In “The Electric Can Opener Fluctuation” (3-1), Sheldon is thrice disappointed: his scientific experiment goes awry, thanks to his friends; he misses the new Star Trek movie; and worst of all, he misses Comic-Con!
Comic-Con: a convention so diverse that fans no longer call it by its original name, SDCC, or its full official name: San Diego Comic Con International. It’s simply Comic-Con, and it is, as Howard likes to call it, Nerdvana.
Today, Comic-Con hosts one hundred and twenty-five thousand attendees from all over the world. The demand for tickets is so great that they sold out in seventy-five minutes for the 2014 show.
Comic-Con, the granddaddy of all comic book conventions, is no longer about comics; in fact, comic books are just one of the many attractions. As John Rogers, the president of Comic-Con, explained in the 2010 program book:
When we first started we were able to hold the entire convention in the basement of a hotel. . . . But many don’t realize that it was never our intention to be the largest event of its kind in the world. We . . . have always tried to put on the type of show we ourselves want to attend. That still holds true today. The difference is that over the years the general public has realized that this group of geeks and nerds are on to something. While we may not have felt welcome at some of “their” events or parties, our doors have always been open to everyone. . . . We’re all friends at Comic-Con, regardless if your interest is comics or movie, games or toys.
Geeks of all stripes arrive in full force and often dress in costume, which is a Comic-Con tradition. But if you don’t show up as a character from Star Trek, Star Wars, or another fictional universe, that’s fine. The idea is to go, have fun, and get your geek on.
Though the Comic-Con is the biggest, baddest convention for geeks, it’s not the one I’d recommend for newcomers because of its overwhelming size, the density of the crowds, and its three-ring-circus atmosphere. Moreover, parking near the convention center is expensive and problematic if you don’t reserve spaces in advance, hotel rooms are exorbitant (local hotels jack up the rates just for the convention period), it’s literally wall-to-wall people within the convention center itself, and to get into the main hall to see the television and movie stars means standing in line for several hours; even then, you may, like Sheldon and his friends in “The 21-Second Excitation” (4-8), stand in line for all that time and then be denied entry because all the seats are taken. In an instance where life imitated art, during 2010’s Comic-Con, at Hall H, which can seat sixty-five hundred people, hundreds were turned away when the petty functionary with the clipboard cut off the line for The Big Bang Theory.
Convention programming, even at the smallest conventions, offers a wide range of activities. Depending on the event, there may be panels at which authors, writers, actors, or others speak about their craft; an art show with professional and amateur (fan) art; a huckster’s room where you can buy collectibles of all kinds and at all prices, including books, magazines, original artwork, and figurines; autograph signings; talks given by artists, writers, or actors; and costume contests.
Just as important, conventions offer the opportunity to meet fellow fans whom you’ve known only online, and long-distance friends you likely see only at events such as this.
Over the years I’ve attended numerous conventions—small one-day events, weekend events, and weeklong events—themed around science fiction, comics, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Harry Potter. I’ve also attended Renaissance Faires.
As a vendor, a pro, a guest of honor, and, most often, as a fan, I’ve enjoyed every minute of every convention, as will you. For the newcomer, here’s a brief overview of the various conventions, organized by fandom.
Science Fiction
The big kahuna is the annual World Science Fiction Convention. Fan groups bid for the right to hold the convention internationally, as it’s held in a different city each year. For fans who have only an interest in fantasy or science fiction, this is a good choice, especially if you know why fans are “Slans.”
This Con tends to attract an older crowd, in their forties and up. The programming is extensive, and the partying lasts into the wee hours. The main Web site is worldcon.org, which will have links to the dedicated Web site for the current Worldcon.
In A.E. van Vogt’s novel Slans, Slans are in every way an improvement over mankind, so naturally these superintelligent beings, hated for their abilities, are hunted down by humans who want to exterminate them.
Science-fictions fans like to compare themselves to Slans. Fans, especially those with superior intellects, see themselves as outsiders, persecuted by the “mundanes” because of their apparent differences.
The key publication in this field is Locus magazine (locusmag. com), which maintains an updated list of conventions, arranged chronologically, at locusmag.com/Resources/Conventions.html.
For your first convention, the Worldcon may be a bit overwhelming. Fortunately, there are many regional conventions hosted by experienced fan groups that have been around for many years, including NESFA (New England Science Fiction Association), which hosts Boskone, the Lunarians’ Lunacon, and the Southern fans’ Deep South Con.
