So you’re getting ready to go to a Comic Book Convention? Awesome!!! But first, we need to talk. A lot of times, when going to these events, there aren’t too many outlets that tell you about the things you need to be prepared for in order to truly enjoy yourself. That stops now! Comic-Con is an amazing experience. However, as Scar says in The Lion King, you need to be prepared. From small-town conventions and festivals to huge international conventions like San Diego Comic-Con, you will have the best experience if you are well prepared. So here are a few things you need to maximize your Comic-Con enjoyment.
An Open Mind at Comic-Con
Being a geek is such a broad statement. Like snowflakes, no two are exactly alike. So when you travel the aisles at Comic-Con, be prepared to see things you’ve never seen. These can be extremely cool or extremely strange things. However, this is a safe place for nerds and geeks alike and everyone is free to express their love for their fandom as long as it’s not hurting anyone.
That being said, keeping an open mind at comic conventions will open you up to a lot of new worlds. This can be said for gaming, making art, cosplay, and more. Open your mind to new things and new experiences and I promise you’ll enjoy your Comic-Con experience. Try a lot of different things while you’re there. You never know what you may like until you try it.
A Portable Phone Charger
You’re going to be walking around for a long time. It won’t seem like it because you’re having fun, but trust me you’ll put a lot of steps in for the day(s) you’ll be at Comic-Con. You will also be taking a lot of pictures and posting to social media, which will drain your battery. You may not want to stop and sit by an outlet or charging station waiting for your phone to charge, so go ahead and purchase a portable phone charger.
Snacks
I’m all about getting food at the many food trucks that will be at Comic-Con. However, those lines can be taxing and you do not want to be hangry on the convention floor. So do yourself a favor and every morning put a few snacks in your bag to hold you down until you get in a proper meal. A few protein bars and a couple of bottles of water should keep you good. If you have a sweet tooth, stop by the candy store before you hit the convention. These small snacks will provide you with the energy you need to keep having fun at the convention and at the after-parties at night.
Wear Comfortable Shoes to Comic-Con
Do whatever you need to do to take care of your feet!!! They are your MVP at any con. You are mostly on your feet the entire time and walking around seeing cool things and interacting with cool people. Get yourself the best socks you can and a pair of shoes with some good support. If you are cosplaying, do everything you can to modify your footwear so you’re still comfortable. Whatever you do, do not forget to take care of your feet!!!
Check the Comic-Con Schedule & Floor Map
It always sucks when you come home from a con and you start surfing social media only to find photos of all the things you didn’t see at the convention. For most conventions, the official programming schedules and con floor layouts are usually available online about a week before the convention. Pay attention to emails you receive from the convention, it may include valuable information about events, programming, security, parking, badge pick up, and more. For large-scale conventions like San Diego Comic-Con, it is imperative that you read their emails and follow the convention on social media. The bigger the convention the more you need to know.
Taking a look at the convention layout will help give you a better idea of what will be available at the con and what exhibits you don’t want to miss. Especially if there are certain vendors you are looking forward to seeing. Photo opportunities and autograph sessions with celebrities can usually be scheduled and purchased in advance. If there is a celebrity you really want to see we recommend you buy in advance. You don’t want to arrive at the con and find out that all the time slots have sold out. The same applies to panels that include celebrities and special guests. If there is a special guest you want to see on a panel, be sure to check the schedule and prepare to arrive early. Be prepared to wait in long lines for highly sought-after events and exhibits. Conventions don’t usually come around often, and everyone is eager to try it all.
Common Decency
It may seem like common sense to say use common decency. But unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. The experience at conventions can sometimes be overwhelming.
Smaller conventions host crowds in the hundreds while larger conventions can easily boast upwards of 100,000 attendees. With so many new people and so much going on at conventions, it is easy for some people to become overstimulated or forget their manners. Sometimes in our over-excitement, we may even forget to be aware of those around us. Check out our podcast episode with Victoria Male of Your Biggest Fan Girl podcast for tips on how fangirl (or fanboy) like a pro.
Cosplay is not consent. You will see this posted around the convention floor as well as convention websites. Cosplayers are ordinary convention-goers who go to the conventions dressed up as characters they love. Cosplay is a play on the words “costume” and “play”. They are not employed by the con and they go for their own enjoyment. They purchase their badges just like everyone else. They spend a lot of time and resources crafting their costumes.
Cosplayers are usually more than happy to stop and pose for photos. It is important to respect cosplayers. If they are eating, taking a break, or purchasing items on the convention floor, it is important to give them the space they need. When people go to conventions to cosplay, no matter how risqué the costume may be, it is not invention to flirt with them or make them feel uncomfortable. You put the cosplayer in an awkward position if you try to hit on them while they are in cosplay.
If you see a cool or even a sexy cosplay and you want to take a picture, respectfully ask the cosplayer if it’s okay to take a picture. More times than not they will say yes. The only times I’ve seen a cosplayer say no to a picture is if they had to be somewhere at that very moment. Or they were eating. Use common sense and common decency when approaching and asking cosplayers for pictures. Most of the people in the cosplay community are excellent human beings. However, they are still human beings so treat them as such. For more on cosplay check out our Cosplay Connection videos!
The same applies to celebrity interactions. We know that running into your favorite celebrity at a convention is absolutely amazing and so exciting! Remember that celebrities are people too and that we need to respect whatever boundaries that the convention staff and special guests set for us!
The Spirit of Adventure
This could be mistaken for a repeat of the open mind section. It’s similar but not the same. Having this spirit will help you immensely with your Comic-Con experience. As previously stated, there will be several outlets for fellow geeks to enjoy and discover. Take a look at as many things that you’ve never seen as possible. Discover what is unknown to you. Find something that you had a small idea about and really check it out. Be daring with your nerddom and take yourself to the next level. Channel your excitement and that energy into being daring and trying new things. Meet new people. Have fun. Be a geek.
