This past weekend, I went to Rhode Island Comic Con with some of my friends, none of whom had ever been before. While this was quite the adventure and a ton of fun, there were definitely some things I wish I had known before going. If you have never been to a Comic Con, this list might help you, and give you some pointers on what to do to make your experience more enjoyable, and maybe less hectic.
#1 Get In Line Early
On a chilly, and quite breezy morning, my friends and I stood outside the Convention Center in Providence with hundreds of people in line. We got in line about an hour before Comic Con opened, so for one hour, my friend and I, who like myself was only wearing a light jacket, leggings, and converse, jumped in place to save our bodies from the harsh wind tunnels in the parking garage. After an hour and 25 minutes, we were finally let into the crowded building. However, people behind us had to wait much longer, so if you want to make the most of your day, get in line by 9 o'clock at the latest so that you are able to get in the building a little after it opens at 10. Also, I suggest wearing gloves, hats, and if you'd like, hand warmers or toe warmers to keep yourself warm. Getting in line early also gives you the ability to people watch and see the amazing costumes people wear.
#2 Wear A Costume
For those of you who've never been to a Comic Con, half of it is watching celebrity panels, and buying souvenirs. The other half, however, is wearing a costume and taking pictures with other people who cosplay. So be creative and wear a costume! Even if your costume is a Spiderman t-shirt, you are showing your spirit for superheroes. But if your costume is really cool, you can enter in the costume contest, and you could win whatever prize they are giving out that day.
#3 Bring Money
"Is $40 enough?" I asked my friends before we left. $40 was not enough. The food prices alone are crazy high, and being there for almost nine hours, you need to eat at least one meal. At Comic Con, they also sell tons of souvenirs and posters, and autographs that are NOT cheap. So if you see yourself doing your Christmas shopping here, be prepared and bring no less than $40. There are ATM's there, but there is a $4 charge for the cash, so just get it at your bank's ATM.
#4 Know Who Will Be There
My friends and I were walking through the "celebrity corner" booths for people to wait in line for autographs and pictures and my heart stopped. It was one of my celebrity idols. Jon Heder. I had to meet him, and I was ready to pay whatever I had to do so. It was $30 for a picture, which is why you should bring more than $40, but I didn't care one bit. This was the man who played my favorite fictional character, Napoleon Dynamite, and he was so friendly to me, not at all annoyed that I was just another fan ecstatic to see him. Getting that picture and meeting one of my heroes was definitely the highlight of a great day, even though I was mad that I didn't dress up as Napoleon, because I didn't know he'd be there. So be prepared, and know who's autograph or picture to get, and which panels you want to attend, and what time they're at. Knowing this will help you plan out your costume and day concerning when to get into autograph signing, and panel lines.
#5 Bring Phone/Camera Chargers
As I was saying before, half of Comic Con consists of taking pictures with strangers who have amazing costumes. That is essentially the spirit of Comic Con. So make sure to bring your phone or camera chargers, so that you don't have to stop taking pictures. There is so much to see and do at Comic-Con, and taking pictures help you capture those awesome moments. So don't run out of battery.
I hope these five tips help you if you're a first time Comic-Con goer, and maybe this makes you want to go to Comic Con now. All I can say is that I'll be there next year because last Saturday, I was able to be my nerdy self with a whole bunch of nerds.
And that, folks, is what life is all about.
