So, apparently I'm a little behind. I haven't posted about Dragon*Con yet.
Well here it is. The Dragon*Con post.
Well, the Dragon*Con vs Comic-Con post.
I've also got a few other things coming up concerning Dragon*Con, so get excited! These include:
Awesome photos
More Fatshirt Kirk funtimes
And best of all........my interview with Mark Sheppard! That's right, sci-fi guest star extraordinaire. So yeah. There you go. Read on!
I
told you earlier this year I was planning to write a comparison piece as a
first time attendee to both Comic-Con and Dragon*Con. Now that I’ve been, I’m
hesitant to write it. They’re so different, I don’t really feel a comparison is
possible!
I
think the main difference is people’s purpose for attending. Both have loyal
fans and followers who have attended their respective event for years, even
decades. I felt the purpose of Comic-Con was to see your favorite celebrities
in action, secure autograph opportunities, and take part in a little bit of
stardom. It’s like a geek’s portal into Hollywood. If you read my article about
Comic-Con, you know how exciting this was for me, and all the amazing stars I
got to see in person. But because it’s a portal into Hollywood, there’s a
substantial “industry” presence. There are a lot of non-geeks in attendance,
who are looking to network and otherwise advance their careers. Of course I saw
this at Dragon*Con as well, but from what I could tell, most of the industry
people were geeks too. I found that the attendees at that convention were all
geeky, rather than the distinct nerd/non-nerd distinction I saw at Comic-Con.
Dragon*Con is really a convention run by
fans for fans. The purpose of
Dragon*Con seemed to be fun in all capacities, from meeting fellow geeks to
taking part in interesting panels, not solely the thrill of meeting a favorite
celebrity.
Because
of the differences in purpose, the dynamic at each convention varies greatly,
as do the actual activities. At Comic-Con, I waited in line. A lot. And I got
used to it. Hanging around doing nothing is just part of the experience. After
waiting in line, every panel is very similar to every other panel, with the
subject matter and guests simply changed. At Dragon*Con, however, if someone is
doing nothing, it was because that’s what they feel like doing. Waiting in line
comprised a surprisingly small percentage of my time. What panels I did attend
were all very different; some were led by celebrities in a question/answer
format, others were moderated by fans who wanted to discuss their ideas and
theories about a particular subject.
When
there wasn’t a panel I wanted to attend, there was a lot more opportunity for meeting
geeks than I experienced at Comic-Con. The presence of several bars in close
proximity to one another probably helped a lot. Alcohol has a major presence at
Dragon*Con. While I’m sure there are big
parties and other events at Comic-Con, they aren’t really a part of the daytime
festivities. At Dragon*Con, people are
drinking all day long. And they’re sleeping in the very same hotel where
they’re doing their drinking, so why not?
One
of my favorite aspects of conventions is seeing other people’s costumes and
showing off my own. While there were a few great costumes at Comic-Con, I must
say I was underwhelmed. I guess I figured the biggest convention in the world =
the best cosplay in the world, but I was wrong. There were more cosplayers at
Dragon*Con, and they were significantly better costumers than most of those I
saw at Comic-Con. If you costume, or if you want to costume, Dragon*Con is your
destination.
I
suppose I’d say Comic-Con is business event, and Dragon*Con is a party. Both
were intensely enjoyable in their own way and had a plethora of activities. You
definitely have to make choices though – there simply isn’t enough time to do
everything. Having been to both events now, I know better what to expect for
next year and can definitely manage my time better. Both were amazing, and I’ll
definitely be attending Dragon*Con every year for the foreseeable future. If I
get another opportunity to make the trip out to California for Comic-Con,
consider it done!
If
I had to choose a favorite, though, I’d probably say it was Dragon*Con. But
that’s ONLY because the socializing and costuming aspects of conventions are
the most attractive to me. Both
definitely had strongsuits, and areas in which they out did the other. And both
will certainly appeal more strongly to different types of people. But all in
all, they were both amazing experiences and I’m extremely lucky to have been
able to attend.
Labels: article, comic-con, dragon*con, space gypsies
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