So, Doctor Who, Marty McFly’s mom and the receptionist from WKRP walk into a bar ...

What, you haven’t heard this one? The one about the biggest sci-fi/fantasy convention happening this Labor Day weekend in Atlanta? The one and only Dragon*Con?

Then rub Les Nessman’s head for good luck and grab your Zeus plugs. You’re going to love this.

Dragon*Con is under way in Atlanta. Click here to follow our blog throughout the weekend.

Dragon*Con dubs itself the “largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the universe.” It’s not too far off. Taking control of five downtown Atlanta hotels, this convention becomes its own city with more than 30,000 people expected to pass through its doors between Thursday and Monday.

You might ask yourself: Why should I care if a bunch of “Star Wars” rejects wear Duct tape and parade down Peachtree Street? If that’s all you think Dragon*Con is, you’re missing out, Greedo.

Still got that 1970s print of Loni Anderson hanging in your man cave? Then why not meet her in person this weekend? Want to hunt down that one comic book from your youth that’s always escaped your grasp? Here’s the place.

Or maybe you just want to ogle all the slave girl Leias that will surely make their appearance throughout the convention. Join the crowd.

Whether novice or adept, it’s always a good idea to know what you’re getting into when stepping into Dragon*Con. Here’s a few tips that I’ve learned over the years:

Bring a stash of food to keep in your hotel room. I can’t stress this enough. The last thing you want to do is spend the con waiting in line at Sbarro.

Get there today or Friday if you can. The number of people at Dragon*Con makes registration horrific. The con has promised a more streamlined method of registration this year, but there’s no reason to tempt fate.

A walkthrough of the Dealers Room is always a good idea, but make sure you do another pass through if you’re still there on Monday. Vendors tend to drop their prices on the last day.

Check out the program beforehand and make a plan on what to do. The con is huge and will overwhelm you if you’re not careful. Pick some panels to attend, a few bands to see and guests to swoon over.

Because, really, when’s the next time Sylester McCoy, Lea Thompson and Loni Anderson are going to be together?

Alan Riquelmy, reporter, can be reached at ariquelmy@ledger-enquirer.com