Comic Conventions

[Monty]

I think comic conventions are a lot of fun. In fact, I'm going to the Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle in an hour!

Normally I would reminisce about the small comic conventions of my youth, but I grew up in San Diego. And even when Comic Con was small, it was pretty big, if you see what I mean. But there were fewer television stars charging fifty bucks for an autograph.

[TiffanyNichelle]

Since I will probably never be able to afford the big San Diego Comic Con (or if I could, actually get tickets), I go to the New York Comic Con which is in my own backyard. It's pretty fun. For the first few years they had a bigger emphasis on the publishing side of things, more comics and novels, instead of tv shows. But for the past couple of years they've gotten more shows and movies to come out.

This summer they are doing a special edition that will focus soley on the world of comics. I might check it out.

[Wilowy]

I think my first gigantic con was just after The Wrath of Khan came out. It was held at The Summit in Houston and I flew all the way from Anchorage to go. Shatner was there, and I got to give him a "Wild About Anchorage" tee. There was a huge panel on a round, elevated stage and everyone from the movie was there, including Kirstie Alley and Merrit Butrick, along with the TOS cast. James Doohan was the greatest, his stories were awesome, and they all answered questions and gave autographs (included in admission price). 

Can't really afford supercons these days (single mom), so this time around I volunteered for Austin Comic-Con and worked all three days. I did the Cosplay Circuit for Wizard World and it was a blast! I saw so many more people, and got to speak with so many comic artists and writers... and spoke with James Marsters for a LONG time! I highly recommend it. I hope to do it again next year. 

[radishcake]

Heroes Con in Charlotte NC is awesome! We have gone for the last 6 years and it is fantastic. Great guests and just big enough that some really cool people come and not so big that I have a panic attack. 

Dragon Con is in my hometown but I only go to the parade every year. DC is too big but I love to see the cosplay. 

My favorite was one year where I walked up to Kelly Sue Deconnick's table and I was chatting with her and this guy was standing there and I finally said, "I'm sorry who are you?" and it was her husband, Matt Fraction. I turned so red. He was super sweet about it but I was so embarrassed! His comment "it's not like we have our pictures on the comics". hee.

[Monty]

I saw Kelly Sue Deconnick and Matt Fraction yesterday! They were at the Writers Panel hosted by Ben Blacker. I got the impression that Fraction didn't want to be there, but he couldn't help getting invested in the discussion. I ended up picking up Satellite Sam at the Image booth, because everyone on the panel was speaking very highly of it.

[ApathyMonger]

The only "big" convention I've ever been too is C2E2 in Chicago a few years ago.

I go to Thought Bubble in the UK every year, which I always enjoy. It's a great mid-size con with excellent guests and staff and it's nice to meet up with people there I only see once or twice a year.

[Chip]

I go to Dragon Con every year since I live an hour away. That thing has gotten huge and almost unmanageable, but I keep going back! The mainstream comic guests are usually so-so, if any actually come. But the Artists Alley is awesome with people selling their lesser known stuff. I have picked up some great things.

Maybe I should check out Heroes Con, that might be more my speed.

I've been to ComicCon in San Diego twice, but the west coast is a long way from Georgia.

[Lantern7]

I go to comic cons from time to time. I try to devote one trip per year to go to a big con, in addition to stuff that's close to me in the NY/NJ area. Right now, I'm thinking of going to one of two cons in August: Boston for their comic con, or Toronto for my fourth Fan Expo Canada. I haven't been to Boston in ages, but I've had fun whenever I've gone to Toronto.

What do you guys like to do at cons? My main thing is sketches, which you can see here. I also like bargain hunting, meeting friends, and hitting panels. I also try to do some tourist stuff whenever I can . . . last year, I was able to squeeze in a trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore, as well as a museum devoted to the history of sports in the area, as well as Babe Ruth's birthplace.