For a good overview of SF (not “sci-fi”) conventions, see Wikipedia’s entry for “Science fiction convention.”
Popular Arts
In the early years, comic book conventions were squarely focused on comics; however, as major media coverage of comics grew, the Cons also grew to include movies, television shows, and other subjects of pop culture interest.
The biggest of them, of course, is Comic-Con, which bills itself as a comic book convention and also a popular arts convention, an all-encompassing category that includes peripheral fields of interest.
New York Comic Con, NYCC (newyorkcomiccon.com)
For a predominantly comics-themed show, the big one is the New York Comic Con in the Big Apple. This annual convention is held in October, and in 2010 drew over 130,000 participants, rivaling the attendance of San Diego Comic-Con. Though the primary emphasis is comics, this Con does cater to related interests, much like its brethren in San Diego. “Our show floor plays host to the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television,” notes the New York Comic Con Web site.
Comic-Con in San Diego (comic-con.org)
The Comic-Con (as it’s widely known) is the ultimate event, though its title belies its scope. In recent years, attendance has mushroomed due to the presence of nearby Hollywood, which shows up in full force with movie stars, elaborate booths, booth girls, and prop displays to help build early buzz on the web for its “tent pole” projects, the ones designed to financially hold up the major franchises.
Artist Donato Giancola, who began exhibiting at Comic-Con in 1998, said that in those days, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Dark Horse were the largest exhibitors; the show was then mostly oriented toward comic book fans. Today, comic artists, especially indie publishers, are a small but important part of the show. The Con’s focus shifted to the “Mega Con” concept in 2001 when New Line Cinema put up a massive display to promote The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. In 2004 Lucasfilm upped the ante and displayed a full-scale model of an X-wing fighter on the show floor. Since then, the sky’s been the limit, as major studios compete to put up the biggest displays to catch the fans’ attention, and hope to build buzz for forthcoming movie and television projects.
An unadvertised bonus: Comic-Con’s close proximity to Los Angeles means that there are always stars who show up to walk the floor, see the exhibits, and buy collectibles, just like any other carbon-based life form. Last year, for instance, as soon as I walked onto the convention floor, I saw John Cryer (of Two and a Half Men) buying original art, and had a brief conversation with him. He kindly signed my program book. So keep your eyes open. You’d be surprised who might be standing next to you—hey, is that Jim Parsons?
Comic-Con’s parent organization also runs two other, smaller Cons: APE (Alternative Press Expo) in October, for comic book fans; and Wondercon in April.
Dragon*Con (dragoncon.org)
Held in Atlanta, Dragon*Con is similar in scope to the San Diego Comic-Con, with forty thousand plus attendees in 2011. It is held annually in September. For someone wanting to attend a large pop culture convention on the East Coast, this is a good choice. One of the most popular features is its half-mile parade downtown. The Con has all the usual attractions as well: autograph areas, an awards banquet, live music for after-hours dancing, readings by authors, and stars (TV and movie) signing photos and other memorabilia. For those who can’t get to Comic-Con, this is a fun alternative.
Wizard World (wizardworld.com)
Billed as the “pop culture capital of the world,” this is a franchise of themed conventions, with an emphasis on movie and television stars. There are conventions year-round principally in the U.S.
Creation Entertainment (creationent.com)
Run by longtime fans and convention organizers Gary and Adam Malin, these are official licensed conventions with unparalleled access to the movie and television stars. Located throughout the country, these Cons cater to fans of various movie and television franchises, including Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Farscape, Small-ville, Supernatural, Twilight, Sanctuary, Gossip Girl, UnDead, The Lord of the Rings, and more.
If you’re an autograph collector and are concerned about buying a bogus signature online from one of the popular auction Web sites where forgeries are rampant, Creation Entertainment offers an affordable alternative: they have authentic signed photos for sale at their events and on their Web site, which they guarantee.
Of interest to Big Bang Theory fans, Creation hosted Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar at its Chicago Comic Con in 2014. There was a dual photo op with the two of them for $199.99, or an autographed photo of Nayyar or Helberg for $55.
