Comic Convention Intro and Beginner’s Survival Guide
The wide world holds many wonders and one of those is the phenomenon that has grown from the rise of geek culture - the almighty comic convention. Back in the day, conventions were rarely more than a collection of slightly overweight men in their mid-30s with receding hairlines sitting around behind tables and trying to sell comics and toys. Occasionally there would be a gaming table or two as well, something to do between the hours of browsing. But now, they've become massive.
There are still the smaller events, but an event such as the San Diego Comic Con (the largest in the world) brings in more than 120,000 people every year. That’s a lot of geek in one place at one time. Having just come back from my first foray into this much larger world, I thought I’d put together this handy introduction / survival guide for those who might be looking at attending a convention in the near future. Hopefully, you will learn a few things to help make your journey easier and more exciting.
1) It can get really crowded, so be ready!
One of the greatest things about the bigger conventions is the sheer number of people that gather together in one place to enjoy what they love. Whether you’re a fan of anime, video games, comics, super hero flicks or television programs like Firefly or Buffy, there’s a place for you there. But due to the huge crowds, it can sometimes feel a little overwhelming.
If you want to avoid the larger crowds, it’s better to go on either the first day or the last. Most of the biggest panels and events occur during the middle of the conventions, so that’s when everyone shows up for sure. You can buy tickets for either one day or the entire event, so it’s up to you how much you want to experience. If you do plan on going during the busier times, you’ll need to be prepared, which leads to the next point on the list…
2) Plan ahead!
Check the schedules of what panels and events are happening each day, make notes of the times and room numbers for each and memorize the floor plan of the place you’ll be attending. If you have a panel you really, really must see, show up to stand in line for it early. This goes doubly so for events involving the main celebrities. Basically, anything in the Main Room of a convention will be busy. If you see a name like Patrick Stewart or Stan Lee attached to an event, it will be nuts. I recommend showing up at least an hour early for the biggest ones and, if you can manage it, show up for the event before it and just sit and wait through that one so that you are guaranteed a spot in the one after it.
Part of planning ahead also includes getting your hotel room early if you’re coming in from out of town. With something like SDCC, the hotels will be booked up months early, so it can be a pain if you wait too long. Same goes for getting tickets. Bigger conventions sell tickets out quickly, so you’ll want to figure out when they go on sale and try to get as many as you need as fast as possible.
3) Bring your camera
One of the greatest things about the conventions is the horde of cosplayers. People dress up quite elaborately and you can easily take hundreds of pictures of amazing costumes and never photograph the same person twice. Keep records of those wonderful memories with your camera, and not just a crappy resolution phone camera - bring something that will take quality pictures. And never be afraid to ask people if you can take their picture. Almost everyone who dresses up at a convention is excited to have people photograph them. They often spend weeks or months preparing their costumes and to have others appreciate them and want to record them is the greatest compliment.
4) Be at peace with the lines (and the fees)
There are many opportunities to get autographs from writers, artists and other celebrities as well as several photo-ops with chosen celebrities. You can’t just approach people on the floor and try to get a picture with them, as most of them will never be seen on the floor. Unfortunately, the biggest celebrities will have lines hundreds of people long and you’ll need to wait for several hours to get your chance. You’ll also need to pay a bit of cash. A picture with Stan Lee at the Portland CC I went to, for example, cost $80. That’s quite a chunk of change, but if you really want that picture, it’s worth it for the memory.
A good idea is to bring your portable gaming system or a nice, long book for the convention. If you’re going to be there more than a day or two and/or plan on getting multiple autographs and photos, bring two books.
5) The last day is bargain day!
There are plenty of booths set up at conventions where you can purchase comic books, toys and some amazing artwork. But there’s a trick to the system. Dealers are really hoping to sell as much as they can at the cons and they pay a pretty penny to reserve a spot. Therefore, once the last few hours of the con come around, they’ll be putting almost everything on sale. This year, I saw some great Golden Age comics going for anywhere from 50 percent to 70 percent off. If you’re a collector, this is the perfect opportunity to fill a lot of gaps in your comic boxes or finish off that toy set you've been working on.
However, many comic conventions have limited run items for sale. You can figure out what those exclusive items are by checking the convention website. If you must have them, you better be first in line on the first day, know where they’re being sold and then hurry your way to the right booth. Everyone else will be doing the same thing and if you don’t get there in the first ten minutes or so, you may find that you've lost your chance.
So hopefully those little tips will give you a better shot at experiencing the convention the way you want to. Everyone goes to the convention with a different expectation and everyone has a different experience. One way to get around some of the above issues is to spend lots and lots of money (sometimes up to $1000) for VIP tickets. With a VIP pass, you’ll get special meetings with celebrities and a list of free photo-ops and signings. Not to mention you’ll be able to get into the short lines for signings and panels with certain celebrities. It can cost more, but if you’re willing to pay for convenience, it’s the way to go.
If you want to see the panels of this year’s Emerald City Comic Convention (in
But you’ll never have the full experience until you actually attend an event. It’s a great way to immerse yourself in the scene and be with thousands of other people who all share your passion for the many faces of geek culture.
Welcome and Hitgirl photos by ME!
Bender and Cosplay Trio courtesy of my friend Meeps
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