I highly recommend going to San Diego for Comic Con International . . . it's basically Mecca for geeks. However, I'm aware that it's been getting tougher and tougher to attend. Crap, I got in on a press pass the last time I went in 2009. I will say that it's a great city to visit any time of year . . . especially if you go to the zoo.

ETA for Chip: Heroes Con is a mash of big and indie cons. My problem was that there really wasn't anything to do in Charlotte outside of the convention. If you don't mind the mellowness, I'd recommend going there.

Edited March 31, 2014 by Lantern7

[Monty]

I always think sketches sound like a lot of fun. I'd love to have a sketchbook full of stuff I got at conventions, but I hate asking for them. And I know that's dumb, because the artists are just sitting there, waiting to be asked. I do have one sketch I got decades ago: an awesome Raphael the Ninja Turtle by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, right before the TMNT cartoon started.

This year, I went to a handful of panels (many of them related to the Thrilling Adventure Hour, because when else are they going to be in Seattle?) and wandered the dealer's room. I got some books signed: Don Rosa signed my copies of The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck and The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck Companion, which was pretty cool. And I got the ECCC-exclusive version of Lumberjanes #1, signed by all the creators, which was cool.

The best thing I did was see the big crossover event between Welcome to Night Vale and the Thrilling Adventure Hour, but that wasn't entirely Comicon related.

[Wilowy]

No, but that IS very cool! Awesome!

The coolest sketch I got was year before last, and this wonderful artist did Regular Show as Avengers. It's still on my wall. :D

[Chip]

I like to go to the big panels and Dragon Con will usually have some pretty big names but this involves waiting in a lot of lines. Once we get tired of the lines, there are also dozens of small panels about weird topics like the Georgia Guidestones or whatever.

The dealer rooms are fun, but you can get all that stuff online now. The art show and artists alley are awesome, but I never get sketches. I will buy prints and get them signed usually.

[Lantern7]

Right now, I have four shows in front of me: the Asbury Park Comic Con next weekend, a one-day show at a New Jersey high school, AnimeNEXT in Somerset, and the Special Edition show in NYC. The latter is intriguing to me, since I didn't think I'd be back at the Javits Center until October. Also, I'm pumped that Gail Simone will be dropping by, since I haven't seen her in years. I'm thinking of getting my copy of Leaving Megapolis signed.

ETA: I forgot about MoCCA Arts Fest  . . . probably because there's no ticket reservations to be had. I'll be going there as well.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Lantern7

[MsVixen]

I've been going to the Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con since it started 4 years ago.  My first convention was Wizard World in Chicago where I was visiting.  I met Michael Golden but not in the usual way.  I saw this man struggling to get through the doors with all his "luggage" and I helped him.  I thought he was one of the fans who had bought all the stuff they wanted autographed.  He thanked me and introduced himself and I did the fan girl happy dance!!!!!

That convention was four days and I stopped by his booth every day to chat and buy posters.  We BSed and generally got along really well.  Then the convention started at New Orleans and Michael Golden was a guest.  I went and introduced myself to him again because I didn't expect him to remember me (it had been a year or so, and why would he remember all the fans he met).  Lo and Behold, he did!!!!!  Since then, I've seen him every time he comes to New Orleans.  He has done some amazing sketches for me!

I also go to the panels, Artist Alley (met Phil Jimenez!!!!!!) and photo ops.  Love this stuff and wish I could go to San Diego!

[Lantern7]

I used to go to Wizard World when it was in Philadelphia. Eventually, I stopped going because the emphasis was going off comics and onto multimedia guests. I went to their NYC show last year, but they were only offering one-day tickets. Wound up only getting two sketches. I think my big highlight was passing by Patrick Stewart. Also, one of my big regrets is not saving a pic I took of him when I was in Philly . . . it was the day of the USA/England World Cup match, and he was wearing an England jersey.

ETA: Turns out MoCCA is this weekend, and I'll be away. If you're in the NYC area, I recommend going. It's a nice indie con in midtown Manhattan, and it's worth the time.

