Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia 2013

Hail Fellow Nerds,

After the past weekend, I can safely cross one more off the bucklet list: to attend a Comic Con! In spite of impending exams, I decided that nerd life comes before studying (for once), and went with a friend to the Philadelphia Comic Con...and boy was it an experience. Being a comic con 'virigin,' I had no idea what to expect from attending a comic con, and quickly learned how awesome it is to dwell in nerdom with fellow fans, and get to meet to people involved in the industry.

You can check in, but you can never leave...(with a full wallet).

Shinnies on sale. Expensive shinnies.

The Comic Con was held in the PA Convention Center, which is right in Center City of Philadelphia and next door to Chinatown. I highly recommend going early to Comic Cons, as they will get packed when lunchtime sets in. This ensures you won't be in a cramped environment, you can easily take pictures of cosplayers, you can freely talk to the vendors, which is especially helpful with comic book artist commissions done on the site.

Nananananananana....BATMAN!

Sometimes I think the plate describes my life. Outtatime!

Unlike the STGCC (which JQ reviewed here), the Comic Con did not have a strong presence from toy companies. Only Kotobukiya (USA) had a display and shop set up, while the majority of the collectibles on sale were set up by stores around the area. I managed to snap some shots from the Kotobukiya display. When buying collectibles, you'll need to have done extensive research and have a good grip on prices, as some items on sale were overcharged IMO.

Collectibles on sale!

Superman and his 3 useful friends (I don't want to tempt Aquaman)

Darth Vader and a Royal Guard. Badasses of the Universe.

The nefarious Joker who never fails to amaze with his penchant for chaos...

The coolest part for me was to meet the comic book artists themselves, to see their work in close up, and ask for commissions on the spot (I'm a sucker for art). I've got to meet Andrew Griffith (Transformers), GW Fisher (Marvel), and Mike S Miller (Game of Thrones, Injustice). I admit I am not very knowledgeable about comic book artists, and one thing I wished I had done was to read up extensively on their backgrounds and connect with them on a more personal level. Maybe next time, but at least they have gained a fan!

Andrew Griffith of Transformers fame.

GW Fisher, he's quite a funny guy.

Mike S Miller, famous for his work on Games of Thrones and Injustice.

It's a wonder how much talent there is...

What's especially cool about Comic Cons are the cosplayers. There is no doubt about that. These guys and girls really add flavor to the event, and I felt 'naked' not being in costume! I've crossed paths with superheroes, khalessis, and even an Astartes, and how awesome is that?! For now, I plan on saving up money to cosplay/dress up the next comic con I would be going to :)

FOR MANDALORE!!!

Khalessis on show, haven't seen a Khal Drogo around yet.

Who am I gonna call???

COOOOOBBBBBRRRRRAAAAAA! A dad who dresses up is super cool by my count.

Orcs and humans shall never find peace...at least in front of the camera.

I AM THE LAW!!!!

Managed to catch Sonic before he ran off!

FOR THE EMPEROR!!!

Comic Cons are also awesome for giving you the chance to meet, get autographs, and take photos with celebrities. Being a cheapskate, I skipped on buying VIP tickets to them but felt boat-loads of disappointment when I saw the list of celebrities present at the Comic Con. Just to name a few: they had Ray Park (Darth Maul), Kevin Sorbo (Hercules), Jason David Frank (Green/White Ranger), Norman Reedus (Walking Dead), and even the legend Stan Lee (caught a glimpse of him)! Man, I want to purchase a VIP ticket next time, but I wonder if I am falling prey to capitalism...

Oh yeah...the beginnings of being enslaved to heartless capitalism?

At the end of the day, my legs were falling off but my spirits soared. As mentioned earlier, I am a sucker for art and collected 3 pieces to start off my "art collection" of sorts. It was an awesome experience just being immersed in nerdom for a day, and I will surely attend another Comic Con in the future, better prepared and hopefully with my best pal JQ!!!

Well, that leaves me having some notes for the next Comic Con:

Keep a close watch on VIP appearances/panels.
Research comic book artists.
Have to dress up next time!
JQ get your ass to a Comic Con!

I love being a geek.

PS: This page contains most of my shots, and the rest can be seen at this FB photo album.