Star Wars
Star Wars Celebration (starwarscelebration.com), held in Anaheim, California in 2015, is where the Wookies mix it up with Ewoks, Stormtroopers march down the street en masse in formation, and Boba Fett is fêted. This official Lucasfilm event is for “all things Star Wars, produced by fans for fans. ‘Celebrations’ are the largest Star Wars parties, featuring cast and crew celebrities, fans, costumes, music, live entertainment, autographs, collectibles, and panels—but mainly friends who gather to have fun and celebrate their love for the saga.”
Safety note: All blasters must have their safeties engaged and be sheathed, unless you spy Greedo, in which case shoot first.
And FYI: Going to the Con wearing a T-shirt with a built-in speaker that plays the “Imperial March” from Star Wars is strictly optional.
Gaming
See page 208.
Anime
Anime Expo (anime-expo.org) is the place to be if Japanese animated art is your thing. In 2014, it was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, which can hold the one hundred and five thousand plus fans who show up.
A good Web site to follow Anime activities worldwide is animenewsnetwork.com.
Renaissance Faires
If you had a time machine like Leonard’s (“The Nerdvana Annihilation,” 1-14) or a holodeck from Star Trek, you could travel back to the colorful, courtly years of England’s Queen Elizabeth I. If you lack them, you can still experience merry olde England by getting thyself to a Renaissance Faire, where period clothing, food, and activities are the order of the day.
Get into the spirit of things by dressing up in period clothing, as did Sheldon and his posse in “The Codpiece Topology” (2-2). Note: You will usually find costumes on sale by vendors at these events, if you prefer not to order by mail or online.
Fans will, of course, want to add to their collections action figures of the boys dressed in medieval garb, manufactured by Entertainment Earth (entertainmentearth.com).
For information on Faires:
For period clothing:
TEN TIPS FOR CONVENTION NEWBIES
•••••••••••••
by Kirsten Cairns
1. Take a shoulder bag or backpack. It should be big enough to carry a bottle of water, your money, camera, pen, and a notepad—you never know when you might want to get an autograph or make a note of something. You also don’t want to have to keep heading back to your room, which can take a long time when queues are forming for the elevators, so carrying headache tablets, lip balm, etc. in that bag can be handy, too. Basically, plan to stay out of your room all day, and only go back to change and get ready for the evening parties.
2. Bring a sharpie pen and a poster tube. The pen is ideal for autographs, and the tube is the best way to get a photograph or picture safely home.
3. Pick a comfortable costume. If you are costuming, make sure your costume isn’t going to cause you agony; you want to enjoy wearing it, not be crippled by it.
4. Bring lots of cash. Even though you can get cash from ATMs, the lines are very long, and sometimes the machines run out.
5. Save money by bringing your own food. Apples, nuts, cereal bars, chocolate, etc. can be kept in your hotel room and will do for breakfasts and lunches. I try to only buy one meal a day at the Con. Also, if you’re lucky (and ask the reservation clerk way in advance), you may be able to get a fridge in your room, in which case you can even take things like yogurt and milk. Drinking the coffee in the hotel room also saves lots of money and time—lines for Starbucks get very long.
6. Buy alcohol at a local store. If you like a drink at the Con, save money by taking a few beers or some such to have in your room, rather than paying for overpriced bar drinks. In addition, if you host your own room party, you’ll have libations to offer guests.
7. Look at the schedule and make a rough plan for each day. Otherwise, the Con slips by and you realize you didn’t make it to any of the panels you wanted to see. Be savvy about the popularity of panels; if a big star is appearing, you’ll need to get in line at least an hour in advance. At bigger Cons, such as Comic-Con, you may need to be in the line several hours in advance. Plan with your Con-mates what your rough schedule will be each day; even with the wonders of cell phones, it can be hard to find each other unless you have some idea of where people are going to be.
8. Mix and match activities. Recharge your batteries by wandering around the art show or the dealers’ room. Panels are fabulous, but a change of pace is as good as a rest. And you may miss something wonderful by never venturing beyond your chosen track.
9. Stop by the fan tables. Meeting like-minded people is one of the greatest things about Cons. It’s a terrific chance to chat with people who are as passionate as you are, and maybe make lifelong friends.
10. Take business cards. No matter what your line of work, you never know when you may meet someone who is interested in what you do, or wants to hire you, or may be able to help you in your career. Having a business card ready to give is always a good idea.
A former opera director at Boston University, Kirsten is a veteran conventioneer who especially enjoys attending Dragon*Con every year. She’s originally from London, England, and lives in the Boston area.