Edited April 2, 2014 by Lantern7

[girlonthepark]

I wouldn't say it is a con in the traditional sense but the Toronto Comic Arts Festival or TCAF is pretty great. For one, it is free to attend and they actually get decent names to come - I have met Bryan Lee O'Malley and Daniel Clowes this way and hope to meet Ed Brubaker this year! Mother's Day weekend at the Reference Library. Do it, Canadians!

[Lantern7]

I had a weekend ticket to Asbury Park Comicon. Because I was exhausted today and the travel time, I wound up eating today's admission price. It's not a bad con, but there is so little parking. Once you find a spot, you have to pay a meter. I wound up paying $10 for the whole day, because I didn't know how long I'd be there.

I didn't get to hit any panels, but I did wind up getting four sketches:

Winter Solider

Slade Wilson (Arrow)

Nick Fury

Kaku (One Piece)

I think my next "event" is going to be in conjunction with Free Comic Book Day. There's a place in NJ that I sometimes hit, but there might be activity closer to home. That happens on May 3, in less than three weeks.

[Lantern7]

Just curious . . . is anybody else going to Special Edition NYC next weekend? It's supposed to be more comics-oriented than NYCC in October, and I'm curious to see how a scaled-down show will work. I'll also be going to AnimeNEXT this weekend in Somerset, NJ.

[scarynikki12]

I go to the Con in San Diego every year and I have a blast each time.  It's the one time of year I get encouraged to fangirl in public.  I'm all about the freebies, so I start with the movie studio booths at one end of the room and work my way back to the cheap comics at the other.  

 

What I love most about it is meeting people.  I make at least a couple friends every year and casually chat with others while standing in line.  For the cliched socially awkward geeks, Comic Cons are a great place to try and overcome said awkwardness, though the vast majority of people I talk to a perfectly comfortable in huge social settings.  I always try to meet at least a couple big names and am usually successful.  I've met Henry Cavill (swoon), the pre-season 1 cast of Arrow, the cast of Nikita, the Kristen Bell-less cast of Veronica Mars, Jim Lee, and Aaron Eckhart at the big booths.  The most fun, though, are meeting actors, writers and directors who are recognizable but not getting hounded by the other attendees.  I've met Rafael Albuquerque, Navid Negahban, Sean Gunn, John Cabrera, Richard Speight Jr, and Mark Christopher Lawrence.  I've met Albuquerque a few times, as I try to buy a signed copy of the latest American Vampire graphic novel while I'm in town.  Navid Negahban was the most fun.  We were in the same hallway at the Marriott and he asked me if I knew where the Con's film festival was.  I did and told him, but I also fangirled HARD since I've seen a lot of his movies.  He was delighted, as most people apparently don't recognize him, and we chatted for a few minutes while his increasingly annoyed publicist tried to get him to the film festival.  

 

I've also had bad luck at my last two Cons, healthwise, and am letting my imagination run wild in anticipation of the next one.  First, I got food poisoning, which was lovely, and last year I sprained my ankle.  Neither happened at the Convention Center, and I basically forced myself to still attend despite the respective dehydration and pain (and walking that huge ass room with only one good leg requires major dedication).  I can only imagine the health horror awaiting me this year.  I'm still super excited about going.

 

I'll also try to post my experience in as many relevant forums as possible so, hopefully, that will translate well.

[Wilowy]

Can't wait to hear what happens next! I must say you're a braver soul than I. Not sure I'd haul my cookies to San Diego CC even if I could. Austin CC is just perfect for me, even though that gets crazy too! :)

[Lantern7]

CCI is no-go for me, mostly because I live 3,000 miles away, and it's tougher to get tickets every year. I've been there three times . . . San Diego is a nice place to visit, but the convention is exhausting. Last time I went was in 2009, and I wrote about it for a magazine's website, which you can read here, here and here. For now, I'll have to "settle" for the New York Comic Con.

