77,818 people gathered in the desert to celebrate all that is geek-culture…
…and it was GOOD.
On June 5th 2014 the annual Phoenix Comic Con kicked off, larger than ever. Growing by over 50% from last year, the con had a few snags- especially when it came to getting people their badges but all in all it was a great time.
One of the most unique and compelling reasons to get to this con is the depth and breadth of panels available to attendees. Tracks were offered for Youth, Film, Books/Authors, Gaming, Science, Science Fiction, Comics, Costuming, Anime and Horror. The panels were by and large diverse in their representation of women, though I’d love to see more POC as invited guests going forward.
The crowd was generally fun with tons of cosplay on display, from simple Dalek dresses to complex and eye popping designs. I didn’t see or hear of any harassment issues and the con lays out both the harassment policy and an additional “Cosplay is not Consent” section that prohibits surreptitious photo taking and outlines appropriate behavior.
Upsides:
A diversity lounge in one of the slightly off site sites made it possible to hang out in a relaxed space that did not end up feeling like a “Other” zoo exhibit.
Tons of stars! TV and film actors and authors you know and love.
Awesome exhibitors and amazing exhibits. There was so much to see!
Helpful and attentive volunteers all around.
So many nerds. I love nerds. Nerds are my people.
Opportunities to give blood and to register for bone marrow donation were on site!
Downsides:
You could see the growing pains from doubling in size from last year. There were some organization and communication missteps. They could use more volunteers ( if you are awesome & in the PHX area, you might consider it!)
All in all I had a great time at PHXCC. I recommend if you go you wear extra comfy shoes — the hall is huge and some events take place in the hotels around the convention center itself. Also, make sure you bring a water bottle (it is SO. HOT. IN. PHOENIX. Y’ALL).