Comic Con

[Reginald Fairfield]

I have been volunteered to work a booth at a comic con, by someone who thinks I would like to get in for free. I've seen the comics they want me to sell there, and I wouldn't buy them.

I have been to a few small anime conventions, this doesn't seem like one of those. There are two celebrities I wouldn't mind seeing Tom Welling from an old show called Smallville, and the guy that voices Cat Noir, but I can't justify spending over $85 on an autograph. So I'm thinking about backing out of this, with more effort. I've already told them this doesn't look like my kind of thing, going by the crowds and the convention smells alone, but they think they're doing me a favor, and they think I need to get out more. I'm already scheduled to work two out of those three days.

Is there anything fun at those things that doesn't cost over fifty bucks?

 

[OswinOswald]

I almost never buy anything when I go to conventions. I know there's a temptation too, but sometimes there's just fun free stuff (for example at San Diego Comic Con there is a blood drive every year and lately they give out Marvel T-shirts promoting whatever movie is going on). A lot of booths have free posters, etc. I think the fun part is just the experience. Sometimes talking to authors or illustrators, sometimes trying demos for upcoming video games, or going to panels and hearing speakers and seeing cool presentations. Sometimes there are movie or anime screenings to attend. Also I like to cosplay so I like showing off my costumes or seeing others' costumes. And I have a lot of friends who go every year too, so its fun to run into them.

When you fly to a convention, there are also limitations regarding how much room is in your luggage and how much you can bring on the plane, so that has also helped me not buy things in the past

Last month I was at San Diego comic con and i think the only thing I bought were these cool Con Rangers patches which are like merit badges for the convention, I think each parch was $6. And I bought my boyfriend a comic he wanted which was $20. I thought about buying this cute little children's book about a mouse from an independent author that was only about $20 for a set too. Sometimes I used to buy cool themed moleskine notebooks when i was at New York Comic Con. Or once I bought a cool pot holder that was made with fun themed fabric, about $15. There's so much to see! So take your time and only get and do what you want to! Don't feel pressure to buy anything!

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

I happened to be in Taipei back in 2014 when a gaming convention was being held. I bought a ticket for entry and for 60 USD, I got to see a lot of presentation booths and try out games. I tried Mortal Kombat X because it was the only game demo that was in English and I was familiar with. There was also a Smash Bros 3DS/Wii U booth but I didn’t go there because it wasn’t in English and there were no translators present. I also got this three foot inflatable sword that I had to deflate just to be able to pack it in my suitcase and I still have no idea how I’m going to inflate it again. I also got the Eon Ticket on my 3DS via Street Pass there and I made sure to try and spread around my area for other ORAS players. I still have the Ticket and use it every time I start a new game.

 

[Neb]

I haven’t been to a comic con, but I have been to a mid-sized anime convention twice. To save money on the expensive tickets I worked as a volunteer there both times. The hours were absurd and I barely had any time to do anything. So many of the other people working there and the con goers I did customer service for were unpleasant and rude. I missed out on doing any panels twice and had to sneak in a little time to browse the artist alley twice.

I live much further from the convention and I’m not entirely sure if I’ll go. I know for sure I won’t volunteer there again though.

 

[Reginald Fairfield]

I haven’t been to a comic con, but I have been to a mid-sized anime convention twice. To save money on the expensive tickets I worked as a volunteer there both times. The hours were absurd and I barely had any time to do anything. So many of the other people working there and the con goers I did customer service for were unpleasant and rude. I missed out on doing any panels twice and had to sneak in a little time to browse the artist alley twice.

I live much further from the convention and I’m not entirely sure if I’ll go. I know for sure I won’t volunteer there again though.

Luckily this is only one booth, but I'm not sure they'd let me stand in line long enough to get an autograph and swoon over anyone.