[Lantern7]

I had fun last weekend at AnimeNEXT, and I'm getting ready for Special Edition NYC this weekend. Here are the pics from AnimeNEXT, which is chock full of cosplayers. I also got five sketches:

 

Marceline (Adventure Time)

Donquixote Doflamingo (One Piece)

Duke Devlin (Yu-Gi-Oh!)

Blair (Soul Eater)

Meow (Space Dandy) (the concept was the artist's idea)

 

Beyond next week, I don't know when the next big con will be for me. Wizard World Philly is out for me, since it's four days and too long a commute for me. I also got notice from NYCC about how there's going to be a big pop culture event that would last for a week in October and touch all five boroughs of New York. As a resident of Staten Island, I'd be interested to see what would happen close to my home.

[Lantern7]

I'm still recovering from Special Edition. A lot of it comes from walking . . . because there was no shuttle services, I had to walk down 34th Street. I wound up walking 16,077 and 12,717 steps. The con itself was pretty mellow. I was expecting something bigger, but it was a nice comics-exclusive show that was a nice lead-in to NYCC in October. Also, I got to see Gail Simone for the first time in a long while, and I managed to carry on a conversation with Kurt Busiek without being a total dork about it.

 

I wound up getting eleven sketches, including five on blank covers. Those things are like crack for me, since I can get them filled out while I keep my sketchbook on me. Here's what I got:

 

Aquaman #15

God Hates Astronauts Preview

X-Men Legacy #1

Black Widow #1

Ghost Rider #1

 

Space Dandy

Shiklah (Deadpool)

Nami (One Piece) as Catwoman

Deadpool

Wapol (One Piece)

Excalibur (Soul Eater)

 

And here are my pics. Not as many as AnimeNEXT. Also, my camera was acting wonky, and it might be time to have it replaced.

[sevans623]

This year is going to be my first trip to SDCC, I'm extremely excited.  There is so much to do it's slightly overwhelming but I think I'm just going to take it easy and try to see a bit of everything, even if it doesn't involve waiting 8 hours in line to get into Hall H.  I feel like that's a waste of my time there unless it's something super important to me.  I'd rather walk the floor and visit some smaller panels. Any tips from those that have been before?  I'm thinking of getting an external battery to easily recharge my phone, but otherwise I'm not sure of any other things to be sure to have handy.  

 

scarynikki12, hope you don't get too injured this year!  I'm also excited to let my fangirl out, especially since I'll be going with my friend, and leaving the husband and toddler at home so no worries about bed time, dinner, or naps! I almost wish it started tomorrow! 

[scarynikki12]

I think you'll have lots of fun sevans623.  Last year was the first time I ever made into Hall H and that was due to getting my disability pass for my ankle.  If you can get in you'll get to watch some great panels, but don't worry if you can't (they all end up on youtube anyway).  What I always tell people is, unless you have a bunch of panels you want to sit through, try and walk the main floor the first day to get the lay of the land.  And take sunscreen because odds are you'll be in line outside at some point.

 

Two weeks to go!

[Lantern7]

Hats off to both of you. I see CCI as Geek Mecca, in the sense that you gotta go at least once in your lifetime. I'm a little bitter that it's 3,000 miles away from where I live, but I hope to go back for a fourth time soon. Remember to pace yourselves, drink plenty of fluids, and allow yourselves enough time for delays. Getting from one end of the hall to the other is an ordeal with the crowds, so don't rush it.

 

ETA: If you have time to sightsee, do it. It's a beautiful city, and the weather is usually awesome. I recommend at least half a day at the San Diego Zoo. Once again: drink plenty of fluids. Lots of fun animals, and they got pandas. I find them a little overrated, since they tend to lie around all day, but they are cute anyway.

 

As for me, I'll be going to Fan Expo Canada out in Toronto in late August. I'm hoping to get some sketches, see some panels, and check off Casa Loma off the list of locales covered in the Scott Pilgrim books. Last time, I was only able to go to Honest Ed's Discount Store, and I got lost trying to find Sneaky Dee's.

