One of the great joys of being a fan is attending conventions. Whether you're a fan of comics, Star Trek, Star Wars, horror movies, anime, or all of the above, there's nothing quite like the thrill of going to a con and seeing your favorite writers, artists, actors, and other creators and celebrities. Or maybe you enjoy spending hours hunting down treasures in the dealers room! Sometimes just hanging out with like-minded people can make your day. Cons can provide a wealth of experiences...and while most of them make for great memories, there are also those times you'd just as soon forget!
Larry, Bob, and Karen discuss the pros -and cons -of cons. Consider this our unvarnished look at something we generally love, but have no illusions about either. We'll go down Memory Lane and discuss conventions both old and recent, from small, grass-roots cons, to large mega-cons too. There are always those experiences you plan, and then there are those ones that just seem to happen - and sometimes, those are the most rewarding.
For our Sensor Sweep, we look at some Star Trek goodies from a company called Quantum Mechanix (QMX). They make some beautiful metallic insignia badges that are also magnetic, so when you wear them, you won't have to put a hole in your shirt or costume. You can get ones for all the branches (Command, Sciences, Engineering, etc.). They range from about $5-15 and you can get them at their website (https://qmxonline.com/) or look on Amazon.
Let us know about your favorite convention experiences...or your worst! You know where to find us:
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Thanks for Listening!
As usual great show. Karen's story about Kirby and Lee signing that same notebook sheet brought such a smile to my face. She had already recounted it once at the Bronze Age Babies, but it was especially cool to actually hear her talk about it.
ReplyDeleteBut I really loved listening to all of your convention stories, especially from the 'olden' days back in the 20th century - for me, it's vicarious experience. That's because I never went to any cons, whether comic-, Star Trek or anything else when I was growing up in the '70s and '80s. That's actually one of my big regrets: not going to a comic or Trek convention back in the days before they became these massive, corporate events.
The only shows of the like I've attended are the ones held every year (on the same weekend!) here in Zagreb: the SF convention, Sferakon, and the comic show, now officially called Zagreb Comicon. The thing is, these are still very small events and apparently very much like the older conventions you guys described. For example, back in 2010, Howard Chaykin was one of the guests at the comic show, and he had this meet-and-greet with fans at local library at one point. Not many people showed up, and I ended up spending about 20 minutes chatting with him, plus he signed a few of my comics and drew me a sketch of Monark Starstalker - and I paid nothing for any of this. Stan Sakai has been here twice, the last time this year, and I also chatted with him for a bit. However, most of the guests here are usually European, mainly from Italy and France as they're quite popular in Croatia.
Again, thanks for the great show.
Edo Bosnar
Thanks for listening and taking the time to comment Edo. I hope that we didn't come across too harsh -obviously we still enjoy going to cons, but there's something special about those smaller, more intimate gatherings. Having the opportunity to really talk to someone about their work rather than just going through a long line like cattle to get an autograph is certainly preferable, but I understand that these big cons gotta make money.
ReplyDeleteWe didn't get a chance to discuss some of the crazier, spontaneous stuff that has happened to us - like running into drunk celebs in elevators, or having homeless guys suddenly start yelling and undressing in the restaurant next to the con. Fun times!