Hey
everybody – Phantom here. I am looking for stories about Dragon
Con. I don’t care how long they are, how dirty or clean they are,
or when they took place. If you have a Con-related story you’d like
to share, send it to me at phantomtroublemaker@gmail.com
and I will post it here on the site. Be sure to include pictures (if
possible), how you want to be credited, and any links you’d like to
attach. We have less than two weeks before Con, so I’ll be posting
your stories as soon as I get them.
I am a nerd through and through. I always have been and
always will be. About fifteen years ago I discovered conventions.
Normally, they are called comic book conventions (or simply cons for
short) but in this day and age most of them are really more like pop
culture conventions. The things they do best is bring nostalgia and
current pop culture together while also being relevant to all ages. I
fell in love immediately. The atmosphere, the people, the artists,
the cool stuff to buy, and absolutely not least, the costumes. My
first convention was a con in Knoxville, TN that no longer exists
called Adventure Con. After that I attended such cons as Chiller
Theatre in New Jersey, Fanboy Expo in Tennessee, MegaCon in Florida,
ConNooga in Chattanooga and the granddaddy of them all - San Diego
Comic Con. I was very fortunate to attend all of these but nestled
amongst that group of outstanding cons was a little one called Dragon
Con.
This year I will be attending once again after that
hiatus. Things are different this time around as I do not have my own
hotel room like last time nor am I going to be able to stay for the
entire con. I will be sleeping on the floor as is the Dragon Con way
and I will have to leave sometime early Saturday night. Most people
probably wouldn't even bother, but that’s what Dragon Con means to
me and thousands of other people. It’s a time where you are
surrounded by people that are just as nerdy as you. Probably even
nerdier. That first year I immediately felt like I fit in and that it
was something that was missing in my life. I have heard many people
call Dragon Con home and I feel much the same way even though I have
only gone once.
Everyone is there to celebrate what we are in our
everyday lives - fans.
The first year I went I took one costume. It was
Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre and was very well received.
A good friend of mine made me the apron - which is awesome - while I
got some hand-me-down clothes from another. I bought the chainsaw but
made additions to it to make it a bit more realistic looking. I am
not sure if I am taking it this year as my mask dry rotted and funds
will be low. However I am working on two, maybe even three to take
that have been ideas floating around in my head for a while. Most of
them are very low cost which is the great thing about Dragon Con.
People don't ridicule you, laugh at you, or make fun of you. They
embrace your fandom.
I have wanted to go every year since that first year but
for one reason or another, it hasn't happened. This year I was bound
and determined to make sure it did. It might not be the ideal
situation to some but for me, it’s worth it. I have been introduced
to so many people over the past couple of years through podcasts
(like the ESO Network) and whatnot. I've met a lot of them but there
are still others I haven't. I have met Phantom Troublemaker before
but it was a brief encounter of about 30 seconds at Days Of The Dead
in passing.
One of the things I am interested in seeing is all of
the fantastic authors, artists, and musicians. I love meeting new
creative people and seeing the projects they have going on. I do know
that Scott Sigler, one of my favorite writers is going to be there,
so it will great to finally meet him. His Galactic Football Series is
terrific and great for young sports fans to get into science fiction.
Nocturnal was also a good read that came out last year and I am
hoping to get him to sign my copy.
I'm sure there are a ton more things that I will want to
do, but I'm waiting for schedules to be released. Chances are I will
miss a lot of stuff simply because of the logistics of having over
60,000 people in the heart of Atlanta. Because of that there is
always a chance for frustration, but if you are lucky enough to be in
a host hotel you have 24 hour access to Dragon Con TV. DC*TV can be a
life saver if you just want to watch the costume contest, certain
panels, or just funny clips produced in-house by the incredible DC*TV
team. You can do so in the comfort of your room.
Along with all of this there are still celebrities and
stuff to buy in the dealers room. I may not get any autographs from
the celebrities but they did add Paul Blackthorne, so that is very
tempting. Most people will know him from Arrow (& possibly Harry
Dresden from The Dresden Files) but I know him from The River. Which
was an excellent show on ABC which sadly only made it one season. As
far as the dealer room goes, I'm not looking for anything in
particular. I'm sure there will be many things that make me go “I
totally need that,” but I usually wait until the con to see what
they have. Now, if any LEGO minifigs are around, I may not be able to
resist the temptation.
*Side Note: Why does Rocket Raccoon have to be included
in a set that is way too expensive and one I don't care about?
Words can't express how excited I am about being able to
attend Dragon Con this year. I know it will be hard to leave Saturday
night just when the party is starting. Unfortunately being an adult
often takes some of the fun away, but I am not letting it stop me
from experiencing as much of Dragon Con as I can!
-R.T.
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