Edited July 8, 2014 by Lantern7

[sevans623]

Thanks to both of you!  Lantern7, I'm lucky to live in AZ so San Diego is my usual end of summer vacation place.  It's a beautiful city and the zoo is amazing!  I've spent years driving past the Convention Center, glad to finally make it in this year!

 

scarynikki12, youtube is pretty much where I've gone for all the panels in the past, so I think I'll just hope for Hall H and not worry if I fall short.  We'll definitely be walking the floor Thursday, and from there who knows.  I'm loving all of the updates as panels get confirmed and signings get announced.  Thanks again for the advice!

[Wilowy]

Don't forget to get into Zach Levi's NerdHQ if you can. Best one-on-one panels at the whole shindig in my opinion. 

[Lantern7]

If you can't get to panels, don't sweat it too much. I remember having to wake up extra early on Sunday the last time I went to CCI so I could get into the Doctor Who panel. I don't know if it was Hall H, but it was cavernous, and I managed to get in to see an extended trailer for "The Waters of Mars" and a teaser for "The End of Time." Plus, David Tennant was there, so I count that as meeting a Doctor, even though I wasn't anywhere near him.

 

I'm heavy into sketches, so I usually hung out at the DC Comics booth to get freebies. Last time, I wound up with 20 overall, which is a four-day record for me. However, if you're getting into the convention on a Wednesday and you need your fix, a convention might not be the best place for new releases. I wound up going to a shop near a trolley stop to get my weekly dose. The guy there was closing down for the day, but he took pity on me and let me browse and shop.

[Monty]

Here are my tips for San Diego Comic-Con:

 

1) If you're going to brave Hall H, consider just making a day of it. Go in for the panel before the one you're interested in (or the one before that), and just sit there as long as you can stand it. Be aware that there will be a giant line, and then you'll be in a giant room with a million other people.

 

2) The dealer's room is too big to see all of. It's also the most crowded place in the world. Definitely spend at least a few hours in there, but don't feel like a failure if  you miss something. You're going to miss something.

 

3) The most fun panels are in the smallest rooms.

 

4) You can usually leave as soon as the panel starts taking questions from the audience. A lot of the questions are more "rambling anecdotes."

 

5) There's no shame in sneaking away from the convention to go to Balboa Park or something.

 

6) Everyone says this, but wear comfortable shoes and bring water. And monitor your physical condition so you know when you need to sit down and get something to eat.

[Lantern7]

Also, bring stuff to eat, because you might not want to pay for con food. My "go to" is prepackaged tuna fish with crackers. Worst case, you're near the Gaslamp District, so finding a place to chow down won't be too hard . . . depending on the crowds, of course.

 

Oh, and you're into DC Comics, they've been handing out prizes for most thought-provoking questions at their panels. I actually won a lenticular-covered Forever Evil #1 at NYCC last year by wondering out loud how the Court of Owls could breathe in their mouthless masks. Just a little something to know if you're into swag.

 

ETA: This is me in an owl mask in 2012. You understand why I had to ask about the breathing.

Edited July 8, 2014 by Lantern7

[Monty]

I'm a big fan of leaving the convention center and walking along the waterfront to Seaport Village for lunch. There's a place with extremely tasty fish tacos.

[millennium]

I have attended all of two comic conventions, one a Creation Con (I think that's what it was called) at a Copley Plaza in Boston back in the mid-1980s to see Adam West, who refused to sign autographs (this was announced to the very disgruntled crowd only AFTER he completed his appearance on stage, despite that everyone was told beforehand that an autograph session would follow).   Mr. West bolted when he came off the stage, prompting a crowd of people waving sharpies and 8x10 glossies to literally chase him and his manager down the main hallway of the hotel.   The less-than-dynamic duo ducked into a room off the hallway and locked the door behind them. 

