Suit Up Team: Newbie Guide For Con Season

With spring fading on the cosmic wind and summer blazing in like a solar flare, the onset of con season 2022 is upon us. You say you have never been to a con, that you have never dived into the majestic nerd landscape of cosplay, celebs, and sweet nerd merch?

Fear not, O noob of the conlife, the guide herein shall give you a glimpse of the fields of fandom, and prepare you for the improbable, the bizarre, and the just plain fun. Also, some words of wisdom from those who have been to cons and have shared their experience.

Before we get into detailed con advice the consensus across the board has been wear good shoes !!!!

1. Know your scale- Some people think they can just jump in a show like the San Diego Comic-Con or Dragon Con in Atlanta, GA, without prior experience. This can be overwhelming for someone who has never been to a show before. One way to get your feet wet is to go to a small-scale con or trade show to get an idea of what you’re in for.

Local shows such as the Traders Village Con held in Houston, TX, or Nerdfest or Eastern Rim cons, are community-based shows that usually have either celebrity or artist guests, panels, vendors, and cosplayers like at a big show. However, as smaller-scale cons are often limited on space, the number and popularity of guests they invite, and if they actually have panels are determined by space and availability as well. Look at the scale of show versus ticket prices, and check on what the show offers versus single to all weekend tickets.

Planning,organizing,prioritizing the people and events you really want to attend because if it’s a big con, you’ll likely ,not realistically, have time to do all the things and see all the people you want. – Martina Inez Rocha-Robinson HOuston, TX

2. Prepare for the show-With the advent of COVID, economical concerns, and gas prices, know what you are getting into for a show. Prepare for the show with your and your family and friends’ needs ahead of time. This part of the guide is about being prepared. Batman shouldn’t be the only one taking advantage of prep time.

Things to consider are:

• Get plenty of the rest the night before, you’re going to need it
• Along those same lines, if it is an out-of-town show, plan for accommodations accordingly. Some events will have discount rates at a hotel close by. Do some comparison shopping before you head out to the show.
• Find out what the shows bag/food/and disabled policies are.
• Some comic cons and show only allow bags, carts, or the like, of certain sizes into the show. Check and see what their outside food and beverage policy is, sometimes bringing in water and snacks is considered a no-go, see what you can find out due to food vendors having high prices.
• At some venues, there can be food places that may be cheaper than the vendors at the show.
• If you have a friend or family member that may need mobility assistance, be sure to check with that venue on their accommodations for that showplace, many have guides for those patrons.
• Also, aware that these shows aren’t for everybody. If you have a friend or family member that is going to support your endeavors or just see what a con is all about, then, check the area to see what else might be available to them.

CHECK TO SEE WHAT THE CON’S BAG POLICY IS. SOME WILL ALLOW YOU TO BRING IN AN UNCHECKED BAG. I’VE FOUND IT HELPFUL TO BRING WATER AND ENERGY BARS TO TIDE ME OVER. – KIM HOFFPAUIR Texarkana, TX

Cosplay photos by Wayne Kelley

3. Cosplay-This part of the guide has a visual component as seen in the slideshow above. Some people are intimidated by the idea of being around a bunch of people running around dressed as their favorite characters. That is nothing to be concerned with. Looking through the photos, you can see people of all ages, walks of life, and interests in costumed play, or cosplay. Different years and popularity of different properties and movies can be seen throughout these pictures as well, don’t be intimidated or afraid to ask for photos. Remember, cosplay does not mean consent do not be grabbing at the dressed-up do-gooders. Cosplayers work very hard on dressing up. Be polite when approaching and asking for photos.

4. The Vendor/Celebrity/Artist Areas- This is the heart of the show, and although they are stationed in different areas, they all flow together. This is where you will find everyone from movie and tv stars to professional wrestlers and comics artists and writers. You will also find small press publishers, crafts, and artists who sell and create custom art at the show. Also, there are vendors for toy, comic, and memorabilia collectors as well.

“Finding out what a dealer room is was astounding. And then learning that the content of dealer rooms varies by convention was another revelation. Also, at some cons you can buy and sell things at a fan auction/resale area.

People should know that, depending on the con, the price for getting an autograph from your favorite star can be expensive. But, depending again on the con, getting a little bit of art custom drawn by your favorite artist is usually a bargain.

At some of the bigger cons, some merchants/publishers/game designers/etc can’t get a booth in a dealer room, so they get a room in the hotel and demo/show their wares in the halls or a lobby area. Don’t be afraid to look around outside the actual quarters of the con… you never know what you will find.” – Blaine Mather, Houston, TX

Also, communication with on site artists is important, is you want to have a sketch made, don’t be afraid to approach an artist about their work or having acustom sketch done.

5. Be Safe- Learn what the health and safety plans and policies aer for a show or venue. From COVID to First Aid, knowing these things will help. Also, make sure you have charged device and know all numbers for everyoe in your group. Also, pickng a meeet up spt for a certain time, is a good way to keep in touch during show hours. Most large scale shows have apps with maps and schedules that will help you with planning.

Enjoy the shows, have fun, MTFBWY and TTFN.

Thanks to all who contributed advice for this article.