On July 3, 2016, fans of everything from comic books, TV shows, movies, etc. got a second chance to enjoy the Secaucus, New Jersey Heroes and Villains Fan Fest. In January a blizzard that hit many east coast areas ended up affecting the New Jersey/New York City area so much that many people either had to evacuate or stay put in their homes or hotel - regardless the convention day for that Saturday was canceled. This actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise for some as many who were stuck at hotels were able to hang out with friends, get some discounted or free artwork from artist who were snowed in with us and who were supposed to be selling their work at the convention, and also those who went to the local Carrabba's Italian Grill that night, and were able to get photos with some of the "Arrow" & "Flash" cast, talk to them, and even maybe get their autographs. The Fourth Of July weekend however, showed mostly clear skies as this time around the Heroes and Villains Fan Fest (HVFF) convention went off without a hitch.
When I got to the convention the first "Arrow" panel had already come and gone, however I was luckily able to make it to the Stephen Amell (Oliver Queen on Arrow) and Cody Rhodes ("Stardust" of WWE fame) panel. While I did have to stand outside of the panel to be able to see, I was able to luckily see from the large screen and hear somewhat the questions people asked and answers that Stephen and Cody gave. They did not reveal a lot during the panel besides hinting that Oliver's connection to Russia will be further explored in Season 5 and announcing that Cody Rhodes would guest star on "Arrow" this upcoming season.
After the panel was over it was time for my photo-op. I have only been to one other convention before, but usually I try to get at least one professional photo-op per con. In January, I was able to get a photo op with Stephen Amell. This time, however, I chose to get a photo with one of my other favorite "Arrow" cast members and characters, David Ramsey (who plays John Diggle on "Arrow"). Lucky for me and many others in line, the line for David's photo-ops went by very fast and I was able to get my photo fairly quickly. He was so sweet and nice and while the photo-ops are usually quick, being able to meet David and get a photo with him was 100 percent worth it.
Next I was able to meet up with some of my friends who all love "Arrow" and the Olicity ship the relationship between Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak). We talked for a bit, showed each other souvenirs we had gotten, and more. That is another thing I love about conventions. It gives people a chance to not only make new friends, but see ones that you would never or rarely get to see outside of conventions.
After that I was able to finally get in line for the Milo Ventimiglia selfie and autograph. He was giving free selfies with the autographs which were about $30 dollars. I had tried to get in line twice earlier but I kept missing him or the time was when I had to go get my photo-op, so the volunteers were kind enough to give me a ticket that allowed me to be one of the first in line once he got back from lunch. I have to say that meeting Milo was one of the highlights of my day. He was kind enough to not only sign photos and give us free selfies (not just one selfie I might add), but also answered any questions we had and actually had a conversation with us. I was able to ask him about the "Gilmore Girls" revival and working on it. He told me it was really fun and that he really enjoyed working with the producers of the show. He also said he thinks that the Netflix revival will begin sometime in December. After we took a few selfies, I walked away happily with my personalized autograph, pictures, and a smile knowing that I got to have a conversation with Jess from "Gilmore Girls."
One of the last things I did that day besides getting a few other souvenirs like a "Game of Thrones" poster for my friend and an autographed Emily Bett Rickards photo, was get a selfie with Colin Donnell. I have always loved the character he played on "Arrow" (Tommy Merlyn) and also many of the musicals he has done in the past like "Anything Goes" with Sutton Foster. I knew I had to get a photo with him that day. He was very nice and also much taller than I expected. While the photo was quick, I was happy to be able to have a selfie with Colin and get the chance to meet him.
After saying goodbye to some of my friends, we had to leave the convention. While I was sad to have to leave, I was very happy and satisfied with how the day turned out. I love being able to go to conventions to not just meet celebrities, but also see panels, get photos, autographs, merchandise, and most of all, to be surrounded by fans who love the same things that I do and are just as excited and passionate about shows, ships, and more. I can not wait to be able to go back to another convention. While I have only had experience with one convention organization, I have to say that if you are looking for a convention with great and helpful staff, as well as fun panels, photo-op choices, etc., I highly recommend HVFF. I have to say that I hope that the next time I go to a convention it will either be HVFF or one with just as much courtesy and fun. Like I said, conventions are an extremely fun and exciting place to meet new people and do things that you would not be able to anywhere else, so if you are thinking of going to a convention, especially for a certain subject you enjoy, do it. I promise you that you will not regret it.