 

The other con was circa 1989 at New Haven, Connecticut to see Shatner, who got up on stage and told an amusing story about how his film crew accidentally burned down an ancient Tibetan monastery while he was doing a project there (only Shatner could make that seem hilarious).

[Lantern7]

I make my peace with not being able to go to CCI . . . then I read the panel schedules and try not to drown in pure envy. Here's the schedule for Thursday. Way too much stuff to go over here. I'd make an effort to go to the last item on the list, but it's gonna be a madhouse that night . . . and there would be three more days of convention left.

 

Thinking about panels . . . one I remember quickly was one for Marvel TV, when Ultimate Spider-Man was teased, and Clark Gregg got a huge round of applause when it turned out Agent Coulson was going to be a regular. Then they premiered the second season of Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes months in advance, with enough action and humor to have the crowd wanting more. Oh, and Hulk ritually savaged the Thing. It was awesome.

 

I also remember going to a DC panel in 2000 at CCI, complete with a trailer for Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker and an appearance from Mark Hamil. In case you didn't know, Luke Skywalker himself has made the short list of greatest Jokers of all time. Oh, and I've been to two Batman: The Brave And The Bold panels where new episodes were debuted . . . including CCI 2009, with "Mayhem of the Music Meister!" starring Neil Patrick Harris. It was a musical episode, and it was pretty epic.

 

ETA: Here's the panel schedule for Friday. Oh, and to those going to San Diego: take lots of pictures.

Edited July 11, 2014 by Lantern7

[Izzyboy]

I'd love to go to SDCC at some point in my life although thats a serious trek for me.  Here in Cincinnati we do have a ComicCon that just started (last year was literaly the first year for it) which I went to last year.  I've been to one or two other smaller Cons but would love to go to a giant one at some pointt.

[Lantern7]

Is there a list of the biggest cons in the world? I used to hear that Fan Expo Canada was the third largest in North America, so I'm assuming Comic-Con International and New York Comic Con are numbers one and two, respectively. I also remember that the biggest con is actually in Europe somewhere, which is too big a trip for me.

 

sevans623 and scarynikki12 . . . I hope that you two have fun at CCI this week. Same goes to anybody else who's going that is reading this.

[MarkHB]

I've been to a couple of large SF conventions (both were Boskones), but not a primarily comics-based one.

OTOH, it turns out that those of you going to SDCC will be able to see Batfleck's cape and cowl!

[Lantern7]

First of all: am I anal for thinking of the big con as "Comic-Con International" instead of "San Diego Comic Con"?

 

Second: What was the worst time you had at a convention? Two things stand out for me:

 

Fan Expo 2007: On the last day, I wind up losing a camcorder and my sketchbook. To say I was a wreck was an understatement. I did get my book back . . . always remember to leave contact info in your books.

 

NYCC 2011: I got something lodged in my sneaker, and I got bad foot pain because of it. How bad? It was enough for me to spend half a day walking around in my socks. Luckily, nobody really pays attention to what you're wearing on your feet . . . or at least they keep it to themselves.

 

I also once lost a trivia contest for VIP tickets because I forgot that Peter Parker grew up in Forrest Hills. The worst part? The next question -- what was the name of Archer's dog on Enterprise?-- went incorrectly answered by the remaining players, and I couldn't force myself back into the game for knowing the answer (Porthos).

[Monty]

First of all: am I anal for thinking of the big con as "Comic-Con International" instead of "San Diego Comic Con"?

It was "San Diego Comic Con" first, and until it shows some signs of actually being international, I'm going to keep calling it by its old name. I'm pretty sure they only changed it so they'd sound more plausible when they threaten to leave the city.

[scarynikki12]

I don't even go that far.  I just call if Comic Con.  I've actually only ever seen it referred to as Comic Con International when I'm physically there and San Diego Comic Con when I'm on these boards.  When I talk to people about it in real life they always know which one I'm referring.  It's the other cons that get a qualifier when I talk about them.

