Do you have a friend with a treasure chest tucked under his bed, immaculately lined with comics tucked in protective sleeves? If so, this friend is probably a nerd. He’s probably watched each of the original Star Wars movies annually, or maybe swivels in his office chair pretending he’s on the deck of the Enterprise, in one of its many manifestations.
Nerd was once an insulting term, meant to brand and ostracize people with certain tastes. Now we’ve embraced them. Nerd culture is no longer hidden away like a shameful secret. It’s something to be embraced and comic conventions are focused on doing just that.
There are four things that all Comic conventions have in common.
- Cosplay. The first thing you’ll notice upon walking into a convention is the people and what they’re wearing. Whether they strive to embody a dapper villain or swoon inducing hero, you can be sure to see thousands dressing up as their favorite character.
- Artists’ Booths. A simple idea. If there are thousands of people who love comics walking around, why not sell some? The artists can range from local talent looking to spread their name, to people with online fame catering to their fanbase.
- Signatures. How many of you grew up idolizing Luke Skywalker or Stan Lee? Well, conventions use the money you give them to bring in the people that nerds idolize. Any one of the Star Trek captains, from Kirk to Janeway, is likely to have his or her respective actor attend a convention.
- Panels. This is a simple chance for professionals in the industry to talk to people who aren’t. Panels can be about the creative process, the laborious effort of producing a comic or even just a simple Q&A. Depending on the host, a panel can take the shape of an erudite lecture to an open conversation among everyone there. You can ask anything from future plans to which characters an author ships.
Comic-cons might seem daunting, but you can enjoy one at whatever level you want. You can dress up and lay out a schedule to attend a panel every hour, or simply sit in a corner and people watch. Conventions are a place for Star Wars fans, Trekkies, Whovians, and Whedonites to assemble. Or just for those of us with a crush on Felicia Day. But you don’t have to identify yourself as a nerd to enjoy them.
Here’s a round-up of some of the best:
Comic-con International: San Diego (July 12-15) is considered to be the best and largest of the conventions. It specializes in celebrities from across all media. San Diego Comic Con has the clout to bring in such legends as Katsuhiro Otomo, creator of Akira. When a celebrity like George Takei or Mark Hamill decides to greet their fans, this is one of the most likely places for them to appear. Comic-Con International transcends its comic roots and broadly delivers the entertainment industry in all its facets.
The New York Comic Con (October 11-14) is slightly smaller, but only just. It is far and away the largest convention in the northeast, attracting both local New York artists to showcase their wares, as well as huge names like Mike Mignola, creator of Hellboy. Anne Rice is scheduled to make her first convention appearance this year at New York Comic Con.
The London Expo (October 26-28) excels in one area the American conventions do not: organization. Instead of its attractions sprawling across an entire convention center, it removes three of its major constituents and houses them in separate areas: Japan EX, Steampunk, and Fringe Festival. The convention itself has brought Anthony Daniels, who played C3PO in all of the original Star Wars movies, and comedian Danny DeVito. The Fringe Festival houses all of the fan-organized events. People reserve spaces of a particular interest, and meet with fellow fans in this area, organizing whatever events they like that abide by the rules, with security on staff. Steampunk has become an enormous subculture of nerd thought, focusing on nineteenth century steam technology and spiffy Victorian garments.
The Toronto Comic and Arts Festival (May 5-6) is a gathering of webcomic artists. It is unique in not welcoming cosplaying in its halls.
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