My first ever Comic Book Convention occurred a few years back when my dad noticed that a hotel near us was hosting one. He saw that one of the creators of the Batman villain, Bane, was going to be there. We attended, not knowing what to expect and ended up leaving pleasantly surprised with how much we liked it. It was pretty small; only about two medium sized rooms, total; but it was still fun.
A little while later my dad discovered a Comic Book Convention in Niagara Falls and we decided to go. After that, we were immediately hooked. We started to go to every Toronto and Niagara Falls con that was going on. Eventually, we broadened our horizons and went to other places we had never been to.
By far the biggest convention I’ve been to was the Fan Expo in Canada. My favorite experiences at Comic Book Conventions would have to be meeting Sean Astin and Billy Boyd (they were the first actors I met) and, later, meeting Manu Bennett and Giancarlo Esposito. Just about everyone that I’ve met has given me great advice on becoming a director and I haven’t met one mean person yet.
My favorite part of conventions is the experience that comes with it. It isn’t just the famous people you meat there but the ordinary people who are fans like you. I’ve never had a bad con experience, which I’m very happy about. I wouldn’t even say I’ve ever been disappointed about a Comic Book Convention. They give me something to look forward to and supply me with many stories to tell.
One of my favorite experiences was when my friend and I were waiting for an elevator and Sylvester McCoy came by and got in and invited us in with him. I always enjoy seeing fans react when they see their idols after years of wanting to meet them. Conventions are the perfect way to unite groups of people with similar interests and let them meet those that inspire those interests. I’ve never seen as many dedicated fans, anywhere, as I have at Comic Book Conventions.
Of course there are those who make fun of people who go to cons but they aren’t worth anyone’s time. You should always do what you love and disregard what others say who only wish to put you down. Some of the best advice someone at a Comic Book Convention has given me from Comic Book Convention was from the aforementioned, Manu Bennett, who told me to keep filming because the only thing that will set me apart from the next guy is my amount of experience. I feel like that advice should be passed on to many; not only referring to filming but doing whatever you love. The more experience you have the better you will be.
If you’ve never been to a Comic Book Convention but are interested in seeing what it’s like, I would definitely recommend attending one near you. Chances are you’ll, at the very least, find something cool to buy and someone you want to meet will be there. Even if this is not the case, it’s a great time just for the experience. It’s always fun seeing the different type of people who attend conventions. It’s also fun to visit different cities which makes every con seem like a mini vacation.
Ultimately, the only problems that I’ve run into at Comic Book Convention are getting sore from walking and waiting in line a long time for food! Otherwise, everything for those conventions I’ve attended is pretty well run. Even if you’re not interested in comics and stuff like that, there are a plethora of other conventions.
To wrap this up, I’ll just say that anyone who is thinking about attending a Comic Book Convention should definitely check one out. It’s extremely likely that there is one near you, but it might require a bit of searching. Checking out Convention Scene [http://www.conventionscene.com/schedules/allupcomingevents/] is a great place to start!
If you’ve already been to a con… well, then keep going!