 

I do agree with this though:

 

I'm pretty sure they only changed it so they'd sound more plausible when they threaten to leave the city.

 

 

And I hope they never move.  It's way too big, to be sure, but the location is just perfect: on the water, within walking distance of many hotels, within driving distance of many others, and super close to the airport.  Plus, Anaheim would be the worst location in the world even if it can hold more people, so I never want it to move (not that I think there's a real danger but it comes up every year).

[Lantern7]

I know I'm two months early, but what the hell . . . who else will be going to New York Comic Con in October? The Javits Center isn't as conveniently located as San Diego's con center, but for a commuter like me, that's where the shuttle buses come in handy. It's been getting bigger, but I don't think it'll outgrow NYC.

[Wilowy]

Austin's is also in October. That's where I'll be. 

[Monty]

I don't even go that far.  I just call if Comic Con.  I've actually only ever seen it referred to as Comic Con International when I'm physically there and San Diego Comic Con when I'm on these boards.  When I talk to people about it in real life they always know which one I'm referring.  It's the other cons that get a qualifier when I talk about them.

Yeah, when I started going (in 1984), it was just "Con." As in "Are you going to Con this year?" But people got confused by that when I moved out of the city. And now that Seattle has a comic con that people have heard of, I usually have to stick the "San Diego" in for people to know what I'm talking about.

[Lantern7]

Monty . . . what was the con like before it got huge?

 

I'm grateful for NYCC. Before that, New York didn't have a huge convention for comics. It took a number of years, but I reckon NYCC has hit its stride. Only problem now is that tickets are getting tougher to get. When I went to Special Edition NYC, I waited on line to get in. Then I waited on line for about an hour to get tickets to NYCC. Not the actions of a sane person, but I didn't want to miss it. It's too near me for me to consider not going, y'know?

[Ubiquitous]

I've been attending DragonCon for several years now, after skipping about ten or so, when it was only in the Hilton and they were strating to book overflow rooms in the Marriott.

I wanted to attend Comic Con some day but it sounds like it's too commercisl and "Hollywood" now. It didn't help that it's on the opposite side of the country and you have to commute from the hotel to get there, either.

[Lantern7]

You can read about my Fan Expo Canada trip here. In brief: I didn't have as good a time as I wanted, but that wasn't the con's fault. I didn't have the time or the money for the big name experiences, so I wound up getting bored a lot of the time. I might be burnt out on conventions and shows in general . . . though if anybody from here is attending NYCC in October, I would put my best face on.

[Lantern7]

. . .  and here are the pictures from my trip. Lots of cosplay, a few Deadpools, and some of the sights from Toronto. Enjoy!

[Wilowy]

Love the discount Daleks! Did you cosplay? 

[Lantern7]

Nah. I don't have the personality for it, and I'd hate to get held up every other minute to pose for pictures. And I didn't get around to posing for pictures myself. I did nearly get grabbed by a guy from Innerspace that wanted my reaction to "Into The Dalek." The only time I ever volunteered info for TV was for BBC America at a NYCC . . . and even then, I did it just to get free Doctor Who DVDs.

 

BTW, is it sad that one of my main memories of Toronto was watching Innerspace's coverage of CCI in the hotel room? And oddly enough, I'd be open to going back to San Diego, even though wandering aimlessly would be an art form for me there. Last time I went, I wound up running on fumes by Saturday, and I was approaching "Walking Dead" territory on Sunday.

[Lantern7]

This just in from Bleeding Cool . . . panel schedule for NYCC. I'm probably going to need to print it out and study it, but a few catch my eye already. I just have to be aware that I can't be out late at night, because I'd have to go home to recharge my batteries for the following day. Is anybody else going?

[Valerie]

I'm going! It's my first time going to NYCC -- usually I stick around to the local Vancouver cons like Fan Expo and Anime Revolution. I'm excited. Planning a few cosplays, and mostly going to hit up the anime and Marvel panels.