Comic Conventions: Can One Con Rule Them All?

With the comic convention season in a bit of a lull and in the spirit of positivity for 2017, this is a perfect opportunity to share some standout performances I've experienced while meandering the con scene of 2016. I can only speak to those conventions that I actually attended and my thoughts are strictly from a fan's perspective. I've absorbed lots of information while mingling with my fellow geeks; they were quite willing to share their opinions on what makes a con exceptional. For me, it all starts upon entry.

Comic Conventions: Can One Con Rule Them All?

Comic Con Caring

You've purchased your ticket, put on your costume, gathered your friends and family, arrived early and now patiently wait in line for the doors to open into geekdom glory. What better way to start the day than to be greeted with a warm smile from helpful volunteers and staff. I tip my cap here to Heroes and Villains Fan Fest (HVFF) and Walker Stalker Con (WSC) for consistently providing all fans with a heartfelt welcome that feels like home. It is their attention to detail in fan interaction (whether with a celebrity, artist, vendor or volunteer) that truly keeps you wanting to come back for more. I even had the unique experience of seeing their social media staff in action the night before an event; you will be hard pressed to find a more hard-working and diligent group. I watched as these devoted people feverishly answered an onslaught of questions and were visibly distraught if they could not get to all of them. Believe me when I tell you, they do their very best! HVFF and WSC epitomizes the idea of a conventions by fans, for fans. 🙂

Seeing Stars

Everyone has their favorite fandoms. Everyone. One of mine happens to be everything Avengers. I purchased my pass to Wizard World (WW) Philly 2016 months before I knew their full guest list; imagine my delight when WW Philly announced the appearance of 'Team Cap' members Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie as well as other 'Marvel'-ous guests like Hayley Atwell, Tom Hiddleston and Chris Hemsworth. Not into the Marvel universe? Well, WW Philly also featured big names like Michael J Fox (a rare appearance indeed), David Duchovny, Stephen Amell, and Billy Boyd to name a few. If attending conventions for a large variety of celebrity guest interactions, Wizard World is the con for you. With WW conventions being held all over the United States, it is fairly easy to find one located close by.

Pop Culture Paradise

I am not a person that is into collecting stuff and I generally stick to spending my cash on making great memories. Ok, ok... fan art too. I love it, I buy it, I will not apologize. LOL I do recognize though that there are multitudes of collectors perusing the comic convention scene. Whether comic books, figurines, cards, gadgets or costumes... passionate fans are always in search of those coveted items needed to provide completeness to their ever expanding collections. I had never seen such a huge array of all things collectible in such a massive variety as I did while attending Baltimore Comic Con (BCC). I literally got lost wandering through the maze of vendors and artists to the point I had to finally stop and ask for a map! With map in hand I continued my tour of BCC and was simply in awe of the seemingly endless selection of well, everything. I intend to get back to BCC this year (fingers crossed) for the simple reason that I don't feel as if I was even able to absorb all that it had to offer. I blame this on BCC though as I was distracted by their Artist Alley; one of the most expansive I had seen next to New York Comic Con. To my delight, not one but TWO artists worked on commissions for me ... simultaneously. Alright BCC, I guess it was my fault not seeing everything. *hangs head shamefully*

Something In The Air

Atmosphere. There is nothing more electric than the excitement that surrounds New York Comic Con. I am not sure if it's the enormity, the diversity, the creativity, the celebrities, the crowds, the costumes or the fact that all those things are rolled into one but, NYCC sure does know how to put on a spectacular show. NYCC 2015 was the first comic convention I ever attended, I guess if you're gonna start, you may as well start big. I had no clue what I was doing, what I would see, where I would go but somehow none of that seemed to matter. I was swept up and pulled into the emotions of the fans around me. I arrived opening day, on my own, and wandered aimlessly (with a huge smile on my face) through the maze that is the Jacob Javits Center. From Lord of the Rings and Daredevil to Game of Thrones and Once Upon a Time... they had it all! I found my people, my element, my home. I was so overwhelmed I never even made it into Artist Alley that year... funny to think about that now, considering my slight obsession. I would not have changed anything though because it was that experience that drew me into a whole new world. A world of happiness, acceptance and passion.

No Con Can Rule Them All

Whether large or small, each convention has its own unique 'personality'. My goal is to help fellow fans gain insight that will help them choose the best con experience for them. I am in awe of all the incredibly creative people who come together at these events to provide the fans with endless entertainment and unparalleled skills; admiring the cosplayers alone is definitely worth the price of admission at any convention. I have met many fellow fans, artists, vendors, and volunteers that I now call my friends, my family. It is my mission for 2017 to extend my 'con-family', to re-visit some con favorites and venture into new ones, to absorb every aspect of con life and, most of all, to share it with you... my fellow geeks. YOU are what make these conventions special!

Keeping You Comic Con-nected!

Linda Marie

Twitter: LindaMW87

Instagram: comic_con_crazy