A larger exhibit hall, more celebrities and industry talent,
two hotels, and almost 1000 hours of programming is one way to summarized the
four-day Phoenix ComiCon. Over 30,000 attendees living it up in the heat of
Memorial Day weekend is another way to sum up the event. Just as big as that
other west coast, so cal convention is probably the best way to describe it. No
matter how you characterize Phoenix ComiCon 2012, bottom line it was a really
great show.
Leading up to Memorial Day weekend, Phoenix ComiCon was
posting non-stop on their Twitter and Facebook pages about how they had
expanded the registration area, put many more booths in the exhibit hall and
even lowered costs so fans could enjoy the show more. They weren’t kidding;
lines moved smoothly, the aisles of the exhibit hall floor were maneuverable,
and panel rooms were easy to get too. With the exception of one panel room
(room 121 A&B), there was plenty of room for people in all the programming
areas.
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| Made out of Legos, no joke! |
Phoenix ComiCon staff had a goal of getting 1000 hours of
programming for their event. That’s 250 hours per day for attendees to choose
from. The program guide was filled with panels on anime, cosplay, comic books,
sci-fi, fantasy, zombies and more. There were celebrity guests, industry
experts, artists, writers, and even convention volunteers hosting panels and
sharing their fandom with attendees. The programming was a huge success that
Phoenix ComiCon can be proud of.
Cosplay, cosplay, cosplay! A comic-con does not exist without some form of cosplay going on. And not just for the Saturday night masquerades at most events. Phoenix ComiCon had costumed fans in panel rooms, the exhibit hall floor and at the photo stations all weekend. It was hard to turn around without seeing someone in costume. There were a couple cosplayers who had costumes so big, that they had to find a spot to be stationary because they could not maneuver down the aisle ways. And that didn’t stop people from flocking over to them for pictures with the awesome display of costuming. In addition to cosplayers, there were panels about how to make costumes, cosplaying properly and where to find supplies for cosplay. Costuming was definitely a big part of this show.
Every night of Phoenix ComiCon had some sort of big event.
Friday had a Zombie Beauty Pageant, Saturday there was a Nerd Prom for Charity
in addition to the traditional costume Masquerade. And if big events weren’t
enough, the table top gaming rooms were open late on the mezzanine floor of the
Phoenix Hyatt. Most parties had themes like the Party Like A Time Lord
gathering for Dr. Who fans complete with a replica TARDIS and lifesize Dalek
wondering around. There was something to do for all ages.
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| Party Like a Time Lord |
Phoenix ComiCon is not designed to be exclusionary, it is
just the opposite. Every type of fandom is welcomed and included in
programming, types of celebrities, and special events. The show wants to bring
together these groups and host a big show to celebrate all things pop-culture.
It was a large show without the chaos and all the fun of other big conventions
around the country. If you missed this year’s Phoenix ComiCon, 2013 plans are
already under way and can be found at their website: www.phoenixcomicon.com.
For more coverage from Fanboy HQ, visit our website and for
more photos head over to our Facebook page.
By Martin Bright (@KryptoKid509)
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