I admit that I started to write this the day after I went to Comikaze Expo. I also admit that I then became distracted by lots of shiny objects, a pursuit of employment, Thanksgiving and many other things. Don't judge. I finally did it, and I am pleased.
This past weekend I was lucky enough to attend Comikaze Expo's debut. The cast & crew of Awkward Embraces was asked to be on a panel, and we accepted! That meant I was extended a pass to attend the whole event. Wooo! All in all, a good time was had. Aside from a few inconveniences, (floor plan a little wonky, announcements that sounded like Charlie Brown's teacher), I would consider it a success. I look forward to the next year.
So here's what I learned. If I were you, I'd remember this for your next Con.
-Take Pictures
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| Lady Steam and Her Beau |
Whether you use your phone or a nifty digital camera, take pictures. Even if you don't think you'll post the picture later, take it anyway. Half the fun is walking around and snapping pics with your favorite cosplayers. No, I didn't know them all of the costumes/characters, but it was still fun. My biggest regret? I never snapped a picture of a wee little Ghostbuster, complete with wee little proton pack. There were also several wee Captain Americas. Come to think of it, I believe the toddler cosplayers were my favorite.
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| He's Got a Towel, Now Jessica has try to Not Panic |
-Budget Accordingly
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| Cool Stuff Here |
Luckily, Comikaze believes in an inexpensive ticket price. ($12) But then there's the parking at the Convention Center ($12), the over-priced food, and most importantly - THE STUFF! So if you're on a limited budget like I currently am, bring your lunch, carpool, walk, take public transportation, so you can your monies for important things - LIKE COOL STUFF!
-Find Your Twitter Friends/A Con is Like a Big Party
Both days I came by the con all by myself, as I was staying in Manhattan Beach. When I walked in to the convention center, I was lost in a sea of people. And even though I had a map and Jessica texted me where she was, I couldn't find her! I couldn't enjoy the spirit of wandering around when I didn't have anybody to wander around with. But then, I found her:
And then, I found these lovely people:
That's right, I found the interchangeable
Sarah Kuhn and Jenn from
JustJenn Designs at the table for the League of Extraordinary Women. It was like coming home.
Once that all fell into place, it was like walking around a giant party all weekend. You find someone, you chit chat, you move on to the next panel and mingle some more.
And you know what else is great?
The panels I attended were always filled with friends.
It must have due to the fact that Jessica was on 5 panels, (and she even got pulled onto a 6th!), good people attract more good people, ya know. That's a fact.
Here are some pics from the Star Trek Q& A Jessica got to moderate.
Garrett Wang was the first to join her.
The audience was packed just to hear the stories from Garrett, as well as
Celeste Yarnell and
Bobby Clark
-Being on a Panel is FUN!
I admit to being nervous, but really, I was sitting a great group of friends. We're all goofballs and dorks. I think the Awkward Embraces fans were pleased.
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| A Friendly Audience! |
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| Jessica & Our Lovely Moderator Stephanie Thorpe |
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| Steven, Lyndsey, and I Try Really Hard to be Sexy. |
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| Candis Only Looks Nervous |
I wish our panel had been longer, it went by way too fast. Somebody else get us on a panel so we can regale you all with our hilarious hijinks. Please?
I also got a chance to find Twitter friends I had never yet seen in person. Bonnie Burton, Andre the Black Nerd, David Nett, and Taryn O'Neil. That's a thrill let me tell you. Silly me, I didn't get pictures with everyone. (See? Take Pictures!) But I did take a pic or two of Andre:
Two days of walking around with friends is just plain fun. It's why I like a good party, I'm a social butterfly, what can I say?
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| @chrissypedia, @TheBDAG, @Spytap, @ladimcbeth, @TheStephThorpe, @JenniferLanda, @SizzlerKistler |
-Don't Take Yourself Seriously
I think a Con is just supposed to be fun, whether you're a fan, a Super Star, or a Co-Producer for a webseries. I think Comikaze Expo really allowed people to have fun on every level. Allow yourself to geek out whether you're on a panel, you're in the audience, or you're having lunch with your troupe of friends.
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| Barrett is Hotter Than Ever |
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| My Dad Envies This Mustache |
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| Beth and Her Sexy Polar Bear |
