I’m sick to death of people knocking comic book conventions and the folks who go to them. When informed of my plan to attend a comic con, the people who knock cons inevitably give me the Vulcan hand salute and make snide cracks like, “Give my regards to the Klingons and Superman.”
Well, Wizard World Chicago and Comicon International reminded me of an important fact: the Klingons, super-heroes and all of their costumed ilk are in large part what make comic cons so enjoyable. We met a lot of fun, interesting people at both cons and talked, laughed and shouted till we were hoarse. Some of the best fun I had, though, was meeting the people in costume. Here’s why:
1. The people in costume almost always keep the cons fun.
Walking through the crowded aisles, I enjoy never knowing just what wild character I’m going to bump into around the next corner. What’s more, the costumed people make the comic cons look like comic cons. If not for them, comic book conventions would be much more drab and dull.
2. The people in costume are almost always friendly and interesting.
Let’s face it – they can’t be too snotty or uptight if they’re willing to parade around in front of thousands of people dressed as Green Lantern or the Black Widow (both of whom I met, by the way.) Ask them nicely about their costumes and you’ll usually get an upbeat, interesting response. We met this group in Chicago, starting with a guy named Ryan and his girlfriend Ellwyn who were dressed as the Joker and Harley Quinn. Well, we made such a fuss over their suits that they were nice enough to come back to our area every day to show us what else they were wearing. Some days, they had more than one costume, but every one of them was very cool. The thing that really impressed me was that there wasn’t even a costume contest – these two (and their group of friends we met later) told me they were doing it just for their own enjoyment. Still, considering how often they were stopped for photos, I could tell they were not the only ones getting pleasure from their work. With their great attitudes and humor, they added excitement and energy to the whole convention experience.
3. The people in costume are almost always very talented.
They’ve worked hard on their costumes and come up with some cool stuff. I‘ve heard some critics say that the costumed cavalcade has too much time on its collective hands. Well, they probably made their suits while the rest of us were watching a bunch of crappy TV shows. And let’s not forget – they’re spending their time in a (literally) constructive endeavor, inspired by their enjoyment, admiration and, yes, love of the kinds of entertainment that is the basis of the cons themselves. I’ve been to the big Halloween events in both New York and Los Angeles, and I’ve still never seen the kinds of cool stuff the costumed conventioneers display.
For example, the Wolverine and Cyclops you see goofing around with us (in gallery one) had some extra cool stuff incorporated into their costumes (which were created by the guy dressed as Wolverine, Scott Crawford.) Cyclops’s visor was nicely lit from inside and Woverine’s claws were actually retractable, enabling him to extend them at lightning speed with a flick of his wrist. Now, I’ve always thought Wolvie’s claws were cool in comics and on screen, but it was a whole new level seeing them work in person. The creativity didn’t end there, though -- we met those same two guys the day before (when we didn’t have the Comicamera with us) and they were dressed as the Alan Scott and Hal Jordon Green Lanterns – complete with very cool custom-made rings that lit up with the touch of a hidden button.
Wizard World Chicago: Steve, Don & I pose with Ghostbusters, Xena & Gabrielle. Sort of.
One more thing before I stop pontificating: I’ve noticed that, aside from the uninitiated non-comics-fans, even some regular convention-goers like to knock other attendees, as if that will make them feel better about being in the same place. Well, I don’t expect one ranting article to change human nature itself (if I did, I’d have written sooner and a lot more often), but next time you hear someone making fun (or you’re tempted to do it yourself), first stop and ask what contribution you are making to the whole comic con experience and see if it stacks up to our often unfairly maligned costumed cohorts.
