My Honest Opinion on Comic Con

Comic Con is a crazy event that has grown in popularity immensely over the years. Thousands upon thousands of people spend loads of money to enter the event and even maybe meet their favorite celebrities!

As a massive fangirl myself I can’t explain to you my excitement when I found out I was able to go for the first time this year. It was a last-minute thing so I didn’t have time to prepare for what was waiting when I arrived at Comic Con on Sunday, October 6th, 2019.

First off, the entrance to Comic Con is absolute hell. I understand why they make you walk around an entire block but it feels completely unnecessary since the entrance, in reality, is right next to you but noooo, they make you walk an extra half-mile!!!!!! To someone as physically inactive as me, this was a pain and took an extra 30 minutes.

Finally after actually getting through security, (we love security because SAFETY!!) I made in into the Javits Center and WOW, It’s like a Hot Topic threw up in there. So many people, places, booths, things to do, places to see. Needless to say, it was a bit overwhelming.

The entire reason I had bought tickets was for a panel of a great new Netflix show. Waiting on line to get into that panel was honestly a lot of fun. Something about fan conventions that a lot of people don’t realize is the sense of community that comes with it. Everyone is there for the same reason as you, so you find yourself able to make conversation with absolutely anyone! It’s one of the things that made Comic Con and other conventions I went to so memorable.

The panel itself was AMAZING! I got to see some of my favorite creators and even got to watch the first episode of their new season before it aired, which was INCREDIBLE! The creators were super nice and I was even able to sneak my way into an autograph signing at the end of the panel.

Unfortunately, since there are so many events and people at Comic Con a lot of things happen at the same time. So I missed out on seeing a panel of another of my favorite shows, “Manifest”, but maybe next year!

 I also wanted to go to the Marvel booth, but one of the flaws of Comic Con is how FREAKING CROWDED it is. I couldn’t walk 20 ft in front of the Marvel booth due to how densely populated it was. Junior, Sophia DiPrima says, “I always love hearing about all the new information we get from Comic Con, it would’ve been cool to hear some of it live.”

Comic Con includes a lot, A LOT of merch and things to buy, they also have special partnerships with certain companies to sell “Comic Con Exclusive” items. I had wanted to buy one of these said “Comic Con Exclusive” Funko POPs. As an excessive POP head buyer, I know a regular POP head is usually anywhere from $10-$25, so you can imagine my surprise when I go to buy one and the clerk tells me it’s $60????? Uhm NO! I’m not spending $60 on a 4 inch tall, plastic doll, are you kidding me!!

Walking through the Main Stage there were so many people, and so many things to look at that in reality I didn’t find myself enjoying anything. There was no time to “stop and smell the roses.” It really felt like a big mosh pit of over 50,000 people. Student Ella Lau says, “It can be very overwhelming and kinda scary because you get pushed around a lot.”

I tried to make the most of my first and only day at Comic Con this year. I’m not one to waste the $80 I spent on that ticket. But in between waiting on several lines for Panels, Autographs, and food, by 3:30 I was GONE. You get tired so fast. I can’t even imagine being one of the people in those big insane costumes (though I admire their dedication and the cosplay was super cool to see).

So many people paint Comic Con as this incredible event, and it is but I think they are doing too much, so it becomes very convoluted very fast. Junior Milena Albertson says, “I wish things could’ve been more separated. With the number of people I literally couldn’t see anything!” Though despite everything, I’d still go again next year because it’s truly an experience you can’t get anywhere else!