger bag. Of course, it's "Hamlet 2"-centric, with information about events related to the movie. It also includes the book "Reading Comics" by Douglas Wolk, a map of the area, T-shirts, drinks and snacks and a first-aid kit.

OK, it's mostly for a toothache, but it does include Tylenol. That will help if you've been stuck in a crowd, being elbowed by fanboys trying to get closer to Jessica Alba or to get a picture taken with the guy in the Captain America suit.

I'm not the only one who thinks San Diego is the coolest place in the world to be this week.

• Andrew Feinstein (the comic strip "Girls & Sports") and Dogmatic Films will be filming a documentary about the experience from the perspective of attendees.

• Entertainment Weekly magazine showcased its first-ever Comic-Con preview with a cover that gives an exclusive look at Snyder's film version of Alan Moore's acclaimed "Watchmen" graphic novel. There are more "first looks," with photos accompanied by Comic-Con plans for movies, TV shows, games and comic books.

From all accounts, there are no plans to push "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," which is set to open summer 2009 on May 1. That's a disappointment, especially after the great launch Comic-Con gave to "Iron Man" last summer. But then, no one knew that Leonard Nimoy would beam in to introduce (Central Catholic's) Zachary Quinto as the new Spock last year (J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" film is now due May 8), so there are bound to be surprises.

Anticipating those, it's also helpful to remember that Comic-Con is no longer just about comic books, sci-fi and horror. The war-inspired comedy "Tropic Thunder," starring Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr., will be screened, along with "Hamlet 2," which stars Steve Coogan ("Night at the Museum" and "Tropic Thunder," too) as a bumbling drama teacher staging an un-PC version of "Hamlet" with his Arizona students. And "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" would seem to be more in line with Kevin Smith's "Clerks" than, say, "Dogma," as far as genre connections go.

Not a superhero in sight, but then, the motto of fans seems to be, once a genre favorite and you'll always be welcome at Comic-Con.