Busting the Comicon Myth
©2018 Kari Carlisle
In a Saturday Night Live skit that aired in 1986, William Shatner famously told fans at a Star Trek convention to “Get a life.” Since then, TV and movies have poked fun at Con-goers. Commonly portrayed as zit-faced, overweight nerds with no life, wearing costumes that barely resemble the originals, Con fans get a bad rap. Or do they?
The San Diego Comic-Con is arguably the most famous Con, but there are conventions all over the world that celebrate not only comic books, but science fiction, specific franchises (such as Star Trek, Star Wars, Harry Potter, etc.), anime, gaming, aliens, cryptozoology, and more. TV shows like Monk and Castle have had episodes that feature conventions, and movies like Paul and Galaxy Questhave conventions as an integral part of the plot. While convention participants in media are caricatures, the real fans have a sense of humor about these portrayals.
If you have never been to a convention, I urge you to go and check it out. While I’ve only been to the Phoenix Comic Fest, and the size, location, and focus of a convention will dictate your experience, I believe you will likely find a lot of interesting things to do and see. Foremost will be the cosplay. Many fans enjoy dressing in costume, and while media portrayals are usually pretty lame, you’ll be amazed at the quality and intricacy of the some of the costumes you’ll see at a real convention. People put a lot of time and effort into researching and reproducing costumes. And while most of the general population may not be as young and trim as the characters they are emulating, I applaud their desire to assume a new identity, to become a person that they respect or one that allows them to be a “bad guy” for a day. For cosplayers, it’s not just about the costume – it’s about role-playing. That said, I have seen some amazingly fit, young cosplayers that are pretty easy on the eyes if you know what I mean.
Another feature of conventions that you don’t necessarily find in media portrayals is the “panel.” Panels are short (usually 1-2 hours) sessions that are generally educational as well as entertaining. Panels can be about the science behind the fiction, the making of a particular production (TV show, movie, etc.), or workshops (cosplay, writing, etc.). The larger and longer the convention, the more options you will have.
Conventions will also have opportunities to meet celebrities, get autographs and/or photo opportunities, and maybe even party with them.
Shopping, gaming, dancing, drinking, “adult-only” panels, and more may be available at your nearby convention. My suggestion is to do an Internet search for science fiction conventions in your state and look at the website and Facebook page for your closest one. Look for the schedule of events and see what they have available. Bear in mind that the further out the date, the less they will have confirmed. Celebrity guests are sometimes not confirmed until weeks before the convention.
Maybe it’s the anthropologist in me, but my experience at Phoenix Comic Fest last year was like observing another culture. My college instructors talked about “going native,” when anthropologists while observing a culture end up abandoning their own culture to join the group they’re observing. Well, crap, I guess I am going native. I am returning to Phoenix Comic Fest this year for all four days instead of one. I will be attending several writing workshops as I did last year. And this year, I will be cosplaying, attending panels, and yes, I have even purchased a photo op with a famous actor. I’m your huckleberry if you can guess which one. More to come over the next few weeks…
Have you attended any conventions? What’s your take on them?
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To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
In a Saturday Night Live skit that aired in 1986, William Shatner famously told fans at a Star Trek convention to “Get a life.” Since then, TV and movies have poked fun at Con-goers. Commonly portrayed as zit-faced, overweight nerds with no life, wearing costumes that barely resemble the originals, Con fans get a bad rap. Or do they?
The San Diego Comic-Con is arguably the most famous Con, but there are conventions all over the world that celebrate not only comic books, but science fiction, specific franchises (such as Star Trek, Star Wars, Harry Potter, etc.), anime, gaming, aliens, cryptozoology, and more. TV shows like Monk and Castle have had episodes that feature conventions, and movies like Paul and Galaxy Questhave conventions as an integral part of the plot. While convention participants in media are caricatures, the real fans have a sense of humor about these portrayals.
If you have never been to a convention, I urge you to go and check it out. While I’ve only been to the Phoenix Comic Fest, and the size, location, and focus of a convention will dictate your experience, I believe you will likely find a lot of interesting things to do and see. Foremost will be the cosplay. Many fans enjoy dressing in costume, and while media portrayals are usually pretty lame, you’ll be amazed at the quality and intricacy of the some of the costumes you’ll see at a real convention. People put a lot of time and effort into researching and reproducing costumes. And while most of the general population may not be as young and trim as the characters they are emulating, I applaud their desire to assume a new identity, to become a person that they respect or one that allows them to be a “bad guy” for a day. For cosplayers, it’s not just about the costume – it’s about role-playing. That said, I have seen some amazingly fit, young cosplayers that are pretty easy on the eyes if you know what I mean.
Another feature of conventions that you don’t necessarily find in media portrayals is the “panel.” Panels are short (usually 1-2 hours) sessions that are generally educational as well as entertaining. Panels can be about the science behind the fiction, the making of a particular production (TV show, movie, etc.), or workshops (cosplay, writing, etc.). The larger and longer the convention, the more options you will have.
Conventions will also have opportunities to meet celebrities, get autographs and/or photo opportunities, and maybe even party with them.
Shopping, gaming, dancing, drinking, “adult-only” panels, and more may be available at your nearby convention. My suggestion is to do an Internet search for science fiction conventions in your state and look at the website and Facebook page for your closest one. Look for the schedule of events and see what they have available. Bear in mind that the further out the date, the less they will have confirmed. Celebrity guests are sometimes not confirmed until weeks before the convention.
Maybe it’s the anthropologist in me, but my experience at Phoenix Comic Fest last year was like observing another culture. My college instructors talked about “going native,” when anthropologists while observing a culture end up abandoning their own culture to join the group they’re observing. Well, crap, I guess I am going native. I am returning to Phoenix Comic Fest this year for all four days instead of one. I will be attending several writing workshops as I did last year. And this year, I will be cosplaying, attending panels, and yes, I have even purchased a photo op with a famous actor. I’m your huckleberry if you can guess which one. More to come over the next few weeks…
Have you attended any conventions? What’s your take on them?
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
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