Comic Con

For those of you who don't know, I live in Utah. And here's a little confession: I am a nerd. I try to hide it most of the time, but it's true. So when I heard that Salt Lake was putting together its very first Comic Con, I got excited. My husband was even more excited, and needless to say, we got tickets early.

I'm pretty new to the convention scene, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I mean, I had a general idea, but that's all. My first experience with Comic Con was really positive, even though I don't really like large crowds (and let me tell you, there were tons of people there). It was very well organized and all of the lines moved quickly, there was a large variety of panels to cover just about every nerd-related interest, and the people there (guests, staff, and convention-ers alike) were all very courteous and tried to make it a pleasant experience for all.

I went on Friday, and it was said that there were over 50,000 people there!

My husband and I went to two celebrity guest panels. The first was with Ray Park, and the other was a Battlestar Galactica 35th Anniversary panel with Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict. First of all, Ray Park is hilarious! I really wasn't expecting that from the guy who played Darth Maul, but he is genuinely funny. It was great to hear him talk about getting started as a stuntman and martial artist, and at the end he invited a bunch of kids onstage to teach them some cool poses and moves. The second panel was also really fun to see. It was entertaining to watch a couple of actors who have worked together and known each other for so long. They were like a comedy duo! The facilitator really didn't have much to say, because the two guests talked with each other so easily about what it was like to be the original Apollo and Starbuck (as well as funny stories about what happened behind the scenes). I'm glad we were able to attend both of those panels!

Ray Park

Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict

My husband and I spent most of the rest of the time walking around the exhibit hall, where all of the booths were set up. There were artists, authors, celebrities, and vendors...along with thousands upon thousands of massing people. I also had the opportunity to go to a very helpful panel with five authors (Brad R. Torgerson, Larry Correia, David Boop, John Steiner, and Eric James Stone) where they talked about writing a good action scene.

Here is what I like about conventions of this kind: it is a place where people of like interests can come together and express their enthusiasm without fear of judgement. You want to dress up like Thor? Awesome! You want to learn some tips on making costumes on a budget? They have professional cosplayers to tell you all about it. You want to hear some how-to tips on turning your steampunk screenplay into a success? They have that covered, too. It was just so much fun to see such unabashed zeal for all aspects of comics and popular culture. People need an outlet for that, and Comic Con provides that.

We'll definitely be going again next year, and hopefully I'll be able to dress up for the occasion (I love costumes). This year my husband and I got silly t-shirts (due to the fact that I'm six months pregnant, I couldn't think of a costume that would work), and then my husband dressed up when he went back on Saturday. Last year he decided he wanted a new hobby, and he's trying his hand at costume armor making. He made himself some Mandalorian armor, and I think it turned out really well! We'll see what we can come up with next year.

My husband in Mandalorian armor, just outside the convention center.